A/N

Greetings and salutations! It's me again. We're at chapter 16!

Chapter 16 is a huge milestone for me because 16 is also the average wind speed in mph in the intermediate mode of Golf on Wii Sports, so I hope you'll join me in celebrating this fact.

As always, Nintendo own the Smash and Earthbound franchises, though I'm lining up my bid to buy both of them this very minute.

Anyways, it's Lucas's perspective this time-

Enjoy!

Chapter 16: The Damage Sustained

Duster's house is a strange little place. It's traditional - a wooden cabin, similar to many other of the residencies in this section of Tazmily. I'd call it… Quaint. There's a brief hallway leading into a lounge space, dominated by a photo of what looks like a family, most likely his own. There's what looks like some cross between a double bass and a cello in the corner, and a delicate arrangement of plates, some ornamental, some functional. Duster himself walks with a noticeable limp, yet he somehow manages to outpace me as he gladly welcomes me into his humble abode.

"Do, take a seat, m'chap," he indicates towards a chair that looks like it hasn't been touched in a number of years. I sit, willing the chair not to break under me. That wouldn't be the best first impression.

"Thank you," I say, politely. This could be an alright place to stay, for now. Porky will no doubt be looking for me, so my own home is, regretfully, far out of the question. Duster seems reasonable enough, even if mildly eccentric, but some say I am too. I'm mildly surprised that he doesn't recognise me, but I'm thankful for it, nonetheless. I really wouldn't need my location revealed to anyone unsavoury.

Duster produces a pot of tea from nowhere, and pours it, handing me a mug, which I take graciously. He frowns slightly, as he takes a swift sip of his. "How old do you think I look?"

I'm taken aback slightly by the perplexing remark, but I reply politely - better to underestimate than over-estimate. "45?"

Duster scoffs. "45! For the sake of the Lord above! Everyone calls me an old codger, an' in reality I'm only 30!"

30? He doesn't look 30 - there's lines on his face, and greying hair, and a general air of decrepitude about him.

"30!" I remark. "Yeah, I see it now. Youthful… eyes?" I blag my way through it, but thankfully Duster eats it all up.

"Yar, that's what I say t' those folks, too. But ah well! They're just a load of young ragamuffins anyways."

"Ragamuffins," I repeat. "We don't have that phrase where I'm from."

"Ah… thrn, perhaps, rambunctious scamps?"

We're getting far off topic, so I decide to steer the boat back in the right direction.

"Now, Porky Minch-"

"Porky Minch! May all the blessings rain upon him!"

"Uh, yes. Porky Minch is behind all the developments in this village, correct?"

"Correct, good sir! Ah, what a man! I'd kiss him, if he were 'ere, right now. Sadly, he only pays us a visit once a week."

"...And which day of the week does he visit?"

"Well of course! Saturdays."

Saturday. Tomorrow.

I smile. "Wonderful. I can't wait to meet him."


Every Wednesday morning, when I woke up, in my new bed in Onett, there'd be a protest marching by my bedroom window. I think protests are a sign of major trouble in a city. If I ever asked Father about them, he'd grunt, and tell me to ignore them, or he'd grunt, and otherwise ignore me. They'd walk by, carrying their placards as they shout their way through the streets. I'd watch the procession, regularly. I liked to read the colourful signs - "I hate the government more than I hate standing in this crowd!" - "I want a hot date, not a hot mess of a society!" - I'd laugh at some of them. It took a little while before I started recognising people that protested - and some of them started to notice me too. One such woman would often wave to me as she walked past, and I'd happily wave back. At the time, I had no idea why they'd walk past with these funny signs every day, like some sort of carnival procession. I liked it, we'd had carnivals at home in Tazmily.

A year or two after they'd gone by for the first time, (I'd been 9) there'd been a horrifying turn of events. I'd just waved at the woman - and she'd waved at me, cheerily. She'd been wearing a thick, dark brown coat, that day, her eyes were especially bright in the mid-June sun. It was exactly 7:46 in the morning, and the woman's hair was tied back into a bun. Her placard had read "Down with the lies, up with equality!"

At 7:46am, 20 trained members of the government's private army had swarmed from the bushes and walkways, surrounding the 100 or so protesters, stabbing many of them to death. I'd watched, horrorstruck, as with slick, silver weapons, they'd impaled most of the protesters. I'd watched, frozen, as the woman who I'd waved to on every single Wednesday's face morphed into a sickening sight of blind terror, as a jagged dagger tore her life into pieces. I'd heard the screams, I'd heard the cataclysmic screams of torture, of brutality, of fear, and I knew then…

I knew that Onett was a dreadful place.

Even Ness hadn't been able to get a word out of me on that day.

Any remaining shred of my innocence had been torn and butchered, butchered as the protesters that they hung up on display in our street, to make an example of.

I took in the woman's protest sign, and I hung it on my wall.


I sigh, frustratedly. "I just hope he's okay!"

Toon Link nods, in understanding. "He'll be chill, soon. He's stressed."

"I know he's stressed. I'm stressed too! About Dark Pit, the grave, the disappearances, the- the everything! He's not okay. I need to go and help him!"

"He needs space, Lucas."

It's all going wrong. I can't help the feeling that I'm slipping away, that Ness is slipping away, I don't know what to do! Ness isn't okay. This has been happening too much. I love him - I need to help him.

"He's- he's-"

Villager sighs. "Lucas, please, let's be rational here."

I wring my hands. "I'm rational. I'm always rational."

Ness bursts into the room suddenly, and leaps on me, hugging me tight, causing me to let out a squeal of alarm, yet causing me to giggle nonetheless, completely changing the atmosphere. "Ness-!"

Ness picks himself up, grinning. "Lucas! Sorry for uh, being an idiot, really-"

I prod him, relieved, but confused, my emotions blending into a smoothie of feelings... I'm not sure what to feel, what to say.

"You've been kinda… off lately."

"I know."

I hush my voice. "Do you want to talk about it?"

He hesitates. "You know what, yes. I need to. I really need to. But… maybe privately."

"That's okay."

I look up at the others. "We'll be back."

Toon Link and Villager exchange a strange knowing look, but they let us go off.

We sit on Ness's bed. My heart pounds a little - what's he going to tell me? Has something happened? Is it my fault that he's hurting? Disillusioned, I lie back against the covers, and Ness mimics me, taking my hand on the way down. I stare at the stone of the roof above our heads, carved in superlative fashion to create a sense of the room being more substantial than it is in reality. Ness turns his head towards mine, and I stare at him.

"Hey," he whispers.

"Hi," I say back, uncertain. "What's up? What's happening?"

Ness's shoulders slump a little. "Stuff."

"Stuff?"

"Stuff." Ness picks up a pillow, tossing it once, before launching it across the room. The pillow falls sorrowfully onto the floor, as it confronts into a small, yet soft, mound.

Ness sighs. "Do you ever just… what…?"

"...What?"

"Is what... you yes?"

"Ness, you're making no sense."

He takes a sudden deep breath. "...Doyourememberwhenwetalkedaboutnotreallylikinggirlsmuchyet-"

I frown. "Uh, yes, why?"

Ness screws up his face. He looks like a prune. I point this out, and earn a prod. Good to see we're still in casual conversation mode.

Ness clears his throat. "Well, uhm-"

"...?"

"Nothing-"

"Ness. Nuss. Noss. There's definitely something." I twist my hands around, uneasily, still trying to keep the tone light, whilst not being sure if I'm really succeeding.

"Lucas… I'm, well, I'm-"

He plunges himself under the covers. So much for a light tone. Fortunately, an advantage of being small is being able to sneak through the gaps in the covers to join him.

"You can tell me, Ness."

"I can't."

"Why not?"

"You'll think I'm weird."

"...I know you're weird. And it's awesome." I wrap an arm around Ness affectionately.

Ness tries to surreptitiously wipe away a tear. "...I-"

I'm burning, burning to know what's affecting him, eager to find out exactly what I can do to help, but he's not loosening up. It must be bad- really bad, but I'll help, he needs to know that I'll help, as much as I can.

"Lucas, I might be gay."

Woah. That came out of nowhere! I'm stumped. "You mean, like, you like boys?"

Ness nods into the sheets, and there's a short pause.

I mull the new information over. I find myself relating to it, in a strange kind of way. Boys are cuter than girls, after all. Girls are scarier than boys, too. Hm. I can see why he would be gay - though I don't much understand it! Scientifically, it makes no sense. Why would some people evolve this way? It's certainly not hereditary. But it's interesting. I like not understanding things - it means I can find out more about them.

"That's cool, that's ok!" I say cheerily, hugging Ness.

He looks up slightly. "You think?"

"Yeah!"

Ness's face says otherwise. "It's illegal to be gay, Lucas."

"Well," I say, my stomach dropping, carefully selecting my words. "They don't have to know."

"That's what Toon Link said," Ness answers, glumly. "I hate it. I hate… this."

I'm a little surprised. "Toon Link knows?"

"I told him about an hour ago - I would've told you first, promise! But I got kind of nervous…"

I softly hug him. "Nervous, why?"

He hugs me back, I can sense the relief in his hold. Did he think I wouldn't accept him?

Ness recoils slightly, jumpy again. "...In case it would make things weird."

"Why would it be weird?" I ask, perplexed.

"...Uh, no reason."

I hug him. "Okay then. I'm glad you're okay, Ness."

He slumps against me, suddenly. "I'm not okay."

I rub his back. "Is something else bothering you?"

"It's being gay that's bothering me, Lucas."

There's a slight pause. I'm suddenly unsure if I'm actually doing any good at, well, helping.

"Ness… I have no problem with you being gay. I don't know why you do…"

"I don't even know if I am or not - I'm a mess, a total mess, Lucas!"

I hug him tighter. His body trembles against mine, in little quivers, and I can feel his heart beating rapidly, I can feel him tensing nervously.

"I've just felt- st-stupid, and irritable, and tired - so tired, all the time, and always worrying, and the voice in my head and- and-"

I hold him tight. "Ness, you need help," I conclude, suddenly. "You need proper help, you're feeling awful. This pain has to stop."

He nods into my chest. "I really want it to stop."

I rub his back, as gently as I can. I cradle his form in my arms. I knew he was hurting - but not like this - not to this extent - I'm crying, suddenly. Crying for Ness. It should be me, I should take all the pain, I can manage. Ness. Ness. Ness.

Grave. Future Human. Face.

Fear.

Fear.

Fear.

Fear.

Fear.

We're lost in an abyss of tears.

Time passes, and I knock on Rosalina's office door, Ness by my side. Rosalina will know what to do - she's great with this kind of thing. She'll help Ness out. I'd be naive to believe that I need no help as well, however. I'm not exactly feeling top-notch… so much is happening. So much.

Rosalina emerges, but her face falls as she sees our broken faces. I look down at the ground.

"Help," Ness rasps. Rosalina is quick to usher us into her office, shutting the door behind her.

"What's happening, what can I do for you?"

I look up, at her.

"Ness is hurting. A lot. Can you help him? And… me too."

I look down at the floor again, suddenly.

Rosalina sits down, to catch her breath. I think I've worried her, a lot. Dammit. I want to leave.

She speaks softly. "What do you mean, hurting?"

Ness speaks up. "Sad, worried, all the time. I have- I have breakdowns, you know I have those, and- so tired, whenever I break down, someone picks me back up again, but then, then I fall right back down, just a little bit later, and it's- it's endless! I want it to stop."

Rosalina reaches out to lightly touch his arm. "Ness, it's okay to be down. A lot is happening at the moment."

"Is there anything you can do?" I plead.

"I can. Therapy - it helps, with problems such as these. You can come to me, and vent, talk things through, regularly if you like. I'm a professor, after all - I'm here to help you."

Ness grabs my sleeve. "Not without Lucas! He - uh - he needs help too."

"That works, that's understandable " Rosalina nods, calmly. "And, I'm sorry, for all you're going through."

I nod. "That all would be good. But when?"

"Every day, after school. Please, come along, to my office."

Ness and I nod.

"It's good," I promise. "We're going to get you back to happiNess again."

Ness smiles flatly. "That was a terrible pun."

"...I'm sorry for not helping you much myself," I mutter.

Ness hops frantically. "No! Don't- don't apologise!"

I hug him for the millionth time today. "Ness-"

"Lucas-"

"I don't know why I suddenly feel so miserable too."

Ness sighs. "It's my fault, isn't it-"

"No! Ness, no! It's not- it's me, I don't- I don't know- don't blame yourself-"

Ness buries his face in his hands. "Buttercup is shouting, I can't hear you."

"What's it saying?"

"You don't want to know."

"I do."

"You don't."

"...Ness…"

"Lucas, I love you."

I'm slightly surprised. Ness isn't usually one for verbal affection.

"I love you too, Ness. What gives?"

"No, no, Lucas, I love you."

Now I'm just confused. "What do you mean?"

"Isn't it obvious?"

I internally curl up. "...No?"

Ness just rubs his face.

"What do you mean?" I plead.

"I don't even know what I mean," Ness says, taking my hand. "But come on. We should find the others. Toon Link planned a sleepover in his dorm tonight… that might cheer us up a bit."

"Okay," I whisper. "Okay, let's go."

We enter the lounge again, after a quick visit to the bathroom to clear our tear-stains, hug some more and compose ourselves. I think I'm feeling a little better - a solid 5/10, as opposed to 3/10 earlier, and Ness's rock bottom.

Villager waves, lying in one couch. "Hi - everything sorted?"

"Yeah..., yeah, thank you," I try to smile, and nod. Ness nods too.

"Good, good. It's kind of late, 10pm, we should head to Toon Link's dorm now, before we're kicked out of here."

Villager's voice sounds very slightly off. I think he's worried about us. Great.

"We should," Red agrees. I'm not sure when he got here.

"Yeah… c'mon," Toon Link agrees. Okay - he sounds even worse. He's definitely not himself. Is this how it's going to be now? But regardless, we take the small walk into Toon Link's dorm, and we just catch Link packing to go to presumably Zelda's room, as we enter in. Just as Link leaves, Red typifies himself bu instantly noticing a problem.

"There's 2 beds, 5 of us."

"Well, Toonie and Villager can share Toon Link's bed," Ness says, casually, with a strange glance at Toon Link. I'm unsure what that's about. "And Lucas and I can share Link's," he adds, and I feel a small, strange fluttery feeling inside of me, suddenly.

"That works," I nod.

Red folds his arms. "What about me!"

Toon Link shrugs "Well, you probably don't want to share with one of us, do you-"

"That is true, but-"

"You are hereby banished to the floor."

"Great," Red sulks. "I'll get my bedclothes from my room then."

Red heads on out of the door, and the rest of us lie back, lazily, on the floor. There's absolute silence, yet it's a comfortable silence.

"You've got a decent room," Villager observes. "Time for me to steal everything you own."

Toon Link lifts his head up "You wha- hey!"

Villager grins, and opens up the wardrobe, but is disappointed to see it cluttered with Link's stuff instead. He tries the drawers underneath, which provides better results.

Villager pulls out some paper, some clothes, and…

"Bingo! What's this!"

Villager holds up a selection of 'relaxing scented candles'. Toon Link flushes pink.

"I like candles," he protests. "They're pretty, and these ones smell nice."

"C'mon, let's light them," Ness picks some up out of the box, with sudden energy. Maybe he has a secret thing for candles too. He's an enigma, after all.

"I have matches," Toon Link says, taking some out of the bottom of the drawer. "How many candles are left in the box?"

Ness counts. "11."

"There would have been 17 if I hadn't donated 6 to our cave expedition," Toon Link grumbles. "Where did you all leave yours?"

I rub my face. "Dropped it. Other things on my mind."

"Same," Ness says, suddenly shifting back to a darker tone.

"Well, I pocketed mine," Villager says, bringing it out. "Wouldn't want to lose your precious candles, Toonie."

Toon Link claps. "Awesome! Even I managed to drop mine. So we have 12 - one for each corner of the room, and the other 8 for lighting everything Link owns on fire!"

Villager scolds him. "We are not doing that!"

"Wouldn't be the first time a fire had been started in order to burn something in this school, this week," Toon Link says lightly, suddenly seeming kind of excited.

I turn sharply. "What do you mean?"

"The fire that started in Headmaster Hand's office. I took the liberty of, uh, poking around, last night…"

Villager looks at him. "What! That area is out of bounds!"

"Nothing says 'come in' to me more than an area being out of bounds."

I ignore that. "Did you find anything?"

"I did." Toon Link appears as if he's about to burst.

I stare. "What did you find!"

Toon Link brings his hands into his pocket, and brings something out.

It's the remains of a spine of a book. One I, surprisingly, recognise.

"Magical monsters, and mythical creatures."

The original book with Future Human in, from the library! The spine must've been resistant, to survive all that fire. But why was it there, in the HeadMaster's office! I surge forwards, and grab the spine, when something hits me. Something's wrong. How did Toon Link know to find this?

I frown. "...Why did you pick this up, Toon Link? This is just a random spine of a book."

"It is, it is just a random book," Toon Link concedes, "but it was in the fireplace. Meaning someone deliberately burnt it."

Phew. Okay. Toon Link doesn't know about Future Human and all that, then. But… someone deliberately burnt it in the fireplace! Why - what could it all mean? I look closer at the spine, hoping to find an author, but just my luck, the end of it has been burnt off, cutting off the name. But-

I look closer at the title. The title doesn't end there - there's a little V.

'Magical monsters and mythical creatures: V'

…?

Engrossed, I stare at it. What could V be? Is it the author? But no - it's definitely part of the title. Had there been a V before? I can't recall.

Villager comes forwards as well. "Something interesting about that, Lucas?"

I'm quickly aware that I've been staring at it for a while.

"...It's just strange, is all. Who would burn a book about magic?" I'm sure to leave out details about Future Human. They don't need any more worries.

Villager eyes it over. "I don't know… it's interesting, though." I give Ness a quick we will talk later look, and pocket it, my mind swarming with theories and ideas again. Another piece of mystery! I can see it now - someone snuck around to find the only fireplace in the school: the HeadMaster's - while the head was out in the conference room, or wherever he said he was, and the book caught ablaze, when it had been dropped in, but the fire had spread…

But that means it's someone in the school. Someone in the school is behind the Future Human situation - someone is sending them after me, perhaps, and they tried to burn the book so I wouldn't… know? Unless someone snuck in to do it, through the passages, but who, but why would they! Whoever it was, they tried to burn the book! But, why? Did they have information to hide? This is key evidence! Though, now I know that the book is gone. That's unhelpful. I'll never know the author! Dammit - the doors are closed on investigation. I need to keep looking closely. I need to keep looking closely at everything - need to keep noticing all of the details. This is crucial.

"...Lucas?"

I snap out of my reverie, alarmed, but I calm myself fast. "Sorry! For a minute there, I lost myself. What did you say?"

Toon Link grins. "I asked if you want to join us in truth or dare."

I wince. "So long as there's no big trees, this time." The injuries from the tree climbing sting still - and my feet, from going outside too, and my head, from the other occurrences - I realise that I've been quite accident prone, this term. And I got sick, too! Hopefully that means I've fulfilled my damage quota.

"Don't worry - we'll keep it safe, this time," Toon Link assures me. "That tree looked awful even from the ground."

"It was awful," I grimace.

"And weird," Ness notes, "it was unnaturally tall."

"Mother Nature is weird," I shrug. "The tallest trees are the ones that look most climbable."

Ness thinks. "Are they really?"

I stifle a grin. He's so gullible. "And the sun goes round the Earth."

"I thought it was the other way round?"

I poke Ness. "Of course it's the other way round, you goof."

He pokes me back. "Goof."

I poke him again. "Goofier."

He pokes me again. "Goofiest."

I grin a little bit, and so does he, our problems forgotten in momentary bliss.

"Alright, you two, c'mon, it's time," Toon Link grins, standing up.

"We still haven't lit the candles," Villager points out.

"It is dark," Ness agrees. "We should light them."

Toon Link sighs. "But I was saving them…"

"We should light them all," Ness furthers, evilly. Villager grabs the matches, and moves the candles around the room. They claim to be scented - I wonder vaguely whether mixing 12 scents together will be nice or terrible. Villager lights every single one proudly, though I do feel mildly nervous. I certainly don't want another fire to occur.

"Now that you've butchered all my candles," Toon Link complains, "can we play the heckin' game?"

He's interrupted though, as Red finally comes back in, with his covers. I'm ashamed to say I'd forgotten about him a little bit.

"Why's it looking so romantic in here, lovebirds?" Red asks, seeing the candles and giving us a strange look, while putting his covers in the middle of the room. "That's a lot of candles."

"We're summoning Satan," Toon Link says casually.

"What!"

"I'm kidding."

"You better be!"

Red sits down. "What are we doing?"

Toon Link claps his hands. "Truth or dare."

Red sits absent-mindedly on his pillow. "Oh yes, that ended in disaster last time, didn't it?"

"It won't this time, bud," Villager promises.

"You're all the most chaotic people on this earth. How can it not end in disaster?"

"You overestimate us," Toon Link leans back.

Red sniffs "Well, I don't want to end up like Dark Pit, so we better be safe."

There's a horrible pause.

"Let's not talk about Dark Pit," croaks Villager. "He might be alive. Let's believe he's alive. He'll be- he'll be rescued. Let's not worry about that yet."

We all nod in agreement.

The tension dissipates as we agree that the dares shouldn't be dangerous, and they shouldn't involve leaving the room.

Toon Link smirks, glancing at us all, one by one, choosing his target. "Villager, I nominate you to go first,"

Villager sighs. "Of course you do. Go on then. I pick Dare."

"I dare you to… sing a love song."

Villager mimes throwing up. "A love song."

"Just because all of your romantic endeavours have ended in disaster, cough, Zelda-"

"Alright, you can shut up now," Villager shoves Toon Link with slight force. "Here's my song:

"Forever is a longgggggg time,

But I wouldn't mind spending it by your side

Tell me every day I get to wake up to that smile

I wouldn't mind it, at all,

I wouldn't mind it, at alllll-"

Villager is crimson by the time he's finished.

"I'm flattered," Toon Link mock gasps.

Villager shoves him again, laughing through the embarrassment. "You idiot, it wasn't about you!"

"You've got a good singing voice," I note. He had, actually. I had never thought of Villager as being particularly musical.

Villager blushes further. "Anyways- Uh, Ness, your turn, truth or dare?"

"Truth."

"What's your most embarrassing memory?"

Ness sighs. I laugh a little - I'm pretty sure I know which story is coming.

"Alright," Ness tones down his voice. "Oh gosh, this is so embarrassing-"

I smirk.

"...I got trapped in the bathroom down our dorm corridor. I tried to climb out of the window, forgetting I was a storey above the ground, so Lucas had to run and get a professor with a ladder to get me down. So many people saw me stuck in the window-"

I burst out laughing, I can't help it. He was so ridiculous back then.

"Lucas, it's your turn, for laughing," Ness messes my hair up. "Truth or dare?"

I'm not feeling too adventurous today. "Truth."

Toon Link cuts in with a question. "Have you ever been kissed by anyone?"

I blush deeply. "No."

I wonder vaguely what kissing even feels like. Toon Link gives a significant look to Ness, and Ness blushes too.

"Same."

"I'll ask Toon Link," I decide.

"Truth," he chooses before I even ask.

I think. I need a tricky one…

"On a scale of one to ten, how attractive do you think you are?"

Toon Link thinks hard. "Ten on a good day, 1 on a bad day."

"A broad range then-"

Toon Link turns to Red. "Reddy! Truth or dare?

"Truth, I suppose."

"Who do you think is the most attractive in the room?"

Red looks around the room, at each of us in turn. "Ness."

Dang right.

Many more truths and dates are concocted, until it's finally Toon Link's turn to dare Villager.

"...And have I got a dare for you! You've got to stay inside Link's wardrobe for 5 minutes."

"That's not even that bad," Villager says, standing up. "It's huge, I'm expecting to find Narnia in there or something."

Toon Link winks. "You know what they say about guys with big wardrobes-"

"I'll stop you right there," Villager blushes, opening the door. The wardrobe is giant - certainly bigger than the one in Ness and I's room. He enters within, almost knocking down a small clock on top of the wardrobe. Toon Link scolds him, and picks the clock back up, leaving it to continue to tick, with surprising volume.

"I," Toon Link whispers to us.

Villager permeates the absence of speech. "EUCK! It smells awful! What does Link keep in here?!"

"His dirty laundry-"

"NUUUUU-"

"Well, he's a dead man," Toon Link informs us. "Red, your turn to ask someone. Take your pick."

"Ness."

Ness sighs, pouting. "Yippee. Truth, I guess."

Red thinks, pondering over some options, I assume. "Would you rather… try and take the honey from a beehive, or try and take a pound from Wario?"

Ness doesn't miss a beat. "The honey, any day. If Wario caught me, I'd be skinned alive, and barbecued."

Villager knocks on the wardrobe. "Can I come out yetttttttttt?"

"It's been about 30 seconds," Toon Link calls back, but he's suddenly interrupted by another knock, this time at Toon Link's door.

There's a beat of silence.

Red frowns. "Were we expecting guests?"

Toon Link stands up slowly, looking back at us all for a second. He hesitantly advances towards the door - it's strange, it's late. Why would anyone be here? Maybe Link forgot his pyjamas, or something like that… but then, why are the hairs on the back of my neck standing on end? Why does the room suddenly feel… colder?

Knock. Knock. Knock.

It's persistent.

Toon Link glances back at us again, moving his hand towards the door handle. Why is my heart beating? Why have we all fallen silent? It's as if we all somehow know, somehow know that something isn't quite right. Logically... logically there is no reason for anything bad to happen. It's just a knock at the door. I lightly feel the spine of the book inside of my pocket with one hand, and Ness gently takes my other hand in his.

Toon Link gradually pulls the door open.

There's nobody there.

Toon Link peers outside. "Hello?"

Toon Link comes back inside, shutting the door, relief washing over his face. "I'm not sure what that was, but they're gone now."

Villager steps out of the wardrobe. "What happened?"

"A surprise knock at the door. I opened it, nobody there."

"It was weird," Ness says, sort of faintly. He still hasn't let go of my hand...

"Search the room!" I tense, suddenly, standing up, a strange sense suddenly coursing through me. "Search it, now."

Toon Link half-laughs. "What?"

"I don't think we're alone."

"Lucas, how would anything have gotten in?"

I grit my teeth, adrenaline flying through me. "Just search - just in case."

Ness catches my eye, a worried expression marring his face. He adjusts his hair, slightly, but he follows my commands, and starts to look underneath both of the beds. I don't know what it is, or what I'm sensing, but something has to be wrong... Alright - sensory check. Smell - not much of significance. All normal. Sound - I can only hear the ticks of the clock on top of the wardrobe. Nothing else. All normal. Taste - I can taste the air, again, normal. Touch. The air is cold, but it was already cold; it's winter, after all. Sight. I look around the room, and it all looks like a normal room. I glance around again.

I shiver.

I've missed something - I saw something, but I missed it-! I retrace, I retrace my steps, lost in the mystery, what was it! I'm stupid- I'm so stupid, what had it been? I let my subconscious guide my eyes upwards, upwards…

The clock on the wardrobe.

Tick. Tick. Tick.

A growing sense of trepidation arises inside of me, as I raise one hand to bring the clock down off of the shelf.

It's just a clock.

It is just a clock. I look closely at it, at every nook and cranny. It's an old clock, really old. I look at it again - the time is wrong - oh, it's so old that it's stopped - it's probably been stopped for quite a while; the time reads 4:13, but it's definitely past 10:00.

Tick. Tick. Tick.

Oh.

I've found it.

My voice quakes slightly, as I penetrate the atmosphere. "Toon Link?"

"Y-yeah? Can we stop looking for things now?"

They're all on edge. They all know that something is wrong.

"This clock…" I whisper, "how long has it been stopped for?"

"It's Link's - it's not worked for a couple years."

I shuffle closer to everyone. "Then - then why, why can we still hear ticking?"

There's a silence.

Tick. Tick. Tick.

The sense of unease within me feels like it's going to erupt-

Ness points sharply. "It's coming from the wardrobe."

He's right.

Villager edges towards it. "But I was just in there - I didn't see anything unusual."

"It's a big wardrobe," Toon Link comments.

Red folds his arms, but I can see he's trembling. "Let's get this over with - let's just find out what this mysterious ticking noise is."

"Snape, Snape, Severus Snape," Toon Link says, under his breath.

I frown. "What?"

"Obscure reference - come on…"

Ness takes my hand again, and I inch towards him. This is weird - too weird. Fear suddenly prickles at the back of my mind.

Tick. Tick. Tick.

Villager pulls the wardrobe door open, and the ticking suddenly gets louder, but there seems to be nothing to see. Toon Link was right about the smell, though - gosh - it smells like I don't even know what. There's another small noise, though, coming from under a pile of clothes, as well as the ticking. A noise that fills me with curiosity.

Crying.

Villager glances back at us. "I don't remember this being here before."

"It's a big wardrobe," Toon Link mumbles, again. "Well? Are we going to reveal what's under there?"

Red looks closer. "It's too dark."

Thud.

That came from behind us - I've missed something again - I whirl around, away from the wardrobe. When the knock on the door happened - and we opened it, and there was nobody outside... Ngh! There's more than one thing going on here - something else has come inside-! But what, where? I turn around again, as Ness pulls the stack of clothes off of what looks to be some kind of creature. There's silence as we edge closer to it… The ticking gets louder - it seems like it's coming from the creature itself…

In the woods. Being chased by Future Human. A ticking noise coming from inside of it.

I stare, on sudden guard. "Everyone, back! Future Human, it's you!"

Everyone scrambles back, except Ness. But it's crying. Why is it crying? And once again, it has a different face. I remember what Ryu said.

They.

Of course, more than one of them. But how did this one get into the wardrobe?

I approach cautiously. "Hello?"

It looks up, a dishevelled heap. "Placet… Auxilium."

I usher everyone back again, suddenly finding myself in a strange position of leadership. I am responsible for my friends, in this moment.

"'Please help' - I know what that means. Please, explain, what you are doing here?"

I glance back at the others. They're all white as a sheet - of course, all of them but Ness wouldn't have seen something like this before.

Stay calm, Lucas.

It looks at me, eyes glassy. "Cruciatus."

I glance back at Red, lost. "It's Latin - could you?"

Red gulps. "It means 'Torture'."

A chill runs down me, as I turn back to the Future Human. "What are you?"

It continues to cry. I don't understand, I don't understand what's happening. Ness approaches too, taking my hand.

"Come out, come out of there," Ness cajoules towards it, shakily. "Don't hurt us. We might be able to help."

It shuffles - very slightly - climbing, mechanically, out of the wardrobe. Whatever is ticking inside continues to break the silence. Its face - its face is damaged, peeling away… rotting. Flesh turning grey,eyes turning bloodshot, hair mostly gone. I sense the others behind me, holding their breaths.

No wonder it smelt so awful in there.

It's disgusting, it's horrible, I don't understand it, I hate it. I don't understand what Future Humans are. It still seems different from the one we last saw in the forest. There's more metal plating, over its arms. There's white gloves over its hands, and more wooden gears in its chest. There's blades, seemingly attached to its hands and feet - feet covered by steel boots. I step back, dizzily, the smell overwhelming me. It's sick. It's putrid. It stands there, in dismay, still crying. Toon Link and Villager are pressed back against the wall, Red is watching with an intent curiosity. Ness is right where I need him, by my side. I hold up my hands defensively.

"I don't know why you're here, or what you want."

"interficias me"

"Kill me," Red translates, standing back, appalled. I step back hastily, as well.

"There's no need for th-that-"

The door to the bedroom bursts open, abruptly, and Ryu steps inside.

"Stand back, all of you. I will deal with this."

Toon Link cries out, utterly bewildered. "P-Professor?!"

"Stand back, all of you! Quickly!"

Red stares at him. "How did you know to find us?"

"He somehow tracks these creatures," I explain, suddenly puzzled by my own explanation. "Exactly how do you do that, Professor?"

Ryu ignores me, raising his hands. The Future Human steps back, in alarm.

"What- What are you going to do?" Ness asks.

Ryu stares it down. "Destroy it."

"No! Don't!" My voice comes out higher than usual. "It's- it's not dangerous, this one- it's, it's crying!"

My heart pounds, but Ryu relents. "Crying?"

The Future Human runs, suddenly, out of the room, mechanically, its steel boots glinting in the lights of the gas lamps in the corridor outside. Ryu gives chase rapidly, but it's fast, inhumanly fast, and it runs away, turning a corner, down the stairs, to who knows where-

I gasp for air, only just realising that I'd been holding my breath from the stench. I'm wordless. I don't know how to process what I've just seen.

"What- w-what the HELL was that!" Toon Link is still shrunk back, shivering on a bed with Villager, against the wall. "What- I don't- you knew it- are you in league with it, or something?! Explain- please just, explain-"

I tremble, sitting down on the bed next to them "It's- it's a creature that's been following us around. I've seen- I've seen its kind before-"

It sounds ridiculous. They won't believe me. What if they think it's my fault- is Ryu going to come back?!

Overload.

Overload.

I ground myself.

"I don't-" Toon Link rubs his face. "It was horrible."

I nod, miserably. "It was hurt."

"But- but what is it!" Villager asks, just as scared as Toon Link.

"I saw it in a book, incidentally, the spine you found came from the book," I explain. "It was called- called 'future human'- and ever since then I've been seeing them around - in the library, when I thought it was a dream, in the forest - in the forest again and then here- and they are changing every time! They're getting - st-stronger- and- Ryu thinks they're after me!"

My brief courage breaks all at once, and I start to cry. Where did these tears come from?

Toon Link and Villager scramble over, bundling me into a hug. Toon Link is still shaking, I can feel it. It's my fault - they came after me, I'm putting everyone in danger! My friends hold my broken form. Ness swiftly joins the hug.

Villager shifts a little bit. "Why didn't you tell us about them?"

"Because- I didn't know what to say- didn't want to scare you- didn't think you'd believe Ness and I-"

I glance at Red, who's sitting on the floor, staring dejectedly at the ground. He's never liked hugs, I guess.

Why am I still crying? I am weak. I am just like that Future Human. They're unnatural. It's wrong. I still don't know what they are!

"I don't know what they are," I mumble, "but I'm scared."

"I'm scared, too," Toon Link agrees.

"Me too," Villager mumbles.

I wonder if Ryu is chasing it still - I wonder suddenly how Ryu has saved me, all those other times - in the library, he must've saved me, because he'd been there. He'd said. He must've saved me in the forest. But how!? What did he do?! Nothing. Adds. Up.

NGH!

With renewed tears of fear, I huddle up to Ness, and Villager, and Toon Link.

Toon Link pats me on the back. "Lucas…"

He's lost for words.

We all are.

Time drifts on.

"We should sleep," Villager mutters, some time later. My tears have dried now, and we're still lying in a sort of heap, on Toon Link's bed. Red joined us at some point. Ryu hasn't come back since running after the creature - I don't think he's going to. I make a mental note to speak to him tomorrow. Saturday. Maybe I'll finally be able to have a day of peace. Away from the Face, away from Future Human, from everything, from whoever is wishing all of this harm upon me.

"We should sleep," I agree. "...Sorry that this turned into… a mess."

"It's not your fault," Ness says defiantly, but I cannot believe him.

We all scramble up, and we take it in turns to change into pyjamas inside the wardrobe to maintain our modesty. Something's still bothering me, though.

The knock at the door.

I don't feel safe.

Regardless, Ness and I take Link's bed, and Toon Link and Villager take Toon Link's. Villager falls asleep almost immediately, and Toon Link seems to as well. Red lays out his bed clothes on the floor, and is also remarkably instantly asleep. I don't think he's much affected by anything… I have the feeling that he's been through quite a lot, throughout his life, but I'm afraid to ask.

I breathe deeply, snuggling up to Ness. I feel very slightly safer.

"Ew, this bed smells," Ness mutters, wrinkling up his nose.

"Of what?"

"Masculinity."

I stifle a giggle, but I sigh.

"Ness… who would try to burn the book with Future Human inside?" I get out the spine.

Ness takes a closer look, reading it. "What's 'V'?"

"I don't know... It's another mystery." I put the spine back away, and there's a brief pause. "It was… crying, this time. Not attacking."

Ness shakes. "It was freaky, scary, it asked for death, it- it- it's like a nightmare."

I bury my face into Ness's chest. "Why me… why are they after me?"

"I don't get it either," Ness replies, miserably.

Every little detail. Everything.

I think. "Why are they even called Future Human?"

"It's as if they were something in the past…" Ness ponders, a realisation suddenly hitting him.

"Oh God- what if they were humans before!"

My stomach drops down to the centre of the earth. "That's awful."

"What if- what if they'd been people, and they'd been converted into Future Humans against their wills, and, and… and that's why they want help, and why it hurts them-"

I feel sick. "Why would anyone do that!"

Ness squirms. "Oh God- I think I'm going to be sick-"

"Me too."

I think, harder. "The author of the book, the author of the book must have - have created them, and, and written about them, unless, unless it's not a book, but it was- a book of ideas, blueprints, perhaps!"

Things are fitting together. They're slotting into place!

"But who? Who is the author?" Ness asks. His voice says it all. We're lost. We don't know!

"It has to be someone in school," I reason. "Which doesn't narrow it down that much."

Ness rubs his face. "Why use those metal men, or future humans or whatever to go after you, not actual humans?"

I shrug. "I don't know."

"And why Latin?!"

"I don't know-"

Ness screws himself up around me. "I'm scared."

"I'm scared too."

"...At least we're together," he whispers.

I prod his nose. "You sap."

"No you-"

There's a break in the conversation, where we digest each other's words.

I pull the covers over us. "Seriously Ness, you're amazing and thank you so much and I'm really glad I have you because you're awesome, caring, funny, kind and thank you for going through all of this with me and I-"

"We'll figure this out," promises Ness. "But, let's sleep now. I'm tireddddddddddd-"

I nod. "Yeah."

And despite all of the chaos and fear, I somehow feel amazing as I cuddle with Ness, and drift into an easy sleep.

A/N

Yay! This chapter didn't take nearly as long as the last two, and it's longer! Are y'all proud of me yet-

This was pretty fun to write. Things are finally coming together, though… What could be going on? Who do you think is behind what?

Notes:

-The items in Duster's house and his walking mirror his character and possessions in Mother 3.

-I referenced The Mysterious Ticking Noise from Harry Potter Puppet pals, and it was amazing.

-The song that Villager sings is actually an extract from a very cheesy song that I found called "I wouldn't mind" by He Is We.

Thank you for reading! See you next time!

~ReadyForTeddy