Good lord writing Bayonetta and my perceived Cloud and Bayonetta dynamic is fun
Also, these next few chapters take place just after chapter 7 of Xenoblade X, and the events of chapter 8 will happen soon. There is spoilers for chapter 4 of X (all the more reason we NEED a port of Xenoblade X for Switch... it's a game that made a really positive impact in my life). Cross isn't present, however. I'm kinda putting my own spin on the events that follow, as after all, Elma is considered the true protagonist of X. She's even a DLC Blade in Xenoblade 2.
Content warnings for this chapter: blood, and a spoiler for an over 20 year old PS1 JRPG. namely the one Cloud's from, not that it really counts as a spoiler anymore tbh with how everyone and their mom knows it
Also, Bayonetta leans on the fourth wall at one point, and there's some possibly hinted Cloutena. Maybe even one-sided Bayotena and BayoPit if you squint. Some of the events Cloud and Bayonetta discuss are tied to my first Snakus oneshot, "Don't go away, I will stay for you". Which reminds me, soon I'll write a follow up to that. Probably.
Title based on "Over Night" by Aya/CruelSHE, ending theme to the anime "Le Chevalier D'Eon"
Hiding in my Skin, Broken from Within
Chapter 14 - Over Night
A gentle breeze blew through the grasslands of the outskirts of New Los Angeles, on the Primordia continent, as the afternoon sun shone brightly in the sky. About five miles from the West Gate, the former AVALANCHE mercenary Cloud Strife got to work calibrating the off world teleporter that connected Planet Mira to Smash City. Bayonetta, the Umbran witch, was in charge of keeping Primordia's wildlife away from the machine, especially the bloodthirsty ones. Naturally, being a witch of immense power, taking care of the monsters was a walk in the park for her, and the two were fortunate enough to be situated in a location where the stronger enemies, or as Lin called them, "Tyrants", wouldn't find and ambush them.
"What do you think of NLA, Bayonetta?" Cloud asked his partner as he performed the necessary calibrations on the machine.
"A little too technologically advanced for my tastes, but it's good to see humankind thriving like this." Seeing a hostile creature rushing to them, Bayonetta aimed her Love is Blue pistols at the monster as she asked, "And you? Does it remind you of your Midgar?"
"It's better, actually," Cloud said. "Back in Midgar I had to deal with Shinra soldiers, pollution, government corruption, and practically everyone below the plate lived in poverty. NLA is miles better in comparison." He heard shots ring and the sound of an animal corpse limply hitting the ground before continuing his work.
"Pardon me, Cloud?" Bayonetta asked the swordsman after blowing the smoke from her pistols, getting bored of her duty.
Temporarily ceasing his mechanical tinkering to sigh and pinch the bridge of his eyebrows, Cloud stated, "This is the second time you've asked to trade places, Bayonetta. I already told you: I'm the only one with the technological know-how to calibrate this thing, and after Master Hand sent us here for that purpose, it's imperative I get it done so we can return without any problems and Snake can arrive here to interview the candidate, Elma."
"But," Bayonetta began with a somewhat desperate sounding sigh, "You wield a sword that's almost half your body's bloody size, not to mention the weight of that thing! I can't be doing this alone all day!"
"Gonna say it again, Bayonetta. Not. Interested." Resuming his work on the machinery, Cloud commented, "You may be a witch who's been around for almost five centuries, but I have the experience necessary to gauge decision-making in situations like these. I'm the one who saved my world from both a greedy organization destroying the planet with their Mako Reactors AND a giant meteor threatening to do the job for 'em, after all."
"W-well," Bayonetta scoffed, hoping to then get an edge in the perceived bragging contest, "I stopped both Jubileus, the Creator, and Aesir, the God of Chaos, from ruling over the human realm, so...!"
"Yeah, that's cool and all, you do you. Now please, let me focus on finishing this." All the while, Cloud was intensely focused on his task even as he spoke.
"He's always got some kind of comeback, doesn't he..." Bayonetta grumbled under her breath. "Why Master Hand thought pairing me with him for this task was a good idea is beyond me." Just then, a thought clicked in her mind. "Wait a tick..."
"...And there. That should do it." Cloud announced he was finished with calibrations, screwing everything else back onto place.
"Can I ask you something, Cloud?" Bayonetta inquired.
"Yeah? What's up?" Cloud answered her, standing up.
"Remember when Master Hand announced the fifth tournament and introduced one of the newest fighters, the Inklings?"
"It was just a week ago, yeah," Cloud replied. "And...?"
"Don't you think it's a little weird how he just said he would inform us of any updates and just floated away? He wasn't there to welcome Princess Daisy, Ridley, Chrom, Dark Samus, or King K. Rool after that..."
"I honestly never noticed..." Cloud admitted with a shrug.
"Well of course you didn't," Bayonetta quipped, teasingly flicking Cloud's forehead. "You have a reputation for being a bit of a lone wolf, you know."
"T-that's not true," Cloud countered. "That was... the old me. It's just... I'm not all that used to making new friends after being thrust into a totally new crowd."
"And yet I saw you with that goddess once," Bayonetta said matter-of-factly.
"P-Palutena?!" Cloud stammered, blushing slightly. "Don't get the wrong idea...she's just a friend. She even reminds me of someone back home. Someone... I lost." He sighed, looking to the side wistfully as he recalled the memory of the flower girl he lost along his journey.
"So you can make friends easily," Bayonetta teased the mercenary. "It's rather interesting that you chose the company of that cheeky goddess, however. Ooh, how I'd love to tease her like I do her little underling, Pit, from time to time..."
"Sounds like you're jealous," Cloud jested.
Flustered, Bayonetta stammered, "I-I am not! Have you forgotten I practically hunt angels for a living?!" Calming down, she continued, "Anyway, as I was saying, I can't quite put my finger on it, but something seems a bit strange with Master Hand. Perhaps Crazy Hand as well..."
"I'm sure it's just a coinci-" Cloud began before being interrupted.
"Cloud! Bayonetta!"
Running to them was Lin Lee Koo, the 13-year-old expert engineer at BLADE. She had short bob-cut black hair with small Monado hair pins in it, gray eyes, and white and black body armor.
"Lin?" Cloud asked the young girl after she caught up to them.
"Are you two done calibrating the teleporter?" Lin asked the two.
"Well, Cloud here did all the work, but yes," Bayonetta confirmed. "Is something the matter?"
"It's not good," Lin explained, her eyebrows furrowing in concern. "Snake and I confirmed two people from Smash City ended up on Noctilum and Sylvalum, respectively. And right now, it's extremely dangerous in Sylvalum. We need to hurry if we're to save Miss Lucina."
"What's in the bag?" Cloud asked, glancing at the knapsack Lin had on her person.
"I'll explain when we get there," Lin told him.
"What of the other person?" Bayonetta asked Lin.
"According to Snake, Captain Falcon ended up in Noctilum. Elma's en route right now to make sure he's safe." Turning in the opposite direction, Lin beckoned the two helpers from Smash City, "Come with me, you two. We'll take a ride to Sylvalum's Lake Ciel in my Skell. Time is of the utmost essence!"
"Won't it get cramped in there?" Bayonetta asked in a somewhat griping tone.
"We don't really have a choice," Cloud told his partner. "C'mon. Let's go."
"Ngh..."
Lucina slowly opened her eyes and saw that she was lying in what felt like sand. Unfortunately for her, she was lying face down, and almost immediately felt some sand in her mouth, which she promptly proceeded to spit out. However, something else was horribly amiss - surrounding her in every direction was a thick cloud of grayish-blue spores that blocked out the sunlight, as if a dense fog.
"A...again?" She murmured, looking around. "I remember the teleporter's display changed from 'MUTE CITY' to 'MIRA' at the last minute...is this Mira...?"
Slowly getting up, she tried to determine the direction she should head in based on the direction the wind would blow. Only problem was, there was no wind.
"You've got to be kidding..." She murmured in disbelief. She tried to take in a deep breath to calm herself, only to end up coughing.
"S-spores?!" She gasped. Once she was done coughing, she said under her breath, "To hell with it. I should at least try to find a way to safety as soon as possible. It beats staying here..."
She cautiously took a few steps ahead of her, her footsteps making faint crunching noises in the sand, when she heard a piercing cry. She couldn't tell what it was in the fog, but whatever it was bodyslammed into her, knocking her on her rear. She could hear a faint snapping sound as she landed.
"Ow..." Wincing, she got back up and immediately drew her Falchion, inching toward whatever it was that attacked her. Once it drew near, she immediately slashed at it, slicing it in two. When its sliced up corpse hit the ground, she walked slightly closer to examine it. It appeared to be a small creature with a bizarre alien physiology, with a gel cap on its "head" surrounded by curved, spiked tendrils.
"What manner of world is Mira...?!" She gasped. Just then, she remembered the snapping sound she heard earlier. Feeling her heart race faster, she immediately checked her pockets for the daisy she took with her. The daisy that was a symbol of her promise to herself and her loved ones that she would return to Smash City. She pulled it out with her right hand.
It was snapped in two close to the head.
"No..." Lucina mumbled, terrified and sorrowful, as she held her left hand to her mouth and tears streamed down her face.
Why... She thought. It seems... I've already broken my promise...
She let go of the broken daisy, the tattered flower slowly falling to the ground in a frail manner.
I'm sorry, everyone... I guess this is what I deserve for pushing you all away.
Looking down to the ground sorrowfully, she trudged on forward sluggishly into the fog.
As Captain Falcon slowly came to his senses, the first thing he noticed was that he seemed to be floating in something. Water, perhaps, as the sound of being submerged in what was seemingly an ocean filled his ears. When he opened his eyes, his suspicions were confirmed. He could see daylight shining softly through the water.
It was then he realized he had to surface for air. Gasping faintly, he quickly swam to the surface and inhaled deeply once his head emerged above the water. Once he caught his breath, he looked around as he treaded the water.
Surrounding him were tall cliffs covered in foliage, and a lake flowing into the ocean just ahead of him, with some strange machine lying in shambles in the center of a semi-circle of rocks. In that same lake area was a large, twisting tree branch that led to the ground above.
"I definitely don't think I'm anywhere near NLA," he commented. "Guess Robin was right. I imagine Cloud and Bayonetta haven't calibrated the teleporter here yet. Now I just gotta figure out where I am exactly..."
He swam in the direction of the lake, and once he was in, curiosity overtook him as he inched slowly over to the tattered machine between the rocks. "What is tha-" he said before warning signals went off on the scanner on his visor, indicating that the "broken" machine was, in fact, a dormant mechanical alien of immense strength. "...Yikes. Curiosity almost killed this cat here, heh." Changing course, he swam to the nearby shore, then walked up the twisting giant tree branch to the cliffs above, the sun drying him off during his trek.
As he got to higher ground, he saw mountains of jungle-like terrain before him, sprawling with alien wildlife.
"One thing's for sure," he thought out loud, "I'm stuck on a whole different planet."
Heading in the direction he was facing, he suddenly heard a loud squealing noise close by. Soon, multiple loud, angry squeals followed. Looking around, he saw himself surrounded by alien pig-like creatures with gray leathery skin.
"Heh, bring it on," Captain Falcon boasted as he was surrounded by a small pack of three Forest Suids. He managed to dodge all of their charging attacks and kicked two with immense force, sending them flying into the ocean off the cliff.
"Nothing but small fry," he murmured before noticing the last Forest Suid charging at him. "Hoho, I'm saving the best for last." Gathering energy in his fist, he shouted, "Falcon...PUUUUUNCH!" and punched the last Suid with such great force that it was sent flying ahead of him.
"Hah, keep 'em coming. I could do this all -"
He then noticed that Suid slamming into and bouncing off what looked like a large rock covered in foliage. Within milliseconds, it was revealed to not be a rock at all. A strange, enormous, part-turtle-part-bug-like creature emerged from the ground, and the Captain couldn't help but feel that he had somehow bit off more than he could chew.
"...day...?"
The creature marched over to Falcon slowly. He trembled slightly in fear, but quickly shook it off and got into a defensive stance. "I'm not scared of you. Do your worst!"
"You should be," an unfamiliar woman's voice called out to him. "This is no ordinary opponent!"
"Huh...?" Before he could respond, a tall, dark-skinned woman with silver hair and green eyes emerged from the bushes, sliding on the ground as she fired from the twin guns she wielded and shouted, "Sliding Slinger!" Standing and aiming her guns at one of the creature's appendages on its head, she then shouted, "Executioner!" and fired at the appendage, causing it to burst and fall off the creature's head.
"What's going on? Who are you...?" Falcon asked the woman. Judging by her attire, which consisted of a red vest, orange-red metallic greaves and purple pants, she had to be a somewhat high-ranking military official.
"I'll introduce myself later," the woman told him. "For now, we have to take out this Tyrant. Alfombra, the Transcendent...if you're not careful, it can make quick work of you."
"What should I do, then...?" The Captain asked the mystery woman. This is strangely nostalgic… he thought.
"Just follow my lead," she instructed him. "You could use these." She then handed him some simple weapons – a combat dagger as a melee weapon, and what looked like floating laser drones as a ranged weapon, which came with a small adhesive device the Captain would attach to the back of his upper neck. "When fighting Tyrants, it's best to switch between melee and ranged combat on the fly."
"I see…" Activating the drones which hovered behind him, Falcon cautiously twirled the dagger around in his hand. "But…I've never really used these weapons before."
"Don't worry, it'll come to you," the woman reassured him. "Now get ready. Here it comes!"
Alfombra, the Transcendent began to lift its body up on its hind legs. "It's going to do a body slam attack. Right when it lowers its front legs, it's about to slam its body onto the ground. Move out of the way immediately!"
"Got it!" As the woman predicted, after a few seconds Alfombra lowered its legs, at which point the Captain and the unknown woman leapt out of the way as the creature slammed its body into the ground, sending seismic shockwaves around it.
"Now! Using your Psycho Launchers, perform Shooting Star at the other appendage on its head!"
"Psycho…Launchers?" Falcon questioned before realizing what the woman meant. "Oh…gotcha." The drones seemed to be connected to his brainwaves, so he focused, and the drones seemed to suspend him in midair briefly before sending him flying forward, spinning like a drill. His dagger drawn, he shouted, "Shooting Star!" and slashed as he passed the appendage, slicing it off. The creature cried in pain as the Psycho Launchers gently set the Captain onto the ground safely.
"That put a dent in them," the woman announced. "Let's move in and keep the rhythm going!"
"Now you're speaking my language," the Captain boasted. Noticing a potential weak spot on the monster's abdomen, he gripped his dagger tightly and shouted, "Slit Edge!" as he dashed to it and sliced at it, causing the fluid sac on its abdomen to burst.
"Impressive," the woman complimented him. "I'm ready to finish this thing in style. Care to give me a hand?"
"I think I know what I have to do," the Captain answered her. "It's amazing how this is all just coming to me…" Focusing again, he shouted, "Jetstream!" His Psycho Launchers aimed at Alfombra and shot a stream of ether energy at it, stunning it. The woman then dashed and leapt forward, flipping in midair and landing behind it. Before the Tyrant could react, she leapt again in the air with twin swords drawn and shouted "Shadowstrike!" before descending, striking the monster with her swords. She then called out to Captain Falcon, "You might want to get out of the way for this one."
After Falcon backflipped a safe distance to the side, the woman shouted, "Hundred Shells!" and slashed at the air with her swords, sending shockwaves of pure energy to the monster that slowly tore it apart, before slashing both of her swords in an X formation, sending an X-shaped shockwave that disintegrated the beast.
"Astonishing…" the Captain murmured in wonder, holding his left hand to his agape mouth.
"Don't look so shocked. I saved you, after all," the woman chuckled. "By the way, I figure now would be a good time as any to introduce myself. My name is Elma, BLADE Colonel and leader of the Reclaimer division at New Los Angeles. This here is Noctilum, a continent on the vast planet of Mira."
"I see," the Captain said. "I imagine BLADE is the name of your military organization?"
"That is correct," Elma confirmed. "It stands for Builders of a Legacy After the Destruction of Earth, founded this very year of 2056 A.D. We escaped through a spaceship called the White Whale and crash landed in the heart of the Primordia continent."
"Earth was destroyed…in this timeline?" Falcon wondered out loud.
"Timeline…?" Elma was a bit confused. "I'm not sure I follow."
"Ah, I guess it'll make more sense if I introduce myself," Falcon answered her. "You can call me Captain Falcon. I hail from Smash City, though I'm originally from a world…or should I say, a timeline where Earth still stands in the 26th century."
"That makes sense," Elma replied. "And…Smash City, huh…"
"Something the matter?" The Captain asked her curiously.
"It's just…I've been there once," Elma answered him. "When the fourth tournament ended, Master Hand decided to reach out to potential fighters in different worlds. I received a tour from Palutena once when I first signed up for consideration. And... I'm to be interviewed by someone from there soon... one Solid Snake...?"
"Snake's here? He's back in Smash City?!" The Captain gasped.
"Seems that way," the silver haired BLADE colonel answered him. "I was conversing with him via transmission to confirm his arrival in NLA once Cloud Strife and Bayonetta had finished calibrations for the teleporter, when..."
"Elma!" A young female's voice interrupted them both. "It's an emergency!"
"What is it, Lin?" Elma asked Lin.
"Sorry to interrupt, Mr. Snake," Lin apologized, bowing before the projection before continuing, "But when checking FrontierNav, I found two spatial distortions in Noctilum and Sylvalum. I don't think a xenoform warped there... could it be any of yours, Snake?"
"Strange..." Snake said over the video feed. "Let me check." Walking away from the camera, Snake inspected the teleporter's logs, as the room he was broadcasting from was the same room that Smash City's off-world teleporter was situated in. Within a few seconds, he returned.
"It seems you're right, Lin," Snake confirmed. "Looks like Captain Falcon's coordinates are situated in the Noctilum continent on your planet, and Lucina is at the Lake Ciel area in Sylvalum."
"Sylvalum...oh no..." Lin murmured fearfully.
"What's wrong?" Snake asked the young engineer.
"According to FrontierNav, Sylvalum is covered in spore clouds right now," Lin elaborated. "It's dangerous to people who aren't Xenoforms or Mimeosomes like Elma and myself..."
"Hurry to Sylvalum with Cloud and Bayonetta, Lin," Elma ordered Lin. "And don't forget to bring the necessary gear. I will head to Noctilum to retrieve Mr. Falcon."
"Roger!" Lin said, saluting before running off.
"Snake," Elma continued, turning back to the video feed. "I will inform you when the situation has been resolved."
"Sounds fine," Snake obliged. "I will meet up with you after you give the all clear."
"Roger."
"So I guess I found you, then," Elma said.
"I see..." Captain Falcon murmured. "And...what about Lucina? Didn't you say a crew was dispatched to find her?"
"Yes," Elma confirmed. "Lin is en route to Sylvalum's Lake Ciel with Cloud and Bayonetta."
"I just hope she's alright..." Falcon said with a sigh as he removed the adhesive device for the drones and handed it, the drones, and the combat dagger back to Elma, who placed the weapons in a bag she was carrying.
"Is something the matter?" The leader of the Reclaimers asked the bounty hunter.
"Well..." Turning to look at the ocean he found himself in earlier as the waves crashed against the rocks at the bottom of the cliff, the Captain began, "She was my protégé at one point. Following an incident, she wanted to train to become stronger, and I took her under my wing. But...something happened along the way and we ended up going our separate ways."
"I...see..." Elma murmured. "I imagine you grew close to her, based on how you seem so concerned about her safety."
"You can tell...?" The Captain murmured. "It's...true. We've gotten close, you could say." Noticing the sun starting to set, dyeing the sky blazing hues of orange, he turned to Elma and said with a somewhat sheepish grin, "The way we were fighting that Tyrant earlier... it's a bit nostalgic, really. I fought a similar powerful monster on another world with Lucina and one of her friends."
"I understand..." Elma told him. "You're a very noble man, Captain. I'm sure Lucina is glad to have someone like you as her trainer."
"You think so?" Falcon questioned. "Even after... what happened between me and her?"
"You said you two had gotten close, right?" The BLADE colonel asked the Captain. "I'm sure you two can talk it out. I can tell you really care for her, and I know you'll find the right words."
"Ah..." Falcon looked away for a moment timidly, but then said, "Thank you, Elma."
"No problem." Hearing a beeping from her pocket, she pulled out a green device with a holographic screen.
"What's that thing?" Captain Falcon asked the silver haired woman.
"It's my FrontierNav device. It acts as a communicator, radar, and more." Checking her messages on the device, Elma then announced, "Looks like Lin and the help from Smash City found her safe and sound."
"Oh, thank God..." Falcon let out a sigh of relief.
"Do you want to see her?" Elma offered him.
"Y-yes, please," he replied with a nod.
"Very well," Elma said. "Follow me. We'll hitch a ride in my Skell. It's not far from here."
"Skell...?" Falcon followed Elma to her destination. Standing before them was a giant mech suit built for transportation and combat.
"This thing?!" The Captain gasped. "My world has high-tech vehicles that drive without wheels, but this is something I wasn't expecting at all!"
"Amazing, isn't it?" Elma asked Captain Falcon. "The only thing is, Skells don't have a flight module yet. We're working on that." Jumping into the cockpit, she called out to him, "You'll have to tell me more about your world sometime later, okay? In the meantime, hop right in!"
It was only a few minutes, but it felt like hours. The more of the spore cloud Lucina breathed in, the sicker she felt. She tried to stay close to the safe path, judging by the sounds of the nearby Progen, but she was quickly becoming dizzy, her movements growing more sluggish, struggling to keep her balance. She could feel her heart palpitating, the strength draining from her body.
What is it…about this place…? She thought. How long have I been wandering like this…?
She could hear voices whispering to her in the fog – at least, she thought.
Voices…I can't see anything…I feel so weak, and if a monster spots me now, I'll become its lunch. She stumbled and fell to the white sandy ground below her.
Am I going to die? Is this…how I die…? She struggled to get up. N-no…I can't…die here…not without seeing my friends and family again…Zelda, Robin, Shulk, Mother, Father, Morgan…and…
For a brief moment, his face flashed into her mind.
Why am I suddenly thinking about him…? She stood up again slowly, limping. I guess…if I were to die here…I'd want to tell him…that I'm sorry…
This isn't real.
"Huh?!" She gasped, turning around in place quickly but being unable to identify the direction the voice came from. The same voice she heard in her nightmare in Ylisstol not long ago.
None of this is real.
"Agh…" She collapsed to her knees, covering her ears with her hands, but she could still hear the mysterious voice whispering to her.
The truth is…you will die all alone.
"No…! Shut up!" She cried, shutting her eyes.
And if you don't die alone, there's only one other choice for you…and it's to destroy everything you love, with your own hands.
"No!" She shouted, opening her eyes…
And what she saw, she could not believe.
The ground beneath her changed to some form of solidified volcanic soil, surrounded by lakes of lava on either side, the heat blistering. The sky was blazing red. Approaching her were strange, terrifying humanoid creatures about to attack her.
"S-stay away!" She cried, stumbling away and trying to escape, only to see that there was a tall cliff wall behind her. Seeing no choice, she briefly dipped the tip of her Falchion into the lava, and started hacking and slashing at the enemies close to her before plunging it into the chest of the remaining monster.
Panting, she muttered, "I can't…afford…to die here."
"L-Lucy…" a voice behind her called out weakly. She turned around and saw Zelda and Fiora standing in the place of two of the monsters, a glowing, burning gash across their abdomens, sparks also flying out of the wound in Fiora's mechanical exoskeleton.
"Fiora? Zelda?!"
"What…happened to you…?" Fiora strained through pained rasps.
"I told you…you could talk to me about anything…why…why did you…push me away…" At that moment, Zelda's and Fiora's bodies glowed a bright yellow before turning into glowing ashes and scattering in the wind.
"No…" Frightened and saddened, she shook her head in disbelief.
"Sis…"
She turned her head to the right and saw her own family: Chrom, Robyn and Morgan, suffering the same fatal wound Zelda and Fiora had.
"My dear daughter…" Chrom solemnly and painfully murmured before he, his wife and son faded away in the wind.
"Mother! Father! Morgan!" Tears began to well up in her eyes.
"Lucina…"
Turning to the left this time, she saw Robin, Richter and Shulk, once again about to die and turn into ashes.
"Lucina…this isn't…like you…" Robin rasped.
"I never...stopped believing in you..." Richter strained.
"We just wanted…to make sure you were alright…" Shulk groaned before he and Robin were no more.
"Why…" The tears were already streaming down her face, but there was one more agonizing surprise in wait for her.
"Why…" a male voice seemed to parrot her. She turned around, and saw none other than her former trainer, Captain Falcon, with the ignited Falchion sticking through his chest.
"F…" she started to tremble, trying to process what she was seeing. Once she registered in her mind what had happened…
"FALCON!" She pulled the sword out of his chest, catching him in her arms as he fell, sobbing uncontrollably.
"Oh Naga, no…Falcon…please…don't do this to me…" She wept, tears falling from her eyes like hail. "I'm sorry! I'm sorry…I'm so…sorry…" She embraced him tightly, in the vain hope that he wouldn't fade away.
"I just wanted…" he weakly began, lifting his face to meet hers, a small stream of blood trickling from his mouth. "…to tell you…that I'm…sorry…" And with those words, his head nodded downward and stayed there as he breathed his last, a single tear streaming down his face.
"Fal…con…?"
But there was no response. Shortly after, his lifeless body began to glow gold.
"Falcon?!" He began to slowly disintegrate and blow away into the wind as she cried in protest…and in vain. "No! No, no, no, no, no! Stay with me!"
But it was too late. He was gone.
"I…did this…" She solemnly uttered, the tears never ending. Her Falchion fell from her hand and shattered into nothingness as she collapsed to her knees and closed her eyes, weeping softly, then wailing loudly, lifting her head up to the burning red sky.
"Nooooooo!"
Before she could do anything else, she felt a pricking pain in the side of her neck, and she felt her mind becoming cloudy as everything she saw turned black and she fell into a deep slumber.
…
"Mmm…"
The sun hung low in the Sylvalum sky as Lucina opened her eyes to a clear, cloudless but dimming, sky. Standing over her were three people she didn't recognize: a young man with glowing green eyes and spiky blond hair about her age; a more mature-looking woman with short black hair, glasses, and a small mole on her chin; and a young girl with Monado hairpins in her black bob-cut hair, who looked no older than thirteen years old.
"You're awake," the young girl said. "I heard about the potential effects of Sylvalum's spore clouds on non-Mimeosomes, but I never expected I'd actually use the antidote. Of course, L didn't exhibit any symptoms when we surveyed Sylvalum before, though that could be because he's a Xenoform..."
"What…happened?" She slowly sat up and looked around at her surroundings. It was unlike any world she had ever seen – white sand, strange flowers that looked like dandelions about to disperse their seeds, but with a more cottonball-like consistency; a shallow lake that seemed to reflect the sky itself; and green crystals protruding from the ground. Looking at the people surrounding her, she asked, "What am I doing here? Who are you guys?"
"My name is Lin Lee Koo," the young girl introduced herself. "While we made preparations for Elma to be interviewed for the next Smash Bros. tournament, some people from Smash City decided to accompany me to find you, as we received a tip you might be here."
"Name's Cloud," The blond introduced himself.
"And I'm Bayonetta," the older, bespectacled black haired woman greeted.
"And you're in Sylvalum, on the planet Mira," Lin continued from earlier. "Apparently, the spore cloud was making you hallucinate. It's a good thing we showed up when we did, and that I always keep things like these handy for emergencies."
"We had to put one of the oxygen masks we were wearing on you after Lin administered the antidote, to keep you from breathing in any more," Cloud explained, glancing at a pile of three oxygen masks nearby.
"I hope I never have to wear those things again," Bayonetta griped. "They were so…tacky."
"Maybe, but we needed them to stay safe from the spores' effects too," Cloud clarified.
"Hallucinating…?" Lucina questioned, before suddenly going into a panic. "My sword…? My friends…!" She began frantically checking her body for any trace of her sword.
"Your friends are safe," Cloud comforted her, placing his right hand on her shoulder. "Just don't panic. None of what you saw was real. You're safe now."
"And we put your sword back into its sheath," Bayonetta said, glancing at the holstered sword on Lucina's belt. The blue haired swordswoman looked down to notice it, then breathed a huge sigh of relief.
"What were you saying about…Mee-mo-zomes?" She asked the young technician who had seemingly just finished sending a message to someone on the communicator device she was holding.
"Ah, of course," Lin said, turning her attention to the swordswoman. "Elma and I, as well as the bodies of almost everyone in New Los Angeles…they're not organic bodies. We use some mechanical bodies that emulate the functionalities of human bodies to a T, and they're called Mimeosomes. Mimeosomes also have a lot of advantages over normal human bodies, such as immunity to certain pathogens, and we can replace lost limbs or even transfer our consciousness into new bodies if something happens to our current ones. Of course, there are some things only human bodies are capable of, and Mims have their own vulnerabilities as well."
"So…" Lucina tried to wrap her head around all Lin was saying. "You're saying that…it's more dangerous for an…organic being like myself to be out here all alone?"
"Well…you could put it like that…" Lin said, her face looking somber. "We have a Mimeosome Maintenance Center back at NLA, but if something happened to you… If you stayed inhaling the spores any longer, or received a critical wound…"
Gulping nervously, Lucina stammered, "I…I see…"
All of a sudden, a ringing came from Lin's pocket. Pulling out her FrontierNav device, she answered it. "Elma? ...Really? And you're...? … Got it." She then told the swordswoman, "Elma's on her way in a Skell. She's bringing along someone, too…it seems this person was really worried about you, from what she tells me."
"Got any idea who it could be?" Cloud asked Lucina, who looked lost in thought.
As she slowly stood to her feet, she murmured, "Was he really worried about me all this time…?"
"Who…?" Cloud questioned.
Pausing for a moment, Lucina continued, "…My personal…trainer. We had a pretty big argument before I got here. I thought he would be mad at me, but…even I couldn't stay mad at him…I kind of want to see him again."
Placing her hand on Lucina's shoulder, Bayonetta encouraged her, "Well, the important thing is that you two realize it, and when you see each other again, you can kiss and make up!"
"K-kiss…?" Lucina stuttered, her cheeks turning pink. "We don't have that kind of relationship, I-I swear!"
The truth is, though...my feelings for him still haven't faded, after all this time. In fact, they've only gotten stronger. I don't know why I tried to deny it just now...maybe because I don't know how he feels about me.
As Bayonetta chuckled, Cloud looked into the horizon behind them and saw a large mechanical looking creature with a glowing synthetic looking core heading their way. "Guys…"
"Oh no," Lin gasped. "That's a Xe-dom…those things are trouble. One of you should go escort Lucina to the rendezvous point at the shore." She said, pointing in the direction of the shore.
"I'll go," Cloud volunteered. "Bayonetta can help you just fine, Lin. Lucina and I would be in trouble if we stayed here any longer. Plus, it's not exactly the first time I've been a bodyguard…"
"O-okay," Lin obliged. "Come on, Bayonetta, show me what you've got."
"With pleasure," Bayonetta boasted, preparing a Wicked Weave attack as Cloud hastily escorted Lucina to the shore. Within seconds, a giant demon's fist appeared out of a portal and smacked the Xe-dom to the side.
"That's soooooo cool!" Lin gushed at the display. "Summoning powered-up weapons through an interdimensional portal?! I should incorporate something like that into my Skell fanfiction!"
"That's just how demon summoning works, little one," Bayonetta clarified. "And…what's a 'fanfiction'?"
"I'll explain later," Lin said, noticing the mechanical monster recovering. "For now, let's give it all we've got!"
…
"Alright, Mr. Falcon, looks like your protégé is safe and sound," Elma told the Captain, pointing at Lucina standing by the shore as night fell. "I'll leave you two to it. I have to catch up with Lin and the two assistants from Smash City. But before I do..." She handed him a spare FrontierNav device. "You two can rest in the BLADE bunker nearby, it's got two beds. And when you need a ride back to New Los Angeles, just give me a call."
"Alright," Falcon said. "Thank you all for your help."
"No problem," Elma said with a smile before running off.
Lucina looked out into the darkened horizon, the wind blowing softly in her hair. "Such a strange planet… and I'm so far from home. It scares me when I think about —"
"…Hey."
Turning in the direction of the voice, she saw the one man she thought she'd never see again since their argument.
"Falcon…" she looked down slightly in regret.
"Listen, Lucina…" Captain Falcon began. "I know I was out of line when we argued that day. You were grappling with so many fears and insecurities, and I should have been more understanding. I should have chosen my words better…"
"No, Captain…" Lucina interrupted him. "I'm the one who should be saying sorry."
"Huh?"
Turning away for a moment, she continued, "I don't know if Elma told you, but Lin told me. This world is very dangerous, which is why a lot of the residents of Mira use these…synthetic bodies called Mimeosomes. They put life and limb on the line on a daily basis, but if something happened to a flesh-and-blood person like myself…" Tears started to well up in her eyes as her voice started to crack. "Don't you see it, Captain? I could have…died today."
"What…?"
"Those spores…were making me hallucinate. Terrifying, painful visions… if it had continued, I could have become food for the nearby creatures, or become mortally injured… and…the thought of dying and never seeing anyone I care about again… my friends, my family… you…"
"I…"
As Lucina turned around to face her trainer, her cheeks were soaked with streaming tears as small, soft white lights started to emerge and float upwards from the ground. "This is the closest I've ever come to dying, and I've never been as scared as I am now…the incident at the last Smash tournament doesn't even compare. You were right…I've been an idiot. I'm sorry."
"Lucina…" He slowly drew closer to her before she clung to him, wrapping her arms around him tightly, burying her face in his chest and weeping.
"Please…forgive me…!" She sobbed. "I thought I could do everything by myself... I pushed away so many people I cared about…I don't want to be alone…!"
He tightly embraced her back, one hand tenderly touching the back of her neck as the glimmering firefly-like lights floated all around them. "Don't worry, Lucina. You didn't push anyone away…I'm just glad to see you again, safe and sound…"
"I've missed everyone…and I've missed you…so, so much!"
"I know, Lucina…" Even though she couldn't tell from behind his visor, he closed his eyes. "I've missed you too…more than you could ever imagine."
She could hear the honesty, the longing, the unbridled happiness in his voice. She felt a sense of comfort and relief wash over her as she hugged him tighter and thought, I was a fool, Captain... All this time, I thought I would need to see your eyes beneath that visor to know your true feelings. But now I know...it's all in your voice. That lovely, comforting voice of yours...I should have listened better. Your voice never lies, and every time you feel sad, or angry, or scared, or even happy...it shows. And right now, you're beyond happy to see me again... I am, too. So very happy...
Having calmed down and shed all the tears she wanted to, Lucina opened her eyes and, looking up at the Captain's face, asked him, "But…after all I've said and done…you're still so kind to me…?"
"Don't worry about it…" he comforted her. "I was never mad at you, not even for a second." Looking at the floating lights around him, he decided to come clean. "I, well…I want to apologize about that day…about your father. I know that's part of what caused our last argument… I was just trying to protect myself that day and it was never my intention to hurt any of you… I could only take you, Robin, and your mother onboard at that time, and I can imagine how much being accepted to the tournament must have meant to him, so to have his dreams crushed like that…that I myself crushed said dreams…"
"It's okay," Lucina said, letting go of him and stepping back. "He seems to have moved on. If there's anything I've learned, it's how to let go of the past…and try to focus on a better future."
Of course, Captain Falcon thought. Chrom finally got accepted... One of these days I should congratulate him. But... what Lucina said just now... and what Young Link told her...?
"The future…" Falcon murmured. "Even if…you or I…or both of us have to…"
"Why worry, though?" Lucina answered him, looking up at the starry sky bathed in the firefly-like glow. "Anything can happen, and whatever happens, happens. We shouldn't cross that bridge before we get to it…for now on, I'd like to try to live life in the now."
"Yeah..." Thinking back to the argument a few weeks ago, the Captain said out of the blue, "Y'know...you were wrong about me. I have experienced loss and defeat."
"What...happened?"
"I had a terrible accident of my own. There was a terrible crash in a race those years ago...the Horrific Grand Finale. I had to be hospitalized. It was from the DNA obtained from the glass shard pulled out of my forehead on the operating table that Blood Falcon was born."
So that's what the Horrific Grand Finale he talked about was. That explains the scar I saw on his left eyebrow that time in... Lucina thought, immediately thinking back to the time they bathed together. Trying to push the awkward intimacy of that moment out of her mind, she asked, "How did it affect you?"
"I was devastated. I tried to protect everyone else, several others were hurt because of me…one of them had to become a cyborg, as you know. If the glass shard cut any closer or deeper, I might have died...and I didn't want to put others in danger because of me again. Not to mention, it was an underling of Black Shadow's that stole the shard. It was in the hospital, though, that I met Doctor Robert Stewart, who helped me recover and convinced me to not give up on anything I do, be it racing or fighting."
"I see…" Lucina said. "I guess this is what you meant when you said your story might have been a bit too dark for Young Link back at Clock Town?"
"Yeah..." The Captain confirmed. "If you wanted to know how long I've been at my career, I've been racing since I was thirty, and I became a bounty hunter a few years earlier at the age of 27. Before that... it's all a blur. The only thing I remember about my youth right now is my name..."
"You don't have to push yourself to remember," Lucina reassured him. "And you don't have to tell me your name right now, either. The only Captain Falcon I care about is the one you are now."
Lucina... Falcon thought as he looked on at her with a soft smile. "Thank you, Lucina."
"Ah..." Lucina softly gasped, feeling warm inside at the sight of the smile she thought she'd never see again. "Of course, Captain..."
That smile... She thought, looking away and blushing as a blissful smile crept up on her face. I feel so... happy... Before she realized it, she felt her knees go weak and she collapsed to the ground. Thankfully, Captain Falcon caught her in the nick of time.
"Lucina...?" He asked her.
"C-Captain..." Lucina murmured, somewhat groggily.
He's... holding me... in his arms, her drowsy mind thought. It's so... nice... I wish I could tell him, but...
"I'm so... sleepy..." were the words that came out of Lucina's lips.
"I can imagine," Captain Falcon told her, his voice ever so comforting. "After all you've been through... if it were me, I'd be tired too."
"Thanks..." Lucina tiredly murmured.
"We can spend the night in the BLADE bunker nearby," Falcon told her. "Want me to carry you?"
"A-ah...?" Lucina stammered, looking away shyly.
"Don't worry, there's two separate beds," Falcon answered her with a chuckle. "My offer still stands, you know."
"O-okay..." Lucina whispered, the urge to fall asleep tugging at her more. Feeling Falcon lift her bridal style and hold her close to him, she relaxed against his chest.
Looks like... that scenario I imagined back at Clock Town as he fell asleep at Mountain Village... it's happening. She smiled softly, her slowly closing eyes looking at the Captain and the soft rising lights.
I wish... I could tell you... Within seconds, she closed her eyes and fell asleep.
"Looks like she's already asleep," Falcon said to himself softly. Carrying her as he walked, he briefly and carefully pulled out the FrontierNav device Elma gave him to gain access to the BLADE bunker. Once the door opened, he carried the sleeping Lucina to the bed on the right, gently setting her down and tucking her in.
Rest well, Lucina. He then quietly closed the door behind them, the lights of the rising energy mist faintly visible through the window on the door, and climbed into the bed opposite Lucina. Looking at the ceiling, he thought, Heh... for a bunker, these beds aren't half bad... and fell asleep within a minute.
…
I could have…died today.
"Ugh..."
The thought of dying and never seeing anyone I care about again…
"Where am I?" Falcon asked himself aloud, finding himself at Lake Ciel as a thick cloud of spores clouded his vision.
My friends…my family…you…
He cautiously walked forward when he heard an agonized shriek break the eerie silence. He immediately ran forward as the spore fog cleared, and he could not believe what he saw before his eyes.
He was too late.
Lying in the sunlit shallows, the radius around her tainted crimson with her own blood, was Lucina, her right arm holding her Falchion sliced clean off at the elbow, a gaping wound in her abdomen that stained her clothing red around the wound's area.
In that moment, Falcon heard Neku's words echo in his mind.
Don't let it be too late for you and her.
"Oh God no…" he shakily murmured, panicked. Shaking his head as fast as he could, he thought the heartbreaking image before him would go away.
But it didn't.
"No, no, no, no…" He immediately ran to her body, lifting it out of the water. It was icy cold, her skin devoid of color and life.
"Please, no…Lucina…" He started to weep.
"U…uh…"
Noticing the former training apprentice he thought had breathed her last for sure was stirring, he quickly turned his face to meet hers and wiped away his tears, his voice trying to sound hopeful but still with a hint of sorrow. "H-hey there…Lucina…you're gonna be okay, alright? I'm gonna get some help and—"
Before he could continue, Lucina grabbed onto his shoulder with her remaining arm, pulled herself closer to him, and her lips met his. The two shared a very brief, but intense, kiss, tears streaming down both of their faces. Her lips were surprisingly still warm, unlike the rest of her.
"What…?" He questioned, surprised. A sense of despair grew in his mind and soul as he knew she was beyond help now.
"I'm so glad…" she began weakly, shivering softly, her dull, lifeless eyes overflowing with tears. "…that I could see you…one last…time…"
"It won't be the last time. Please, just hang in—"
"I've been…so stupid…I hope you can…for…give…me…." With those words, Lucina breathed her last, her head bobbing low as she closed her eyes one final time, her arm sliding off the Captain's shoulder and falling to her side limply.
"Lucina…?!"
There was no response. Bitter sobs wracked his body as he tightly embraced Lucina's soaked, bloody, lifeless corpse, his tears falling into the lake whose reflection of the sky was now dyed a deep scarlet.
After all I've said and done, you're still so kind to me…?
I'm sorry, Captain…I'm so sorry…
At that instant, Captain Falcon awoke with a panicked gasp, his breathing tense and his face covered in sweat, sitting upright in the bed attached to the left wall. Quickly examining his surroundings, he saw that he was still in the safety of the bunker. He looked to his right, and saw Lucina peacefully asleep in the bed attached to the right wall. Slowly getting out of bed, he quietly drew nearer to her.
She was sound asleep, snugly curled up in the sheets, her head facing the wall. He could hear her softly breathing.
It was both a relief to his ears — she was safe and alive — and a bittersweet epiphany.
Taking a deep breath, he softly walked away from her and to the bunker's door leading outside.
As he stepped outside, he saw the skies alight with another of Mira's natural wonders – the Crimson Aurora. "Crimson" was a misnomer as the auroras were more of a pinkish hue, but the lights bathed the ground below in an ethereal, rosy glow, and the starry skies seemed to shine a brighter blue, complementing the pink aurora.
It was a beautiful sight…but it hardly did anything to calm the Captain down.
Such a horrible nightmare… he thought, catching his breath. It could have actually happened, too. To think…if I had found her like that without reconciling for our argument…
All of a sudden, he remembered one vivid scene from the nightmare — when she leaned in to give him one last kiss while at death's doorstep.
Huh?! He unconsciously brought two fingers to his lips, tracing across them. It may have been just a dream, a horrifying and heartbreaking one at that, but the kiss felt very real.
Why am I thinking of that? Why did that happen in my dream…?
Gasping softly, he realized a fact that made his heart ache more.
I…it can't be.
Looking down, he held the hand that traced his lips before in a fist to his chest.
I…I'm in love with her.
Joy and sorrow filled his heart simultaneously as tears rained from his visor-obscured eyes, his teeth clenched in intense sadness.
Can't you see it, Lucina? I'm in love with you. If I had lost you, I'd never be able to live with myself…if I could, I would protect you with my very life…I know it's probably not what you would want. But I would still do it...just for you.
Unbeknownst to him, Lucina was watching him through the cracked door, his chest heaving as he wept. The sight of such a strong, independent man crying like this surprised her, but not in an unpleasant way.
Is he…crying? She thought, slowly sitting up. He looks so…pained. I wonder what's wrong…? Is this another side to him I've never seen before? Is this…the real Captain Falcon?
She quietly slipped through the wide opening and just stood there, watching him vent his sorrow for a while, unsure of what to say. He seemed oblivious to her presence as he continued to weep.
This is why…this is why I don't get too close to others. Emotional attachment…the pain at the thought of losing those I love…how can I protect anyone when just being close to me can be dangerous…? …I would truly rather die for you than helplessly watch you die in my arms…
He remembered what Lucina told him in Mute City before she ran away.
"This is why I fought alone in my future after a while. I didn't want to get attached. I've always hated goodbyes..."
Perhaps...you and I are alike in that regard...
"…Cap—" Lucina began.
"Ah?!" The Captain gasped, startled, as he hurriedly wiped his tears away and looked in the direction of the voice. "…D-did I wake you?"
"Is…everything okay?" Lucina asked him, her head tilted curiously to the side, holding a finger to her chin quizzically.
"Y-yes," He stammered nervously. "I'm fine. Please, don't worry about me."
"I see…" She looked up at the glowing pink sky. "Oh, wow, how pretty!"
"Yeah," he said, looking up as well. "According to the FrontierNav device Elma gave me, this phenomenon is called a Crimson Aurora."
"Isn't it more of a pink, though?" She asked. "Come to think of it, I've never heard of auroras being pink before…"
"Same here," he replied. "Most auroras are green or light blue. This is an interesting planet indeed…"
"You think Cloud and Bayonetta told everyone in Smash City that we're doing alright?" She suddenly changed the subject, her face looking deep in thought.
"Hopefully," he reassured her. "I hope your father is okay with me helping you train."
"I'm sure he's fine with it," she consoled him. "Father is not the type to hold a grudge against anyone, no matter what." Looking down, she said with a slightly depressed sigh, "I miss my father…and my mother, and my younger brother Morgan, and my friends…Robin, Zelda, Shulk…I hope Fiora's doing okay, too…"
"I have some people I miss too," he sympathized with her. "But don't worry. As soon as Elma takes us to New LA tomorrow, and after Snake finishes interviewing her, we can finally go home. If Master Hand picks her for the tournament, maybe she'll come with us, too."
"That would be wonderful," she said with a soft, gentle smile.
Such a beautiful smile… Falcon thought, his heart subtly skipping a beat at the sight. No matter what, Lucina… I want you to always be happy.
"Yeah…" he said, returning her smile briefly before turning away, trying to cover his blushing face with his hand.
H-how embarrassing… he thought. I wonder how many times she's noticed me blushing…being caught crying is nothing compared to this. Lowering his hand, he turned to her once again. "Hey, Lucina…"
"Yes…?" She questioned curiously.
"I…" He began, but the words seemed to form a metaphorical lump in his throat.
You're so bold and confident when you make public appearances in your home world and in Smash, Captain Falcon! What's four little words in comparison?! Go ahead and tell her how you feel! Say, "I love you, Lucina!" Go on, say it!
"I… think we should get some rest…" he trailed off after a moment of hesitation, looking to the side subtly.
…I can't do it. I can't tell her…not now. And maybe not ever…
Yawning, Lucina said, "You're right. Depending on when Elma's interview ends, we may be staying at NLA a while. We've got a long day ahead of us." She began to walk back in before turning back to him. "And…Captain?"
"Y-yes?"
This time around, Lucina was the one struggling to encourage herself to confess her feelings.
Every time I see him, I fall in love with him more and more…Come on, Lucina. You almost died today, you were so overjoyed to see him again…You can say it. "Captain Falcon, I'm in love with you." How hard can it be?!
"You know…you can talk to me about anything. You've been so nice to me, giving me kind words and advice. I figure…I should return that favor."
…No. Not now, not when I don't even know how he feels about me, not after all that's happened. I don't even know if he's done with our training... A rejection at a time like this would be too awkward…
"I'll keep it in mind…" he answered her as he walked in behind her and closed the door. As the two climbed into their respective beds, Lucina seemed to drift off into a deep sleep within seconds, a serene smile on her face, her head facing the ceiling. The Captain, however, spent the first several minutes awake, looking on at her.
I love you, Lucina. I truly do. But…I don't know if you feel the same way about me. And…for the sake of your safety, I think we should just go our separate ways once more when we arrive back at Smash City. You deserve to live a happy, fulfilling life with your loved ones.
As his eyelids started to grow heavy, the lights on his visor automatically turned off.
I'm just glad I was able to train you like this…and that we could put aside our differences, talk things out, and become just a little bit closer.
His consciousness faded to black as he closed his eyes.
I'm glad I met you.
After a few seconds, Lucina opened her eyes and briefly glanced at Captain Falcon, who was fast asleep. A melancholy expression crept on her face as she pondered, It feels like I'm so close to you...and yet, so far. Why can't I bring myself to tell you...? She looked up at the ceiling once more as sleep slowly overtook her.
Naga...I pray you'll give me the courage I need to tell him my true feelings...
WHEW LADS ANOTHER 10K+ CHAPTER
starting to deadass wonder if the finale will be [gasp] 20k+ words?
also chances are I'll be pumping out the next three chapters at a relatively fast pace as I have most of the core events of said chapters pre written and/or I know overall how they'll pan out. stay tuned :D
think i wanna focus on these next three chapters before moving on to anything else, really