(Hey everyone! This is Xybur7! Um... I didn't get any responses or reviews for Chapter 4... Should I be worried? Sorry if this chapter is a little boring in the beginning. It's another long one. I hope you guys like it.
ONE MORE DAY OF SCHOOL FOR ME! WOOP! WOOP! And then I have SAT... *chirp, chirp* hurray...
DISCLAIMER: I do NOT own anything but the plot. Any and all characters/places/objects belong to their respective owners.)
Chapter 5: Dedication and Faith
Link walked out of the throne room after carefully transporting another statue. He sighed, heavily troubled. Inside the throne room were the baseless statues of Peach, Wolf, and now, Captain Falcon and Meta Knight. Olimar had arrived with his battalion of pikmin carrying Captain Falcon in an ironic salute as if he was proudly dedicated to himself. Kirby and even the penguin, King Dedede, were moping inside, depressed and shocked. Link got to hear first-hand what had happened to them.
The little spaceman, Olimar, had been attacked by metal primids. His pikmin had been powerless. Captain Falcon came to the showy "FALCON PAWNCH!" rescue, and this was his reward.
Kirby began bawling inside the throne room. He and Meta Knight got into an argument at Dedede's. Kirby sucked up the small blue warrior and copied his ability as payback. More arguments. A few seconds later, Meta Knight was stone. Both groups of warriors made their way to Mushroom Castle for refuge and comfort when none was to be found.
Link sighed again. It'd been at least a week since the castle turned into a fortress. Wave on wave of enemies had already tried and failed to seize it. Link became the head commander for the miniscule forces. Everyone was afraid if they would be struck down next. A door opened. Pit gently led Kirby outside.
"He- It was- I didn't mean it…" Kirby was still hiccupping and sobbing. "It's my fault… Then we argued. And shouted. And zap! Said something 'tattoo borders metal pyramid'… Waaaah!"
"It's okay, Kirby. It's okay," Pit assured. He looked up at Link with soft, sentimental eyes and went back to comforting the pink puffball who quickly began feeling better. 'Pit sure is a good morale booster,' Link thought 'Great goddesses, what would I do without him?' Link started across the main room to check on other things. He passed by a blonde ninja in a blue jumpsuit, stopped, then turned around confused.
"Uh… Sheik?" He asked.
"Yeah?" the blonde ninja replied.
"Why're you out? What's up with Zelda?"
"I made an executive decision to take over until the situation has calmed down. I have a theory to what might be causing the lightning. Or rather, what makes it aim for some and not others."
Link blinked. "Then why don't you tell us?"
"Because it's just a theory. Not proven yet… yet… Zelda, go back inside."
Link looked beside the ninja at a pale ghostly figure of the princess. He jumped back, shocked. "Holy Din-! Zelda, you scared me!" he exclaimed. Pit walked up behind Link and blinked a couple of times, staring at the ghostly image.
"How's she doin' that?" He flat out asked.
Sheik answered him. "It's called spirit walking. Those with powerful, magical spirits can manage to pull this off."
"Lucky for me, someone's left over to guard the body!" Zelda giggled. "While like this, the body is basically dead unless there's another soul inside." She glanced at Sheik.
Even Link knew about this. He remembered Zelda practicing it when they were little. "Basically, one separates their soul or 'spirit' from their body and walks around. They can still use magic and stuff but can't really physically interact with anything. Like a ghost but not really dead."
"Oooooookay," was Pit's response. He was surprised but not impressed. An awkward silence pervaded their conversation.
Zelda coughed. "Well, how's everyone doing? I know it's a little… hard to stay happy but I'm sure we can get through this tough time."
"Harder than you think." Link sighed again. Pit smacked his back.
"Stop sighing. It's depressing," Pit snapped.
"Alright, alright… Haaaa…" SMACK. "Okay! I'll stop!"
Pit stood up as straight as possible and made a pouting face. "This is break time! Before another primid wave comes up, we need to get motivated and happy. Get it? HAAAAPPYYY! H-A-P-P-Y!" Pit pinched Link's cheeks and forced him to smile. Link tapped the angel's hands and pulled them off, still smiling.
"I know…" Link somewhat laughed out.
"Pit, calm down a bit, okay?" Zelda cooed. "He's been saddled with a lot of responsibility so he's a little stressed out."
"That's okay!" Pit cheered childishly. "'Cuz I'll always cheer you on, buddy! You can do it!"
"Pit!" someone called. "Sentry duty! Your turn!"
Pit cursed under his breath and went around the corner and up the stairs. More silence fell between Link, Zelda, and Sheik.
"Why am I head commander of our small army again? Why not Fox? Or Mario? Or someone else?"
"You're best with ground fighting," Sheik explained. "Mario's still in a bit of shock and, as skilled as Fox is, he's better in the air than on land. We're having ground attacks, not dog fights."
"Whatever you say, Sheik."
Suddenly, pounding sounded loudly on the front door. Zelda gasped, then poofed into light. Sheik stood ready and absorbed Zelda's soul back into the body. More pounding sounded on the door as well as shouts and the sounds of fighting. Link drew his sword and fixed shield. He carefully approached the door and listened carefully to the shouts.
"Help! You gotta open this door! We need- AAAAH!" A young male voice screamed. Behind the door, another, deeper, male voice was grunting and roaring as clinks and clanks sounded.
"Who is it?" Link called.
"Marth! And Ike! We're under attack! We've been chased! Please, just- NOOO!" Something crashed and the castle rumbled.
"Marth? Marth!" Link opened the door and faced a large pile of debris. A young man in a slim blue tunic and cape coughed and picked himself up. His teal-blue hair was covered in dirt and messed up under his golden headdress. The pile was too high to crawl over.
Marth called over. "We need your help! We've been chased out of our own castle by these guys! Ike's injured! He can't hold them back any longer!" Link caught a glimpse of another blue-haired swordsman with a large orange long-sword. His brown headband and red cape were in tatters. He kept his eyes on the small army of metal primids and slashed through as many as he could.
"I'm coming!" Link called back. "Try to move around the side!" Link rushed back inside. "Battle stations! Fighters, with me!" Sheik dashed up and Donkey Kong dropped down to follow. Mario followed up as well. Ness and Lucas popped up and joined the running group.
"Kids? You need to stay inside!" Link ordered.
"Onii-chan, let us help! We can do it!" Ness confidently shouted.
Link nodded and went around to the side. They found the side door and burst through it. Up ahead, Ike dashed back and collapsed to one knee. Marth dashed around the side and in front of the tired Ike and prepared a counter against the ambling army of primids.
"Prince… Move…" Ike struggled out.
"Marth! Ike! Hold on!" Link called out to them. Then he raised his sword as a signal. "Fighters! Attack!" The fighters charged. Shots, hits, and roars echoed off the castle walls. Link used the spin attack to push back the mob swiftly surrounding him. 'There's so many!' Link thought, worried. 'Will we be able to hold them off?' Dirt exploded into the air next to Link and he shielded his face. He looked at the thing that had fallen. An Auroros twitched on the ground as a small green leaf swished back and forth behind its head. Something purple popped up from the small ditch. Link looked down, worried and confused, at the fat purple pikmin that was looking back and forth, lost. Both he and the pikmin heard a whistle from above and looked up. On the top of the castle, Pit, Diddy Kong, Fox, Falco, and Olimar were firing their bows and guns, and throwing projectiles at a swarm of sharp Auroros. Olimar was calling out in a panicked voice before nearly lunging over the edge to look down. Link held his hand for the pikmin to jump on and waved at the small spaceman.
"One's down here!" He called then to the pikmin, "Come on, don't be scared. I won't hurt you." The pikmin tilted its head for a moment, then jumped on as Olimar let out a very audible sigh of relief.
"Toss him up! I'll get him!" Olimar shouted. Link pulled back and threw. The pikmin hurled through the air and landed safely in Olimar's hands. The Hocotatian spaceman bowed quickly as thanks before rallying up his small battalion of pikmin together again. 'Olimar… I need to focus!' Link shook his head quickly to snap out of his deep thoughts. A metal primid leaped from behind. Link spun to dodge and back-slashed the primid in half. Three more tried to ambush the young swordsman from above. Link slashed above his head once, spun to slash again harder, and spun again to slash harder. All three were sliced to pieces before melting into metal rain. More primids approached. Link kept at the sword to keep them all at bay. Link quickly gripped the Master Sword with both hands and stabbed one of the last primids around him through the chest and ripped it out as the primid melted. After hundreds of kills, the young, green Hylian stumbled to the ground, exhausted. He plunged his sword into the earth and collapsed to one knee. He caught his breath for a couple seconds and leaned against his sword. 'We can't hold them back… I can't go on for much longer,' Link thought to himself. 'No!... Heh, Pit would pitch a fit if he heard me think like that. I gotta keep fighting… for everyone!...' Link tried to stand and gave a small gasp of pain. Fire was shooting up his back from his tailbone. 'Ow! When did I get this injured?' Something stomped behind him. 'CRAP! I'm a sitting duck!'
"Fly! WINGS OF ICARUS!" Link could practically feel the heat from the fiery punch coming toward him before he was snatched from the ground and was dangling in the air. Link gripped his sword and shield as Pit kept a firm hold on his arm. Link shook his head to snap out of his fatigue then looked up at the angel carrying him with an idea.
"How long can you fly?" he asked quickly.
"Five minutes!" Pit answered automatically.
"Right. Let's get them from the sky, Pit!"
"With pleasure! Ally-oop!" Pit hollered as he hurled Link into the air. Link sheathed his sword as he flipped. He grabbed his bow and spread his arms and legs as if to skydive. Then his vision started to turn dark.
A young swordsman in a green tunic jumped off the edge of a floating dock and used a finger whistle. A huge crimson bird swooped underneath and caught him. The swordsman soared over a sea of clouds toward an enormous green pillar of light. As soon as he got close he leaped off his bird and started to fall to the surface, thousands of miles down. But he didn't feel afraid. He enjoyed the wind coming up against his face. He wasn't going to hit the ground. This was all normal to him. After all, he was-
'Goddesses above, STOP IT!' Link screamed in his head. 'THAT'S. NOT. ME!' Pit came back down, swooped in, wrapped his arms around Link's waist, and began to fly over the almost infinite army of primids while carrying the green swordsman. Link could see another army of Auroros in the distance attacking something in a dense part of the forest. A little explosion of blue fire erupted from beneath the trees. 'Someone else is coming our way,' Link thought as he aimed and fired his arrows into the metal monsters as he passed overhead. Behind them was a small, delayed trail of purple lightning, as if it was trying to keep up with them. Link ignored it for the moment and began to pull out some bombs to drop from above. Pit did his best to swerve away from the lightning and Auroros army as Link tried to hit as many primids as he could. Link gave a glance behind them.
"Pit! Two Auroros coming in fast at 7 o'clock!" he warned. Pit heeded the warning and tried to lose the enemies on their tail. The Auroros kept after them and charged for them, spinning like a drill. Pit did a barrel roll to the right and dodged the attack. Both Link and Pit got distracted for a moment when they saw Fox and Falco gape at them, high-five each other, then returned to protecting the castle roof. Link pulled out another bomb and chucked it straight into a large group of primids, turning a good chunk of them to liquid goop. Few primids were left. Link was ready to notch an arrow when he listened closely. Pit was breathing hard. The angel's breaths soon turned into short cries of pain.
"Aaah… AAAAH! Hot! Hot! Getting really hot! Sah- Sorry, Link! I gotta land! Now!" Pit managed to gasp out. His wings' glow had gone from as blue as his eyes to a fiery orange.
"Now? It hasn't even been two minutes yet!" Link exclaimed. He suddenly realized how high off the ground they were and how fast they were flying.
"I know! Before it cuts off, I need ta-" The glow burst apart and left Pit with nothing but regular wings. The pair started to descend. Fast.
"Oh no!" Both warriors cried out as they shot diagonally toward the ground.
"MAYDAY! MAYDAY!" Pit started to scream. "I repeat: MAYDAY! We're goin' down! P-force 1 goin' down! Fasten your seatbelts, folks! This is going to be a rough landing!"
"YOU'RE my seatbelt!" Link yelled. "Pit! DO SOMETHING! We're gonna crash!"
"I- I can't fly anymore!" Pit cried with a voice full of anguish. The pair shot over another small group of primids and got closer and closer to the ground. They held each other and looked forward, toward a trunk with lots of thick branches.
"TREE!" They both shrieked and crashed so hard against it, the great trunk leaned backwards and broke. The pair rolled and bounced off the broken trunk and flopped into the fallen bed of leaves. Both fighters groaned and slowly got up.
"I thought… you said five minutes, Pit," Link managed to breathe out.
"Well," Pit started. "You see. I used to be able to fly for five minutes."
"Used… to?"
"Um! I mean-! I'm tired! That's all! I'm sorry!"
Link took a look back at the small battlefield next to the castle. He could see Ike completely limp on the ground and Marth panicking over him.
"Come on, Ike! Don't ditch me! Don't you dare leave me! I- I am your prince and I order you not to die!" Marth's young face was streaked with a couple of tears as he tried as many excuses for Ike as possible. He grabbed Ike's arm and slung it over his shoulder. Then, he slowly tried to drag Ike and himself back into the castle. Link and Pit gathered themselves and stumbled out of the leaves. 'We have to withdraw,' Link thought. 'There aren't many primids anymore. They won't overrun us.'
Link ran out onto the battlefield and began to call out. "Fighters! Withdraw! I repeat, with-!"
"Greaps!" Someone yelled. Link turned toward the scream. Ness and Lucas were dashing away from a couple of enormous sphere shaped enemies with giant scythes. The dark sphere body rolled forward on small wheels and swung the humongous pair of scythes at the running children. Its bright yellow eyes on its sunken, round, red head glared violently. Link's heart sank.'Holy Din's Fire!'
"Everyone, retreat!" Link ordered. All the people outside began to make their way back to the side door. Sheik threw some needles and punctured the greaps' heads, causing them to make a roaring sound and collapse. Link and Pit began to run with the group. More greaps appeared from within the forest and dashed for the heroes. Link half-turned and caught his breath. An enormous greap loomed over him and slashed with its scythes. Link raised his shield. The hit slammed Link to the ground and ripped the shield off his arm. Link grunted and looked up at the sickle blade glinting in the sunlight, ready to reap its next victim.
"Connection… must break… End… the cycle…"
'I'm… gonna die!' Link thought. Time slowed down. Someone slid in front of the fallen warrior. The person raised his twin blades and started to cross his weapons in front of his chest to block. The sunlight glinted off the person's golden laurel. The person was too slow. The greap spun and slashed upwards with its twin scythes, breaking the block. Link could hear the long rip of the white fabric and the person's small, shocked gasp. A needle sailed out of nowhere and stabbed through the greap's head. The greap fell over, dead, and disintegrated into nothing. Link pushed himself up and caught his savior as he fell backwards. The boys in white's eyes were squeezed shut and he was biting his lip in intense pain. He breathed heavily, then his face and body relaxed and went limp. Grief started to rise in Link's throat. He struggled to swallow the shock, fear, and sadness fighting to the surface. Sheik rushed up and tugged on Link's arm, shouting at him to "fall back." Link's eyes stung. 'Pit…'
"Link! You ordered a retreat!" Sheik tried to snap him out of it. "Let's go!" Link looked up like a lost child and nodded. He scooped up the limp angel and carried him in his arms. People were waving and gesturing for the group to hurry to safety. An army of greaps rolled after them. Lucas and Ness ran up across the small bridge and waved.
"We'll hold them off, Onii-chan!" Ness called.
"I'm sorry!" Lucas apologized. "I'll heal everyone later!"
Link rushed behind the children, then turned to watch, still cradling Pit. The children crossed their arms and focused their psychic powers.
"P-Kaaaaaay!..." They chanted as the greap army got closer. The sky started to get dark.
"STARSTORM!" They shouted and summoned hundreds of comets from above. The falling stars slammed into the greaps and reduced their small army to ashes. The two children fell on their hands and knees, caught their breath, and flashed a smile to each other.
1…
Thunder rumbled across the sky. Sheik stepped forward.
2…
Ness and Lucas looked up at the sky worriedly.
3…
"Lucas! Ness! Get over here, now!" Sheik yelled. Ness and Lucas struggled to get up.
4…
Sheik cursed and disappeared in a puff of smoke. She reappeared between the two children, grabbed them both, and poofed again.
5…
Sheik reappeared beside Link with both boys in hand as an enormous purple lightning bolt struck the end of the bridge, where the children had stood.
"I knew it…" Sheik mumbled. "Everyone, inside! Injured, to the hospital!" She ordered as Link was still shaken. Zelda shimmered in and looked worriedly at Sheik.
"The battle's over…" Zelda began.
Sheik finished. "But the war has just begun." Everyone rushed inside. The injured went into a side room made up for medical purposes. Marth laid Ike down on a small bed and other injured rested on other cots. Link cradled Pit and felt him squirm.
"Ugh… Ow…" the angel moaned.
"Pit! You're okay!" Link exclaimed, full of joy and relief. Lucas came around, hands glowing with power. Pit slowly and groggily shook his head.
"Yeah… still… kickin'…" he mumbled out, then to Lucas, "Me… last…" Lucas gave a confused look.
"Not… bad… everyone else… first…" Pit practically whispered. Lucas reluctantly nodded and started with the others. Link shook the angel in his arms gently. Pit opened his sky-blue eyes and looked up dazed. There were two long bloodstained rips on the front of his pure white toga that rose and fell as he breathed.
"You're in pain just as much as everyone else!" Link hissed at him.
"Shallow… wounds…"
"You said it yourself; there's dark energy involved and you're susceptible. It may not look bad but I know it hurts!"
"Last… priority…"
Link sighed. "Pit, you're too selfless… I almost thought you died…" 'I got scared…' Link thought. "I, the supposed Hero of Courage, felt afraid.' Link looked up at Marth and Ike. Marth was much more relaxed and kept apologizing to Ike. Link guessed at their conversation. 'You got hit.' 'I meant to get hit.' 'You got hit because of me.'
"Link…" Pit spoke a little stronger with a hint of pep. "I'm okay now… honestly…"
"Not honestly," Link countered. He continued to watch Marth and Ike as he still cradled the small angel. Pit felt like very young boy to Link, small and frail. He sighed again, the panic over.
"Pit, there's something I need of you," he said.
"Sure," Pit answered.
"Listen to me. As a friend."
"I'm listening."
"Please, don't do that again. Don't ever take another hit for me. Never again..."
Pit smiled sadly. "No promises."
(#^.^# So? How'd you like it. Don't worry, I'll explain Pit and Link's relationship in due time. Not that I have a big problem with it, but I am NOT an incredible yaoi fan, so, none of that.
Please, leave reviews! I like seeing how you guys react, and pointing out any mistakes I might have made.
Thank you Aurora and Aura Blue for pointing out a grammar mistake! I kinda have to be my own editor since no one in my house will do it. This an example. I like it when people point out mistakes no matter if it be continuity or spelling and grammar.
Your support is all the motivation I need to keep writing this. Thank you so much for taking the time to read this. See ya next chapter!