Second addition up for viewing. ;D By the way, I'm planning to post one chapter every week, hopefully every Saturday night, but I'll see. Anyways, I just wanted to let anyone know.
The bus slowed with a screech of brakes and she leaned forward against her seatbelt, hastily looking out the window. Stretching up to the clouds was a giant building. It was bigger than she had even known from only seeing the pictures. It was amazing.
The exterior was a bluish gray color with great pillars and arches and doors and magnificent windows and balconies. Lush grass that almost seemed too green spread out in all directions and large trees grew on every side, flowers of all colors abounding in gardens in front of the mansion. She stifled a grin of delight and pressed her lips together, grabbing up her backpack.
She remained seated, even when the doors opened and everyone began leaving.
Eyes glued to her screen, she forced herself to calm down. She read the text over and over, finally only reading her name and focusing on the curve of the 'S' and the dot over the 'I'.
"You wanna get off now, Sheik?"
She looked up. Link was standing by the door, backpack slung jauntily over his shoulder.
Of all repulsive things, she did not want to get off with Link, but looking around she saw she was the last person on the bus and irrational feelings told her that if she didn't get off now, the bus would drive away, and if she tried to get it to stop, the bus driver would inform her that since she hadn't gotten off, she was too dumb for Brawl.
She stood and followed him off, squinting in the sunlight at the fabulous house where she would be living. Her knees felt weak, but she firmly followed him up the stairs, glad that he knew what to do, or at least pretended to.
"Glad I'm here?" he asked, grinning saucily.
"No."
"Oh?"
"You left Zelda alone, huh?" she asked, scornful.
"Aw, she was talking to her friends. Met someone from another city where mushrooms walk and turtles are dragons or something."
Sheik raised an eyebrow, but she wasn't facing him and he didn't see.
"Well, I'd ask you if you're looking forward to making friends, but… you don't make friends," he continued.
"Certainly not like you."
He grinned as they entered the large front room, but the proud smile died on his lips and he paused.
Sheik followed his gaze and stifled an amused and triumphant smirk. Link wouldn't be the most popular or the most handsome man anymore. He wouldn't be the coolest either.
Standing in a small cluster was a group of swordsmen and women. There were two women, and four men, and all were about the same age as her and Link, and all were flawless.
"Zelda will have to compete for your good graces," she muttered haughtily to Link. "Oh, but you'll have to compete for hers, so I guess that's fair." She gave a snort and stalked away from him and up to Zelda, whom she spotted by the wall.
The brown haired young woman was wearing that purple dress she'd worn when Sheik had seen her last, and her hair was shiny and topped by a golden crown. Her blue eyes spotted Sheik and brightened.
"Hi! Oh, it's so good to know there are some familiar people here."
"Funny. I didn't think we were that familiar with each other."
"Oh, right. You're a smart aleck."
Sheik shrugged and nodded at a blonde lady beside Zelda. "Who's that?"
"This is Princess Peach. She's from Koopa."
"Never heard of it." Sheik forced herself to put out her hand and the princess gave a brilliant smile and took it, curtsying.
"Pleasure to meet you. What's your name?"
"Sheik."
"Wow." Peach paused, gave a small cough, and finally smiled sheepishly. "And are you… a g…uy?"
"Girl," Sheik promptly answered.
"Oh. Sorry."
"Shh!" hissed Zelda.
All three turned as one of the former judges, a gloved hand, floated into the room.
Sheik cocked her head and folded her arms as he began to speak. "And all mouths?" she murmured to herself, her mask muffling her voice.
"Hm?" whispered Peach.
Sheik didn't answer.
"You are all very privileged to be able to be here. You know we only let the very best of the lot join Brawl. I hope you will all take the time to review the rules of the game and of the mansion. We expect everyone, even the children, to act like mature adults. Being fired is always an option, whether you knew it or not. We chose you because of your skill, but we will only keep you because of your level of maturity. Understood? Good. Against that wall you will see your name on a mailbox. Inside your mailbox is the key to your room, the key to your mailbox, and your room number, along with a phone. You each will receive your own phone that we control and it has all the information and apps you need. Numbers may be transferred from your current phone to that one, and all foreign digital devices must be turned in by the end of the day. Curfew is at nine o'clock and the rest of the rules will be found inside your phone. Good day."
The hand floated off.
Slowly there was a general shuffle as the brave few made their way over to their mailboxes, found their name, and took out their things.
"Will they deliver our suitcases to our rooms?" asked Peach, worriedly.
"I'm sure," answered Sheik shortly.
"Do you want to go get our things?" Zelda asked them.
"Sure," agreed Peach.
Sheik said nothing and watched as they moved off, found their individual boxes, and took their phones and keys out.
Finally she stepped forward, scanned the boxes, and spotted her named printed in bold, gold letters on the front. SHEIK.
"Calm down," she told herself, forcing her eyes to read the names directly surrounding her box.
"Lucina, Bowser, Wario, Corrin M, Corrin F. Hm." Her hand shot out and opened her mailbox, snatching out everything and shutting it. She locked it with the key and glanced at her room number.
"26." Her brows knit as she puzzled briefly. "Where on earth is room 26?"
The hand had said that the phone contained everything they'd need to know and she clicked it on and instantly saw a picture of herself, crouched in a pose, eyes glaring right at her.
The phone beeped and her photo dissolved as a home screen appeared. The first app was a map of the Smash Mansion and she eagerly tapped it and typed in 'Room 26' into her search engine.
"Down the left hall, last door on the right." She strode past the few smashers still remaining in the large front room and pushed open the double doors to the left hall. Confidently, proud of herself for figuring out what she had to do, Sheik strode down the hall, glancing briefly at the pictures that hung between every white door.
Each one showed a smasher and as she spotted the number twenty five in gold on the last white door she realized the pictures showed who lived in which room. Her picture showed just her face and upper body, arms and hands drawn into a skillful karate pose, red eyes glaring.
"Goodness, I always look ready to kill." She smirked as she took the door key, fitted it in the lock, and opened her door. "That's a good thing, I guess."
The inside of the room was refreshing, and the air conditioning was perfectly cool.
She locked the door, put down her backpack, and raised her blonde brows as she spotted her suitcase by the bed.
Sheik glanced around. There was a small walk-in closet and a bathroom with just enough room for a sink, toilet, and small shower, both doors leading to them against the same wall. In between the doors was a television screen, mounted on the wall above a short, glass table. There was no kitchen visible, which she knew meant that all meals would be with the other brawlers most likely. The bed was a king size and neatly made with ten pillows and a folded quilt at the foot of the bed. Beside it was a nightstand with a lamp and small digital clock.
Beside the door was a small ottoman bench with two cushions and on the other side of the door stood a large dresser with golden handles.
"Mom would like this," she muttered.
Sheik unpacked in an hour and moved all necessary phone numbers to her new phone before texting her parents. "Arrived. Will have to give up my computer and phone and use the provided device, so this is my new number."
The answer returned: "Okay! We love you and miss you! Let us know when you can call."
"OK," she texted.
"Let's see," she mused, tapping on the Rules app. She briefed them and found they were simple enough. The room was her own responsibility. She was not allowed to invite anyone of the opposite sex inside her room. If she had a problem in her room she was to dial the said number. Any rooms marked 'employees only' or 'do not enter' were off limits.
"Natural," she snorted.
Brawls would be announced in the Announcing Room at nine o'clock every morning, and she was required to be there five minutes before then. There was no brawling or fighting of any sort allowed except for inside the training rooms and the actual stadiums. Losing a brawl required her to always clap for the winner, no matter her inner feelings. She was only allowed to brawl in the stadiums with her appointed match ups for the day, but the training rooms were always open. No special moves that were used during brawls were allowed in any room outside of the stadiums and training rooms. If she broke anything she was to report it immediately.
Food was served three times a day and that was the only time eating was allowed. The food consisted of many varieties of vegetables, fruits, meats, breads, and milk products, and could be eaten or not, but no other food would be served. Meal times were seven o'clock, twelve o'clock, and six o'clock.
If she wanted to quit at any time she would have to write a page long explanation of why she no longer wished to work there and place it in her mailbox. When her resignation was accepted she would pack all her belongings, place her phone and keys in her mailbox, and receive her former devices.
Any time in between or after brawls was to be spent doing anything she wished outside of breaking the rules.
Sheik chuckled and tucked her phone into the folds of her mask. She didn't have a pocket in her suit and she wasn't planning on carrying a backpack everywhere.
"Let's explore," she said to herself, standing, stretching, and unlocking the door.
She locked it behind her, deftly touched her mask to make sure it was firmly in place, and took out her phone again, tapped in 'Dining Room' and found it. It was five thirty and she wanted to have plenty of time to find it and then sit there before dinner started.
R&R please. Thanks.