Began Typing: 3:06 PM 7/20/2008

Posted: 7/20/2008

Return of the Sixth and the Seventh- Chapter One (Back for More)

The sun was up in the midday, the streaking rays of sunlight leaking through the slight overcast, making the port side town gleam oddly in the summer heat. A boy of about seventeen years of age ran from the castle, fear in his eyes and tripping over his own feet clumsily. Something wasn't right on this sunny Talian afternoon.

This green-haired boy shoved his way through the massive corwds of the town, ignoring their angry protests. His bows clanked loud and obnoxiously on his back. Everything was wrong, as Lady Lena had forewarned. He had to find his lord before it was too late!

Cobalt eyes carved their way into his mind once again, even though he had just muscled them out, the perfectly muscular body build of the familiar mercenary haunting his dreams. He allowed himself to smile as a gentle breeze ruffled his hair. The ocean lie just before him, the cliff precarious. If anyone saw such nobility there, he would be immediately reprimanded. "I wonder what Ike's doing...?" He thought aloud, relaxing as the sun warmed his pale skin.

He jerked back to reality as soon as possible. Something wasn't right here. Doves. A flock of doves flew overhead, away from the castle. The doves usually loved it there, so why...? The ground shook with great intensity, the front of the cliff he sat on sliding down into the ocean with an ear-splitting crash. He hopped to his feet, narrowly evading falling himself. "Lord Marth!"

His eyes finally recognized the archer approaching him. A boy with hair like the forest, about his age and just as slender. "Gordon!" Marth flinched as Gordon clutched his arms roughly. "What's wrong?"

The look on the boy's face was one of total panic. "Princess Sheeda!" He gasped. "Castle! Mass of big black...STUFF!"

Marth glanced around swiftly. He felt utterly helpless, as nothing appeared to be wrong. "Gordon, calm down!" Marthshook the boy's shoulder's slightly. "What's wrong with Sheeda?"

Gordon grabbed his hand, beginning to pull him back to the castle. The sight that played out before them was likely to dance in Marth's head for years to come. The once peaceful castle and kingdom were engulfed in a black mass. The sounds of people's screams echoed through the air, halting the prince in his tracks. The town had once been so peaceful, the smell of fresh morning bread wafting up the hillside quite contrary to the horror. Gordon had nothing to say, his silence conveying his disbelief and fear. Marth clenched his fist and shut his eyes. "This is horrible..." He mumbled.

"Eh?...Oh...prince?"

Marth looked to Gordon, his heart feeling like lead in his chest. "What is it?"

"I know this is a hard moment for you but...uh...it's not stopping!"

Marth's eyes widened, shooting up. Gordon was right, the black mass of who-knows-what continued to tear up the ground, headed straight for them. "Oh!"

"Run!" Gordon yelled, grabbing Marth's arm and beginning to pull him away.

Marth turned around, following Gordon's lead. Unfortunately, they were on a cliff overlooking the ocean and the mass was, of course, on land. Gordon frowned, finding their choices limited. "Lord Marth!" He yelled, getting the prince's attention. "On the count of three, jump!"

"What!? Off the cliff!?"

"We don't have a lot of options! Ready!?"

"No!"

"One...Two..."

Marth squeezed his friend's hand tightly, ready to jump. "THREE!" Gordon screamed, jumping off, Marth close behind.

The ethereal sphere had just claimed the edge of the cliff they were just on. Marth, within seconds, felt his whole body be submerged in icy-cold water. His lungs screamed for air and his joints ached in pain. He couldn't find Gordon's hand anymore, kicking and flailing wildly to reach the surface.

Marth kept his eyes shut, but forced his head through the tension of the water, air filling his lungs feeling just as cool as the water around him. He resisted shivering. "GORDON!?" He called, traversing as the waves slapped his back roughly.

"I'm here, milord!" The archer responded, an arm's reach away from him. He, too, seemed to be struggling to fight the waves. "Grab hold of a rock!"

"You mean the jagged rocks we barely missed when we jumped that could've killed me!?"

"Yeah, that's them!"

Marth forced his way towards the jagged rocks a few yards from the engulfed cliffs, wrapping his arm around it, tears cutting into his arms. He extended the other arm to Gordon. "Hold on, Gordon!" He roared over the ocean surf, receiving a mouthful of salt water for his effort.

The waves beat against his back, knocking the breath from him. The sopping wet boy grabbed his hand loosely, his hands slippery from the water. The prince pulled him over, waiting until he clutched to the rock beside him before letting go. Marth grunted, the water giving him a thrashing. "Get on the other side, Marth!" Gordon bellowed.

"And put my back to THAT!?"

"Just do it!"

Marth pulled himself around the rock, allowing it to break the waves for him. Marth shot Gordon an indecipherable look. "This is insanity!" He argued with generally no one. "What is that!?"

"I have no idea!" Gordon responded.

The mass gradually came to a roaring halt, engulfing he landmass that was once over 10,000 people's homes. Gordon noticed this first. "Lord Marth, it seems to have halted..."

"Wonderful, but just what is it?"

"I don't know, but I have absolutely no intentions of finding out."

Marth silently agreed. "Well...now what?"

Gordon took a few deep breaths, attempting to make them void of water, unsuccessfully. "I don't know. We'll be worn down if we move...we'll die of hypothermia if we do nothing..."

Marth glanced around. "So, we can wait and die!? Is that it?!"

Gordon frowned. "Well...the way you say it makes it sound worse..."

Marth sighed heavily. "D-Dammit..." His body was already starting to shiver, the ocean's currents carrying away his body heat.

The prince felt helpless. He was a lover, not a fighter, bu he refused to die so pathetically. Marth looked back to the mass. It was such an abnormal sight...however, it was the unknown or the bottom of the ocean. He was pretty sure that he was going to die anyways, so why not so to the pearly gates saying, 'I jumped into an unknown mass.'? That would surely give him bragging rights for all eternity..."Gordon." He stated, the archer jumping. "I'm going in."

"What!?" Gordon cried. "No!"

"Yeah." Marth kept his eyes on the oblivion. "And you're coming with me."

"What!? No, Prince Marth, please reconsider!!"

Marth snatched Gordon's wrist, pushing off the rock and towards the abyss behind. A curtain of darkness enveloped them as they entered and all worries left the as they were swept inside. Was this what dying felt like? Well...The floor of purgatory was sure cold... Wait, floor?

Marth pushed against the solid surface beneath him, propping himself up to his elbows. Darkness. Total darkness, somehow alight. He could've sworn they had only just broken through, but there was no end to the multicolored broken floor underneath him. But hey, who was he to complain? It was better than the water...Speaking of which, he was still soggy. Marth crawled to his friend who lie perfectly still on the floor. "Goron...Gordon! Open your eyes, you idiot!"

The archer grumbled slightly. "L-Lord Marth?"

"Yes my dear half-wit, it's me. Come on, get up. We've got to start moving."

"Am I... in heaven?"

Marth slapped Gordon, his green-haired friend shooting up. "Ow!" He cried, clutching his cheek. "That hurt!"

"Then you're still alive. Quit fooling around."

Gordon sat up somberly, surveying the area. "Yeah...uh...where are we?"

Marth stood up, looking around as he wrung his cape out. "Honestly, I have no idea, but we can't dawdle. If there are things here, they'll know the area better. We cannot afford to hang around."

Gordon hiked to his feet, checking to make sure he still had some arrows in his quiver. Lucky days, he had atleast forty arrows left, each with a soft red feather tied to the end. Unfortunately, that meant they were practice arrows. They could only be used once a piece. Gordon shrugged. At least he had some. "Do you have Falchion?" He asked Marth.

Marth nodded. "Of course. Now, let's move."

"Uh...which way?"

"..." Marth rest his head in his hands. "You pick."

Gordon closed his eyes and ran in circles until he was dizzy, finally pointing off somewhere into the mist. "That way!" He exclaimed.

"That way it is then." Marth agreed, beginning to walk.

Gordon did not like the uncomfortable silence that was likely to fall when only two traveled together, so he attempted to make small talk. "So...uh...what kind of creatures will we find here?"

"Poyo!"

Gordon and Marth leapt four feet, whipping around, only to see a small pink puffball that surmounted to about shin height. "Kirby!" Marth ran out from behind Gordon, skidding to his knees as he stooped to scoop up his friend in his arms. "I missed you!"

"Poyo!" Kirby's small arms hugged Marth's back. "Poyopoyo! Goo' morning pwincess!"

Gordon blinked confused. "Marth, what is that?"

"Gordon, this is Kirby. I met him at the tournament I left for a while ago. Kirby, this is Gordon, my childhood friend."

"Poyo, poyo! M-miss you! Lollipop!"

Marth'seyes widened slightly. "Kirby, does this have to do with the tournament?"

Kirby nodded. "Poyo!"

Gordon glanced between the two. "Wait...so he can understand you, but he can't speak? Oh, now i'm confused..."

"Kirby, tellmeis..." Marth calmed himself, his speech slurring together. "Is...is Ike here?"

Kirby nodded again. "Poyo, poyo! Lollipop!"

Gordon blinked again. "I don't get this! Why can it understand you??"

"Can you take me to him?"

"Poyo!"

"Quit ignoring me!" Gordon cried, flailing pointlessly.

Kirby hopped from Marth's arms, beginning to jog, leading the way. Marth grabbed Gordon's wrist again, pulling him behind him. "Wait!" Gordon yelled as they zigzagged up platforms and jumped chasms where if they missed, they would fall to their dooms. "Who's Ike?!"

Marth smiled widely. "Don't worry, you'll like him!"

"Lollipop, poyo!"

Marth skidded to a halt, Gordon stopping behind him. Gordon turned his head to the side slightly...

Cliff hanger! Isn't this so much fun already? Once again, for safety purposes, this is Part Two of At Sixes and Sevens and I think it's giving my carpal tunnel. -Grin- Oh, well. I hope you enjoyed that last story. Hopefully this one's better. I apologize for putting Gordon in it, but he is REALLY funny. Really.

Disclaimer: I don't own SSBB, Nintendo, or Fire Emblem. :) If I did though...Bwahaha!