Uncertainty and instability have been a part of Shulk’s life for as long as he can remember. His most vivid childhood memory was the day the Mechon destroyed his colony. The terrible sounds of people screaming, the scent of smoldering brick intermixing with burning flesh, the feel of someone holding him tightly against them as they ran from the chaos. He would always assume the person holding him was his mother; however, for the life of him, he couldn’t remember a single detail about her. He could remember them fleeing from the destruction, could remember the woman setting him down on the grass as he cried, and remembered her settling beside him and comforting him the best she could; but whether this faceless figure of his blurry past was his mother or not remains a mystery to him to this day.

 

 Time. It was a concept far too complex for a four-year-old to comprehend. Shulk knew that he and—who he presumed to be his parents, had been walking for a long time after the attack. At the time, he didn’t know why they kept walking; however, once he was old enough to understand, he realized it was out of desperation. Their home had been completely destroyed, leaving them with nowhere to go. He could only deduce that the reason why they had traveled for so long, had been to locate the Monado, a sacred sword said to be capable of fending off the Mechon.

 

 Their journey had led them to the freezing peaks of Valak Mountain. The towering summits and unforgiving blizzards were brutal. Though within that brutality, Shulk saw something that would forever imprint itself within his mind. Each night he would see brilliant pillars of light ascend from the surrounding pillars of ice. He liked the lights, liked how they made the surrounding snow and ice shimmer, and he liked how they made him feel less lonely when his parents were away for one reason or another. 

 

 During a particularly terrible blizzard, the small expedition team managed to locate a frozen tower. Shulk remembered someone holding his hand as they went inside, he also remembered a brilliant blue light. After that, he could only remember feeling terrible pain that was too extreme for him to describe. He could have sworn he heard a voice whispering to him, however, he couldn’t remember the words spoken. After that, everything went dark, and the next thing he knows, he’s in a house entirely unfamiliar to him.

 

 When Shulk awoke, he found that his body was still wracked with pain; on top of that, he felt horribly sick—as if he’d eaten a bucket of sweets. Though in spite of everything, the worst feelings of all for the young boy were the feelings of fear and loneliness. He desperately wanted to call for his parents, but for some reason, he couldn’t speak. This furthered his distress, causing him to silently shed tears as weak whimpers slipped past his lips. He didn’t know where he was and he didn’t know where his parents were. Right when he believed no one would come, a stranger entered the room, looking at him with pity in his eyes. Shulk would eventually come to know this man as Dickson, and he would soon learn that he would be the closest thing he’d have to a parent from then on...

 

The first three months in the Colony were difficult for the now orphaned boy. Most days, Shulk couldn’t leave his bed due to the terrible pain he was in. On the rare occasions that he could muster the strength to get up, the young boy would find himself walking to his window; to watch the other children play outside. He longed to join them, though whenever he tried, he’d find himself not making it two steps out of his room before a dizzy spell would leave him reeling on the floor. Every time this happened, Dickson would come along and carefully pick him up and settle him back in bed. His new guardian would always make him a strange soup after these instances, and each time he ingested the sweet-tasting broth, he would always find himself feeling better before a drowsy spell would make him fall asleep.

 

 Later in life, Shulk would learn that the mysterious broth was merely an ether-based medicine to help him recover.

 

 Over the course of two months, Dickson would continue giving Shulk the unique ether brew. With each dose taken, Shulk would feel increasingly better. The pain, though not fully gone, hindered the boy much less, and his bouts of sickness would occur around twice a week as opposed to every day. As Shulk grew stronger, Dickson began picking up school assignments for the boy. At first, the older man was concerned about the child not wanting to do them; though once he introduced Shulk to the schoolwork, the man would quickly realize that not only did the boy enjoy working on his assignments, but he also excelled at them.

 

 Three years had passed, and the now seven-year-old Shulk had a desire to learn more than just what he did in school. He was well aware that when Dickson brought him to Colony 9, he had also brought along something else, the Monado. Shulk slowly found himself becoming drawn to the sword. He knew the weapon had something to do with his past; though how it impacted him was something he couldn’t remember, no matter how hard he’d try. At first, the boy simply watched Dickson perform research on the Monado; occasionally looking through the man’s notes and asking questions. Most days, Dickson wouldn’t mind Shulk’s presence, often encouraging the boy to take notes of his own; however, on some occasions, Dickson would insist that his charge go outside, claiming it to “not be healthy,” for him to remain cooped up in the lab all day.

 

 Despite his age, Shulk wasn’t a fan of playing outside.

 

 Whenever he was instructed to go outside, Shulk would frequently spend his time alone. No matter how hard he’d try to fit in with the other children, Shulk would often be ignored by them...the keyword being often. Sometimes the other kids would give him the time of day, however, these were not pleasant encounters; with a majority of the youth pushing Shulk around due to his smaller, more feeble stature. Despite the bullying, Shulk never once thought of retaliating or making a fuss; instead, the young boy would often think of ways he could help the others, this way, they would see him as a friend and eventually accept him, despite his inherent “weirdness.”

 

 Another day, another rejection by the local kids; however, this particular day would have a great impact on Shulk’s life… Shulk didn’t know how or why he’d ended up being chased through the streets of Colony 9, all he knew for sure was that he needed to get away from the gang of kids; otherwise, they would hurt him. As the young boy rounded a bend, he’d found himself cornered with nowhere to go. When he turned around in hopes of escape, he was met with the grinning faces of his pursuers. With nowhere to run and no one around to help, Shulk ultimately cowered, prepared for the three to do their worst.

 

 As he prepared for the first blow, Shulk was met with a shrill voice yelling at their small group. The gang of three turned to face where the voice had come from, and when they saw who it was, they’d quickly bolted; leaving a shaken Shulk behind. At first, the boy was stunned, however, he quickly recovered when the sounds of footsteps headed in his direction. Instinctively, Shulk recoiled, trembling in fear that his bullies had returned; though instead of being met with hostility, he was extended a hand. Glancing up at the unknown person, Shulk found himself gazing at the face of a worried girl. She had saved him—and all by herself at that!

 

 When Shulk was about to utter his thanks, he quickly shrunk back as a towering figure loomed above both him and the girl. The shaken boy would soon learn that the older teen was simply the girl’s older brother. Apparently, the duo had been walking home when they’d seen him run into the alleyway, followed by the rowdy gang. Shulk could only fathom that his bullies had taken one look at the girl’s brother and fled—he certainly would have, given his stern features. The girl would eventually introduce herself as Fiora, and her brother would state his name to be Dunban. They would eventually part ways with the boy; however, Fiora would extend an invitation for Shulk to join her and a friend of hers after school.

 

 Shulk would accept Fiora’s offer, and soon, he, Fiora, and her friend, Reyn, would become inseparable.

 

 Performing tasks for the citizens of Colony 9 had become something of a habit for Shulk over the years. If someone had a problem Shulk would be the first in line to offer assistance. As time went on, many of the citizens had grown to accept Shulk as one of their own; however, despite their acceptance, Shulk found himself longing to do more.

 

 When Shulk turned 16-years-old, he—alongside his friend Reyn, would join the Colony 9 Defence Force. Shulk would apply for the Weapon’s Development sector, while Reyn would enlist into the Defence Sector. Despite his position as a weapon’s engineer, Shulk would quickly learn that the two sectors were linked closer than one would think; this was all thanks to the Colonel, Vangarre.

 

 Colonel Vangarre, a figure that Shulk would come to fear and respect—albeit unwittingly. The Colonel was an authoritarian with a flagrant temper and a tongue full of vitriol. No sector was safe, no subordinate under him would go unpunished. If you messed up one small task, then you’d be doing squats and pushups until your muscles were fit to burst! The absurdity of the Colonel’s training methods didn’t stop with the Defence Troops either; no, no, no, they extended to the Weapon’s Development Scientists as well. Shulk had been on the receiving end of the Colonel’s outbursts many a time; and to be frank, most of his bruises hadn’t come from the monsters outside, but from one of the Colonel’s many fits of rage.

 

 Ever one to adapt, Shulk quickly learned how to avoid the Colonel’s wrathful outbursts. By remaining in the lab a majority of the time, Shulk could avoid the Colonel, while being able to create new weapons for the Defence Force. Unfortunately, this method didn’t guarantee safety from the Colonel’s impromptu “physical tests,” however, it worked effectively enough. Another thing that Shulk had come to learn was that the Colonel appeared to ignore him entirely whenever Dickson was around. Why? Shulk had absolutely no idea; however, he did note that the Colonel appeared somewhat wary around Dickson. For what reason? Shulk couldn’t tell, and whenever he’d ask Dickson for the reason, the man would merely laugh it off instead of answering his question.

 

 Life in the Colony was relatively uneventful, except for the few times Mechon would come too close to the Colony’s borders. This problem would eventually be solved after the Battle of Sword Valley, where the colonies would come out victorious thanks to Dunban’s exploits. Unfortunately, like with all things, their peace would eventually come to an end... 

 

!!!SPOILER ALERT!!!

Do NOT read beyond this point if you do not want plot-related spoilers!

 

No one could have anticipated the Mechon’s return, and even if they had, it would have been far too late to prepare for their arrival. By the time the Colony had realized they were under attack, the Mechon had already laid siege to them—blotting out the sky with their fleet of metallic units. There was nothing anyone could do, except run for their lives or attempt to fight back. Yet no matter how much they ran or fought, the Mechon would stop them at every turn.

 

 Shulk, Reyn, and Fiora had been off retrieving Ether Cylinders for the Mobile Artillery unit at the time of the attack. When the sirens blared overhead, the trio immediately ran out from the Cylinder Hangar in order to see what was going on. Looking toward the sky, the three were horrified by the scene playing out before them. Fleets of Mechon rained from above, their destination, Colony 9. Without a moment’s hesitation, the trio of friends raced back to the Colony to see if there was anything they could do to help during the crisis.

 

 Upon arriving at the Colony Entrance, they were met with a terrible sight. The Mechon had already begun their assault, destroying the surrounding buildings and setting them ablaze; however, the carnage to the construction would be the least of their worries, for the Mechon were not only leaving the Colony in ruins but devouring people where they stood.

 

 Shulk’s initial shock toward the situation had quickly faded into anger. He knew that he needed to do what he could to defend the Colony; however, there was only so much he could do when it came to fending off the Mechon. Their first course of action would be to check on Dunban, seeing how he and Fiora’s house was next to the entrance. When Fiora had run into the house to check on her brother, Shulk and Reyn were left outside to fend off any approaching Mechon. Once Shulk and Reyn had managed to disable one, Fiora came back outside, stating that Dunban was nowhere to be found.

 

 Knowing that there wasn’t any time to lose, Shulk told Reyn and Fiora that they’d need to go to the Weapon’s Development Lab. There, they could retrieve the Monado and potentially fend off the Mechon. Rushing to the Military District, the trio ended up witnessing a large brigade of Mechon attacking it, with a massive Mechon leading them in their assault. The way the towering Mechon had easily destroyed the Defence Troops had shaken Shulk to his core. When he and his friends approached the ruined district, the large Mechon had already left the scene, leaving nothing but destruction in its wake; what made matters worse, was that the entrance to the lab had been blocked off by the rubble, making the Monado inaccessible.

 

 Without the Monado, their chances of victory had grown even slimmer than they’d already been; despite this, Shulk didn’t lose hope. Remembering the mobile artillery, Shulk decided that their small party should hurry to it and refill it with the Ether Cylinders they’d collected from the hangar. With their hopes now resting with the artillery unit, they quickly made their way back across the bridge in order to reach the Residential District. Unfortunately, the group of friends would be ambushed and surrounded by a unit of Mechon.

 

 Despite the increasing hopelessness surrounding their situation, Shulk held firm that they would survive their current predicament. First, he and Reyn needed to clear a path for Fiora, so she could get to the Residential District and access the mobile artillery. There was a moment of resistance from the girl, seeing as she didn’t want to leave her friends behind; however, with a bit of assurance from Reyn, Fiora quickly darted through the small path they’d cleared in order to reach the Residential District.

 

 Once Fiora was out of sight, Shulk and Reyn were left to deal with the surrounding Mechon. The two were just barely managing to keep the smaller units at bay; however, the longer the two fought, the more exhausted they became, and the more tired they became, the more persistent the Mechon grew in turn. When Reyn was pinned to the ground by one of the violent machines, Shulk found himself coming to his best friend’s aid. No matter Shulk’s efforts, he could not get the Mechon off of Reyn—though, despite Reyn’s pleas for Shulk to leave, Shulk refused to leave his friend to die, willing to stay until the bitter end.

 

 Just when it appeared that the two would be killed on the connecting bridge, a figure suddenly cut through the Mechon with ease—leaving behind a pile of useless metal from whence they came. Astoundingly, their savior had been none other than Dunban, who held the Monado, despite the resistance it gave him. With Dunban at their side, they were easily able to dispatch the remaining Mechon. Their victory would be short-lived, however, for the path connecting the bridge to the Residential District had been blocked by a massive piece of rubble. Unable to use the short way, the three would take the long path, through the Commercial District, in order to meet up with Fiora once more.

 

 When the three Homs managed to cross the Commercial District, they found themselves once again obstructed by Mechon forces. With the entrance out of the Colony blocked off, the three would have to face the Mechon once more. Though, when the time had come to fight off the invading machines, Dunban fell to the ground, the Monado slipping from his hands and sliding to the middle of the bridge. His body could no longer handle the Monado. Shulk felt himself freeze at that moment. Dunban had been the only one capable of wielding the sword, Dunban had been the one to win the day during the Battle of Sword Valley, and yet here he was...helpless to do anything against the machines. The Mechon, they’d destroyed Colony 9, killed countless citizens, and now they would be free to do what they wanted… No, no they wouldn’t.

 

 Without a single thought to his own safety, Shulk charged forward, grabbing the sword and activating its blade; ignoring the protests of both Dunban and Reyn. At first, the blade’s energy surged through Shulk, causing him a great deal of pain. Though through all of the wild etheric energy that coursed through his veins, Shulk found it in himself to charge forward while yelling out a war cry…

 

 Time. It was a concept he’d grown to understand, a concept he’d come to rely on; however, when time stops...what does one do? Everything around him appeared to slow to a halt as his world turned dull. He could see himself running, he could see the Mechon ahead, but strangely, the machines appeared to be moving in slow-motion. Then he saw it! A single laser was fired from one of the machines, striking him directly in the chest and sending him to the ground… B-but- why didn’t he feel the pain?

 

 Fleeting moments of a future that could come to pass...fleeting moments of fate that fade fast, and if you don’t react to the warning, then nothing will change.

 

 Snapping out of the vision, Shulk found himself still running toward the Mechon, yet what he’d seen… Had the Monado shown him what would happen? Just as the Mechon prepared to fire, Shulk found himself quickly side-stepping the laser, allowing for the beam to careen into a building that was behind him; causing a massive explosion that shook the very foundation of the bridge. In that instant, Shulk leaped toward the machine, sinking the Monado’s blade through its armor and effectively destroying it. Yet, this was merely one of many.

 

 Another vision appeared before his eyes; one where a machine with blades for arms would swipe...would kill…

 

 And just like that, he was back in the heat of battle, his eyes locking with the very machine his vision had foretold. Shulk had never been the best at combat, had never been the greatest when it came to avoiding swift strikes, but the will to survive had a way of bringing out untapped strengths; all the while, subduing inherent weaknesses. He had to crouch and side-step, yet in those two quick movements, Shulk had once again avoided a terrible outcome, all the while overcoming the machine that would have made it so.

 

 His body was shaking from the adrenaline rush, his mind raced a thousand miles a minute, but they were not out of the woods yet. They needed to clear the bridge in order to pass, in order to take the long route to Fiora. He wouldn’t allow the Mechon to stop him; and thus, they fought until every last machine in their path was no more.

 

 Running down the beaten trail had taken far longer than Shulk would have liked—then again, everything seemed to take longer during a crisis. When the three Homs had finally crossed the connecting bridge between Outlook Trail and the Residential District, they found themselves confronted by a Mechon painted black and gold; its face, a metallic plate of brushed platinum… It was the same Mechon that destroyed the Defence Force troops. Its eyes glowed a fearsome red as it stared at the trio, almost as if taking the time to study them before unsheathing its claw-like blades in preparation for battle.

 

 A single strike to the Mechon’s plating should have left—at the bare minimum, a nasty tear in its armor; yet this Mechon, this faced Mechon, had received nary a scratch. No matter how much they’d struck the metallic behemoth, no matter how many times Shulk used Enchant to enhance his friend’s weapons, there was no sign of damage being done to the massive Mechon’s body. What made matters worse was the thing’s arrogance. It had actually waggled one of its claw-like appendages at them, as if saying, “tut-tut,” the nerve!

 

 Shulk took a step back, his breaths coming out in ragged heaves, as he scrutinized the Mechon before him. Those lights...those strange red lights… No other Mechon had those lights. Could that have been the reason why the Monado wasn’t working? Before Shulk could ponder further he found himself being shoved out of the way by Dunban, as the metal-faced Mechon struck the spot he and Reyn had been previously standing. He was still on the ground when Dunban declared he’d take over, he was still on the ground when Reyn went charging after the older man, but the moment he’d stood to follow behind them; Shulk was quickly sent back to the ground by a well-aimed swipe from the giant Mechon’s claws.

 

 What followed next would forever ingrain itself in his memories…

 

 Indescribable. That was the only word that could sum up the current agony he was in. Wave after wave of unnatural energy coursed through his body, causing his flesh to feel as if it was on fire, as his muscles contracted painfully beneath his skin. Every sense of his was dulled as he grit his teeth together in order to prevent himself from crying out—to prevent himself from appearing weak before his enemy. Was this how it would end? The Monado was ineffective against the bloody machine, and to make matters worse, he could not will his body to stand. His arms were too weak and the pain was too much… At that moment, all he could do was hope Fiora had not met a similar fate.

 

 All Shulk could do was watch as the Mechon raised its claws in preparation for the final blow. Just when the behemoth was about to strike, a sudden blast to its back caused it to lose its footing and go crashing forward in a heap. What stood behind the metallic foe was none other than the Mobile Artillery unit, with Fiora serving as the vehicle’s driver.

 

 Initially, Shulk was relieved by the young woman’s appearance—more so because she was alright than anything else. This relief would quickly bleed away to terror as time slowed again…

 

 Washed out colors reflected imminent events; however, these events were not predetermined…or were they? The intensity of the visuals playing out before his eyes caused his heart to sink with each passing image. A single shot tore into the artillery unit, blasting off its offensive mechanism...the artillery unit was slammed into a nearby building, further breaking it apart, and then the giant Mechon, it would- it would...No!

 

 Once again he was returned to the current events. He was still on the ground, still feeling searing pain coursing through his body; yet, despite his physical turmoil, Shulk could not let that vision come true. He had to stop her. She couldn’t continue to engage the enemy, she needed to get out of there or...no, he wouldn’t think about that, he needed to help her, save her.

 

 “Fiora! Get back!”

 

 She did not hear him...

 

 “Fiora! Get out of here! Run!”

 

 His desperate cries had fallen on deaf ears…

 

 The faced Mechon managed to recover far quicker than any of its lesser brethren. In a fluid motion, it stood and turned its attention toward its assailant—toward Fiora. Its complete disregard for its previous targets alarmed Shulk. That vision, it would come true...no, it was coming true. Each visual scene played out just as the vision foretold. There was no alteration or avoidance, just a play-by-play of events he’d already witnessed; except this time, they were actually happening, they were real, and damn him. Damn him for being weak. Damn him for his inability to stand. Damn him for not stopping her.

 

 When the unit was slammed into the building, Shulk wanted to scream, but he couldn’t bring himself to do it; couldn’t find his voice again. When the machine’s claws rose above its head, he felt hopeless. When the machine had slashed into the unit, he felt helpless. When a scream filled the air, when the machine pulled its claws back revealing a fresh coat of blood—her blood, he felt powerless. When the machine flung the unit aside, no doubt feeding her corpse to a small horde of machines...he felt nothingness.

 

 He didn’t remember his raw scream when the faced Mechon’s claws pierced the mobile unit. His mind could no longer comprehend the horrible pain his body was experiencing. The moment the machine’s claws sunk into Fiora’s flesh, a part of him had sunk with them. When the machine had murdered his childhood friend, a part of him had died with her. The loss he felt, the emptiness he felt, quickly bled into something he’d never experienced before. A drive spurred, not by curiosity, but by pure, hate-filled, rage.

 

 The events following Fiora’s death had been a blur. He didn’t know when he’d used the Monado to get to his feet, but it didn’t matter. His eyes locked with the Mechon’s bloodstained claws—still dripping red like fresh paint dripping off a brush. His eyes widened for a second as a shaky breath passed his quivering lips. For a moment he couldn’t breathe. His teeth gritted together as his lips drew back, almost mimicking that of a snarling Volff. There was no other emotion present except resentment, and the only two figures he could blame were himself, and that wretched machine.

 

 “I’LL KILL YOU!”

 

 The battle was futile. Each strike to the machine’s plating did nothing, yet Shulk continued to fight. Each breath Shulk took had grown more and more painful by the second as every blow from the machine began to take its toll, yet he continued to fight. When the machine had attempted to finish him off, Shulk had leaped onto its arm, running down the metallic appendage and stabbing the faced Mechon directly in the side of its head.

 

 “DIE!”

 

 When the metal behemoth flung him off, he still wanted to fight it, kill it, destroy it; but unfortunately for the desperate boy, his time to fight had come to an end. The machine had turned as if preparing to lash out once more, however it paused. Its eyes blinked twice as if receiving a message, and for a moment it stood motionless, almost as if being contemplative, before converting its body and taking off into the smoke-filled skies.

 

 The Mechon had escaped…

 

 “NOOOOOOOO!” Shulk’s heartbroken cry echoed through the vacant streets of the Residential District as he dropped to his knees. Fiora was gone, killed by a Mechon. He had seen her fate, but he couldn’t save her… Right? He couldn’t save her, could he? He saw her die. He saw her die. He saw her die, yet he didn’t save her...and for that...he could never forgive himself…

 

 “They’ll pay! I will make that faced Mechon pay, Fiora. I promise...”

 

Loss. It was a concept he had become acquainted with at a young age; however, the impact of it didn’t truly touch him until now. As Shulk walked the streets of Colony 9, he couldn’t help but survey the destruction the Mechon had left behind. The damage to the Colony, though significant, was nothing compared to the damage to its people. Market stalls were closed as people grieved. The Colony streets were silent, desolate, as people mourned the loss of their loved ones. Some people had others to comfort them, while some were left alone…

 

 Shulk finally stopped in front of his destination, his eyes downcast as he stood outside of Dunban’s home. It was so strange, now having to refer to the place as simply Dunban’s house, as opposed to Dunban and Fiora’s house— He had to stop his train of thought as tears pricked the outer edges of his eyes. He had to go see Dunban. It was his fault that Fiora was gone, meaning he needed to face her brother; if not to console him, then to be, at the very least, scorned by him.

 

 He didn’t know how long he’d stood outside. He didn’t realize when his fingers touched the metallic handle of the door. What he did notice was the image of blood tipped claws flashing before his eyes. It was quick, only lasting a second before his vision returned to normal, but it was enough to make his hands shake and heart race. His breathing was irregular as he shakily reached out to grip the handle—thankfully, nothing out of the ordinary happened that time, allowing him to pull the door open and step inside.

 

 For a moment he simply stood in the foyer, his gaze automatically settling on the floor. He couldn’t bring himself to look around, he could barely bring himself to step any further into the house, yet he had to, he owed Dunban that much. With a shuddered breath, he gently closed the door behind him before looking around the home’s lower-level. As expected, Dunban was nowhere to be found; more than likely he was upstairs recovering.

 

 Silently Shulk walked forward, being mindful to keep his eyes on his imminent goal, the stairs. Slowly but surely he walked up the wooden steps, absolutely refusing to shift his gaze anywhere else until he reached the last one. Once he made it to the top, he found himself looking at Dunban’s back. The man was merely standing there and staring out the window; he didn’t appear to have noticed him yet, which was both good and bad. Good, because he didn’t immediately have to speak. Bad, because he didn’t know if he could rely on his voice in his current state.

 

 “Uh…” He was at an utter loss for words, unable to formulate a simple greeting. How could he speak to Dunban after his failure to protect his sister? How does one even go about such a thing? He had failed his friend as well as his mentor, and now he couldn’t even speak to the very man he’d let down.

 

 “Shulk. How are you holding up?”

 

 Wh-what? Dunban didn’t sound the least bit angry, or even upset for that matter. His tone held the same calm resonance it always did; which only served to make the blonde more anxious.

 

 Their conversation had been brief; however, what Dunban had said left Shulk to his thoughts. He thought about his mentor’s words all the way home, and even when he’d reached he and Dickson’s house and settled in his room. He still couldn’t quite understand what Dunban meant when he said, “Remember the gift of life that Fiora gave you, and treasure it.” Those words repeated over and over in his head, yet he couldn’t understand them no matter how hard he tried. He was eternally grateful to Fiora, that would never change, but cherishing her gift? Did that mean he should do what Fiora would want? If so, then what would she want of him? He’d promised on the night of her murder that he’d make the machines pay, and each passing hour, there was a voice inside of his head growing louder and louder; further stoking the flames of the fire within—but is that what she would have wanted?

 

 As Shulk continued pondering over Dunban’s words, Dickson had suddenly appeared in his room. The older man’s arrival had given Shulk a start, but he’d immediately calmed down once he realized who it was. “Oh, hey, Dickson…” His voice was distant as he continued looking out the window, a wistful expression on his face as he mentally repeated Dunban’s words.

 

 “Something on your mind, Shulk?” Dickson was calm as he settled next to the boy. He knew full well what had happened, however, Shulk had not been very talkative about it; which was understandable, given the circumstances.

 

 There was a long silence between the two as Shulk continued to stare outside. Should he tell Dickson what he was thinking about? A few more minutes passed before he finally turned to the older man. “I just can’t help but wonder what she’d want.” His voice was shaky, reflecting his uncertainty as he did his best to ignore the tightness in his throat. If Dunban would not cry, then neither would he—at least, not now, not when he still had unfinished business.

 

 “Hmm...what’s the first thing she’d tell you?”

 

 Shulk remained quiet, turning his eyes down as a wave of guilt washed over him.

 

 Dickson silently observed the boy before stating, “I think you know the answer to that one.”

 

 “Yeah...”

 

 “Then tell me Shulk, what’s your mind telling you?”

 

 Shulk closed his eyes as he tightened his right hand into a fist, his fingernails digging into his palm painfully. “It’s telling me to hunt them down and destroy them all—starting with the one with the face.” Finally, he opened his eyes, looking at Dickson with a determined expression before faltering into one of doubt. “I know what she’d want, but I just—”

 

 “Can’t let them get away with it.” Dickson finished with a solemn nod. “Well Shulk,” the older man slowly stood from the bed, before turning to face his charge, “I can’t tell you what to do.” Dickson heard Shulk sigh and watched as he placed his face into his hands. “But, this doesn’t mean I can’t make a suggestion.” He watched as the blonde lifted his head slightly, clearly intent to hear what he had to say. “Listen to that voice inside your head, it won’t steer you wrong,” and with that, he left without another word.

 

 Three hours later…

 

 Dunban’s words had resonated with his mind and invoked thought, Dickson’s words, on the other hand, had done the complete opposite; resonating with his heart and invoking action. It hadn’t taken Shulk long after his parental figure’s departure to make his choice. In two short hours, he had packed everything he needed, being sure to take the Monado with him, before exiting the Colony and heading up to Outlook Park for one final gaze at his home before heading out to find and destroy the faced Mechon.

 

 Shulk hadn’t realized that he’d spent an hour gazing at the Colony. He didn’t even hear the approaching footsteps until a figure appeared out of the corner of his eye. For some strange reason, he felt hopeful, as if Fiora had been the one to appear at his side. Though when he got a good look, he realized it was Reyn...of course it was Reyn. Shulk finally tore his eyes away from Colony 9 in order to look at his best friend; who, surprisingly, appeared to be prepared for an outing—an extensive one at that.

 

 “Have you been to see Dunban?”

 

 “Yeah.”

 

 Shulk had told Reyn everything; told him how he’d talked to Dunban, and of how he came to his decision to chase after the faced Mechon. At first, Reyn had been stunned by Shulk’s resolve. He even admitted that he thought Shulk would give him a hard time about seeking revenge on the ruthless machines. Though once their conversation had finished, Reyn couldn’t help but wonder when they’d head out.

 

 “So when are we heading off?”

 

 Shulk turned to his friend, a determined look on his face as he spoke with assertion, “Right now.”

 

 And with those words, the two friends would begin their journey across the Bionis. They would meet many different people throughout their travels, who would tell them stories of their trials and tribulations. Some people had been directly impacted by the Mechon’s vicious attacks, while others had suffered from monsters unrelated to the malicious machines; though regardless of their plights, Shulk would always listen to them. It was through his willingness to help that he managed to get people to join his side and traverse with him and Reyn, and together, he and his friends would discover more about their world—and perhaps, they might even learn of what lies beyond their realm...

​

“*Gasp* Is that a [item name]?! I bet I could use this!”
(When finding an item)

 

“That’s incredible! I have to fetch my notes!”

(When fascinated by a new discovery)

 

“I just learned by watching Dickson make weapons.”

(When talking about his talents in weapon crafting)

 

“You can’t call it stupid if it works—even if it is a bit, unorthodox…”

(When defending someone’s idea)

 

“You shouldn’t just touch the Monado! It can be dangerous if you don’t know how to use it.”

(When scolding someone for touching the Monado without express permission)

“What! No! That’s not what I—! Oh, cut it out.”
(When someone has successfully flustered him)
 

“You’re not hurt, are you? The Monado can’t cut people.”

(When revealing that the Monado cannot cut the people of Bionis)

 

“Uh-oh! The colonel’s gonna explode.”

(When witnessing one of Colonel Vangarre’s many outbursts)

 

“The enemy’s weak, but don’t drop your guard!”

(When encountering a weak enemy)

 

“Looks like we don’t have a choice!”
(When forced into a combat scenario)

 

“Ok, my turn!”
(His turn during combat)

 

“Not good enough!”
(When dodging an attack)

 

“Back Slash!”

(When using Back Slash)

 

“Air Slash!”
(When using Air Slash)

 

“Streeeam Edge!”

(When using Stream Edge)
 

“This’ll leave a mark-- Shaker Edge!”

(When using Shaker Edge)
 

“Pesky thing!”
(When using Shaker Edge)

 

“Light Heal!”

(When using Light Heal)

 

“This is the Monado’s power!”

(When activating the Monado’s Arts)

 

“Monado—Buster!”
(When using the Buster Art)

 

“Monado...Shield us!”
(When using the Shield Art)

 

“Monado, show me the way!”
(When using the Speed Art)

 

“You’re not invincible! Monado Enchant!”
(When using the Enchant Art)

 

“No escape… Monado Purge!”

(When using the Purge Art) 

 

“That’s ENOUGH!!!”
(When using the Purge Art)

 

“Monadoooo… Eater!”
(When using the Eater Art)

 

“Just what I needed!”
(Healed by an ally)

 

“Piece of cake!”

(Victory quote)

“Hahaha, we win!”

(Victory quote)

 

"I can change the future."

(Victory quote when altering an outcome)

 

"The future is ours to decide."

(Victory quote when altering an outcome)

 

“I need to be even stronger!”

(After purchasing a Skill Tree upgrade)

 

“I can feel the power!”
(After purchasing a Skill Tree upgrade)

 

“I… I’m seeing something!”
(When foreseeing an ally’s future)

 

“It’s coming to me…!”
(When witnessing his own future)

 

“More enemies!”
(When alerting the party to new foes)

 

“There’s no end to them!”

(When facing a large horde of foes)

 

“This isn’t going well…”
(Low health)

 

“I can’t...go on…”

(Fainting)

“I’m...sorry…”
(Fainting after an ally has fainted)