2017

"Look… well... at least you didn't end up like Lucas, right?” Ike says, struggling a smile.
You look up at the blue-haired swordsman.
“Is that supposed to make me feel better?” you say.
“I-I’m just saying… yeah, the stakes are high, sometimes. But they could be higher. I mean, what Wolf did to him… His body....”
“Dear God, Ike, are you just… can you stop? I appreciate the effort, sure, but it’s obvious that I’m not getting any sympathy from you. Now just leave me alone,” you say, directing your motorized wheelchair toward the door.
“Shulk, wait! … Okay, sorry. Truth is, that’s not why I’m really here.”
Of course, you think. No one would actually visit out of the kindness of their heart, would they? … No, you’re not going down this path. You won’t let this handicap embitter you.
You sigh. “So why did you visit, then?”
“Well… It’s not just me, actually.” he says as he walks to the door of your room. “Be right back,” he says with an awkward wink. He exits the room, and it seems like he’s making sure not to let the door open too wide- a pointless effort, considering his beefcake-like stature. Still, you don’t get a good view of the hallway outside.
You sigh and lean back in your chair. Alright, you think, who’s it going to be. He obviously brought some friends. Ike, you and your friends. Probably brought some more blue-haired swordsmen with him. You suppress a chuckle. But seriously, it’s probably more fighters like you who came for no reason other to feel good about themselves for visiting poor Shulk who has fallen on hard ti- no, you think, you have to stop thinking like that.
But being in this situation really has a way of inviting thoughts like that.
The sound of the door opening rouses you from your winding thoughts.




Ike enters the room.
Kirby enters the room, carrying a piece of strawberry shortcake on a plate. Just as you th-
Dr. Mario enters the room. Oh. What’s he doing here? You’ve heard about the difficulty he had making the free time for the Fourth Super Smash. Apparently he couldn’t even participate in the third one because of his job.
You hardly notice Pit, Samus (sans power suit), and Wii Fit Trainer follow him in.
“Hi, Shulk!” Pit exclaims.
You were so focused on Dr. Mario’s presence that the greeting startles you.
“Hello,” Samus says.
“Hello, Pit, Samus, Kirby,” you say, meeting their eyes respectively.
Kirby says nothing, instead reaching up to place the piece of cake on your lap.
“T-Thanks, Kirby.” You put the dessert on your nightstand. “I’ll eat it later. But first I’d like to know what exactly you’re all doing here.”
“Well, we COULD say that we just wanted to visit you, but seeing how the Doctor’s here I’d say that it’s obvious that something is up, huh?” Pit says.
“Yeeaahhh… you could say that,” you respond, gazing at the stout Italian doctor.
“Wait,” Samus says. “We should get the other thing out of the way first.” She walks back toward the door.
“Oh… Well, yeah, sure,” Pit says nervously.
Samus peeks her head out of the door and says a few words to someone outside.
Another person walks into the room.
Villager.



You scowl at him.
He smiles that eternal goddamn smile at you.
“What’s he doing here?” you spit out.
“He wanted to apologize for crushing your spine with a bowling ball,” Samus says tactlessly. Wow. Even Kirby grimaces. Well, one doesn’t pick up much human etiquette when they’re raised by bird people, you suppose.
Villager smiles, swinging his arms back and forth.
“How would you know? The guy doesn’t even talk,” you say.
“Isabelle told us,” Pit says nervously.
“Whatever,” you say dismissively.
Lots of crazy stuff happens at the Super Smashes. People get blasted, set on fire, eaten, electrocuted… but no one actually gets hurt. Not unless the attacker really intends for it to happen. Accidents happen, some injuries slip by, but usually nothing major. Now, Wolf, he lost control. Let his canine instincts take over. But Villager…
Villager removes a basket of nine pears from his pocket.
“What, fruit’s not selling for a premium at your store?”
Villager offers the basket to you.
“I UNDERSTAND your intent and I politely DECLINE,” you say through your teeth.
“Okay, let’s just calm down,” Ike says. “I’m… not defending what Villager did at the last Super Smash, but we have more important matters at hand right now. Dr. Mario?”
Dr. Mario clears his throat. “Indeed.”
“We can attend to that after this psychopath leaves the room,” you say.
Villager nonchalantly walks out of the room.
…
You sigh.
Awkward silence overtakes the room.
Ike is the first to break the silence. “Well, Doctor? Care to tell him the news?”
“Oh, yes,” Dr. Mario says, with a slight smile. “Let’s-a just get right to it.”



“We think we’ve found a way to restore function to your legs.”
Your eyes widen. You swallow.
“How?”
“A pill, actually!” Dr. Mario laughs.
You frown. “Is this a joke? How do you expect me to swallow one of YOUR pills?”
“Oh-a no, it’s a regular pill, not-a like one of those pills.”
“Oh.”
Then the news starts to sink in again. Restore function to your legs.
Tears well up in your eyes.
Holy shit.
“But… how? Something like that should be impossible…”
“Mr. Sakurai himself commissioned the research, seeing as how he invited you to the Smash,” Samus interjects.
You swallow a hard swallow again. Damn. Must have been expensive, you think. Perhaps a small price to pay for the guilt. And because the guy’s probably loaded.
“So… Do you have it with you?” you ask.
“Yes-a I do,” Doctor Mario says with a smile. He reaches into his coat pocket and removes an orange bottle of pills.
Kirby tries to busy himself with pouring out a glass of water from the pitcher on the table, but proves to be too short for the task. Pit notices and helps him out.
“Now, it’s not an immediate thing,” Dr. Mario explains. “You’ll have to take these pills every day for… months, I imagine. And-a Wii Fit Trainer here will be your physical therapist.”
You almost forgot about the silent yoga instructor’s presence. She gives you a thumbs-up.
Dr. Mario continues. “.... But I think you’ll be glad to hear that there should be at least a small immediate effect.” He grins.
“Here ya go!” Pit says eagerly as he hands you the glass of water. Dr. Mario puts two of the small round pills in your other hand. You look at them. Carved on the surface are two lines forming the Smash insignia. Oh, Mr. Sakurai. You chuckle and toss the pills into your mouth, swallowing them with a gulp of water.



A few seconds pass.
“Well?” Samus asks.
A wide smile breaks across your face.
Dr. Mario clears his throat again. “Pit, would you-a kindly place your hand on Shulk’s knee?”
“What? … Okay.” Pit does so.
“Well, Shulk?” Dr. Mario asks.
It’s faint, but…
“I feel it,” you respond.
Tears stream down your face.
“I’m really feeling it.”