My sincerest apologies. This year I was swallowed by college and lost most of my inspiration for this story. But I said I didn't want to leave it hanging so I'll keep trying; I make no promises about update speed though cause writing is hard ;w;
I know this is like a year late but I guessed that maybe having this as a Christmas present would be good? ;x; Happy holidays to all of you!
Mayor thanks to Phil The Persona Guy, shygirl2009, TheMysticalQ, Curo, TheAlienAlliance, VexVulpes (thanks a lot really for the subtle poke, and the compliment~), roseal, AnimeCat92, Neon Pendulum, oceanlover4evr, Skaftafell, HappieApple and DarknessMaster23. I hope the wait is worthwhile ;w;
Chapter III:
Did You Hear?
Second turns to minutes, and minutes to hours, as the psychic jackal and boy sat in silence in the dark and peaceful garden, enjoying the quiet of the night. Lucas was the first one to stand up from his place next to a patch of flowers, fingers brushing the petals before he stretched up with a quiet groan, rubbing his arms afterwards.
Lucario opened one crimson eye to look at him. "Cold?" Lucas gave him a sheepish smile and nodded, looking back at the mansion as if asking for permission; the Pokemon chuckled and gave a quick nod. "Feel free to go, I'll follow later; I'd like to bask in the peace a little longer before a new day begins."
"Alright. Good night, Lucario." The blond muttered quietly as if trying to not disrupt the silence before starting toward the mansion. Once inside, he gave a sigh of relief as the warmth of the place greeted him, along with quiet voices from one of the living rooms.
Curious, he approached the source of the sound, rubbing his hands to warm them up faster. Once by the doorway, he saw a few of the smashers chatting quietly and enjoying the peace and warmth of the place. The Mario brothers smiled and talked with Fox and Link, seemly about trivial matters as they all chuckled and changed topics with ease; Zelda and Samus were in a couch, each reading their own books and both with cups of tea, most likely left there for them by Peach, and Pikachu resting on Samus' lap like a lazy pet. Sitting by the fireplace was Ivysaur, who opened one eye to look at him as soon as he entered the room; she immediately perked up and let out one of her vines, waving it lightly in greeting.
Lucas smiled and waved back, making his way toward the Grass-type and sitting by her. "Hello Ivysaur, why are you here and not with Red and the others?"
Ivysaur sighed and rolled her eyes before laying back down, returning to her nap; Lucas continued petting her, figuring out she was just tired of how energetic her teammates could be. He distracted himself for a few minutes, simply giving her affection absently, before a questioning voice broke through the almost silent air.
"Lucas? Did you-a hear?" The blond blinked in question, raising his gaze to look at the younger Mario brother who had called him. Luigi smiled and kneeled next to him, reaching pet the Grass-type as well, knowing that she liked the attention and that Lucas would be more comfortable if he was on his level and didn't put him under the limelight. "I guess-a that's a no." He chuckled as the young male blushed in embarrassment, did he miss something important? Luigi looked up at him, gesturing lightly with his hand in excitement. "I'm-a sure you've met-a the smashers that have-a come back to visit, right? Well, tomorrow we wanted to let-a them fight against some-a new smashers! And-a your fight is tomorrow morning, right-a?"
"Yes, it's around 10 AM..." Lucas replied quietly, nodding in understanding. "So it's like... the opening match of this tournament? The newbies against veterans?" He still remembered that day, he had been so nervous about that fight as well. He had worried so much about the 'what if he lost and gave a bad name to all the newbies', even if he wasn't the only one fighting. In the end he had lost against Ness, but he also started to acknowledge the fact the tournament was meant to be fun instead of a test.
Luigi smiled widely and nodded eagerly. "Yep! And-a the battle that was-a chosen to be changed was that-a one. Just wanted to ask-a if you were okay with that."
Lucas gulped, mumbling. "W-when was this decided...?"
Rubbing his neck, the mustachioed man gave him a sheepish smile. "After dinner... we-a noticed you weren't there-a little too late. But if you don't-a want to participate, we can get-a someone else in-a your place!" Luigi reassured him, waving his hands slightly.
Lucas mused for a few moments, looking down at his lap; everyone knew he was very mellow and that he didn't enjoy fighting as much as others did, but he didn't like backing down from a fight, mostly because he knew some people would call him coward. And in the end, all the matches were for good fun, so it didn't matter too much if he won or lost a few. But he really didn't want to back down from one when it had been announced for everyone, he didn't want to disappoint anyway if they were looking forward to fight him...
"Who was my partner...? For the fight, I mean." Lucas asked, honestly unable to remember.
"Your-a partner is Wolf, and-a you're gonna fight Pichu and Roy. That-a little one playing with-a Pikachu earlier and-a the red-haired swordsman." Luigi informed, nodding for emphasis and smiling cheerfully as he took that as an affirmation that he was going to fight.
Lucas grimaced a little, focusing on petting Ivysaur as a small stab of pain passed through his temple again. After that night's dinner, he really didn't want to have anything to do with Wolf for a few days... but such was his luck. "Team battle with Wolf, versus Pichu and Roy, at 10 AM... got it. Thank you, Luigi."
The plumber noticed the other's unease and frowned to himself lightly. "Okie dokie... if you're sure..."
Lucas waved a hand gave him a small smile. "It's okay, really...!" He winced as his headache returned, just in time as his name was called by someone. With his head throbbing with pain at the sudden loudness, he looked up as the other psychic boy walked hurriedly toward him, followed by Young. "E-er... h-hi Ness." He chirped meekly, noticing the anxious look on the other's face.
Ness sighed in relief, resting his hands on his knees and hunching over as he panted for a moment. "Lucas! We were getting worried you weren't coming back! You usually go to bed like half an hour ago."
"S-sorry, I got distracted..."
The black-haired boy sighed again and Young smiled, peeping in. "It's okay. Ness was starting to get all jumpy, though. It was kinda funny to see." The green-clad blond chuckled at the glare the other sent his way.
Lucas played with his hands for a second, feeling himself blush in embarrassment before Luigi joined in the conversation. "Well-a, Young... Lucas has-a some bad luck, Ness has-a always been protective of-a him." He gave Lucas a small, encouraging smile before standing up. "But-a Lucas has-a learned lots-a about defending himself from-a the ones that pick on him. You shouldn't worry so much, Ness."
Lucas thanked Luigi internally as Ness pouted and Young nodded in understanding, all of them watching the plumber go join the group of veterans that were chattering happily. Ness sighed and extended a hand for Lucas to grab. "C'me on, let's go back to our room, it's late and we have fights tomorrow."
The meek blond nodded and took the offered hand, hearing the swordsman whine quietly about how he missed the late night games they used to play with the Ice Climbers, such as small tournaments of racing games and similar. "You can play if you want, it doesn't bother me that much." Lucas said quietly, giving a smile at the duo as they accepted the offer for a few rounds of playing.
While Young ran off to go tell the Ice Climbers and possibly Toon Link, Ness continued leading Lucas to their room, looking back at him with a worried expression.
"Everything okay, Luke?"
The blond blinked in surprise before giving a quick, careful nod, trying not to move his head too much in case the pain worsened. "I'm okay, Ness... I'm sorry for worrying you, it's just that I lost track of time when I was outside with Lucario." He mumbled, looking back down to the floor as they continued on.
Ness sighed and shook his head before offering him a reassuring smile. "It's okay, you don't have to apologize." After that, they continued the rest of the way in peaceful silence, passing by other smashers' rooms. Light snores and quiet giggles and voices could be heard from the hallway as they passed in front of doors, each one with a symbol representing the world or universe the inhabitants where from. Soon, they reached one with an Earth-like symbol on it, and Ness didn't hesitate to open it and flicking on the lights.
Once in their room, Lucas yawned and rubbed his eyes, barely hearing Ness saying that he was going to set up the system as he gathered his pajamas and tumbled to the bathroom to get ready for bed. Minutes later, he came out with his normal attire folded on his arms, leaving it to the side and crawling on his bed, curling under the blankets snuggly and falling asleep easily.
He blinked, trying to help his eyes adjust to the brightness of the sunny day. A great, green plain greeting him with short, waving trees and a dirt road that lead somewhere he didn't have the chance to place as the loud ring of a bell reached his ears.
Baby blue eyes lifted and looked up at the lookout tower, his attention immediately diverted from the unnaturally tall man by someone pulling on his small hand with one just as tiny.
"Let's go to the forest! We can go play with Fuel!" He smiled at the voice, feeling an ache deep inside his chest, before replying.
"Sure, but we have to go back before mom starts worrying, don't forget that lunch is soon!"
Bright green eyes looked at his own, a smile just as bright shining on the seemly mirror image in front of him. "We'll be back soon, Lucas!"
"Alright!"
"You never know how much time we have left, Luke. Let's enjoy it!"
"...Claus...?"
"Hehehehe!"
"-cas! Lucas!" The blond jumped awake with a gasp, wincing and groaning as his hands flew to clutch his head as the sudden movement sent a stab of pain. Unfocused eyes blinked to try and decipher what were the colorful blobs to his side at the same time his thoughts tried to organize themselves.
A heavy sigh was the first thing he could recognize as his mind regained itself. Next thing was the blob taking shape of a small boy, similar to himself but not quite -noneverquite-.
"N-ness...?"
"Are you okay?" The black-haired psychic asked, frowning deeply at the stutter and the wince.
Lucas bit his lip, allowing his hands fall limply to his lap, before nodding in affirmation. "I'm fine, just... a little tired." He continued looking down at his hands, wondering why the migraine was still there, as Ness gave a small sigh and shook his head.
"Must be for you to sleep in like that." Ness commented, crossing his arms and looking over to the clock. It read 8:30 AM. "You are usually up at 7 or 8 at least, especially when you have a match in the morning."
Lucas blinked in surprise, staring at the clock before jumping out of his bed with a squeak, scrambling for clean clothes and slamming the door of the bathroom closed. Ness couldn't help but laugh at the show, his worry pushed aside.
"Excited?" The word was echoed by a small choir of voices as Lucas took his seat on the table next to Toon Link, putting down the plate in front of himself. He looked up dizzily and blinked in confusion before Nana laughed and clarified. "The match against Roy and Pichu! They are bouncing on the walls just waiting for it to be the hour!"
"Yeah, Wolf seems a bit uncaring about it but he's been playing with his weapons for a bit, I bet he's restless too!" Popo added, grinning widely.
"Are you ready for it, Lucas?" Young grinned, hands resting on the table as he leaned forward on his seat. "It's not gonna be an easy match, both of them can be really tricky!"
Ness grinned back, leaning in as well, stepping in for Lucas. "I bet he'll be able to win the match easily, you don't know the tricks and techniques he has up his sleeve!"
As the other young smashers entered the discussion between Young and Ness, Lucas tried to tune everyone off as he gulped down his breakfast, still feeling sluggish and dizzy due to the headache that buzzed in the back of his mind.
9:55
Lucas wondered why he agreed to this match.
Rubbing his palm against his forehead to try and soothe the pain a little, the young psychic sat in the transporters' room, waiting for it to be time for the fight. He tried to block Roy and Pichu's excitement as they moved around with their restless energy, willing the clock to go faster; he jolted up a bit when he felt something nudge his shoulder, gaze rising to meet Wolf's steely eyes.
"Don't make us look bad, kid."
Pressure. Just what he needed. Sluggishly, he nodded in understanding and stood up, trying hard to keep himself from losing his balance. The clock announced a minute before the start of the match and they walked to the four transporters, waiting for the match to begin. A flash of light blinded the four of them and next thing they knew they were making their entrances to the arena: Pokemon Stadium.
Lucas jumped off the Mr. Saturn table on his platform, his stance unsteady for a moment. He blinked and shook his head, attempting to clear his vision as their opponents materialized on the other edge of the stage in what he recognized as a pokeball and a wall of fire.
"Ready? Go!"
At the voice, both Pichu and Roy jumped toward them, with Wolf rushing forward to meet them as well. Sluggishly, Lucas prepared a PK Fire, shooting it at the opposing duo. Skillfully, Roy sidestepped it and continued charging at Wolf, while Pichu jumped back to dodge.
A confident growl reached his ears and from that moment on, he knew Wolf would take Roy as his opponent, the sound of a sword cutting the air following soon after. In turn, Lucas jumped to meet the challenging electric mouse, who bounced and glared at him stubbornly before rushing toward him with a headbutt.
Already slowed in movements by the splitting headache, and with the Pokemon's naturally swift moves, Lucas received the hit to the stomach with little resistance, sent back with a strangled gasp as some volts released from Pichu's small body. With a groan, he rushed back to his feet and jumped back and away from Pichu, hearing the electricity cracking lightly.
Another volt coursed through his frame and he froze for a moment in pain, managing to snap back and out of it fast enough to see the Pokemon shaking his head, also affected by his own electricity. In retaliation, he moved closer to Pichu and pulled his stick from hammerspace behind him, making to swing at him with as much strength as he could. Pichu managed to roll on his back and away from the attack, jumping again and hitting Lucas with his tail in a sharp swipe.
Stunned for a moment, the blond recoiled and was met with another jolt as Pichu continued assaulting him with his quick paced moves and electricity. The constant attacks were definitely not helping his current state and he curled up lightly.
Goawaygoawaygoawaygivemespace!
With a cry, he released the stored PSI and sent it around him, almost like a bubble. The mouse squeaked in surprise, not expecting the attack to be so strong, or released in such a way.
And it had been stronger than it usually was.
Pichu yelped as he was sent up and far from the edge, enough that -has he not been stunned- not even with a Quick Attack would he have been able to reach the stage. And while the strength of the attack had come as a surprise for even Lucas, what truly made him jump was the other scream at the same time as Pichu's. This one from Roy.
He turned and looked back at his partner for this, finding Wolf with a surprised expression that mirrored his own, in a pose that could only mean he had thrown Roy in his general direction, likely to make some space between himself and his opponent. Swaying unsteadily, Lucas gapped as the two Melee participants appeared on the Revival platforms, finally clicking that he had knocked both of them off the stage with one single PSI attack.
Wolf smirked, going back to the battle stance. "Heh, that's what I'm talking about. Good first impression, kid."
Lucas wasn't sure how to respond to that.
