Chapter 5

When Marth and Roy arrived in the Smash Auditorium, Roy realized that it looked different than it had during the Melee tournament. There were bleachers for the audience to sit in and watch the match, and the Stage Selection screen was a hologram. Beside the hologram was a large screen, which Roy guessed was where the audience could see the match.

When the two swordsmen entered the Auditorium, the crowd's cheering deafened Roy. Despite the sensory overload, he faced them and waved at them.

"ROY'S OUR BOY! ROY'S OUR BOY!" the crowd chanted, which made Roy's heart flutter.

They remembered me…he thought, a small smile forming on his face.

Above the bleachers was a private box. Up there, Master and Crazy Hands were floating above two seats.

"Testing one, two, three," Master Hand called as he tapped a microphone. When he could hear his voice over the intercom, he moved himself up and down as a way to nod.

"Okay!" he called out through the microphone. "WELCOME EVERYONE, TO A BRAND NEW SMASH MATCH!"

The crowd cheered.

"In this match, we have…Marth and Roy in the Red Team!"

A light shone on the two swordsmen, and the crowd screamed and whistled.

"In the Blue Team are Ike and Lucina!"

Then, another light shone on Ike and Lucina, who came in from another door. The two waved at the crowd.

"Now…this match will be a three-stock match in the Coliseum!"

The crowd cheered once again.

"Good luck to both Teams!" Crazy Hand called out.

Ike turned to see Marth and Roy, and the blue-haired mercenary smiled at Roy. "Hey, good luck out there," he said.

Roy smiled slightly. "Thanks…"

With that, the four walked towards the hologram. Roy could see a variety of stages, from a forest with strange creatures to a maze littered with dots and ghosts.

Ike placed his hand on one stage, the Coliseum, and a portal appeared beside him.

Marth turned to Roy, a smile on his face. "Let's win this," he said.

Roy nodded.

The four then walked into the portal, and immediately, they were brought to a large, outdoor arena. Roy looked at his surroundings.

It's so familiar…he thought. He was so concerned about how familiar the place was that he did not notice Ike running right up to him, his sword raised.

"ROY! LOOK OUT!" Marth cried.

Roy turned just in time to block Ike's slash attack. Before Roy could make another move though, Ike then crouched down and swiped his foot under Roy's, and Roy tripped.

When Roy looked up, Ike was about to stab him in the chest with his Eruption move, but Roy rolled out of the way just as Ike brought his sword down.

Roy quickly got up and slashed at Ike with a Smash attack, sending the mercenary flying to the side.

Meanwhile, Marth and Lucina were fighting each other, but Marth appeared to have the upper hand. Lucina's damage percentage was higher than the three swordsmen, and when Marth used his Shield Breaker, the princess was sent flying offscreen, thus losing one stock.

"TWO STOCK LEFT FOR LUCINA!" Master Hand cried in the microphone.

Lucina returned on a floating platform, and she jumped off and lunged at Marth.

Roy was occupied with Ike as he dodged an Aether. When Ike was vulnerable, Roy used his Flame Sword to send Ike into the air, and the mercenary's body was covered in flames.

Ike quickly recovered when he flew down at Roy. He then slashed at Roy, and the redhead was sent flying through the air.

Marth and Lucina's swords clanged as they fought, but when Marth turned to see Roy in the air, Lucina charged up a powerful Smash attack and sent Marth flying offscreen.

Roy tried to ignore Marth's screams when the Hero King was defeated, and he looked up.

Above the Coliseum, fiery arrows flew through the sky.

His eyes widened. Flashbacks appeared in his mind: Wolt's death…the blood…his lifeless body…

"ROY! SNAP OUT OF IT!" Marth called when he returned on the floating platform.

It was too late as Ike lunged at Roy and slashed at him. Roy was also sent flying to his defeat, and he and Marth were at two stock.

"MARTH AND ROY LOST ONE STOCK! IKE APPEARS TO HAVE THE UPPER HAND!" Master Hand cried.

Marth glared at Roy when Roy also returned on a floating platform. "What was that?!" Marth cried out.

Roy stepped back in surprise. "Sorry…I was—"

The two did not realize that the floating platforms they stood on disappeared, and they both fell to the ground feet first.

Ike and Lucina lunged at them, and this time, Roy was fighting against Lucina, as Marth fought Ike.

Roy blocked Lucina's sword with his own, and he slashed at her. Lucina took a small amount of damage, but she recovered and, with a Shield Breaker, stabbed Roy in the stomach.

"AGH!" Roy cried out in pain as he fell to the ground. Even though he fought in matches back in the Melee tournament, Roy was still surprised that he did not see any blood from the stab.

…Blood…Wolt…

Roy did not notice Lucina charging up a Smash attack, and before he could defend himself, Lucina moved her sword down at him. Roy was sent flying offscreen once again.

The crowd gasped, some of them wondering what was wrong with Roy.

"OH NO! ROY'S AT ONE STOCK!" Crazy Hand shouted. "SOMETHING MUST BE GOING ON WITH HIM! HE'S NOT FIGHTING AS WELL AS USUAL!"

Marth shook his head and sighed as he blocked Ike's sword with his Falchion. Marth attempted to stab Ike, but Ike shielded. Marth then grabbed him and kneed him in the stomach. Before Ike could escape, Marth threw him up in the air. He then followed the blue-haired mercenary and with a Dolphin Slash, sent Ike flying higher.

Roy returned on the platform and sighed. I'm doing horribly...he thought as he returned to the battlefield.

Ike and Lucina seemed to have the same plan in mind, and they both went after Roy.

"LOOKS LIKE THE BLUE TEAM IS TRYING TO DEFEAT ROY!" Master Hand cried.

Marth's eyes widened as he rushed towards Roy. When Lucina slashed at the redhead, Marth got in front of him and Countered.

"Roy!" Marth growled. "Why aren't you defending yourself?!"

Roy did not say anything, still obviously too distracted to focus on the match. Despite his best efforts to protect himself, Ike sent Roy offscreen with a powerful Smash attack, and Roy was officially out of the match.

"ROY HAS BEEN DEFEATED!" Master Hand called out.

Marth groaned as he turned to face Ike and Lucina. However, the two ganged up on the Hero King, and before he knew it, Marth lost both of his stock.

The Blue Team had won. Marth and Roy had lost.

"GAME!" Master Hand and Crazy Hand called simultaneously.

Ike and Lucina were brought to the middle, and Master Hand called out, "And the winner is…BLUE TEAM!"

The crowd cheered. Marth and Roy clapped for the winners as Marth turned to Roy briefly and glared at him.

Roy rubbed the back of his head, avoiding eye contact. He knew Marth was irritated at their loss, considering it'd been Roy's fault, but he couldn't bring himself to explain why he'd been so distracted.

When the four returned to the Smash Auditorium, Marth stopped Roy.

"What the hell was that?!" Marth growled.

Roy sighed, turning to face Marth. "I'm sorry, Marth…it's just that I had a lot on my mind—"

"But if you had been paying attention, we would have won!" Marth interrupted.

Roy stared at Marth, surprised at how bad his friend was taking the loss.

Ike and Lucina stared at the two from a distance.

"Roy, I wanted your first match to go well, and look what happened!" Marth cried.

"Marth—"

"Don't you 'Marth' me!" Marth yelled in his face. "What if this was real?!"

This set Roy off as he screamed at Marth, "If it was, I would rather die and be with Wolt and my father!"

Marth took a step back, staring at Roy in shock.

Ike and Lucina's eyes widened when they heard Roy speak.

With tears threatening to fall, Roy stormed out of the Smash Auditorium.

Marth watched him go, feeling guilty for what he had said. Ike placed a hand on Marth's shoulder, which startled the Hero King.

"I think you were a little too hard on him," Ike spoke.

Marth sighed. "I know…I just wanted his first match to go well…"

"Yeah, but…" Ike spoke. "He went through some rough times when he was gone. I think you should apologize."

Marth stared up at Ike, his eyebrows furrowed. "What happened with Roy?"

Ike stared down at the ground. "I'm…not sure. All I know is that he had a rough life back home."

Marth frowned. "…I'll find him."

Ike nodded. "All right. See you at dinner."

"See you soon, Ike."

Marth then walked out of the Smash Auditorium, thoughts about Roy filling his mind. What's going on with him? He's never lost a match like this…

If Marth had to guess where Roy would've gone, his first guess would be Marth and Ike's room. He headed there and when he arrived, he knocked on the door.

"Roy?" Marth called.

"Go away," was Roy's response. "I'm trying to sleep."

Marth raised an eyebrow. "Roy…" he called out. "I wanted to apologize to you about earlier."

"Just leave me alone, Marth. I need rest, that's all," Roy spoke.

Marth sighed. "All right…but I'm sorry for yelling at you, Roy. I didn't mean to upset you."

"I know," was all Roy said.

Marth stood there, a frown forming on his face. Finally, he spoke. "Dinner's almost ready. You want something?"

"No," Roy said.

Marth raised his eyebrows even higher. "But you haven't eaten lunch today."

"I know, I'm just…tired is all. Look, can you please let me sleep?"

Marth sighed. "All right…but you better come down tomorrow for breakfast. I don't want you to starve to death."

Silence before Roy spoke again, "All right, all right…"

Satisfied with that answer, Marth walked off.

Inside the room, Roy was laying in his bed, staring outside the window that was beside it. Tears formed in his eyes. Sniffling, he wiped away the tears that attempted to fall.

Why can't I forget you, Wolt and Father? Every time I think of you, I feel worse...

Constructive criticism is welcomed! Also, my beta reader and I talked about the story itself, and I was wondering: does this chapter have an emotional impact on you, the readers? If not, I'll rewrite it (please suggest anything! I wanted to make this story better when it comes to a sensitive subject like depression).

Beta reader: h34rt1lly