~Shadmé~
Intensity: 5.5
Lightning crackled the moment Pit and I flew out Palutena's heavenly door, shocking both of us out of our wits.
"Yikes!" Pit yelped. "Lady Palutena, you couldn't have put us any closer to our destination?"
"The Turbulent Canyon always has weather like this," the goddess explained. "In the long run, it doesn't matter where I put you."
"It'll definitely matter in the long run when I get zapped," Pit griped.
I was quiet. Here we were, on a mission, like old times, and yet it felt like I'd lost my sense of comedic timing. I didn't know what to say.
"The lightning isn't the only thing you have to worry about," warned Palutena.
"I'm so glad I'm considered a big enough threat for you to mention," Orcos joined in. Pit's eyes widened as his head whipped from side to side. "Orcos!"
"The one and only," Orcos introduced. At his word, Underworld enemies began swarming across the side, darting here and there to dodge the storm.
"There goes our cover," I grumbled, trying to take down the opposing enemies as quickly as possible. I hope this didn't mean Palutena would turn us around to head home…
"Orcos, there's no need for you to be here," Palutena sighed.
"I could say the same to you," replied the demon.
"But we're only going to be here for a small while," I persisted.
"So am I," said Orcos. "Where you go, my minions will follow. To destroy you. Think of me as your friendly neighborhood stalker."
"When there's something strange in your neighborhood, who're you gonna call?" Palutena asked.
"Pit!" Pit and I exclaimed at the same time.
"I think you're off a few syllables," Orcos said in a mocking matter.
"Anyhow…" Palutena directed our flight paths to go around a giant castle-looking monster. It had Skuttlers manning the side towers and a glowering pig face perched in the center.
"What's that thing that we just passed?" I questioned.
"Fort Oink," Palutena answered. "They're tricky targets, and like Belunkas, they transport enemies. It's not worth the time."
"Says you," Orcos said with a sigh. "It seems worth it enough to me. Do you know how ridiculously difficult it is to get that thing flying on its own? There are just as many broken propellers lying around my lair as there are lost and tormented souls."
"Soo...you want me to destroy it?" Pit wondered.
"I don't care, to be honest," Orcos admitted. "I just want to see a cool aerial fight. That would be worth the time."
The Fort Oink dispatched a few enemies behind us, so Pit and I spun in mid-air to cover our tails. I launched a charged shot at a Syren and it plummeted immediately. "Nice one!" Pit complimented. I smiled a bit from the praise. It felt good to do something right for once.
"Look out, you two!" Palutena split us apart just as lightning touched down between us. The enemies that weren't quick enough to flee were fried.
"...That sucked," Orcos grumbled.
The skies opened up on us, dumping down a torrent of rain. My wings were immediately soaked to the bone, and I could feel my speed decreasing as they shook.
"Brr," Pit shivered, hugging his arms to his chest.
"Seems like I'm not the only one having an awful day," Orcos noted. "I'm glad I'm not there."
"I th-thought evil bosses liked thunderstorms," I muttered, teeth chattering. "A-adds to the effect."
"Well, come on now. How threatening would we be if the sun was shining the moment you stepped into our dark and spooky fortresses?" Orcos snorted. "Oh, how we suffer to preserve our self-images."
"Am we supposed to feel sorry?" Pit asked. "I mean, there are much worse problems in the world. For example, I almost forgot how to tie my belt this morning. It's been three years since I last dressed myself! Think about it."
"I think our priorities might sliiightly differ in value," reflected the demon. Pit and I regrouped to fight off some enemies. We were met with the rabbit-like Petribombers, some common enemies, and an enemy resembling an elephant head.
"It's a big ol' zoo in here!" Pit said cheerfully as he swerved around the elephant's stomping, disembodied feet.
Not expecting it, I was hit with one of the feet. "Ow!"
"This is a petting zoo, Shadmé!" Orcos invited. "Go on, pet the nice little Snong."
"I'll pass!" I yelped, finding that the Snong seemed to be chasing me. I sliced through some Handoras and a sheep-like enemy in an effort to flee.
"What did that Bluster ever do to you?" Orcos muttered. "I mean, all their attacks do is cause shaking, which means you won't be able to aim accurately. Sounds harmless to me."
Figuring I'd flown too quickly for the Snong to catch me, I began to turn around and fight back. It had redirected its focus to Pit, but admittedly, it was an easier target now. I finished it off, then turned to the Fire Wyrm that was snaking through the horde. Pit made his way to my vantage point, taking out enemies along the way that I'd just weakened. As soon as we were together again, Palutena flew us onward to the next location.
"Don't think you're getting away that easily," Orcos commented. I peered over my shoulder to see that many Underworld enemies were chasing us, attacking all the while. My wings were getting battered.
"Who said it was easy?" Pit griped.
"Hey Lady Palutena," I wondered, "I see the canyon up ahead. Why aren't we taking refuge in there?"
"The canyon is unstable," Palutena warned. The canyon with the mirror. Unstable? Well, I suppose the mirror would be well-protected… "I'm taking you through the least-dangerous path."
Pit seemed to have the same take on that thought as I did. "I can take some falling pebbles!" he insisted. "I fought Hades, after all!"
"It might be best to lose these goons in a crowded space," I added quietly.
"What are you whispering about up there? I feel very misinformed and am ever so offended you have not come to me on advice for the matter." Orcos' words were tinged with mock-hurt. "I know everything about war and battles, you know. After all, I orchestrate them!"
"None of your business," Pit responded.
"Really? That's your best retort? Gee, you must still be sleepy," Orcos chuckled.
"Doesn't matter. I'd still be able to beat you with my eyes shut, Orcos!" Pit crowed. He spun in a circle, accurately hitting some enemies tailing him. I opted to fly backwards instead so I could help him.
"There's the Pit we all know and love," Palutena exclaimed. "To the canyons it is." I managed to turn around just in time, but the Power of Flight was practically tugging Pit away from the fight by his wings. "Ack! Hey! I'm feeling the tough love here, Lady Palutena!"
"When the going gets tough, the tough get going," recited the goddess of light. "How tough are you, Pit?"
"We'll find out!" I yelped as we detoured through the canyon. We'd gotten to the crevasse so quickly that I hadn't heard the telling rumbles of falling rocks at first. But now, with walls all around us, they grated and echoed harshly against my ears.
"Why oh why would you want to wander into a place so annoyingly loud?" Orcos wondered. Trailtails scuttled across the rock walls, and a Mega Mussel levitated behind us, zigzagging through gaps, but other than that, the plan seemed to be working. Orcos' army had been all but blocked off by the thin passageway. He would only be able to send a few enemies at us at a time, and if he did, then we'd be able to pick them off easily.
"Trust me, the canyon is a lot less annoying then you are," Pit refuted with a grin. He snatched up a Lucky Trigger and began taking out Trailtails one by one.
I myself was working on the Mega Mussel. Three orbs circulated around its clam-like body. The ones near the bottom moved slower, while the uppermost orb revolved around the mussel quickly. I knew dispatching all three orbs would take out the Underworld enemy for good. However, I wasn't quite timing my shots correctly, and the final orb refused to go down.
"Shadres, look out!"
Pit grabbed my shoulder and yanked me to the side of the canyon. A huge boulder and some smaller rocks cascaded down the side of the canyon, taking out the spot where the Mega Mussel had formerly been. I swallowed nervously. There was nothing left but dust rising up from the impact. "Th-thanks, Pit."
"Anytime!" He swung back to the center, firing at Syrens and Handoras gathering in a horde overhead. I hesitantly joined him. I could've been crushed if he hadn't seen the rock falling…
"Jeez, this is not a good day for me and the minions," Orcos grouched. "We've gotten nothing but complaints and giant rocks to the face."
"I think you're getting a really clear message, telling you something important," I suggested tentatively. A Handora got too close, and I was able to hit it accurately with my bow blade.
"Perhaps. But I can't quite put my clawed finger on it…"
"Maybe we should spell it out for you in boulders," Pit chuckled. "G-O A-W-A-Y." Some boulders fell behind us as we spoke.
"I have no idea what a 'goaway' is," responded Orcos. "It kind of sounds like what would happen if you shoved a goat into a subway."
"Aaaand there's our miscommunication," said Palutena. "Reminder, friends: Orcos can and will mishear everything you say, replacing it with animal torture."
"Aww, come now, Palutena. I have a soft spot for animals!"
"Pray tell me where this so-called 'soft spot' is on you," Palutena replied.
"I happen to feel sympathetic towards a certain pair of chickens, for example," Orcos joked. "That's why I haven't killed them yet."
~Pit~
"The only chicken is you, Orcos!" Pit crowed. he and Shadmé parted ways to avoid a particularly large rockfall that fell between them. Pit could tell the condition of the canyon was getting worse. He hoped Lady Palutena found a landing site...
"That's a deceleration of war if I've ever heard one, Pit. Honestly, do you want me to pop in there and mess with you personally? Last I checked, you lovely little chickens were shy a particular set of Sacred Treasures."
"H-hey," Shadmé cut in. "No harm, no foul, right?"
"I think you'll mean no harm, no fowl at the end of this," Orcos replied darkly.
"There's an opening in the canyon wall to your left. I can't guarantee it's a stable place to land, but it's better than nothing. Ready to go?" Lady Palutena asked.
"Yes! I think I'd oblige even if you told me to land on the bottom of the canyon," Pit sighed with relief.
"That sounds counterproductive, but whatever floats your boat," Orcos said dismissively.
Ignoring the demon, Pit hung a left, scanning the impassive cannon walls for any sign of an opening. Feeling a rumble larger than any of the ones before, he looked up.
A chunk of the canyon wall itself was coming free, and sliding down the side.
Feeling sweat roll down his forehead, he leaned over to grab where he thought Shadmé would be so he could pull her through before the canyon chunk collided with both of them.
She wasn't there.
He searched around in blind panic before the shadows in front of him withdrew a hand and started dragging him by the arm. Thankfully, he'd recognize that style of fingerless gloves anywhere…
Shadmé pulled him through the gap, the falling piece scraping across the entrance, resulting in a bit of a screeching sound. Pit's wings stopped glowing as the two angels tumbled to the ground, rolling a few paces.
"That was too close!" Lady Palutena exclaimed, a tinge of worry making her voice a tad higher-pitched. "Quick thinking, Shadres."
"Th-thanks." As Pit dusted himself off, he couldn't help but notice his partner shuddering. She pulled out a Health Recovery power and used it, calming down slightly as her health was restored.
Pit turned around to see where they'd come in from. The jagged canyon chunk had been so large that, from its resting point on the bottom of the canyon some of it now blocked the gap, denying entrance to Underworld soldiers. Pit felt a little cold himself. If Shadmé had moved too late, they would have both been dragged down by the rock. They would be completely, totally, finished.
Besides the bit of light filtering in from the gap, the canyon was dark. Pit wasn't a fan of darkness. For him, darkness had almost never been a good thing. Not to mention, he served the goddess of light. Darkness was its impure opposite, the response to all things he considered comely and happy.
"Well," mused Lady Palutena, "first off, let's try this."
Pit blinked as the laurel crowns on the tops of their heads started to glow. "Wh-what? You never told me my laurel crown could be used as a glow stick!"
"Actually, in this form, I suppose it could be considered a halo. But that should provide each of you with enough light to see a few feet forward."
Pit stood up, casting glances around. He felt like a miner or something. Despite that, the light would remain as a beacon of hope. It comforted him, somewhat.
"You said, each of you," Shadmé observed. "Does that mean you're planning on having us separate?"
"Correct," replied the goddess. "Hear me out. If you walk forward, the path splits in two directions- left and right. The inside of the canyon is structured like a labyrinth, and the two of you will cover way more ground if you split up."
Shadmé went quiet. Pit spoke up for her. "We're trying to get Shadres to the mirror, right? What would happen if I got there first?"
"Then we'd teleport her to you." Palutena chuckled, as if it were obvious.
"You can do that?" Pit asked in disbelief. "Then why can't you warp us straight to the mirror?"
"Because even I don't know where it is!"
"Great…" Pit shook his head, then smiled at Shadmé. "Looks like we're off, then! Which way do you wanna go?"
Shadmé returned his smile, albeit weakly. "I'll go left, I suppose."
"Cool! But don't forget- you won't be alone. Lady Palutena and I can speak to you telepathically!" The sound of that made the dark angel's smile turn a bit more genuine. "Alright, Pit. See you on the other side, then."
"See ya!" The two of them turned to begin sprinting down their chosen direction in the rock maze.
"Sorry to interrupt this snooze fest, but I hope you haven't forgotten about me."
"Gah! Orcos!" Pit held a hand out to trace alongside the wall. Somewhere, a long time ago, he'd heard that sticking to one side of a wall would help you solve any maze. He hoped that was true.
"Give it up," he heard Shadmé say in his head. "You can't get us from in here."
"How much do you wanna bet?" Pit looked up, raising his bow cautiously. Enemies were above him. The only way he could tell was because of the shadows being casted on the floor.
"How did the Underworld get in here?" wondered Shadmé.
"Due to my excellent deduction skills, I figured that if one gap could exist in the canyon walls, then there had to be more. After a lot of blood, sweat and minion tears, we discovered some more holes. Voila!" Orcos sounded proud of himself.
"Looks like we've gotta get moving, Shadres!" Pit exclaimed. "Orcos is gonna be sniping us!"
He could hear the sound of arrows coming from behind him. "Use the shadows, Pit!" Lady Palutena advised. "The Underworld isn't as well-hidden as it thinks it is."
Pit turned his gaze towards the ground. His goddess was right- using the location of the shadows, he could tell where the enemies were. He sent a charged shot upward, and due to the resulting sound of something being hit, he knew he'd met his mark.
"That was...mildly impressive," said Orcos. "Almost like how a bat uses echolocation. You'd make a better bat than Thanatos."
"Trust me, anything would make a better bat than Thanatos," Pit scoffed. He halted his movements in order to finish off the Underworld minions more accurately. Once the shots stopped coming at him, he moved on, shoulder bumping against the right wall. The wall lead him around in a twisted direction. In fact, Pit was so busy concentrating on not losing the wall that he tripped over something in the ground. Moments later, he was hit by a shockwave and promptly fell to the ground.
"Ow! Not a Girin," Pit complained, retrieving his bow and firing at the antlion-like creature. He was able to pick up the faintest bit of moment as the Girin withdrew into the ground, only its claws sticking out. Knowing how to outsmart the enemies after years of experience, Pit backed up quite far out of their range and began firing at the exposed claws. Confused, the Girin popped out to look for Pit, and so the angel took the opportunity to spring at it and finish it off with an angel ring.
"Now now, let's not reveal all my secret tricks," Orcos tsked. "That was supposed to be a surprise for Shadmé!"
"She'd have figured it out soon enough," Pit retorted. "Shadres! There are big buggies hidden in the ground. Be careful not to trigger them or they can seriously injure you."
"Thanks for the heads up," Shadmé thanked him. "...But how exactly did you run into it if you were hugging the wall?"
"...Er…" Pit looked upward, jokingly shaking his fist. "I'm calling hacks, Orcos!"
"Whatever it takes to distract you," Orcos returned. "And I'm beginning to realize that it's not much."
Further flustered, Pit took off down the labyrinth at double the speed. Irritatingly enough, he felt an enemy attack from above. He was beginning to get the gist of Orcos' strategy now: there were probably hundreds of troops floating above him in the dark, biding their time. Pit would defeat the ones in front, then Orcos would send a few to the ground in order to reform the forces above him. This back and forth was slowing both him and Shadmé down.
"I'm sensing treasure to your left, Pit," Lady Palutena reported.
"I'm game for treasure, but...I'll have to part from my best buddy, the wall, to get it!" Pit patted the wall comfortingly. "What if I'm never able to find it again? What if I get mixed up and start going the wrong way?"
"...You could carve an arrow into the wall with your bow blade," Lady Palutena suggested.
"...Oh. Right. I guess that would be logical." Doing as his goddess said, he inspected his handiwork with the light from his halo. Satisfied, he turned left to find the treasure chest.
The low, growling-like song should have been his first warning something was up, but Pit's mind was solely on the treasure. Turning the corner, his eyes were met with a flash of impossibly bright purple flame. And the song increased in volume.
Pit knew there were only three types of Underworld enemies that made sound when approached. And he had stumbled upon the deadliest of all.
"Lady Palutena! Orne!" he yelped, leaping away in fear. The Orne swooped closer, skull gnashing its teeth and roaring silently while the flames around it surged. Pit dashed behind another wall for protection, praying the beast hadn't seen him.
Thankfully, it bobbed and dipped away from him. Pit breathed a sigh of relief, but knew he wasn't in the clear yet. He saw the treasure chest in the center of the area- quite simple to get to, if not for the Orne…
"I think you told me about Ornes before," Shadmé chimed in. "I'm guessing I should be very, very concerned, right?"
"Yes," Lady Palutena answered for the shocked-speechless Pit. "Watch your step, and if you see purple flames and hear a ghostly tune, turn the other way. They aren't worth messing with."
"Remind me again why Pit is engaging one in battle," Shadmé groaned.
"I-I'm a pro," Pit squeaked out. Clearing his throat, he reported, "Good news. I think the Orne is just moving in a circle around the treasure chest. Some Ornes chase you, which makes things ten times worse, but I think with some careful timing and a heart of steel, I should be fine."
"Bah," snorted Orcos. "I was quite sure that one would get you."
Pit ignored Orcos' disbelief, took a deep breath, and charged forward. As he'd hoped, the Orne did not bother him, but its haunting theme intensified in volume the closer he got. Swallowing his fear, he popped the box open.
"Appears to be a Scope Cannon," Lady Palutena observed. "Good job, Pit! I knew you could do it. This Cannon is one of the most accurate ones of its kind."
Waiting for the Orne to cycle around again, Pit ran away from the treasure chest and back into the maze corridor. "ThanksforyourfaithLadyPalutenaIthinkI'mgoodnowphew!"
"I'm pretty sure the Pit I know just melted into a puddle," Shadmé said after a pause. "Let's hope I never run into an Orne or I'll just plain-out evaporate."
~.~.~
Palutena chuckled at Shadmé's joke. She was glad Pit had made it through the Orne encounter relatively safely. He had been defeated by Ornes before, and while they were usually one-hit-defeats, she could revive him with her light magic and the Fiend's Cauldron. All the same, she knew he'd be embarrassed beyond belief if he'd been taken out in front of Shadmé. He was eager to be the best role model he could be. Losing to a monster set on a track, no matter how horrifying, was not good encouragement.
And yes, only Pit would be embarrassed about dying.
The two angels had been walking on their separate paths for a while. And as Palutena sat and waited, juggling her quote-unquote "All-Seeing Eye" from Pit to Shadmé and back again, hours more passed.
"This labyrinth canyon is bigger than I thought it'd be," Pit spoke up. "I would've brought a sandwich or two if I'd known we'd be here this long."
Thank goodness for his optimism. Even though he and Shadmé weren't physically side-by-side, she knew his banter was enough to keep Shadmé's spirits up. Palutena was sure that walking alone in darkness and silence would make Shadmé start thinking to busy herself. And when she thought, her thoughts always reverted to dwelling on the past. Thus, she'd begin to question. Palutena didn't want the angel to be questioning, doubting herself.
"It's a good thing you won't have to wait much longer." Shadmé's voice was quiet. "Lady Palutena...do you see that bit of light ahead of me?"
"You see some light? No fair! I'm envious," mock-complained Pit. "All I see are enemies. And not even that, most of the time."
"Yes, I do see the light," Palutena replied, heart jumping in her chest. "I would say that's a reflection of the light coming from your halo."
"A reflection…" Pit seemed to understand now. "You found the mirror?"
Palutena watched Shadmé creep closer to the light. As she did, her reflection became brighter when the light source approached. In the light, she could see the outline of a frame, and the glistening glass within it.
Yes, Shadmé had indeed stumbled upon the Mirror of Memory.
Palutena could see that Pit had stopped moving. Now that the mirror had been found, there was no need for him to proceed onward through the maze. He turned his head to and fro, trying to figure out where to focus. "So...Shadmé…"
Shadmé stopped moving towards it. Her eyes had been trained on the ground, but now she looked up. Even so, she hadn't made eye contact with the mirror yet. "Yeah, Pit?"
Unbeknownst to Shadmé, Palutena watched Pit lean against a wall. He was getting himself comfortable- Palutena knew he had something deep on his mind. "Remember all the way back in the beginning, back when you agreed to fight with us?"
Shadmé paused a moment, then nodded. "Three years ago...but even so, the event feels crystal clear. I do remember."
"I think it was...Lady Palutena...who ultimately convinced you." Pit took a breath.
"Yes…" Palutena agreed. "I suggested that you might learn more about yourself along the way."
Shadmé looked like she wanted to reply, but Pit beat her to it. "And, well...here you are. About to learn everything about yourself." He continued talking, unaware he was cutting off every one of Shadmé's attempts to speak. "This is something you've really wanted. For as long as I've known you, that's been your strongest desire. You've sacrificed everything to know the truth." Pit dipped his head, bangs hiding his face from Palutena. "But...I just want to have you know...I get it. I understand if you no longer want to be with us once you look into the mirror. I know that this thing will show a side of you that's been hidden behind a curtain for a long time." Pit sighed now, voice dropping lower and lower with a sadness Palutena hadn't heard in his voice in...maybe ever. "I'll never judge you though, okay? No matter what."
"Pit and I solemnly swear that you'll always have a home at my temple, should you decide to stay," Palutena told Shadmé gently. Sensing something, she flicked her wrists and formed golden barriers around the angels. A flurry of attacks from various Underworld creatures met the barriers and immediately dissipated.
"Orcos!" Pit snapped.
"...What? I'm a villain?"
"As I was saying…" Palutena sighed, "these are your crossroads, Shadmé. Here, you'll have to make a choice. Will you stay with us? Or will you pursue your past life? You may find that the memories shown to you may trigger things forgotten in your mind, or, conversely, they may seem as empty to you as pictures. They could be good or bad. But you deserve to know your own history, Shadmé. Nothing you've done before or may do in the future can deny you your right to yourself."
Shadmé was quiet, simply mulling over each divinity's words. "I understand," she said, voice breaking. "And thank you for believing in me. You've all been too kind, to give me this opportunity. It won't be wasted." She closed her eyes for a moment, then opened them. They seemed teary, but the fire burning in them was strong. Determined. "I'm ready." Turning her gaze eye-level, Palutena watched Shadmé stare into the mirror.
Palutena knew the Mirror of Memory would have no effect on Palutena herself. She'd have to be physically in its presence if she wanted to see anything in her own past. Not only that, she'd be unable to see the same things Shadmé was currently seeing- her memories would be personal to her and nobody else. That was part of the magic of the mirror. All she could do was gauge Shadmé's emotions.
Or at least, as much as she was able. Orcos' Underworlders had been pounding on the barriers she'd set to temporarily protect Shadmé and Pit. But it seemed that even Orcos was realizing how unimportant he was to the events that were taking place. "I'm withdrawing my troops," he yawned. "It's taken far too much effort to actually get them here, and you're not even playing fair with these shields. Also, I'm a gentledemon, soo…" The scattered attacks began to cease as Orcos did as he'd promised. Sighing with relief, Palutena took down the barriers so she could conserve her energy.
Shadmé's face revealed very little of what she must be feeling- for once, Palutena was unable to grasp her emotions through her facial expressions. She stood there, transfixed, in front of the mirror, like she was watching the most intent TV show in her life. Neither Pit nor Palutena spoke. The only sound was from the rumbling of rocks falling outside of the canyon.
Palutena noticed Pit had resorted to pacing as he waited. Shadmé's reveal through the mirror was disturbing him. She thought that their friendship had never truly consolidated until the underwater expeditions. Once Palutena had retrieved them from Arequa, they seemed to operate like a well-oiled machine, as if there was some pact they'd made. Then again, that had been where Dark had come into the picture. All the angels had experienced the following levels together as they bonded. Perhaps Dark had done some good after all in bringing Pit and Shadmé closer as friends.
"Lady Palutena…"
It was Shadmé. "Yes?" she inquired. "Did you see everything the mirror wanted to show you?"
"Yeah…" She turned away from it. Shadmé didn't seem distressed at all- just exhausted. "We can head back now, if it's alright with you."
"Sure it is. Ready to go, Pit?"
"Uh-huh." In a flash of light, Palutena warped them back to the temple. Exiting the control room, she headed downstairs to see how they were doing.
Pit was already inquisitive, but Shadmé merely shrugged off each question.
"Hang on Pit, it's been a long day for both of you." Palutena pointed outside- the sun was setting. "I'm sure you're both pretty tired from wandering around a maze for hours straight. Shadres will tell us what she saw in the morning, and only if she wants to. Okay?"
Pit fidgeted with his gloves. Something wasn't satisfying him. "Shadres! Just...just promise me you won't run away again."
Shadmé dipped her head, only now aware of how much worry she'd put Pit through the day she's taken off. "I promise."
Palutena shooed them off to their rooms, though she couldn't help but be curious at what Shadmé wasn't saying.
Next morning…
Palutena was preparing some coffee when Pit hustled down the stairs. "Is Shadres here yet?"
"Nope. But Pit, come on. You always get up super early! She might still be sleeping." She offered him a cup. "Coffee?"
He grimaced. "Nah." He headed for the refrigerator, pouring himself a glass of milk instead.
"Piiit," Palutena teased, "if you want to be a real man someday, you're going to have to learn to drink coffee."
Pit pumped his fist after chugging the milk. "I am a real man! Real men drink lots of calcium!"
"Whatever you say," Palutena replied with a giggle.
They had scarcely been talking for a few minutes when the dark angel herself made her way into the dining room. "Hello..?"
Pit seemed to be in a much better mood. "Hi, Shadres!" he greeted. "Feeling better?"
She gave them both a smile. "Think so. Now, I bet you have some questions, huh?"
"Did you manage to remember anything, Shadmé?" Palutena asked, using Shadmé's real name as an indication of her seriousness.
Shadmé tilted her head a bit. "Here and there. Patches. I'd see something, and it would make so much sense in my mind that it just kind of clicked. Other things seemed intangible, like they were done by a person other than me."
"How do you feel about yourself?" Palutena asked. "I know that as eager as you were to retrieve your memories, you've always been backed by a hint of nervousness. You never knew if your memories were erased for a reason."
Shadmé straightened up, prepared to give more detail. "I have the answer to my absence of memory as well, Lady Palutena."
This was fun to write. For whatever reason, I have a great time writing levels that are only as long as one chapter. Weird. I drew a picture of the scene where Shadmé rescues Pit on my DeviantArt, so, DA people, you now know where that comes from, lol.
Shadmé's telling of her backstory will be from Palutena's POV, so it's not too in-depth, but as I said before, I want to keep her backstory as told here mostly in the realm of KI canon. Technically, her backstory crosses into another fandom; however, that's a story for another time.
There was supposed to be a mob boss here, as there is every five levels, but Palutena decided to screw that up. Oh well!
My New Year's resolution is to write more. It's been about half a month since the last update- that's better than once a month, right..? We're gonna have to see if I can get faster than that! I'd love to. And I checked- judging by how levels are written, FoLaD might be around 50 chapters instead of 60. That's because levels are starting to be written about two chapters per level as opposed to three or four, as it used to be. Honestly, that's better for me to think about. Instead of looking at it and being like "22 chapters to go? AAAA" it's more like 12. Yay! Anyway, to the reviews!
ZygardeZeta: Nope! This Underworld conflict never ends, does it? Though I do have a headcanon and a plan to ensure the Underworld won't go crazy anymore by the third book.
GameboyNinjaUltimate Icarus: Hey there! I'm glad you're still around too! The Chaos parts are always the darkest. That's probably why they're most interesting to me.
RandomButLoved: No biggie! And thanks! 30 years for Kid Icarus, and 3 years for FoLaD. It's quite incredible. You're probably one of the only reviewers from the beginning that's remained, too. We've come so far!
GirlPit: N'aww, your enthusiasm is contagious! My fans are clearly the best, hehe!
BetterTitles: I enjoy our conversations about the characters and story a lot! Unfortunately for Shadmé, going back to how things were is gonna be rough. But the scenario in the second book should fix things for her! Or maybe not. We'll see!
FuryBeam: Your story honestly made me laugh a lot, haha! (Soul Eater is bomb!) Well, I did update FoLaD before the new year, but it is the most recent, so yeah. And thank you! I personally think I'm not too good at writing Palutena, but it felt really strange making her hyper-serious since she's typically more silly. That might have to do with it. "YES SHADME MAKE ERIS A GREAT FAM" is probably my favorite thing I've heard this year so far, so thanks for that, lol!
I do indeed have Pokemon Moon! I got it on my birthday and beat it a few days ago. It's probably the best Pokemon game I've played in a while, tbh. Litten for life. Also, I caught a Shiny Trumbeak the other day. BOW DOWN TO MEEE!