(Prologue)
Far, far away from Onett Boarding School, there stands a great and mighty skyscraper.
To many, it is the centrepiece, the figurehead of New Pork City. A magnificent spire, stretching gloriously above rows upon rows of marble buildings. A pillar, reaching infinitely upwards, shrouded in cloudy mystique, the entrance elusive to all but a select few. By day, it casts a great shadow, like a thick line of ink spilt across a page. By night, it looms incessantly, bearing down on even the bravest man; a ferocious needle, dark and huge.
Up on the top floor, Porky Minch can look down at his works with a sense of great satisfaction. The circular room is panelled with glass all around, displaying the sprawling city in a glorious panoramic view. Months of designing, years of construction, sitting at that desk and sketching night and day, building, commanding, reaping profits... it has all led up to this moment. His creation stands before him. Everything the light touches is his. He has everything he could ever want.
Except for one thing.
Grumbling, he pores over a lengthy piece of documentation. What is the point of documentation, he thinks irritably to himself, when you can pay upfront? When you can build of your own accord? But he consoles himself with a click of his tongue. It will be worth it, in the very end…
He has all the tools at his disposal. Men, grovelling on their hands and knees for him. People who will put their very lives in his hands. And money - it floods endlessly into his pockets, from investors, from businesses, from everything he has done, all the work paying off at long last.
Everyone is weak, compared to him. The plan will work, it cannot fail - people are already piling into New Pork City to escape the war. Entering a much deeper and deadlier trap.
Porky smiles a great, self-indulgent smile. Compared to the most powerful inventor of the modern age, the people are nothing. He is like a god, he reasons, looking over ants. He is Paul Charles Morphy, and the others are his chess pieces, waiting patiently to be moved. Waiting patiently to do as they are told.
The documentation drones on another dozen pages or so. Giving it up as a bad job, Porky throws it down on a pile of blueprints. He'll come back to it later, he decides, looking loathsomely down at the text. Or, he could just have the contractor disposed of... he allows himself an evil grin. That would solve a lot of problems.
But that has to come later. As for now, has important business to attend to. Business far away.
Business in Onett City Centre.
Praise him.
.
.
.
~~o00o~~
Chapter 11: Talk
(Ness)
~~o00o~~
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.
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I stagger out of the bathroom, my arms looped around Lucas's tender sides. His unconscious body drags along the floor, and I hoist it up, shaking. This is the second time this term he's fallen unconscious - and this - and this...
I bring my hand from his head, seeing a mass of sticky, dark red. Fear boils in my gut. Driven, I haul him forwards, practically hurling myself down the stairs. Help. He needs help.
I swear on all things sacred, I will find out who did this. Nobody hurts Lucas. Nobody hurts my Lucas, least of all in the goddamn shower. I got the assailant with the showerhead - he'd run outside, but I hadn't seen who it was. I curse myself again, trying desperately to stem the bleeding from Lucas's head.
The others. They'll be in the games room. They'll be able to help. I quickly hurry him in, but to my utmost dismay, it's deserted. Which means it's all down to me.
I lay him down on the nearest sofa, my heart thumping in my chest. Swiftly, I turn him over - his scalp - there's a nasty gash where he hit the pump. Dread courses through me. What the hell do I do? I quickly pull off my jumper, tying it in a desperate bandanna around the wound. I check Lucas's pulse - it still mercifully drives forwards. I hug him tight, whispering to him. Praying.
The bleeding seems to slow. The bandanna seems to be helping. I stroke Lucas's soft cheek, my nerves settling down. He'll be okay. He looks almost peaceful lying there… I envy his sleep, sleep without knowledge of graves and disappearances. Sleep without Bowser, Olimar and Meta Knight. I wonder if I should tell the others about the disappearances when they show up, but I know I can't drag them into it. Never.
The door swings open. My gaze is rapidly torn in its direction.
It's them.
"And I said, 'You know what they say about a big gong!' Oh, hey Ness! Where've you bee-" Toon Link stops in his tracks, seeing Lucas. His face visibly pales.
"Hey." I wave tepidly. "Hey. Uhm, showering, I guess."
"Oh my God." Villager rushes over to the couch. "What happened to him?"
"Some guy attacked him in the bathroom," I say. "He got pushed back against the wall and his head…" My voice trails off, worry seeping back into my thoughts as I look at his blood-stained hair.
"Jesus." Villager hastily checks Lucas's pulse. "He's alive, but heavens above, he's hurt! Who did this, do you know?"
"I don't. I chased them off, but…"
"They hurt Lucas, they hurt us." Toon Link balls his fists. "It wasn't Meta Knight or Olimar, was it?"
"No." I shake my head. "They're the wrong body shape… I just don't know. He'll be good after some rest."
"In that case, anyone for pool?" Red asks, but before we can answer, the door swings open. Link and Zelda sidle in, an unusual pair to see around these parts. I thought they usually resigned themselves to making out in their dormitories, but apparently not today.
"Hey Toonie!" Link greets merrily.
"Oh, great." Toon Link sighs. "Don't call me that."
"Shirty." Link raises his eyebrows. "What on earth are you doing with the little kids, Toonie?"
"They're our age," Toon Link says, barely paying Link any notice.
"Really? They don't look like it." He points to Lucas, seemingly blind to the blood on his scalp. "That one, he's five foot at most."
"Yeah, and-"
He points to me. "That one could easily pass as a primary school kid-"
"I could not!" I stand up hotly, and Link laughs.
"Temper of one too, I see. Come on. Toon Link. You're better than these people."
"Linky..." Zelda simpers, giving her boyfriends a chiding expression. "Let's not start any more fights."
"Of course," Link bows. "Anything for you, my love!" I feel vaguely nauseous as he kisses her. I glance at Villager, who is very deliberately looking away.
"We'll be going now!" Link announces mightily. "But if you ever feel like hanging out with someone more your speed… I'm here, Toonie."
"Again, don't call me Toonie."
"Okay, Toonie!"
"Are you going, then?" Toon Link takes a pool cue, setting up the table, only partially managing to appear disinterested.
"I didn't know you were so keen for us to stay," Link says, standing high.
"Believe me, I'm not."
"Sure, buddy." Link ruffles his hair. "Now, I don't want to stay too long, I can't risk tarnishing my reputation! Au revoir."
Link and Zelda sweep majestically out of the room, but they are almost immediately replaced by some first-year students coming in.
"Aw, there's already big kids on the pool table," one of them says, disappointed.
"Right you are, midgets!" Toon Link raises his cue like a lance. "Stand and fight for it!"
The first-years run away screaming, and Toon Link laughs. Villager prods him.
"We've talked about terrorising the little kids."
"Oh, whatever." He sticks out his tongue. "I can't believe we were that small, once."
"You were the smallest of us all," I remind him, smirking.
"Listen here, Nessie-"
"Okay, that's enough!" Red intercedes. "Calm down!"
"Whatever, Reddy-"
"I told you not to call me that!"
"Too bad!"
Thankfully, the unexpected tension is lifted almost immediately when Lucas opens a drowsy eye, shifting on the sofa.
"Lucas!" I cheer, rushing over to help him onto his feet. "How are you, does it hurt, are you okay, areyougoingtodie-"
"Oh - ow." Lucas grips my shoulder for support. "Head killing me... everything kinda... dizzy..."
"I've got you." I hug him tight. "I really need to work on making sure you don't get hurt so often-"
"I was in the shower - please don't watch over me when I'm in the shower-"
"Desperate times call for desperate measure-!"
"No, you goof," he says, and I'm glad to see him smile a little bit.
"Are you doing okay?" I ask, and he leans against me with a groan. "I'll take that as your answer," I laugh.
"I think you might have to carry me…"
"Carry you?" I say. "We're not going anywhere."
"Exploring… aren't we exploring the third floor?"
"Oh, yes!" I'd completely forgotten.
"Can I have a piggyback?" he asks, giving me puppy eyes.
"I don't know…" My shoulders ache at the thought.
"I'm really light," Lucas pleads.
"Okay, okay. Fine." I relent at once, as often seems to happen when Lucas makes a request. "I'll give you a piggyback."
"Yay…" he smiles sleepily.
"We good to go?" I look over to the others.
They nod simultaneously.
"Alright… Lucas, you'll have to jump onto my back." He wastes no time in leaping up. I wrap my arms around his legs, he jiggles about a bit, and he's right, he is really light. I've got him, I think.
"You've grown taller." Toon Link looks at Lucas, grinning. They high five. Villager leads us out of the room, Lucas ducks under the doorframe, and then we go up a staircase, before going around a corner.
"Behold! Floor two!"
I look from left to right. It's just a load of dormitories.
"Isn't there more than this?" I complain.
"Patience is a virtue." Villager folds his arms. "We only just arrived."
Villager starts heading us down a corridor. It seems to be another corridor of dorms; I suppose with so many students, there has to be an absolute ton of dormitories. Dorms are either shared by two or three people, and with hundreds in the school... I distinctly remember Toon Link being pretty disappointed when he found out he wasn't with me and Lucas.
"How are you doing?" I whisper to Lucas. "Does your head hurt?"
"It hurts a bit." He wraps his arms around my head. "I'm fine, though."
"It's okay for it to hurt-"
"I know, but I can handle it."
It takes a good few minutes of walking around before our efforts are rewarded. Tucked away in the corner of a bend is a little door that leads into a rather obscure lounge. The walls are high, and they're painted a gentle cream, then there are sofas, blankets… it's a real gem, and I have no idea what purpose this room has; there's certainly nobody else inside!
Lucas tumbles from my shoulders onto a sofa, and I sit down next to him. He curls up in my lap; he must be tired.
"Okay, now you have to admit this was worth it," Villager says, sitting down in between Toon Link and Red.
"It was," I say lazily, leaning back. "This is great. Nobody will find us here."
"Do you think anyone else even knows about it?" Toon Link asks.
"No way." Villager happily pulls a stray blanket over himself. "It's so well-hidden."
"Amazing." Toon Link smiles, leaning back.
But Red sits rigidly in place. "Do we not have schoolwork to do?"
"Nah, relax, Red." Toon Link waves a hand. "You don't need to do schoolwork for - what is it that you want to be when you're older, again?"
"A mathematician."
"Of course. But yeah, you don't need to do schoolwork to be a mathematician. Except, well, doing actual maths work, but-"
"You're digging yourself into a hole, Toon Link," I say. "But what about you? What do you want to be when you're older?"
"Good question." He thinks. "Something theatrical, maybe. I like acting and Theatre, definitely my favourite class… except for orchestra. Which reminds me, I need to properly try out that gong. What about you, Ness?"
Hmmm. Challenging question. I suppose Father wants me to be a businessman in the suburbs, with a wife and two kids. Unfortunately, I don't feel as if I want that.
"Maybe… a historian?" I say eventually. "Or a musician. I'm not too good at much. Lucas is the skilful one."
"I want to be a scientist," Lucas says sleepily from my lap.
"Now that's a thought…" Villager perks up. "Though, I've always been more into my Trades lessons. You know, building, architecture, I really like that stuff."
"Hey," Toon Link says suddenly. "You said nobody knows about this place, right?"
"Yeah?"
"Then I declare this our new hideout!"
"Hideout?" Red stares at him.
"We can form our own secret club!" Toon Link spins around. "You know, Ness, like with Inkling, Lucas, you and me, back in primary school..."
Wow. I'd almost forgotten about that. We'd called ourselves The Four Musketeers. I'd read a similar name in a book and thought it sounded cool. Looking back, it was not cool.
"That sounds nice," I say. "What would we be a club of?"
"Of fun?"
"Don't you think this is all a bit childish?" Red cuts in.
"Excuse me?" Toon Link mock-gasps.
"It's something that little kids would do."
"But I miss being a kid." Toon Link sits back down, looking rather defeated.
"...So do I," Red mumbles, suddenly looking unsure of himself.
There's a small quiet, before Toon Link stands again.
"Great! Then we can have our own secret club."
"Sure," Villager laughs softly.
"What do we call ourselves?" Toon Link presses, with a lot more enthusiasm than the rest of us. It's actually a bit awkward, to an extent.
"T.V.R.N.L?" I say, to save face. "It stands for all of our names."
"Yes! Except, let's have it stand for something else, so it doesn't seem quite as cheesy..."
"Cool," I say, failing to sound enthusiastic. As Villager and Red strike up light conversation, Toon Link looks a little put out.
Lucas snores lightly against my chest. He must've fallen right back asleep again. I hope his head is healing… I do worry, probably too much, about him. As I move Lucas's hair out of his eyes, Toon Link comes and sits beside me.
"Hey," I say quietly, spotting his unhappy expression. "You really miss the old times, then?"
"I guess." Toon Link averts his gaze, suddenly seeming uncomfortable.
"I mean, a secret club? Nothing screams I wanna be a kid again more than that."
"I miss Inkling," he says sheepishly. "I want to know what's happened to her."
"She just went off to another school, didn't she?"
"Everyone says that." Toon Link looks at the floor. "Everyone seems to have forgotten."
"Forgotten what?" I twitch nervously, because now that he's said that, I'm suddenly not so sure.
"She was going to go to a different school, but in the last week of term, she vanished. She didn't come in, Ness."
"That can't be right!" I'm taken aback, and yet...
"Has she ever written to us?"
"Well, no, but-"
"She promised she would. She didn't break her promises."
"So, what, the secret club idea..." I feel a rising sense of unease. "You want to remember her, is that it?"
"Oh. No." Toon Link buries his face in his hands. "You don't get it."
"Then tell me."
"I can't."
"Why not?"
"It's lame."
I move to hug him, but he brushes me aside. I frown.
"Come on, this isn't the Toon Link I know."
"Ness." He looks up, his face paler than before. "What is the Toon Link you know?"
"Loud, happy… doesn't care what anyone thinks of him…"
"You think I'm happy?" Toon Link grimaces, and there's an unpleasant feeling in my stomach.
"I always thought-"
"I don't know what the hell I am, Ness, but it's sure as hell not happy."
"Then tell me what's wrong."
He looks up, weak. There's hurt in his eyes, hurt that I haven't seen before.
"I don't even know. It's just a mess. I don't know who I am - sometimes I feel like the loud, active version of me, but sometimes I feel like I'm still just the quiet, childish Toon Link. From before."
"But didn't you - you taught yourself to be more confident?"
"I didn't teach myself to be more confident. I taught myself to put on a show."
"You don't have to put on a show for us."
"But - but who would ever like that awful, quiet crybaby side of me?" Toon Link looks wretched, all of a sudden. I look over to Villager and Red - Villager gives me a supportive look. He's noticed, but doesn't want Toon Link to know.
"I wou-" I begin.
"But would you? You always preferred Lucas!"
His words sting. "I-"
"You two are all over each other. I became the plus-one. Red and Villager are best friends. I'm the fifth wheel!"
"I'm sorry-"
"Don't be." He looks moodily at the ground. "I was the one who wasn't good enough for your attention."
"You are good enough!" I try again to hug him, but he shakes me off. I frown, worried about his lack of maturity in the situation. Then I remember that's a bit hypocritical of me, and I sigh. "It's just - it's different with Lucas, okay? There's some sort of connection - I can't explain it. I don't know."
"That's called love, Ness. You're head over heels for him, and it will all work out perfectly for you."
I frown. "I'm not head over heels for him."
"Fine, then you haven't figured that out yet. Either way, you two are perfect as you are, and there's no place for me anymore."
"I'm sorry," I mumble, because now I feel thoroughly disarmed, without any idea what else to say.
"Don't be. Nobody gets it - nobody gets me. I'm torn between being two people, the loud one, the quiet one, I have no idea which one people like more, I don't know what might make people like me - I-"
"Toon Li-"
"I miss when it was just us four, and it was simple, and nobody judged people, and I was me, and it was okay to be me, and it was us against the world."
"So," I say, trying to put it all together. "That's the idea of the secret club?"
"Yes! No! I - agh!"
"Toon Link, I don't know what to say," I admit helplessly, staring into my lap. "I don't know how to sort this. I don't know what to do."
"It's fine. I'm beyond any sorting."
"I never knew you felt like this."
"Because I'm good at hiding it." Bitterness enters his tone. "I push it down until it burns, and I convert it into false energy, and fake confidence."
I'm lost. Toon Link has never opened up like this before/ He's always seemed so sturdy, so there, so happy… I don't know what to do. I should've noticed something. I mentally kick myself for being so stupid.
"Why didn't you tell anyone that you're hurting?" I ask.
"People would've judged it - boys aren't supposed to cry, or be sad."
"Do you want to know a secret, then?" I lower my voice, just like Lucas does when it's me who's upset. "I've cried multiple times in the last week."
"I haven't cried since primary school."
"Is that a good thing?" I ask. I'm not sure what his point is.
"No, not good! Not good at all. I can't cry."
"You physically can't-?"
"Oh, God! No, you still don't get it."
"I'm sorry." Guilt shifts inside of me.
"Stop apologising! Ness, I'm secretly a mess of emotions. I have a big dark secret that makes me hate myself. I don't know who I am, and all this has just boiled down into… me."
"Don't hate yourself," I say, testing the waters again. "I'm sure the secret can't be that bad."
"I don't want to talk about it. The point is, I don't know what to do about any of this if I can't show any emotions, because then I'll be laughed at-"
"I wouldn't laugh!"
"Why do you think I'm telling you all this?"
"Oh," I say, feeling stupid.
"I know you wouldn't laugh."
"I'm sor-"
"No. Don't apologise again, please. I don't need to make others feel bad as well."
"Look, Toon Link," I prepare myself. It's time for me to play my hand. "Seriously, you're awesome, whether you're quiet and shy or loud and boisterous. You care about people, and that's good. You're a good person - there's no reason to hate yourself. All of us care about you, and it's okay to be emotional and vulnerable. I appreciate that you trust me enough to talk about you. I don't understand everything that you're feeling… but it sounds like your feelings suck right now, and I want to help you through that."
"Oh, Ness..." Toon Link pulls me into a sudden hug. "I care about you a lot as well. And Inkling too. Ness, thank you, thank you-"
"No problem." I hug him back, relieved and a little bit pleased with myself. "Thank you."
"Sorry." Toon Link looks up, wiping his eyes. "For, uh, loading all that on you-"
"Anytime."
I glance over at Villager and Red, who are laughing happily, perhaps hiding their awareness of Toon Link's sadness. Toon Link trusts me… that means a hell of a lot, actually. I've known him the longest out of everyone here. I wonder vaguely what his 'big, dark secret' might be, but I decide it's not my place to know.
His emotions are messy, though. I have no idea what he's feeling - it just seems kind of, bad, really. I feel awful. I know what it's like to have a head full of sad and self-destructive ideas.
At that thought, Lucas stirs again.
Toon Link's voice rings through my mind. "You're head over heels for him."
The thought sounded ridiculous at the time. But now, thinking about it harder… no. No, that's crazy. Definitely not...
...But what if he's right? Nobody would accept it if I was - no, it's forbidden for a boy to like another boy - I could be sentenced to death. I refuse. I refuse to believe that I like Lucas of all people, like that. Lucas and I are just best friends. I will start finding girls attractive soon. It is only a matter of time. I constrict my mind from thinking up those awful thoughts.
What if you and Lucas are found and killed, because people think you're in love with him? Maybe that's why the grave is there?
But that voice in my head is not helping. Who would think that? And why?
Toon Link thought that.
But that's - no! I cannot be like that. I cannot think that way. I'm - I...
Your Father wouldn't ever talk to you again.
I draw my arms around myself. I don't care about my Father.
Yet you still wanted to cry when you read his letter?
Well, that's reasonable, it was hurtful.
Weak.
No, I-
Outcast.
I glance up. Toon Link is talking to Villager now. He can't see me. I quickly pull a blanket over myself, pretending to sleep.
You deserve to be punished for what you are.
I'm scared. I'm so scared. I'm shaking. I feel my thumping heart, horrified by the influx that's suddenly entering my mind.
"Ness!"
Oh no - I forgot - Lucas-
"Ness, what are you doing?" He pulls my hand away from my arm, and to my surprise, there are marks there. I shake. No - he's going to get the wrong idea - he's going to be angry, I know it, another person I've upset. I stare into Lucas's beautiful eyes - NO! They're not beautiful. I can't think like that about my best friend - I can't think like that about my best friend!
"Ness-!" Lucas chokes out. "Your arm!"
You upset Toon Link and now you've upset Lucas. You're awful.
I'm awful.
You're awful. You deserve hell.
I deserve hell.
Lucas pushes me down against the couch, he's furious, I'm sure of it. What have I done?
I realise I'm making loud, hiccupping, sobbing noises. Lucas grips onto me, holding me, and everyone, Red, Toon Link, Villager, they've all heard me. I'm broken. I'm malfunctioning. Why can't I go a day without breaking down? But Lucas doesn't let go. He warms me. The self-destructive voice in my head grows quieter. Rationality begins to trickle back. Lucas squeezes out all the toxicity from my veins; why am I so fragile? I broke so easily this time… over something that one person said, something that isn't true, that can't be true; I simply cannot be in love with Lucas. It's ridiculous to think that. And I have bigger worries! The grave, keeping Lucas safe... but can I trust myself to do that? When I'm so volatile?
The others aren't sure what to say, staring at my emotional mess. I must look like a real idiot. Like a blubbering idiot. I hold tighter onto Lucas, my anchor.
The clocktower chimes for dinner.
"We'll - we'll leave you two to uh - yeah-" Villager says, rising awkwardly. Toon Link flashes me a slight glance of concern, and Red doesn't even meet my eyes as they file out of the room. It's fine, I don't need to eat today. I'll be fine.
"Ness," Lucas chokes again, once they're gone. "Are you okay?"
"Does it look like it?" I snarl, in an awful voice that is not my own. Lucas tumbles to the floor in alarm. Horrified, I clap my hands over my mouth, burying myself deeper into my own darkness, drawing my knees up to my chest. What the hell was that?
"What's wrong?" Lucas squeaks. He's scared of me.
"You wouldn't get it." My voice sounds normal again. I'm painfully aware of how I'm mirroring Toon Link's breakdown only minutes ago. To think I thought he was immature? I guess we're all taking it in turns to be sad today.
"I would."
"You wouldn't."
"Ness - it's not good to bury all your problems. That won't make you happier!"
"Good. I don't want to be happy."
"That's ridiculous, Ness. Why wouldn't you want to be happy?"
"Do I look like I deserve happiness?"
"Of course you do." He crawls back onto the couch, holding me tight. "You look like my best friend, who is amazing and deserves all the happiness in the world."
For goodness' sake. His positivity won't work on me. I stand.
"I don't deserve you!"
I start to run out of the room, away to the dorm. Lucas calls as I leave, but I can't - I need to get out of here. I don't want to upset him any more.
So I charge into the temporary dormitory. This is the right thing to do, I tell myself… though, do I even know what I'm doing?
What drove me to this place?
I throw myself down onto my new bed, burying my face into my pillow. I can skip dinner - I hope Lucas is going down and not worrying. Yet the selfish side of me wants him to come in and hug me, tell me that it'll be okay, that everything's going to be alright. This is what happens when I bury everything. This is what happens when I deny it all. It all rises up and explodes all over everyone… What will Villager and Red and Toon Link be thinking? I never break down in front of them. I breathe in and out, trying to prevent the wall of darkness from crushing me completely - Rosalina has told me how to deal with my breakdowns so many times - but the roaring sound in my ears isn't helping me think…
Think.
Think about something good, something nice. Okay. Steak. Steak is delicious. Steak is nice. We don't have steak often. Okay - I feel, kind of calmer, maybe?
Worthless, unacceptable, detestable, stupid-
Or not. I don't know why I have this awful negative voice in my head. I wish it was gone. I wish it were dead.
Do you wish you were dead?
No, I don't. I am fortunate - I am lucky - I have so much to live for. People would be sad if I was dead - Lucas would be sad if I was dead. I think Lucas needs me like I need him, and I know how I'd feel if Lucas were gone.
I breathe in and out some more. I think I'm calmer now. What was I thinking? I shiver with a sort of dread - I don't think I'm ready to face anyone else, not in this state. I lie down flat on my bed, pulling the covers over my body. I shamelessly hold my teddy bear close to my chest; I'm secretly very glad that it survived the fire, along with the books that Lucas bought me for Christmas. That's a thought, I guess I've got time to kill now. I might as well read one; it seems Lucas has gone down to dinner after all... good. I run my damp eyes along some of the spines of the books.
The Mystery of Magic by Wiz. Ard
Magical Monsters and Mythical Creatures by Pokey Minchini
Conspiracy Theories and Curious Oddities by Balbus Numbledoor
At random, I pick out The Mystery of Magic, opening it to the first page.
Potions and Spells, blares the title.
Glad for a distraction, I begin to read. This is all going to be nonsense, of course, but it's still interesting to see what strange potions have been 'discovered'.
Potion of Replication - Drink this potion to take the form of someone else!
Potion of Love - Give to your crush, and they'll fall in love!
Potion of Fortune - Receive good luck for days!
I blink in disbelief. It's all so informally written that there's no way anyone could believe this. I flick ahead to another section - Magical Branches - but it's equally cheesy and equally ridiculous; tellings of fire and ice and thunder powers, and then out of nowhere, mind-reading and fabrication, and so, so much more. Someone must have been really creative to come up with all this stuff, I think. It seems like the kind of thing that would manifest in one of those modern RPG board games. I close the book, sighing to myself. If only it were real. Magical powers would be pretty cool. Maybe I could magic away my emotions…
A few dozen minutes and a weak attempt at Wario's Business Plan later, I'm feeling rather exhausted. I stare sleepily up at the roof of this pretty room, all the patterns and spirals, and the beautiful view outside. I think back to my rather small dorm downstairs, wondering vaguely if we'll be allowed to stay up here for the long term. It would be nice, I think.
I can't believe we're so far through the week already. And coming up, there's so much - Bayonetta's party, that play that Villager mentioned, the Maths competition, and then the week after, Wilderness Survival Week. These are good things, good, hopeful things.
I curl up, these happy thoughts lifting me out of any residual gloom. The blanket is warm, and I can see my constellation out of the window - amici optimi. I suppose I'm still exhausted from our forest endeavour… was that only yesterday?
My eyes close, and I drop into a gentle slumber.
.
.
.
~~o00o~~
"Ness!" Father calls from his office. "Your school report is here!"
I gulp, coming down the hallway. This can't end well. Bowser and Wario are sure to have given me an awful grade, and some awful comments to match it. I'm forced to sit down in front of my parents, whilst Tracy listens the kitchen. Father must be making her cook dinner again.
"I expect exclusively As." Father leans forwards ominously. "Is that understood?"
"Yes Father," I say, knowing full well that I don't even have three.
"I'm sure you'll have managed that," Mother smiles, but she doesn't looks convinced.
Father snatches the report from her hands, slipping the envelope open with a sense of great expectation. He brings out the document, and as his eyes scan over the letters, his face grows steadily more purple.
"What the hell is this?"
He flashes the report in my face. I see some Bs, an A, but definitely a couple of Ds.
He stands. I shrink back in place as he advances, cowering in the corner as he raises his fists…
The memory shifts into a dream.
I'm not sure where I am now; it seems to be some kind of city. Marble buildings rise from the ground, tall, angry and white. In the middle of the sprawling scene is an ominous tower, dominating silently over the empty streets. I stare around. The city gates are before me; outside of them is a vibrant green marsh. It looks pleasant enough, so I make my way towards it, but just as I'm nearly there, a man in steel armour grabs my arm.
"Stay. You cannot leave."
"Let me go!" I struggle. "I don't know where this is!"
"New Pork City."
A chill floods through me. New Pork City?
"What's your name, kid?"
I panic. "John!"
"Enter the city, John."
I rush inside the city gates, afraid of the man in steel. He seemed not to be altogether there, somehow. Empty. I stare up at the grand central building; Porky could be in there now. What if he sees me? But no, he wouldn't. He doesn't know who I am - he wouldn't remember me. I am a mere pawn to him. And yet, I can't help but wonder why, why he's built himself this place? And how? How long this project has been going on?
Suddenly, the dream spins into darkness, a cage collapses down upon me, and out of the shadows leers Porky's face. It's a grotesque mask of evil and cruel intent, complete with nasty piggy eyes and mangled hair.
"I've got you." He grins maniacally. "I've got you all under my thumb! And there will NEVER be any escape!" He gives a great yell. "I will have what I want. Like it or not, Ness. I WILL!"
I drown in his cackling visage, his face flickering, surrounding me, immersing me in a cold clammy black.
~~o00o~~
.
.
.
I wake, shivering. The dormitory door stands open, and there's a figure in the doorway. I jump up, sharply alert.
"Ness?"
It's Lucas. Thank goodness.
I can just about make out his shadow. It must be late. The gas lamps are extinguished after 8 p.m.
"Can I..." He advances slightly. "Are you -"
I nod, as if to say that it's okay. But memories of all that happened before sleeping come crashing back to me, and I shrink back under my covers. What if he's angry at me? But Lucas comes into the room and joins me, sitting on my bed. I can just make out his eyes, reflecting the moonlight coming in through the window… I look away, suddenly feeling extremely shy.
"Hey." His voice is soft, as he lays an oh-so-gentle hand on my back. "What's up?"
I look up at him. I'm lost for words. I don't know what to say, what to tell him.
"It's okay, Ness." He gently lays down next to my shivering form.
"I don't know what's happening to me," I admit.
"That's alright - we'll figure it out."
"I lashed out at you… I shouldn't have."
"You were hurting. I understand."
"I was still hurtful."
"Well." Lucas shrugs. "What happened, happened. Can't change that now."
There's a gentle silence as I process his words of comfort.
He continues, "But if something's wrong… I want to talk with you about it."
"I don't know what's wrong," I say honestly. "I don't know what's wrong with me… I keep breaking down like this."
"Well… what, what's your thought process when you're like this? What's making you sad?"
"There's this awful voice." I screw my eyes shut tight. "It's inside my head, telling me… things. Bad things. About myself, about others…" I trail off. It sounds so stupid.
"Okay." Lucas nods. "It sounds like we need to get rid of this voice. Make it less… powerful, perhaps."
"How?"
He thinks. "Maybe you could name it?"
"Name it?"
"If you give it a stupid name… it will be harder to take it seriously."
It makes some sense, I suppose. "I'll call it Buttercup," I decide.
"That's a good name." Lucas laughs softly.
"Yeah." I smile. "Hear that, Buttercup? You're silly." There's no response.
"Alright, so," Lucas says, taking my hand, "That's a good start. When does this voice speak?"
"Depends..." I think hard. "When I think about how I've let down my parents, when I think about… me, when I think about what I'm like. When I worry about anything, it shows up to remind me of my flaws, and… it drives me to self-hatred."
"...and to breaking down…" Lucas whispers, staring at my arm. "Oh, Ness!"
I bite my lip, nodding, and Lucas pulls me close.
"I swear I'll help you get through this, get rid of the voi- of Buttercup."
"You're amazing." I sniffle, holding onto him. "You're incredible."
"I'm about to get even more amazing - I saved you food from dinner."
"Lucas," I moan. "Thank you so much."
"Don't mention it." He smiles, producing a plate of fish pie. "Did you have a good rest, though?"
"It wasn't great." I sit up, hungrily consuming the food. "I had some weird dreams…"
I tell him about them. His eyebrows furrow.
"That sounds unusual... but it was probably just your mind making things up because you were upset."
"Yeah," I say. "This pie is so good, by the way. It's still warm, even..."
We carry on chatting amicably until I finish the meal. Full of pie, I feel loads better, and Lucas suggests we should go down and see the others.
"They're worried about you," he tells me. I nod, resigned - I can't avoid them forever. Lucas leads me downstairs, but before we enter the games room, I remember:
"Lucas, how's your head?"
"I'm loads better now," he reassures me. "It still hurts, but I'm less dizzy. I can think straight."
"Good," I say, and we enter.
"Ness!" Toon Link is quick out of his seat to hug me. "Hey, what happened?"
"Just… had a moment. About the grave," I add as an embellishment.
"Understandable." Villager nods grimly. "That thing would scare me half to death too."
"Likewise." Red nods, before dramatically shifting the topic. "We should do our homework."
"Homework!" Toon Link scoffs. "Well, I never. I can't imagine anyone has any homework due for tomorrow..."
I smile, settling back into the group. Just like that, everything is normal again. We all move on so quickly.
"The business plan!" Lucas exclaims suddenly. "Ah, Wario's gonna kill me-"
"Guess what," I say.
"What?"
"I did it."
"All four pages?" Lucas exhales, his relief evident. "See, Ness, that's why you're awesome too."
"Thanks," I blush. "By the way," I remember something else. "We've all been invited to Bayonetta's birthday party."
"You were invited too?" A pair of voices come from behind me. It's Pit and Dark Pit.
"Hi!" Toon Link enthuses. "Long time no see!"
"It's been-" Pit begins.
"Just a few hours-" Dark Pit finishes.
"You two are creepy!" Red says loudly. I internally cringe.
"Thanks!" Pit laughs.
Dark Pit laughs too. "That's very-"
"-Kind of you!"
"But at least we have a personality!"
"Unlike this one." Pit prods Villager, who folds his arms.
"Still not over that, then?"
"Never will be, you fool." Pit growls comically. "You called us 'comic relief'!"
"So what? I'm right."
Dark Pit pokes him. "I'll have you know-"
Pit pokes him too. "We'll have you know-"
"Shut up, Dark Pit, stop cutting me off-"
"No, you!"
"No, you!"
"What's your point?" Villager interrupts.
"Villager… you're not coming to my birthday party!" Pit pronounces proudly.
"Harsh!" Dark Pit gasps. "Well, it's our party, so actually, that's not your decision-"
"Then we'll have a different party!"
"You idiot! We were born on the same day, we can't have two different parties!"
"We weren't born on the same day!"
"Yes we were - we're twins!"
"No we're not!"
"Well, I don't know!"
"I'll fight you!"
"You're on! Swimming pool?"
"Swimming pool!"
Just like that, the Pit twins - or maybe they're not twins - run away in glee, leaving us all in stunned silence.
"They're interesting characters," Toon Link comments cheerily.
"You don't say!" Red huffs. "Loud and annoying."
"They mean well," Lucas says quietly. "But what was that about a party, Ness?"
"Bayonetta's hosting one," I explain, and Toon Link frowns.
"But I was going to do that... it was going to be chaotic."
"Wonderful," Villager laughs. "I pity your roommate."
"Link doesn't mind one bit."
I splutter. "Link is your roommate?"
"He has been for the last few years - didn't you know?"
"But I thought you didn't like him," Lucas says, frowning.
"Oh, he has pictures of weapons on the walls… he constantly works out… we get on like a house on fire."
"Must be awkward," Red says.
"We don't talk at all. Absolute dead silence, aside from the constant threat of him causing me bodily harm."
There's a pause, and we soon burst out laughing. We're broken, but we're whole. Our group is thoroughly reformed, and I couldn't be happier.
.
.
.
.
.
It's soon time for bed. It's been another crazy, crazy day. The fire, the assault in the shower… I'm honestly exhausted, despite my nap earlier. Tomorrow is the last school day of the week, and it's Friday, which means - oh no - it's the day that Lucas is supposed to be watching out. I'm suddenly dreading it. Lucas and I take the long trek up to our temporary dormitory, and we quickly change into pyjamas, before throwing ourselves into bed.
"Are you nervous for tomorrow?" I ask quietly.
"Kind of…" Lucas makes a small sound, indistinguishable from the other side of the room.
"We'll be unpredictable. No way will they be able to do anything to you."
"Yeah." Lucas curls up under his blanket.
He must be tired, because there's soon a gentle snoring coming from his side of the room, leaving me to stare up at the ceiling, thinking, drifting off...
.
.
.
A grave. A cold, dark grave, coated in moss. Half-buried in a pile of leaves, standing powerful in the middle of the forest. The words are muddled, but on it, clear to see, are the names: Ness, Lucas.
.
.
.
.
The stone of death, it waits to be satisfied, but what will bring it sustenance? When?
.
.
.
I dig away the leaves. I scramble to know more, but I can't quite see.
.
.
.
There's a ringing noise. The lettering on the grave twists and forms, and then...
.
.
.
Suddenly, I snap awake. The room is freezing cold.
My thoughts grind. The grave. How can it be there? What does it say? I have a sudden unusual urge to go out there and check, to see what exactly it says. It wouldn't hurt, would it? But it would. Once I see it, it's fixed in place.
But maybe I should go and see it, just so I can just check that the date is from the past, just to prove that it's not ours. To prove it's just a trick...
It's late, though. It's cold. I shouldn't go outside. I should go back to sleep… I think of something nice, something good - Lucas. Being with Lucas.
Being with Lucas in a cold, dark coffin. Buried six feet deep beneath the gravestone.
No - agh, shut up, Buttercup. I'll think of food. That's a better idea. But now I'm hungry-
Dying of starvation. Hungry, the food so close, and yet so far.
I toss, torn, in two minds. My bed is warm. I don't want to leave it, but… the grave. I can almost hear it calling. I can almost hear a slight music, ringing far away, leading me, tempting me onwards…
That's it. I won't be able to sleep like this. I'm going to have to go and check. I have to quench this hunger for information. Do I wake Lucas? No, he probably wouldn't approve. I sit up, and the music grows a little louder. In delirium, I slide forwards, towards where the door is. Hadn't Red said they'd found an exit to the passages up here? Perhaps I could use that to get out of the building without detection… Unlike Lucas, I'm not afraid of the dark. It's a good plan. What had Red said?
"The ladder at the end of our passage led to the end of one of the dorm halls."
The music twinkles louder. At the end of a dorm hall; with any luck, it'll be ours. I creep forwards quietly, so as not to disturb Lucas. I open the door, hoping that there will be no squeak. Fortunately, there isn't.
I stare at the painting of a king that hangs at the end of the corridor, and I instinctively poke it as if I've taken this trip many times before. It swings a little. Pleased, I pivot it upwards, and it reveals a ladder, heading down into the gloom. Result! Another glimmer of music plays - whether in my mind or in reality I do not know - but it drives me forwards. I slide myself down onto the ladder, letting the painting swing back into place, and I climb down confidently, shrouded in the pitch black.
Eventually, I reach the bottom. It's more spacious down here; I can feel the girth of the passage around me. There's a peaceful hum - I'm definitely alone. Brimming with security, I stride down the passage, unsure of where I'll end up, but trusting my instincts to bring me somewhere good. There's a left turn and a right. I take a left fork, then a right one, following the music. It's all perfect.
Crunch.
The music sharply stops. The noise is jarring; did I step on something by mistake? I feel the ground with my hands. There's just dirt there. I stand up again, my confident aura wavering slightly. It was probably just… something above?
That makes sense. The music shimmers once again. I carry on, getting back in the groove. Left, right, left again at a fork, ignoring a mysteriously lit up route to the right. It vaguely occurs to me that when I'm out of these passages, I'm not sure how to get to the grave. Ah, well. I'll figure it out, no worries.
Crunch.
The music stops again - okay, that definitely wasn't me that time. That was louder, but it wasn't the noise of footsteps, I tell myself. Footsteps go thud, not crunch.
Thud.
Of course. What are the chances? Who would be down here at this time? Who would know about this place - why did I think this was a good idea?!
There is no more music. No more peace. No more aura of security. Panicked, I run forwards, suddenly feeling very alone, yet, very, very watched. I bolt. Left. Right! The path's gradient is sloping upwards, slowly… so slowly, there has to be an exit somewhere around here! Right. Left!
Thud.
My heart thunders, I'm colliding with dirt walls as I blindly sprint, up, up, up and out! Out, into the forest.
The dark, malevolent forest.
I turn all around. Help. Help me. I don't know where I am.
An icy, winter gale whips my hair as I struggle against the chaotic winds. The weather is crazy out here, like I've come out in the middle of a hurricane. I could've sworn it was calm earlier - but - never mind, I need to find the grave. That's why I'm here. I look around the vicinity, and there are just trees, trees, and more trees.
But another glimmer of music sounds to the left. Courage marginally restored, I take a chance and go towards it, walking in a straight line. There's a distant rumble - thunder, perhaps.
But out of nowhere - a voice.
"Ness!"
Any remaining confidence vanishes.
Blindly, I run forwards, praying that I'm going the right way, but the wind keeps blasting at my eyes. I dodge trees, I dodge everything, hoping to find one stone, one singular, irrelevant gravestone out here amongst the millions upon millions of trees. It occurs to me in a horrifying twist that I don't even know my way back to the school anymore.
I stop to catch my breath, trying not to look behind me. Why couldn't I have been born a good runner?
Crunch. Crash.
Rain starts hurtling down as I turn, and see the dark silhouette of someone, briefly lit up in a blinding flash of lightning.
Chills dart down me. I'm not alone. I force my legs to move, the rain plastering my hair down to my forehead. Why did I come out here? Why am I such an idiot? Why - why-
I look down. The gravestone! But I'm going too fast - I trip over it, tumbling onto the sodden ground...
Crunch. Crunch.
They're near, whoever it is, whatever it is, it's here. It's coming! By the very stone I'm looking for, this is where it ends.
This is where I'm going to die.
A/N
Okay, here's a secret.
I hate this chapter.
I hate it! I keep editing it, over and over again, but something about it is fundamentally shattered. It is a tragedy, and it will always be the worst chapter in this fic.
Sorry about that. At least the ending is good... I think.
Notes:
-All the book authors were some nice silly puns, one reference I guess to Harry Potter with the Dumbledore inspired name.
Thank you again for reading! If you wanna leave a review, I'll respond to every review in the most recent chapter (so even if you plug your fanfic in the review, I'll have to respond to it...)
~ReadyForTeddy
