The two angels were gliding over a cheering city, a warm sunset warming both pairs of wings. Hades had just been defeated; Dark Pit smiled at the sight of Pit, taking in all the glory.
"All right, Pit," Palutena's voice, brimming with equal cheer, pierced into both their consciousnesses, "you've had a hard battle; time to head up no-"
"Not yet." Dark Pit sternly interrupted her, the first time he'd spoken since the battle was won. With no one to address directly, he turned his glare skyward. "Set me down. Viridi, you'd better do the same with Pit." He heard a "tch" from Viridi, his flight turning into a decent. "And give us some time alone, will you? I don't like the idea of you omniscient types listening in on everything."
The two landed on a small cliff overlooking the town. Despite the gorgeous view, Pit knew things had gotten serious, and his mood had become more sombre. Dark Pit turned to him, his figure eclipsing the setting sun so that his silhouette was outlined in gold fire and his face was cast in shadow.
"Listen. You don't need to go back with her."
"What?" Pit was startled, but in too good a mood to be offended. Instead, he looked at Dark Pit curiously.
"I am you. At least, I know the things you won't admit to yourself, so I know that you don't actually want to keep putting up with-"
"Of course I do!" Pit cut in, Dark Pit thought too quickly. "I can't believe you're still going on about this! I have total faith in Lady Palutena!"
"She'll throw you away one day!" Pit's insistance was suddenly mirrored in his counterpart. "She doesn't need you! Not like I do!" He saw Pit's face distort, but it didn't matter, he didn't understand, and the stakes were too high to stop. "One day, she'll find some servant even more powerful than you, and she'll throw you away! Maybe not now, maybe not for many years, but it'll happen, and when it does, you'll be disposable! You can't doubt it, can you? You've seen it, for years, how she's treated you-"
"She saved my life!" Pit was angry now, but Dark Pit was desperate.
"I saved you! Because I need you!" He stared at his lighter half, his eyes dark and intense. "Look, I- I learned something during those three years you were in the ring. I may have told you once, but I don't exist without you. Unlike her, I won't let anything happen to you, I-" He could tell. He wasn't getting through to him. "Pit... You defeated a god today. Even Palutena couldn't have done that by herself-"
"I didn't do it by myself! Lady Paluten-"
"Just listen to me for a second, idiot!" Dark Pit was bristling, his wings dropping dark feathers on the stone they stood on. "Think about it. You're strong Pit. We're strong. Together, we could do anything- we could take on any god, and finally fix this broken system-"
"We couldn't fly." Pit's interjection brought Dark Pit into a stunned silence. Pit stared at him with an even glare, his already short patience on the subject quickly waning.
"We don't need to fly to be powerful."
"I'm sorry, Pittoo." Pit walked to the edge of the cliff, lifting his arms in silent prayer. Immediately, a golden light lifted Pit into Skyworld, leaving the darker angel alone on the darkening cliff.
"Well? Where are you going?" Viridi's voice came to his ears almost immediately, irritating the one who had been hoping for some time to himself.
"Don't bother. I'm on my own from now on." He jumped off the cliff, skidding against the rocks as he started his long journey to the city below.