Chapter 25: Alone aboard the ark (Part 2)

…

(Lucas + Toon Link)

…

(Prologue: ?)

Day one of walking is coming to a close, and the light of the sun is beginning to fade. The trees dissolve into darkness, no more than mere shadows, and the sheer cold of a winter's night begins to creep under our skin.

Yet still, we walk in silence, with no sign of stopping. I'm hungry. Everyone's hungry. So far, there's been no evidence of the fabled river, and I know it's only a matter of time before someone turns round and points that out, undoubtedly with me to blame for it. And if that happens, I'm not sure I could talk my way out of that one.

Even Tessie and Caroline have stopped laughing now. Caroline has instead been making sure Angie is okay every few minutes, which is driving the latter round the bend. Pusher has been attempting to assert his dominance as a leader of the group, while I've allowed myself to claim a more laid back role in the proceedings. Unfortunately, that means that Pusher is now deciding the paths we take, and the leads that we choose to follow. Perhaps that's why we've not found any water yet.

Clunk.

Shaken out of my reverie, my eyes dart around, trying to make out the dark shapes. What was that!? It sounded almost like… metal. But how can there be metal here? That doesn't make any sense.

"Everyone, stop," I command, quietly.

There's immediate complaints.

"What?! Why?!"

I beckon for everyone to come over, before realising they won't be able to see me. "Just - shh!"

"What is it? If we're not stopping for a rest, or food, I'm not interested."

"Listen!"

Clunk.

"What the hell was that?" Matt shouts out, in alarm.

"Shush!" I insist, but it's too late - the noise is getting louder. It's coming over here! So, so the best we can do is brace ourselves. It might be something… nice! Yeah. As if...

Just like that, a swarm of Porky's armoured guards step out onto the path, completely surrounding us. Matt screams again, and my heart leaps into my throat - how did they find us?! There's so many - so goddamn many - 50?! Maybe more? My pulse exploding like a firecracker, I push everyone behind me, standing protectively in front of them. We need to escape - I have to think of a plan, but nothing's coming to me - come on, I just need something, anything!

One guard suddenly steps forward, before speaking, rigidly, as if the words have been recited many times before. "Come with us."

"No!" I counter, though my voice quivers. "We refuse."

Taking courage, I step forward as well. "I'm not sure how you all found us, or what you're all doing here, but we are not going with you."

Here's my plan. Keep them talking, get information. Find out what the deal is with these guards - why they're all so rigid, so… weird.

Another guard - evidently the leader (they have a black helmet, instead of silver) steps forwards to face me. "Master Porky demands it."

I continue to play for time. "I don't understand what we've done wrong."

"You left the carriage. You will come with us."

"Or what?" I challenge.

The leader's voice descends into a hiss. "Or…"

Another guard suddenly surges forward and grabs Matt - and he pulls him back - and it's so fast - he screams -

Snap.

The guard holds Matt's body up, limp. Dead. The leader smiles, almost sadistically. "Or that will happen, to you all."

"Oh - Oh God!" Caroline shrieks. Absolute panic breaks out. Tessie screams, grabbing onto Angie. Ollie breaks into a gibbering mess, holding onto Angie out of fear. Reggie doesn't speak, but he, not at all calmly, positions himself in the middle of everyone. Elmore drags Sebastian in front of her, in defence.

I growl, furious, facing the guards, adrenaline surging through me. "That was murder!"

The leader snarls, unacknowledging. "You will come with us."

I step forwards again. "No! We refuse!"

"You will come with us."

"I know what happens in New Pork City!"

It speaks coldly, without emotion, but with sheer force. "It's coming. It will happen to you, in the end. It will happen to everyone you love. It is inevitable. His plan is inevitable. He is inevitable. We are inevitable."

I try to appear undeterred. "Is 'inevitable' the longest word you know?"

The guard leers. "My linguistic abilities are irrelevant, whilst Porky is supreme."

I frown, upset. "What's he done to you? How has he convinced you of this?"

Roy jumps up suddenly, with a croak. "I remember!"

I turn, wincing. "Roy, shush - please - not now-!"

But Roy ploughs on anyway. "Porky - after the torture, he put something on my neck - and then, and then it was like he controlled me! He controlled my every move. In the carriage, the thing - the chip - it fell off and then-" He doubles over in a coughing fit.

I stare at the lead guard, in front of me, suddenly a little more confident. "So then - hear that? You're all being controlled, by chips on your neck - so this, what you're saying, all this, it isn't the real you! If you're in there, whoever you are, please, remember your family, remember your-"

The guard cuts me off, with a mighty stomp that sends a tremor through the ground. "ENOUGH! Porky is listening. I am controlled by Porky, now. Whatever is left of me - him - is gone. This body is a mere vessel of Porky's power."

"Porky is controlling your every move? All 50 of you? At once?"

"He leaves most of it down to basic subservient instinct. My actions and my speech are being controlled by him, whilst the other guards are on autopilot."

That explains why the guards are so rigid, and stationary.

"So, I'm talking directly to Porky right now?" I ask. "Porky is remotely speaking through you?"

"Yes. Kneel to your master."

"Never."

"Don't make me use force."

I frown, peering at the guard leader. "But, but how is all this possible? How can you be controlling all of this from so far away?"

"I am a great inventor."

"An inventor of abominations. You're speaking through this person? This is a human life. You're wasting it. And you've built yourself an army of guards? Where did those people come from?"

"They volunteered," he states.

I scoff. "As if."

"I asked them if they wanted to stretch the boundaries of science. They said yes."

I grit my teeth. "So, you misled them? And now you're bringing more people into your city. How does it feel to be hurting so many, to be ruining so many lives?"

The leader grins. "In the name of the New Pork Empire, it is fully, fully worth it." It steps forwards. "Of course, you know all this already. I'm sure you heard it all in your… cell."

"I did indeed. But my friends here didn't. But now they've heard it directly from 'master' Porky himself."

There's resonant laughter from all of the guards, surrounding us, and the leader snickers. "Oh, well, I'm sure you think you're really really clever."

I gaze him square in the eyes. "Oh, you've got another thing coming, pork man."

"Don't call me Pork Man."

I bring my face near. "I will never let you do what you intend. I would sooner die."

"Then, die you shall. I am unstoppable. A mere, ordinary person like yourself can do nothing against me."

But I continue. It's plan time. I've finally thought of something. "You do know there's a weakness to all this? With all of these guards, there's a very key weakness?"

"And what weakness is that then?"

I stretch my arms. "All of the chips you've put on these guards's necks, to control them... They're not very well attached. They can pretty easily just fall off. We saw it with Roy. That's why he's all disorientated, now. He's back."

There's another round of laughter. "And how are you going to remove all of these chips before you die a slow and excruciating death?"

"Like this."

I quickly reach forward, snatching the exposed chip off of the lead guard's neck. The guard stumbles - falling down to the floor, suddenly, unconscious. Yes!

But, a different guard moves forwards to take its place. "I can talk through any of them, you know. They're all mine, to control. My vessels."

I laugh, unfettered. "God, they're so useless, though! So weak. They're tacky."

"They serve their purpose."

My face darkens. "They're an abomination."

"They're not the permanent solution."

I laugh again. "Oh, you know that I already know that."

The guard steps forwards menacingly. "You still can't stop me."

I shrug. "You also said that I wouldn't be able to escape the cell. How do you think I did that, huh?"

Another step forward. Me and it are barely inches apart. It growls, annoyed. "I don't know."

I grin, flexing my hand. "Magic."

There's a sudden, sharp exhalation. "Of course you're magical. But you're not the first magical person I've dealt with."

Despite his assured words, I can sense Porky's frustration through the guard - and it's amusing. Outwitting Porky has never been more fun. My heart beats. Nearly there.

"I say I'm magical, well, more specifically…" I raise my voice. "ELM, elemental powers."

"ELM? The weakest powers of all? What exactly will you do with those?"

I sigh. "Isn't it obvious? I'll be exploiting yet another weakness, of course. Your neck-chips must be using electricity, somehow, right? Modern. But, sadly, electricity plus water, it'll probably break them all."

I grin, raising my hands as the guard's face dawns with Porky's realisation. "No! You will not thwart me again!"

"Yes, I will."

"No!"

I thrust my hands forwards. "E.M RAIN!"

The scene explodes, quite literally. Torrents of raindrops pour down, and there's a grinding static, as Porky tries to shout through the guard. Sparks fly from all of the chips - it's working! The guards fold up, collapsing down - with almighty clanks - the people underneath the armour, the people being controlled will be fine! Everyone's going to be okay! I almost have to laugh, despite being soaking wet. When the guards come around, they'll be themselves again!

But, still. I know Porky is going to be angry now, and he'll be coming for us. The water trick won't work again - it takes considerable time, I've learnt, for these powers to recharge.

I still the rainfall, and I turn back around, to the others, grinning like a maniac. That shouldn't have been as fun as it was. "Any questions?"

But to my dismay, I'm not met with joy, with happiness. The Tazmily Villagers just stare at me, blankly, horror in their eyes.

Reggie steps up to me, his voice shaking. "Matt, our friend, just died, and you're prancing about like a lunatic?"

I'm taken aback. "I'm sorry? I was just saving all of your lives!"

"Didn't save Matt though, did you?"

"I tried my best!" I protest. This is turning ugly, alarmingly quickly. I thought they'd be happy?

Reggie holds his ground. "Matt was one of us."

I sigh. "Look, I'm sorry about Matt. Please, I understand you're scared, Reggie-"

"You seem to be enjoying this way too much! We're all tired, starving, and thirsty, but you, you're having the time of your life. Cool - you can summon water, but you didn't think to give us any!"

"Reggie-"

"Go on then, summon us some water, right now! If you really care! If you really have our best interests at heart! It's witchcraft, that's what it is. It's not natural. You're - you're not human!"

"I am human," I reassure him. Dammit - he's scared. Of course. I should've thought about using the water powers in front of everyone.

"If you're so human, how the hell can you do that magical stuff!?"

"Some people, like me, are born with the ability to-"

He cuts me off, angrily. "Then, summon us some more water! Heaven knows we need it!"

"I can't."

"Why not?!"

"It takes time for the power to recharge."

"Useless. You're useless?"

"I'm not useless, I-"

Reggie stands back, turning proudly towards the others. "I will be leading us from here on."

He takes the front of the pack, and the others, just like that, follow. And I'm left standing, soaked through from the water, the cold, suddenly finding myself in a pretty terrible position. I hear Reggie gives an order to the others, who look at him silently, with hope. Hope that they never had in me. No matter how hard I try to do the right thing… I sigh. If Reggie wants to get everyone killed, that's his call. I haven't got anything to live for anyways. I'm unimportant.

I take my position at the back of the group, and I hold my tongue.

This can only end badly.

(Lucas)

The sun rises slower than could ever be imagined, tiny orange rays of sunlight trickling ever so gradually into the medical room.

Despite my worst fears, nothing awful came last night. Nothing hurt me, and nothing hurt Ness. But, I was so on edge, that I didn't sleep for even a minute.

It was by choice - I needed to stay awake, in case anything came and hurt us! If I'd been lazing about in bed, and something had come and taken him away… no! Never. I wouldn't let that happen. It's my responsibility to stand guard.

But as a comeuppance for my overprotectiveness, I'm really tired. I'm frankly exhausted. And now Headmaster Hand has decided I need to go to classes today. I think today is Monday. Meaning to start off, I've got my first ever music lesson - and it's going to be without Ness. No! And then - ugh, Sport. Then lunch - and double English - and science, to round it all off. Monday is not a pleasant day.

But there's a couple hours until then. For now, it's fine, for now, I don't have to worry about any of that stuff. For now, it's just Ness and I. A broken Ness, but still Ness and I. As it should be.

The minutes continue to pass, and the horizon continues to brighten. From even the dizzying one-storey heights of the school's medical room, a great chunk of the forest is visible - tall, stretching trees, giant arms, arcing in long sweeps, some reaching to the clouds. They're pretty, but I can't help but remember that within them, the dark secret of Ness and I's grave is contained.

I don't understand it. I really want to understand it. I want to understand how all of this can make sense. All I've ever studied, all I've ever known about science has gone out of the window, in the space of a week. One week ago, I'd woken up at home, I'd travelled to the station, I'd boarded the train, with Ness. We'd seen the Face.

That's where it had all started to go wrong.

Now I've ended up here, sitting by Ness, my injured Ness, worrying, wondering how any of this can be right. I want to cry. But I can't cry again. I can't be weak, again. Ness needs me, and I will be here, I will hold on hope, I will pray and plead that he will wake up. That he will be alright.

I look out again at the forest. It's funny how something that looks so nice, that looks so natural, can cloak such oddities inside. I suppose many people are the same - a hidden veil, malicious intent under a smart suit and tie. Like Porky. And…

I instantly block the thought out. I am not going to think about him now.

I repeat it to myself: Ness will not die. Ness will not die. I tell myself that he will live. But, again, anything can be anything. What looks to be just a forest is a prison of trees, containing a gravestone of demise. What looks to be just a head wound could signify permanent brain damage, full body paralysis or death. What looks to be a nice Professor, a nice guy, could be behind all of the Future Humans and all of the disappearances.

For the millionth time, I run through my greatest suspects, in my mind. Wario, Ryu, Bowser. But, for one reason or another, each of them doesn't make sense. I don't get it - I just don't get it.

I look back out at the forest for a third time, remembering our second encounter with the Face, remembering the grave without a date, and the strange mechanical chimney, sticking out of the ground.

The chimney.

I'd forgotten about the chimney! This must be important - this is pivotal. The chimney… We looked in it, and it led down to a sort of, underground room. Yes. That's right. I think harder than ever - I can do this, I can understand…

The room in the passages. Where Dark Pit had disappeared - oh gosh - the chimney must lead down there! But then - does that mean - there's a way down? We can get in there, and find out who did it?! We can solve it all, right now!

But we can't.

We can't go down there! We'd be killed on sight. There wouldn't be any way to get back up to safety again. That would be no good - no good, at all. Ngh! All the possibilities, all the thoughts, racing through my mind… It's too much for me. I need Ness, to help, to think with me. But Ness…

I look up again - time has passed. It's nearly time for lessons - but the door suddenly opens!

Phew. It's just Bayonetta.

"Hey Lucas!" She moves to Ness's bedside. "Damn - I heard - Ness got injured?"

"Yeah," I mumble.

"Shame. He's an alright guy, he is. Not like the other ones. Heh."

I nod, uneasily. She deposits a card by his bedside, before turning to me. "Hey, Ness was right, you are pretty cute."

I stand up, suddenly taken aback. "H-Huh?"

"What do you say we fool around a bit? I take cash..."

I stand even further back, horribly alarmed. "I'm sorry, I don't - I-"

Bayonetta laughs. "Only teasing! I'm into girls, heh. C'mon, chill out a bit! Say, you coming to my party Wednesday?"

"Ness - Ness invited us all," I stammer.

Bayonetta beams. "Excellent! See you all there then!" She bounces out of the room, leaving me feeling extremely uncomfortable.

I take Ness's limp hand in mine again, for some semblance of comfort, but no sooner has Bayonetta left, than Ryu strides into the room, full of purpose. I rapidly let go of Ness's hand.

I try not to be awkward. "Hello - professor -"

He stops by Ness's bedside. "Lucas. I have very unfortunate news - Headmaster Hand has informed me that you cannot miss classes, or the Wilderness survival week."

I nod. "Yeah, he came and told me last night."

Ryu stops. "Oh."

I wring my hands. "I just, I don't want Ness to wake up, and for him to think that nobody's there for him, and for him to think that nobody loves him, and-"

Ryu chuckles slightly. "I think all those cards and presents suggest otherwise."

"What are we going to do?"

"Professor Rosalina and I will stand guard over him while you're in your lessons. Don't worry yourself too much, Lucas. Ness will be okay."

I nod, despite still being uncertain. "Thank you, Professor."

"I've written home to Ness's parents, as well," Ryu adds.

I blush. "Oh - I already wrote to them -"

"Well, no harm in some extra mail, I guess." Ryu glances at the clock. "Enough chat though, Lucas. It's time for your classes."

Resigned, I nod. And so, I squeeze Ness's hand one last time, and I leave.

(Toon Link)

It's time for Music! I'm exhausted, so this can only go badly, terribly, or it'll be a complete disaster. It was another night of very limited sleep for me, though it was admittedly nice to have a genuinely pleasant roommate. Though, I'm pretty sure that late into the night, I did hear crying coming from Pit's bed.

Pit and I have agreed to go through Dark Pit's stuff together later today. Pit got the news of confirmation this morning - the search in the passages proved unsuccessful. At this point, there's no way that Dark Pit is still alive.

I still feel awful about it all. In the passages, in the rockfall, I ran. I ran. Lucas stayed back, he tried to save the others, he successfully saved Pit. But I ran.

Shaking my head with internal dismay, I walk into the music room. I think I need to violently bang a load of drums to release an absolute ton of tension right about now. And speak, of the devil, Lucas hurries into the music room a little bit after me. I'd forgotten that he'r taking music now! I greet him with a small wave, and he comes quickly over to where I'm standing, by the percussion instruments. He glances at Professor Sebastian Tute, then back at me. "Uh, hey, where do I - uh, what do I do?"

I point to the piano. "Just sit there, by your plinking instrument. Prof' Tute will talk a bit, then we play whatever obscure musical score he's got for us today."

Lucas nods nervously. "Yeah. Yeah - got it. Ok. This is better than Business." I notice Lucas glancing subconsciously over at the harp - of course, Ness should be standing there.

Professor Sebastian Tute hops into the room. He's a ridiculously small man, with great 1700s-classical-composer hair, all the big grey curls included. He usually carries his conducting baton in his shirt pocket wherever he goes. He's a strange, strange character, but he's alright really, even if he's a little particular about, well, everything.

"Everybody!" Tute chirrups. "We have two new students joining us today! They are Ness and Lucas."

"Erm," Lucas pipes up, nervously. "Ness is in the medical room, right now-"

Tute frowns disapprovingly. "Ah, I see. That is a shame. Music should always come first, even before health, before family, before friends, before your social lives! Music should always be first! Music is an art form that only the very best of humanity can cultivate: extracting the most beautiful symphonic notes, and combining them to make beautiful sounds and melodies! Do remind him of that, Lucas."

Lucas nods, bemused. "Uh - yes, I will, Professor."

I laugh slightly, turning to my percussion instruments. In my opinion, the 'percussion section' is basically all of the things that you can hit with a big stick to make noise. The school is pretty well stocked though, I've got a timpani, my good friend the giant gong, cymbals, a bass drum, and even, best of all, a triangle.

Tute stands mightily on his pedestal. "Class! Today we will be playing Eine Kleine Nachtmusik written by mister Mozart in 1787! It's an exquisite piece, providing fine examples of musical techniques such as an anacrusis, structural changes, repetition and a polyphonic structure." He passes round the sheet music - oh no, it's huge - pages and pages of endless notes with very, very few drums-

The lesson drags by, and it eventually finishes when Tute dismisses us. Lucas and I leave the room.

"So, that's Music," I grimace. "How did you find it?"

Lucas shrugs. "Better than Business with Wario, because I didn't lose any money or too many brain cells."

I laugh. "Anything's better than that awful man."

But Wario himself steps out of his office as we walk past. He sneers at Lucas. "Where were you this morning?"

Lucas flinches, nervously. "I've stopped taking Business now, Professor. I was in my music lesson."

"Music? Music?! You have decided to stop taking the masterful subject of business for music? Your family will be extremely disappointed in you, Lucas!"

Lucas winces. "I-"

Wario snarls. "Music is a useless, useless subject. Who would ever listen to music?"

Professor Sebastian Tute steps out of nowhere, his eyes flaring. "What did you just say about the fine art of music?"

Wario sneers. "I said it's useless."

"Useless! I - I am flabbergasted! Music is - music is art, music is divinity-"

"Music is a load of old sods playing instruments," Wario growls, making a ridiculous face, whilst miming someone playing the violin.

Tute reaches up and strikes Wario on the nose with his baton. "How dare you blaspheme against the great arts! How dare, how dare, how dare!"

Wario fake-cries. "Oh, boo-hoo! Let me play you a very sad song on the world's smallest violin!"

Tute waves the baton in frantic outrage. "How dare! How dare! How dare!"

I glance at Lucas. "Time to leave?"

Lucas nods rapidly. "Yeah - definitely."

"Are you defying the mighty Wario?!" Wario yells at Tute as we leave - but, my thoughts drift away from the scene pretty quickly. It's time for Sport, great. Time to make a fool of myself in front of Villager. And we have to change into our sports kit, great. Changing rooms are the worst.

Lucas suddenly looks at me, panicked, however. "My sport kit - it all got burnt by the fire..."

I frown. "You mean, you're actually going to a sports lesson? You're not sneaking off to the art block?"

Lucas rubs his arm. "It wouldn't be the same without Ness. And, well, Headmaster Hand, Ryu and Rosalina would be on my case about missing another lesson."

I nod. "Alright then- I've got some spare stuff, I'll go get it for ya."

He smiles gratefully. "Thanks."

Fortunately, Lucas and I are equally small, so my spare kit will fit him perfectly. I fetch it, and we head into the changing rooms - I try not to stare at Villager while he changes, and believe me, it's tempting. Pit joins us, and we finish changing in good time, and we make our way outside to join Wii Fit Trainer on the field.

Wii Fit Trainer seems to be jogging on the spot. "Who's ready to get fit!?"

Pit sighs gloomily. "Not me."

"Well, that's not the right attitude to have!" Wii Fit Trainer reprimands. Popo laughs excessively, and Pit stares at the ground. Poor Pit - for whatever reason, it must all be hitting harder than usual today. Lucas's lip is quivering slightly as well - he always pairs up with Ness for the few sports lessons that he actually attends. Yet for some reason, despite all this, my eyes are fully focused on Villager's legs-

Wii Fit Trainer interrupts my pervertedness, by staring around us all. "The next lesson of our rugby module will be about contact."

My homosexual self is both pleased and disappointed.

"Man, I love physical touch!" Popo calls out. Everyone looks round in alarm. I laugh, but I notice the class seems slightly diminished today - what with Ness's absence, and I suppose some people have, well, disappeared… I shiver a little bit.

Wii Fit Trainer marches in front of us. "First of all, everyone needs to pair up!"

Remembering how I got put with Wii Fit Trainer last time, I instantly turn to Pit, who gratefully agrees to go with me. Red takes Villager, while Meta Knight and Olimar team up with an intense high five. Link seems to pair up with another jock-type guy, whilst Villager's friend Mega Man goes with someone unfamiliar. And - oh no! Unluckily for Lucas, Lucas and Popo are the only two remaining. I laugh at his misfortune, and I face Wii Fit Trainer again.

"Alright, so we're going to work on tackling today. First, work with your partners, and attempt to tackle them. I'll need someone to demonstrate on-

"I volunteer!" Link announces proudly, moving over, flexing his biceps as he walks. I think back to yesterday where he revealed he was found in the forest too, and where he also revealed he was 20. 4 years older than the rest of us. I smile faintly - this might be an even match.

Wii Fit Trainer faces us. "So first, you prepare yourself, like so," he demonstrates. "Then grip around the waist-"

In a sudden movement, Link grips around Wii Fit Trainer, and tackles him straight to the ground-! There's cheers and whoops from some of the popular guys, and even I have to laugh a little bit. Link laughs, standing tall, flexing, before walking back over to the other students.

Wii Fit Trainer picks himself off the floor, laughing the blow off. "Thank you for that, Link. That is, indeed, how you do it. Well, what are you waiting for? Go off and practice!"

I sigh, and Pit and I take our space on the field. Pit smiles weakly. "Uh, you wouldn't mind going easy, would you-"

I laugh. "Yeah, don't you worry about that. I'm bad at all things sport related."

Pit nods. "Uh, good. Yeah. Alright, um, do you want to try first-?"

I glance over at Wii Fit Trainer. "Actually, would you rather just like, not do this exercise, at all? He's not looking-"

Pit breathes a sigh of relief. "Definitely."

We move further away from Wii Fit Trainer, and sit on the ground. I turn to Pit. "So, how are you feeling?"

Pit shrugs, eyes fixated on a particular blade of grass. "I, well, I dunno. I dunno. I'm not feeling too good about it all, today."

"That's okay," I assure him. "It's ok to take it easy."

He rubs his forehead. "I just, yeah. Ugh. Emotions."

I laugh, softly. "Emotions."

"Sorry."

"No - really, bud, it's okay."

"Thank you."

We sit in a comfortable silence. I glance over at Lucas, being taken down repeatedly by Popo. I glance at Villager and Red taking it in turns to attempt to tackle each other in a very ordered manner. I smile. I'm glad I lucked out with such awesome friends. If only Ness was here, though… My mind prickles with worry. Ness will be okay, like Lucas keeps saying. Ness will wake up from his coma. His coma. Oh - gosh. I shudder slightly. I never thought that Ness would ever end up in a coma. I never thought anything that's happened this term would happen. I've found that thinking too hard about it all just overloads my mind - it's impossible to process all of this.

Heh.

I glance around. My eyes strain to pick out Wii Fit Trainer amongst the crowd - but I can't seem to pick him out. Confused, I try again, but I realise suddenly, to my horror, that he's right next to us! I stand up, in alarm.

Wii Fit Trainer looks down at us. "Boys, you gotta put in some effort, okay? Can't be lounging around, hm?"

"Yes, Professor," I groan. Pit stands too, as Wii Fit Trainer walks away.

"Send in the squirrel army?" I suggest, looking distastefully at Wii Fit Trainer, and Pit smiles.

"Squirrel army."

The exercise ends soon enough, and we gather around Wii Fit Trainer again. He looks around at us all. "Some good work there. Some of you, you know who you are, should pick up the pace a bit instead of sitting around, but otherwise, like I said, good work. Now, rugby is a team sport, so I'd like each pair to find another pair. Then, the pair that tackles the other pair to the ground first wins. Off you go!

The pairs scramble around - I wouldn't mind tackling Villager to the ground, heh, but sadly, Mega Man manages to lure Villager's pair away instead. So, Lucas and… oh hell, Popo, come over to us, and I realise, suddenly, that I need to write my last will and testament.

"Alright, Toon Link?" Popo hits me on the shoulder, grinning.

I'm a goner.

…

After what feels like an eternity, the lesson ends, and I'm covered head to toe in a thick swathe of dark, sticky mud. Popo must've floored me hundreds upon hundreds of times - while Pit and Lucas somehow escaped free of any dirt, both of the shy wallflowers too timid to even dare to attempt wrestling each other to the ground. Popo, of course, only targeted me.

Grinning as we head back to the changing rooms, Villager runs up alongside me. "Alright there, Toon Link of the Bog?"

"Shut up," I grumble.

"Enjoy getting intimate with Popo?"

"Again, shut up."

"Behold, Toon Link, the great swamp monster-"

I grab a chunk of mud from out of my hair, and I smother it across Villager's face, grinning maliciously. Villager spits and sputters. "Ugh! I'm gonna have to wash off now, you ass!"

I grin. "We'd better go find the bucket then."

Whenever we get muddy in Sports, we're supposed to fill up a bucket of cold water, and dunk it over our heads. Headmaster Hand doesn't allow us to use the showers to clean, as they'd get clogged up, so instead, we have to use what seems like a medieval torture method instead, risking getting hypothermia. What fun!

Begrudgingly, Villager and I make our ways over to the buckets, behind the changing rooms, all while Lucas, Red and Pit happily move straight into the warm and the dry... I grumble as run the cold tap, stripping off most of my clothes, way too shy to go full commando, and Villager does the same.

"I'm not pleased with you," Villager complains, as I stare exclusively at the water filling the bucket. I definitely do not stare anywhere else.

"Too bad," I grin.

"I hate the cold water bucket!"

"I hate Popo covering me in mud!"

Villager sulks. "Then that's your problem, you menace. You know, they should call in pest control, to exterminate you."

I can't help but grin. "Aren't friends supposed to share in each other's suffering?"

"Not like this! Not like, dying of hypothermia together!"

The bucket fills, and I pick it up, turning to stare directly into Villager's eyes. "You're looking a bit too warm there."

I laugh with evil glee as I launch a volley of ice cold water over his head - and he splutters, completely drenched, dripping from head to toe.

Villager shivers. "You! Y-You! I am g-getting my revenge for that one!"

True to his word, he hurries over to the cold tap, with obvious malicious intent, picking out the biggest bucket that he can find. I can't help but grin too, it's so goddamn hilarious. Villager stands guard by the tap - but, I come up behind him, lifting him up, and depositing him into the bucket, cackling with glee. Villager yells with alarm, and I laugh, but I get my comeuppance as Villager leaps out of the bucket, grabbing me, causing us to slip on the wet ground, causing us to be both completely covered in mud again-

Eventually, after a chaotic time of Villager and I taking great joy in soaking each other to the bone, and when I've regained some of my dignity, Villager and I make our way into the lunch hall. We're very, very wet, and very, very late, too. I scan the hall and I make out Red sitting on his own on our table - I assume Lucas went off to attend to Ness again, but I'm not sure where Pit has got to. Villager and I get our lunches (a remarkably nice choice today; it's chicken salad) and we sit down next to Red.

Villager waves at him. "Alright?"

Red nods. "Lucas and Pit went to check on Ness."

I take a hungry bite out of my chicken - ugh, what a disappointment. It's very, very dry. Nevertheless, I nod in response. "Alright. Didn't you want to go with them?"

"Bringing food into a medical environment is unsanitary," he replies, as though it's common sense.

"Right."

We eat in a remarkably awkward silence, before stacking our plates, and we agree to go and visit Ness. I'm still worried about him, I'll admit. I'm very, very worried, actually. He's strong, he's always been strong, I'm sure he'll be able to recover, but whenever I find my mind wandering, I find the image of that beast - that creature - holding him tight in its metallic arms, crushing him, bashing him on the head. It really was just as well I'd gotten there when I had - but still, God, imagine if I'd been too slow? What if he's landed with brain damage, or worse!? He's not safe yet! I feel dizzy suddenly, and I have to grab onto Villager's shoulder to avoid falling over.

"Alright?" Villager asks, concerned.

I breathe deeply. "Fine. Yes. He'll be fine."

Villager's eyes soften sympathetically. "Toonie… he really will be okay."

The panic kicks in. "I can't help but worry, what if I didn't get out there in time?"

"If it wasn't for you," Villager lowers his voice. "Ness would be dead."

I shiver. "Yeah."

He smiles at me. "Come on. Chances are, he's woken up during the morning, and he'll be okay."

But Villager is wrong. When we make our way inside the medical room, the sight of Lucas in floods of tears greet us, and my heart sinks - oh no - oh no -

I rush inside. "What's happened! Is he- Ness-!"

Lucas shakes his head madly, unable to reply. I look instead to Pit, who beckons us over. From here, Ness doesn't look any different in his position, but I don't know... I really don't know what's happened! We hurry over, and Pit grimaces. I brace myself.

"Ness's heartbeat has really slowed," he explains. "It's moving at 20 beats a minute."

My eyes widen. "He's- he's not-"

"He's not dead," Pit assures me. "But, it's not looking good. He's slipping away."

"Oh God…" I mumble "Oh God, Ness…"

"Lucas is in a bad way, too. He's not coping well," Pit mumbles, looking at the ground.

This is a disaster. This is a huge disaster. Ness can't - Ness can't just, die! I can only imagine how Lucas feels. Lucas. Poor Lucas. I run to Ness's side, just as Ryu comes into the room, with Rosalina, and three plates of the chicken salad. Without a word, one plate is handed to Lucas, the other two plates are set down, and the two professors run over to Ness's side.

"What are you going to do?!" Lucas chokes out, rushing protectively to Ness's side.

Ryu gets out a packet. "We're going to try and increase his heart rate, with methamphetamine-"

Lucas grabs Ness's hand. "Metham - what?"

"It's a drug that increases heart rate."

"Will he be ok!?"

Rosalina moves over to Lucas. "Lucas, we're trying as best we can to make sure he will be."

It hits me that I'm suddenly just a bystander, unable to do anything, but watch, afraid, scared, so scared! Lucas grips Ness's hand tighter - I shiver. What if this drug damages him instead?! Rosalina quickly injects the stuff - and as the needle goes in, I feel Villager's hand slip into mine, suddenly. I look up at him, surprised, and he nods faintly back. I'm scared. I'm so scared.

"Is it working?" Lucas asks frantically.

"Give it time to get into the bloodstream," Ryu says, patiently.

Lucas flaps. "We haven't got time!"

Standing against the wall, I can only watch as Ryu and Rosalina check his heart rate with a stethoscope - heaven knows where the useless nurse is! Tears roll down Lucas's face. There's a very tense silence.

"It's working," Rosalina announces, and as quickly as the chaos began, it's over. It's calm.

Ness will be okay.

We still ourselves, gathering around Ness - he's docile as anything, but he seems to be breathing normally. He seems to be fine - a little feverish perhaps, but…

I hug Lucas. "He'll be okay."

Lucas only sniffles in response, and Villager ruffles his hair. "Whatever that stuff was, it worked. We got away with this one."

"Y-Yeah," Lucas stammers, eating a few small pieces of his chicken salad. "Yeah."

I glance at the painting. It seems to almost be finished - I'm pretty sure I know what it is now. I smile.

Pit comes up quietly behind us. "Ness will be okay."

"He'll be okay," Lucas agrees.

"Much as I hate to break the emotional moment," Professor Ryu interrupts, grimly. "You've all got to go to your lessons now."

I groan. "Do we have to, Professor?"

"Yes. Headmaster Hand's orders. Go on - we'll keep guard."

"What does he mean, keep guard?" I mutter to Lucas, as we're guided gently out of the room.

"In case the creatures come back," Lucas mumbles, his cheeks still tear-stained.

I notice significant bags under his eyes. "Lucas, how much did you sleep last night?"

He stares straight ahead. "I didn't sleep."

"You didn't sleep?" Villager asks, concerned.

"Sleep is crucial!" Red gasps.

Lucas fiddles with his shirt. "I had to keep watch - keep guard-"

"Ness would want you to look after yourself too," I counter. Lucas only sniffles.

"Lucas, is there anything we can do?" Villager asks, a touch of uncertainty in his voice.

He wipes his eyes. "Well, there is something, I guess. Olimar, and Meta Knight. They're… doing something, I think. Up to something. Could you, you know, follow them, a bit? See what they're doing?"

I nod. "Of course we can."

"Thank you."

"What if Ness dies?" Red asks, and Lucas gulps suddenly.

"Red, don't say that," Villager replies, softly. "He won't die."

"It feels weird without Ness with us," Red mumbles. "It's not right."

"He'll be with us again soon," Villager assures him, as we near the classroom. Red leaves to go to his class. Villager, Pit, Lucas and I opt to walk in silence. Pit has been quiet today - even quieter than usual… I worry something's up. That something else has happened.

But as we walk into the classroom, my mind is not on Pit, nor Ness, but on Villager. Again, I know. But, the way he took my hand… the way our hands fitted together, the way he looked at me afterwards, as if to ask is this okay? as if to ask who knows what else… I feel a slight warm fuzz inside of me. It was the smallest gesture, but one that meant a lot.

I make myself slip out of fantasizing, and I sit down near the back of the classroom. Lucas and Pit sit in their places, and to my surprise, Villager joins me. I feel another little burst of happiness, and I inwardly curse myself.

I smile. "Hey, aren't you sitting with Zelda today?"

He sighs. "You have got to be kidding, you know I only sat there last lesson because that was the only space left."

"And you liiiiike her," I tease, and Villager shoves me.

"Not in a million years."

I smirk. "She's a perfectly nice girl!"

"She's dating Link!"

"And she's 20," I add.

"She's - what?! 20!?"

"Link told us yesterday,"

Villager makes a face. "Nah, nahhh, you're having me on here. There's no way."

I laugh, but I'm interrupted by Bowser coming into the room. In high spirits, I bring out some paper - maybe I'll actually do some work this lesson. We'll see. I'm not sure Lucas and Pit have noticed that Bowser is here yet, as they talk in hushed tones-

"No talking in my LESSON!"

Well, they certainly know now. Villager and I give one another a look. Bowser's in a full on bad mood today.

Bowser growls. "Alright, you miserable collection of offspring, I'm here to teach you English Literature, and you're here to learn it. So there will be NO talking, NO speaking, NO socialising, NO chatting and CERTAINLY no communicating." He slams his hand again on Lucas's desk, menacingly.

I put my hand up.

Bowser points at me with a cane. "Yes?"

I grin. "But professor, they all mean the same thing! You just repeated yourself five times."

"SHUT YOUR INFANTILE MOUTH YOU BIRD EXCREMENT!"

I laugh. Bowser's insults are the best.

"Where's the dark haired one?!" Bowser points at Lucas suddenly.

"He's - He's in the medical ward Professor," Lucas stammers.

Bowser growls. "Yeah, right. I still owe him a caning for last week. But, another one for you wouldn't hurt… heh..."

I interrupt. "Well, that is the point of canings. They are supposed to hurt!"

He points the cane at me again. "Be quiet, right now!" He points at Pit with the cane too, and narrowly avoids hitting him in the nose. "And you! Where is your twin!"

Pit freezes up suddenly. Oh no - I take quick initiative and I throw a ball of paper over at Bowser. Bowser looks over at me, storms over, and picks me up by the shirt.

"What did you just THROW?"

"Paper, professor."

"LIES!" He hits me once with the cane, in midair, like a piñata, before dropping me back down onto my seat - ow - ow-! That can't be legal. I shiver, sore, and Villager pats me on the shoulder.

"You did good, Toonie."

"The cost of good is suffering," I mumble, in response. But, it's all worth it when Pit turns round and smiles gratefully at me.

"Today's POEM!" Bowser yells, back at the front, hitting the blackboard with the cane. "Is another LOAD OF NONSENSE!"

I remember my mission suddenly, and I look over to Meta Knight and Olimar - Meta Knight seems to be handing something over to his counterpart. Interesting…

My thoughts are cut out by Bowser's bellowing yell. "TOON LINK! You will read today's poem!"

I sigh exaggeratedly, my eyes resting on the blackboard.

"Love seeketh not Itself to please,

Nor for itself hath any care;

But for another gives its ease,

And builds a Heaven in Hell's despair.

So sang a little Clod of Clay,

Trodden with the cattle's feet;

But a Pebble of the brook,

Warbled out these metres meet.

Love seeketh only Self to please,

To bind another to Its delight:

Joys in another's loss of ease,

And builds a Hell in Heavens despite."

I finish, and there's a long pause.

"Oh it stopped," Bowser realises, after some time. "Well, WHO can tell me why this thing talks about binding? I didn't realise these poems were KINKY! Now, that's something I can get into-"

"It's a metaphor!" Nana interrupts, hurriedly.

Bowser growls "A what!?"

"A metaphor."

"You've hit the menopause? That's quite young!"

Nana flushes. "Not the menopause, a metaphor. It's where you say something that means something else."

Bowser throws his hands in the air. "I've never heard of it!"

Nana's forehead creases. "You've never heard of a metaphor, and you're an English teacher?"

Bowser growls, raising the cane. "You must be making it up, to make me look stupid!"

"Stop!" Lucas calls out, frightened. The class all stares round, and Lucas instantly recoils. "I - I mean-!"

Bowser slams the cane into the floor, and it splinters, breaking into two pieces. "I have just about HAD it, with all of you! Silent writing, for the rest of the lesson. NOW!"

And so, the lesson passes by, in miserable silence. I copy what Villager writes, but he doesn't seem to mind too much. Meta Knight and Olimar continue to pass things between them, but I can't quite make out exactly what they're passing. I vow to investigate them later on…

...And so, after what feels like an eternity, after English, and the subsequent lesson, Science, I meet Villager and Pit in the main hall. Lucas is with Ness in the medical room again, I believe, and Red has opted out of the mission. But, we owe Lucas this favour, to investigate this dodgy pair - after all, it might help him solve whatever mystery he and Ness have got themselves caught up in.

"So, you said you had a plan?" Villager arches his eyebrows.

"You bet," I nod, assured. "We follow them everywhere they go."

"What - that's your plan?"

"Yeah! Great, right? Come on - they're in the games room."

Pit and Villager begrudgingly follow me into the games room, where Meta Knight and Olimar look up in alarm, suddenly hiding something in their pockets. I sit down breezily.

I smile, pleasantly. "Alright, boys?"

Olimar snarls. "What are you doing here?"

"It's the games room, public place, isn't it?"

Meta Knight grumbles, indicating to Olimar. "Come on. Let's go."

Just like that they stand up and leave. Ugh, rude!

"What now?" Villager asks, timidly.

"Well, we follow, of course," I grin. "Come on, spies."

"Don't call us spies," Villager groans.

"Fiiine. Spoilsports. Come on!"

We hastily follow after the bullies, me leading, and the others lagging behind. We keep behind them as make their way up the dorm stairs and - dammit - into their dormitory, shutting the door behind them. Great.

"What now, spymaster Toon Link?" Villager asks sarcastically.

"We listen!" I pronounce, pressing my ear to the door.

Voices come from inside: "...We can't keep hiding all this for long. They're onto us."

"Whatever, Olimar. This is our only way to get any money-"

"We're running out of people."

"There's plenty of people. We just have to pick them correctly."

I glance at the others, eyes wide. What could this be?

"Alright, so put it in the sock drawer."

"Which sock?"

"Does it really matter?"

"I need to know!"

"Fine, the red and black one. Whatever. Just, hide it well, okay?"

I withdraw my ear, with surprise. I wonder what they're hiding? I replant my ear onto the door.

"Alright. Come on, let's go, now. I'm sure there's some kids to beat up."

"Heh… yeah…"

Villager's eyes widen, and he throws his dorm's door open - and he pushes us inside, slamming the door shut behind us.

"Villager, what the-?!" Pit cries out, from the floor.

"They're coming into the hall!" Villager cries out, in a hushed whisper. "We needed to hide!"

Pit picks himself off of the floor. "That hurt."

"Sorry, bud."

Pit groans. "It's… fine. What now, Toon Link?"

I peel my eyes away from Villager's butt. "Uh, well, we're going to go in their dorm and find out what they've hidden, aren't we?"

Villager gasps. "What?! Are you crazy?"

"If Ness's and Lucas's lives are at stake, there is no limit to what we shall do to ensure their safety," I conclude. The others can't argue with that, so we listen closely, until we're sure the pair have left the corridor. I open Villager's door, leading us out into the hall. All clear.

"This is risky," Pit mumbles, but I ignore him, and place my hand upon Olimar and Meta Knight's door handle. I turn it, swinging the door open, stepping inside, and I'm appalled by what I find inside.

It's a mess! Clothes are strewn all over the floor, the beds unmade, the drawers half open. How does anyone live like this? Posters of bare-chested girls cover one side of the wall - eurgh! Gross! I look away swiftly, and I notice Pit and Villager doing the same.

"Let's be nice and quick," I decide, swallowing the lump in my throat, wading through dirty underwear, to the chest of drawers.

"The red and black sock," Villager reminds me, looking over my shoulder. I pull open the drawer, and I find the correct sock - there's definitely something inside it - I put my hand within, and I draw out… a packet.

A clear packet.

With… Hm. Interesting. The packet seems to contain a load of black… stuff. It seems to be sort of a powder, but sort of a solid lump at the same time…? I hold it up to Villager and Pit, for them to give their verdicts.

"Opium!" Villager announces.

"Huh?"

"It's opium - it's a drug."

"A drug?! Is it illegal?" I ask, hopefully.

Villager frowns. "Opium is, sadly, legal… but it's very expensive. I wonder how they got this?"

"The important question is whether they're using or selling it," Pit muses.

I think. "Wait - Villager, how do you know what opium looks like?"

Villager shrugs. "My Professor at primary school got busted for smuggling a ton of the stuff in his desk."

I whistle. "Wow."

He laughs. "It was quite memorable, having the police burst in during a maths lesson."

I frown, putting the packet back into the sock. "But, what does this mean? Why do they have opium?"

The door slams open. "And why are you in our room?" Meta Knight growls.

Oh.

"We were- we were just-" I stammer, but Meta Knight yanks the sock out of my hands, stuffing it back into the drawer.

Olimar meanwhile advances on us. "We don't want you all dirtying our room now do we?"

I look around. "Well, it's filthy enough as it is-"

Olimar raises his fists.

I square up to him, but I suddenly hear Pit make a frightened noise. How much everything's changed him! He wouldn't have had a problem with a fight, before...

I decide to backtrack, holding up my hands. "Uh, how about, you guys don't beat us up, and we won't tell Headmaster Hand about the opium?"

Olimar threatens a punch, but Meta Knight grinds his teeth. "Olimar, we have to accept."

Olimar growls. "Fine! But we will get our revenge."

I laugh. "Sure. Why do you have all of that opium, anyways?"

Olimar grins. "For selling of course,"

Meta Knight hits Olimar. "Olimar meant to say: None of your business."

I quickly lead Pit and Villager out of the room, before Meta Knight changes his mind. I stick my head back into the room as an afterthought. "Have a nice day!"

We sprint down the dorm corridor, piling into Pit and I's dorm instead. We take a seat on my bed. Yes! We did it! We found out what they're up to!

"Opium," I murmur, contemplatively.

Villager, however, to my disdain, hits me on the shoulder. "Toon Link, that was crazy. Far too risky."

I rub my shoulder. "Ow!"

"They caught us!" Villager continues, sternly.

Guilt settles in my stomach. "I'm sorry."

Villager sighs. "No - Toon Link, don't be sorry. It's fine, we found out what we wanted to find out."

"They're selling opium," I muse. "I guess that's nothing to do with what's going on with Ness and Lucas."

"Can we just, never talk to them again, now?" Villager asks. "They can do what they want. Let's just stay out of their way."

I nod. "Yeah."

Villager stands. "Well, I should go and check on Red. I'll see you two at dinner, yeah?"

I nod again, with comprehension. "See you there."

Once Villager is gone, Pit also stands. He bites his lip. "Erm - bathroom." I nod, and he leaves.

Hm. It's suddenly just me on my own. I find my mind drifting to Pit - I realise he didn't really say a word throughout that whole ordeal. Hnnnngh - I feel bad, all of a sudden. What kind of a friend have I been? Something's definitely wrong. Pit is definitely in need of some good old cheering up!

However, I notice, out of the corner of my eye, a piece of paper, on Pit's bed…? Hm - I wonder what that's doing there? Curiosity gets the better of me, and I take the paper, and I read:

...

Dear Pit,

This morning, at 8:47am, your father passed away from his illness. I'm sorry to bring you this news, it's devastating, as he was loved by many, especially you and Dark Pit. I know this is now going to be an even trickier time for you, but I urge you, stay strong. You're an incredibly strong person.

Your Father wanted to remind you, before he passed, to follow your dreams, to make it big in theatre, to enjoy life. He died peacefully, with relatives by his side.

Stay strong, Pit, I love you lots,

From Mother.

…

…

…

Oh.

Oh no.

Suddenly feeling as if I've stumbled across something very, very private, I make to fold up the piece of paper again - but just as I do, Pit himself walks into the room - and his eyes find me, holding the paper - oh no - oh no - my throat constricts, and his face falls.

"I'm - sorry - " I splutter, throwing down the note. "I didn't - I didn't know-"

Pit nods slightly. "It's okay."

"But - but - your-"

Pit looks down at the ground. "I know."

Guilt overtakes me. "I'm so sorry -"

I've done wrong. I know it. I've been nosy - I've messed everything up!

Pit sits himself down next to me, sighing weakly. "It's okay. I left it there deliberately. I, uh wanted you to read it."

I look at him, suddenly puzzled. "You - what? Why?"

"It's easier."

"Easier?"

"Easier than saying anything in person," Pit mutters, balling himself up.

There's a silence, as I look at the ground, in utter shame. Pit - he doesn't deserve this - first Dark Pit, then this - I remember, now, Wednesday morning, Pit and Dark Pit selling stuff to try and make money for medicine, or help, for their father. And now - and now…

It's not fair. It's not fair at all. I feel my eyes growing wet, and I blink, rapidly. "You deserve better, Pit."

"...I got the letter this morning," Pit mumbles. "That's why I've been… worse, heh, today. I'm sorry."

"You don't need to apologise for anything, Pit."

Pit laughs faintly, but it sounds so broken, so hollow. "It's weird. In just a few days, I've found myself with just one direct family member left."

I stare at my toes. I can't imagine losing my mother, my father, or my little brother. I can't imagine any of that. I want to hug him. To tell him that I'm here for him, but I don't know if he'd appreciate that. He doesn't like physical contact. But, I try anyway, and to my surprise, he lets me put a comforting arm around him. He lets me hold him, while he cries on my shoulder. And that's okay. He deserves comfort. He deserves all that, and more.

He wipes his eyes. "Sorry - I'm really sorry -"

"Pit, don't be sorry."

"This isn't me. I'm not like this. I don't cry."

"It's okay to cry. It's okay to be vulnerable. I'm here for you."

He breathes a shaky breath, and I rub his back, just slightly, just gently. I think he's okay with it. I'm not used to such closeness. I'm not used to people trusting me this much. I'm just the quiet kid who turned loud. I'm just… me.

"You don't have to go through all this by yourself," I mumble.

"...Neither do you," Pit replies, quietly, and I put a hand to my own face, feeling moisture, feeling tears.

"I'm - at least it was, a peaceful death," I mumble, unsure what else to say.

"I - I - yeah," Pit agrees, and I feel the stretch of his own arms wrapping around me, holding on. Holding tight.

There's a comfortable silence.

The clock chimes a little while later for dinner. Shakily, I stand, and so does Pit.

Pit rubs his eyes. "Thank… thank you."

"Thank you for not being angry that I read the letter."

Pit bites his lip. "Thank you for everything."

I rub my face. "Thank you for-"

"...Heh... I'll stop you there, Toon Link. I'm hungry." He smiles weakly. "Come on."

…

We get our dinner, joined by Villager and Red. We're sure to get an extra portion as, predictably, Lucas is up in the medical room with Ness again. I breathe in, and out. It will all be fine. Ness will be okay. Pit will get through it all. Breathe. Smile. Brave face: on. Humour, my defence mechanism: on. Breathe.

I feel Villager's hand just brush against mine, when we sit down. I look up at him, curious, but he just smiles slightly in return. I stare at him with glistening eyes, and I know that he understands.

We all make our way up to the medical room in silence, without any idea of what we'll find there. The methamphetamine will hopefully have done its job. Ness will hopefully have a normal heart rate again - and it's with relief, that when we enter the room, we see Lucas painting calmly, Ness lying down, with no professors in sight.

"Hey," I say, cautiously heading over to Lucas.

He smiles. "Hey, everyone. Good to see you."

"How's Ness?"

Lucas yawns. "Back to a normal heart rate. He's okay." His face darkens. "For now."

"How much longer will it be?" Ness asks.

Lucas shrugs weakly, yawning slightly. "I don't know… It could be any length of time, but, I hope he's awake soon. I miss him."

"You're tired," I observe.

"I'm fine."

"The painting's looking good," I offer.

"Thanks…"

I glance over at the others. Pit shrugs. Villager meanwhile brings a plate of dinner to Lucas, who wolfs the food down rapidly. I imagine how it must feel to be Ness, trapped, asleep, unconscious… dazed, empty…

I shudder, instead turning back to Lucas. "We found out what Meta Knight and Olimar are up to."

Lucas turns sharply. "Oh? What are they doing?"

"Selling opium," Villager replies.

Lucas's shoulders slump. "Oh. I guess I was wrong - someone else is behind all this, then."

"Sorry, Lucas," I sympathise, patting him on the back. "We'll find out who's behind all of this mess soon."

"They killed Dark Pit. We'd better," Pit speaks out, suddenly.

"Yeah," I agree, brimming with abrupt defensiveness. "You bet we will."

…

Later on, I'm standing in the dorm hall, as Pit opens the doorway to his and Dark Pit's dorm with a shaky hand. "Here we go."

I fiddle with my shirt. "You know, we don't have to do this now."

Pit steps inside the dormitory. "We do. Thank you for agreeing to help. I'm not sure I could do this alone."

I follow him in. "It's no problem at all. Like I said - you don't have to carry the emotional baggage by yourself."

The room is pleasant enough. We're here to go through Pit and Dark Pit's stuff, and choose what to bring to our dorm, and choose what to throw out. The walls are a lot less crudely decorated than in Meta Knight and Olimar's.

I look around - It's almost as if there's two halves to the room - one decorated with dark shades, one decorated with light shades. It wouldn't take a genius to figure out whose is whose. On the wall hangs a painting - a man, a woman, and two young boys.

Their family.

Pit takes the painting down. "2 down, 2 to go."

I gulp. "You've got to keep that, right?"

"Definitely," Pit agrees.

We start with the easy bit - we take some time to collect a load of Pit's clothes and possessions together, carrying them down the corridor and into our dorm. Pit's surprisingly neat - he folds all his clothes away, and puts them into our wardrobe, where Link's stuff, (and that crying 'Future Human' creature) was located.

But, once Pit's stuff is conquered, the difficult bit comes. Dark Pit's side of the room.

It takes some time, an hour or two, it takes a few tears, but we get through it all, together. Dark Pit's possessions are very similar to Pit's, so there's a lot that's thrown out. Clothes that match Pit's, and a few certain trinkets get to stay, for safekeeping, but a fair number of books and other random articles of clothing are packed up in a bag, to be mailed to a charity organisation of some sort in Onett. I double check around - each and every drawer, under everything, on the windowsill. It's all empty.

We're done.

The room is bare, devoid of any sign that once upon a time, two twin brothers, two best friends inhabited this space, sharing jokes, sharing laughs. Sharing the best of times.

But times shift, I suppose. I can visibly see the weight release off of Pit's shoulder as he shuts the door behind him. Maybe the next occupants of the room will have it better in life. Maybe they will use the room well, without any knowledge of those who once resided within: Pit, brave Pit, and his twin brother, Dark Pit.

Poor Dark Pit.

Our dorm, meanwhile, seems to be a lot more full of character now, with the painting hung on a wall, with Pit's stuff filling spaces, filling gaps. It's especially nice to be free of the strong smell of BO from Link. Pit's definitely gonna be a much better roommate.

"I feel better now," Pit mumbles.

"Better. That's good."

He shrugs. "Closure feels… really nice, actually. Well, not nice. I guess, maybe, more… peaceful. But, the fact is, Dark Pit is gone. It's happened. I accept it."

I test the waters. "And your father?"

Pit's shoulders slump down again. "I haven't even begun to process that yet."

"I'm sorry. I won't talk about it any more."

Pit studies me. "Toon Link."

"Yeah?"

"Thank you, so much, for everything."

I feel my face grow warm. "Aw, Pit, really, you don't have to-"

"No, I do. I didn't even know you before this term, but you've been there for me so much, through this."

I feel all warm and fuzzy again. "It's no worry, at all."

"You're awesome."

I blush. "No, you are."

Pit smiles. "Do you wanna sleep now?"

I nod. "Definitely."

It's late. Moonlight streams, unrestrained, through the window, illuminating Pit's side of the room in a pale arc. We change into pyjamas, and I lie in my bed, gazing outside. The tree is just about visible, a dark shape in the brightness. Along the branches, little silhouettes hop. I smile internally.

The squirrels.

It's been a weird, weird day. I draw the covers up over my body, leaving space to breathe. As my eyes shut, the memory of Villager taking my hand tingles through me. His hand in mine. It felt warm, so perfect, so simple, so elegant. Even in that moment of peril - Ness could've lived or died - it was right. It was absolute. It was provision. I don't know how Villager really feels about me, but I know, I really do know, that even past all the casual flirting, past the fact he really does have a nice ass, I really, really like him.

I snuggle into my blankets more. This is what always happens. Thoughts overtake me. Even if some things come and go, this insomnia will be sticking with me for a very long time. Gentle snoring tells me that Pit's entered the sleep realm, and I sigh, gently, staring at the ceiling.

I guess I don't have too much to worry about at the moment. Well, aside from Ness, lying unconscious, comatose, in the medical room. But at least Lucas is with him. Lucas cares about him a lot. I grin shiftily. I hope they get together soon. It would be about time! Ness really is an idiot for trying to distance himself from Lucas. It may be for their safety, sure, whatever, but they need each other. They need each other so badly, that it hurts even me. I feel a small pang for Lucas. I hope he's sleeping soundly tonight. I wish that I could be sleeping too.

My mind drifts to the strange creatures, and all of the fantastical lore of the magical people. 5 random people, finding out they had magical powers, writing them down in a journal. Passing the journals down. A magical stone for each power, plus a mythical extra time stone that seems oh-so-elusive. It all sounds so… fictional. It sounds made up - like a story of some sorts. And I wonder what those creatures have to do with it all? I've seen two - the one crying in the wardrobe, and the one that attacked Ness. But I know Ness and Lucas have seen more. I sigh. It's not my place to worry, yet still, I do.

I don't understand anything about it at all. But, I'm glad not to be caught up in it. I'd probably just scream with fear, whenever the creatures showed up, and then I'd collapse into a crumbling mess.

Fun.

Ah, I need to sleep. I try counting sheep - it doesn't work. I try closing my eyes, and visualising a scene, a story. It plays out strangely, but I find Villager's face filling the spots of most of the characters. I try tensing and untensing each muscle, a trick someone mentioned once, but I keep getting distracted by thoughts, more and more thoughts, piling up, and up, and up-

I sigh. It's hopeless.

It's only hours later that oh-so-divine sleep accepts me into its arms.

A/N

This was the longest chapter yet! Clocking in at over 10k words, and it wasn't even from the perspective of Ness or Lucas-

But hey, writing Toon Link is fun.

This will end up being a three part thing. Lucas and Toon Link will again share the spotlight in the final part. (I hope to write more Lucas than Toon Link next time, to make up for the Toon Link overload here.)

This took a while to write, mostly because it's so long. I hope this chapter was worth the wait!

Notes:

Opium is a recreational drug that is now highly illegal. At the time, it wasn't, however.

Never use meth to try and increase someone's heartbeat! Meth does indeed do this, but there's a load of terrible side effects as well.

I had to research both Opium and Meth therefore! Rip my search history-

I referenced a thing or two from yonder meme culture :3

If you managed to reach the end of this gargantuan chapter, thanks for reading! Oh and, hey-

plz review-

~ ReadyforTeddy