Hiding in my Skin, Broken from Within

Chapter 11: Diamond Dust

ok so

when I said this chapter would be heavily Lucina centric... I decided to make it ENTIRELY Lucina centric. chapter after this will be 100% Falcon centric (albeit a bit shorter probably), then it'll have both share focuses until their paths converge again.

This title is based on the translation to "Saihyou", one of Chihaya's image songs from Idolmaster. Just look up the lyrics, omg they're perfect for Lucina at this point in the story

(also Chihaya deadass looks like Lucina and Miki like Fiora ngl)

Oh aaaaand there'll be a surprise cameo from a character I'd like to see in Smash. They already exist as a Spirit in Ultimate, but I believe the only true deconfirmations are Bosses. Anyone else? Go nuts. Also there's been like several placeholder character slots datamined, and like 15 currently for World of Light, so who's to say we can't see more characters past the 5 in the Fighter Pass?

Hiding in my Skin, Broken from Within

Chapter 11 - Diamond Dust

After her bath, Lucina was carried from the indoor baths to her bedroom, dressed in a fresh, clean nightgown. Cordelia laid her into bed, sitting her upright, as Cherche brought over a tray with her lunch and set it on Lucina's lap. After Cherche left, Cordelia pulled up a chair and sat close to Lucina. After the future Exalt finished her lunch, Cordelia asked her, "How was it?"

"It was great," Lucina answered Cordelia with a smile. "I've missed this...all of it."

"I can imagine," Cordelia said. "You said...you were going to tell me why you decided to return here all of a sudden?"

"Oh...that," Lucina sighed, her face bearing a somewhat melancholy expression. "I said I'd tell you... Don't tell anyone else except Lissa just yet, okay?"

"I swear on my Shepherd honor," Cordelia reassured her.

"Thanks," Lucina thanked the red-haired Pegasus Knight. "Anyway... there was a recent Smash tournament that ended in an incident that left me injured. After I recovered, I decided to go training off world to try to become stronger after I recovered. During the journey, that...man joined me. As you know, I grew closer to him the more time we spent together. But... some things happened along the way."

"Such as...?" Cordelia inquired. Noticing Lucina's face bearing a pained expression, Cordelia placed her hand on Lucina's shoulder in an attempt to console her. "It's okay. You can tell me...don't worry."

Taking a deep breath, Lucina continued, "When I left for my training journey with that man, I promised myself I would get stronger for the sake of everyone in Smash City, including my friends, my family, and myself. I held in my heart the hope that by the next tournament, my father would finally get his chance as well. But...during our journey, I met a former participant in the tournaments, who seemed like he had lost all hope of returning. He told me that...there's a chance anyone will have to go at any time, and there's no guarantee they'll return... And on top of that... I got too cocky when I tried to save a lot of people from one of that man's sworn enemies..."

"And...?"

"And..." Fighting back her urge to shed tears, she continued, her voice starting to crack, "I... suffered such a disgraceful defeat at his hands... and was tortured so cruelly in front of my trainer. He must have...seen me as weak in that moment...just like how I felt after my incident at the tournament."

"Lucina... if he took the time to train you, he must have seen potential in you."

"He did," Lucina replied. "In fact... he seemed so proud of me as I progressed in my training. No, he was. I could tell he was genuine about it. But... he made me realize after he rescued me that... I wasn't ready. Even in spite of all my training. He said that his nemesis was out of my league..."