Part I: Colliding Visions

Wide azure eyes gazed up in wonder at the spacious sky above him. The tiny angel sat perched on top of one of the many grassy hills that rose and fell like a soaring bird through the heavenly landscape. He breathed in the clean air and absorbed it with every fiber of his being. The sky was so massive above him, stretching forever. The young angel longed to take flight some day, and to explore the vast horizon in the distance. He stood on his toes and stretched his wings. They were still tiny, not yet able to support his weight in full flight. Astrid had told him that they'd grow soon though. His feet were ensconced by the plush grass beneath him and his wings began to spread and catch the gentle breeze. He closed his eyes and basked in the feeling of the wind blowing in between his downy feathers, filling his very being. Just a little farther, he thought as he almost felt himself lift off of the ground. Just a little more, and then I can finally… His thoughts were interrupted by a particularly strong gust of wind that came from behind.

"Wh-Whooaaa!" The fledgling screamed in shock as he lost his balance and rolled down the hill where he stood before. When he came to a halt, he stared up at the sky in a rather dazed state until he was pulled out of it by the sound of jubilant laughter. And he could recognize that obnoxious snort anywhere. The little angel narrowed his bright eyes before he quickly sat up and whipped his head around angrily, searching for the source of the sudden laughing fit.

"Astrid! You rotten dream-crusher! Where are you?!" The fledgling squeaked. Before he could get on his feet, he was tackled by a large, redheaded blur from the air.

"Hey! Careful around the wings, ya know! I'm gonna need these someday!" the little angel yelled. Astrid loved to tease him because of his tiny little voice. But she knew better than to push him too far, for underneath that adorable exterior was a being of might and pure wrath. Well, that's what he identified himself as anyway.

The elder angel climbed off of the younger one and smiled innocently. "Well, Pit, maybe if you would have been paying attention, I wouldn't have scared you so badly." The redhead chided. "Besides, don't be such a wimp. You're going to be the strongest angel in the entire guard some day."

Pit looked up at the esteemed captain with a smirk. "You're right, even stronger than you! Wait and see old lady," the little cherub began as he raised his fist to the sky, "I'm going to be flying circles around you once my wings grow in!"

Astrid's eye twitched with annoyance at the unwanted nickname before she gazed at her charge. A multitude of emotions swirled in her emerald irises: Pride, hope, but most of all, pure, unadulterated love. She lifted a strong hand and ruffled his messy brown hair affectionately. "I know you will be." She said seriously as she looked into his eyes. Pit's mischievous grin vanished from his face in a brief moment of surprise before it was replaced with a grateful, genuine smile.

Astrid placed a hand on Pit's shoulder as she began guiding him back to town. "Come on little boy," she said, putting emphasis on her own nickname for the young angel, "Let's get you cleaned up. You have grass all over you."

~x~

Soren was a pretty simple angel. He liked it when things were orderly and followed a logical process. He actually considered himself to be a fairly logical being. That's why being a warrior as well as a captain made sense to him. It was a matter of cause and effect: you train harder, you get stronger. You train soldiers well, they become effective in the field. Simplicity. Yes, everything in Soren's life as an angel has always made sense. Except one thing, one little nagging thing that no matter how hard he tried to ignore, it was always right there in his face. And that thing was Astrid. At this point, Soren didn't even know where, how, or when he and the bubbly angel had become friends. It just sort of happened, and neither of them really questioned it; although, the stoic angel thought about Astrid a lot more than he'd care to admit. Many of the co-captains expected as much, and even Palutena had suspicions that Soren had a soft spot for the spunky warrior, but knew better than to bring it up. For they all were well aware of the awesome power of Soren's famous icy death stare.

And Soren had always been quite proud of his stoic armor, it all but impenetrable except to one certain girl. But recently, Soren's found that another chink has been making it's way into his facade. And who else would it be but the unreasonably peppy angel that was always at Astrid's side? If you were to ask Soren what he thought of the happy little cherub, he'd simply call him "an obnoxious and illogically giddy ball of hot air." But everyone else, Pit included, knew that the black-haired captain was actually quite fond of the fledgling.

Naturally, due to spending so much time with them, Soren should really be able to expect the unexpected when it came to those two. Like the time when the duo wrecked Lady Palutena's birthday when they poisoned the entirety of the royal guard by mistaking a bottle of cleaning solution for the vanilla extract used in the cake, or when they dyed the entirety of his wardrobe sparkly pink because it "complimented his complexion." Idiots. The both of them. But as Lady Palutena had pointed out after complimenting him in his new look, they were his idiots.

With all of that being said, Soren really shouldn't have been surprised when he saw Astrid and Pit forcing the entirety of the royal guard to do the Hokey Pokey for today's warm-up. Soren shuddered as he anticipated how today's training would go. Palutena, give me strength.

~x~

"So you're telling me that you've never once watched the sunrise?"

Soren stared blankly at his companion that sat beside him. "Why would I want to do that? It seems illogical to want to wake up that early and deprive my body of the rest that it needs."

Astrid quirked a brow at the other angel's statement. "Oh? So the mighty captain Soren needs his beauty sleep then?" she asked teasingly. A light blush dusted Soren's pale cheeks before he turned away with an indignant huff. "Oh, that must be the real reason then! What do you think Pit?" Astrid inquired mischievously to the child that sat in her lap.

"I think he's just being a huge baby. If I can wake up early, he can! Unless, that means I'm already stronger than him." Pit remarked with a smirk.

"OHHHHHHHH!" Astrid yelled as she stood up, taking Pit with her and sitting him atop her shoulders. "SMACKDOWN DELIVERED BY THE SHRIMPY ANGEL!" Astrid spun around in circles while Pit clung to her neck while giggling uncontrollably. "What's your comeback for that one, ya big nerd?"

Soren stared at the pair in awe while he suppressed a smile. Astrid's long braid twirled around elegantly like a delicate piece of fine silk. She was glowing with laughter. "Fine! If it'll stop your annoying gloating, I'll wake up early with you morons tomorrow, happy?"

Astrid stopped spinning and faced the male angel challengingly. "Well, Pit. It seems as though Soren here is up for our little challenge." she put Pit down gently and grasped his hand. She then proceeded to march over to where the black-haired angel sat and leaned in close to his face. Soren gasped slightly in shock at their close proximity and his blush became more apparent. "See ya tomorrow then, nerd" Astrid whispered in his ear, making him suppress a shudder. And then, Skyworld's most unpredictable angel lived up to her title for the umpteenth time that day when she placed a quick kiss on his cheek.

Soren watched as the duo walked away, giggling again at something the other had said. He unconsciously reached his hand up to his cheek, where her lips had rested. Soren's mouth turned into a rare smile. Maybe, he pondered, getting up a little early won't be so bad after all.

~x~

"Hurry Pit, you have to run faster!" Astrid said as she grabbed his wrist tightly and pulled him along as they sprinted through the dark alley. The acrid smell of smoke filled Pit's nostrils and made his eyes water. There was fire everywhere and the screams of the dying filled the air. Pit dared to look behind him and saw a horde of grotesque monsters quickly closing in on them.

Soon, the pair came to a steep cliff. Astrid turned to the terrified child and knelt down to his level. She put her hands on his shoulders as the swallowed thickly. "Pit," she began, "listen to me. We need to jump. Everything is going to be okay. Just hold on to me, and I'll protect you."

Pit nodded in understanding as he grabbed her hand and prepared to make the leap. Before the duo could take another step, a loud crackle was heard from behind. Pit whipped his head around to see a monster shoot a bolt of lightning out of his singular eye. The impact of the blast sent both of them tumbling over the edge of the cliff, separating their linked hands Pit furiously tried to flap his tiny wings, but to no avail. The air around him seem heavy and foreboding as it pulled him downwards, much different from the air he had basked in earlier that day. He faintly heard Astrid's frantic screaming from above him as he rapidly approached the ground.

Pit sat up abruptly, untangling himself from the bed sheets that had constricted him and held him down. He took large gulps of air, filling his lungs to their capacity. He had no idea how to react to or process what had just happened, so he did the first thing to come to mind. He cried. Pit wailed as loudly as he could, filling the quiet room with pure agony. He then felt a gentle pair of arms wrap around him and hold him closely. He cried into in guardian's embrace as her shirt became wet with tears.

"It's okay Pit," Astrid cooed, "you just had a nightmare. Everything is going to be okay. You're safe with me. I'm not going to let anything happen to you." Over time, Pit's sobs died down as he breathed raggedly. He grasped Astrid's shirt tightly as the memories of his night terror slowly began to fade away.

The little angel tilted his head up until his eyes met Astrid's. "Astrid… what will I do if I'm in trouble, and you aren't there?"

The eldest angel smiled warmly at the other. "Pit, you are strong. Not just physically, but your very soul emanates strength. It burns brighter than any I've ever seen before. You will be the one people turn to when all seems lost. Only you will be able to shoulder all of those expectations. You will be the last light that shines in the darkness. And you will fly farther and higher than anyone else."

Pit smiled sleepily as he laid his head on her chest. Pit yawned before murmuring, "The last light that shines in the darkness? But I won't have to be alone, Astrid. I have you and Soren, and everyone else too. You'll be right there to help me get off the ground."

Astrid tightened her grip on the now-sleeping boy in her arms. "Yes, you do have us. But if and when the time comes for you to fly on your own, you will. Even if your body won't allow it, your soul will still find a way to soar."