The next day was a gloomy, rainy day, creating not the best mood for a sleepover. To Marth, it nearly resembled the beginning scene of a horror movie: teenagers gather together to have a fun, innocent sleepover. Unbeknownst to them, a crazed, serial killer follows their moments and snatches them away one by one. The only main difference was, one of their friends was the killer, not a stranger.
Changed into a fresh set of casual clothes out of his soaked, work clothes, Marth peered out of the window and watched the rainy scene. He glanced at Ike's home before turning to Pit's residence, which looked as lonely and dark as before. The windows were either completely black or covered by blinds, and an old fashioned automobile parked on the driveway. It was clarified that Ike and (maybe) Link were coming, or at least have a higher chance of going. Their lives were ran by parents, not a tyrannical babysitter.
Marth signed softly to himself. According to Roy, Pit had not responded to his texts yet, large, waving red flags to the two. Although the two argued whether Pit had his phone taken away from the Beanish witch or had it fatally broken by her, both of them agreed that Pit would not be able to come by either way. Being just a human, Marth could not see through walls and view Pit's current state. That did not limit his imagination, though. He could see the angel weakly cowering in a lonely corner, intimidated by Cackletta's presence.
Like a certain, little blue-haired boy.
Yes, Marth was not Pit. Therefore, he could not truly know how he was feeling in his current situation. He was obviously Marth, not Pit. Yet, he could always picture himself in the same situation or relate to him.
Loneliness, fear, and helplessness: the basic emotions Marth assumed Pit felt at the current moment. Ever since he was aware of the world, Marth always felt those emotions when trapped in the cage created by his family, society, and eventually the asylum. Blocked by the iron bars, he could only desperately reach out for help and pray that someone would let him out. Though this worked at first, as time passed, his guards enforced stricter rules upon themselves.
If there was a way to free Pit, Marth would do it in a heartbeat! What could he do? Maybe he could try to convince Cackletta to let Pit go! At that thought, Marth remember the Bean's terrifying, menacing appearance and Roy's description of her personality. No, she probably would not allow Pit to go, let alone listen to Marth in the first place. Maybe he could break Pit out of the house! But, how should he do it? Break a window? Being a person trying to erase his true identity, Marth wanted to find a moral way.
DING!
Marth jumped at the sudden ring of the doorbell. As he heard Roy hurry to get the door downstairs, Marth glanced at the clock on the bed stand. It read: 8:00, the moment when the sleepover started.
"Hey, Ike! Hey, Link!" Marth heard Roy exclaim as the two friends entered.
"'Sup, Roy!" Ike replied, setting down his belongings on the ground.
"Let's get this started!" Link cheerfully spoke. "Where can we put our stuff?"
"Well, where do you guys want to sleep?" Roy asked. "Downstairs? Upstairs?"
"Let's see how big your room is first! Then we'll decide!"
Stepping into the hallway, Marth approached the stairs and saw Ike and Link, who were carrying their belongings, carefully strolled up the staircase. "Hello, Ike and Link!" he greeted.
"Hey, Marth!" Ike responded.
Link gave the bluenet a welcoming nod and a quick smile.
"I think there is enough room." Marth said as Link and Ike entered Roy's room.
"Yep, looks like it! I call the window!" Link shouted as he hurried towards the empty space and immediately dropped his belongings.
"Heyy!" Ike yelled, his eyes flashing with annoyance. "Link, can we share this spot? I don't want to sleep next to that creepy closet!"
"Ohh! Ike's afraid of the monster in the closet!" Link teased.
"Listen, being dragged into the closet by a darn monster is the stupidest way to die!" Ike retorted in comical anger.
"I don't think ya can fit in that closet!" Link rudely remarked. "The monster would try to drag off Roy or Marth!"
"Or you." Ike gave Link a mischievous grin, which made the Hylian's face flush red.
"I'm not that short! I think I'm a little taller than Marth!"
"Yeah, right. Let's proof that now! Hey Marth, stand back-to-back to Link!" Ike ordered the bluenet, who stood by Roy's side, watching the conversation.
With a nod, Marth went to Link and stood back-to-back to him.
Ike took a close look at the two teens. "Hey Roy, what do you think?"
Roy walked up and took a careful glance at Marth and Link. "I think Marth's taller."
"What?!" Link exclaimed in shock, causing Marth to laugh. "How?! I've seen Marth next to me a few times! I could've sworn that I was a little taller!"
"I think it's your hair. It's puffy and stands up." Roy said. "Unlike Marth's."
"Maybe you should sleep next to the Link." Ike spoke up naughtily, trying to hold in his laughter. "For the best."
"Hey, at least I'm not that shortest!" Link countered, taking a quick look at Roy.
"Hey! I'm taller than Pit!" Roy exclaimed. It was his turn to be angry.
"Are you suuuure?" Link gave Roy a smug look.
"Well, m-maybe..." Roy's voice was unsure. "But, we can prove it! Right, Pit?!"
There was a moment of silence.
"...Did Pit ever respond to your messages?" Marth asked, breaking the silence.
"...No, he didn't." Roy sighed sadly, causing Marth to look down in grief.
"Maybe he's busy." Link suggested, trying to calm his friends.
"Or stuck in the house with that ugly bitch." Ike bluntly added.
Link elbowed Ike in the rips, giving him a stern look. "Language!" he whispered, directing his gaze at Marth.
"Well, I can send him a message and we can wait for him to respond." Roy said, taking his phone out of his pocket. "If he doesn't reply in like thirty minutes, we can check on him. Sounds good?"
"All right!" Ike replied as Link nodded and Roy quickly sent a message.
Marth was a bit shocked and disgusted. To him, his friends did not seem concerned with Pit's situation. Why were they not in a hurry to help him?! He was trapped in his own home with an abusive stranger with no means of communication!
Just like Marth himself. It was obvious that he was hurt, but no one bothered to reach for his hand and pull him away to safety.
"...Marth? What's wrong?" Ike asked, giving the shorter bluenet a concerned expression. "You don't look happy..."
"Oh!" Marth gasped, his face turning pink. "I was thinking about something!"
"What are you thinking about?" Ike nosily asked.
"Hey, Ike! Don't be snoopin' into people's business!" Link responded. Marth smiled in the inside; it was like Link was reading his mind.
"Okay, okay!" Ike replied, raising his hands out.
"So, what should we do in the meantime?" Roy asked, trying to shift the subject.
"I feel like makin' some art." Link answered. "Don't ask me why. I feel like it."
"I brought some mask templates." Ike spoke up. "Maybe we can create our own masks!"
"I'm up for it! I'm interested!" Roy said.
"I'm in!" Link returned.
As memories began to drift into his thoughts, Marth just nodded. "Don't reveal anything. Don't reveal anything..."
While Ike took the templates out of his bag, Roy brought out his art supplies. Once when all of the required materials were gathered, the four began creating their artistic personas. As Roy looked at his phone for art references, Link sketched an outline on his phone, and Ike experimented with markers, Marth just blankly looked at the plain, white template, gently rubbed its smooth surface, and frowned. Even something similar to a concealing mask reminded him of the sins he committed years ago.
"Marth? You all right?" Ike asked, looking up from his work.
Marth jumped. "Y-Yes!"
"Hey, stop worrin' about Marth so much!" Link hissed.
"Fine, fine!" Ike whispered, looking away in shame.
Thirty minutes felt like thirty minutes. If one was occupied with work though, thirty minutes felt like ten minutes. At least that how it felt for Link, Ike, and Roy, however. After lifelessly gazing at the template for what seemed to be an eternity, Marth took a navy-blue marker and began to color the blank mask, ignoring the thoughts that flew into his head.
"Hey, what do you think of mines?" Ike asked, showing his mask to his friends. It resembled a cartoonish, funny face.
Roy laughed. "I like it!"
"Hey! You copied me!" Link held up his mask. It was heart shaped with a pair of menacing eyes and bright, colorful patterns.
"That's scary! I definitely didn't copy you!" Ike replied with a chuckle.
Wanting to join the conversation, Marth spoke up. "Does the color match my hair?" he asked, covering his face with his mask.
Although he was calm at first, a jolt of horror struck Link as he took a glance at Marth, causing him to freeze in his position. His normally-cool, azure eyes widened as his skin paled, the color resembling the plain surface of a template. There was something horrifying about Marth. But, what was it? Marth never did anything cruel to him, unless if one counted the time he lightly pinched his eyes out of curiousity.
"Link? What happened?" Roy asked, noticing the blond's frightened expression.
"I... Um... Marth! I thought your face disappeared!" Link stammered nervously, laughing in effort to relief himself. "That color really matched you!"
"Wow, Link." Ike sarcastically said with a haughty tone. "You made a scary mask, yet you're scared of a faceless Marth!"
"I blame the Internet!" Link retorted, grinding his teeth in annoyance. "While that suit-wearing monster can appear anywhere, I at least know that this mask won't hurt me!"
"Are you sure it won't turn you into a maniac who wants to destroy the world in three days?" Roy added, trying to tease Link.
"No way!"
As his friends began to bicker, Marth noticed Roy's phone sitting next to him. Its screen was black in sleep. Ignoring the conversation, Marth tried to remember the last time he heard the phone ring.
He failed to recall. Pit probably could not reply, thanks to Cackletta.
"Pit hasn't replied yet." Marth quietly spoke up. "Should we check on him?"
No response. Roy, Link, and Ike were lost in their conversation. Without another word, Marth rose, left Roy's room, and left the house. As he stepped outside, a powerful breeze whipped in his face, making him clutch his jacket for warmth. Through the sky was nearly pitched black—with a hint of navy-blue—Marth could barely see loaming, murky clouds covering the illuminating moon, the natural source of light.
"Looks like a storm is coming..." Marth said to himself as he crossed the street to Pit's home.
Twisting the door handle—which did not budge a bit—Marth lightly bit his lips in frustration. What was he thinking?! Of course the front door would be locked!
There must be another way. Looking at the fence that barricaded the backyard, Marth stealthily climbed over the wooden structure and crept towards the porch. He was quite wary of his steps, as the ground was littered with crunchy, dry sticks, protruding flowerpots, and tiles that formed an uneven pathway. Though he was nervous, Marth made no effort to relieve his anxiety. To him, breathing through the mouth was too loud and noticeable.
Marth's heart thumped hysterically as he cautiously approached the porch. Keeping an eye out for spying eyes, he kneeled behind a large flowerpot and looked into the house through the glass sliding door.
"It's awfully quiet..." Marth said to himself. The only noise he could hear was the sound of the wind rustling through the tiny orange tree.
"No, stop!"
Marth's gasped as his eyes darted to the source of the muffled noise. He saw Pit running panicky into the family room, white feathers clouding the room hysterically. Following him was Cackletta, her face purple with rage and his dress stained with warm, spilled tea. Clutched in her right, monstrous hand was a belt.
If Marth ate something before sneaking into Pit's home, he would have thrown up. Raw, purple bruises stained his innocent, pale skin and inflamed scratches plagued his face, which stung as tears rolled down his face. Black circles tainted the area surrounding his eyes, noting that the traumatized angel had not gotten enough sleep.
"How dare you spill that tea!" Marth heard Cackletta shriek furiously, cornering Pit.
"I'm sorry! Don't hurt me, please!" Pit desperately begged, not noticing the tears dripping onto his dirty jeans.
"What is your excuse?!" Cackletta harshly asked, before striking Pit violently with the belt, earning a pained cry from the youth.
"I-I... I tripped over... something." Pit whispered hoarsely.
"Were your eyes open?!" Cackletta retorted, swinging the belt at Pit again, its buckle striking him on the chin. "Do you need to practice looking?!"
"You need to be alert! You did not practice!" Marth cringed at Cackletta's words, a renewed fury boiling in his heart. He looked at Cackletta again, the belt being replaced by a long whip.
"...It hurts..." Pit managed to barely whimper.
Cackletta laughed, an evil, heartless laugh. "Too bad...!"
"Crack!"
"Keep it in..."
Snap!
"Do you not want to achieve utopian world?"
Anger rushing through his veins, Marth glared at Cackletta. Instead of seeing an old, Beanish women, he spotted a certain, white-haired tutor.
"Do you not want to erase all traces of your past?"
Marth's eyes moved to Pit, who shared the appearance of a helpless, little, blue-haired boy.
CRACK!
The abrupt shatter of glass froze time itself. With a startled gasp, Cackletta turned around and was met with a flying tile in the stomach. Followed by the blunt projectile was a certain bluenet.
"Leave... him... ALONE!" Marth screamed lividly, his azure eyes blazing with fire as he grabbed Cackletta by the collar of her dress and flung her at the wall, away from Pit. The belt in her hand flew out of her grasp and landed in front of Pit.
"Marth?! Marth!" Pit shrieked, frozen in fear as her watched Marth take the belt and strike his babysitter with it. "MARTH! WHAT ARE YOU DOING?! MARTH!"
Marth did not hear Pit. Submerged in the sea of rage, nothing could not pull him out. Pit's horrified, alarmed shouts were muffled by the rumbling, violent waves that washed over the enraged bluenet, who began to hit the abusive Cackletta. The once daunting, heartless witch—who cursed every adolescent and slipped away from justice—helplessly shielded herself from a potential prey, also called a teenager. Her moment was a tetherball; what went around came around.
"How dare you set a hand on him, you bitch!" Marth shouted, the iris in his eyes large with pure hatred.
"Y-You...!" Cackletta started in pain, only to be cut off by a belt in the face.
"You can hit, scold, and abuse me as much as you want!" Marth continued, endlessly beating the Beanish elder. "But you can NEVER HARM PIT, CIA!"
"Marth, what are you doing?!" Pit screamed, covering his eyes. "Please, STOP! STOP!"
"Hey guys?" Ike spoke up, looking up from his work.
"Yeah? What is it?" Roy asked.
"Where's Marth?"
The three friends looked around Roy's room for signs of the bluenet, who seemed to have vanished in thin air. Strange... Marth was here a few moments ago. Where did he go? The three were so focused in their projects, they did not notice his departure...
"Maybe he went downstairs to get somethin' to eat!" Link suggested.
Link's hypothesis was proven wrong with the sound of the front door opening and closing. Two series of footsteps—one thundering with jury and another soft and jittery—entered the house.
"I think your 'rents are back." Link spoke.
Roy went to the window and took a peek out. Looking at the gloomy weather—looming thunder that shook the world and rain that pattered on the asphalt ground. "No, I don't see their car."
Booming footsteps, which resembled the thunder's powerful boom, was what caused the three teens to jump and turn to the source of the sound. Standing in front of the doorway was Marth with Pit standing shakily behind him, wearing Marth's drenched jacket. Marth's monstrous appearance—resembling a fabled Arecus preparing to cast his judgement—struck fear directly in his close friends; even Ike flinched at the glare Marth gave to him. His hair, mattered by the rain and wind, covered his lowered, gazing eyes. He nearly resembled a menacing Gyarados whose territory was disturbed by pathetic, foolish humans.
"Marth! Where did you go?!" Roy asked, approaching Marth.
Marth jeered coldly and gently pushed Pit—who was still trembling from fear—into the room. "While you three were enjoying yourselves, I decided to check on Pit, who was experiencing a less pleasing moment. As you can see, he is here now. You all may resume your amusement."
"Wait, what happened?!" Roy asked as alarms began to blare. "What did you do?!"
Marth did not answer.
"Marth!"
"...I beat her."
"...What do you mean?"
"I saved Pit from the Beanish witch occupying his home." Marth darkly spoke. "I beat her."
Author's Notes: I finally managed to write a decent chapter...
Well, I managed to give myself some extra time, despite how busy I am. I'm just trying to make up for the late updates. However, I feel that I may be busier in the future, so don't be too surprised!
Optional Story Questions:
Do you think Marth's actions is justifiable this time?
(Definitely optional): I'm having trouble reintroducing the villains in this story. Any ideas?