Title for this chapter is based on "Just For A Moment" by Gryffin
Hiding in my Skin, Broken from Within
Chapter 5 - Just For A Moment
The sun had begun to set on Gaur Plains. Lucina and Captain Falcon had spent several hours training, both against other monsters as well as in one-on-one in friendly sparring matches, and they were quite exhausted. Remembering Fiora's advice from earlier, they headed for the cave located east of the statue. After walking past the nearby lake, they entered the cave.
Fiora mentioned that the cave was once a refugee camp for residents of Colony 6 after it was ravaged, and it still possessed the bare essentials for living. Several sleeping mats with blankets lined the stony floor, and there were a few tables with chairs and boxes that contained tools essential for survival, such as various first aid implements, rope, cloth, and hunting tools. In a corner far away from the sleeping mats was a cauldron hung over a stack of wood. It wasn't luxury, but it would do.
"Wow..." Lucina murmured, taking in her surroundings. "The people who last stayed in this cave sure knew how to survive."
"Having to spend so long in the wilderness like that..." The Captain remarked. "I can only imagine."
"Hmm?" Lucina was bemused by his comment.
"...Ah, sorry if my words seemed out of place. It's just, the world I come from is so technologically advanced that scenarios like that would not be an issue," Falcon clarified.
"I see," Lucina replied, taking a seat at a nearby table. "You know...I've always wanted to see what the worlds everyone else is from are like. I guess I just want to broaden my horizons, as they say. When I was a child, I loved reading stories that took place in other worlds. And...during my time here in the Smash tournament, I've come to know so many people who ended up being my friends, and they would tell me all about their own worlds."
"Is that so?" Falcon asked, taking a seat across from her.
"Yes," Lucina answered him. "When I first met Shulk's friend Fiora at that off world quest some time ago with my father, she told me all about this world, where she and Shulk came from. I chose to come here because I wanted to see how vast and amazing it was for myself. ...If it's okay with you, I would someday like to visit the world you come from, too."
"Really?" Falcon was surprised by Lucina's remark. "I could take you someday in the future, but I don't think it would be such a great place to train, seeing as how it's vastly different from your world or Shulk's."
"Oh, no, it's fine," Lucina said. "I would like to go somewhere else to continue our training, but I'm not sure yet. I'll probably let you know tomorrow morning."
"Sounds fine," the Captain replied. All of a sudden, he winced and clutched an area on the left side of his back with his left arm. "Ngh..."
"Is something wrong...?!" Lucina gasped.
"I think...that battle with that monster..." he strained, "May have...injured me a bit."
"Let me see..." Lucina began. "I know some first aid from my battles back in my world."
"Okay..." the Captain obliged. He slowly began to lift the back of his jacket, exposing his back. As was expected, the area he was clutching earlier had some bruises and scratches on it. One of the scratches appeared to be bleeding slightly.
"A-ah..." Lucina wasn't grossed out by the injuries, as she had helped treat her own and others' in her own future when she battled Grima, whenever she didn't have the aid of a healer. She was instead...slightly flustered by the sight of that rippling, nicely toned back, even though only a small portion of it was exposed. Her heart started to beat a touch faster, and she felt the blood rush to her face a bit.
Why...am I reacting like this? This isn't like me...I need to focus.
"Something the matter?" He asked her, noticing her standing still for a bit.
"...Not at all," she answered him, regaining her focus. "Let me look around for any medical supplies."
She began looking around in the crates. She found a crossbow, something she made use of in one of her journeys outside her own world and Smash, but realized it wouldn't be of use unless they were hunting. Putting it aside, she continued to dig around until she found some gauze, medical tape, a small towel, cotton balls, long thin wooden sticks, and a bottle of some unknown solution. Before taking the other supplies out, she brought the bottle to her trainer to see what kind of medicine it was.
"Could you examine this?" She asked him. Releasing the side of the shirt he was holding with his right arm, the Captain took the bottle and examined the labels. Upon reading the ingredients on the back, he answered, "Good find. This is an antibiotic gel."
"Okay, great," She replied, taking the bottle back as he handed it to her. She put it on a nearby table, then returned to the crate and brought over the gauze, tape, wooden sticks, small towel and cotton balls to the table, placing the cotton balls in an empty bowl. "You ready?"
"Sure," the Captain answered her, lifting the other side of his shirt with his other arm. "You may want to wash the area clean of any debris before you start disinfecting."
"Got it," the swordwoman said, knowing what she needed to do. Taking the towel, she dashed outside to the nearby lake and dipped a portion of it into the cold water before running back.
Noticing her walking back in with the wet towelette, Falcon told the blue-haired Ylissean, "Okay, I'm ready."
"Alright..." Lucina walked over to the Captain, taking in a deep breath to remain calm, and, kneeling close enough to have access to the area she was going to treat, slowly brought the wet end of the towel over to the scrapes on the exposed part of his back.
"C-cold..." He muttered, shivering slightly.
"No one said it would be easy," She said in an attempt to reassure him. "Now just hold still."
The Captain said nothing, only nodded as his protégé slowly and gently wiped away any dirt from the area of the wounds with the wet end of the towel. After a while, the water from the towel didn't feel as cold. When she was done, she dried the area with the dry side of the towel, softly patting the area instead of rubbing it so as not to aggravate the wounds.
"Now it's time to disinfect," she announced. Walking over to the table, she put one cotton ball from the bowl onto a wooden stick, uncapped the disinfecting gel bottle, and put a decently sized blob of its contents onto the cotton ball. She then walked over to him and once again knelt down close to him, and slowly brought the cotton ball to one of his scrapes and started to rub it in.
"Easy now..." the Captain told her. "Don't rub too hard."
"Got it." She carefully coated each of the open scrapes with as much antibiotic gel as she could, rubbing softly.
"Ahh..." Falcon sighed. Caught off guard by that sigh that didn't have any trace of pain in its tone, Lucina didn't know what to think. "Am I...rubbing too hard?"
"No..." He shook his head. "It's just...perfect, actually."
"I see..." She was a bit surprised to see him taking this so calmly, but proceeded to rub the medicine into the wounds as best she could. "There. That should help it heal faster with little to no scarring."
"What next?" He asked her, still lifting the shirt just in case she needed to do anything else.
"I think it would be best to cover the wound, so that you don't risk any pathogens or dirt coming in." She walked back over to the table and grabbed the gauze, placing the conveniently adequately sized fabric over the wounds.
"Hold that gauze there with your other hand," she instructed him. As he held it there, she grabbed the medical tape and fastened the gauze to his skin safely and securely, instructing him to move his fingers wherever necessary.
"Okay, we're done. The scrapes weren't even that deep, so they should heal within a few days." Finding herself in a daze and staring at the bare skin of his rippling back again, Lucina silently looked away, blushing slightly.
Gods...! Why am I reacting like this...? It was just something I decided to do to repay him by treating his injuries...
"Thank you, Lucina," the Captain said. "I'm guessing this is something you're used to...?"
He...thanked me?
"W-well," She began with a slight stammering chuckle, "I guess you could say it's something I got used to in the future I came from, haha..." She scratched the back of her head with her left hand.
"Well, well, well, I come back and you two are already hitting it off...?" A playful, feminine voice with the same accent as Shulk's asked.
The same voice from earlier.
"Fiora!?" Falcon gasped in surprise, lowering his shirt as if by instinct.
"H...how long have you been standing there, Fiora?" Lucina questioned as she walked over to Fiora, feeling somewhat embarrassed. "C-cause I assure you, it's NOT what you think..."
"Oh, just long enough to see you getting all hot and bothered at the sight of his bandaged back..." The blonde cyborg girl teased, a suggestive look on her face.
"...Fiora. If you weren't one of my best friends, I SWEAR..." Lucina grumbled, feeling even more embarrassed.
"Hahaha, I'm just teasing," Fiora giggled, patting the Exalt on the shoulder. "Try to loosen up a bit!"
"I...guess I should," Lucina said with a sigh. "Sorry about that."
"No worries," Fiora reassured her. "I just had my interview with Sonic from Smash City. I feel it went pretty well, and he says he'll let me know if I'll be picked for this, or even any upcoming Smash tournament. I'm really excited at the thought of fighting alongside you guys, and Shulk, and Ryu, and everyone else one day! Hopefully, your father will have his chance by then, too..."
"Yeah...that would be great," Lucina agreed, a content smile gracing her face.
"See, that's the Lucina I know!" Fiora beamed. "Although...I kinda wish Mega Man were the one interviewing me. He's sooo cool! But I guess he's not much of the talkative type..."
Feeling a twinge of guilt at Fiora mentioning Chrom in passing, Captain Falcon tried to change the subject. "Fiora...I don't think you ever told me how exactly you and Lucina met. Why don't you come in?"
As the two best friends walked in, Fiora grabbed a chair of her own, letting Lucina sit next to her trainer before Fiora herself sat in front of them.
"Okay, so...one day, a few months ago, these Golden Chains appeared in this world. Shulk was still in Smash City at the time, so I couldn't contact him in time, but I was curious about them, so I followed them, and I met this blue-haired android lady, and of course, Lucina and her dad. Lucina and I seemed to just click right away," Fiora explained, giggling at the last part. She continued, "Ryu was also there, alongside his best friend Ken. With their help, and the help of some others we met along the way, we were able to save the multiverse." Grinning confidently, she boasted, "Pretty awesome, right?"
"It really is," the Captain said.
"Shulk told me about Fiora beforehand. It was during the Golden Chains quest I told Fiora and Ryu about Smash," Lucina continued. "It seemed Ken was pretty interested too. I told Master Hand about the three of them, but at the moment Master Hand saw the most potential in Ryu and wanted him on board right away, heh..."
"I guess he couldn't say no to star power, eh?" Fiora commented. She and Lucina giggled, and Falcon couldn't help but smile at these two close friends enjoying themselves talking about things. At the same time, this sight of camaraderie made him think of his friendship with Snake, and he couldn't help but feel a bit melancholy.
I hope one day we can talk again like old times, Snake... the Captain thought.
"But enough about me. What were you guys doing just now before I arrived?" Fiora asked.
"Ah, well..." Lucina began. "My trainer...he was injured from the fight earlier. I was just treating his wounds."
"Oh no..." Fiora gasped, looking a bit remorseful and worried. "And he still trained you in spite of all that? They weren't serious, were they?"
"Fiora..." Lucina murmured. She didn't like to see the normally chipper and fearless Fiora looking so sad.
"It was nothing," the Captain reassured her. "Just some minor scrapes. It seems this is something she's done before."
"Is that so?" Fiora asked curiously.
"...It's true," Lucina admitted. "The world I come from is the same one as Robin's, but in a bleak, desolate future. My father died in that future, so I had to face the Fell Dragon, Grima, by myself, although I had some other allies to help."
"Must have been tough..." Falcon said sympathetically. I suppose I can see why she felt so strongly about her father being able to participate...
"I still managed," Lucina stated. "And the reason I'm training with him is because I want to be even stronger...to protect myself better, and those I care about."
"That's such a noble goal, Lucina," Fiora complimented her friend, her voice full of admiration. "And, Mr. Falcon, it's also very admirable of you to still train her and patch things up some more with her. I meant it when I said you were the strong but gentle type. I'm sure you two will get along just fine!"
"You flatter me, Fiora," the Captain said, chuckling. "Well, I suppose it's only fair to talk about the world I come from."
"Hmm?" The two friends leaned closer in curiosity.
"Truth is...even though I am a bounty hunter and trained in close combat, I'm better known as a star racer in my world."
"Ooooh..." the two girls expressed their interest in unison.
"Heh, I guess you two really are interested," Falcon said. "Maybe you can watch me in a race one day too, Fiora."
"That. Would be SO COOOOL!" Fiora gushed, her eyes shimmering with excitement.
"That's Fiora, all right," Lucina giggled. "She always gets so excited at the thought of seeing other worlds. She was like that when we met. Always so adventurous..."
The three had a hearty laugh for a while, and when they were done, Fiora had a sudden insight. "You know...I've come to realize just by looking at you two, that you two really seem to complement each other."
"How so...?" Lucina questioned, tilting her head slightly. She was curious to hear Fiora's reasoning.
"Well, for starters, you know how the opposite ends of magnets attract each other? I can just see it. You two are so different, but so similar as well. You, Lucina, are mostly calm and composed, but on the inside, you're very strong and determined. And you, Captain...your tough, battle hardened appearance belies a...softer side. You never leave anyone behind."
"It's true..." Falcon admitted. "I've not only hunted down dangerous criminals across the galaxy, but I've also rescued a lot of people in need. I've come to be known as a true hero."
"A hero..." Lucina murmured in wonder, holding her hand to her chest and looking down. "I wish to one day be considered a hero, too. All I did was take on the appearance of the Hero King, Marth, to instill hope in the survivors from my future."
"That doesn't make you any less of a hero either, Lucina," Fiora encouraged her friend.
Looking up, Lucina smiled at the cybernetically enhanced Hom. "You're too sweet, Fiora."
"Heehee..." Looking at the two training partners once again, Fiora continued, "But...I can also see a duality within the two of you. You, Captain, are like the light, the sun, a fire burning brightly - full of passion. As for you, Lucina, you're like the darkness, the moon, the deep oceans - you're more tranquil and rational. And with these qualities, you two can perhaps...find balance. Maybe even...bring out the best qualities in each other, despite you two being so different."
"You...really think so, Fiora?" Lucina was amazed by Fiora's read into the two of them.
"I do," Fiora confirmed, nodding. "In fact...if I didn't know any better...I'd say you two are each other's...you know..."
"Our...what?" The Captain wasn't sure where Fiora was going.
"...I was thinking...that the two of you would be each other's, well...other half."
"Ah?!" Lucina felt the blood rushing to her face as she blushed intensely. "F-F-F-Fiora, PLEASE! Our relationship is strictly professional!"
"I mean...who's to say it won't stay that way? Ohoho..." Fiora giggled teasingly with a wink.
"Fioraaaaaaa!"
"O...other...half...?" The Captain muttered, looking deep in thought, as he tenderly held his right hand to his chest.
"...Are you okay?" The blue haired swordswoman asked her trainer. It was a bit strange to see such a strong man showing a more sensitive side, but on the flip side, it seemed Fiora's intuition about him was on the dot.
"Just...thinking. Don't worry about me."
An inexplicable feeling washed over the future Exalt as she observed her trainer in his pensive state, especially with how he told her not to worry. She could tell something was troubling him, and in that moment...
Is it wrong of me to just...want to be close to him right now...?
She slowly stood up and slowly reached her right hand over to touch his shoulder, when she ended up pulling back out of hesitation.
...It's too soon. I shouldn't...this is something he has to deal with on his own. I mustn't interfere. She sat down, unaware that Fiora had already gotten up and was heading for the cave entrance. "...Fiora?"
"It's getting late," Fiora said, noticing the sky turning completely dark and the stars illuminating the sky. "Wouldn't want you two to go to bed on an empty stomach. I'll be right back!"
"Okay..." After Fiora ran off, the Captain spoke up. "Hey...Lucina?"
"Yes?" She turned to him.
"Fiora's comment...the 'other half' comment, it had me thinking."
"You're not upset, are you?" The swordswoman asked.
"Of course not," The racer reassured her, letting the hand he once held to his chest rest at his side. "Though, I couldn't help but think of a bittersweet memory of mine..."
"Is that so?" Lucina sat back down on her chair.
"At one point, I did have someone I considered my other half. Her name was Jody." The Captain looked at the ceiling.
"Jody..." The blue-haired young woman murmured. "You must have cared for her a lot. What...happened between you two?"
"I really did," Falcon confirmed. "I guess...she was my first love. Unfortunately, I...for her own safety, I had to break things off after a while. She was being targeted by dangerous men, like Black Shadow, my arch-nemesis."
"He must have been a real threat if you felt you had to break things off with Jody," Lucina said with a sigh. "I can understand that... Sometimes the only way to protect those you love, is to no longer pursue a relationship with them...cause you don't want to see them get hurt because of you, or worse."
It's why I myself didn't get close to anyone in the world I came from...
"All things considered, though, it ended on a pretty high note," the Captain clarified, looking at his training partner once again. "We're still good friends, and she's...found someone else. Someone that won't put her in danger like I have. If I may be brutally honest...I'm happy for her."
"I see..."
Just then, Fiora came back with a haul of ingredients for making supper in a sack, and behind her was Riki, another one of Shulk's friends and an Assisting Fighter back in Smash City, carrying some slain Turkins, presumably to be used as the meat in the meal.
"Riki?!" The two exclaimed, surprised.
"Heropon live to serve!" Riki boasted cheerfully, striking a heroic pose that with his stature looked a bit dorky, but adorable at the same time.
"Riki will be helping me out in the kitchen tonight," Fiora said.
"Looking forward to it," Lucina told her friend.
As Riki and Fiora prepared dinner, the Captain and Lucina continued to discuss their experiences in their own worlds, this time on a lighter note.
"...and then, Morgan said, 'How are you gonna win this war if you can't even smoosh one stupid roach?!'" Lucina explained, adding a slight mocking tone to mimic her little brother's words at that moment.
Laughing heartily, Falcon asked, "You were...scared of a common household bug?! Hahaha..."
"I-it's not funny! That thing was huge, and it had wings!" Lucina puffed her cheeks angrily for a few moments, then burst out giggling. "Okay, maybe it IS a little funny..."
"Good to see they're getting along well..." Fiora mused contentedly.
"Friends happier when they taste our cooking, Fiora!" Riki encouraged her.
"You're right," Fiora nodded confidently.
"...and then, after I leaped out of the train's way with the baby in my arms, I...ripped my pants."
"Captain, you did NOT!" Lucina shouted, clutching her sides as she laughed hysterically.
"Alright, you two, dinner time!" Fiora called out.
As the four sat down at the table and ate, the Captain noticed something peculiar about Fiora. "Excuse me...Fiora?"
"Yes, Captain?"
"You're...only having a glass of water for dinner?" Noticing her trainer glancing at the sole glass of water where Fiora was sitting, Lucina added, "He's right...I don't think I've ever seen you eat anything, Fiora."
"Oh, that...this body of mine? The Machina of Mechonis made it so that water is my sole power source. I don't really need to eat to keep my energy up." Glancing at Riki, she added, "Riki helped me with taste testing back in the kitchen." She then took a sip of her water.
"But...you could, in theory, eat if you wanted to, right...?" Lucina questioned, curiously.
"I guess..." Fiora replied. "They didn't explicitly warn against it..." Standing up, she said with a slight twinge of excitement in her voice, "Be right back. I think I'll serve myself something, too. By the Bionis, it's been too long..."
As Fiora walked off to serve herself her portion, Riki started another conversation. "How are friends?"
"We're doing fine, Riki," Lucina happily answered him. "This is really good. You and Fiora did a great job."
"Lucy's comments flatter Heropon!" Riki declared, doing a typical Nopon "dance" which just consisted of him bouncing around in a circle.
"So, you call yourself 'Heropon'?" The Captain asked the Nopon.
"Yes!" Riki announced. "Riki idol and hero to all Nopon!"
"You're...not dismayed at the fact you're only an Assisting Fighter in Smash City, are you?"
"Wha-? Meh-meh! If Riki can help, he proud to help!" Riki answered the Captain. "Besides, Cappy, Shulk more important than Heropon. He deserve to be in spotlight, even if Riki never get his chance to be an actual Smasher."
"C-Cappy...?" Falcon snickered slightly at that nickname, unsure why exactly he found it amusing. "But I'm glad to know you're content." Noticing Fiora walking back in with her relatively small meal, his attention shifted to her. "Were you listening, Fiora?"
"Yeah," the cyborg said, taking a seat. "What's up?"
"If...let's say, you were picked to participate in Smash, but...you were only an Assisting Fighter, or only came out during a Final Smash, like Mega Man's other versions, or...Chrom when Robin uses his Final Smash...how would you feel...?"
"Captain..." Lucina felt a bit remorseful that the Captain asked that question sounding so guilty.
"I..." Fiora hesitated for a moment, looking down sadly. Within a few seconds, however, she looked back at him, a determined fire in her eyes. "I'd still be happy. I would get to still fight alongside Shulk when he needed me. And I'd get to spend time with Lucina in Smash City, too! So no matter what...as long as I get to be with everyone...I'm content."
"I'm glad, Fiora," Lucina said, smiling.
Maybe I've been too hard on this whole situation...maybe my father is content where he is right now.
Within a few minutes, everyone was done.
"Woo...that was great!" Fiora cheered. "Thanks for the suggestion, Lucina. I've almost forgotten how great it is to enjoy a meal with company."
"No problem, and thank you for the meal," Lucina thanked her friend. "But we'd better get our rest tonight. We have places to go tomorrow as we'll be training across different worlds."
"Just stay safe, friends!" Riki pleaded.
"Heh, we will," the Captain reassured the little heroic Nopon, patting him on the head.
"Meh-mehhhh..." Riki purred.
"You'll need some supplies, though," Fiora advised. "I'll be back in the morning with some things you'll need for your journey. It should last you a couple days." Her face changed to a concerned expression briefly as she continued, "I just hope it won't be anywhere too dangerous..."
"Don't worry, Fiora," Captain Falcon reassured the Hom. "I'll keep your friend safe, no matter what."
"Captain..." Lucina muttered, also sounding worried. I just hope you don't put yourself in danger for my sake, either...
"Thank you." Looking outside for a moment, Fiora noticed the night sky becoming cloudy. "Well, better get going. It's gonna rain soon..."
"Take care!" Lucina called to Fiora as she and Riki headed out.
Within minutes, it started to rain. "I guess we should get some rest, then," the Captain said.
"You're right," the Exalt agreed. The two found some sleeping mats on the floor a short walk away, and proceeded to lie down in separate mats, covering themselves with the slightly tattered blankets.
Falcon was about to drift off to sleep amidst the sound of the rain tapping the rock ceiling of the cavern and the dying flames beneath the cauldron when he heard Lucina sighing, sounding somewhat anxious. "Can't sleep?" He asked her.
"I'm just...a little worried about the days ahead of us," she answered him. "I know you'll do what you can to keep both of us safe, but... what'll happen when we run out of supplies?"
"We'll cross that bridge when we get there." He sat up for a bit and made eye contact with her. "I think when we do reach that point, however, we'll stop by Termina to restock. Maybe even say hello to an old friend of mine there, too."
"Termina..." Lucina mused. "Is it...safe there, though?"
"Of course," the Captain clarified. "We don't have to worry about an imposing moon hanging over us, threatening to destroy us in three days. Young Link took care of that."
"I can imagine," Lucina said with a slight chuckle. Feeling calmer, she yawned and lay back down. "Good night, Captain."
"Good night, Lucina." He lay back down himself and let the sounds around him lull him into a deep slumber.
...
"I'm sorry, Jody. It's because I love you that I want you to be safe...and that's why we can't be together anymore."
"Captain...? Please, don't do this..."
"I'd rather see you happier with someone else, than lose you... Please, forgive me." The Captain walked away from the brown haired woman, who looked like she was about to cry. Deep down, he felt the urge to cry too, but held it back.
Time seemed to pass in the blink of an eye and he saw her in the streets once again, in the arms of another man. A slightly bittersweet smile graced his face as he was relieved to see her moving on and loving someone else. However...
"Will I ever find my own happiness...?"
"For my father...!"
"That voice..." He turned around as the surroundings seemed to change to that familiar arena from that day. Within a few seconds, he saw Lucina dashing toward him, about to swipe at him with her sword, again just like that day. However, when she was about to attack him again...
"Augghhhh!" She collapsed to the ground in pain.
"Lucina!?" He was stunned at the sight before him as the surroundings changed to the hospital room he visited her in. She was now lying in the hospital bed, clad in the customary gown, tears streaming down her face.
"Captain...can I ask you a favor?"
"Yes?"
This isn't how the conversation went that day... He thought.
"Please...promise that you'll never leave me..."
"I..." The Captain hesitated.
"I need you more than you think...Captain...Captain?"
"Captain!"
"Ah?!" He awoke to see Lucina squatting down by him. "Agh...must have been a dream..."
"I guess so," the Exalt conceded. "You kept murmuring my name..."
"Did I...?" Falcon mumbled, almost dazed. Regaining his grasp on reality, he got up and said, "Well, it doesn't matter now. Let's go...Fiora's waiting for us."
"Indeed." The two left the cave, and headed toward Fiora who was waiting at the statue.
"Okay, so, you guys ready?" Fiora asked the two Smashers, who then nodded. Smiling, she said, "Okay, great. Riki and I prepared this for you." She handed the Captain a rather large looking sack, but much to Falcon's surprise, it was rather light.
"What all is in this?" He asked the Hom girl.
"You've got...some first aid supplies, climbing implements if you ever need them, some rations, stuff to build a makeshift shelter with if you ever need to, and anything else you may need to make your travels easier and safer."
"Thanks, Fiora," Lucina said, walking over to her friend and shaking her hand.
"Anytime."
"Say, did you get to tell Shulk? And everyone else at Smash City?"
"Of course," Fiora confirmed. "They're all wishing you the best, and will wait for your return. And know that Chro - I mean, your father is very proud of you."
Lucina felt happy tears well up in her eyes. He was right...everyone does care. Wiping them away, she declared, "I'll do my very best, and come back stronger than ever."
"That's the spirit!" Fiora chimed. "I wish you two the best, and I hope to see you in Smash City one day!"
"Same here," the two called out in unison. They waved Fiora goodbye before setting off.
"So...decided where you want to go next?" The Captain asked the swordwoman.
"I'll let you know when I get there," she answered him.
As they walked off, Falcon looked to the sky for a moment and wondered, But still...what could that dream mean...?
New year, new rewrite?! Heck yeah, especially since Ultimate is now a thing.
So first off, unintentional Mario Odyssey reference with the Cappy, but you're welcome. :P
Second, let's address the elephant in the room. It's been almost FOUR years since I updated this. My original vision for how the events would turn out varied a lot, first with Snake not returning as Smash 4 DLC, I wasn't sure what to do. Then, Ultimate happened, and EVERYONE IS HERE! I was happy to see not just Snake, but EVERYONE ELSE returning. Of course, Mecha-Fiora is now a part of Shulk's Final Smash, but with Chrom being now also playable AND still in Robin's Final Smash and Victory Animations, I have some hope for my cyborg daughter(TM). I may still do the whole "some cameos from future characters I'd like to see" thing too, especially since I have a feeling DLC will last a lot longer this time around. One of them may come to no surprise if you've read my Training Exercise fic... :p
Also, I have been revising not just this, but some other chapters too, though not to the extent as this one. Admittedly, I can't really think of any other alternatives to Lucina getting dramatically injured at the tournament, or the emotional hospital scene (how Lucina only bared her true feelings to the Captain), but I did add some context to the latter to make it make a bit more sense in context. I will be following some advice that others gave me, and my end vision will have more in depth character and relationship development.
Oh, and there will be some MORE angst later on too, as well as... ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°) but of course, that won't be the main focus. I want to deliver a Smash fanfiction, no, a contained Smash fanfic "multiverse" so to speak that will be different from the pack, and I hope I'll be able to achieve that.
So here's to a great rest of this fic! Look forward to it! I will even put a note on the next chapter for veteran readers returning to this fic after all this time.
And lastly, I guess you could say Project X Zone 2 is canon to this fic, happening a few months before Ryu becomes a Smasher, despite the game coming out after Ryu was Smash 4 DLC. There's also a slight reference to Codename STEAM, in which Marth, Ike, Robin and Lucina guest appear in, but it's just a fleeting nod. In that game, Lucina uses a crossbow (I think she also uses it in PXZ2, not sure)