Super Smash Bros. Ultimate: Book Two

Chapter 6: Shulk

I walked to the top of the ship after Meta Knight gave the all-clear to everyone on board and went to the outside Deck, feeling the wind through my hair. It was quite peaceful, seeing all the clouds, the sun, and the ground below us. I stayed there for awhile until I heard a voice.

"It's pretty peaceful up here, isn't it?" The voice asked. I looked behind me and saw a man with spiky blonde hair and a large sword clipped onto his back.

"Yeah." I said, nodding. "Who're you?"

"Cloud."

"Oh, one of the new people."

"Yeah."

"Where are you from?" I asked.

"I'm from Midgar. Lots of beasts there. I was a 1st Class SOLIDER for Shinra, but now I'm a mercenary." Cloud said. "Where are you from?"

"Gaur Plains. I've had to save my world form people like Metal Face." I answered.

"I know that this is going to sound weird but...can we fight?" Cloud asked. I smiled.

"Sure. I'm always up for a challenge." I said. "Follow me." I led him to the training room. There was a large raised platform in the middle of a large white tiled room.

"This is like the room where I met Ike and Lucario." Cloud said. I pressed a button, and we were warped to the platform.

"Okay, first one to fall off the platform loses, and is transported back to the lobby where I pushed the button to get us in here." I explained, and drew my Monado from my back. Cloud drew his sword from his back, and I charged at him. Cloud shielded the attack and swiped at me with his sword, but I side-stepped and used my Back Slash to try to hit him. Cloud rolled under me as I was in the air, however, and hit me while I was recovering from the Back Slash with a dash attack. I was knocked off the platform but quickly activated my Jump Monado Art and jumped back to the platform.

"So you can upgrade your abilities...but only one, and I'm guessing for a limited time..." Cloud said.

"Yes, that's right." I said.

"I can upgrade all of my abilities until I use it to power up one of my special moves. It's called my Limit Break." Cloud said.

"Oh really? Show me." I said, cancelling my Jump Art. I waited as Cloud closed his eyes and began charging his Limit. After about five seconds, Cloud stopped charging and a blue aura surrounded him.

"This makes me slightly faster, stronger, and improves my jump a little until I use it to power up one of my special moves."  Cloud explained. "For example..!" He said, and charged at me. "Taste my Limit Break version of Cross Slash!" Cloud hit me with his sword in a pattern, launching me back. I hit the wall but recovered and jumped back onto the platform. I smiled.

"Not bad, Cloud. I can see why Meta Knight wanted you to come here."

"You're pretty good yourself." Cloud said. I quickly activated my Buster Art and charged at Cloud. Cloud jumped backward, and I jumped above him and landed my down air attack on his head. Cloud fell to the ground, and I landed in front of him and hit him with a crouch attack. Cloud recovered in mid-air and hit me with his front air attack, his sword throwing me back. I slid off the edge, but I grabbed it and pulled myself up. Wiping the blood from my mouth, I charged and hit Cloud with a dash attack, right as my Buster Art ended. Dang it..! I thought, and activated my Vision. Cloud hit me, and I avoided the attack and hit him with my Monado. Cloud recovered, and jumped back to the platform. He gave me a faint smile. I returned the smile. Suddenly, Cloud charged and hit me with a dash attack, then knocked me further to the edge of the platform with his neutral air attack, and sent me plummeting to the ground with a front air attack. No! I activated my Jump Art and jumped upward, then used my Air Slash to gain some extra height and grabbed the edge of the platform. I pulled myself up, and smirked.

"How was that?" I taunted.

"It's...kinda annoying..." Cloud said. "But I could do the same thing."

"I'm sure."

"Rrrah!" Cloud shouted, and hit me with a dash attack. Then, while I was in mid-air, my Jump Art stopped working. Cloud saw this and hit me with a forward air attack, sending me plummeting to the ground. I hit, and we were transported back to the lobby.

"Nice job." I said, and extended my hand.

"Likewise." Cloud said, smiling. He shook my outstretched hand.

"We should defiantly do this more often."

"It was fun." Cloud admitted. We clipped our swords to our backs as we walked out to the Main Bridge to find Bowser in an argument with Mario, Peach, Rosalina, and Yoshi. 

"How are we supposed to trust you won't kidnap me!" Peach said, and slapped Bowser. Bowser growled.

"Look, I didn't want to do this. My gut tells me not to. But my head told me, and the rest of the Dark Legion, that Master Core needs to go." Bowser said.

"But that's-a not enough proof!" Mario said.

"Why are you arguing?" I said, getting in the middle of the argument. Not that I already knew the answer to my question.

"We don't trust Bowser!" Rosalina said. The Luma she had made an angry face and nodded it's head.

"Well, you need to. We don't have the time to be arguing. The longer we argue, the faster Master Core kills us all." Cloud said.

"And we all know he could board this airship at any time." I added. Mario, Peach, and Rosalina relaxed.

"It's just-a...after many-a years of-a fighting him..." Mario looked to the ground.

"Then take this as a trust building experience." I said, and we walked away.

"Hey, Cloud!" Palutena called, and warped to us.

"And you are..?" Cloud started.

"Palutena."

"Okay. What do you need?" Cloud looked uncomfortable.

"I wanted to warn you." Palutena said. That got grim pretty quick. I thought, quietly snickering.

"About what?"

"Come with me." Palutena grabbed Cloud's arm and leading him a few feet away from me. I quietly strained to listen, trying to make out the words...

"I shouldn't be doing this." Palutena whispered. "It's going to seriously mess with you, if you allow it to."

"What is it?" Cloud whispered back. Palutena sucked in a breath, and continued.

"Cloud, you're going to die."