Ugh. I'm really, really sorry for taking a million years to update something. I seriously should get in the habit of writing more often!
Now, as par request from a friend, I will give Luigi and Mario their accents. Yes, I know they have accents - I'm just too lazy to write them in. Picky, picky, picky.
Thick, fluffy white snow covered the ground as Samus sprinted across the parking lot to the glass sliding doors. Her ship took up about eight parking spaces, but unfortunately for everyone else there was really no way around that, unless she landed on the roof.
The warm air of the hospital melted the snowflakes in Samus' blonde hair. The bounty hunter wiped back a wisp of hair that had escaped from her ponytail before striding determinedly to the counter. Some of the other angels in the room looked up as she entered, but most were too worried about their own loved ones or themselves than to care about some other-worlder in the building.
A female angel nurse with short brown hair was typing something at a computer when Samus strode up to the desk. "Can I help you?" she asked without looking at Samus.
"Yes. Where is Pit?"
"Who?" the nurse asked, casting a slight glance at the bounty hunter who was getting more impatient with each passing moment.
"Pit Greystone! I just went to his house, and I was told by Pit's cousin that Pit was hit by a car a few days back! His family never told us!" Samus slammed her hands on the counter, making the nurse and many other waiting angels in the room jump, "I'm here to -"
"And you are…?"
Samus was about to snap at that comment, before she remembered what she was wearing. She had left all of her power suits back in her ship and was only wearing casual, 'civilian' clothing - fitted navy jeans and a warm black jacket. Very few people had seen her without one of her suits on, and she had certainly never fought in the Base without a suit. So of course these people wouldn't know who she was.
In a calm voice, Samus replied, "I'm Samus. Samus Aran. Pit Greystone was scheduled to appear in the next Smash Brothers tournament and I was sent by Master Hand to retrieve him."
"I'm very sorry, -"
"Ms.Aran. I'm not married."
", we do have a young angel by the name of Pit Greystone here, but he is in no condition to leave this hospital."
"Then at least let me see him!"
"I'm afraid not, ma'am. This hospital only allows visits from family members."
"Pit's been to the base before - and in the Smashers' book, that makes him family!" Samus stormed off, shoving two security guards to the side with ease as she pushed open the twin doors that lead to the rest of the hospital, ignoring the shouts behind her.
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"I just don't-a see why you-a let yourself be kidnapped-a by Bowser all the time," Mario sighed, taking off one of his gloves to take a sample of cookie batter.
"Oh, I just feel sorry for the poor guy. He's so lonely!" Princess Peach raised an eyebrow as Mario popped his finger in his mouth. "I just let him take me so he feels better. Besides," Peach added, using a wooden spoon to slap Mario's hand away from the bowl, "It keeps you in shape!"
"Hmph!" Mario replied, rubbing the back of his hand in mock annoyance, "I'm just-a fine without that trouble!"
Peach giggled and poked the red plumber's belly, "You eat so many of my baked goodies that without the occasional adventure you'd become so plump that you wouldn't fit down the pipes anymore!"
"Hey!" Mario replied, as Peach continued to laugh.
"We're back!" A voice called from the front of the castle, and both occupants of the warm kitchen dashed to the hall to see their friends. The entryway of Peach's castle had grown cold from the open door, as Luigi, Yoshi and Princess Daisy came in, stamping snow from their feet. Each of them was carrying two plastic bags filled with food, craft supplies, ribbons and wrapping paper.
"We've got-a all we need for Christmas!" Luigi called out as his brother and Peach came over.
"Yep, yep!" Yoshi added, wearing a Santa hat, "This is gonna be one great Christmas!"
"Well now, you boys can go fix up the tree and presents while Peach and I bake!" Daisy smiled and linked arms with her best friend, "We've got lots to do if we want to give everyone a gift of warm cookies!"
"Don't you want-a our help?" Luigi asked, handing his bags off to one of the Toads in the castle.
"You've helped me so much today, but right now you're needed elsewhere. Thanks so much for offering, though!" Daisy gave the green plumber a quick peck on the check, and Mario and Yoshi couldn't help but snicker at Luigi's flushed face.
As the two princesses went back into the kitchen, laughing at some joke or another, the phone began to ring.
"Got it!" Yoshi called out, dropping his bags onto a Toad helper and dashing to the white phone sitting nearby. "Hello? Hello?" Yoshi listened as the caller on the other side spoke rapidly, and his face began to turn white.
"Yoshi? What's-a wrong?" Mario asked as he and his brother came closer.
Yoshi gulped and finished the call, "I understand. I'll tell them. Bye." After hanging up, Yoshi turned to the twin brothers with saddened eyes, "That was Samus. Pit's been hurt in an accident and is in a light coma. He's not gonna be able to compete."
Luigi gasped, "But…with Tavor -"
"I'm-a thinking that this 'accident' was-a anything but an accident," Mario growled.
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Samus sat at the controls of her ship, not knowing what to do now. She had found Pit's room and stormed in, but when the young angel didn't wake up she became concerned. After a quick glance Samus knew Pit was in a coma and in no way could she take him away from the hospital. There was no telling exactly when he'd wake up, and absolutely no chance that he'd be able to fight in the next tournament.
The bounty hunter sighed, and continued her phone calls. There was nothing anyone could do - Pit would just have to skip this tournament and wait for the next one to come around. If only they all could be sure he'd be ok…
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Christmas Eve - a night that should be spent friends and family in comfort, eagerly waiting tomorrow's joys. In Hyrule, guests from across the land gathered in the castle's ballroom to celebrate the season. The Hero of Time, however, stayed by one of the tall glass windows and stared out at the frosty night.
"Oh, Link," Zelda sighed, making her way away from the crowd and beside her friend, "It's tragic what happened to Pit, but there's nothing we can do. Come now and enjoy the festivities - so many people here want to meet the Hero of Time!"
"I'm sure that was no accident, Zelda," Link replied with a hint of anger to his voice, "Pit needs help." Link stood up straight, and his blue eyes began to flash, "My help, to be precise. I'm going to back to Angel Land to get Pit out of there!"
"You can't!" Zelda called out to Link's retreating back, "How are you going to get there?" She grasped her skirt and ran after the hero who was already in the hallway.
"I'll call Samus. She'll give me a lift for sure." Link started up the stone steps but Zelda caught up to him and grabbed his arm.
"Correction - give us a lift for sure." Link stopped and looked back at the princess. Zelda raised her chin with pride, "Just because I'm a girl and a princess doesn't mean that I can't fight! If you're going, then I'm coming along too!"
Link was speechless for a moment, but quickly regained his composure, "What about the party?"
"Ah, fuck that!" After uttering the curse, Zelda looked around to make sure no one but Link had heard it. Seeing no one, she continued, "It's nice to see some of the people there, but others are just creepy rich guys looking to become king. I'd rather be setting people of fire any day."
The hero couldn't help but grin, "Well, as one of your subjects, I suppose I can't refuse your request."
Zelda gave a playful slap to Link's cheek before shoving past him and continuing up the stairs, "At least you show good sense! Most boys would insist that I stay behind!"
"That's because the princess must be protected," Link replied back saucily, walking in step with Zelda.
"Alright, make fun of my status one more time and you'll pay for it!"
"Oh, really? Well excuuuusssseee me, princess! What are you going to do - slap me again?"
"I'll tell my father that I want to marry you. That way you'll be king and can't go on any more adventures. Boo-hoo for you." Zelda couldn't help but laugh when she saw Link's face - with wide eyes and a gaping mouth, the look was priceless for the princess. "Stop standing around and go get your gear! I'll call Samus and tell her the plan."
Link shook himself out of his shock and followed the princess. "I'm going! I'm going!"
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Angels were crying all around him, trapped in iron cages set along the darkened hall. The demonic guards, minions of the evil Medusa, stalked the corridors and poked the prisoners with their spears, chuckling at the pained cries.
But he was not afraid.
He held the Sacred Bow in his hands now. Strong hands with palms made hard from constant training. He had grown in both height and spirit during the training. His whole body was toned muscle, and he barely had an ounce of fat on him. His wings were snowy white, flecked with golden sparkles that shimmered in the darkness. They were powerful enough to easily keep him aloft for some time. His clothes were a bit dusty from sitting in this cell for some time, but otherwise were in good condition, save for one broken sandal strap and a small tear in his outer white toga. His muscles tensed as one of the guards thumped down the hall.
He was ready for this. This is why he was born.
The ugly pig-faced guard turned to toss a piece of bread into the cell, but instead received an arrow of light to the eye.
"Foolish Medusa," the now freed angel muttered as he released himself from his prison, "This is why you don't let each guard hold a copy of the keys."
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"Thanks for coming, both of you," Zelda said as she seated herself in the Falcon Flyer. While Link had grabbed his own weapons, she had taken the time to slip on her own Sheikah disguise. The last thing she needed was to run around and fight in a fancy dress.
"Well, after I made such a scene at the hospital there was no way they were going to let me back in," Samus sighed while leaning back in her seat beside Captain Falcon, "But there was also no way I was going to sit on the sidelines for this!"
"Having this many fighters won't hurt our chances at all," Link said while fiddling with his gear, "How long will this take?"
"The flight to Angel Land? About an hour and a half. The kidnapping of Pit? Depends on resistance," Captain Falcon glanced back at Link, "Buckle up. We'll be shooting through hyper space soon enough." He continued after the Hylian had strapped himself in. "Master Hand said Angel Land was in a war right now. We could be mistaken for the enemy and shot at."
"I wasn't," Samus added, "I doubt that either side has ships like you do, Douglas."
The male bounty hunter sniffed at his real name but let it slide, "Just as well, we have to be careful. Who knows what kind of monsters are roaming around that land?"
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Pit was awake. A few days ago he had been hit by a car, but now he was awake. No pain. No dizziness. No lasting effects of a terrible accident. Oh sure, he could see the white gauze that covered his wounds, but he knew rather than felt the injuries present on his body.
Besides, it wasn't the pain that had woken him up this night - it was the call. The power of a sacred weapon.
His weapon.
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Captain Falcon could feel the passengers' impatience around him. They were eager to do something exciting and get their adrenaline rushing, even though it would be unlikely that any of them would draw a weapon. That was the downside of having unnatural or rare abilities; if trouble didn't come to you, then you started some yourself.
"We're almost to Pit's city…you guys ready to go?" As if he even had to ask.
A loud crash from the left side of the ship interrupted any responses. There was slight turbulence, and then another crash.
"What's going on? Are we under attack?" Zelda called out.
Link had already unbuckled his seatbelt and was heading towards the hatch that lead to the roof, "We must be! Come on, Zelda!"
The princess quickly hurried after the other Hylian while Captain Falcon scanned his instruments, trying to determine what was attacking them. His eyes went wide when he saw it.
"Get out there and help them!" Falcon looked at Samus with eyes full of surprise, "It's a fucking dragon!"
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Other cities had been attacked before; such was expected during a war. He had heard of citizens fleeing the ruins, or dying within them. Never had he expected to be in one of these attacks. The bow's power was already rushing into his veins, fueling him with much needed strength even before the fight had begun. Pit was moving through the halls of the hospital, empty of the usual banter of nurses and patients. Either they had fled or were in hiding - it did not matter to Pit right now. He was spoiling for a fight. In seconds had opened a window and was flying to the top of the building. All he had on was a light hospital tunic and he was without shoes. The power from the bow was what kept him warm.
There wasn't a large army coming towards the city - just enough to be destructive without being devastating. There were no Reapers or Eggplant Wizards or anything truly frightening in this army.
Well, excluding the shadow-born dragon.
Seemingly created out of the shadows and fire of the Underworld itself, the dragon-like creature flew across the sky, roaring louder than a thunderstorm. The creature was completely black except for its eyes, claws, nostrils and the tips of its tail and wings, which were made of fire so hot it burned white. Hot white embers flew off its back and wings as it soared, drifting like snow to the frozen ground. Wisps of black smog curled off of its body, binding the horrible creature together. This was something created with magic and not easily destroyed.
Pit glared up at the demonic lizard, his blue eyes flashing with determination. Then, he stared off at the distance.
Was that a ship flying after the dragon?
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Cold wind rushed past Zelda's face as the Falcon Flyer raced towards its target. The black dragon was only a hundred feet in front of them, and they were closing fast. The burning tip of the dragon's tail swished lazily back and forth in front of them. Was Samus really going to shoot her grappling beam at that thing? Wouldn't she be sent flying?
"Or is that the idea?" Zelda thought to herself as Samus moved to the nose of the ship.
"I wonder what kind of madman summoned that hellish thing," Link shouted over the wind, rather calm about the demon in front of them, "I haven't fought something this big in a long while; not since Ganondorf died."
"You seem rather thrilled about taking this thing on," Zelda shouted back, already slipping a metal chain into her gloved hands.
Link grinned back at her, hookshot armed and ready to fire, "It's in my blood."
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The Komaytos, Kobils and Commylooses were moving towards his post. Arrows made of beautiful sky-blue light rained down from the hospital roof, decimating the creatures. At least he couldn't run out of shots, so it was fine if he missed every so often.
"This is too easy," Pit smiled to himself, shooting another demon, "Why is it that the army is having so much trouble?" At that moment something rammed Pit from behind, making him stumble forward. The young angel quickly whirled around and saw that the little demons had climbed up the other side of the wall. He was surrounded.
"They're not strong…they're just overwhelming. That's the challenge here," Pit muttered, arming the bow again.
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Samus peered through her visor, calculating the time to fire her grappling beam. She was so close…if Captain Falcon could just move in a little closer…perfect! She fired, and the beam of energy latched onto the dragon's tail. The bounty hunter then quickly retracted the beam, pulling herself towards the demonic creature. During the five minutes they had been chasing this thing it had already set a number of buildings on fire. Hopefully no one was hurt, but Samus had no time to worry about these things. She had a dragon to destroy.
Without glancing back to see if Link had followed her, Samus began to run up the dragon's back. Strange spiky balls were being hurled towards her, but a few simple shots from her gun destroyed them all. In a few seconds she was at the dragon's head, but now it had noticed her presence. The head began to shake back and forth in an attempt to throw the bounty hunter off, but Samus dug her heels in and aimed at the eyes. She fired two missiles and was rewarded with a strange cry, but the dragon kept moving even with no eyes. Where was its weak point? Base of the neck, perhaps, or behind the ears? Did it even have ears?
The dragon let out a roar and opened its mouth; Samus could see dark flames building up inside its shadowy jaw. With a quick flick of her wrist the grappling beam swung out and wrapped around the muzzle of the dragon, effectively stopping the attack. Snorts and spurts of smoke came from the jaw of the creature as it began to fling its head around wildly in an attempt to free itself. Samus used her free hand to grab a dark spike sticking out of the dragon's back, her armor protecting her from the rough surface. The bounty hunter's muscles strained with the effort of controlling the creature's head; she was going to lose this battle if Link didn't step it up.
"Hey, hero! Give me a hand, will ya?" Samus grunted, trying her best to keep control of the demonic beast.
"I'm trying Samus! Just give me a second!" Link called back, using his sword to slash away at a number of strange, floating eyeballs. These things were easy to destroy, but there were a large number of them…was Pit ok down there?
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Pit was surrounded by so many of the tiny minions…no wonder Palutena's army was suffering; the soldiers would simply be overwhelmed by the sheer number of enemies. Pit refused to give up; he kept notching arrows and firing as fast as he could, but there were just too many for him to handle. Was he going to die the same way so many soldiers did - torn to shreds by little fluffballs? Hell no! But he was getting tired, and he wouldn't be able to fly like this…
Still, these things weren't so tough…maybe he could survive…there couldn't be too many more…
Pit then felt the claws of some creature snatch his left ankle and pull back. He tried to resist the yank, but his energy levels were too low. Down on one knee, he kept fighting. He shot arrow after arrow, but still the hordes of strange creatures kept coming. Things that looked like crabs, red frogs, eyeballs…there were too many for him to handle. He was going to die out here and there was no one who could help him. Claws began to rip at his bare legs while tentacles lashed out at his weakening arms. Now Pit couldn't launch any arrows and was completely defenseless. There was nothing the young angel could do now except close his eyes and wait to die; he was never prepared for this kind of battle. If only he had more time…
Then, with a sudden flash of light, as quickly as the creatures had attacked they were gone. Pit opened his eyes and looked around. All of the demons attacking him had disappeared - disintegrated into nothing. Many remained on the ground below, but he was actually safe. How…?
The young angel looked around without seeing anything unusual. It was only when he looked up that he saw his savior. "You…" Pit whispered, "I know you!"
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A sharp turn to the left almost sent Samus flying off the dragon's back. Only through her grappling beam and sheer willpower was the bounty hunter able to hold on. Link was almost beside her while Zelda had held back to strike at the dragon's wings, attempting to bring the creature to the ground. The Falcon Flyer was zooming along underneath the shadowy beast in case somebody happened to fall; the pilot inside unwilling to risk the death of one of the other heroes.
The shakiness of standing on a moving creature's back made it difficult, but Link had reached the monster's head. In a single clean move, Samus used her grappling beam to hold onto Link's waist while he ventured forth onto the dragon's fiery head. The dragon shook its snout in relief from the grappling beam and then began to charge up another shadow-flamethrower. Link quickly scanned the monster's head, took a gamble and then thrust his sword down hard, right at the edge of the dragon's right eye. "With any luck, that should have pierced its brain," Link called back to Samus.
"Are you sure it even has a brain?" Samus shouted back.
"…No."
Reacting to the attack rather than pain, the dragon roared and began to shake its head up and down. Link gripped his sword, trying to drive it deeper when the dragon looked down. Samus was straining to hold onto Link and the dragon, knowing that if the two Smashers fell it wasn't going to be pretty.
A loud snap made the two heroes at the dragon's head look back at Zelda. The princess of Hyrule had carefully wrapped an iron chain around the dragon's left wing just where it attached to the body. Every time the dragon turned, the chain twisted and tightened. Zelda had pulled with all of her strength, and after that last sharp turn the chain had burst through the outer shell of the wing and cut it right off. Because the creature was made of shadows, it had no bones - only darkness seeping out of the now gaping wound. The dragon was leaning heavily to the left, and now unable to fly they were all heading straight for the ground.
"We have to avoid these buildings - is there any parks around here we can crash into?" Samus shouted over the roars and wind.
"I don't know! It doesn't matter unless you can fly this thing!" Link shouted back, "And I doubt that it's trained!"
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The same woman at the Smasher's Base was floating just a little ways away and above Pit. A dark blue cloak was wrapped around her body, and Pit could just barely see the glowing lights underneath, where her hands should be.
Pit stood up, grabbing his bow in the process as the woman landed and walked towards him. She offered him her hand and said, "Come," in a calm, soft voice.
"What?" Pit replied confused by what she wanted. He couldn't see the woman's face in the dark, only a few wisps of blonde hair curled beneath her chin.
"Come." No change in tone or demeanor. Just the same, simple command that could either lead to paradise or disaster. "Come."
It wasn't like Pit had much to lose at this point. Slowly he reached out with his gauze covered left hand; the right one held his sacred bow. Her warm strong fingers gently but firmly held onto his weakened bandaged ones, like a child and mother reuniting after years of being apart. Pit knew her from somewhere before…
Suddenly he was in her arms, and the woman had leaped off the edge of the building. The pavement rushed towards the pair, but just before they hit the ground something slowed their fall. Pit twisted in the stranger's arms just enough so he could see a pair of white angel wings, glowing with gold sparkles.
"She has them too? Does that mean we're related in some way?" Pit thought as the woman kept moving.
Two legions of centurions had been dispatched to protect the city, and already were driving the demons back. The woman ignored the battle and continued on, past buildings set aflame or crumbling from an attack. Her dark blue boots crunched along broken glass and bits of stone, never slowing to check on anything. Pit huddled against her warm body, feeling oddly safe and loved next to her chest despite not knowing anything about her.
They traveled swiftly through the city, moving too fast for any normal person to be able to do. Within minutes, they reached their destination. A graveyard.
The metal gate swung open and then softly closed behind them as the woman continued to carry Pit into the world of the dead. Because technically Sky World was on top of the clouds, only a few dozen feet of earth was available before one would reach the cloud and topple through. Only the rich were buried like those on the Surface World - most angels were cremated to save on space. It was very quiet here, and the calmness compared to the chaos outside the brick walls was so heavy Pit could feel it pressing down on him like a weight. Yet the woman carried Pit to the very back of the graveyard before he noticed that they were being followed.
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Captain Falcon strained to keep the Falcon Flyer against the falling dragon's body, aiming for an empty patch of land cleared for later construction. If he failed the dragon would smash into dozens of homes and apartments, killing who knows how many civilians. Not to mention that his friends likely wouldn't come out in one piece.
The ground was hurtling towards him quickly while his heart pounded at the same rate. The three heroes on top of the dragon were continuing to damage the shadowy beast in the hopes of truly killing it before they reached the ground, lest it immediately continued its destructive path in a lower altitude.
"Fifty feet from ground level! Moving too fast: crash imminent unless course is altered immediately!"
"Shut up you fucking computer!" Captain Falcon roared back, adrenaline affecting his temper.
"Forty feet!"
Almost there…
"Thirty feet!"
More to the left…
"Twenty feet!"
Right on target!
"Ten feet!"
Captain Falcon slammed on the brakes while jamming the gears into reverse. The less powerful front boosters swapped around and began to push his ship from under the belly of the dragon. As the shadow demon hurled towards the ground, the flames on its side and the back claws slashed the front of the Falcon Flyer, causing major damage to the ship but leaving it intact. The dragon slammed into the ground with full force, the speed of the fall allowing it to move a good hundred meters before coming to a stop.
The racer quickly landed his ship and hopped out, running towards the beast to see if the other fighters made it out alright. The dragon had rolled onto its left side and the fires on its body were beginning to go out. They had defeated it!
Samus was the first one to appear, shaking slightly from exhaustion but still in good condition. Link was next with a slightly singed tunic and hair, but otherwise alright. "Where's Zelda?" Captain Falcon asked as Link's eyes went wide.
"If anything happens to her…" Link whispered more to himself than anyone else before rushing back towards the dragon, "Zelda! Zelda!"
A shudder went through the dragon's body, the shadow flames rippling in the moonlight. Then the darkness began to disappear, gently floating away on the calm breeze. Once the dragon had fully disintegrated, the three Smashers saw the princess of Hyrule lying on the ground and covered with blood.
"Zelda!"
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"It is no cause for alarm, little one," the woman said in the same calm voice, "It is only Kitty."
"Kitty?" Pit asked, peering over the woman's strong arm at the tombstones surrounding them. Quietly a dark purple cat with white stripes came from behind one of the tombstones and padded towards them. The cat's back only came up to the woman's knee and was unlike anything Pit had ever seen before.
"She is my eyes for things I cannot see," the woman said quietly while placing Pit on the ground, "As well as a strong friend. Come with me now - do not be afraid."
Pit wasn't quite sure how to respond to that except to follow the woman. The purple cat kept close by her feet as the three made their way to the back wall of the graveyard. The woman stopped and looked at Pit again. "You can only get here if you come straight through this cemetery. No wandering off the path."
"Uh yeah, sure…I got that." The young angel thought this stranger meant the back wall - which of course made no sense since you could approach the wall from any place and it still would be the same wall - until he saw a small carving etched onto the wall of a small bow and arrow, shaped exactly like the bow he was currently carrying.
"What's going on here?" Pit asked the woman, who was still covered by the same dark blue cloak and gave no signs of her intentions.
A small sigh escaped from her lips as the woman reached for Pit's hand and placed it flat against the wall, "Light." The carving began to glow a beautiful blue. Pit snatched his hand back in surprise but stayed put. The glow began to spread across the bricks, forming a shimmering blue doorway that illuminated the dark cemetery. "Do not be afraid, little one. Come with me. You will return soon enough. Come." The strong hand reached for Pit's own, and together they walked inside.
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"Zelda!" Link cried out again, dropping to his knees beside the Sheikah-disguised princess. The white flames had slightly scorched her outfit as well as some of her hair, but she had no burns. The problem was the blood coming from her arm and painting everything around her red.
"My…arm…" Zelda gasped, leaning on her right side and holding her hurt left arm with her strong right one, "I fell at…the last bit…used my arm to…to stop my fall. It's broken…for sure."
"Better than your head," Captain Falcon said, kneeling beside the hurt princess, "Link, help me carry her inside the ship. We can fix her up in there."
"I'm so sorry, Zelda. This is my fault. I should have protected you," Link said gloomily as the two Smashers carefully lifted the princess off the ground.
"Don't be stupid, Link…" Zelda winced as she was moved but didn't make a sound, "You did your best…just like always. I…did this myself. D…don't be upset. I'll be alright."
"Her bone's broken through the skin, but this isn't life threatening. She's gonna be alright, Link," Samus said, giving Link a pat on the back.
"Depends on what happens after I tell her father why this occurred," Link muttered as they carried Zelda inside.
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Pit, Kitty and Star had entered a small room, three meters high and five meters wide. The floor, walls and ceiling were all made of blue crystal, glowing much softer than the carving outside. The soft light made the only object in the room shine: a white stone pedestal with a small diamond bowl top, holding crystal clear water.
"What is this place?" Pit asked, looking around the small room.
So many questions from such a young mind, all of which would someday be answered. "Knowledge," Star replied, stepping towards the pedestal.
"What?"
"The water in this bowl gives the drinker knowledge." Star looked back at Pit and saw Kitty sitting beside him. Both had cocked their heads to the side; one in confusion and the other in imitation. Star smiled to herself and continued, "It is for you."
"For me?"
"Yes."
"But why?"
"Because it is."
"That's the worst explanation I have ever heard. How do I know you're not trying to trick me?" Pit crossed his arms and glared back at Star, refusing to come any closer.
"Why would I trick you, little one?"
"Well jeez, already once I've drunk something that me feel funny and led to me getting molested. For all I know this is the exact same set up."
Star could feel her anger bubbling underneath her skin; those that would hurt an innocent child for their own pride! If only she had -
She couldn't dwell on that now.
"I will step away from you, if that is what you wish. Just take a drink from the water, little one. You will see beyond your eyes."
The young angel looked a bit nervous, glancing at the water, at Kitty, and then back at her. Finally Pit sighed, "I suppose if you wanted me, I couldn't really stop you. After all, you eliminated those minions with a light-type attack…I don't know what else you can do."
"Perhaps a lot, perhaps nothing at all," Star said, stepping towards the corner of the room.
"You can do a lot more. I know." Pit walked towards the pedestal and saw a small diamond cup floating on the surface of the water. Beyond caring on how that was possible at the moment, Pit filled the cup half full of water and tipped the liquid into his mouth. "Goddess!" Pit gasped, dropping the cup back into the water. The water that he had just swallowed was absolutely incredible…it was so fresh, so sweet…he couldn't even begin to describe this water in any possible way that would make sense.
"That wasn't hard now, was it?" Star had stepped beside Pit while the young angel was still in shock from the water, "Now try and read this."
Pit took a small piece of cream-coloured paper from Star's hand and frowned. Copper-coloured writing was on the page, in the exact same language he had seen at the temple in the Smasher's World. Only now…he could read more.
"This is all I can see, 'Your…has come. Your…will be…do not be…you were…do this.'"
"That is good, little one. More time and you'll understand."
"Understand what? If you know so much, why don't you just tell me?"
Star shook her head, "Too dangerous. If they find you, they'll kill you."
"Wha - wait a second! Who are you, and what do you want with me? What's after me? What in the name of the sacred Goddess is going on here?"
Poor child must be confused and frightened. Star didn't blame him - he was young and needed more time and training for this to all sink in. She needed to buy him time. "That doesn't matter now. All that matters is that you know I am your friend, little one, and that you know this place. You will know when to come back here, and when you do, come alone, and tell no one of this place. Is that understood?"
Pit looked at Star with wide blue eyes, "Uh…o-okay…" He was really getting scared. Time to go.
"Come now, little one. I have one other place to take you." With that, Pit was scooped back into Star's arms and all three occupants in the room departed.
XXXXXXXXX
The Smashers had created a cast for Zelda's arm, but even with the strong pain she refused to be left behind and followed the other heroes into the city. They had left the Falcon Flyer behind, as the ship had received quite a bit of damage and Captain Falcon wanted to save the remaining fuel for the trip home. The demons had mostly been destroyed and the army was finishing off the bits that remained. Which meant now was a good time to grab Pit.
They had first gone to the hospital where Samus had first seen Pit, but after Samus climbed up the side of the building to Pit's room she was alarmed to see the young angel was no longer there.
"He could have been taken home today," Captain Falcon said after Samus came back down.
"No way," Samus replied, shaking her head, "That was a bad accident. He should still be there."
"What if he was attacked? What if he's dying out there somewhere?" Link looked around, eyes showing quite a bit of worry.
"You're just freaking out because I got hurt. I'm sure Pit's fine," Zelda countered, "The place could have been evacuated. Let's look around and find out where the other patients went."
"Fair enough," Samus agreed, and the group moved on.
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"This is the last spot for now," the woman said, placing Pit on the ground again. Pit had been carried for quite some distance, but again it only took a fraction of the time it really should have. Whoever this woman was, she must have some interesting abilities. The young angel looked around, but they were simply in a garden. The bushes and trees were without leaves of course, making the place seem lifeless and dull.
"Right here," the woman said, and Pit followed her pointing finger. She was pointing at a small statue in the garden of a rearing unicorn with wings, done in white marble.
"Okay, it's a unicorn. So?" Pit wasn't that impressed.
"When the time comes - and you'll know when - this is where you'll find it. Alright?"
"Sure thing." Pit stepped closer to the statue to take a better look. He wasn't worried about getting back here. It wasn't that hard to get to this spot if you knew where to go. After all, it was a public garden, made for people to come in and enjoy the flowers and works of art. All you needed was a lift and a few bucks to get in.
"That is all for now," the woman sighed, looking over her shoulder, "I suppose that you must be excited to go."
"Excited to go where?" Pit looked up from his observation, having seen nothing interesting only to discover that the woman and Kitty had vanished.
"What a weird night…" Pit mumbled to himself, just as he noticed his hand begin to glow. Once again, his wonderful bow was disappearing. At least right now he wasn't in any danger, so Pit wasn't too upset when the scared bow vanished in a ball of light. "Now what?" Pit wondered out loud. He was in the middle of a garden with no resources, his step family had no idea where he was, he was in pain, and -
Wait a second. His step family had no clue where he was! For all they knew, he could have died in the onslaught of demons. He had time to get somewhere safe - perhaps to Palutena or the Base. This actually may be a stroke of luck! Of course he was only wearing a short hospital tunic and a bunch of gauze with no shoes, but it couldn't be too far to a safe place.
Pit was thinking for a few minutes, and then he heard voices - three he recognized, one he didn't. The sounds of those voices were sweeter than ice cream on a hot day. Without caring about his injured body Pit took off running towards the street calling out, "Captain Falcon! Samus! Link!"
XXXXXXXXX
"Hold up! I heard something!" Samus said, looking around. The four heroes were heading over towards Pit's house, guided by Link. They had found where many of the patients and nurses from the hospital had fled, but Pit was not with them. It was very quiet in this section of town, with only the occasional gust of wind bringing movement to the streets.
"We still have a ways to go to Pit's place. Are you sure you don't want to return to the ship Zelda?" Link asked the princess, who was rubbing her sore shoulder.
"I'm still alright, Link." Zelda watched fog leave the boys' mouths, as hers and Samus' were covered. It was cold out here, and from what she had heard she couldn't help but think what would happen if Pit was left outside in his condition.
"Listen! There it is again!" Samus turned to the right and pointed, "From that garden."
A voice came from beyond the brick wall that guarded many leafless trees, "Falcon! Samus! Link!"
"Pit, is that you?" Link called back, barely keeping himself from hoping.
A whoosh of air was the response as a young angel covered in bandages used his wings to propel himself to the top of the wall. Showing no regards for his condition the young angel dropped to the ground on the other side, falling on his knees due to his injured legs.
"Pit!" the three Smashers shouted in unison. Pit struggled to stand up again as Captain Falcon rushed over and scooped the young angel into his arms. "What are you doing out here?" The male bounty hunter asked as the other three heroes rushed over to them.
"Long story," Pit whispered, adrenaline leaving his veins and leaving his body vulnerable, "What are you guys doing here?"
"We came to pick you up. You're going to live with Link and myself in Hyrule until the next tournament starts," Zelda explained while the young angel studied her.
"Um…who are you?" Pit asked.
"Oh! Pit, this is Zelda, the Princess of Hyrule. She's a good friend of mine and currently in disguise," Link explained while gesturing to her.
"Call me Sheik," Zelda joked through her pain.
"Now we have two fighters who are hurt. Let's get back to the Falcon Flyer pronto and leave this place," Samus said, sprinting off with the others following close behind.
XXXXXXXXX
Emily frowned as she was led to the strange spaceship. It was definitely not from this planet, and the centurion was quite sure she knew where it came from. That was something she was not happy about.
"What would you like us to do, ma'am?" one of the soldiers asked her.
Immediately Emily replied, "Stand guard. Do not let the owner of this ship leave this planet. They have illegally entered our world and will be punished."
"But ma'am, they destroyed that horrible dragon…don't they deserve to leave unhindered?" a different soldier, this one female, asked.
"By that logic, we should let child molesters go simply because they help out at a soup kitchen. Cry me a river and obey my orders!" Emily snapped. Both soldiers then left her side thinking about what a much better general Lucian was.
Emily sighed and looked back at the ship. She had seen the battle between those inside the ship and the dragon. She was grateful that they had brought it down, but not enough as to give up her ultimate goal.
"They may have taken down that dragon, but they will not get Pit as a reward!" Emily thought to herself as she waited for those infuriating Smashers to return.
XXXXXXXXX
"What's going on?" Link asked as the group rounded a corner to see the Falcon Flyer surrounded by soldiers.
"Do they think we're some sort of threat?" Zelda pondered.
"Doubt it. They probably just don't know why we're here. Let's tell them and get out," Samus replied, walking towards the soldiers with the others close behind.
Once the group was just a few feet away, a voice called out, "Is this your ship?" Pit's ears perked as he recognized that voice.
Captain Falcon replied, "Yes, it's mine. Sorry about the bad parking job, but we're leaving now, so if you just let us by -"
"That will not happen." Emily stepped out of the group of soldiers towards the five heroes, "You are all under arrest!"
"What? Why?"
"For illegally entering our borders without permits or permission. And what are you all up to, kidnapping a child?" Emily grinned triumphantly; she had caught the fighters in a legitimate law break and would be able to take Pit away.
"Pit wants to come with us," Samus countered.
"Stockholm syndrome, or fear. Put the child down now and your hands in the air - otherwise we will be forced to take you all down," Emily motioned for the soldiers to ready themselves, and the five heroes noticed that they were holding spray cans or tasers. This wasn't going to be pleasant for anyone except Samus, whose suit protected her from such attacks.
"Let us go! We don't mean any harm!" Zelda called to Emily as the soldiers began to surround the fighters.
"Let the child go! You have no right to take him from his home!" Emily countered.
"We have permission to take him from here! Ask his family if you don't believe us!"
"A likely story."
"We're all Super Smash Brothers tournament fighters! We're all heroes! Do you honestly think we'd do something horrible?" Link said while the soldiers moved in.
"Those who have power are too likely to do horrible things," Emily said while grinning at the terrified Pit, "After all, nothing corrupts like power does. It can make even the nicest heroes go bad - and that's a chance I will not take."
"We won't go down without a fight," Samus challenged.
"Go right ahead. You won't win."
XXXXXXXXX
A few hours later…
"Wow, that was a real fuckup," Captain Falcon sighed. He was currently sitting next to Link in a prison cell, the two chained together at the wrist. All of their weapons and items had been taken away, as well as their armor.
"There was just nothing we could do," Link replied in a sad voice. They had fought back at the start, with Pit huddled in the center. Zelda had used magic to protect the group while the other three used their skills to knock the soldiers aside without truly harming them. The soldiers weren't sure what to do next, and it looked like they were going to make it. But then Emily had stepped in, and with what Zelda later described as true evil magic, cast a spell that countered Zelda's protective abilities. Due to her arm she was slower in casting than normal and was unable to stop Emily from knocking the whole group out. The next time they woke up, they were chained together and Pit was nowhere in sight.
"Black magic. I can't believe that a follower of a light goddess would use black magic!" Link pounded the concrete bench he was sitting on with his free fist in frustration, "I should have used my sword, and to hell with protecting those blasted soldiers!"
"If you killed one of them Link, you would have been charged with murder. Technically we did break their laws, and we did resist arrest. They did their jobs and were in the right, even if I hate to think about it."
"She wouldn't even listen, fucking armored bitch," Link growled, "If they do anything to my equipment I'll make sure to have that centurion's head on a pike by the end of the week!" He slammed the concrete with his fist again.
"Oh shut up in there!" some soldier called from out of sight, "The only pointy thing you'll be getting is a dick up your ass when you become the prison bitch."
"Hey fuck you, asshole! You come over here and I'll show you who the real fucking bitch is!" Link shouted back with a good amount of malice in his voice.
The racer was about to scold Link for having such an uncontrolled outburst, but stopped himself when he remembered that Link technically was still a child. After all, Link was only sixteen and not quite a full grown adult. He should still be allowed a few outbursts like this. "Calm down Link. I'm not any happier about this than you, but getting frustrated will only make our situation worse. Besides, everyone knows that in prison you'd be the one with all of the bitches."
Link managed a small smile, "Thanks, Falcon." He went back to staring at the floor and thinking. "I wonder what's going to happen to Pit now?"
"Well, if all goes well he'll be cleared to leave with us once Zelda gets bail money from her father. I just hope his Royal Highness won't get too upset with us for this…"
The Hero of Time winced at the thought, "I hope so too. Because if anyone is going to be punished for this, it's gonna be me."
XXXXXXXXX
Pit had been forced to wait alone in the army garrison's medical center for an hour. Emily had never come to talk to him, so Pit assumed she already understood his intentions and felt no need to beat up on him again. Besides, being in the army and attacking a little kid wasn't very good for one's image.
The door finally clicked open and Pit looked up to see a male lower-level soldier there. "The ambulance is here to transfer you to another hospital."
"What about my friends?" Pit asked, "I was supposed to go with them."
The soldier shook his head, "Sorry kid, but there's a lot of stuff going on with those four. Besides, your wounds need to be looked after. Perhaps later you'll see them, but right now you need care."
At least he wouldn't have to see Emily. Pit sighed but let himself be placed on a stretcher and loaded into an ambulance. As the vehicle began to move, Pit crossed his fingers that he would see the Smashers again soon.
XXXXXXXXX
Later that morning…
"Merry prison Christmas," Samus joked to Zelda as both fighters woke up after a long night. Samus was without her power suit and weapons; she was just in the jumpsuit she wore underneath. Zelda was made to take off the cloth covering her head and hand over her weapons, but other than that they had left her alone - probably due to the broken arm.
"Merry painful Christmas to you. My arm's killing me," Zelda winced and rubbed her cast.
"I thought the army here fixed it up nicely for you."
"They did, but it's still sore. I guess casting magic with your hands and broken arms don't mix well together." Zelda continued to rub her arm until Samus came behind her and began massaging her shoulders. "Ah, that's better."
"Think we'll spend the day in here?" Samus asked as she continued to knead Zelda's shoulders.
"No, you won't." The two girls looked up to see a female soldier standing at the door, "Bail money has arrived and the four of you are free to go home."
"Four? What about Pit?" Zelda asked.
"Who?"
"The kid."
"He's been taken to another hospital for treatment. I believe once it's been confirmed that you can take him off this planet you'll be allowed back with no charges. Until then, you're all being deported and will leave at once."
"But…"
"You male accomplices are already leaving. Let's go." The female soldier unlocked the door, and the two girls followed her out.
"Man, we spend the night here and we don't even get breakfast! How rude!" Samus said sarcastically, rolling her eyes, "It's Christmas for goodness' sakes!"
"Yes, and I gave the wonderful present of criminal daughter to my father. Some princess I turned out to be," Zelda sighed.
"You're one of the best, girl. Keep up that spirit in the tournament and you'll do just fine."
"Thanks Samus," Zelda smiled as they were placed into another car to be driven back to the ship.
"Your equipment is in the trunk," the driver said to the girls just before starting the car, "And nothing's been tampered with."
"Oh of course; I can tell from this planet's hospitality that you left our stuff alone for sure," Samus replied, rolling her eyes again. Zelda let out a small laugh as the car began to head back towards the Falcon Flyer.
XXXXXXXXX
Pit sighed and looked out the window at the bright blue sky. It was a gorgeous Christmas Day, but Pit had no heart for such things today. The Smashers had come all this way for him, only to get arrested in the process. Now he was trapped here with no escape route. Fighting outside in the cold in his condition left his body weak and exhausted. Even if he had his sacred bow again he was too tired to use it well. He was better off waiting for his body to heal before attempting another escape.
"That is…if Tavor ever lets my body heal…" Pit sighed to himself before drifting off to sleep.
XXXXXXXXX
"Of all the idiotic, crazy, hare-brained things to do on Christmas Eve, you do this? Leave in the middle of the celebration! Get arrested! Put my own daughter's life in danger - and have her injured to boot!" The king of Hyrule slammed his hands on a wooden table, causing the Hero of Time to slightly jump in surprise, "You have saved this land a couple of times before, Link! Yet you let this happen to my daughter!"
"It's only a broken arm. It'll heal just fine. Yeesh, the way he's carrying on you'd think he's the one with the busted limb, not Zelda." Link was thinking to himself, trying to keep calm as the king paced back and forth in the throne room, scolding and yelling at Link for the trouble the hero had caused.
The captain of the castle guards stood silently by the door, preventing the session from being interrupted by any servants. At least the guests were all distracted with the festivities in the town and weren't present to see the king's rage or Zelda's condition. After receiving the call late last night for bail money, the king had been holding onto his anger until the two heroes had returned home. Zelda had immediately been taken to see a nurse, while Link had only a short break to drop off his equipment and eat something before being brought in here to be yelled at.
The king continued his rant, unknowing that the Hero of Time wasn't taking him too seriously, "I let you into my household and gave you so many privileges for all you've done!"
"And I have saved Hyrule at least four separate times without any thought of a reward, and if the need arises I will do so again. It was your choice to give this to me…then again, the people would have been furious if you didn't do something," Link thought as a response.
"I have given everything you needed to survive, as well as for your horse!"
"He's acting as if I'm not grateful; or if everything I've done before was for a reward. This was an accident, and I really do feel bad that Zelda was hurt. But this won't ruin her!"
"I let you and Zelda be friends and be alone together. Don't you understand what that means, Link? A young male alone with the virgin princess?"
"Way too much information there, kingy."
"The kind of talk such a thing would produce if that male didn't happen to be you! Unless…" the king stopped pacing and stomped down the short stone steps to stand in front of Link and look him straight in the eye, "You haven't tried to have your way with my Zelda, have you?"
"NO!" Link shouted with perhaps a bit too much force as he jumped back in surprise, "Zelda and I are just friends and nothing more. I have never forced a maiden to do something like that, and I never will! Why would you even think of such a thing?"
"Well, considering I never guessed that the hero of these lands would drag my daughter into danger and get arrested as well, who knows what else you've been up to!" The furious king stepped closer to Link; with his crown on he seemed quite a bit taller than the Hero of Time. "Haven't been hanging around other virgin ladies all alone, have you, Link?"
"No! Heck, I'm still a virgin! Alright? I've said it! I haven't done anything with anybody."
"Go to the pubs, then?"
"I'm too young to be allowed in those places, and I've never tried to enter."
"Get into fights?"
"With wild creatures from the forest trying to attack the people? All the time."
The king threw his arms up in the air and turned his back to Link. He walked back up the stone steps to his throne and shouted, "What is up with you? Why would you do such a thing on Christmas Eve? And to place my precious daughter in danger…you should know better!"
"I do know better, alright? Zelda wanted to come. She came of her own free will. And she doesn't blame me for her broken arm."
"WHAT?" The king roared with rage and turned to face Link again, "How dare you tell lies about my daughter! She is royalty, a princess - she should never fight!"
"She knows how to fight better than a lot of your soldiers. She enjoys the thrill of battle, the same as I do. Zelda came because she wanted to see some action, and she knew the risks." Link bowed his head and continued, "Believe me your Highness; I wouldn't have let her come along if I didn't truly believe there would be no trouble. I am sorry that Zelda was hurt and I know I could have done a better job of protecting her…but really, she needs to grow too. And she's okay; she's handling her injuries like a true warrior. I'm really sorry that I scared you, and I understand that you're mad, but now try to understand me. Zelda needs freedom as well, and if she likes to fight, then why can't she?"
There was quiet for about a minute, and then the king snorted, "Lies."
"It's true, your Highness!" Link said, looking up again at the furious king, "Just ask Zelda yourself!"
"A princess needs her rest; she needs to be beautiful, graceful and kind. Her guards must protect her and allow her to tend to her duties. You, however, have failed in that task. I trusted her into your watch and you let her get hurt. I don't care that you're the Hero of Time - I will punish you in the same way I punish those guards who are incompetent in their duties!"
"You can't be serious," Link said in disbelief, "I wasn't incompetent; I did the best I could, and -"
"Silence! I have heard enough from you. Captain!" This last was directed towards the man standing beside the door, "Go fetch your men and return here immediately." With a nod, the captain departed.
"Look, if you honestly think I'm such a bad protector, then why not just throw me out of the castle and force me away?" Link asked the king as he continued to glare at the hero in anger.
"Because Zelda likes you too much. She'd have a fit if I did such a thing - not to mention the people of Hyrule. Especially your female fans."
"Then that must mean I'm doing something right, doesn't it?"
"You're just handsome and make the ladies swoon. You don't have the discipline or are of the correct age to be a true warrior."
"Oh please! I'm more than that!" Link was sure he was digging his own grave here, but he was getting so frustrated he honestly no longer cared, "I've done a lot better than your entire army before and will do so again if needed. I carry the Triforce of Courage - and I've earned that right!"
"You're just a spoiled child that needs to be disciplined!" The king shouted, face turning red with fury.
"The way you're acting, it seems that you are too!" Link snapped back.
The king was about to respond when the door opened and five men walked in along with the captain of the guards. "Captain!" The king barked, "Take this child below and punish him. I want him stripped, bound and beaten all along his back, legs and rump. Especially his rump."
"Say what?" Link shouted, "What gives you any right to do this?"
"The fact that I am king and you are responsible for injuring my daughter! Take him!" With that, the king sat back down on his throne and watched as the six men took control of Link. The hero was strong, but without weapons and with the previous rough night he was no match for six strong men. Link soon had his hands tied behind his back and was being forced along towards his unfair punishment.
"This is crazy! I've done nothing wrong!" Link said while twisting his arms, trying to free himself from the grips of the soldiers on either side of him.
"Sorry, Link. I agree with you, and I don't like the idea of punishing you, but…it's the king's orders. If I don't do this, then the six of us will be beaten alongside you, or fired." The captain sighed and led the small party down the stairs into the small dungeon beneath the castle, "The least I can do for you is beat you without breaking your skin. That way the pain is only temporary."
"I suppose that's better than the alternative…" Link muttered, looking around the dimly lit room. The hero thought it ridiculous that the castle would still use this room, but then again…it was only for beatings, not mutilation or any other form of cruel torture. That was a huge improvement compared to a lot of places.
The guards were already removing his clothing, nervous due to the fact this was no wrongdoer, but a true hero. Link growled under his breath, but didn't struggle. The captain was right - if he kept resisting, that would only make things worse for others around him. The king wouldn't do anything horrendous to him; he was too valuable to discard. These guards, on the other hand, wouldn't be too difficult to replace, save for the captain. If they failed it could mean disaster for not only themselves, but for their families who relied on their wages. Link was no spoiled brat; he could handle this. After all, Pit had to have been beaten many times, and still carried on as best he could. Suddenly, a thought came to Link.
"The king just wants you to beat me to show that he has control over me, doesn't he?" Link said to the captain and the other guards finished removing his clothing, leaving his hands untied.
The captain shrugged in response, "I suppose so. Wants to humiliate you since you got under his skin."
Link dwelled on that thought as he was led to a heavy wooden table with two metal cuffs attached to the top. "Is Tavor really violent and punishing Pit for simple things for fun? Is the guy frustrated and taking out his anger on Pit? Does he want control over Pit - no, come on, it's easy enough to control a pre-teen; they're too young to be much of a threat. Perhaps…perhaps Tavor is afraid of Pit? That could explain why he hurts Pit; why he wants control…but why would he be afraid?"
There was no more time left for Link to sort things out. His hands were cuffed to the top of the table, and his back was stretched across the smooth wood. His legs were pulled apart and tied to separate table legs, leaving himself vulnerable and exposed. Link absolutely hated it.
"Well, if I got under the king's skin, he's now certainly getting his revenge. I do not like what this could lead to, if somebody in this room had any strange ideas about me…"
"Are you ready, Link?" The captain asked. Link twisted his head slightly to see the captain holding a thick wooden stick, ready to strike with it.
Link sighed and replied, "Yeah, go ahead." If Pit could bear such things, he could too - especially since his wasn't as bad. Telling himself that would make it much easier to get rid of his self-pity and keep his remaining pride throughout this punishment.
"Might as well focus on something else…like why Tavor would see any need to beat Pit. Punishment, anger, fun, control, fear? There has to be more to this than what I've seen…if only I knew how I could find out the truth."