Pit

The sun's warm glow illuminated the dozing Skyworld. A few wisps of cloud floated across the expanse of blue sky, dancing and weaving around the mischievous wind which pulled and tugged insistently at their soft cotton edges. The damage caused by the chaos kin was nothing more than a nightmare, a frightening memory which disintegrated under the glare of noonday sun. A few young angels were kicking a ball around a courtyard, the nubs of their wings pressing against the tunics which were plastered to their skin with sweat. The white marble buildings, painted with bright colours and embellished with precious metals glinted in the sun, throwing its light back up to the sky. From a distance, the city looked as if it were made from light itself, a Heliopolis in the sky. The statue of Palutena which stood sentinel over the city glowed like a beacon, its shimmering wings mantling the temple from the worst of the heat. Little centurions buzzed around the statue like little bees, sheltering in the shade she cast. Summer was in full swing. The trees which fringed the courtyards had long since shed their blossoms, and the air was filled with the heady scent of flowers. The horrors the city had faced since the resurrection of Medusa had long since faded into the depths of everyone's memories. Nothing dark could possibly end this shining era.

Pit had taken refuge in the stables. Phos and Lux, the unicorns he had inherited from the Chariot Master shook their manes and swatted lazily at the insects which hummed in their ears. The angel picked up a grooming brush and began to run it through the shimmering blue coat of Phos. The stallion nickered shifted his weight, looking round to watch the angel.

"Like that don't you?" Pit said, brushing off the loose hairs.

It was cool inside the stable. The marble walls absorbed the heat so that the air was cooler. Dust motes swirled in the shafts of sunlight that spilled through the window. The floor was strewn with soft sweet-smelling hay, which filled the air with its fresh scent.

Stifling a yawn, Pit grabbed a comb and began the tedious task of unknotting the unicorn's mane. He pulled it through the soft pink hair, with methodical care he teased out the knots and debris. The stallion dozed, eyes half-lidded, lulled to sleep by the rhythmic pull of the comb and the warmth of the sun.

"All done."

Pit patted the stallion's rump, sending a small cloud of stardust into the air. He moved to the stallion's head, scratching the sweet spot between his ears. Phos gave a snort and nosed the angel's pockets, looking for treats.

"Get out me pockets." He pushed the unicorn's head away and reached a hand into his pockets and pulled out a small red apple and held it out.

Lux gave a haughty snort.

"I'll do you in a minute."

The mare grunted and turned her rump towards him, looking away disdainfully.

Pit and Phos exchanged a look.

"Girls."

Palutena

While the world moved outside, inside the temple of Palutena, a lone figure sat perched in the eaves of the temple like a little white owl roosting in the cool shade of the marble stone. Her long green hair was plaited down her back. A simple white peplos hung from her thing lithe frame. She leant against the stone much as a child would, curled up, her knees drawn up to her chest. In her hands, she clutched a little wooden eagle. A choked sob escaped her lips as she fingered the little bird's carved wings. With a stifled cry, she buried her head in her arms, and begun to cry, the little eagle held to her heart. Tears beaded its polished surface like little diamonds.

Pit

The worst of the heat had gone now as the sun continued its curving path across the sky. Pit emerged from the shade of the stables, nursing a bruised shoulder where Lux had bitten him. The angel had heard her sobs echoing in his mind, the telepathic link to his goddess still strong after all these years. Yet he knew better than to approach the goddess. The sorrow she carried in her heart could not be shared nor shouldered, no matter how much Pit had tried. Now he knew it was better to seek her out when the worst of the grief had passed, bringing with him a cup of hot tea.

He found her in the eaves of the temple, hiding in the shadows. The tear's had left sad tracks, like dried up rivers down her face. The angel sat on the beam some metre away from her, cautious as a puppy who did not know if it was wanted. He placed the mug of steaming tea on the beam halfway between them. For a while, the goddess was quiet, her tears dried up, her lungs burnt and raw with the sobs that now no longer had the will to claw their way up into the air. Then she slowly uncurled, like a flower after the depths of winter. Pit watched her, blue eyes as soft and deep as the calm sea, concern glittering in their fathoming depths. She brushed a strand of hair from her eyes and wrapped her hands around the ceramic cup. Like a little girl, she cradled it, ignoring the searing heat, gripped it hard. In her lap, the eagle lay, wings outstretched as it flew over the folds of her dress.

Time stretched between captain and commander.

"Do you want me to go and look?" Pit ventured.

The same words, the same half-baked pointless solutions. His powerlessness infuriated the angel. What kind of captain was he if he all he could do was search the sky when both immortals knew it was hopeless.

"50 years." Lady Palutena whispered.

Pit's wings slouched and he looked down at the temple below, a centurion strongarm was sweeping the floor, oblivious to the pair above.

"I'm pathetic…" she said, watching the centurion. "I promised to look after this place. But all I can do is cry…"

Pit looked up, trying to read her face. Fire danced in his eyes, fuelled by undying loyalty.

"That's not true Lady Palutena! You stopped Hades, Medusa, Viridi AND the Aurum! What more could anyone ask?!"

Lady Palutena didn't smile.

"But I destroyed this place. I…I…attacked the very people I was supposed to protect."

"That wasn't you. That was the chaos kin."

"Even after all these years, you're still just a child."

"Hey, I can't help being immortal."

Lady Palutena gave him a small smile. She looked for all the world like a little girl, offering her a parents a watery grin to tell them she wasn't broken yet. It scared Pit to see her like this, she was always taking charge, always shouldering other people's burdens, always there to make sure everyone was alright. Nobody saw this side of Lady Palutena. It had taken the angel too long to get her to show this side. The only good thing about it all, was that this Lady Palutena only appeared once a year. One day a year when Pit had to take charge and play parent to a goddess and help her pick up the pieces of her broken porcelain heart.

Pit gave her a grin.

"I'll check the skies for you." He turned to leave, sensing her discomfort.

"I'm sorry…" she whispered.

Pit shook his head.

"My pleasure!"

With the agility of a monkey, he shimmied down the pillar and landed on the ground with barely a thud. He gave the goddess a salute and disappeared before the centurion could notice him.

Lady Palutena watched him disappear through a film of tears. She rested the mug on her knees and pressed her forehead to her knees. She closed her eyes in defeat, tears fell like rain from her eyelashes.

"Forgive me Nike."

Now the worst of the heat had subsided, Skyworld was beginning to come alive. Centurions began training and young angels grudgingly returned to their classes. Pit ducked behind a wall as the head centurion guard wondered past, calling out his name.

"Not today guys." Pit muttered.

When he had passed, with the speed of a greyhound he darted into the stables.

Lux snorted and turned away, ears flat against her skull. Pit gave her a scowl and went over to Phos. The stallion nickered and nosed his pocket for tibits.

"No sweeties for you. We've got a job to do for Lady Palutena."

Patting the stallions neck, he walked past to the rack at the back of the stable. He took two bridles from the wall. Phos obediently lowered his head. Pit slipped the metal noseband over his muzzle and buckled the band around the stallions crystal horn. The metal sparked with electricity, and the crystal hummed softly. The martingale was next. The metal plating had to be clipped and buckled to give a seamless join. Once it and the girth had been secured, Phos gave a shake of his mane, sending clouds of stardust up into the air.

Lux glared at Pit as he approached, ears flat, hoof pawing the ground threateningly.

"I don't have time for this!"

Lux drew herself up to her full height, dwarfing the angel. Phos wisely backed up.

Pit tried to get the noseband over her muzzle. She snapped and bit at him with unbridled ferocity. Then when the hapless angel secured the band around her horn, he got an electric shock for his trouble. She tried to kick him while he secured the girth and nearly trampled him while he buckled the martingale.

As Pit stood up, he slapped away the mare's head as she tried to nip him again.

Having tacked up both unicorns, he led them over to the chariot. Throwing off the dust cover, he now begun the tedious task of yoking the unicorns to the chariots. Phos obediently backed in, while Lux refused to budge. The poor angel pushed and shoved, but he may as well have been trying to move a mountain. The angel leaned his entire weight on the mare, yet she stubbornly remained where she was.

"I hate being small…" Pit muttered darkly.

Phos gave an exasperated snort and bit the mare's rump. Startled, the mare let out a whinny and moved back.

The sudden movement nearly floored the angel, but he managed to regain his feet and dart round to the side so that he could reach the buckles.

"Got you!" Pit quickly clipped the yoke to the girth.

The mare's teeth clamped shut millimetres from his fingers.

The unicorns now tethered, Pit jumped up into the chariot. The wolf claws clinked at his waist, hanging from his belt. The Palutena Bow in the chariot, gleamed silver in the orange light. Taking the shimmering reins in his hands, he flicked them over the rumps of the unicorns.

"Hya!"

The unicorns trotted out of the stables, their hooves sending sparks up from the marble path.

Once up in the air, the unicorns truly began to show their true strength. Their golden hooves left trails of crackling sparks through the warm air. Pit's eyes scanned the heavens. Nothing. Pulling the reins, he brought the unicorns into a wide arc, like an eagle circling the plains looking for prey.

"See anything?" he muttered t the unicorns.

Nothing.

The wind ruffled the feathers in his wings. Pit stretched out his wings, letting the air finger his feathers. The sun began to dip below the horizon, bathing the skies in a fiery orange light. Clouds were beginning to gather. There was a storm coming.

"Just my luck."

He'd been out for hours, traversing the skies over all the known world. Visibility was deteriorating. The clouds were rallying as if called. It didn't take long for the lightning to begin to crackle. The unicorns whinnied, lightning flashing around their horns. The air smelled of ozone. The first few fat drops of rain began to fall. It was refreshing cool. They washed the dust from his wings and skin. The unicorns shook their manes, sending droplets of water in all directions.

The summer storm was building fast.

A fork of lightning branched down to the ground and thunder rumbled around him, shaking his very bones. The storm raged and bellowed around the angel like a mighty dragon.

More lightning split the air. Lux brayed, her horn flashing with electricity.

There.

Pit squinted through the downpour. His mind did a lizard in roller skates. There was no way, no possible way. An eagle, made of bright white lightning, banked hard and rolled into a dive.

Pit yanked hard on the reins.

"After him!"

The unicorns snorted and leapt down, spiralling through the sheets of torrential rain. Forks of lightning flashed all around him, like pillars supporting the sky. The unicorns were galloping full pelt now, yet still the eagle stayed ahead. It was unbelievable. Blue sparks leapt from its feathers. The wind, crackling with static, brushed across his skin like the fingers of a storm spirit. Clouds clawed at his hair and rain beat down on his face, like a thousand icy pebbles.

The eagle let out a long lonely cry.

Then, with a rush of wind, they were out of the clouds. Sheets of rain poured down all around him. Pit's tunic was plastered to his skin, his hair a bedraggled mess. His wing feathers were saturated with water, drooping sadly under the downpour.

"Woah! Where it'd go?"

The sky was empty, not an eagle in sight.

Pulling the unicorns round, he circled the area where the eagle had disappeared.

Nothing.

Phos let out a wary snort. Pit looked over to what the stallion had seen.

"Oh no…!"