Before the Final Battle

## Introduction

**Fiora:** Something wrong, Shulk? You look like you're a million miles away.

**Shulk:** ...

**Fiora:** Shulk? You in there?

**Shulk:** Oh! Hey, Fiora! What's up?

**Fiora:** Hellooo. I just asked you that! You feeling OK?

**Shulk:** Sorry. I was just thinking...

**Fiora:** You've been like this since we got here.

**Shulk:** Haha. You don't miss a thing, do you?

**Fiora:** Nope. And I know exactly what's been on your mind.

## Gain (+8)

**Fiora: *[You're worried about me.]***

**Shulk:** Yes. How did you know?

**Fiora:** All I had to do was look at your face. I could feel the worry...

**Shulk:** Just by looking at me?! That's pretty amazing.

**Fiora:** I was joking, Shulk! Hehe! Thank you, though. But I've been feeling much better, so stop worrying so much!

**Shulk:** Well... if you're feeling better...

**Fiora:** Hey, Shulk... Do you think I'll ever be 100% Homs again?

**Shulk:** No doubt! Of course you will. I will make it happen.

**Fiora: *[Oh, Shulk! Thank you!]*** I don't know what I would do without you!

**Shulk:** When this is all over, we'll find a way.

**Fiora:** Whenever we make camp I see you with your head in a book. The other night you didn't sleep. Are you doing all this for me?

**Shulk:** Yeah, but it's nothing. I always get carried away when I fixate on one thing. It's a bad habit of mine...

**Fiora:** But you must be so exhausted from all the fighting!

**Shulk:** Don't worry, Fiora. I’m fine. It did some good, because now I've learnt a few things.

**Fiora:** Really? Like what?

**Shulk:** The key is combining Machina and High Entia technologies. Miqol gave me a book explaining the joint research they did. It was years and years ago, but it covered all sorts of fields. I don't know much about medicine, but Sharla and Linada do. I'll get them to help.

**Fiora:** Shulk...

**Shulk:** S-sorry, Fiora. This stuff is really boring, huh?

**Fiora:** No... it's not.

**Shulk:** ... Fiora? Are you... crying?

**Fiora:** Yes. But these are tears of joy. I don't know what to say... When I get my body back... Let's go have another picnic at the park in the colony!

**Shulk:** Sure thing, Fiora. It's a date. One day, I promise.

## Net 0 (+4, -4)

**Fiora: *[You're worried about me.]***

**Shulk:** Yes. How did you know?

**Fiora:** All I had to do was look at your face. I could feel the worry...

**Shulk:** Just by looking at me?! That's pretty amazing.

**Fiora:** I was joking, Shulk! Hehe! Thank you, though. But I've been feeling much better, so stop worrying so much!

**Shulk:** Well... if you're feeling better...

**Fiora:** Hey, Shulk... Do you think I'll ever be 100% Homs again?

**Shulk:** No doubt! Of course you will. I will make it happen.

**Fiora: *[I know you can’t promise that.]*** I know you think you can do it all, but even you have your limits.

**Shulk:** You don't believe me? Come on!

**Fiora:** I'm not saying you’re lying, Shulk! I wish you'd listen sometimes!

**Shulk:** OK! OK already! I'm really sorry, Fiora. I just don't want you to be worried. I know I have the power to see this through. That's my promise to you, Fiora.

**Fiora:** Really? You promise?

**Shulk:** Yep. And have you ever known me to go back on a promise?

**Fiora:** Hehe. I guess not. Thank you, Shulk. You've filled me with hope.

**Shulk:** I'm glad you say that. I know it's tough, but you can never give up hope. When this is all over... When there's peace at last...

**Fiora:** You don't have to say another word. I trust you, Shulk.

## Net 0 (-4, +4)

**Fiora: *[It's Dickson, isn't it?]***

**Shulk:** No, not just him. But that's partly it.

**Fiora:** It's not easy. We all thought of him as our friend.

**Shulk:** I just don’t know anymore, Fiora. One second I resent him and the next I remember who he is... What am I supposed to feel? I don’t know anymore...

**Fiora:** It must be hard to think about fighting him.

**Shulk:** Very. I just hope there's some way I can avoid it...

**Fiora: *[There might not be...]***

**Shulk:** Yeah. Deep down I know we have to go through him to get to Zanza.

**Fiora:** That's right, Shulk. He won't stand down for anyone. Not even you.

**Shulk:** Don't worry. I'll give as good as I get. Even if that means he has to die...

**Fiora:** And I'll be right by your side, ready to fight to the end with you. But I don't think you should forget about all the good times you had. With Dickson, I mean. I still believe those are real.

**Shulk:** You do?

**Fiora:** It's complicated, I know. Sometimes you just wish you could forget all the bad memories. But you have to keep hold of them. The good ones and the bad... They're all tied together.

**Shulk:** Fiora... I... I know what you mean. I won't let go of those memories.

**Fiora:** Um, Shulk... You won't ever forget about me, will you?

**Shulk:** Hey, where did that come from? I could never, ever forget about you.

**Fiora:** Yeah, I guess not. Sorry. Now, let's go and find the others. They're probably getting worried.

## Loss (-8)

**Fiora: *[It's Dickson, isn't it?]***

**Shulk:** No, not just him. But that's partly it.

**Fiora:** It's not easy. We all thought of him as our friend.

**Shulk:** I just don’t know anymore, Fiora. One second I resent him and the next I remember who he is... What am I supposed to feel? I don't know anymore...

**Fiora:** It must be hard to think about fighting him.

**Shulk:** Very. I just hope there's some way I can avoid it...

**Fiora: *[I'm sure there will be!]***

**Shulk:** Really? That sounds... unlikely.

**Fiora:** If it's gonna be too tough for you, why make it hard on yourself? He was like a father to you, right? Let us take care of him instead. You can hang back, wait for us!

**Shulk:** I know what you're saying, Fiora. But I can't let you do that. I've been thinking about what happened before... And I reckon maybe Dickson doesn't care about Zanza at all...

**Fiora:** What makes you say that?

**Shulk:** I think... he just wants to kill me. He's realised that I don't need the Monado to defeat him. And that scares him. That's why he wants to end this.

**Fiora:** There's no going back now...

**Shulk:** No. We move forward or perish. We got ourselves into this mess, we have to get ourselves out.

**Fiora:** I wish there could be another way. You were like father and son...

**Shulk:** Fiora...

**Fiora:** Sorry, Shulk. I didn't mean to upset you. Changing the subject... Why don't we go find the others? They're probably waiting for us.