Dang, I'm on a roll this month!

Then again, I DID say that my New Year's Resolution is to write more frequently XD

Anyway … ENJOY!

Chapter 4: Strengthening Bonds

Footsteps were heard from the Smash hallway as Lucina walked. It was another day, or to her, her second day living in the Smash Mansion. So far, it was … interesting. Not only was she able to meet the Hero-King, but also some new faces. The technology was also much better than where she was, like what Shulk had said.

Speaking of Shulk … she was looking for his room, and she found the door where his room was. Her legs shook, and her mouth was dry. However, she shook her head to get rid of the nervous thoughts. She wasn't approaching any death or doom; she was just approaching a harmless door, with a harmless boy inside.

With anticipation, she knocked on the door. A voice was heard behind it.

"Who is it?" It called. She recognized Shulk's deep voice.

"It's me, Lucina," Lucina called, "can I come in?"

"Sure!"

Lucina sighed, and she gingerly opened the door, looking inside before she went in. There were two beds, which tipped her off that he had a roommate. His side of the room was decorated with a strange sword and his clothes, plus a pair of trunks. Shulk sat on his bed, putting on his boots.

"H-hey …" Lucina said, gulping. Why are you so nervous?! He won't kill you or anything! Her brain scolded.

"Hey there." Shulk smiled. "What's up?"

Lucina smiled back. Gods … his smile is so cute!

"I-I'm doing all right."

"No more nightmares after last night?" Shulk asked.

Lucina blushed, but she looked down at the toes of her boots. "Um, yeah. No more nightmares."

"Well, you came at the right time before I go get some breakfast." He placed his other boot on and he went to Lucina, holding an envelope.

Lucina looked down at the envelope, recognizing its appearance.

"This is … this is the same envelope I got when I was invited." She looked up at Shulk. "Are you going to open it?"

Shulk shook his head. "It's actually for you. A man came here last night and told me to give it to you."

Lucina blushed. Did she have a secret admirer already? She just arrived a day ago …

She grabbed the envelope and broke the seal. She pulled out a letter.

To the newcomer Lucina:

I challenge you to a match on the Battlefield. Meet me after breakfast. Don't be late.

-Ganondorf

"Ganondorf?"

Shulk's eyes widened upon hearing the man's name.

"Lucina, I don't think you should take the challenge. It sounds suspicious."

"Suspicious? How so?" Lucina asked.

"I heard from my friends that Ganondorf is the Great King of Evil. He works with someone by the name of Master Hand. I'm a bit worried …"

"Well, if he's intimidating people around here, I guess someone should knock him down a peg. I need to find out if I'm the one for the job."

Shulk was silent. He then spoke after a few seconds. "All right, but I'm coming with you to watch."

"Is that legal?" Lucina asked.

Shulk nodded. "Yes. As long as the spectators don't mess with the match, it's legal."

Lucina nodded. "All right."

The two were silent, as if they're both racking their minds on what to say to one another. Finally, Shulk spoke, "I want to see how fare you fight. So uh …"

Lucina stared at him.

"Can we train a bit?"

Lucina smiled. A little bit of training before her real match wouldn't hurt. "Of course. Lead the way."

Shulk brought her to a room. It had a menu for set damage, items, and speed. There were also a stage selection screen on the side.

"So! Which stage do you want to train in?" Shulk asked, walking slowly towards the stage selection screen.

Lucina stared at it in awe. There were so many choices, from an arena that looked oddly familiar to her to an arcade game.

"How about Battlefield to start off?" Lucina said, pointing at the picture of the stage.

Shulk nodded. "Of course!" He then placed his hand on the screen, touching the Battlefield's picture. His hand glowed for a few seconds, and suddenly, there was a bright light.

Lucina quickly shielded her eyes from the light, but after a brief moment, she realized that she was at the stage, with Shulk across from her on another platform.

"Ready?" Shulk smiled, pulling out his sword.

Lucina pulled out her sword as well. "Ready."

Before she could make her move, Shulk's sword suddenly lengthened, and did a forward stab attack. Despite being stabbed, there was no blood coming out from Lucina's body, to her surprise.

She was sent flying to the air, but it was not fatal, and she quickly got back on her feet. She then rushed towards him, ready to slash at him.

However, Shulk quickly jumped, and placed his sword underneath him, stabbing her head. She was sent flying again, but this time, she quickly recovered and sent an aerial slash at him.

Shulk grunted when he was hit. "That was a pretty good strike!" He complimented. Then, Japanese symbols appeared beside him, and his sword began to glow red. "How about this?!" He cried, sending a powerful Back Slash at her.

Lucina sidestepped out of the way. She had no idea what the Japanese symbol meant, but judging by how his sword glowed, it probably meant he had the upper edge.

I have to be careful … She thought.

Shulk then sent an Air Slash at her, but she quickly countered by placing her sword in front of her. As soon as his sword touched hers, she quickly strikes him.

Shulk grunted as he was sent flying, but he grabbed the edge and pulled himself up. The glow around his sword disappeared, but he didn't pay any mind; he returned to the fray.

That was a big mistake, he found out.

When he sent a Back Slash at her, Lucina quickly countered once again. She slashed at him, and he was sent flying across the stage. Offscreen, he cried out as an explosion was heard, which made Lucina worried.

Did I … kill him? She was about to panic until she saw, above her, Shulk on a glowing platform.

"That was some good training!" Shulk said as he snapped his fingers. The two were then teleported back to the room.

To her surprise, both were unscathed; no bruises, no cuts, no sign of injury despite both of them taking a beating.

"That was great! You did well out there." Shulk said, smiling.

"You did well too, you know." Lucina smiled.

Shulk blushed. "W-well … I'll go get some breakfast. Meet you there?"

"Sure."

As Shulk walked off, Lucina smiled. He seems like a nice guy … I bet we're going to become good friends!

With that, she followed him to the Smash Cafeteria.

Master Hand snapped his fingers after watching Lucina and Shulk train, and the Smash Ball disappeared.

"Well, well, well … it seems like you have a challenge ahead of you, Ganondorf …"

Ganondorf chuckled. "I saw. Well, today, I will fight her."

Master Hand nodded. "And if she is powerful enough to defeat you … well, I can have some use with her."

"Master Hand … if she did defeat me, how would you bring her here?"

Master Hand snapped his fingers, and the Smash Ball appeared again, this time showing Lucina and Shulk talking.

"Well, you know how you lure Link by using Zelda right?"

Ganondorf nodded.

"Then …" The Smash Ball zoomed in on Shulk, "If we want her, we take him …"

With that, Master Hand evilly laughed.