SMASH GAMES 2: CHAOS | Super Smash Bros.

2 - The Boss

Lucina 

Beep...beep...beep...beep... 

Clang! Clang! Clang! 

Very good, Lucina, the man said, adjusting the sword's grip in Lucina's tiny palms. Now remember to keep the sword level. No one is going to take you seriously if you keep exposing your belly like that.  

They were in the scrimmaging courtyard behind the castle, positioned in front of a straw dummy. Lucina had succeeded in slicing up the poor straw man's belly, but she was already exhausted. The fact embarrassed her.  

Don't be embarrassed, the man chastised her. Just be ready for the next attack. Now again.  

Lucina hefted the iron sword up and began slashing again. 

Clang! Clang! Clang! Both arms fell off. Lucina looked up at the man for approval and felt giddy when he nodded, the sunlight glinting off of his blue hair. 

Well done, he said. He bent down until they were at eye level. Now Lucina, I know fighting and being able to stand your ground is important, but remember this: nothing is more important than your life. If you realize that you can't win and that your very existence is in danger, what do you do? 

Beep...beep...beep... 

Lucina shrugged, unsure. 

Run, the man said. You run, Lucina, and you don't stop until you are sure that you are safe. Do you understand? 

Beep...beep...beep... 

"What's that sound?" she asked the blue-haired man. He blinked at her. What sound? 

Lucina's eyes flew open. 

A chiseled ceiling hovered above her, cast into shadow. But there was light. Yes there was light, all around. It should have blinded her, but it didn't-almost as if she'd been out of the darkness for a while. As if she'd been out of her...cell...for a while. 

Something was wrong with her. Her mind was like a bog, and about as hard to sift through. She blinked rapidly, trying to focus. A cell...she'd been in a cell for twelve...days. No, for twelve meals. She'd been in a cell for twelve meals, four days. Eating rice. Thinking. Scared. Anxious.  

Now where was she? She lolled her head, for she seemed to be lying flat on her back. In...a bed? Yes a bed. There were sheets covering her skin. A pillow cushioning her sore skull.  

Beep...beep...beep... 

She focused on what lay to her right. Some sort of table, carrying a couple of metal boxes. Strange metal boxes. The beeping sound was coming from one of them. On the front of that same box, a squiggly line was periodically flashing across the box's face, in unison with the sound. Lucina didn't know what that meant or why it was there. Or why she was there. 

To her left sat a chair and nothing else, save for a curtain. The sheet extended from her left all the way to her right, closing her in a small area that included her bed and the beeping metal box. The entire place reminded her of the medical tents Ylisse's Valkyries would set up on the battlefield. 

She sat up. She expected to feel weak, but she felt fine. Better than fine. Her hunger pangs were gone, and so was her lethargy from lying around all day. There was a strange mask strapped to her face-it was blowing cold air against her lips. She snatched it off and tossed it to the floor before pulling back the covers and swinging her legs over the edge of the bed. She didn't know why, but she felt the need to be quiet. She eased lightly to her feet and was heading towards the curtain when something pulled her to a stop. She turned and, in alarm, saw that several clear tubes were attached to her arm. She followed them and saw that they led to a metal rod holding a small sack of clear liquid.