The Mansion Enigma

Chapter Four

I woke up not knowing where I was, but it only took a moment to recall the place. I sat up and glanced over at Ike's bed to find that he had already gotten up, not bothering to make his bed. I sighed and pulled myself up, made my bed, and picked my sword up. What chaos would be held in the second day, I wondered.

I made my way to the room off the main dormitory hall that I could not recall the name of. A term came to me; 'Rec Room'. Had someone mentioned that and I forgotten? I racked my brain, but could not find where I had heard that name. However, I was certain that was what this room was called somehow.

Pit was seated on the couch, staring at a light-emitting box set against the wall. He noticed my arrival quickly and glanced up. "Hey, I don't think we finished the tour yesterday, did we?", he asked.

"I do not believe so," I replied. No more had to be said. Pit soon beckoned me away. Past the stairs to the library laid a large room filled with more lit glass, many in large upstanding containers. He referred to it as the Arcade, and promised to show me more of it later.

He then led me out a different door that led outside to a perfectly rectangular pond with water that was unnaturally blue. He called it a pool. A young boy and girl were splashing in it while a grey humanoid creature; a 'wolf' said my brain, lounged on a shining (my brain used the word 'plastic in reference to it, which I was certain was one I had not heard before) white chair.

Back inside, he dragged me to another room; a kitchen with an expansive pantry. It was being used by a blonde girl in a pink dress and several orange and tan creatures with only a round body, feet, and things that could only be called hands, though they were really just smaller blobs. The girl noticed us at once and smiled in a fairly unnerving way. "Hello, Marth," she greeted with almost eerie cheer. "I hoped I would meet you soon. My name's Peach, and you will need my help one of these days."

I had no idea how to respond to that, so I simply stayed quiet. She smirked. "You see, I, much like you, am a princess. Well, you're a prince, but it's practically the same thing. However, I was the keeper of a special artifact known as the Flower of Hearts, which grants me the divine power of love. I know the future of all with a heart, and I can divine the path you are to take in love."

Pit leaned over to me. "She's making this up," he whispered. "She really just likes playing matchmaker. Don't listen to her."

"Aw," she pouted. "You're no fun, Pitto-kun. I was just saying," she laughed a high note that made me feel rather wary of her state of mind. "Someone as cute as you is sure to get quite a bit of attention. Tell me if you ever need anything, m'kay?" She returned to her cooking and suddenly let out some rather unlady-like words as the acrid scent of smoke filled the air.

"Yeah, we should leave now...", Pit muttered. "I'll show you the arcade more."

However, as we exited, I was reminded of a book that sat in my room that I'd vowed to read. "Sorry Pit, I just remembered something," I called as I raced through a door leading to the dining room. I grabbed an item resembling a doughnut; a 'bagel', I thought, and rapidly ate it as I returned to my room. The book was laying on the floor, and I picked it up. The light fluttering in behind the curtains was watery and a bit dim, but enough to read by.

The book started out describing many of the tactics Link had shown me the previous day. I skimmed those pages, but learned very little. It then began to describe more advanced tactics. "Dancing Blade", "Dolphin Slash", "Counter"; these all sounded fairly effective. I resolved to try them out if I was forced into another match, or if Link agreed to train with me more. I practically memorized every word on those pages, and did so fairly quickly. I resolved to go to the library to get more books, but something caught my eye. Ike had set the book he had been reading on the bedside table. I picked it up and examined it to attempt to find out what it was about. "Explorers of the Sky", read the spine. I flipped it open to the first page, taking care not to lose Ike's place, and sat back on my bed to read it.

I remembered very little. The only things I could grasp at had no context. Someone, an ally, a friend had cried out to me. Yes, I was slipping. Slipping away. Lightning had struck and shaken me off. But what was I shaken off of?

The other person begged me to hold on. I tried, but it seemed gravity and all the forces of nature were trying to shove me into the great black abyss. It was as black as death. The lightning didn't even phase the shroud over the ship, of some sort. I knew if I let go, there would be far worse than water waiting to drown me. I could not, for the sake of... something let go. But I had no choice. My hand let up. The dark nocturne of the neverending night engulfed me.

But somehow I found myself floating in an ever-changing void of many colors.

A voice called out to me from the shimmering, technicolor abyss. "Tell me, young one, who are you?", asked the voice.

"I do not know," I replied. "Where am I? Who are you?"

"This place does not matter. You will leave it soon. Pray tell, who would you like to be?"

The answer came out before I could be entirely sure of its origin. "Someone Brave."

"Then Brave you shall be, young one", the voice laughed. "I can sense your Aura. You do not need help with bravery, but that will reflect itself onto your form. Yes, the power that rid you of your former self shall shape your new one."

Before I could ask what they meant, it added "Go forth into the new world, young hero!" and suddenly I was falling, falling, fa-

"Marth!" I felt someone's hand on my arm. I looked up quite suddenly to see Roy standing before me, looking tired and very much unwell.

"I apologize," I stated curtly. "I was simply engulfed in this novel, and-"

"Don't worry about it," Roy sighed. "I just wanted to let you know that you have a battle scheduled for this afternoon. I'll let you get back to it."

He started to leave, but I cried out. "No, wait! I haven't gotten to speak to you since... since we came here. You look unwell. Are you alright?"

He turned back around. "I'm fine. This place just scares me a bit. Wasn't sure if it was safe to sleep last night."

"I do not understand this place either," I admitted. "But I believe we can come to in time. However, I do not believe it would be unsafe to sleep here."

"Yeah, but are y-" He stopped mid-sentence.

"Go on," I prompted, but he shook his head.

"No, it was kind of rude," he muttered.

I suddenly understood something. Perhaps he was a bit fearful of saying the wrong thing to me because of my status? He had often done similar things; stopping or correcting himself in mid-sentence. But my status meant nothing here, so this must have been a bit of a reflex. "Roy, I may have once been somewhat ranking above you in status, but that should not apply here, nor should it have ever applied at all! I want nothing more than to be treated like a regular human being, and if that encompasses taking insults, then it does! So... have at me, I suppose."

A smile that made me regret what I had said crept up on his face. He snorted in laughter before stating "Well, you're on an awfully high perch, aren't you, Princess?".

"Princess? How so?"

"You kind of look like a girl. And the tiara certainly doesn't help," he laughed.

I reached towards my head, finding a metal circlet I had all but forgotten was there. "I suppose I can see your point," I stated, chuckling lightly.

"Not to mention you aren't exactly bright," he stated, trying to banish the joy from his voice with little success. "That's what I was about to say earlier; you wouldn't be the first person I'd ask for advice on whether or not something was safe."

"That wouldn't be my fault," I defended in mock outrage. "I hardly had a chance to see anything beyond stone walls!"

"You still should have been bright enough to know running away was a horrible idea," he snapped, the amusement now all but vanished.

"I suppose you are right, but I do not regret it."

He suddenly pushed open the curtains. I squinted at the light. "Do you see that?", he asked.

"The landscape?"

"It's all that's left for us. I'm not going to tell you that it's all your fault, or explode on you,"

"Though those responses would be perfectly justified," I added, Ike's words to me the previous day coming back to me.

Roy looked at me and smiled sadly. "But just remember," he continued. "That as magical as this place might seem, there was plenty of magic in our own world."

"I was never given the opportunity to experience it," I rebutted softly.

"You could have," he replied. He then closed the curtains and walked out of the room. "Well, get back to your book. I'll see you."

"See you," I sighed. As the door closed, I felt both fulfilled and strangely empty.

I read for a good while longer. The book, as it turned out, was filled with the strange creatures Red had spoken of. The protagonist, whose name was Soren became one called Pikachu and befriended one named Marina, who was apparently a Pokémon known as Squirtle. Two thieves stole a relic that Marina valued greatly, and the two had to retrieve it. However, just when the two were about to confront the thieves, someone else knocked sharply on the door.

"Come in," I stated absentmindedly. Palutena opened the door with an expression of pure annoyance on her face.

"Marth, I hate to interrupt your reading, but Pit wants to play some video game with someone, Red and Link are in a match, and I would really rather not. Would you, please?"

I placed the book back on the bedside table. "Of course." I started towards the Arcade; I somehow knew that was where 'video games' were located there. Palutena trailed me, though I was unsure why. However, as I neared the locale, a blue light enveloped me, much as it had the first time I had been sent to a battle. Perhaps Roy had not been entirely accurate with his statement of the time.

I found myself in the same barren room as the last time, and waited to be called out further. It took a moment for the next light to form and deposit me into the arena. It was much different than the previous time, with platforms scattered in the clouds. It seemed to be some sort of palace or temple, or at least near one. One by one, the other fighters burst in; a man in an odd blue costume, a green reptilian creature with a red shell of sort on its back, and- I gulped- Ike. Drawing my sword, I braced myself for the battle.

The man's fist became engulfed in flames as he loudly shouted "Falcon Punch!" while charging the reptile. It responded by poking its tongue out and swallowing him. I had to turn away, as I saw blue flash at the corner of my vision.

"Sorry," Ike muttered as he slashed at me. What was that move the book described? I slashed back, making Ike stumble slightly backwards. The counter had worked! I then attacked with far greater skill than I knew I was capable with a graceful slash that glowed red. Ike regained his footing and plunged his blade into the ground, causing fire to spew from the earth. It certainly burnt my flesh, but it did not seem to do the same to my clothing.

Another cry of "Falcon Punch!" came from behind me, and I turned to deflect it and slashed at the man who sent it. He was sent flying off the platform, but Ike took that chance to attack me with a lunge. I was sent hurdling backwards off the platform, but I managed to get back up. I then jumped onto the platform above and saw the reptile standing there, along with the blue man. Using another Dancing Blade attack, I slashed through them. Ike then used an Aether attack, sending the reptile flying. I tried the Dolphin Slash, which sent the blue man off the platform as well.

My next attack nearly sent Ike flying, but he managed to jump back on the platform with Aether. The platform suddenly disintegrated, but the cloud underneath managed to support our weight just fine. Ike used the fire attack once more, and I flew off the stage. Black filled my vision, but it cleared quickly as I found myself at the top of the stage on a small platform. I jumped off and attacked the reptile, who suddenly turned into an egg and hurdles towards me. I Dolphin Slashed out of the way, and retaliated with Dancing Blade.

"Five"

A voice rang from the heavens.

"Four"

The reptile charged towards me.

"Three"

I jumped out of the way once more with Dolphin Slash.

"Two"

It hit me when I landed.

"One"

We charged towards each other. My heart was pounding. Why was I so competitive about something I did not want to do?

"Time!"

I turned and found myself back in the hall, where Pit, Red, and Palutena seemed to be waiting with smiles on their faces. I was suddenly aware Ike was also next to me.

"That was awesome!", Pit exclaimed.

Palutena shook her head in disbelief. "How did you learn all that so quickly?"

"Reading, I suppose?", I answered uncertainly. I looked at the departing crowd, and saw Roy leaving. He looked over at me and grinned.

Ike put his hand on my shoulder. "Whatever it was, it worked. You went from... whatever that was yesterday to almost winning!"

"Thanks," I muttered. I felt my cheeks grow redder from the flattery. Still, I knew no better than anyone else how only reading about those things allowed me to perform them with such skill.

AN- Yay! Marth doesn't fail at things. And also, yay for Roy actually being in this story! I hope the section of the book version of Explorers of Sky wasn't too jarring. I just thought it'd be an interesting character bit/transition/time killer. Mostly inspired by Read It and Weep from FiM, and also the fact I was listening to the soundtrack of Explorers of Sky while writing it. Also, so sorry this update took so long; I kept getting distracted and busy. :( But hey, at least I beat the first half of Kid Icarus Uprising.

Also, Ike's back for SSB4! I'd be lying if I said I expected that, but I'm really glad- he's not only one of my favorite characters to write about, but also to play as. Yay.

Thanks to o realisticFantasy o for following! Also, everyone, thanks for reading! -TwilightJoltik

Next chapter- New POV!