8. Off The Roster

Arganan's collapse after his match with Red had everyone concerned, with the former Count being taken to the hospital wing immediately. It was a fairly large area consisting of several rooms, some shared and some private. Arganan got brought to a private room for Dr. Mario to examine and take care of while everyone else had to wait in the hospital wing's "waiting room" area.

"I didn't think that his Final Smash was going to be that extreme." Asthar admitted, looking toward Zael, who was currently pacing back and forth.

Dagran frowned as he looked up at Zael from his seat. "Mate, you're going to get loopy going in circles like that. It's not going to help."

"I know, I just…" Zael sighed, stopping in his tracks as he looked toward Dagran, shaking his head lightly. "I'm still in shock over all of that happening."

"If anything, it's my fault." Sora frowned, swallowing lightly as he and Mewtwo exchanged glances. "I forgot to get Zepha and Arganan to run through using their Final Smashes at least once before we tried official battles…"

"I'll also accept responsibility for that." Mewtwo stated, "Especially since I was working with Sora to train both of them."

"I don't think it's entirely your fault that it went wrong." Zael managed, looking toward both of them. "Neither of you could have known that things were going to go this out of control."

"If we'd tested them beforehand, maybe…!" Sora burst, and he put the back of his hand to his own face, trying to wipe his eyes. Zael realized, after a moment, that the Keyblader was on the verge of tears.

Before he could say anything, he heard a door open, and footsteps. Zael turned to see none other than Doctor Mario approaching with a tense expression, clipboard in hand.

"How is he, Doctor?" Asthar frowned, looking through the glass pane of Arganan's hospital room door, and then toward Doctor Mario. Zael peeked through the glass pane looking into Arganan's room – the man was unconscious still, lying in the hospital bed.

"Arganan is stabilized now, but he had a small seizure earlier while he was still unconscious." Doctor Mario noted, checking his clipboard before looking up at Zael, Asthar, Dagran, and Zepha. "We've done what we can to make sure he'll be fine, but it's best to let him rest in the hospital wing until he makes a full recovery!"

"Thank you." Zael breathed, before looking through the glass pane of the room's door again. Arganan was still unconscious, good eye closed as he laid in bed. He was less pale than earlier, at least. "Do you know what caused him to collapse? I know he wasn't a skilled fighter to begin with, but…"

"You mentioned that he lacked proficiency in using magic as is. But," The doctor frowned, shaking his head lightly, "what he demonstrated out on the battlefield was extremely powerful, and very dangerous considering how it physically affected him afterward. That's not something most people lacking magic would be able to do."

"I think it's the Outsider." Zael swallowed, imagining how Arganan reacted after using his Final Smash. "Before he died…Count Arganan – er, the former Count – he tried taking power from Lazulis Island's half of the Outsider to try to stop the Gurak in their last invasion. The power overwhelmed him, and he died moments later."

"That must be the consequence of him still retaining some of that power, then." Doctor Mario frowned, looking toward Zael. "Considering the obvious health risk it brings him, as well as his lack of magical proficiency, I'd recommend that he doesn't become part of the roster. It could literally lead to him dying mid-battle if he's not careful."

"Are you saying that he could've died during that match earlier?" Zael glanced toward Dagran, who'd asked about it, and he noticed the other glance down at the mark on his own right hand.

"Possibly. He's very lucky that he didn't." Dr. Mario visibly tried not to shudder, but Zael could see it anyway. "Either way, I don't think he'll be happy about this news when he wakes up, so…"

Zael knew that Arganan would be upset.

…the best I can do is make the best of what I have here – whatever little that is. I hope you understand that's what you've done by bringing me back, even if it was an accident. Those words from Arganan came back to Zael's mind, and he swallowed. "Well…"

"Sorry to interrupt, and for overhearing this just now, but may I talk to Arganan alone?" Isabelle spoke, and everyone looked toward her. "I think it might be best if one of us just breaks the news to him gently."

"Are you sure you want to handle that?" Zael frowned, looking between himself, Asthar, Zepha, and then toward Isabelle. "I thought it might be easier for one of us to tell him."

"Well, I have another idea as of how he can participate in battles without risking his life." Isabelle smiled. "But, I'd like to talk to him about it first."

It was warm, this bed.

Wait, bed?

Arganan opened his good eye, glancing down at himself as best as he could. He was propped up in a somewhat seated position, but not fully, so he lay in bed more than sat up in it right now. His eyelid twitched slightly, vision blurring briefly before it cleared.

That was when the memories came back to him – the tears, the screaming, the light. He shuddered, wrapping his arms around himself, only to wince at the soreness emanating through his body. He let his arms fall to his sides, a sigh leaving him as he closed his good eye.

So much for trying to do well in that match. He wouldn't be surprised if Red never forgave him for harming his Charizard as badly as he did with that Final Smash. Or if anyone was horrified. He didn't know how extreme these 'Final Smashes' could be, but he knew that what he went through was thrilling – in a way that was too familiar, and even terrifying.

A small knock on the door interrupted his thoughts, and he opened his good eye to see a…dog? Walked in? On her hind legs? Wearing a sweater overtop a shirt and a skirt?

Oh, right, Isabelle. That was her name, right? There were so many Smashers and so many names to remember – and it didn't help that not everyone spoke the same language either.

"Arganan? Are you awake?"

"I am." He confirmed. He tried to reach around and prop up the pillow so he could sit up better, and Isabelle was quick to help him before getting seated in a chair beside his bed. "Thank you. Where…am I?"

"The hospital wing! We've got a huge one for everyone since we fight so much. This just happens to be one of the private rooms." Isabelle gave him a small smile, before taking a deep breath. "According to Doctor Mario, he said that it's better that you should be on bedrest for the next day or two, so he can monitor your condition and make sure you'll be in tip-top shape. You had a seizure while you were unconscious, after you collapsed from using your Final Smash."

"I see." The former Count glanced down at his own hands gripping the blanket before he looked up at Isabelle. "What about the others? Do they know?"

She nodded quickly. "Doctor Mario let me, Zael, Dagran, Zepha and Asthar know that you collapsed because your usage of the Outsider's power overwhelmed you." A little frown appeared on her face after that. "We didn't know that you literally died trying to harness its power before, so…"

A slow sigh left Arganan. "Let me guess." His gut twisted and his hands hands grabbed the blanket so hard that the knuckles on his right hand turned white. "I…can't be a normal Smash fighter like the rest of you, can I?"

Isabelle frowned lightly, shaking her head. "I'm sorry, but Dr. Mario already said no. It's too much of a health risk for you, unfortunately, especially with the Outsider's power within you being so unstable."

Of course.

Of course, he's just sitting here in a hospital bed knowing that he's not just bad at fighting, but fighting at all could be too much of a liability to his health, to him staying alive. He closed his good eye, forcing himself to take a deep breath and exhale, grip loosening on the blanket as he looked toward her.

"If that's the case, what am I supposed to do? Twiddle my thumbs here until I figure out a way home?"

"Well…" Isabelle started, but Arganan shook his head.

"I know you don't know me and the others well, but even if I went back to Lazulis now, the likelihood is that Calista is already ruling Lazulis as its new Countess. And Calista was probably happy when I died, given how much I hurt her back then and – there's nothing left for me."

And it was his own fault – his own fault for hurting Calista, his own fault for being so reckless with the Outsider's power in his final moments. And even if he was alive again, he was stuck in this dimension with all these people he didn't know, with no power or status or anything to back him up.

And the power he had could easily take his life, no matter how well it helped him in battle. Ironic, he supposed, being stuck in such a position. He'd made Calista a caged bird, forbidding her from leaving Lazulis Castle back then, but now he was stuck in a completely different world with little clue how to access his own world.

"I understand that this is tough for you." Isabelle spoke, and Arganan met her gaze. The other sighed lightly, before speaking. "However, I think there might be a solution for how you can participate in combat without being at risk of death. Do you remember the Assist Trophies?"

"The Assist Trophies?" He hadn't used any in his battle against the Pokemon Trainer, but he recalled seeing the others use a few in their own. "Yes."

"Well, Assist Trophies often have their powers limited for obvious reasons – they're not main fighters like us Smashers, but they're also supposed to provide extra support in battle. If you take on the role of an Assist Trophy, it should automatically suppress your current powers enough so that it shouldn't take your life in the process of using them!"

That…didn't sound like a bad idea, in all honesty. The former Count paused – an Assist Trophy? Being one of those was an option?

"Are you sure that it wouldn't, well, be a risk to my life?"

"Well, I only just thought of the idea just earlier and I'd have to talk to Dr. Mario about it to see if that would be okay for you healthwise for sure, but I thought I'd ask you first, since this involves you." Isabelle offered him a soft grin. "We'd have to monitor you closely for the first couple of tries in case anything goes awry, but I think this could help give you a chance to participate in battle in some form."

In a way, he didn't like not being able to fight as much – but a little bit was better than none. And he'd prefer to not die, too. He paused, meeting Isabelle's gaze, before speaking.

"I…think I'd like to try that, after I'm fully recovered. Of course, that depends on whether Dr. Mario approves of me trying such a thing, but I'd appreciate the chance to participate in that way if I can."

'Great!" Isabelle smiled, eyes brightening a bit. "I'm glad to hear it. I'll go talk to him right now, then."

Arganan didn't bother trying to lie back down in bed, since he was already propped up in his sitting position – and he was tired enough to want to close his eye and get back to sleep. "Thank you, Isabelle. I do appreciate this."

"You're welcome!" Isabelle got out of her seat, moving toward the door when she looked back toward Arganan. "Oh, and – Zael and the others were worried about you. Should I let them in, or…?"

"Tell them that I need more rest first. And, if you see Red and his Charizard, tell them that I hope that they get well soon." He doubted he had enough energy for more than one conversation right now. "Maybe I can speak with them…later?"

"Sure! I'll let them know. Hope you feel better soon!" And with that, Isabelle left.

Arganan sighed and closed his good eye, letting his head sink back against the large pillow. He knew that there was a lot more he had to get used to, but…the fact that Isabelle went out of her way to help him still find some way to possibly participate in the one main thing everyone else did was considerate of her.

He might not have a way back home, but maybe…this could be a place he could be more accustomed to.