A.N.: Hi again! I couldn't just leave y'all hanging now, could I? Now we'll have to see what has become of everyone after the fall of Skyworld. It's looking pretty rough for everyone.

For the record, almost all of my research regarding these events came from the instruction manual of the 1986 NES game, which, of course, belongs to Nintendo, as do the characters and world of Kid Icarus. It isn't my intention to insert headcannons where they don't belong; I try to stay as true to canon as I possibly can. That's the goal, anyway. You can decide whether or not I've attained that.

Anyway, without further ado, let's press onward!

"Uhhhnnn…" Pit groaned as he slowly dragged himself out of the depths of unconsciousness. He hurt everywhere: his head was pounding, his feet were aching, his chest was throbbing, his wings were cramping; he even hurt in places he didn't know could hurt. He coughed weakly around what felt like a layer of sandpaper lining his throat, burning with every shallow gulp of air, and lacing his mouth with the taste of blood.

"Wh-where am I…?" he mumbled as his eyes slowly cracked open. As his vision gradually cleared, he could make out his own body stretched out in front of him, looking down as if he were elevated above it. As he lifted his head, he could feel a dull pain in his shoulders as something was pulling his arms above his head. With a confused grunt, he followed his arms up the wall, all the way up to his wrists, which were shackled tightly to the stone wall with thick, iron clamps that pushed his wrist guards farther up his arms painfully.

He gasped in alarm at the sight, and as he tried to tug himself loose, they only dug in deeper. He tried shifting his feet to get some extra leverage, but as he did, he felt a sharp, digging sensation in his ankles. Glancing down at his feet, he could see that they, too, were just as tightly chained to the cold, stone floor, similarly forcing the leather bands around his lower legs upward where they pinched the skin behind his knees.

"What…?" Paling with dread, he wildly started looking around the unfamiliar room. It was a small, windowless room with stone walls and floors, with a few unoccupied chains and shackles bolted to them. It looked like the sort of dark, dingy cell one would see in a picture book, complete with a thick, wooden door with a small, iron barred window, through which he could only make out a similarly bleak hallway, barely illuminated by the dimmest, flickering light of a dying torch.

Wherever he was, it was clear he wasn't in Skyworld anymore.

"Wh-what? How? No… no!" In a fit of panicked denial, he frantically lashed out against the shackles, tugging against them as hard as he could. The iron dug into his flesh as he thrashed around, holding fast and mocking him with the sharp clatter of chain on stone. The harder he pulled, the more they bit in, and with one, final, useless heave, he fell back against the wall, coughing and choking through his agonizingly dry throat.

"Wh… what's going on?" he croaked in between ragged breaths. "Lady Palutena? Can you hear me? What's happening?"

However, instead of the familiar voice of the goddess of light, he was answered by a sudden, loud pounding on the door. "Hey, keep it down in there!" a deep voice boomed at him.

Pit jumped at the unfamiliar voice. That didn't sound like anyone he had ever heard before. "Huh? Who are you? What is this place? Where's Lady Palutena?"

The voice guffawed like a hoarse cough. A large, dull, green eye appeared in the door's window, peering in at him menacingly. "You're even dumber than you look, ain't ya?" the eye's owner sneered at him. "No wonder it was so easy to take over Skyworld!"

"What…?" Pit breathed as memories suddenly rushed back to him of the brutal conflict that had torn Skyworld apart right before his very eyes. "Th-that can't be…" It had all happened so fast. Had that nightmare really happened? There was no way the Underworld could have delivered such a crushing blow so decisively. But if the whole chained-to-the-wall-in-a-dungeon situation was any indication, not only had it actually happened, but it was still very much underway, and there was no sign of it letting up anytime soon.

"Hur-hur-hurr!" the guard laughed. "This is priceless! No wonder they kept you alive! And you're supposed to be the best they've got to offer? Haw! What a joke!"

The mocking laughter filled Pit with outraged indignation, and he lunged as far forward as he could against the shackles. "Hey! The only joke around here is you! Or, you would be if it – ngh! – weren't for these – agh! – stupid chains!" He tugged against the metal bonds, but they were still just as strong as before and remained firmly rooted in place. He flopped back against the wall, breathing heavily, and glared as fiercely as he could at the snickering face in the window.

"Hur-hur! Better cool down there, twerp! Or else I might have to report you to the Great Mistress Medusa!"

Pit's fiery expression melted into a confused but wary frown as dread suddenly pricked at his heart. "M-Medusa?"

"That's right, runt! Her illustrious excellence, the great and powerful goddess of darkness herself: ruler of Skyworld and, soon, the entire world!" The guard's voice rang with sadistic triumph as his rumbling laughter echoed throughout the dungeon.

Pit's heart plummeted like a lead weight. "What?! That's impossible!" he blurted incredulously. This had to be some kind of sick joke, right? "What about Lady Palutena? What did you do with her?!" he demanded in a near panic, straining against his bonds desperately.

"Heh. I wouldn't worry about her, if I were you," the guard returned smugly. "You should be more worried about your own hide right now. After all, the Underworld is no place for an angel."

Pit paled. "The Underworld?" That really wasn't good. Nothing lived in the Underworld except soulless monsters and creatures of darkness. Anything else… well, it wasn't called the realm of the dead for nothing. "And Lady Palutena?" he pressed, fearing the worst. "Is she…?"

"Hmph. The Great Mistress is dealing with her now. But don't worry, she hasn't forgotten about you, shrimp." The glossy eye twinkled sadistically. "I'm sure she'll come and pay you a visit once she's finished dealing with Miss Goody-Two-Shoes."

Pit squirmed uneasily, remembering how effortlessly she had dispatched him in Skyworld. "O-oh. She doesn't have to do that."

"Hur-hur-hur! Oh, I'm counting on it!" the guard jeered. "Just think of the fun she'll have with you! Maybe she'll feed you to Twinbellows! Or have the Hewdra tear you apart! Or she might pluck all your feathers off one by one and stuff you with them! And then turn you into a statue like all the others! Haw-haw! The possibilities are endless!"

"…Urk!" Pit shrank back reflexively as the guard roared with laughter. His wings quickly folded behind him at the thought that they might be so violently ripped from him. But he couldn't show weakness now; even as a captured prisoner, he was to uphold the title of captain, and represent his army and goddess as best he could, no matter how dire the circumstances. He leaned forward and forced his face into the bravest expression he could manage. "Y-you don't scare me!"

"Oh no? Well maybe this will: you're only alive right now because you're so low on the priority list Her Darkliness hasn't decided what to do with you yet. As soon as she finishes dealing with Palutena and Skyworld, you, like them, will be finished."

"That's… You won't…" He shook with anger and desperation, refusing to accept the guard's words but unable to counter them. His reeling mind only kept coming to the same conclusion of defeat, and, despite himself, he finally hung his head in helpless frustration. "N-no…"

"Haw! Them's the breaks, tiny! The golden age of light is officially over! So, if I were you, I'd just sit nice and quietly here in your cozy new home, and hope that the Great Mistress forgets all about you, just like everyone else has!" And with a final bout of booming laughter, the hideous eye disappeared from view, and Pit was left alone in the cell.

He sighed deeply, as he finally began to accept the gravity of the situation. He felt awful; not just because of the shackles digging into his skin, or his burning, raw throat, or the growing itch between his wings he couldn't reach, but there was something deeper that felt like a boulder in his stomach. The weight of uncertainty and dread tied his stomach into knots as a dozen different questions swirled around his mind, haunting him. How could this have happened? What was going to happen now? What would become of him? And, worst of all, what would happen to Palutena, and what was happening to her now? Was she safe? Was she even alive?

A sudden pang of guilt and shame clenched his stomach. He was supposed to be the captain of Palutena's army – the head of her personal guard – and yet he had been knocked around, tossed aside and thrown in the slammer like a sack of potatoes. His one job description was to protect her, and he hadn't even been able to do that. There was no telling what Medusa would do to her in her vengeful wrath. She could be imprisoned somewhere, or hurt, or… or worse! And there was absolutely nothing he could do about it.

His wings drooped. Palutena had been the only person – goddess or otherwise – who had given him a chance, despite his… flight problem. She was one of the very few people he could readily call a friend. She had given him a home, a purpose, and hope when nobody else would give him so much as a second glance. In return, he had sworn his allegiance to her, to serve, fight, and even die for her should the need arise. But in his one chance to prove himself, even his best wasn't good enough, and Skyworld had fallen to the forces of darkness, leaving all of Angel Land at the mercy of the Underworld Army and Medusa, and at the forefront of that "mercy" was Palutena.

And the worst part was that he'd probably never see her again.

He shook his head in a frustrated combination of anger and grief. He couldn't just sit here and wait to die! There had to be a way out of this mess! But trapped as he was, imprisoned in a murky corner of the Underworld under lock and key, unable to even stand up, it was clear he wasn't going anywhere anytime soon. If only there was something he could do to fight back, something that could turn things around, he wouldn't feel so darn useless, but as it was, things were looking pretty bleak right now for his potentially short-lived future.

If only…

"…P…it…"

Pit's head snapped up at the faded whisper he could have sworn called his name. He hurriedly glanced around the room, but he was definitely alone. The voice had sounded familiar – it certainly wasn't the cruel, mocking laughter of the guard - but it was barely audible, hardly more than a breath on the back of his mind. Had he only imagined it? "…Hello?" he said cautiously, his voice low. He strained his ears against the darkness, not even daring to breathe lest he miss the muffled voice fluttering on the musty air. If it was even there in the first place, that is. He'd heard somewhere that hard time could do strange things to one's mind. He really hoped he wasn't going crazy already.

"Pit… …an yo… …ear me…?"

Pit's face suddenly broke forth into a sunrise of overwhelming joy. He'd recognize that voice anywhere; the soft, gentle cadence of the goddess of light was unmistakeable, faint and shaky as it was. She's alive! The thought alone momentarily cast aside all memory of the conquering of Skyworld as he was overcome by an ecstasy of relief. "Lady Palutena! Are you okay? Can you hear me? Where are you? Please tell me you're alright!"

"Oh, shaddup!" The guard beat against the door violently. "Nobody can hear you but me! And if you don't cut out that racket, I'll rip your wings off myself!"

Pit winced at the sharp reminder of where he was. The air rang with the echo of the crash of the door, muffling the muttered grumblings of the annoyed guard outside.

"…e's right… Keep yo… …oice dow…" the voice cautioned softly. It was slightly stronger, but only just barely. It nearly broke Pit's heart to hear Palutena's voice sound so… frail. It wasn't just the distance that muted her voice so, there was an unfamiliar breathlessness to it that spoke of exhaustion and weakness that she couldn't fully conceal. It was a far cry from the normally cheerful, confident, upbeat manner that she always spoke with in Skyworld. It sounded so wrong to hear her like that.

"Lady Palutena?" he started, keeping his own voice down to a hushed whisper. "Are you alright? I can barely hear you."

"You should… …listen to yoursel…" She gently chided, with a touch of her usual teasing.

"Heh. Yeah, maybe," he said with a sheepish grin. His ravaged throat probably made him sound even worse than she did. Her voice was starting to come in clearer now, though it sounded a bit forced. Still, it was a relief to know that she still had her sense of humour in spite of everything. Medusa hadn't taken that from her, at least. "It's so good to hear from you, Lady Palutena. I thought maybe you were…" he trailed off, not wanting to finish that thought.

"Pit, listen," Palutena's voice suddenly took on a more urgent tone. "I haven't… …uch time. I need yo… …elp…"

Pit stiffened, scarcely believing what he'd just heard. She needed his help? Even after he'd let her down in Skyworld? "What is it?" he asked, straining his ears so as not to miss a single word.

There was a brief pause, followed by her clearest words yet. "You must defeat Medusa."

The words echoed in his head, reverberating like a gong. This was no mere request, it was a charge; a mission she was personally assigning to him, with no room for refusal. This was an order to confront and overthrow the entity that had effortlessly brought all of Angel Land to its knees. His mouth opened and closed a few times before he managed to say, "…Me?"

"Yes. You. Her guard's down. …never see it coming."

"Oh. O…kay. I guess I could take a few dozen centurions, and-"

"No. …enturions… …urned into stone. …ust you…"

His mind was instantly drawn back to the petrified centurion staring speechlessly into space as Skyworld was torn to pieces. As he realized that all of his troops had met a similar fate (or worse, in the jaws of the dragon) it hit him that he really was all alone, faced with that final, terrifying memory of Medusa's attack. It was worse than his worst nightmare. Three horrific figures with six grinning faces leered down at him, each with eyes blazing with ruthless cruelty as they watched the life slowly drain from his face. Each one alone looked capable of chewing him up and spitting him out – literally and figuratively. And behind them, looming above them all like the shadow of a titan was the bleak silhouette of the goddess of darkness herself, standing tall and victorious amongst the ruins of his home, her snake-infested hair fanned out like a lion's mane around a hideous, glowing, scarlet eye. It bore into him, through him, rooting him to the spot with nothing more than a malicious, spiteful glare.

"You want me to… fight her? All by myself?"

"…at's right. Piece of cake, right?"

He coughed a weak, slightly hysterical laugh. "Y-yeah, sure. Nothing to it," he said, trying to play along with her crazy joke. After all, she couldn't be serious, right?

"Good. Now… …ay attention." She paused again, gathering her strength. "Medusa… …aken over the Palace in the Sky… from there… …ommands the Underworld Army. She… …aken the Three Sacred Treasures… …iven them to her three commanders… …uard them with their lives. Each… …em rule over some part of the earth: Twinbellows… …oyal guard dog… …esumed his position… Gatekeeper of the Underworld; …three-headed dragon, Hewdra… …aying waste to the Overworld and… …ealm of men; …Pandora, goddess of calamity… …ains destruction down from… …eavens from… …ewly acquired position in Skyworld. You'll need to take them out… …ake back the Treasures… …tand up to Medusa. Un-" Her voice fell away into a few deep, laboured breaths. She was clearly struggling to maintain contact with him."…nderstand?"

Pit did understand. Her words, though slightly broken up, had come through impressively clear, in spite of her weakened state. He was just having trouble believing it. Not only was Palutena serious, she had a plan, and that plan was for him to singlehandedly take on the Underworld Army and retake Angel Land from Medusa's clutches. He had wished for a chance to fight back and deliver justice to the Underworld baddies, but he had hoped he'd have something of an actual army supporting him. As dramatic and heroic as a one-angel stand sounded, the actual task Palutena had laid out for him was next to impossible. But there was no way he could refuse her; she was pushing herself just to speak to him.

He took a steadying breath. "I… I think so. But those guys creamed me last time! They completely destroyed everything! You don't actually think I stand a chance against those guys, do you?"

"Why do yo… …ink I kept Medusa from killing you?"

His breath caught. She believed in him that much? "But what about you?" he blurted suddenly. "You'll help me, right?"

There was another heavy pause. It felt like a deep sigh. "I… I can't. And… …unning out of time."

"What's wrong? Are you hurt? Where are you?"

"I'm bei… …eld… …Temple of Light. Medusa… ...uppressed my power… …an barely… …" Her voice was trailing off quickly, diminishing into a breathless whisper.

Pit gasped. It was clear this conversation wasn't going to last much longer. "Wait! Come back! I'll do it, Lady Palutena! I'll fight off the Underworld Army! I'll defeat Medusa! I'll save Skyworld! Don't go!"

His outburst was met by a harsh, "I thought I told you to keep yer yap shut!" from the guard, followed by a painful silence. It stretched on for what seemed like hours, ticking away as he waited for some kind of response. Was he too late? Had she heard him? Then, just when he thought her power must have run out and he was alone again, he felt a warm, tingling sensation deep in his chest. It was barely noticeable at first, hardly more than a tickle, but it quickly spread throughout his body, taking away all the pain, all the soreness, all the aches and filling him with renewed strength. As it reached out along his arms and legs, the shackles shuddered, rumbling ominously for a few seconds before popping open in quick succession.

Finally able to move again, Pit gleefully rubbed his numb hands and feet, pulling his wrist and ankle guards back into place with a sigh of relief. Something caught his attention in the corner of his eye, and he glanced over and noticed a bow lying on the ground. Leaping to his feet, he dashed over to where it was and grabbed it off the floor. He examined it quickly, and while he was thrilled to finally have a weapon again, he was shocked at how flimsy it was. It was almost comparable to human construction in its craftsmanship, and not a strong human bow, either. A dim band of light appeared around his wrist as he held it, indicating it would give him unlimited ammunition, but if the quality of the bow was any indication, its arrows wouldn't exactly blow anyone away. He'd used training weapons that were stronger than this.

"There. That's all… …an do now…" Palutena's voice returned wearily. It was still faint, but there was less urgency in it now.

"Wow, that was you? That was amazing!" He glanced down at his new weapon wistfully. "Though, it'd be nice if you could've gotten me something a bit stronger. Like maybe a cannon, or a tank or something?"

He heard something that sounded like an annoyed huff. "I coul… …ut I'd …ave to lock you up again."

"Ah. I see." Pit laughed nervously. "I'll just stick with this, then, thanks."

"I've also… …iven you the power… …tand and fight again… should you fall."

"Whoa, really? So I can just keep coming back again and again? That's awesome! Now I can't possibly lose!" Pit punched the air enthusiastically.

"…owever …nly wor… …f your will t… …eep goin… …tronger than their desir……o kill you."

"Ha! No worries there! There's no way I'm letting those creeps get the best of me again! I'll just keep coming back stronger every time! I'm practically unstoppable!"

"Don't ge… …oo excited. …ewinds time …nd you with it……ending you back here… taking awa……rogress you've made."

"You mean I have to start all over again every single time? Aww, man!" So much for invincibility. He sighed grudgingly. "Okay… try not to die. Got it."

"…"

Pit could feel Palutena's presence steadily growing weaker. She had probably used the last bit of power she had left to help him, especially that last bit. Now it was up to him to carry out the task she had bestowed on him. He was still a bit overwhelmed by it all, but there was no way he was going to let her down this time, not when she was counting on him like this. Gripping the bow she had given him, he lifted his gaze upward in resolution. "Hang in there, Lady Palutena. I'll get the Sacred Treasures back and make it back to Skyworld in no time! Medusa won't know what hit her! I promise!" He paused momentarily, remembering the last time he'd made such a statement, before adding, "And I mean it this time."

"I know… …nly hope… …ood luck, Pit…" Palutena's voice whispered faintly as her presence faded away.

Pit sighed as he was left on his own again. Except this time, his mission was clear. All that stood in his way was a vengeful goddess, her three trusted commanders, and an entire army of Underworld fiends. How hard could that possibly be?

He glanced at the thick door barring the entrance to the cell. First things first, he was going to have to break out of the dungeon he'd been locked up in, which meant getting past the guard. Of course, being armed now turned the tables in his favour. Cupping a hand to his mouth, he called out, "Ohhh noooo! If only I wasn't stuck here in the Underworld with such a STUPID and UGLY guard! And did I mention he SMELLS?"

"WHAT?" the guard bellowed. "That's it! Now you're gonna get it, you noisy little pipsqueak!" There was a clatter of keys and the door burst open to reveal a rather unintimidating looking nettler staring in at him with a single, wide eye in the center of its pink, blobby body. It gaped at the no longer chained up, fully armed angel with an arrow drawn and aimed directly at it. It managed to sputter out an incredulous, "What the-?!" before Pit let his arrow fly and permanently silenced it. As it disintegrated into dust, Pit couldn't help grinning in triumphant satisfaction. Maybe he could actually pull this off after all. He stepped through the open door, his bow rearmed, and cautiously looked over what lay beyond.

There was a short, stone hallway, with a set of platforms that led upward in a spiral, climbing up and up and up, sometimes doubling back on themselves, but always upward toward a point he couldn't see. There wasn't even a light at the top, it just continued onward into what looked like endless darkness, like a mineshaft, except upwards. The path was heavily guarded as well, as snakelike shemums slithered along the steps, and monoeyes and reapers patrolled back and forth on the upper levels.

Pit swallowed hard, wishing now more than ever that he could just fly past it all. His mission seemed so hopeless, with no end in sight. But so much was riding on him. All of Angel Land was threatened as long as Medusa cast her dark shadow over it. The humans scattered throughout the earth, the centurions of Skyworld, and even Palutena was in danger, and he was the only one who could put a stop to it all. For even though it looked as though there was no light at the end of the tunnel, there was, and she was being held prisoner in her own palace and waiting for rescue.

Steeling himself for the long journey ahead, he stepped into the hallway, ready to take on whatever stood between him and Skyworld. There was nowhere to go but up, and he silently vowed he wouldn't rest until Medusa was vanquished, peace was restored, and Palutena was safe.

Okay. Here goes. Now, this would be so much better if I had some really heroic music playing. Something catchy and upbeat, but cool at the same time. Like a theme song! Yeah, something that makes you feel really determined and hopeful in spite of all the gloom and doom around here. That'd be really awesome, he mused to himself as he started the climb up of one of many platforms that made up the seemingly endless, winding, back-and-forth, ever onward and upward path toward the world above. It was obvious it was going to be a very long, frustrating trek before he would see daylight again, and every inch of headway he gained would have to be fought for. There were hardly any stairs at all, just random ledges stuck out of the walls, creating less of a path and more of an obstacle course of crumbling footholds and leaps of faith that slowly and steadily wound its way toward the surface.

He groaned aloud. "Great. A million freaky platforms, crawling with monsters. Who designed this place, anyway?"

A.N.: Ta-da! And so the epic adventure begins! ...Quite frankly, I'm not too sure about that little monologue at the end there, but I figure the humour of the game needed to come through in the end. Let me know what you think in a review! I like reviews; they really make my day! :D

AS A SPECIAL NOTE: I'm planning on possibly doing an epilogue about the ending of the game. But I'm not too sure if I should, or if it would fit here, or if it would be better on its own if at all. So for those of you taking the time to read this (thank you, by the way) let me know what you think about such a venture, and whether I should go for it or now and how.

Edit: I added a bit of dialogue to explain the video game mechanic of "unlimited extra lives", since Pit canonically admits to dying a bunch in the Underworld at one point in Uprising. Maybe it wasn't necessary, and it was just meant as a fourth-wall joke in the game, but it kinda bugged me that he was conscious of the whole "dying multiple times" thing. So I invented a reason for it. Hopefully it doesn't take too much away from the story.

Thanks so much for giving this a read, and have yourselves a lovely day!

Nora