The Smashing Dead
Season 2, Episode 2: A File Divided
Part 3
Ness ran over to look over the edge. The body had already disappeared. Shulk turned around and stomped over to Duster.
"Did I hit him? Where is he?" Duster asked.
"You shouldn't have shot. I told you to wait for the damn signal!" Shulk yelled.
"Why did you shoot?" Ness asked.
"It pointed a gun at my head!" Duster protested.
"I told you he was on our side!" Shulk screamed.
"And how was I supposed to hear you? You gave me a clear shot!"
"Your shot was probably heard for miles. We gotta get off of this thing."
Shulk fetched the rest of the group and they all made their way across.
[Later…]
It felt like they'd been walking for decades. Everyone had no energy, but somehow they made it across.
"So, who was that back there?" Peach questioned.
"It looked like he pointed a gun at you." Luigi added.
"That asshole drew on me." Duster replied, "He was about to shoot."
"Oh, was he?" Shulk mocked.
"I swear, that's what I saw."
"Well, it sure didn't look like it."
"Guys, calm down." Said Ness.
"What did you see, Ness? Was he gonna shoot?" Luigi asked.
Ness couldn't answer, for he hadn't the slightest idea.
"Either way, you could've shot one of us!" Shulk argued.
"Yeah, but I didn't." Duster snapped.
"Listen, I know you were close to Lighter-"
"Don't fucking talk about him."
"Do you he was with Bowser?" Flint piped up.
"I don't know." Shulk replied, "Don't think so. He fell off."
"He fell off the damn bridge?" Luigi repeated.
"We have to keep moving." Flint changed the subject.
"I need a minute." Peach objected, sitting down.
"Fine." Flint sighed, "Shulk, can I talk to you alone?"
Shulk nodded and followed Flint away from the group. Duster gave an angry glare and stomped off in another direction.
"Hey, um, Ness. Can you find some food?" Luigi asked, "Peach's dying over here."
"Sorry, I'm all out." Ness said, "But the…person we met said there was food in the station. Though, he may have been lying."
"It's still worth checking out." Luigi considered, sitting next to Peach.
Ness nodded and went to the station. Ness saw Duster sitting by the door, looking at the ground. He looked up when Ness passed by him.
"Hey, thanks for backing me up back there." Duster said, "I bet they're talking about me right now."
Duster looked over at Shulk and Flint, who were conversing about something.
"'Shulk, he's becoming a danger to the group.'" Duster said, imitating Flint almost perfectly, "Who was that guy anyway? I thought he was with Bowser but…"
"He was just…someone." Ness replied.
"Yeah…" Duster sighed, "I faced something like walkers before, but they were just plain silly. They would call reinforcements, which didn't help them in any way, you didn't have to pierce the head to kill them and, most importantly, the bite wouldn't seal your fate." Duster leaned over and grabbed his head, "Maybe I am losing it. I just don't know anymore."
Duster looked back at Ness.
"Man, I'm hungry." Duster quickly said, changing the subject, "What time is it anyway?"
Duster looked at his wrist, even though nothing was there.
"Dammit!" Duster cried, slamming his fist down.
"What is it?" Ness asked.
"I left my watch back at the cabin. It was my dad's. He gave it to me…It was all I had left of him." Duster was silent for a moment, "You know what, I'm gonna go talk to Shulk and Flint."
Duster stood up and walked over to his companions and Ness walked inside the small house.
It was barely bigger than his room, but it was surprisingly clean beside the cans strewn about. Ness went over to a trunk next to a neat pyramid of empty cans. Ness tried to open the trunk, but the lid didn't budge. The key must've been with the one on the bridge. Ness looked to the left and saw a large dagger. He used it to dislodge the lock. Inside it was a few cans of food and a stack of comic books. Ness heard the door open behind him and saw Luigi walk in.
"Man, I thought we had it bad." Luigi said, "Look at this dump."
Luigi saw the cans in the trunk and sighed.
"So he did have food. Man, fuck Duster."
"Well, he was trying to help us." Ness replied.
"Yeah, and someone died. I'm not no judge, but that's straight up murder in my book. I mean, do you know anyone like that?"
Ness nearly winced at the question. He remembered a young blue-haired warrior fell with a hole through her head.
"Actually yeah." Said Ness.
"What happened?" Luigi asked.
"A teenager in our group." Ness explained, "His only friend died and then she just…shot this other woman."
"Damn. What did you do?"
"We left him behind."
"Damn…"
Luigi reached into the trunk and pulled out a can of peaches. He smiled and showed a happy young boy with black hair giving the peace sign on the can.
"That's funny." Luigi said, "He looks just like you."
Ness gave Luigi an unamused look.
"Um, Ness. There's not a lot of food here, and Peach, well, she's eating for two. Do you think you can keep this just between us?"
"Sure. Peach can have it. I won't tell."
"Thanks, Ness." Luigi looked out the window at Duster, Flint and Shulk talking. "It's a shame. Duster was such a good guy. He's still a good guy. He's just losing it. Anyone knows we're not perfect…hell, I'm glad you're with us, Ness."
Luigi turned to walk out the door, but suddenly stopped at it.
"The hell is that?" Luigi gasped.
Ness ran over to the door and saw multiple walkers travelling down the bridge. Luigi and Ness ran out of the building.
"We gotta problem."
The rest of the group went up to the two.
"Yeah, we saw it." Shulk replied, "All right, we're heading up."
The entire group ran up the side of the hill as fast as they could, yet again avoiding death.
[Hours later…]
The moon shone over the group who was now limping up the hill.
Flint was the first to make it up, then Duster. Both of them were crouching by the porch of the resort.
"Well?" Peach panted, climbing up the hill, "What are we waiting for?"
"We have to be careful." Flint replied.
"Careful?" Peach snapped, "We've been on the road for five days. My back is done being careful."
"Doesn't look like anyone's home." Luigi observed, pulling boards stuck to the windows, "Damn. Nailed down tight. I'll check 'round front."
"I'll come with you." Flint offered.
Ness looked over the porch as Shulk went up to him.
"Well, it'd be good to know if anybody's actually back there." Shulk said to Ness, looking at the ski lift. "Could probably get a better view from up top. You'd have an easier time getting up there. You feel like taking a look? It's just like climbing as treehouse…a really tall one."
"I had a treehouse once." Ness replied.
"Well there you go."
"I hated it."
"Oh…uh…"
Shulk walked over to the ski lift tower and Ness followed.
"Just take it slow, and I'll catch you if you fall. Probably."
Ness started up the ladder slowly.
"You have a good grip?" Shulk asked.
"Yeah." Ness replied.
"When I was a kid, we used to jump rooftops. That was fun."
"That sounds stupid."
"Yeah. It was. The trick was not to luck down."
As if on cue, Ness' foot slipped and nearly fell down.
"Whoa! Okay, I got you. I got you."
"Keep your voice down!"
"But…you just yelled at me."
"Shhh!"
Ness climbed up the last few rungs.
"Made it!" Ness reported.
"See anything?" Shulk asked.
Ness looked through his binoculars, searching for anything.
"I can see the bridge." Said Ness.
Suddenly a few lights appeared and traveled down the bridge.
"There's something there!" Ness yelled.
No response.
"Shulk?"
Ness turned around and saw Shulk running to the porch. There was yelling and arguing. Ness quickly climbed down the tower and ran over.
"Alright, everyone stay calm!" Shulk yelled.
"Who are you?" A lady voice demanded, "Are you trying to rob us?"
"Lady, do I look like a fucking thief to you?" Peach retorted.
The arguing resumed and Ness crept through his group.
"Put the gun down, man!" Luigi cried.
"Fuck that!"
Ness froze at that phrase. That voice sounded…familiar. Ness pushed Shulk's arm aside and saw someone who he thought had died a long time ago.
A person he thought would never come back.
A/N: Sorry for the 2 month hiatus. I had to get a new computer that took much longer than it should have. If you lost your faith in me, I understand. Also, oooh cliffanger I guess.