Yeah boiiiiiii
It's the moment y'all have been waiting for...and I have one more surprise at the end. A BIG surprise.
Content warning for this chapter: LIME/MILD SMUT FRICK YEAH
also, recommended background music for "that scene" (start at when Lucina finally confesses) - Lights of Life from the Trauma Team OST. (no relation to Lifelight from Ultimate I swear)
title's namesake - Waves by Dean Lewis
Hiding in my Skin, Broken from Within
Chapter 16 - Waves
"STARFALL RONDO!"
As the car flipped through the air and was about to strike Captain Falcon and Lucina as they huddled together out of fear on the bench, a young BLADE leapt in front of them and flipped forward several times with his Photon Saber out, slicing the vehicle in half. The duo sitting on the bench cautiously opened their eyes and saw the two halves of the car a distance from them, and Yelv standing before them.
"What are you two sittin' around for?!" Yelv urged them as the sound of air raid sirens blared throughout the city. "Find Elma! Go! Now!"
Standing up, Captain Falcon began, "But..."
"Don't worry about me," Yelv reassured him. "I'll be assisting the Harriers in taking down the enemy forces that have infiltrated, while the Interceptors will keep any more of 'em out. You guys just head for that elevator past the cathedral." He pointed in the direction of the elevator.
"Got it!" Lucina said as she stood up as well. She held on to Captain Falcon's hand as the two made a beeline for the elevator leading to the top floor of the Administrative District as explosions went off around them, some a bit too close for comfort. By the time they made it to the elevator, the explosions seemed to have thankfully stopped, as did the air raid sirens, and after he pressed the button to go up once he and Lucina got on, Captain Falcon could see the BLADE forces regrouping, presumably to assist the Interceptors outside the city walls. However, the sound of thunder boomed loudly above them. Looking up, he and Lucina saw the sky quickly covered in rain clouds, which then proceeded to drench them.
"You think... Snake made it back?" Lucina asked the Captain, staring at the cloudy sky as the elevator continued its ascent.
"Elma had to have noticed, so hopefully he made it back in with her," Captain Falcon answered her. "We should find Elma first, though."
"True," Lucina agreed. Looking to the side with an anxious expression, she fretted, "I just hope the civilians were able to evacuate, too... and what about Bayonetta?"
"I'm sure that... in the midst of the chaos, the BLADE forces were able to get everyone to safety," Falcon tried to reassure her.
"Hopefully..."
Once the elevator made it to the top, the two immediately started running in the rain, trying to find a way to BLADE Tower. Luckily, they didn't need to go far to run into Elma and Lin once again.
"Lin!" Lucina cried, relieved to see that she was okay.
"Elma," Captain Falcon began, panting slightly. "I guess you saw the invasion happening a mile away while you were interviewing with Snake outside NLA's walls. Speaking of which, where is he?"
"You could say that," Elma confirmed. "As for Snake, he, Bayonetta, and the unarmed civilians of NLA are onboard the Ma-non ship, which has temporarily vacated the premises."
"I see..." Lucina said. "But...what about us?"
"Can we at least join you in keeping the invaders out?" Falcon volunteered.
"Nuh-uh, no way Jose," Lin refused him. "It's WAY too dangerous for non-BLADEs. I don't want to be responsible for the deaths of anyone from Smash City, especially since we could well have lost Lucina had we arrived in Sylvalum a few minutes after we did..."
Gulping, Lucina conceded, "I...see..."
"So what now, then?" Falcon asked Lin and Elma. "I imagine it's too dangerous to try to make it back to the teleporter... which, I hope that will be safe..."
"Some of the Interceptors and Harriers will be protecting the teleporter back to Smash City, so don't worry about that," Elma reassured him. "I know where you guys can be safe. Follow us."
Following Lin and Elma as they were being drenched head to toe, Lucina and Captain Falcon eventually found themselves at the entrance to BLADE Barracks.
"The BLADE Barracks...?" The Captain questioned.
"It'll serve as a makeshift bunker of sorts," Lin explained. "Come on in." She took out her FrontierNav device and swiped it in front of a panel on the side of the door, opening it. Captain Falcon and Lucina promptly entered.
The interior of the BLADE Barracks was high-tech, yet homey. There was a small conference room up a ramp, and on the main floor were a kitchen and dining area, a room with holograms, and a bedroom behind sliding doors. Just as they were looking around, however, they heard beeping on the other side of the door, followed by a clicking sound.
"Huh?!" Lucina immediately turned around and dashed to the door and banged at it, while Falcon walked up to her.
"Please, Lin!" Lucina cried desperately. "Don't do this! You're so young! Don't let your parents' deaths be in vain, not after you saved me too...!"
"Please, Lucina, don't worry about me," Lin comforted Lucina from the other side of the door. "I can handle myself. I may not look like it, but I'm trained in combat, too."
"Lin..." Lucina collapsed to her knees and started to weep.
Crouching down next to her, Captain Falcon gently took Lucina into his arms and held her close. "It'll be okay..." As she sobbed into his soaking wet chest, he told Elma, "Just... stay safe out there, Elma. Wouldn't want to lose you after Master Hand considered you for the tournament..."
"I promise, we'll make it back safely," Elma reassured him. "You two will be safe in there. If you need anything to eat or drink, it's in the fridge, and there's a bedroom too. I'll contact you on your FrontierNav device when everything's taken care of, Captain."
"...Okay," Falcon said. "Let me know of anything."
"Will do."
A few seconds passed, and there was no sound on the other side of the door except that of the pouring rain. Still embracing Lucina, Captain Falcon could hear her sobs slowing down and her voice becoming quieter until she seemed to have completely calmed down. "You alright there?" He asked her.
"Y-yeah," Lucina stammered, wiping her tears away. She and the Captain stood up and walked to the dining area before she stopped in her tracks to shiver.
"Cold?" Falcon asked her. "Wouldn't want either of us to get sick, especially since we're soaking wet..."
"I-is there a t-t-thermostat around here somewhere?" Lucina asked, her teeth chattering from the cold.
"I'll check..." Looking around, the Captain found what looked like a thermostat that was easy enough to operate. "Lemme just... here... and that should do it." Within seconds, the air conditioning in the BLADE Barracks adjusted to a more comfortable temperature.
"Thanks, Captain." Walking over to a couch in the dining area, Lucina sat down. "I kind of feel bad sitting on such a nice couch when I'm drenched... and we kinda left some puddles back there..."
"It's no skin off their backs, I'm sure," Falcon reassured her as he removed his scarf, leaving it to hang on a nearby chair, followed by his wristcuffs and gloves, placing them on the granite dining table. "They have an Industrial District, right? Producing another couch should be no problem, and cleaning the place up shouldn't be a big issue either." He then began to unbutton his jacket, letting it hang half-open on his chest, his bare torso partially visible.
"Ah?!" Lucina gasped at the sight, the blood rushing to her cheeks. "W-what do you think you're doing, Captain?! You... p-perv!"
"Whoa, now," The Captain chuckled nervously, holding his hands in front of him as if making a gesture for her to calm down. "I'm allowed to get comfortable too, aren't I? You have no idea how icky wearing this jacket feels when it's this soaked..."
"F-Fair point..."
The Captain proceeded to sit down next to Lucina on the couch. "I see what you mean, though," he commented. "This couch does feel pretty nice... it'd be a shame to ruin it."
"Yeah..." Lucina's eyes wandered from the Captain's face to his partially exposed torso, the sight of such rippling, tan-skinned abs that glistened faintly from the rainwater making her heart skip a beat.
He's so... sensual... she thought, licking her lips subtly as her right hand began to reach for the exposed skin. Stop teasing me like this, Captain Falcon...
"Lucina...?" He asked, a trace of uncertainty in his voice. At that moment, Lucina's hand shifted to his wet jacket, proceeding to feel it between her fingers before she drew her hand back and shuddered in disgust.
"Gross..." she murmured. "You're right. Wearing something like that while wet must be very uncomfortable for you..."
"Heheh," he chuckled. "Say, I couldn't help but notice..."
Oh gods, Lucina thought anxiously as her pupils shrank. He didn't notice... how I tried to touch his abs, did he? Or how, at Deliverance Park, I...
"...You seemed so...protective of Lin when she locked us in. Why?"
"...Oh," Lucina replied, sounding somewhat relieved. "It's just... the thought of someone so young risking her life to save others... I felt a little shocked when I learned that Lily Flyer was a support soldier at only fourteen, but... the thought of Lin, who's just a year younger, marching into battle and risking her life just there... maybe it's a maternal instinct, like how I found myself acting when I thought I lost my mother, and how I looked after Morgan after father died." Looking up at the ceiling, she continued, "And... maybe part of it... is because I saw my younger self in Lin a bit there, and didn't... want her to witness the same horrors of war I did growing up..."
That's right... with what she went through... I can see why she would take on such habits. "I see..." The Captain replied, at a loss of what else to say.
The two sat in silence for a few moments, listening to the faint sound of the rain pattering against the BLADE Barracks's metallic roof. Lucina decided to break the silence with, "I... think I should take a nap for a bit... we are going to be here for quite a while, after all..."
As she got up, Captain Falcon noticed the melancholy look on her face. "Is something the matter?"
Slowly turning to him, Lucina forced a somewhat hollow smile that was betrayed by the pained look in her eyes. "I'll be fine..."
...I'm such a coward. This might be the last time we get to be together like this... and yet I'm still walking away...
Captain Falcon watched Lucina walk off in the direction of the bedroom, looking on with a slight frown. "I know you're not really fine..." he murmured under his breath. Standing up, he said to himself, "She is right, though. Who knows how long we'll be locked in here... Elma said she'd contact us when it's all clear."
At least, when everything's clear, we can go home. But... when that time comes, I... I'm not sure what I should do anymore...
Deciding to be useful and not leave a mess for Elma and Lin when they returned, he took some paper towels from the kitchen and dried up the puddles he and Lucina left on the floor. When he was done, he sat down again for a few minutes before he murmured, "I am a bit thirsty..."
Walking back over to the kitchen, he grabbed a glass, setting it on the table, then opened the fridge. "Hmm... feel like having some apple juice..." He took the bottle of apple juice from the fridge, poured himself a glass, and downed it in several gulps. Letting out a refreshed sigh, he commented, "That hit the spot." It was then he found himself thinking of Lucina.
"I'm sure... this would at least cheer her up a little..."
Putting his glass in the sink, he grabbed another, poured some juice into it, and placed the bottle back in the refrigerator. Carrying the glass, he then walked over to the bedroom and entered. Upon entering the dimly lit bedroom, he saw Lucina curled up in the bedsheets, clearly still awake with a sad expression on her face. She appeared to have removed her cape and boots, as they were lying on the carpeted floor which appeared to be wet in a few spots, presumably from wringing the water out of her cape and hair. He could feel a lonely, longing feeling hanging heavy in the air.
"Can't sleep?" He asked her.
"Not really..." she timidly answered him. Eyeing the glass he was holding, she asked, "Is that... for me?"
"Figured you were probably thirsty too," he answered her. She climbed out of bed and sat up, prompting him to hand her the glass. As she drank the juice, Falcon took out the FrontierNav device, which surprisingly still worked despite being in a damp pocket, and set it on the dresser opposite the bed.
"Ahh," Lucina let out a refreshed sigh once she finished her drink. "That was... awfully nice of you, Captain..."
"Don't mention it," he replied, turning to her. "Want me to...?"
"No, it's ok," Lucina dissuaded the Captain. "Let me." She stood and placed the glass on the dresser next to the FrontierNav device when Captain Falcon suddenly looked down to the ground.
She's too close to me... I can't just...
"Um...?" Lucina was somewhat confused by the Captain's timid behavior around her.
"Lucina…listen to me." Captain Falcon said, turning away from her as he spoke.
"Captain…?"
"When this is all over…we'll head back to Smash City and continue with our lives like nothing happened. I'm just glad I was able to train you like this."
Lucina was perplexed. "Where's this coming from…?"
The Captain's heart was racing, his breath uneven, the palms of his hands sweating. "I…didn't want to admit this, but…"
"…?"
"I…I really wasn't expecting this to happen. Lucina…I've…fallen in love with you."
"Ah…?!" Lucina was caught off guard by his confession.
"Since we've met, your strong spirit has captivated me. These past few days were no different. Getting to know you and grow closer to you instilled in me a happiness I've not known for the longest time. Like I said back at Deliverance Park, being around you... it helped me feel like I could finally be the real me. And…" Turning around, he took her in his arms and held her close to him. Lucina felt a gentle sensation wash over her as she felt the soft heat emanating from the exposed part of his chest, even though his jacket was wet from the rain.
"Can't you see it? Whenever I close my eyes to sleep at night…you're always in my dreams, without fail. Always." His voice was inviting, comforting, filling Lucina with an unusual sense of peace. She felt her cheeks heat up upon being held in his tender embrace, her breath becoming tense. She wasn't used to the customs of romance and courtship in her home world, so this confession caught her by surprise. However, the feeling that came over her was far from unpleasant; in fact, deep down she wanted to feel even closer to him at that moment. "And it pains me, because...being close to me is dangerous. I don't want to lose you as a result of my own carelessness...especially considering I almost lost you not once, but twice..."
"I'm aware of the risks," Lucina answered him. "As for you...is…that how you really feel?"
After a pause, Falcon replied, "…Yes." He released her from his embrace. "…I'm sorry. It's just…I guess I got too carried away again. I've probably broken your trust enough right now… This won't happen agai –"
"No." Lucina demanded, gripping his bare left hand as she looked down, her eyes obscured by her bangs. "Please…don't go."
"Lucina…" the Captain responded, drawing closer to her.
"I…have something to confess, too." Taking a deep breath, she continued, "Ever since you saved me that day…ever since you came to comfort me in the hospital…I've come to realize something."
"…Yes?" The Captain asked.
"I've realized…that you were the one to give me the determination to keep going no matter how bleak the circumstances. You helped me develop the strength I needed… no, there's no other way to say this. You were my strength. Getting to know you during this journey, hearing you say those encouraging words... instilled such a great joy in me as well…and yes, back at Deliverance Park, I tried to kiss you..." She let go of his hand and gently touched his face. "And…I…I didn't tell you earlier because I was afraid you would reject my feelings."
Seeing Lucina trembling and about to cry, the Captain wrapped one of his arms around her and reached his other hand to her cheek, delicately wiping away her tears. "Lucina…"
"I've…fallen in love with you as well. I've felt this way ever since Mute City…maybe even before that." She looked up at him, the tears flowing from her eyes. "I never thought I'd get so close to you like this…and I'm afraid for what will become of us…but I just want to be with you, forever…!"
"Is that…what you want?"
"It is…" Lucina confirmed, her free hand grasping the hand on her face. "Will everything be…fine? We'll be safe and happy together, right? Do you promise…that you'll never let me go? That we'll never be separated? That you'll always be by my side…?"
"I…" Falcon bit his lower lip, his heart beating faster.
"I mean what I said, though. The day will come when you guys will be separated, and you won't be able to find your way back home to each other again... Just take it from me."
"And if we do get separated…" Lucina only looked at him with a determined yet pleading look in her eyes as she remembered Lao's words to her, the tears still flowing. "…That no matter the circumstances…that we'll find our way back to each other…?"
The Captain could no longer contain his intense joy. Those were the only words he needed to hear.
"I promise."
It was at that moment that Captain Falcon immediately pulled Lucina closer to him and their lips met in a passionate, yearning kiss. Lucina closed her eyes, enjoying the moment as they both felt a warm, blissful feeling building in both of them, savoring the way his lips felt on hers. She could feel their warmth, their texture which was the perfect balance of rugged and soft, and his kisses made her feel like she was in heaven. Falcon's bare hands reached for Lucina's gloves, and removed them swiftly but carefully, after which Lucina gently caressed his face with her right hand. After breaking the kiss for a moment to catch their breath, Falcon brought his lips close to Lucina's eyes, tenderly kissing the tears away as she sighed, her right hand resting on his chest all the while. Lucina then proceeded to remove Falcon's jacket by running her hands from the bottom of his abdomen to the top of his shoulders, all the while gently kissing his neck. She enjoyed the sound of his soft moaning as his half-open jacket fell to the floor.
"So then…" Captain Falcon began, sighing at the sensation Lucina's silky touch elicited as her hands slowly traveled up his bare, rippling back before her arms pulled him closer to her. "This is…what you want, truly?"
"I've never been more sure of anything in my life." Lucina looked him in his visor obscured eyes, a look of pure yearning on her face, savoring the feeling of his chest rising and falling with each breath as it was pressed against hers. "It's one thing to say you love me, but in this moment…I want us both to demonstrate it." Guiding one of his hands to softly cup her face once more, she continued, "I need…to feel the full joy of loving and being loved…"
The Captain and Lucina then collapsed to the bed, their lips once again locked together as he began to remove more of her clothing. She caressed his finely sculpted bare back, her hands working their way up to his helmet. She giggled as she momentarily broke the kiss and said, "What? I've seen your face before, you know." She removed his helmet and put it aside on the floor. She never tired of seeing his handsome face, ever since that time they bathed together in the hot spring. And unlike that time in the hot spring, she wouldn't tense up now. She would relax and enjoy everything he did to her without feeling shy. She loved him, and wanted him to continue being intimate with her like this. And gods, it felt so good.
Lucina was down to her undergarments and stockings when Falcon began to trail kisses down her abdomen, starting at the top of her chest, while his hands stroked her back and unhooked her bra as his kisses reached the gap between her breasts. In those moments, Lucina knew the meaning of ecstasy. One of her hands gently mussed up his messy raven black hair while the other grabbed the bedsheets tightly, as she moaned all the while. He stopped shortly when he was about to reach the bottom, and he went back up and kissed Lucina on the neck as his hands slid up her thighs. At that moment, Lucina's body heated up with the flames of desire so intensely that she almost felt like she could just melt. She felt him removing her stockings, and at that time she focused on removing his lower garments. Everything seemed to go by in a pleasurable blur until they were both completely nude, partially covered by the bedsheets.
"Are you nervous?" the Captain asked, his hand stroking the blue haired Ylissean's face.
Feeling the warmth of his hand as he caressed her face, Lucina replied, "Mmm… a little..." She reached out her hand to touch his face.
"Don't worry…like I promised, I'll always be by your side..." he whispered as they came together in an indescribably blissful union.
"I'm so glad…that I could be with you."
Everything about this moment felt so right, so wonderful. She loved how sheer rapture washed over her – and him, as well – as it felt like their bodies, their hearts, their souls, everything, were fusing together and becoming one. Both of them felt the purest affection and yearning pulsing throughout every last inch of themselves. Everything was just perfect: how her hands caressed his abdomen once again from the bottom to the top before she wrapped her arms around him; how he held her close; how lovely her fair-skinned, slim frame meshed against his sensual, tan-skinned, muscular frame; how their movements were slow and sensual and how they eventually felt themselves in the throes of rapture.
"Oh…Naga…" Lucina whispered, opening her eyes for a brief moment, then closing them again as she surrendered to the tides of the warm sea of bliss engulfing her. The sensation was powerful, yet delicate, and she couldn't help but moan softly and hold him closer to her. After a while she heard him moaning too, his very being experiencing the same ecstasy, his mind being clouded by a rapturous haze.
"Lucina…" Captain Falcon whispered in Lucina's ear as he held her tighter and shuddered softly, sighing deeply, enjoying what was happening to him. At that moment, they had truly become one.
Afterward, they lay side by side in a passionate embrace, their bodies pressed close together still, lying there skin to skin. It almost felt like their hearts were beating as one. Lucina thought this was all the stuff of fairy-tale romances, how the maiden and the hero let down their barriers and came together, how the afterglow was a peaceful, lovely experience. It was ironic how only a few weeks ago, she felt intense pain in that incident. Now, it was nothing but sheer pleasure. She loved being held by him, feeling his body heat as well as the warmth inside her that was the result of their union. She looked at that handsome face of his, a calm expression on his visage, and noticed he was starting to drift to sleep. She couldn't blame him, as what they just experienced felt amazing for them both.
"Captain?" She asked, gently stroking the scar above his left eyebrow.
"Mmm…" He moaned as he opened his eyes, seeing Lucina's smiling face. He always thought she had the most beautiful smile.
"That was truly wonderful," she said, looking into his aqua eyes. "I'm just glad I've fallen in love with you…the real you."
Falcon smiled softly, and replied, "I can say the same. I'm glad you're with me…I'm glad I got to see the real you, as well. And I am truly happy to be in love with you." He kissed her once again, his left hand running its fingers through her silky blue hair. As that was happening, Lucina softly caressed his face with her right hand, before opening her eyes for a moment and seeing...that reminder.
The mark of Grima.
Noticing Lucina stopped kissing him back, the Captain asked, "...What's wrong, Lucina?"
"I..." Closing her eyes for a moment to calm down, she opened them again as she asked him, "Remember when we were leaving Sylvalum? That I was about to... show you a secret tied to a darker part of my past as well?"
"Go on..."
"Remember how I said that when that day comes, I would have to return to my doomed future? Well..." She showed him the back of her right hand. On it was a mark with what looked like two twisting branches across from each other with three eyes on each "branch", six eyes in total.
"I'm surprised I didn't notice this sooner..." The Captain murmured.
"This... is the Mark of Grima," Lucina explained. "In the timeline I saved when I traveled to the past, my father dealt the final blow to the Fell Dragon, because he didn't want to lose my mother... Robyn. The woman who became the avatar of Grima in my future. While the version of me that was born in that saved timeline will live a happy and safe life thanks to Grima being put to sleep for a thousand years... those changes won't apply to my timeline. I still have the mark, as does Morgan. Even when we defeat Grima in my future... Grima could return through me or my brother..." Resting her hand on the mattress, tears began to flood her eyes as she began to sob. "That's why... that's why I ran away from you back at Mute City after you saved me from Black Shadow... not only because I didn't want to risk you dying for me... but... I was also afraid that... directly or indirectly, I would cause harm to befall you too... I couldn't live with myself if that happened..."
"Lucina..." The Captain softly stroked Lucina's crying face, tenderly wiping the tears away.
"I loved you, even then..." Lucina wept. "I wanted to protect you... Not only from outside dangers, but also from the greatest danger of all if we were ever to be together... myself."
"Heh... you really are an idiot, Lucina." At that moment, Falcon grabbed Lucina's right hand with his left and held it, their fingers interlacing. "Even if the world turns against you... Didn't I promise I would always be by your side? I would even save you from the influence of Grima, or any other such being, if it should ever come to that."
"Ah..." Lucina's eyes widened, feeling a reassuring peace wash over her at his words.
"I should apologize myself for not telling you about Blood Falcon and my own past earlier... but it's because I didn't want you to get hurt either, and look what almost happened. But that's all in the past now, isn't it?" Smiling tenderly at her, he reassured her, "What matters is how we handle things from here on out. With all the training you've received... why don't we protect each other?"
"...Of course," Lucina nodded, a soft smile gracing her still tear-streaked face. "I can be stronger than I've ever been with you by my side, Captain... And if anything should happen that we get separated... you'll be the light guiding my way out of the dark."
"And you'll be the gentle shade I can retreat to in the blinding light," Falcon said. "Heh... look at me waxing poetic..."
"It's charming, really," Lucina giggled. "Thank you... for taking the time to train me, too. Once Elma and the others take care of this situation... let's finally go home."
"Yeah," Falcon agreed. "For now though, we should just rest." Holding her close to him, he whispered, "Sleep well, sweetheart..."
He... he's calling me a term of endearment...?
"Same to you... b-babe..." Lucina stammered shyly.
"...Babe?" Falcon chuckled softly. "Where'd you learn that?"
"At the art gallery, I noticed a couple calling each other affectionate nicknames like 'babe' and 'darling'... hearing you call me 'sweetheart' from your lips... it sounds really nice..."
"You calling me 'babe' sounds just as wonderful," Captain Falcon told Lucina. "Just... take it easy, okay? You have nothing to worry about as long as I'm here."
"Okay..."
"Elma will give us a call when everything's taken care of... just rest. I'm sure you must be tired..."
Embracing him back, Lucina told him, "And I imagine you are as well... rest well, babe." Within seconds, he was the first to fall asleep. She looked on at his peaceful slumbering face with an affectionate smile.
There's something indescribably beautiful about watching the one you love fall asleep in your arms... Her smile sank as sleep slowly overtook her. Naga... I pray that you won't let anything take this happiness... away from me... She closed her eyes and drifted off to sleep.
...
An hour and a half had passed, and Captain Falcon's FrontierNav device began to sound with the alert of an incoming call. Slowly opening his eyes, he shifted over and climbed out, carefully enough that he wouldn't wake Lucina, who was still deep asleep and didn't stir at the sound of the call. Putting on his clothes as quickly but quietly as he could, he took the device with him and exited the bedroom, answering the call when he walked to the kitchen, putting on his remaining scarf, gloves and wristcuffs.
"Elma? Is everything taken care of?"
"It is," Elma answered him, the device's screen showing a holographic video feed of her at one of the streets in the Commercial District. It looked like it was still raining even as night fell, the streetlights illuminating the city in the dark. "The strange thing is, this invasion... it seems to have started covertly, as if there was someone on the inside feeding them info and granting them access... they knew where to strike, too..."
"Any idea who the informant might have been?" Captain Falcon asked Elma.
"Not really," Elma said, shaking her head. "And I really don't wanna have to suspect a fellow BLADE, but... it looks like we might not have a choice. Based on the circumstances, one person does seem particularly suspicious...someone we left in charge of guarding the strange Skell we found in Dead Man's Gulch..." Her face bore an expression of dread at the realization. "Oh no..."
"Just don't worry about that for now," Falcon reassured the leader of the Reclaimers. "Is the Ma-non ship with Snake, Bayonetta and the citizens returning at least?"
Looking up for a moment, Elma confirmed, "Yes, I can see it pulling into view above BLADE Tower. And how are you and Lucina holding up?"
"We're fine," The Captain told her. "We just rested for a bit...there wasn't much else to do."
"I apologize for the inconvenience in that case," Elma said. "I'll be at the West Gate in the Industrial District after I meet up with Snake and Bayonetta at BLADE Tower. Lin will come over to you guys and unlock the door."
"Gotcha." After hanging up the call, Falcon walked back to the bedroom and gently shook Lucina awake.
"Mmmmh...?" She groggily moaned as she opened her eyes.
"Hey, sweetheart," Falcon greeted her with a smile. "Sleep well?"
"Y-yeah...I slept really well." She smiled at him as she added, "That... that moment we shared... it was wonderful."
"Indeed it was."
"I guess everything's safe now?" Lucina asked Captain Falcon.
The Captain only nodded and said, "Elma took care of it. She'll be waiting for us outside the West Gate at the Industrial District. Once you get dressed, we can meet her there."
"O-okay." Lucina got up and changed back into her clothes, and followed her lover to the door.
...
Once Lin unlocked the door, as signaled by a series of beeps, the two exited the BLADE Barracks, arm in arm, as Lin led them to the transport vehicle on the docks close to BLADE Tower. The rain had apparently stopped, a crisp breeze cooling the night air. Lin briefly looked back, seeing the couple happy together, before smiling at Lucina, wordlessly congratulating her on finally confessing her feelings to him.
After they boarded and Lin began to drive the hover-based vehicle to the Industrial District, Lucina looked out the window, this time eyeing the clear, starry night sky above instead of the city below. In the dark sky, she spotted something curious.
"Babe!" She called out to the Captain. "Take a look at this!"
Looking out the same window and directing his gaze to the sky, Falcon saw what his new girlfriend was talking about. There, shining in the starry night sky... was a rainbow.
"A rainbow? At night?" Lucina's new boyfriend commented. "Mira really is something, huh..."
"Well, it was just raining for several hours," Lucina giggled. "Plus, this is the same planet that has pink auroras..."
"Heh, you have a point..." Captain Falcon then quietly wrapped one of his arms around Lucina and pulled her closer to him as they admired the scenery for the rest of the ride.
...
When they arrived at the Industrial District, it was as if nothing had changed. Workers got back to work in their respective production plants. After Lucina and the Captain disembarked, Lin noticed Elma, Snake and Bayonetta standing close to the West Gate. "There they are," Lin told them. "I'll leave you guys to it. I have to head back to the Administrative District with some other BLADEs to ask Lao some questions..."
"Lao...?" Lucina's face bore a confused, yet concerned look. "What did he...do?"
"You don't think he's the potential spy Elma told me about...?" Captain Falcon asked Lin.
"I would hope not," Lin fretted, "But we have to try to rule out as many suspects as possible. And as much as I hate to say it, right now the cards are stacked against his favor..." Shaking her head, Lin tried to put on a cheerful disposition as she smiled and waved. "But I don't wanna keep you guys. You've been dying to get back to Smash City, so..."
"No worries," Falcon told the young engineer. "Hope to see you and Elma again someday, Lin."
"Feel free to visit any time!" Lin told the Captain and his lover before they walked off.
...
"Hey, Elma," Falcon greeted Elma as he and Lucina walked up to the BLADE Colonel, who was accompanied by Snake and Bayonetta.
"Hey, guys," Elma greeted them back.
"Guess I won't be needing this anymore..." The Captain pulled out the FrontierNav device Elma gave him, and returned it to the silver-haired soldier woman.
"I'm glad I was able to help nevertheless," Elma told him, putting the spare device away.
"Yo, Cap," Snake waved at the Captain. "You're a sight for sore eyes... that damn ship was a little too crowded for my tastes, and those Ma-non... ugh, what I wouldn't give for them to just shut up..."
"Oh come now, they were rather endearing," Bayonetta giggled. "And they're pretty genius inventors."
"Well, yeah, I'll give 'em that," Snake shrugged. "At least we had some pizza to eat while we waited."
"You call THAT greasy, fatty mess a 'pizza'?" Bayonetta retorted. "That's a gross bastardization of the original recipe invented 130 years ago!"
"Wouldn't it be over that many years here? It's 2056 A.D. in this world," Snake commented. "Plus, does it really matter how it's prepared? To me, pizza is pizza."
Lucina burst into laughter at Snake and Bayonetta's banter about pizza. "Heehee... you guys... if I didn't know any better, I'd say you guys could make a really cute couple with your banter!"
"Uh... thanks, I guess," Snake said, scratching the back of his head with his right hand. "But... I'm taken."
"Right... Samus is your girlfriend... almost forgot." Lucina chuckled nervously.
"Plus, I like to keep my options... open," Bayonetta asserted.
"What's that supposed to mean?" Snake inquired.
"...Nothing," Bayonetta dismissed Snake's inquiry.
"Heheheh..." Chuckling at the interaction that unfolded, Elma then said, "Nevertheless, it was nice having you all here at New Los Angeles. I look forward to hearing from Master Hand should I be selected."
"We will gladly be the first to let you know," Snake reassured Elma. Turning to Lucina and Captain Falcon, he commented, "Say...something seems...different about you guys..."
"How so?" The Captain asked.
"Well..." Before Snake could finish his sentence, Cloud ran in through the West Gate.
"Guys..." Cloud panted.
"What's the matter, Cloud?" Bayonetta asked the former AVALANCHE mercenary.
"Bayonetta... you were absolutely right... about the Hands... something's up with them..."
"Easy now, Cloud," Captain Falcon tried to calm Cloud down. "Try to regain your bearings, and give us a rundown."
"Okay..." After catching his breath, Cloud stood upright and began, "When Robin returned to Smash City from Shibuya, he remembered what Lucina had told him about her visions in her dreams, about a strange orb of light with metallic prismatic wings. I had just returned from New Los Angeles, and while Bayonetta wanted to return to NLA, her words about the Hands' behavior seeming strange as of late couldn't get out of my mind. Robin and I decided to investigate the information archives with Palutena, who had top secret access, and Shulk, so his visions could prepare us in case something were to go wrong. And sure enough... if you'll pardon my French, shit hit the fan."
"Is everyone okay at least?" Lucina asked Cloud.
"Yeah," Cloud confirmed. "I'll explain what exactly happened later, but once everything was taken care of, we received a... clue of sorts telling us all to head for the cliffs on the outskirts of Smash City. We believe that may have been the real Master Hand's last known whereabouts."
"So all the Smashers are over there waiting for us?" Falcon asked Cloud.
"Yeah," Cloud said. "Some of the Smashers sent their visiting loved ones back to their home worlds. Shulk sent his girlfriend, Fiora, back to Gaur Plain before heading to the rendezvous point."
"Alright, I'll be there as soon as I can," Captain Falcon said.
"Cloud... are my parents at the rendezvous point yet?" Lucina asked Cloud. "And is Morgan still in Smash City?"
"As far as I'm aware, your parents are over there," Cloud replied. "But Morgan is still in Smash City. If you wanna send him home, do so before heading to the cliffs. We don't know what might happen."
"No matter what happens, I'm ready," Lucina announced, her eyes bearing a determined look. "With the training I've received... with my father, my mother, my friends... and the Captain by my side... I won't lose."
"Good," Cloud said.
"You guys just stay safe," Elma advised the five from Smash City.
"We will," Cloud reassured Elma. Turning to Captain Falcon, Lucina, Snake and Bayonetta, he declared, "Alright, everyone. Let's mosey."
As they ran off to the teleporter leading back to Smash City, Elma looked on and said to herself, "I wish you all the best of luck. Stay safe." She began to walk to the transport vehicle when her FrontierNav device began to beep. Pulling it out, she saw it was a call from Lin.
"Lin? What's the matter?"
"Elma! It's not good!" Lin's face on the video feed bore a concerned expression. "As Lao was being investigated, I suddenly noticed Tatsu went missing."
"Tatsu... oh, right." Elma recalled that a Nopon named Tatsu followed Lin around everywhere she went, and that he had a penchant for getting into trouble.
"I looked around everywhere in the immediate vicinity for him, I even called out to him, but he was nowhere to be found... Then I heard some screams, and when I turned around, Lao and the BLADEs who were interrogating him vanished as well."
"That... is bizarre," Elma mused. "Be careful, Lin."
"I just really wish I knew what was..." Lin's train of thought was interrupted when she looked up. "What's that light...?"
"Lin...?"
"Elma, this is..." Just then, light filled the screen as Lin seemed to be vaporized.
"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!"
Within seconds, the video feed became static.
"Lin, can you hear me? Lin?!"
But there was no response. Hanging up the call, Elma looked up and saw various people and even Skells engulfed by beams of light and vanishing.
"What the hell is going on..." She murmured. Before she could react, a beam of light honed in on her, and then...
"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAGH!"
YEAH THAT'S RIGHT MY DUDES. Y'ALL KNOW WHAT'S COMING NEXT. GET HYPE.
I have actually had this chapter, or rather the, ahem, "pivotal scene" planned for years, haha... it was one of the first scenes I brainstormed when developing the idea for this fic. I wanted to craft a story that would lead up to that point, with appropriate character and relationship development, and now with Ultimate, it sure as hell ain't ending there, hoho...
Oh and... if any of you wanna see the side story involving what Cloud described, let me know... I have another side story idea too that I'll mention in the next chapter.
But most of all, fam: we're in the Endgame now.