Chapter 5

Snake had reached the vent again leading into Lucario's room, his mind had been confused ever since he saw Lucario in the closet without any recent injury. Apparently, there was an imposter in the room before him. He looked around the room and found nobody there, the doors were all closed; all was how he had left it. He opened the vent and snuck over to the closet and opened it quietly before creeping inside.

"Came back for the other?" said a voice from the shadows. Snake's heartbeat slowly grew faster. Then he felt himself blasted out of the closet by a strange force. He bounced and rolled off the bed, crashing on the floor about fifteen feet from the closet. He felt a bruise forming on his shoulder. Snake staggered up to see Mewtwo walking out of the closet. "You didn't honestly believe that I would be that stupid, did you?"

"How did you know? And who are you?" asked Snake.

"I am Mewtwo, the most powerful Pokémon in existence, and I have psychic abilities far beyond your human comprehension," Mewtwo said. "I knew you were in my room from the time you first set foot in it."

"Your room," started Snake. "I thought this was Lucario's room." At the mention of Lucario's name, Mewtwo's eyes started to glow a light blue.

"If you must know," said Mewtwo. "This was my room during the Melee time of the Smash Mansion. But then Lucario showed up and was going to replace me in Brawl, despite the countless hours I spent readying myself for the game."

"That's a shame," said Snake with pity and a bit of sympathy in his voice. Mewtwo calmed down a bit and the glow left his eyes. "You put all that effort into it, only to end up being replaced."

"You have no idea," said Mewtwo. "In melee, someone had done something to me to throw my balance off, affecting my game play. Costing me a place in one of the top tiers. The effect was permanent, but I trained hard for years to gain strength and balance. With the help of a friend, I even learned new abilities that would give me an edge in combat. But then, Lucario shows up and Master Hand calls me to his office to tell me I'm going to be replaced by Lucario."

"But how did you impersonate Lucario?" asked Snake.

"One of the new abilities I've learned was the ability to transform," explained Mewtwo. "After I knocked out Lucario, I took the form of him and kept him in the closet. When Roy came in here to look for me as Lucario, he found Lucario in the closet. That's when I had to subdue him as well."

"Are you going to do the same to me as well?" asked Snake, subconsciously going into a defensive stance. For a moment, Mewtwo said nothing, then he shook his head.

"No," he said. "I'm already registered under Lucario's name, so it matters little who does or doesn't know about it."

"What about Master Hand?" asked Snake. Mewtwo merely scoffed.

"Master Hand can't even tell the difference between Fox and Falco," Mewtwo said. "Besides, nobody tells him anything, and he never listens anyway."

"What about Lucario?" asked Snake, gesturing towards the closet.

"He can stay there, in a coma, until the next game when there will be him and I battling each other," said Mewtwo. "Until then, I'll just be him in Brawl. He may be in Brawl when I'm not, but I will never be replaced by anyone, not even him."

"But Roy won't be in Brawl because of you," pointed out Snake.

"Roy never really wanted to be in Brawl," said Mewtwo. "After he was subdued, his leg was broken, but he didn't let me heal it so he could have it as a reason to not be in Brawl."

……………

"So let me get this straight," started Marth. "You didn't want to be in the new game?" Roy nodded. "Then how come you were in line with Ike and I?"

"I guess I felt I was supposed to be in Brawl," said Roy. "I didn't want to have to leave the mansion, but I was also reluctant to be in the new game." Marth was impressed that Roy had used a word as complex as 'reluctant', he must have learned it from Mewtwo. "I like being with the young ones and my friends more than fighting. Registering was the only way I felt I could stay here."

"I see your point," said Marth. "I doubt Master Hand would let you stay at the mansion if you weren't in Brawl unless you had a genuine reason to not be in it. And also, Mewtwo is the only one that could instantly heal it, but Master Hand doesn't know he's still here." He thought on the genius of it and was left in awe. Mewtwo's intelligence still ceased to amaze everyone.

Just then, Snake walked in the door with Lucario. Lucario looked around warily.

"It's okay, 'Lucario'," said Zelda, winking. "We know everything, Roy explained it all to us." Lucario nodded slightly in understanding, and then turned to Roy.

"So you're sure you want this?" he asked Roy. Roy nodded in consent.

"I still don't understand," said Marth. "How did you learn to transform in the first place?" Just then, another Marth came around a shelf and stood next to Marth. Everyone looked on in bewilderment, but Lucario gave a half-smile of amusement.

"Always the one to play around," said Lucario. Everyone turned to Lucario, then back to the other Marth. The other Marth transformed into Mew, who giggled in delight. "Mew here taught me some new abilities over the past few months, including the ability to transform."

"That was amazing though," said Ike. "Even those who were in the same game as you didn't recognize you. A flawless act I have never seen before."

"It's a shame though that we won't be able to see you as yourself in the new game though," said Zelda. "Four characters from Melee that won't be in Brawl," she went on, counting on her fingers. "You will be as Lucario; Dr Mario will be staying around only as the medic; Pichu gone for being underage; and Roy unregistered because of a broken leg." The intercom then turned on and Master Hand was speaking.

"Smashers of the mansion," Master Hand announced. "The registration booths will close in ten minutes. If you have not yet registered, come to the entrance hall immediately to register." The intercom then clicked off. Everyone looked at Roy; he looked at Lucario, and nodded.

……………..

Master Hand was about to close the registration, when he saw Lucario, Dr Mario, Roy, Marth and Ike coming out of a hallway. Roy was being supported by Ike.

"Ah, there you are Roy," said Master Hand. "Came to register? Then you'd better hurry."

"Actually, he can't register," said Dr Mario gravely. "He fell and fractured his femur and is unable to walk on his own."

"Is this true?" Master Hand asked Roy. Roy nodded slowly. Master Hand thought for a moment, then turned to Dr Mario. "Is there anyone who can fix it?"

"I believe Mewtwo was the only one who could heal it instantaneously," said Dr Mario. "Other than that, it will take months for his leg to heal on its own."

"I guess it was a mistake to fire Mewtwo then," Master Hand said. "I'll have to let him come back for the next game." He then turned to Roy. "As for you, you may stay at the mansion and register next time. If that is all, then I call this registration to a close."

……………

Over the next few weeks, crews came by and filming was done for the Subspace Emissary, new battle modes were made for Brawl, the smashers posed for trophy artists, new features were made available, and things were upgraded. Dr Mario took care of those injured in fights as the medic, Roy stayed around and helped watch the young smashers during free time and Mewtwo stayed around as Lucario. Finally after weeks of much going on, the crews finally packed up and left, leaving the smashers alone. Roy stayed up with Lucario for the midnight release of Brawl at the mansion. Everyone's problems were solved and things were at peace once more at the Smash Mansion.

THE END