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Haven Trials
Act 1: The Fox Jumped Over the Moon
Chapter 37: The Princess
"ROYAL ARMY!" A booming voice sounded throughout the square, heads turning all towards the palace as a bloodied and weak body began descending down the steps. Each of the soldiers recognized Chaka instantly, their minds still in awe of the rain surrounding them.
"LAY DOWN YOUR WEAPONS!" Chaka commanded, each of the soldiers turning and looking at one another with confusion, an uncertainty almost. Before they could begin questioning their captain's orders or even move a muscle, another voice boomed out, this one much weaker but still as loud as Chaka's, a much more commanding presence sounding behind it.
"Y-You too, rebel army!" Marth shouted, his hand clenching over his chest, his other arm wrapped around Erik, both of them walking amidst the battlefield between the two armies. "This b-battle was planned from the beginning... we were all played like fools!"
"C-Crocodile?!" One of the rebels shouted, almost as if on cue. Several of them stood and surrounded the unconscious body of the said person, staring in curiosity and disbelief as they continued to listen to their leader, the sounds of weapons dropping alongside the rain filling the ambiance of the background.
As Chaka and Marth continued to talk, both of them explaining the situation before them, Vivi descended the steps of the clock tower quickly, panting with each step, her chest filled with a lightness and uneasiness. Her hand slid alongside the cold stone of the tower walls, her bare feet plopping on each step one after the other as she reached the bottom, brushing past both doors, her eyes scanning through the crowd.
"Princess!"
"Princess Vivi!"
Voices cried out one after the other as they turned around and saw her. However, Vivi paid no attention to them, instead searching for a certain group of people, her chest still beating with an anxious feeling as she fled into the backstreets of the city, escaping away from the questioning voices and calls. Where... where is everyone?! she said to herself worriedly, running past each alleyway, glancing down the wet roads.
"How you hanging in there, kid?" Falcon asked, his eyes peeking over at Lucas, who was clinging on Mario's back, his tongue extended and panting. His eyes remained shut, a whining sound coming out from him. Bowser huffed, snorting and looking at Lucas with a bit of annoyance as Falcon chuckled in response.
"Why didna they-a stay wit-a us?" Luigi asked curiously, looking over towards Falcon. "Lucina and-a the guy wit-a her."
"Their country has finally found peace for the first time in years. They probably want to go speak with Marth and Vivi," Falcon replied.
Each of them continued to walk down the street, eventually coming to a stop as they spotted a man up ahead walking feebly, carrying a small bodied person on his back. Falcon approached him, rubbing the back of his brown-haired head, pointing towards the two of them with his other hand.
"Ahh, that guy on your back... he belongs with us," Falcon said, smiling. "Thanks for carrying him back with you."
Cobra's eyes widen as he looked among each of them, realizing who these people were. "You all must be the ones responsible for bringing Vivi back home. Oh?" He paused as he watched two blue-haired figures running up towards them now, everybody else also turning to face them now. "Lucina, Vivi!"
"Everyone!" Lucina shouted, waving her hand.
"Papa!" Vivi cried out, running past each of them, her arms wrapping around Cobra, her face buried in his chest. Lucina moved towards the rest of them and stood alongside them as Bowser paused and turned to face Cobra, gulping.
"King Cobra?!" He shouted with shock, staring at him as everybody else now realized as well. "Damn, you've changed. Didn't realize it was you at first!"
Cobra shook his head, lowering Fox off his back and leaning his back against one of the building's walls. He stood up and faced the rest of the ground, Vivi standing by his side, listening as he spoke out to them. "I was prepared for death back there... but he saved me. After he fought with Crocodile, somehow carried both of us back up to the surface. It's difficult to conceive one of having such a strong willpower."
"Well Vivi, shouldn't you hurry up and go now?" Lucina said, plopping herself down beside Fox, her back against the same wall as him. "They're waiting for you at the square."
Lucas giggled, sliding off Mario's back, his legs wobbling as he stood beside the brothers. "She's right. Their anger is gone. But.. but without the words from you and your dad, there won't be a real happy ending, right?"
"Then, we should all-" Vivi said, her words filled with happiness and joy, pausing as Falcon cut her off.
"Vivi, we can't. I'm sure you understand," Falcon said. "We're marked men. And besides.. this isn't our country. We aren't concerned with it." As he cheesed a grin, Mario smacked his back, chuckling as well. Vivi looked at them with a slight disappointment, but she nodded her head, understanding their situation.
"I'ma hungry!" Luigi whined, his arms extended upwards, his fists clenched.
"We'll meet back up at the palace in a bit, Vivi," Lucina said, smiling. "We just need a bit of a break."
Each of them smiled at Vivi, all except Bowser, who shrugged his shoulders. Both Vivi and Cobra now moved past them as they began walking back towards the palace square, the location of where a battle had just taken place only minutes ago. Smoke still vaguely rose into the air, but most of it had subsided now from the rain, the pit-pattering sounding throughout the entire ruined city. Burn marks of dragon flames still were scorched into the stone, but most of it was ignored as a peace had overcome every body that remained in not only the city, but the entire country.
As Falcon watched them walk off, and finally away from their sight, he closed his eyes as he fell backwards on the ground, his mind resting immediately as well as his body. Each and everyone else followed suit, exhaustion finally overcoming them as they all closed their eyes and rested, the rain falling on their faces and dripping off their hair and heads. The only sound they heard in that alley were their own breaths and the sound of rain falling.
"We have done things.. we can never take back.." Marth said, now resting his back against rubble in the square. Vivi began slowly approaching the crowd as they remained circled around Marth. Her eyes lowered as she pouted slightly, looking ahead at her lost friend.
"I can't find the words to speak to them.." she said softly. She looked up over towards Cobra as he rested his hand on her shoulder, moving ahead of her now.
"It is natural to mourn," he replied. "As it is to feel intolerable emotions." As he approached the people, each of them turned to face him with shock and surprise, calling out 'king' and 'majesty' as he passed them, each of them now kneeling before him. He breathed in calmly, his eyes fixated ahead of him.
...
"If this is the first right step we must take as not only kings, but as fathers, then so be it."
"Tell me I did not just send thousands of my people to go die in a slaughter!"
...
"We have lost so much, yet gained nothing. Despite this, we shall move forward! No matter who you fought against, what's happened has happened, and now it's over!" Cobra's voiced began rising, compassion sounding behind his words.
"Cobra..." Marth's eyes remained on him, his head clouded with thoughts as they poured in alongside confused emotions.
...
"T-The kinslayer!"
"I saw the bodies of my father and sister..."
"I want Cobra's head."
...
"No one can erase what has happened in the past! STAND TOGETHER! WE WILL REUNITE THROUGH THIS WAR AND LIVE ON!" Cobra shouted, standing before all of them now at the base of the palace steps. His voice boomed throughout the palace square, each head bowing from his words, tears falling from some faces, including Vivi and Marth. "KINGDOM OF ALABASTA! WE WILL REBUILD!"
"Marth.. your wounds... you'll be okay, right?" Vivi asked timidly, sitting beside Marth as rebels began placing him on a stretcher. "You won't die right?! Toto, Lucina, and even Ike are all-"
"Vivi... you still worry too much..." Marth replied, his eyes closed. "And.. I know you're thinking about it, but your father... don't worry." Soldiers of the Royal Army and rebels both carried one another away from the battlefield, arms wrapped around each other, the names of 'enemy' no longer placed on each other. They slowly passed by both Marth and Vivi, casting glances towards the both of them as they crossed.
Throughout the kingdom, cheers and chants sounded from each city and refuge, all of joy. They cried for the rain and how abundantly it fell, and they cheered for the thoughts of their children returning home to them, the rebellion finally ending. Each civilian ran into the streets and began dancing and parading, their feet plopping through puddles as they formed on the ground, splashing their neighbors and friends alike, childlike wonder filling each of their minds.
A certain old man sat in the middle of a pit, his body resting as water filled inside of it. His eyes were shut as he faced his head towards the sky, smiling as he felt the rain fall on him. "How long will that spirit of your's last old man?! Yuba is finished! What are you going to do all by yourself here? Do you plan to die along with the town?!" These words resounded in his head, echoing as he thought back to them.
"Do you see it, Ike?" he said, still smiling. "The rain is falling. I told you... do not doubt the king! The rain will fall once more..."
Even the people in Rainbase cheered and shouted as they hugged one another, enjoying the rain as it fell on them as well. Even with all the luxuries found in their 'City of Dreams', they found the most joy from this foreign feeling of rain falling among them.
Hours passed, as night now approached. Even so, the rain still fell, falling so much that people began to wonder if it would ever end. Inside the walls of the palace in Alubarna, each member of Fox's group now rested on the soft linens and mattresses the king had to offer. Their bodies were still exhausted, and they slept with such deepness that not even another siege could wake their slumbering.
Vivi had dressed herself in a much more princess-y attire, a red coat hanging over her white gown. Her hair was also let down, no longer tied into the ponytail she had it in for so long. She sat in a chair pulled up against one of the room's windows, listening and watching as the rain fell throughout the ruined walls and buildings of the city. Her attention was broken as she turned to face the sound of a door creaking open, with Chaka now entering the room.
"Vivi? Can you not sleep?" he asked softly, his body wrapped in numerous bandages.
"No, it's... I don't want to sleep," she replied, smiling, turning her face back to the window. "I just want to watch the rain... just a bit longer."
Chaka grinned, his eyes now watching the rain outside the window as well. "About Pit..." he paused momentarily, shaking his head. "He was the most noble and loyal man I've ever known."
"Yes.." Vivi replied, her gaze unmoved. "I wanted to tell him 'Thank you.'"
"There would be no greater honor to him," Chaka said, smiling.
Several days later...
"Ah, got it, understood," Falcon said, holding a transponder snail in his hand. A voice peeped back through it, and Falcon nodded his head, shutting it off afterwards. He turned to face Lucina and Fox, both of them awake and resting in their beds. Everyone else had left the room, opting to wander the town and explore the palace. Lucina felt fine, but Fox was still woozy, sipping from the tea Vivi had fixed for him earlier.
"That was Bobbery. He's saying the ship is upstream the river in the middle of the country," Falcon told them, Lucina piping in immediately.
"He must be referring to the Sandora River," she said. "Are you all planning to leave soon then?"
Fox nodded his head, taking another sip from his tea. "We've spent too much time here already. We need to get moving as soon as everyone returns."
"Now with the kingdom saved comes the question... what to do now?" Falcon asked. "We came here with intentions of having Marth assist us with his army, but after everything that's happened, I think that option is out of question. While I feel good that we've helped everyone here, our original goal is further than ever."
"That's why I suggest we return to my initial plan that I had back in Fourside and we meet with the Black Prince," Fox said, his face serious. Falcon sighed, and Lucina looked between the two of them curiously. "While he won't be able to offer us assistance from himself, it's a step in the right direction if you ask me."
"In that case, Pandaria would be our next destination from here," Falcon replied. "But I don't think it should be our only option right now. Maybe."
Before either of them continued speaking, Lucina spoke up, cutting them off. "I.. I wanted to ask you both for a favor." Fox and Falcon turned and looked at her, listening as she cleared her throat, standing up off of her bed. "I wanna come with you all!"
"You do?" Fox asked curiously. "What made you decide that?"
"We didn't scare you off then, huh?" Falcon chuckled, his arms crossed.
"While most of my life has been here in this kingdom, living through almost two tragedies... I am grateful for everything I've been given here. Vivi and her family have been incredibly kind to me, as has Marth and his family, before... it happened," she said, her eyes looking away momentarily. She shook her head and looked back towards them, holding her fist up in front of her chest now. "But my own origins are still unknown to me. I haven't figured it out yet living here, and I probably won't ever figure it out if I stay in Alabasta. But maybe... maybe if I come with you all and explore the world with you guys, I can find out."
"That's quite the request," Falcon chirped in. "You understand we're not some happy-go-lucky travelers, right? We're dangerous people, being followed by other dangerous people. You want to deal with getting caught up in that mess?"
"It wouldn't be anything I can't handle," Lucina grinned, poking her thumb at her chest. "My swordplay is the best in this kingdom!"
"Besides my own, you forget," a voice chimed in, all of them turning and looking as Marth now entered the room. He grinned as well, taking seat in a chair across from them. "If you go with them, then I will have to as well. You said you wanted me in the first place, after all, did you not?"
Falcon only chuckled as Fox now replied to him. "I mean, yes, but are you sure as well? Your people have finally found peace after three long years and-"
"They are not my people," Marth retorted, almost coldly. He shook his head and sighed, waving his hand dismissively. "I.. I did not mean it like that. I meant it as that they are not from Altea. I was not raised to lead and command them. I was only using them to try and achieve my own selfish desires."
"What's happened with those 'selfish desires' then?" Falcon asked.
Marth looked down towards his hands, pricking his thumbs as he thought of what to say, almost like he was treading the subject carefully. He cleared his throat, speaking back to them now. "I still hold some resentment towards Cobra, for what happened to my family. But it is unfair to them, as there is little they could have done. While my story is one of revenge and hatred, I myself am not only made up of these feelings. I too want to leave this country and find the truth, the truth behind who was responsible for my family's demise."
"I mean, I see no reason to say no," Fox said, looking over at Falcon. "Both of you seem to be capable fighters as well, and that will be important down the road with who we plan to go against."
Lucina cheered, running over to Marth and embracing him. His face scowled as he looked away from her, almost trying to ignore her as she joyfully hugged him. "It'll be like the old days, how we had our own adventures and journeys and stories to make! This time, it'll be for real though!" She pulled back and looked towards Fox, her face still grinning. "What about Vivi? What if we take her with us as well? I'm sure she'd want to come!"
Fox paused, curling his lips back as he thought of what to say. Falcon instead spoke up for him, his words almost along the same lines that Fox had in mind. "She's the princess of this kingdom, and she's just returned to it after a three-year long strife. I don't think it would be appropriate for her to come along with us."
"We can let her speak her mind about that issue when she returns," Marth interjected, with a unanimous nodding following suit. "For now, I suppose we can wait here until your friends return. I have nothing left to do in this country anyways."
"Come with you all?!" Vivi asked, her voice surprised. "I-I mean... I would love to, but.."
"Yeah, come on Vivi! Your adventure with us can't end yet!" Lucas shouted, bouncing on his bed. "We've got so much left to do still-"
"Uh, is-a it-a really a good idea?" Luigi asked worriedly. "Can she really-a just up-n-a leave?"
As each of them continued to speak over one another, Vivi shut her eyes and thought to herself, several emotions running through her at that moment. Everyone... my friends. Lucina, Marth... Lucas, Fox... they want me to come with them. She thought back to the adventure she's had with them as they traversed the sea, the enemies they fought, their first encounter back at Rogueport...
...
"It was pretty convenient of you to have caused that ruckus back at Rogueport..."
"The Alabasta Kingdom's princess herself, Nefertari Vivi!"
"Vivi, I promise you too... we'll get you back to Alabasta."
...
Even before then, all the people and places she's seen while infiltrating Baroque Works, everything has been an experience she would never forget. She had been gone from her home for so long, for so many years, she's forgotten how quaint and different it was from the life she was living. She had become so accustomed to sailing and traveling from island to island, learning about life outside her desert kingdom. And now, she was stuck between thinking about choosing continuing that life with her friends, or remaining here, at home, as a princess...
"Vivi..." Her head turned to face Fox as he called out her name. "I know how hard this decision has to be... We're going to leave tonight, but we'll wait for you at the harbor east of here until 3:00 PM. That should give you 12 hours to make your decision."
Falcon remained outside on the balcony of the floor they stayed on, his arms resting on the edge, his body leaning forward. He watched the rain as it fell, listening to it pit-patter on the roof above him as well. His ears caught the sound of footsteps approaching and he glanced behind him, seeing Ike now leaning back against the wall behind him. He turned his gaze back forward, addressing the man.
"You gonna come with us too?" Falcon asked, almost sarcastically. "Both your friends, Lucina and Marth, expressed their desire to travel along. I'm pretty sure they want Vivi to come too."
Ike chuckled, his arms crossed one another. "I was actually thinkin' about it. It would be fun to have the whole gang back together then, wouldn't it?"
"What about that old man in Yuba? The guy they're calling your dad..." Falcon asked.
"Oh, Toto? Yeah, he isn't my real father," Ike replied. "He's raised me most of my life before I took off from here. He's the reason I began travelin' the world. Told me about my father and his legacy. About the truth behind the name of 'Greil'."
There was a silence between them, Falcon almost intentionally remaining silent as he waited for Ike to continue, to which Ike did. "It's... a long story, and a lot of funny business about it as well. Perhaps for another time, no need to dampen our moods, right? I was actually wantin' to come and talk with you specifically, bounty hunter."
"I've been trying to avoid that name, mercenary," Falcon replied, coldness in his words.
"From when I encountered you and Foxy boy at the GAD facility near Fourside, I had so many questions to ask you. Obviously I couldn't 'cause you were tryin' to bash our heads in!" He chucked, shaking his head. "But that's the past. No, I was wantin' to ask about Deficio Hand."
"You seemed more prepared than I was at that time, plotting with Falco Lombardi some sort of 'overthrow' in the facility," Falcon said. "I was still blindly following orders from that man."
"That man is why I set out from this kingdom," Ike replied, Falcon listening as he heard some sort of unwrapping noise behind him. "He's also the reason I'm not quite the same anymore as I used to be."
Falcon turned to look at him, his eyes widening as he looked at what appeared to be a hollowed shell. Pieces were broken off and a large cut was sliced into it, allowing for him to look 'inside' of Ike's chest. He kept staring in disbelief, seeing as there was no blood or anything inside. It was just darkness. Ike quickly pulled his bandages back around, latching his tunic back on and throwing his cloak back over his shoulders.
"Yeah, that's about what my expression was as well when I saw it," Ike replied.
As the night continued, Chaka entered into their room, seeing if they needed anything. To his surprise however, everyone was gone, all except for Vivi, who sat next to the window once more, her eyes again watching the night sky. She turned to face him, her face slightly smiling.
"Is everything alright, Chaka?" she asked. Chaka shook his head, looking around, expecting them to pop up at any moment. Carue squawked softly, resting at Vivi's side. "If you're wondering where they went... they already left. They're outlaws, after all." Chaka nodded and left the room, Vivi now climbing into her bed as Carue continued to rest. She moved her hand towards his feathered head and rubbed it softly, her mind lost in thought.
"It's so quiet, isn't it?" she said. "There isn't the sound of the sea bashing against a ship, or footsteps running up and down, echoing throughout the quarters. No gunfire, no swords clashing against one another... just silence. It's strange. It's just been so long since we've had a quiet night. We need to rest now, since we've got that speech to give tomorrow morning..."
I've never thought about becoming a pirate or anything of that sort before... she thought to herself. My life is at a turning point... if I miss it, then that's it. There won't be a next time. And being a princess isn't boring... my people need me, after all, especially after this war. If I do tag along, would I be able to keep up with them?
She waited for a response, but none came from the silence.
"It feels-a weird bein' back on-a aboard after-a so long.." Luigi said, his eyes looking around almost frantically. "Hey! Where's-a my brother?!"
Bobbery waddled over towards him, twitching his white mustache, frowning. "Tha ole' bloke didn't tell ya then?" he asked, and after seeing Luigi and everyone else's confused faces, he sighed. "He came aboot a day ago, and took one of thar little boats 'n swammered off away, sayin' he's gotta save tha princess."
"So he stayed true to his word then," Falcon said, shaking his head. "Sorry."
Luigi plopped on the ground and pouted his face, a worried feeling overcoming his body. Fox rested his hand on his shoulder, and Luigi looked up towards him, like an upset child. "Don't worry, your brother is strong. And I'm sure we'll run into him again, especially with our goals being almost the same."
"Still doesn't make him any less stupid for just taking off like that..." Bowser chimed in, with several of them casting him a glare. "I'm just saying!"
"Admiral, we're sailing to the eastern harbor of this country, and from there we'll wait until 3:00 PM before setting sail for Pandaria," Fox said to Bobbery. "Do you know your way to there? Unfortunately, none of us have a log pose to the country..."
"Ahh, o'course I know my way! You think I'm some green-gilled ole' timey-limey?" Bobbery piped back, chuckling. "Raise the anchor then! We're settin' sail lads!"
"A few things now that you all need to know," Fox said, everybody besides Luigi and Bobbery in the ship's main room listening to him. "Our target is Deficio Hand. He's a member of the Royal Shicibukai, and he's an extremely dangerous man. He's conducting some sort of experimenting, the reason for this yet unknown. We don't have many leads on him as his base of operations somehow changes on a regular basis, leaving it neigh impossible to track him down."
"What of the World Government? This all seems incredibly shady for one of their associates," Marth asked.
"They turn a blind eye to shit like this because of how important Deficio is to the underground world," Ike replied. "It wouldn't be a surprise either if we found out they'd been supplying him his resources as well."
"Exactly. The government has labeled me a criminal as well, since I've stood up against both their agents and Deficio. So know that you all will eventually become marked by them as well," Fox said, looking between both Ike, Marth, and Lucina. "It's why we can't stay in the same place for much too long. Eventually they will catch wind of us and our actions, and that might lead to further complications."
"As if we don't have enough of those already..." Bowser muttered.
"Speaking of, we need to find out where Crocodile sent Flavio," Fox said, Falcon groaning in response. "He's an important player to the underground world as well, and us losing him is going to cost dearly. We had an advantage, but we lost it. It isn't all that bad though; according to a source of mine, he should be somewhere on Pandaria, which is exactly where we're headed."
"And who's this source now?" Falcon asked inquisitively, his face stern.
"The same one that we're going to meet once we arrive; a member of one of the four Yonko, the Black Prince."
Morning came and their ship continued to sail along the coast of the country, the sight of the harbor just up ahead. Each of them eyed across the port, their eyes wandering, trying to spot if somebody had arrived yet or not. Fox checked his watch and noted it was 5 til, glancing back at the harbor. Lucas clenched onto the edge tightly, his face pouting as he awaited to see her arrive, hoping she would have chosen them.
Their attention was instantly changed as they turned to face the other side of the ship, shock coming through them all as they saw cannons firing at them, various ships sailing in fast to their location. Luigi instantly started darting across the ship in a panic, Lucas clinging tightly to Fox as he wondered what was happening. He turned to face the harbor once again and still saw no signs of Vivi, his teeth gritting.
"We're going to have to make a decision here soon, Fox!" Falcon shouted, dashing towards the edge of the ship. "It seems we've got bad company coming!"
As the ships came in closer and closer, Falcon and Fox saw familiar faces aboard them, those faces being Hotfoot and Witnick. All of the ships bore the banner of a skull face with crossbones behind it, the skull grinning. Falcon instantly recognized the banner, his fists clenched. "Shit! It's Cortez's boys!"
"Thart's ri'ht, tra'tor!" Witnick shouted back. "One o' tha' Shicibukai 'imself, Cortez tha Dread! An' he be pissed off, he wan's Flavio back!"
"We don't have him, and we don't know where he is either!" Falcon retorted, holding his fists up. Witnick chuckled, commanding the ships to pull back.
"Thart's fine, don' matt'a much tah us," Witnick replied. "We still gon' blow yer ship tah smit'er'nes! Cortez can go 'n pick yer bon's off tha' sea flo'r an' add 'em to his coll'tion!"
As they fired their cannon balls, a barrier appeared around the ship, bouncing the cannon balls right back into the smaller ships, causing an explosion from them. The pirates stared at them in disbelief, as did Fox and company, each of them turning to face Lucas as he strained to keep the barrier up. Before they could react much more, Fox shouted for them to prepare counter fire.
Cannon balls shot back and forth, crashing into the many ships of Cortez's, while some did end up landing into the S.S. Bobbery as well. Marth lept into the air and sliced several of their on coming attacks in half, giving a much needed respite to Lucas whenever he lowered the barrier. Falcon swung back at the cannon balls as they came as well and sent them crashing right back into the appropriate ship, Fox all the while commanding them. Eventually, they cleared through most of the ships aside from the main commander ship, but watched in worry as more ships started approaching.
"And you don't know who the puppet master is?!"
"No. It is said to be a secret underground organization..." Igaram replied to Vivi."Not even the company knows the identity of their boss..." his face was strained and worried, looking over various sheets in his hands. He looked up to the young Vivi as she shot back, her voice filled with fury, echoing the vacant room of the palace.
"And they are the enemies of this country, yes?" she asked.
"If even the members know nothing, obtaining information from the outside would be impossible!" Igaram replied. "Rather, an outside investigation would only endanger the country further!"
"But we've caught them by the tail!" Vivi said. She paused as she examined Igaram's face, watching it pout and try to look away from her. "Igaram, what are you planning?"
"Eh! N-Nothing at all!" he shouted back, falling out from his chair. "E-Excuse me, I have to get back to work!" As he tried to pull himself up and away, Vivi stomped in front of him, clutching his robe cuffs and shaking him.
"Igaram! We-"
"No, Vivi, you must not!" he shouted. "This is not a game! It's out of the question! We cannot infiltrate-"
"I can't let this happen!" Vivi retorted, her face stern. "We have to do something!"
The entire kingdom seemed to all stand in the ruined palace square, all of them looking up into the high palace walls, awaiting for the princess to come out and give them her speech. They anxiously awaited for her arrival as it would cement her place in the kingdom, giving them all a new hope to look towards as well as a new future. With the chaos of the previous days all behind them, they only looked forward, as their king commanded, and their first step being to listen to the princess's speech.
Footsteps approached the location, those belonging to Vivi. She smiled, her body covered in a beautiful white dress, with her hair tied and braided elegantly, a gold and red circlet wrapped around the back of her head. The wind blew her hair back and she closed her eyes, breathing in deeply, opening them and grabbing the microphone of a transponder snail. At that moment, several speakers throughout the country, all attached to receiving ends of transponder snails, all picked up the transmission, and the country listened as she began speaking, her words even reaching out to small ship just off the coast of her country.
"Very well then.. Vivi, allow me to ask you but one question..."
"It all began that one day," Vivi began saying. Everybody turned their heads back towards the coast, all except for Bowser, Ike, and Falcon, who continued to guard the ship from the barrage of cannon fire. They grasped on to the edge of the ship and smiled, waving at Vivi, who stood on the edge of the harbor.
"Bobbery, we gotta turn back! It's Vivi!" Lucas cried out.
"Vivi!" Lucina shouted, her hand waving.
"Have you made a resolution not to die?"
"I've recently went on a little adventure. It was an adventure over deep oceans and dark tides, in search of 'hope'. The ocean I faced was vast the day I left this country.. It's a vast sea filled with unbelievable islands full of amazing things. There were creatures I've never seen, incredible sceneries, and sounds of the waves crashing. They are sometimes so peaceful, it's as if they were trying to cover up all the trouble surrounding us. But sometimes they are so violent, as if they were laughing at the weak. But in the darkness, I found a little ship. That ship pushed me forward and asked me if I could see those lights."
"That little ship will always find its way out of the darkness, no matter where it goes. It's an unbelievably amazing little ship... it easily danced through the darkness and crashing waves. Even though it seems like they were drifting, they still chose to go forward, even against the wind. In the end, against all odds, it will always raise a finger and say, 'Look! There is light!' Even if history will make this light seem like an illusion, they will always be real to me. And with that said... I'm here to say goodbye!"
The crowds in the kingdom all listened with confusion, looking at one another, scratching their heads. Murmuring started sounding among the crowds, and in the palace square, with the massive amount of people in it, they remained calm, yet confused just where the princess was or what she was talking about. But on the coast, in that little ship, each of them knew what she was saying, and they all turned to look at her with sadness, realizing she was saying goodbye to them.
"I... I can't go with you all! But thank you, thank you for everything you all have done for me! Thank you for being my friends, in my childhood and now! Even though I still want to go with you, I just can't... I love my country too much! I... I..."
Tears began flooding down Vivi's face as she tried to wipe them away, her face pouting. Carue squawked softly beside her, nudging his beak at her arm slightly. Vivi wiped her face and smiled at him, bringing the microphone back to her mouth. "I... if we ever meet again... will you still call me your friend?!"
A silence followed afterwards, with Falcon batting away another cannon ball towards the pirate ships, turning to face the rest of them. Lucas and Lucina both started shouting back out, before he dashed over and smacked their heads, shushing them.
"We can't reply back! If those pirate ships find out the princess is right there, they'll ignore us and chase after her!" Falcon said. "Along with that, she might end up being marked alongside us, and that would only cause her further trouble..."
"He's right," Fox replied grudgingly, lowering his head. "Let's part in silence." His eyes wandered over his left arm, realizing there was still a bandage wrapped around it, along with a certain mark underneath. His eyes raised up and looked among them all, and he smiled.
Vivi continued to stare at them, tears flooding down her face, awaiting some sort of response as their ship sailed further and further out. What she got in return however, was something she too had forgotten; each member on the ship all raised their left arms high into the air, their arms exposed, X's marked on each one aside from a few of them. Vivi smiled as she too now raised her arm, Carue squawking in delight as well, flapping his wings.
...
"Remember now, whatever happens from here on, this left arm is proof of our friendship."
...