Stave Four: The Ghost of Christmas Later
The clock struck three. Ike blinked his eyes open sleepily, his head swimming in confusion. What was going on? The last thing he remembered was Soren kissing him…His face burned red with embarrassment as he remembered his friend's indirect confession. He buried his face in his pillow. Am I some kind of man magnet or something?
The mercenary didn't doubt the reality of these "dreams" now. Knowing that these ghosts were visiting him, he was also starting accept Griel's and Soren's words themselves. He was different. He had to change. Now the question was—could he actually do it? Confusion gave way to doubt as he thought about what the other Brawlers had said about him. How am I supposed to convince them? If I suddenly start being warm and friendly now, they'll think it's just an act. They'll be suspicious of me, and I'll never be able to fit in here. I have to show them my good side, but…how do I apologize to Pit?
He sighed. After what he had witnessed, thinking about the angel just made him feel depressed. Pit was the only Brawler who had taken any interest in him, and the mercenary had done nothing except cast him aside. If he avoided him, the others would look down on him, but if he told Pit he was sorry, if he gave him a chance to be his friend, then…maybe things could be set right. But who says he's still going to want to be friends anyway? Maybe he's changed his mind about that. I sure wouldn't blame him if he did. Perhaps I'm better off alone…
The mercenary was so busy mulling over his thoughts that it took a while for him to realize that there was still one ghost left. He sat up alertly, scanning the shadows of his room, but there was no one there. He stood up from the bed, cautious, and walked around his room. Everything was still and quiet. The only movement he could detect were the branches of a tall tree rustling outside his window. Ike walked over to take a look outside.
The castle grounds were empty. Ike could see the dim moonlight falling on the gardens where the Master Hand had talked to him. The cold wind was blowing the rose bushes and all the different groups of flowers, making them sway. Ike could see some patches missing from where he had trodden over the plants. The rose bushes he had hacked up with his sword were extremely battered and uneven. The mercenary's eyes drifted over their odd shapes until they stopped on one that seemed the most out of place. It was very tall and rigid. That's no rose bush.
The mercenary changed out of his nightclothes and grabbed a cloak and Ragnell. He knew he wouldn't need his sword, but somehow, he didn't feel comfortable going out without it. He left his room and made his way out of the mansion's residential area towards the courtyard. The figure was still there. Ike couldn't tell much about it from where he stood except that it was larger than the other two ghosts had been and was covered in some kind of thick armor. Once he was close enough to make out the design, he suddenly stopped dead in his tracks. He stared at the figure with wide, unbelieving eyes. With shaking fingers, he gripped his Ragnell's hilt and gritted his teeth. I-it can't be…Why HIM?!
Ike let out a yell and charged at the armored man, sword drawn. He swung its golden blade at the man's breastplate, but it went right through the armor as if it were made of air. The blue-haired mercenary grunted and took a step back, holding Ragnell in front of himself defensively.
"Why are you here?" he demanded angrily. "GET OUT."
The other man said nothing. Ike could hear him breathing within his armor, alive but lifeless. Unlike the puffs of heat that came out of Ike's mouth with each breath, the air around the ghost stayed still. He didn't even cast a shadow from the moonlight. The blue-haired man gritted his teeth, anxious and afraid. Why, of all people? Why did it have to be him? The Black Knight is dead!
His eyes studied the helmet of his father's murderer. Was there even a face behind it?
The Black Knight took a few heavy steps towards Ike. The mercenary flinched, but refused to move. He would stand his ground until this ghost made his purpose clear. As the other man approached, Ike could barely make out a few words engraved in his breastplate- Ghost of Christmas Later.
The mercenary scoffed and lowered his sword slightly.
"So you're going to take me somewhere too? You're going to let me see my future so I'll be further convinced? Well, they should have sent someone else. I'm not going anywhere with you."
He turned to storm off, but was stopped suddenly. The garden around him was disappearing. He turned his head to see the Black Knight standing only inches away from him, startling the mercenary. How did he move so fast?! Looks like I have no choice here…
Ike was forced into a new environment. It took him a moment to recognize the inner walls of the common room. It had changed so much from the last vision. The Christmas decorations were gone, and instead of being lively and occupied, the room was silent and bare. Many of the books on the shelves were gone, and the furniture near the fireplace looked worn out. Ike wondered how much time had passed.
Just then, the door opened, and Pit walked in. Ike was surprised to see that the boy had grown a bit taller. He had a more mature look on his face and wore a dark blue toga instead of a white one. Upon coming into the empty room, he looked around and sighed. The angel walked over to the bookshelves to see if there was anything he wanted to read, but found nothing that interested him. Instead, he walked over to the long paned windows and looked outside.
"What's he looking so lonely for?" Ike questioned. "Where's Link?"
The Black Knight raised one armored hand and pointed to the window. Ike walked over to stand next to Pit and followed his gaze. Below them, in the courtyard, Ike could make out the green-clad Hylian talking to the beautiful Princess Zelda. The two of them were holding hands and really seemed to be enjoying each other's company as they laughed together. The blue-haired man looked at Pit. The angel watched the couple sullenly, a tinge of jealousy in his eyes. He sighed and made his way towards the unlit fireplace. He sat down on one of the armchairs there and removed his sandals before putting his feet up on the footstool. Ike took a seat on the couch, not far from him. The Black Knight stayed near the bookshelves at a distance the mercenary preferred.
The door creaked open, and all heads turned to see a small yellow animal push its way in. Pit smiled at it as it bounded towards him and jumped onto the chair with him, nestling comfortably in his lap. The angel ran his hand over the brown-striped fur.
"Hey, Pikachu," he said.
"Pikaaa," the Pokemon answered.
"It's rare to see you here. Thanks for coming to keep me company," the angel told it. "It gets pretty lonely these days."
"Pipikapi? Pikachu."
"Well, you know how it is. Link's been busy since he and Zelda started getting serious. He doesn't have time for me anymore. No one seems to…"
He's talking to it? Ike remembered then that Pit had the ability to understand Pokemon. He had thought it silly when he had first seen the angel communicate with Red's Charizard, but when he had found out the truth later, he hadn't been able to help but be impressed. What a great power to be able to understand any language! The angel was not enjoying his conversation now, though. Instead, his hands started trembling a bit as he looked back towards the window. Pikachu looked up at him sympathetically and tried to console him. It nudged its head beneath his hand, urging him to let the feeling of its soft fur sooth him. The angel resumed his stroking, but he couldn't stop the tears from dripping down his face.
"I'm sorry," he muttered embarrassedly, rubbing them away. "I've just been kinda lonely lately. Homesick too. I miss the warmth and friendliness of the angels. So many people have left the Brawl already…I was starting to think that maybe it was about time I headed back to Skyworld too."
"Chuuu."
"I'll miss you too," Pit sighed, "but I have no choice. This place seems less and less like home every day. I don't even think anyone remembers it's Christmas today. Just look at this place."
Ike flinched. This was the mansion during Christmas? What had happened to all the bright decorations? All the excited and festive Brawlers? The mercenary couldn't believe it. Had this place really fallen apart that badly? The angel frowned, turning his attention towards the door.
"There is one thing left that I should do. Come on, we can go together."
He picked up his small companion and carried it out of the room. Ike started to follow him, but the Black Knight blocked his way.
"Move," Ike growled. "I want to find out how this place got so messed up!"
The Black Knight lifted up a hand silently and pointed a finger directly at the swordfighter. Ike's face turned a bright crimson as he glared furiously at the ghost.
"ME?!" he shouted, shocked. "How in the goddess's name can this be my fault?!"
The ghost said nothing but stood near Ike as the scene around them changed. They were no longer in the common room. Instead, they were in a large chamber Ike had no memory of ever entering before. It didn't look as run-down as the common room. Instead, it was nicely decorated with portraits, tapestries, flowers, and lots of pink.
Near the stained glass window sat a miserable-looking Princess Peach. Ike was shocked to see that the ruler of the Mushroom Kingdom had her arm in a sling and was looking less than her usual composed self. She slumped over her desk slightly and frowned as she looked out the frost-covered window. Standing next to her desk, too short to even see the top of it, was Peach's attendant, Toad.
"Are you okay, Princess?" her servant asked.
Peach sighed. "I'll be fine. Please don't worry about me."
"You haven't been yourself at all today," Toad said worriedly. "Are you sure you don't want to get out of this room for a while?"
"Maybe I'll go out later," the Princess responded. "It'll be sad to see the mansion without all its decorations, however..."
"I'm sorry I couldn't do anything about that," her retainer murmured.
"It's not your fault," Peach told him. "I know you've been busy looking after me since the accident."
"It was hardly an accident," her servant mumbled. The usually cheerful retainer had a dark look on his face that disturbed Ike. Peach hung her head slightly and glanced towards Toad.
"You know Ike can't be held accountable for what happened."
"And why not?!" Toad snapped. "The battle rules may not say anything about how far you're allowed to go in the tournament, but look at what he's done to you! That kind of violence shouldn't be allowed!"
He was shaking now, cowering next to the desk in sorrow and frustration. Peach smiled at him sadly.
"I know you've been really worried about me," she said, placing a hand on top of his red-spotted head, "but I have no hard feelings against Ike. We were supposed to fight with all our strength, and that's exactly what he did. I never expected him to hold back…and this is just the result of our battle."
"Princess Peach…"
"It's alright," the princess said sweetly. "Soon I'll be fully recovered and everything will be back to normal again too. You'll see. I know I'll be able to fix this mansion back up again. I just wish so many Brawlers hadn't left so suddenly. The halls are too quiet."
"They're afraid to fight after seeing what happened to you," Toad murmured ominously. "The Hands have lowered their restrictions and the healers have been so much less effective lately. With dangerous fighters around, the risks are too great."
"The Brawl is probably on its way to closure," Peach admitted. "But we must see it through to the end. I can't sit by and watch it crumble before me. Toad…I think I'll take that break now."
Ike, who had been watching incredulously since the mention of his name now staggered back in shock as Princess Peach did not rise from her seat, but instead, wheeled her way around the desk in a wheelchair. The mercenary's head shot in the direction of the Black Knight, eyes wide and heart thumping.
"This has to be a joke!" he gasped. "I-I would never do something like this! There's no way!"
The ghost only stared at him, motionless. The blue-haired man clenched his fists and shook his head as if trying to free his mind of what lay before him. This can't be right—this isn't me! I would never let myself go that far…Do I really end up forgetting who I am? Do I really turn into someone who would do something like this? He approached the Black Knight, who was now watching Toad push Princess Peach out into the hallway.
"I want to see myself," Ike choked, voice tightly clenched. "I want to know what kind of person I've become."
I just hope it's not too much for me to bear to look at…
The ghost turned his head towards Ike and let the scene around them change again. Ike found himself in his familiar bedroom, but not all of it was like he remembered. The floor was dirty and littered with clothes and other clutter. There was an old bowl of soup on the dresser that looked as if it hadn't been touched for days. The blue-haired man stared unbelievingly at the place, wondering how he could let it fall into such a state. Then he saw himself sitting there on the bed.
This Ike looked undoubtedly older. He had more of Griel's distinctive features—he was heavily built and wore an expression hardened with experience. His hair was unkempt, however, and Ike noticed a chin full of stubble. The older Ike did nothing but stare blankly at the ground. Ragnell lay at his feet, looking dull and tarnished despite being a blessed sword. Ike had apparently stopped taking care of it.
The real Ike stared at his older self quietly, trying to read his thoughts and expressions. He felt a deep connection with the blue-haired man that made him easier to understand as they became one mind. Ike could sense the great regret and loneliness hidden within his older self to the point where it was almost overwhelming. He shook slightly as he watched the man bury his face in both hands, elbows on his knees. Ike could hear his thoughts within his own head. How could I let this happen? What could I possibly do to ever make this right? Princess Peach, please forgive me. I've been such a fool. I never thought I'd let myself go this far. That tournament…it was such a prestigious title to be won. I let myself slip; I forgot this was a competition, not a war. I'm sorry…so sorry.
Ike felt tears running down his own face as he shared his other self's sorrow. He could sense how much loneliness the other man felt, as if he never expected anyone to forgive him or ever be his friend again. He wanted nothing more than to hide from the world and save everyone any future grief. This is me, the real Ike thought. This is what I'll become.
Just then, there was a knock on the door. The older Ike looked up, startled that anyone would come and visit him. He made no move to get up and open the door, and the real Ike watched him anxiously, willing him to rise and see who was standing out there. The man on the bed didn't move however. He didn't call out to tell the visitor to wait or go away; he didn't make any sound at all to indicate that he was even there.
The real Ike sighed and approached the door. He passed right through the wood and looked around the hall. There was no one in sight. Whoever had knocked must have given up. He looked down at his feet and jumped slightly when he realized he was standing in something. It was a small box, not wrapped or anything, just sitting there in front of the door. The mercenary looked down at it curiously and stared back at the door behind him. He heard no indication of the man coming to check what had been left for him.
The only sound Ike heard was a quiet voice coming from around the corner of the hall. Curiously, he walked over to see what the source was. The whispering had stopped now. As he reached the end of the hall, he looked around the corner to see none other than Pit. Pikachu was sitting at his feet, and the two took a cautious look back around the corner and down the hallway they had come from.
"I don't think he's coming," Pit sighed to his companion. "Hopefully he opens his door and finds it before Kirby or Yoshi do. Poor Ike…"
Pikachu looked up at him curiously.
"I know everyone thinks low of him after what happened to Peach, but they don't pay any attention to how much he's suffering right now," the angel said. "He hasn't left his room for days."
"Chuuu."
"I hope," Pit whispered, "that I'll at least get to say goodbye to him before I go."
The angel turned quietly and left the hall, leaving the stunned blue-haired man alone. Ike couldn't fight back his grief any longer. Tears ran down his face freely, and he shrank against the wall, trembling. How could the angel still care? What had Ike ever done to redeem himself in his eyes? He looked back at the neglected package lying in front of the door. Pit had even brought him a present. Would his older self ignore it the way he had the hat? This was all kindness undeserved.
I see now…I see why I have to change. It's not right to live a life without friends, to shut people out and protect yourself by pretending to protect them…I can't let myself go on this way. There are no more excuses left. It's time I learned the difference between an enemy and a rival.
The door down the hall finally creaked open and a wary-looking Ike peeked out. The real Ike watched his other self pick up the box and bring it inside the room. He followed the man back through the door and saw the Black Knight still standing in the same spot, silent as ever. The older Ike cleared some space on the desk and placed the box there. Cautiously, he removed the lid and stared down at the box's contents. Curious, Ike came over to stand at his side, and they looked together.
There, within the four cardboard walls were four more walls—tiny ones…made of gingerbread. The edges were cut away in spaced-out squares to make them look like the parapets of a castle. They were held together by thick white icing and further supported by candy canes. The bottom of the box was decorated with candy imitating cobblestones. Ike had never seen anything like it.
The older Ike stared at the box for a long time, eyes wide. The real Ike tried to search his mind, but this time, he could not penetrate it. He watched as his other self clenched his fists and bit his lower lip in an effort to control his emotions. When he could no longer stop the tears from running down his cheeks, the older Ike turned suddenly and bolted out the door.
Ike had to run fast to keep up with his other self as the blue-haired man raced down the hallway, eyes scanning the area desperately for the one who had left the gift. Ike wondered for a while if his older self actually knew who had given it to him, but his doubts were settled when the man began bellowing out a name.
"Pit! Piiit!"
They ran through the rest of the dorm hallways. They stopped to knock on Pit's door, but there was no answer. They went out into the gardens and still had no luck. Finally, the older Ike gave up. He took a deep breath, looked up at the white frosty sky longingly and slowly began to trudge back to his room. The real mercenary followed him gloomily, also disappointed that they had been unable to find the angel. Can he really be gone already?
The two Ikes entered the room again. The older one passed right through the ghost of the Black Knight unknowingly as he made his way over to the bed. Lying down on the mattress, he curled up beneath a blanket and didn't move again. The real Ike was too distressed to stand still. He couldn't take just watching this anymore.
"Let me help him!" he begged the Black Knight, fighting back his pride. "I can't stand seeing this. This isn't how I want it to end! I promise I'll change! I don't need to isolate myself anymore. I was a coward for thinking I could protect myself that way. I need them, Ghost! Give me another chance so I can fight for my friends instead of against them."
The Black Knight stared back at him silently, and Ike went so far as to consider throwing himself onto his knees just to get some kind of reaction or acknowledgement from the spirit. He needed some hope. He still hated the man who had killed his father, but right now, this desperation had taken over. The mercenary looked at the ghost pleadingly, willing him to show some sign of what was to come.
The ghost tormented the man for a while longer before finally, he raised a quaking hand, almost like a wave goodbye. All of a sudden, his armor collapsed onto the ground as if there had never been anything inside of it at all. Ike stared down at it, dumbfounded, and soon found himself overcome with a wave of sleepiness. He staggered to the bed where his older self slept and lying down next to him, drifted off into his own slumber. In his dreams, he could hear his father's words. "What happens next is all in your hands."
A/N: And this part wins the Angstiest Chapter, I mean Stave, Award~ Ike was pretty brutal in this. This was probably the most complicated part of the story for me to write. So much HAPPENS, and it has to set up the whole story for the last bit, which isn't very long at all. The Black Knight was interesting to work with. The best part was probably not having to write any of his dialogue. He just had to be there and communicate in his own way, by letting Ike see his future.
Oh, Ike, why have you let yourself go? Now I want to eat a gingerbread castle
Pit's ability to talk to Pokemon actually comes from the fanfic I'm writing, Icarus. I pulled a couple different ideas from there, so maybe you'll recognize them when those chapters eventually get released.
