So, Protective Dad Bowser may or may not have been inspired by Barret from Final Fantasy VII, haha (why doesn't FF7 even have so much as Spirits? Not even an Assist Trophy while Street Fighter and Bayonetta do. that's a real crime.) Also, bonus points to whomever spots the Castlevania: Symphony of the Night reference.
Chapter namesake - Into the Light from the Splatoon 2 Octo Expansion OST. (Team Chaos won, whoooo!)
As for the Rex part - Shulk and Fiora's journey with Rex on Alrest (them being DLC Blades) takes place after Shulk gets the Monado but before the Colony 9 invasion, as Fiora's in her Hom form there and not her late game cyborg form. As for Elma, it's explained in Xenoblade 2 that the Nopon trader gave her that VR thingy that transports her mind to Alrest or something and that time passes faster on Alrest than on Mira (and possibly on the Bionis/Mechonis as well), so her trips to Alrest can (and here, have) take(n) place during X's story.
Hiding in my Skin, Broken from Within
Chapter 20 - Into the Light
As Lucina and Captain Falcon entered the portal into the pocket dimension, they were greeted by Snake, Samus, Shulk, and everyone else as they stood on a stone bridge dividing two sections of land - the land to the north an expansive desert covered in a thick purple mist, and the land to the south a foggy forest.
"You guys... all of you have been waiting for us?" Falcon asked Shulk.
"Of course," Shulk reassured him. "I know the general location of each fighter thanks to my visions. Unfortunately, we can't go north just yet, because that thick purple mist severely limits visibility. According to my visions, the Master Sword due south can clear it, but it's blocked by a boulder and I have no idea how to clear it." Turning to Bowser, he tried to console the King of the Koopas, "Sorry, Bowser... I promise, you'll be able to save your children soon."
"Okay..." Bowser mumbled sadly before suddenly shouting, "DON'T WORRY, MY KIDS! PAPA'S COMIN'!"
"Heh..." Looking down, Shulk anxiously murmured, "Please wait for me too, Fiora..."
"So... what now, Shulk?" Lucina asked the wielder of the Monado.
"I guess all we can do for now is explore the region due south," Shulk answered her. "I think we should check out the forest first. According to my visions, Young Link and Chrom are there..."
"Father..." Lucina murmured. Placing her right hand on her daughter's shoulder in a comforting gesture, Robyn reassured her, "Let's save him together, sweetie."
"Yes..."
"Guess I'll try to find Young Link then," the Captain said.
"I'll come with you, Captain," Link volunteered. "He's another one of my incarnations, and I feel somewhat responsible for his and Toon Link's safety."
"Say whaaaat?!" Toon Link announced in surprise, alerting the other two to his presence. "There's ANOTHER me?! How many versions of me are there, anyway?"
Chuckling nervously, Link told his younger, more cartoon-like incarnation, "If you're referring to Smash... it's just me, you, and Young Link."
"How come I didn't know? I wanna meet him!" Toon Link jumped up and down with childlike excitement.
"I'll take you to him," Link said. "He's been absent since the second tournament, but Master Hand brought him back after so long." Holding his hand to his chin quizzically, he mused, "Which... I wonder why he decided to go the extra mile to bring all of us back in the first place..."
"Link...?" Falcon began.
"Yes?"
"Snake told me a while ago that he heard the Hands wanted to make this their biggest tournament ever, but... now that you mention it, given what I've learned from Bayonetta and Cloud, and what happened in Smash City while I was away... it makes me wonder if there was some sort of ulterior motive on the behalf of the beings who impersonated the Hands. Was this really what the real Master and Crazy Hand wanted? How long had the real Hands even been missing?"
"I remember Shulk and Robin talking about something like that," Link answered him. "I guess we'll find out when we save Cloud, and everyone from Team A heads back here. They're sure to learn something about all this over there."
"Yeah..."
As the rest of Team B headed down the path leading to the foggy forest, Captain Falcon looked to the sky and murmured, "I can't quite place my finger on it, but... something about all this just... isn't adding up..."
...
Team B was exploring the foggy forest, trying to find Young Link and Chrom who were located here as per Shulk's visions, but were at a loss as to where to go.
"This was a lot easier in the Light Realm," Little Mac complained. "We'd just flip a few switches to open up the path to save our friends..." Noticing the Duck Hunt duo looking dismayed, he added, "Even a dog can't trace their scent... something's up."
"It seems Dharkon's the type to play mind games with us," Ryu commented.
"It's like I said, Ryu," Falcon began, "They get their sick kicks in watching us squirm. I saw it firsthand when I saved Lucina. Who knows what they're doing to everyone else, even when they're not actively in control..."
"Ah - nnnn..." Lucina grunted a short distance away. Immediately turning to his lover, the Captain noticed Lucina huddling over and holding on to a nearby tree branch with her left arm, panting as sweat covered her pale face. Within seconds, she collapsed, the branch she was holding onto snapping off the tree. Falcon immediately ran to her aid and caught her before she could hit the ground.
"Lucina...!"
"Ahh..." Weakly opening her eyes, she strained, "B-Babe...?"
"Are you okay?" His voice sounded concerned, but was also strangely comforting to Lucina. Simply recalling the memory of the same gentleness he showed her at the hospital that day filled Lucina with a sense of safety unlike any other. That gentleness was one of the many reasons she had fallen in love with him.
Smiling faintly as her face was covered in sweat, she weakly told him, "I-I'm fine..."
"I know you're not fine, sweetheart," The Captain told her. "It's okay... you can tell me. What's wrong...?"
Lucina's smile sank as she glanced away solemnly. "I'm sorry... hiding things from the people I love... is a bad habit of mine... you're the last person I should hide anything from." Taking a few deep breaths to regain her grip on reality, the color slowly returned to her face as she focused and told him, "Remember what I was telling you... about the dreams? How I first learned about Galeem, and Dharkon's voice in my head before this all started?"
"Go on..."
"After you saved me, and we rested for a bit... I had a brief nightmare. I guess... somehow, Dharkon and I must have become linked, before and after I fell under their control... I'm not sure how we're linked exactly, but... in the nightmare, I saw myself in the exact same spot you found me, but... you and Snake weren't there. The darkness extended for miles, and I could hear... screams..." She shuddered briefly before continuing, "The screams of... all the other fighters and Spirits here... my friends and family... mother, father, Zelda, Richter, Robin, Fiora... I couldn't bear to hear it much longer."
"Lucina..." The Captain held his beloved close to his chest, gently stroking the small of her back to calm her down further.
"The air around us had gotten colder, so I guess Snake noticed and covered us in that blanket... it's a good thing he did, as he woke me up, ending that horrible dream... just... if Dharkon and I truly are linked... why? And why would they show me something so horrible like that?"
"I'm...sure it's nothing, love," Captain Falcon tried to comfort Lucina. "It's probably just... stress from all that's happened. I heard you say you were fighting Dharkon's control by yourself, so the struggle probably remained in your subconscious and led to that nightmare. I'm sure everyone, even your father, is fine..."
She has a point, though, the Captain thought. Dharkon did establish themselves as quite the sadist back there... it wouldn't surprise me... And if what she says is true, and... that dream I had in Mute City... maybe Galeem and I have a similar connection, but how...?
"I'm sure you're right, babe," Lucina answered him. "I'm sure... it's nothing. It has to be..."
I'm still... not so sure, she thought. Those dreams... and that hallucination on Mira... Dharkon has to have some kind of link to me. But how, and why?
"You ready? We'll do a more in depth search of this forest to see if we can find Young Link and your father."
"Ah..." Snapping back to reality, Lucina answered her lover, "Sure..." Taking his hand as he helped her up, she suggested, "When I save my father... is it alright that I... tell him about us?"
"Will he... be okay with it?"
"I'm sure he will," Lucina reassured him. "It's like I told you back at Sylvalum - my father never held a grudge in his life, and he's not about to start now. That's why I admire him and strive to be like him..." Just then, she winced again. "Ugh..."
"Lucina...?"
"I...can hear them...again," she told him, slightly straining, her face bearing a visible look of discomfort. "I hear their screams, louder than before... Young Link... Father... Zelda... the Spirit of Fiora... Cloud... they have to be close by..."
"Is that why... you didn't seem so well earlier?" The Captain asked her. When she silently nodded, he reassured her, "Just... don't worry about it for now. We will save them... and then once Dharkon's out of the picture, maybe we'll all get to go home."
"Of course..." Lucina answered the man she loved. "The sooner we can end this nightmare, the better..."
I guess this confirms my suspicions... Dharkon and I have to be connected somehow... Looking down for a moment as her facial expression turned melancholy, she thought, I don't want to keep any secrets from anyone anymore... they deserve to know more than I tell them...
"You coming, sweetheart?" The Captain called out to her. "I think I found something..."
"I'll be there!"
Following her lover, Lucina caught up with him and the two Links at an owl statue. "A... statue?" She questioned, holding a finger to her chin quizzically.
"Not just any statue," Toon Link said excitedly. "Its eyes glowed and I heard its voice!"
"Hmm... it must be one of those statues," Link wondered, having encountered similar statues on his adventures. "What did it say?"
"I think it said, 'Courage lies with the hopeful girl who waits for her friend'," Toon Link answered his older incarnation. "What does it mean?"
"Saria..." Link mumbled.
"Who?" Toon Link asked.
"She's... one of Young Link's best friends, and the Forest Sage. I remember this from my incarnation at the second Smash Tournament... maybe she can help clear that large tree stump blocking the path to the southeast." Looking around, Link mused, "But we've searched the whole forest and haven't seen her Spirit anywhere..."
"Link..." Lucina spoke up. "I think I saw another owl statue on the way here..."
"Thanks, Lucina. Toon Link and I will check it out," Link said before he and Toon Link went back the way Lucina came.
"You coming, Cap'n?" Toon Link called out to Captain Falcon.
"Not just yet, kid. I'll let you know," Falcon told the younger incarnation of Link.
"Ah - ! Nnnngh..." Lucina suddenly collapsed to her knees once the two Links went on their way, covering her ears and wincing. "F-Father..."
"Lucina..." Walking over to his beloved, Captain Falcon crouched down and placed his hand on Lucina's shoulder to try to comfort her. "You're...hearing their screams again?"
"Specifically... my father's... and it's really loud..." Grunting, Lucina continued, "I... tried to keep it on the down low back there because... I didn't want the Links to worry, but... the fact I can hear father's screams so loudly... he has to be close by, but all I see is a wall of shrubbery..."
The Captain embraced Lucina tenderly. "We'll save him... I promise."
"Dharkon has to be doing something to him... to Zelda and the others too. I was lucky to be unconscious for a long time after Galeem's initial attack happened, so I don't think Dharkon did anything terrible to me until you came to save me... but it's like they said when they were controlling me. They feed off despair, and no doubt, watching them use my body to hurt you... maybe in the dark dimension father and the others are in... I guess only I can hear their screams, because Dharkon didn't want my suffering to end so easily... they're tormenting my friends and family now..."
"Don't overthink it, sweetie..." Falcon hugged Lucina slightly closer. She hugged him back as tightly as she could, calming down in his warm embrace as the screams slowly faded from her mind.
What if she's right, though...? The Captain thought, feeling a sense of dread linger over him.
"Hey...babe?" She asked him, somewhat timidly.
"Yes...?"
"I... don't want to keep any more secrets from you... or anyone... I guess the only 'secret' should be Snake knowing about...our night together at New Los Angeles, but that's it. At least that way he'll be more open to me visiting you at Smash City and... us spending a little more time together..." She giggled softly at that thought before her facial expression turned somber once more, and she continued, "But... in the long run, keeping secrets will only make others worry more. I've kept so many secrets from Zelda, Robin and my own family too... I shouldn't do that anymore."
"I'm glad," The Captain praised her. "Recognizing a problem is the first step to fixing it." Gently releasing her from his embrace, he then said, "I... want to apologize for keeping secrets from you too. About Blood Falcon and the Horrific Grand Finale... I thought if you didn't know, you'd be safe... but I guess what you don't know can hurt you, after all."
"Babe..."
"When Jody and I were together, we didn't keep any secrets from each other... I think we should both be open with each other, too. I promise, I won't keep any more secrets from you..."
"Thank you, Captain..." Lucina leaned closer to give her lover a small affectionate peck on the lips, smiling afterwards.
"Of course." Glancing to the side, he then asked, "But... what about the fact we're together? When I first came into the Dark Realm to save you, Shulk was the first person to figure out that I was in love with you, and I asked him to not tell anyone else we were a couple just yet, but Snake, and practically everyone else so far figured it out..." Chuckling briefly, he commented, "Is it really that obvious?"
"Robin, Richter, and my own mother and brother figured it out too... they said subtlety wasn't my strong suit," Lucina giggled. "It may sound silly, but... I actually think it's best everyone does know. I think we may...play a bigger role in all this than we realize."
"You think so?" Captain Falcon asked Lucina, who only nodded in response. "Well... I'll trust your judgment, sweetheart." He stood, extending a hand to help her stand as well.
"Lucina?" Robyn suddenly said. "Are you okay, dear?"
"Mother..." Glancing to the side, Lucina asked her mother, "How long... have you been standing there?"
"I heard you shouting, but I didn't want to interrupt you and your boyfriend there," Robyn answered her daughter with a compassionate smile before walking to her and hugging her.
"So... you heard?" Lucina asked her mother.
"Only some of it," Robyn answered Lucina, releasing her from her embrace. "You want to save your father with me?"
"Yes," Lucina confirmed. "I have a feeling he's close by... I'll explain more on the way."
"I guess I'll catch up with the Links in finding Young Link, then," Captain Falcon announced. "We'll catch up later, alright, my love?"
"Yes..." Lucina nodded, an affectionate smile gracing her face.
"Captain?" Robyn asked Falcon.
"Yeah?"
"I wanted to thank you for keeping my daughter safe all this time..."
"D-Don't mention it." Falcon glanced away bashfully, covering his mouth with his right hand as he blushed.
"I'm serious!" Robyn emphasized. "Not just during your training journey, but for saving my daughter from Dharkon's control as well... she trusts you because she loves you." Smiling, Robyn added, "And...I trust you too. Anyone my daughter cares so deeply about, I will also trust unconditionally."
Gasping faintly, the Captain then nodded with a reassuring smile. "Thank you, Robyn." He then ran off to find the other two Links.
...
"Oh, Captain!" Shulk called out to Captain Falcon from afar.
"Shulk?" Walking over to the wielder of the Monado, the Captain asked, "Where are the Links?"
"They followed the hints from some other statues, and according to the last hint, Saria's Spirit should be in a small inlet accessible by swimming through a secret passage in the nearby lake."
Hearing a loud splash a short distance away, Falcon commented, "I guess one of 'em is off to do just that."
"Yeah... according to my visions, once Link awakens Saria's Spirit, the tree stump blocking the southeast passage should disappear. Toon Link's waiting there."
"I see..." Looking around, Falcon then asked Shulk, "And where are Snake and Samus?"
"I sensed Sonic nearby, just before the boulder blocking access to the Master Sword. Snake's on his way to save Sonic and have him serve as our messenger to Team A when they're done. Pikachu wanted to come with him... I don't know why, but he took it along. As for Samus, she's looking for the Spirit of Rex. He was someone she interviewed..."
"Ah." Noticing Robyn and Lucina searching the forest, he told Shulk, "Shulk... can I ask you a favor?"
"Shoot."
"Could you possibly assist Lucina and her mother in finding Chrom? Lucina... has a feeling he's close but doesn't know how to get to him."
"I will," Shulk obliged. "But... how does she know exactly where he is?"
"It's... some kind of intuition. I'm sure she'll tell you..." He glanced to the side pensively.
I know she said no more secrets between us... as well as not keeping any important secrets from anyone else, but... something like that, I don't think I should tell them so soon. It's just a theory for now anyway... a theory that makes a lot of sense... I just don't know...
"Something wrong?" Shulk asked Captain Falcon.
"N-no," the Captain stammered. "I'll wait over there with Toon Link. I guess we'll save Young Link together, especially since Toon Link wanted to meet him."
"Good luck to you both."
...
Within a minute, Link had freed Saria's Spirit from Dharkon's control, causing the tree stump blocking the rest of the southeast path to vanish. Captain Falcon managed to get a glimpse of Link emerging from the lake on the way over to Toon Link, and decided to check on him.
"You alright, Link?" He asked the legendary hero.
"Yes... just need some time to rest a bit." He shivered, the air around him feeling colder since he was dripping wet.
"Oh, Link," Ken said, walking up to Link and reaching into his supply bag. "I have a towel..."
"I've got some firewood," Samus offered.
"Thanks, you two," Link thanked them. "Toon Link's waiting for you, Falcon. You two save Young Link together, okay?"
"Of course," Falcon told Link. "I just... wanted to check in on you and make sure you were okay, that's all. In case... you needed something."
"That's... awfully nice of you, Captain," Link said with a smile, drying himself off with Ken's towel as Samus lit a small campfire with her firewood.
"Looks like you're being more open with everyone now," Samus commented with a reassuring smile. "Keep it up."
The Captain nodded and grinned before running off as Link, Ken and Samus sat around the campfire, with the Spirits of Saria and Rex introducing themselves and conversing with the Smashers.
...
"What took you so long?" Toon Link asked the Captain. "Where's Link?"
"He said it's okay for just the two of us to save Young Link," Captain Falcon told Toon Link. "You ready, little one?"
"Yup!"
As the two approached Young Link, whose eyes were already glowing purple and his body surrounded by the familiar crimson aura, a dark mist transported the three of them to Hyrule Temple.
"Stay on your guard, kid," The Captain instructed Toon Link, getting into a defensive stance.
After raising his shield, Toon Link noticed Young Link wasn't attacking him or the Captain. "Wait, Cap... something's up..."
Lowering his guard, the Captain noticed Toon Link was telling the truth. Young Link just stood there, looking down with a sorrowful look on his face. Cautiously, he called out to the youth, "Hey... Young Link...?"
"...Why?" Were the words that came out of Young Link's lips, but this time, something was different. It was neither Dharkon's voice that spoke, nor his own.
It was somehow... both. As if Dharkon and Young Link were on the exact same wavelength. Despite this, Young Link's voice was more audible.
What is this...? Captain Falcon thought, a feeling of dread creeping down his spine. It's like... Dharkon and Young Link spoke at the same time... is Dharkon influencing Young Link's thoughts...?
"What's wrong...?" Falcon tried to act diplomatically upon being faced with this unexpected situation. What followed surprised him more.
"I... I thought I'd never see everyone again," Young Link said, his voice mingling with Dharkon's as he spoke. "You can't imagine how happy I was to see everyone back... Popo... Nana... Ness... the older me... Zelda... I even got to meet some people I hadn't met before, like Lucas... but it was only for a few minutes. Afterwards, it was... chaos. Everything was falling apart, and then... that glowing orb came and I saw everyone vanish... I thought they had died... and now I'm here. Why? Why?"
"It's going to be okay, little one..." Captain Falcon cautiously walked closer to Young Link. "We'll save you..."
"No!" Young Link protested, shaking his head. "It's not going to be okay! After so long of feeling so alone... of missing all my friends... I get to see them again, only to have them taken away?! I had hope for the first time in the longest time... and happiness when I got to see my friends... and it was taken away, just like that..." Young Link closed his eyes and held his free hand in a fist to his chest.
"I..." The Captain bit his lip as he looked down. I should have noticed... when we ran into him again at Clock Town, he said he missed everyone and hoped to see them again, and what happened that led to this... must have been a shock to him...
"Hey..." Toon Link suddenly spoke up, timidly walking over to Young Link with a sheepish, nervous grin. "Everything's okay. Everyone's safe and alive, and we've saved so many of them. And we're sure to save more, so -"
"...Who are you?" Young Link bluntly asked, a trace of anger in his voice. "Were you... my replacement when I was away?"
"I - what?!" Toon Link blurted. "That's stupid! Why would I -"
"Don't lie!" It was becoming more apparent that Dharkon was twisting Young Link's inner thoughts and amplifying his insecurities. "I was forgotten about for two tournaments... and replaced on top of it?!" He lunged at Toon Link in a leaping slash, but Toon Link blocked the blow with his shield.
"C'mon, get a grip," Toon Link called out to Young Link, deflecting the latter's sword with his shield and backflipping a short distance before continuing, "If you were really replaced... why would the Hands call you back to Smash?"
"I..." Young Link hesitated for a moment, during which Captain Falcon and Toon Link thought for sure Dharkon's influence was starting to fade. Young Link then retorted, "If that's true then... why did this happen?! Why were we attacked and separated from each other?"
"That's... what we're trying to find out," Falcon tried to console the youth. "I know... how you must have felt when you were thrust into all this after what was supposed to be the happiest moment of your life. But I promise, we'll get to the bottom of this... we'll get to go home..."
"I..." Young Link collapsed to his knees, dropped his sword and covered his head in his hands. "I'm just... so alone... and confused... I don't know how to feel..." As he spoke, Dharkon's voice began to fade until only Young Link's voice could be heard.
"Hey," Toon Link said, walking over to Young Link and placing a hand on his shoulder as a comforting gesture. "You know, when I first joined Smash, it took a while for Link, Zelda, and Sheik to warm up to me. They said they really missed you... Even when the fourth tournament rolled around, even though I became friends with them, they still felt someone was missing..."
"They...missed me?" Feeling tears come to his eyes, Young Link wiped them away as he murmured, "I'm...glad... I've missed them all so much. I've missed everyone..."
"Wanna be friends?" Toon Link asked Young Link with an amicable grin. "You have all your friends here... why not make another while you're at it?"
"R-really?" Young Link's eyes returned to his normal blue hue amidst a white sclera, indicating that Dharkon was quickly losing their control over him.
"Sure!" Hugging Young Link, Toon Link said, "I've always wanted to meet the different incarnations of myself... and you know, you can never have too many friends!"
"Ah..." The dark aura surrounding Young Link disappeared as he hugged Toon Link back and the dark mist changed the setting back to the forest. "Thank you..." He wept softly. Toon Link gently pat Young Link on the back as a comforting gesture.
"You're never alone, Young Link," The Captain told him with a compassionate smile. "Even if we have to go our separate ways some day, you'll always have us in your memories..." Looking to the side, he solemnly thought, That's right... If what Snake said is true... we might not get another reunion like this...any one of us might have to leave... Lucina's face immediately flashed in his mind. Lucina... I don't want us to have to go our separate ways... After all we've been through together...
It was then that he remembered Lucina theorizing that Dharkon had to be doing something to the other fighters, hence the screams only she could hear. She was right... Dharkon is doing something to their victims... twisting their thoughts, bringing their deepest fears and regrets to the forefront of their mind... who knows what else. I have to inform her...
"Hey, you two," Captain Falcon called out to the two small Links. "Follow me... I have to catch up with the others, particularly Lucina..."
"Lucina's here?" Young Link asked, a hopeful smile gracing his face. "I wanna see her again! I've missed her!"
"I'm sure she's missed you too," Falcon replied. "Let's go."
...
Once Captain Falcon and the smaller Links returned to the campfire Link, Samus and Ken were sitting around, they found Shulk resting there as well.
"...Anyway, Shulk, remember when you and Fiora went to Alrest with me? Elma too? Oh, it was so much fun showing Alrest to you guys!" Rex's Spirit told Shulk.
"Indeed," Shulk agreed. "I hope you can join us someday, Rex. I'd like to fight by your side again...maybe spar against you, too." Noticing the Captain and the two Links approaching, he called out to them, "Oh, hey guys. I see Young Link is back with us."
"Yeah," The Captain confirmed as Toon Link ran up to the older Link, while Young Link stayed by the Captain's side. "Where's Lucina?"
"Just wait right there by the open treasure chest," Shulk advised, pointing to an opened treasure chest a short distance away. Noticing Falcon and Young Link's perplexed expressions, Shulk told them with a slight chuckle, "Just trust me on this one."
"If you say so..."
Young Link and Captain Falcon walked over to the treasure chest and waited, as per Shulk's instructions. A few seconds of silence passed, and Young Link commented. "I don't get it..."
"Well..." The Captain began to explain, "It seems this forest has secret passages, like how Link freed Saria's Spirit so I could get to you? She was tucked away somewhere only accessible by a secret path in a lake, so it wouldn't surprise me if - " Just then, both he and Young Link saw a hand reaching out from the bottom of the treasure chest.
"WHOA!" Both of them cried out, stumbling over in surprise.
"...Babe? Is that you?" A familiar voice asked the Captain.
"...Lucina?"
Hoisting herself up, she climbed out of the treasure chest, got on her knees and hugged her lover. "I've done it... I saved my father..."
Hugging her back, the Captain commended her, "I'm so proud of you, sweetheart... I knew you could do it."
"Heehee..." Noticing Young Link close by, she greeted him with a smile, "It's been a while, Young Link." Young Link wordlessly drew closer to the couple and joined them in a group hug.
"Heh... this group hug almost makes it feel like we're a family," Captain Falcon commented. "Like we're a married couple with a son..."
"I suppose..." Lucina embraced them slightly tighter. "That would be nice..."
Smiling and blushing softly at the thought, Falcon then asked her as he released her and Young Link from the group hug, "Say... where's your family?" Young Link then ran back to the campfire with Link and the others.
"They should be here soon..." Within seconds, Robyn climbed out of the treasure chest, followed by Chrom.
Turning around and noticing where he crawled out of, Chrom announced, "You mean to tell me... I was inside a treasure chest?!"
"Well, dear," Robyn began, hugging him and smiling affectionately, "You are my treasure!"
"UGH, MOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM!" Lucina and the Spirit of Morgan wasted no time in groaning at their mother's cheesy pun, while Chrom, Robyn, and Captain Falcon burst into laughter.
"It's just like mother to crack a lame pun like this, huh, sis?" Morgan asked his sister.
"And at a time like this... how embarrassing..." Lucina crawled away and hid her face in her hands.
Noticing the sound of Captain Falcon's laughter, Chrom murmured, "Is that...?"
"Oh..." The Captain stopped laughing when he noticed Chrom walking toward him and stood up, brushing the dirt off his clothing. Lucina stood as well, murmuring "F-Father..." before looking down shyly.
"Chrom..." Falcon began, somewhat timidly. "I'm... happy you finally got your chance. Listen... I wanted to apologize for that day..."
"All is forgiven, Captain," Chrom answered him. "I can't possibly continue to bear ill will toward the man who's kept my daughter safe all this time, now can I?"
"R-Really?" The Captain questioned, slightly surprised that Chrom forgave him that easily, but at the same time greatly relieved. "Even though... I crushed your dream back then?"
"I always believed I would get my chance another day, and that day came," Chrom explained. "I can fight alongside my wife and daughter, and everyone else in Smash City. Even you, Captain. This is an honor I've dreamed of for so long, and the fact it finally came to fruition fills my heart with a joy I can't describe."
"But what about... before you were accepted?"
"I never gave up hope," Chrom answered the Captain. "And I knew you weren't to blame... I knew you could only take Robin, my wife, and my daughter onboard at that time, it was entirely Master Hand's decision and you were simply fulfilling it. I didn't give it my all back then either... during our fight..."
"No, please, Chrom," Captain Falcon dissuaded Lucina's father. "You were a very worthy opponent." Glancing up at the cloudy sky above, he commented, "You know... once we all get rid of Dharkon and go home, why don't we someday... spar for old times' sake?"
"Sure, why not," Chrom accepted the Captain's offer. "I won't hold back, you know!"
"Don't expect me to, either," The Captain boasted with a confident grin. Just then, Lucina walked over to him and made a gesture to come closer, as if she were going to whisper something to him.
"Lucina? What's up?" Leaning over to hear what she had to whisper to him, he mumbled, "Are you sure? ... Okay."
"Lucina?" Chrom asked his daughter.
"Father..." Lucina began. "You know how Captain Falcon trained me when I was away from Smash City, keeping me safe all the while? And how he freed me from Dharkon's control? Well..." She reached for the Captain's hand, holding it as their fingers interlaced. Blushing and looking to the side, she continued, "We've...gotten closer than expected. We've gotten to know each other so well and...basically became a couple..."
I...hope you can accept us being together, father...in spite of what happened in the past...
"You two... you're in love?"
"We are..." Gently letting go of Lucina's hand, Captain Falcon held the hand that once held hers to his chest. "I... hope you don't have any objections..."
He's going to say no... isn't he...? Falcon bit his lip anxiously.
"...Why would I ever object to my daughter being with the man she truly loves?"
"H-Huh?!"
"There's no denying you two became close during your training. Any issues you two had with each other in the past, you've worked it out during your time together. My daughter found her happiness with you, and I would never dream of taking that away."
"Chrom... thank you." Reaching for her hand again, the Captain gently held it as he announced, "I've found my happiness with her too, and I vow to continue to protect her as I have been all this time. It... really means the world to me that you've given us your blessing."
"Father... I will protect Falcon, too," Lucina told Chrom. "He's trained me well, and I, too, vowed to keep him safe. We'll be... having each other's backs, right? Is that how the saying goes?"
"You certainly have gotten stronger since I saw you last, Lucina," Chrom acknowledged. "And that sounds wonderful. Just like me and Robyn, we keep each other safe... You've found your perfect match, my dear daughter, and I couldn't be happier for you."
"Father..." Lucina ran up to her father and hugged him. "Oh... and congratulations. I'm glad you've finally got your chance... I look forward to fighting alongside you in Smash."
"Thank you."
"I'm just... sorry I couldn't be there the day you got accepted..." Lucina released her father from her embrace, looking down solemnly.
Placing his right hand on his daughter's shoulder, Chrom reassured her, "It's all right... at least you get to congratulate me now, when we're together as a family." He brought his daughter and wife in for a group hug, and the Spirit of his son joined in too.
"Or should I say... Chromgratulate him?" Robyn teased with a wink.
"Motherrrrrr!" Lucina and Morgan complained before the whole family burst into hearty laughter.
"I want to formally congratulate you too, Chrom," Captain Falcon told Chrom. "I didn't get to right away either... and I had my own insecurities and fears about it at first."
"Again, don't worry about it, Captain," Chrom told Falcon with a confident smile as he gently broke the group hug and made eye contact with him. "It's all water under the bridge. Know that I never bore any sort of grudge toward you..."
"...Thank you." The Captain subtly bowed respectfully, and Chrom smiled and nodded before he and his family began to walk off to the campfire.
"Oh... Lucina?" Falcon called out to his lover.
"...Yes, babe?" She walked over to him.
"Did... you notice anything peculiar when you and your mother saved your dad? Did he say or do anything that struck you as... odd?"
"A little..." Lucina admitted. "He refused to attack either of us, but he lamented that I wasn't there on the happiest day of his life - the day he got accepted for Smash. He surprisingly didn't mention anything about you... which I suppose reassures me that he really didn't hold anything against you... and I heard a bit of Dharkon's voice with my father's when he spoke."
"Listen... I think your theory may be right. About Dharkon doing something to their victims... when I saved Young Link earlier, I could hear both his and Dharkon's voices overlapping as he spoke... and he seemed distraught, unwilling to cooperate, and thought Toon Link replaced him at one point. It would appear Dharkon is twisting their victims' thoughts, bringing fears, worries, regrets, even grudges out of their subconscious and amplifying them. I don't know if Team A is experiencing this as well, but... be on your guard. Especially when you go to save Zelda... I know she's your best friend, and if this pattern continues, saving her from Dharkon's grasp might be difficult... Just don't give up."
"Thank you, babe..." Lucina hugged her lover tightly. "I'll keep it in mind."
"Hey, Cap," Snake interrupted them.
"Snake? What's up?"
"I... noticed something similar when I went to save Sonic. He was... terrified. Blaming himself not only for the fact that he couldn't outrun Galeem's initial attack, but also that when he tried to save Pikachu, he saw it vaporized in front of him... it's a good thing Pikachu came with me, as it being there put Sonic at ease and we were able to save him, too."
"Did... Sonic's and Dharkon's voices overlap, too?" Lucina asked Snake.
"Yeah... It's like Dharkon was whispering in Sonic's ear...like you said, Cap, I too wonder if Team A is experiencing something like this... I guess we'll know when they're done and Sonic leads 'em back here."
"Yeah..." The Captain murmured.
"Sorry to interrupt, guys," Shulk suddenly began as he walked up to them, "But I got another vision. We'll be moving to the next area where the Mii Brawler and Zelda are. Once we save Zelda, the boulder blocking the way to the Master Sword will clear, and we can save Cloud, and once that mist is cleared with the Master Sword, we'll be able to save more Spirits, as well as Bowser Jr., the Koopalings, and Ganondorf." Beckoning the three, he announced, "Come on, let's go."
...
Team B reunited with the Inkling Girl and the newly-rescued Incineroar at the entrance before taking the path that led to a sunlit grassland. They saw two series of twelve lanterns each laid out in a circular fashion, one inside the other, resembling some kind of clock.
"What now, Shulk?" Captain Falcon asked the wielder of the Monado.
"In order to gain access to Zelda, Impa's spirit must be freed from Dharkon's control. Once she is, the boulder blocking the way will disappear, but to get to Impa, the lanterns must be lit to show a time of 12:10. For the Mii Brawler, the 'clock' has to be at 4:40. But it goes without saying you can only do one at a time, so I'd suggest freeing Impa's Spirit first."
"I'll go, Shulk," Sheik offered. "Which lanterns represent the hour and which ones are for the minute?"
"The red lanterns are for the hour, and the blue lanterns are for the minute. It operates like the hands on a clock."
"...Got it." Sheik ran off and followed Shulk's instructions.
"Once she's done, I'll go for the Mii Brawler, and then Dunban's Spirit which is up that hill," Shulk said, pointing in the direction of a hill in the distance.
"Excuse me, Shulk," Robin stated, "But once Zelda is freed and the boulder near the Master Sword disappears, I'd like to try to save Cloud. Since we were both involved in the... investigation that day, and once Team A arrives, he can help bring everyone up to speed."
"Sounds fair," Shulk obliged.
"Okay." Turning to Lucina, Robin asked her, "You're going to save Zelda, right?"
"Yes... As her roommate and friend, I feel it's my obligation... Especially considering, despite all she's done for me, I haven't been completely honest with her, as you know... I want to make up for that..."
"I see..." Noticing the Spirit of Bandana Waddle Dee running up to Lucina, Robin commented, "Looks like Bandee wants to come with you... Zelda interviewed him, so I'm sure he'd want to help you however he can."
"Of course..." Crouching down, Lucina cooed, "Come along, little guy."
"I suppose I'll see you all once I save Cloud," Robin announced with a wave before running off.
"Later, Robin," Captain Falcon told him. "I guess all we have to do now is wait..."
"I suppose..." Lucina and her lover took a seat on some rocks nearby when Daisy, Richter, and Ken walked up to them.
"'Sup, Lucina?" Ken greeted her, followed by Daisy enthusiastically shouting, "HELLO!" with an energetic smile, and Richter calmly but silently waving hello.
"You guys..." Lucina stood and smiled at them softly.
"Lucina, who might these be?" Falcon asked his girlfriend. "I recognize Princess Daisy, and Ken Masters is Ryu's best friend, but who's the other man with them?"
"Babe, this is Richter Belmont," Lucina introduced Richter to her lover. "I met Richter when I ended up in his and Simon's world. As for Ken, I met him at the same off world quest I met Fiora at."
"Lucina told me about you, Captain," Richter said, extending his hand for a handshake. "It's nice to meet you."
"Nice to meet you too, Mr. Belmont," Falcon replied, shaking his hand.
"Oh, please, you can just call me Richter," Richter chuckled bashfully. "I know it's a bit strange to finally meet you when we're in the middle of saving our friends from mind-controlling deities. Can't say it's the first time I've been controlled..."
"It... has been for me, though. Probably the Captain too," Lucina commented. "Say, Richter... when they were freeing you, Daisy, Dark Pit, Ken, and the others in Dracula's Castle from Dharkon's control... did anything seem... off?"
"Not that I recall," Richter shrugged. "I guess it was no different from when the Captain saved you, that Dharkon would be in control of us one minute, detailing some of their plans, then we'd struggle to break free. Except for Ridley and Wario, they basically realized they were being controlled and... let's just say, didn't take too kindly to the thought. Simon saved me, I guess what gave me the strength to break free was him and Alucard reminding me of my duties as a Belmont. I'm actually a bit surprised it was that easy."
"Would you believe it was Little Mac that saved me?" Ken commented. "Freakin' Little Mac! I guess it's fitting cuz I wiped the floor with him before I got accepted... then Incineroar showed up, heheh. But this time, Mac beat me fair and square... not gonna lie, the thrill of fighting, the rematch that felt like it was fate, seeing that kid step up his game... that's what got me to break free."
"Peach saved me, being my best friend and all," Daisy explained. "I swear, if she calls me a crybaby again though..."
"Don't tell me that's what got you to break free?" Ken jested as Richter snickered.
"Unless you want my parasol rammed up your ass, Masters, you won't say another word on that matter...!" Daisy glared at Ken ominously. Ken, feeling a sense of fear creep up his spine upon being addressed on a last-name basis, hid behind an intimidated Richter and mumbled, "Richter... she's scaring me..." Lucina and Captain Falcon giggled at the exchange.
"If you think that's juicy though, you should have seen how Pit saved our fellow Echo Program participant, Dark Pit," Daisy began, snickering. "It was even funnier to see Dark Pit deny that he was crying and hugging Pit... it was actually kind of cute, but he just has to act all tough... it's actually kind of endearing!"
"Say, Daisy?" Lucina asked the princess of Sarasaland. "What's this 'Echo Program' you once mentioned before?"
"Oh, that," Daisy began. "You know how you fight like Marth, and Dark Pit fights like Pit? Master Hand decided that, upon my arrival, fighters like us, who have a lot of similarities to someone else but have such subtle differences either in skills or personality, call ourselves Echoes. Your father joined as an Echo of Roy. Ken's an Echo of Ryu, obviously, and there's Dark Samus, who's Samus's Echo when she's in her Power Suit."
"I see..."
"It's opened up the gates for a lot of potential fighters, so I hope to see more faces join us, with or without the Echo Program," Richter commented.
"That would be wonderful. Just the thought of meeting them all sounds exciting," Lucina said.
"I agree," The Captain concurred. Hearing a sudden rumbling, he then saw Sheik teleporting over to them.
"Alright, Impa's Spirit has been saved," she announced. "Lucina, if you want to save Zelda, now's your chance."
"Thank you, Sheik." Turning to Captain Falcon, Lucina told him, "I'll be back soon, my love."
"I'll be waiting," he replied. "I guess I'll chat with your fellow Echoes for a bit. They seem like an interesting bunch, especially Ken."
"Have fun, babe." She leaned in to give him a kiss on the cheek before running off.
...
Lucina finally arrived where Zelda was. Seeing Zelda standing before her with the crimson aura surrounding her body and her eyes glowing purple, a dark mist enveloped the both of them and changed their surroundings to Hyrule Temple. Like with Chrom and Young Link before her, Zelda also stood there and did not attack.
"Zelda...?" Lucina cautiously called out, slowly inching to her friend afterward before Zelda launched a Din's Fire at Lucina, stopping just a few centimeters before her as a warning shot.
"Stay back!" Zelda shouted. Like with her father, Lucina noticed Dharkon's voice blending with Zelda's. Without a doubt, they were manipulating her emotions as well.
"Please, Zelda, snap out of it," Lucina urged her friend. "Dharkon's just trying to manipulate your thoughts..."
"No." Zelda coldly looked away as she began, "I see no point in coming with you. I remember... from my past incarnation, that whenever I noticed you distressed, or something was weighing you down... You'd just brush it off, even when I figured out what the problem was. You wouldn't let me in... why? I only wanted to help you..."
"Zelda..." Sighing, Lucina explained, "I didn't want you to worry. I didn't want to be seen as weak, or that I couldn't solve my own problems. I felt that whatever I was facing... only I could solve it."
"But don't you see, Lucy?" The look in Zelda's eyes turned pleading, sad, as she continued, "That only made me worry more... I felt useless. We're friends, aren't we? Aren't we supposed to confide in each other? You listened to me whenever I needed advice, but..."
"I know... and I'm sorry." Lifting her gaze to meet her friend's, Lucina continued, "I've learned. I promise to not keep any secrets from you anymore..."
"I'm afraid it's too late for that." Looking at Lucina with a hurt look in her eyes, Zelda stated, "If it were my other incarnation, she'd probably just shrug it off. But not me..."
She's right... Lucina thought. This Zelda is a bit younger than the Zelda I knew before my training journey, and her personality is different too. She's understandably more sensitive... Just then, she could hear the real Zelda's voice screaming into her mind as she covered her ears and winced.
"Uuuugh..."
"Please, Lucina, I need you! Don't leave me...!"
"Zelda..." Regaining her composure, Lucina began, "I know you don't want to believe this, Zelda, but just now, I heard the real you screaming for me... that you need me. I know this isn't how you really feel..." Noticing the Spirit of Bandana Waddle Dee peering out from behind her with a sad look in his eyes, she continued, "Remember Bandee? He's worried about you too... he considers you a friend, and just like when I met him, he doesn't like to see friends sad... Please. I know I was wrong to shut you out. I promise I won't do that anymore..."
"Lucina... Bandee..." For a moment, Zelda spoke purely in her own voice as she trembled and looked like she was going to cry. For a moment, it looked like freeing her from Dharkon's grasp would be easier than expected, until...
"I'm sorr- uuuuuugh!" She suddenly clutched her head.
"...Zelda?!"
"Lu...cina..." Zelda strained in her own voice, before her arms dropped to her sides limply and her head bobbed. When she lifted her gaze to meet Lucina's again, it was only Dharkon's voice that came out of her lips.
"You sure are persistent for my former puppet," Dharkon spoke through Zelda. "Why do you want to save someone you wouldn't let help you? Those feelings she's expressed... I am not the one planting those thoughts into her mind. Those feelings of loneliness, of rejection... they are real. You pushed her away, and only now you're letting her in?"
"I don't doubt that I indirectly hurt her with the dismissiveness of my actions when she was only worried about me," Lucina told the being who once controlled her. "But I want her to see that I've changed... that I won't be so distant like that again."
"You heard her... she does not want to hear it!" Zelda began gathering magical energy in her hand as a Phanton knight was assembled piece by piece, the artificial fighter lunging at Lucina when Zelda pointed at her. Backflipping out of the automated suit of armor's path, Lucina declared, "I know that's not what the real Zelda wants... I heard her screaming for me. This is probably a side effect of what you did to me, Dharkon, but this way... I at least know I can save her."
"You will die trying!" Zelda began twirling in place as wind magic energy surrounded her and she prepared to use Farore's Wind to warp over to Lucina, who was standing close to the edge of the platform. Lucina leapt out of the projected warp point, but wasn't expecting Zelda to overshoot her projected warp coordinates, causing her to warp over open air past the edge of the platform.
"No...!" Zelda gasped in her own voice as she struggled to regain control of her body and reached for the ledge, successfully grabbing it.
"Zelda!" Lucina shouted, running to her friend as she knew that in her current state, she probably wouldn't be able to hold on much longer. Without a moment's hesitation, she reached for Zelda's hand and tried to help her up.
"Lu...cina...?" Zelda murmured, a slightly confused yet sad look in her eyes. "Why are you still helping me... after all I said...?"
"Because... I knew that wasn't you," Lucina answered her roommate with a tender smile. "When Dharkon was twisting your thoughts, I heard the real you crying out for me... that you didn't want me to leave you." Her eyes began to well up with tears as she continued, "I... don't want anyone to leave me either, and... when I was trying to find the Captain again... I got lost, I almost died... and that hallucination... you and everyone else I cared about were fading away, because I pushed you all away... it was a wake up call for me."
"Lucina..." Zelda held on tightly to Lucina's hand as the Ylissean helped the Princess of Hyrule up. Once she was lifted to safety, she willed her body to stay perfectly still and tried to focus, knowing Dharkon could control her or twist her emotions again.
"The nightmare I had that night... it was so long ago for you, but it feels like yesterday for me. In that dream... nobody came to help me when I needed it. Everyone just walked away... I've always hated being alone, but that was my greatest fear." Lucina blinked, causing tears to stream down her face as she continued, "You were right about Captain Falcon. He was only looking out for me, realizing that I couldn't shoulder all my burdens alone... that I shouldn't be ashamed to open up to others. During our journey... he opened up to me too. We did become closer... to the point that we fell in love with each other."
"Ah..." Zelda blinked, her eyes returning to their usual color. Hearing Lucina open up to her filled her heart with joy and began to weaken Dharkon's power over her.
Wiping away her tears, Lucina said, "I've changed... thanks to him. Knowing such joy... the joy of being in love... has helped me put things in perspective. I promise, Zelda... by my honor as an Ylissean, I won't be so distant from you or anyone I care about anymore... and I'm sorry to have kept you waiting. I'm ready now... ready to go home." She hugged her best friend, and the Spirit of Bandana Waddle Dee joined in.
"I..." Zelda's eyes began to flood with happy tears, the gratitude in her heart forcing Dharkon's influence out of her, as she embraced them back, closed her eyes as the dark aura vanished from her person and the setting returned to what it was before, and said, "...That's all I wanted to hear, Lucy."
"I'm glad..." Lucina hugged her friend tighter. "You've been so good to me... everyone in Smash City has. I was stupid to take it all for granted... but with the Captain, you, Robin, Shulk... everyone by my side, I won't do that anymore..."
"Good," Zelda told her friend. "Let's take Dharkon down, then we can finally put an end to this nightmare." Just then, a loud thunderclap echoed through the land as the Master Sword was freed, clearing the gloom obscuring the northern part of the realm.
Releasing Zelda from her embrace, Lucina stood and saw her suspicions were indeed correct. "Looks like shortly after I saved you, Robin saved Cloud, and we were able to clear the gloom up ahead..."
"Veemo!" An unknown voice interrupted them. Lucina, Zelda and the Spirit of Bandee turned and saw a transparent young half-cephalopod half-humanoid female lifeform that looked similar to an Inkling, but with octopus-like traits instead of squid-like traits, standing next to Shulk, accompanied by a male of the same species.
"Heh, looks like the Octolings are ready for adventure," Shulk commented. "With the gloom up north gone, all we have left to save are Bowser Jr., the Koopalings, and Ganondorf. Bowser, the Links, and Sheik are waiting for us just ahead."
"Something tells me freeing Ganondorf from Dharkon's grasp might be harder than expected," Zelda commented apprehensively. "Knowing him, he might cooperate with them, or just not be able to be awakened by appealing to emotions or memories. We might have to beat some sense into him..."
"Either way, I wish you luck," Shulk told Zelda. "Come on, let's not keep them waiting. Bowser's been dying to save his kids... and I have someone I want to save too..."
"Fiora..." Lucina murmured. Turning to Zelda, she asked her, "Let's go, Zelda. You've been in the dark for too long... let's all step into the light of hope... of a new beginning."
"...Yes." The two best friends and the Spirit of the spear-wielding Waddle Dee joined their friends a short distance away.
Yeah, this got longer than expected. I'll leave it here for pacing's sake.
Next chapter though, hooo boy... it'll be a wild ride, and it's not even the finale but the penultimate chapter. We're getting close guys... :D
I hope my depictions, current and future, of the motives of Galeem/Dharkon/Tabuu, as well as the abilities of the former two, are on point or at least unique and fleshed out. I thought emotional manipulation might be an interesting idea for those cosmic forces.