(Prologue: ?)
It's coming.
This nightfall is the worst one yet. Distant sounds echo, sending me into a constant state of paranoia. Footsteps and forest ambience blend into one. I'm a man. I'm an adult man, and I'm scared of the darkness.
You can't be scared of the darkness, my brother told me. You can only be scared of what's in it.
The fields have changed, but in a terrible way. Instead of low bushels of wheat, there are sunflowers, dead and enormous, blocking out any scraps of moonlight that the clouds haven't already obscured. The edges are awash with thorny hedgerows, and so the only way is into the plants, into blindness.
Something's coming. I can feel it.
The wind picks up. I push through, focusing on keeping my bearings. Following the signs. Ignoring my pulsing heart and shaky breath.
At once, a spiral of crows billows from the field, screaming and complaining. Their cries merge into one cacophony of noise. From the shadows, there emerges a figure, followed by another. And another. And another.
I stagger backwards. At first, they appear stationary, but then they move, all in unison. Sunflowers disappear underneath their feet. There are groans, yells, screams.
They're coming.
Someone grabs my arm.
"Run!"
I'm lifted from my feet, and all at once, we're charging. Something bellows behind us, burning with anguish, but I'm dragged onwards, through plants and dirt. The crows yell, swarming through the skies. We burst from the sunflowers, my accomplice jumping to the latch of a great iron gate. On the other side is a pointed silhouette, a brick wall, a church, a village. The shouts from behind get louder, and louder, and louder...
The gate flies open. I'm pulled through, and there's a mighty slam as it closes behind us. The figures hurl themselves at it, gnawing at the iron, grotesque and ragged, but a shotgun is raised, and in four quick bursts, they're gone.
I gasp for breath on the other side, trying to make out my new surroundings. My rescuer grips me firmly by the wrist. His voice is dry, his figure broad and young, and he stashes his smoking shotgun back in his pocket.
"Come. Quick. It's not safe out here."
"What were they?" I shudder, pulling my composure back together.
"It's the dead, sir." The man gives me a strong look.
"The dead are alive."
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~~o00o~~
Chapter 14: Cool With You
(Lucas)
~~o00o~~
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I snatch the newspaper from Ness's trembling hands.
Onett declares war on Tazmily.
It's real. It's finally here. A strangled cry escapes my throat.
I can hardly feel Ness's hand, gripping vice-like on my own. A whirlwind of emotions hits me; anger, fear, guilt. Denial. Onett specialises in mining, they don't have factories for building weapons. Despair. Porky will have provided them with everything they need.
Generous Porky Minch supplies weapons to the Onett armed forces.
As if I needed proof. I fall back against the wall, desperately trying to repress everything I'm feeling. The dreams of showing Ness my home are dissolving all at once, and I reach out, trying to grab onto them, but I only strike Ness in the face.
"Sorry!" I cry, as Ness rubs his nose with surprise.
Ness wraps his arms around me. He doesn't have to say anything, and I desperately cling back. Part of me scolds myself for overreacting; this is not something I can control, but maybe that makes it all the worse.
"It sucks," Ness mutters.
"I know," I say bitterly, before softening my tone. "Sorry."
"It's okay," Ness says. He doesn't let go.
"Mother's grave," I manage. "It's there, and - and what happens if…"
I ball up, feeling my face flush crimson. Ness doesn't reply, he only holds me, running a gentle hand over my back.
"What's going on?" Shulk's voice appears out of nowhere. "Are you okay? I'm a professor, and given I'm supposed to make sure everyone is alright, I felt I should ask, um, what's happening?"
"Onett declared war on Tazmily," Ness explains simply. "Don't worry, we're fine."
"That does seem to have occurred." Shulk gives a thoughtful nod. "I'm guessing the issue is that you're afraid of being mercilessly killed by rogue Tazmily forces?" He continues without waiting for an answer. "During the many other wars this country has endured, artists hid away and painted to avoid conscription. It can be a really inspiring muse! So, don't you worry Lucas, nobody would attack the school. It's all perfectly safe, the professors will try their very best."
"Thank you, Professor," I just about say.
"Don't mention it!" Shulk beams, obliviously turning away. "Always happy to help."
I'm quiet as Ness leads me to our canvases. Maybe the soldiers will see how beautiful Tazmily is, and maybe they'll call off the attack. As if. This city is full of the worst of the worst, the darkest sins and vices. Onett City shows no mercy.
I can't bring myself to paint properly. Every time I lift my brush, I want to scribble black ink all over everything.
Instead, I survey the room. Nana seems to be painting a pineapple and of course, it looks amazing. I look up at what I've created so far, a big mess of blue splatters. I sigh. It's okay. These are just the underlying tones. Maybe it's the nighttime, maybe it's the ocean.
War.
My hand slips. A great splodge of black slaps itself onto the canvas.
Come on, Lucas. Don't think about Tazmily. Think about the art! Painting. Painting is good. I continue, trying to blend the darkness in. Perhaps it could become a galactic metaphor, perhaps it's just a happy accident. Now I'm painting some happy little stars, and it's becoming the foundation of a happy little solar system. I glance at Ness as I paint our constellation - amici optimi. I feel like some sort of nerd for knowing where all the constellations are, but I don't care.
I trace the skyline of a village, but my hand keeps slipping, and it's almost as if there are some humanoid silhouettes in the way. Grey splodges obscure the church, the barn, and the town hall. It looks vaguely like…
Tazmily.
Burning. Fire. Flood. I clutch my head, sending grey drips down the canvas. They look like dead sunflowers. Tazmily is dying, decayed, the dead alive. So many horrible visions pass by me in a matter of milliseconds, and I'm forced to sit down.
"Ness?"
"Hm?"
My voice sounds strengthless, and I find it hard to meet his eyes. "Can I watch you? I'm too distracted right now."
"Of course you can," Ness says softly.
Almost immediately, I'm more at ease. Ness seems to be using the war headline as well. He's actually a really good painter; he paints things abstractly and they always seem to have so much hidden meaning. I don't think I have the imagination to paint the way that he does, sure, I can do realism, but so could anyone, with practice.
His hands are surprisingly pretty, as he works the brush. It's not the first time I've noticed this, but it's still an unusual thought to have about one's best friend. He works quickly, nimbly, coloured shapes taking form on the canvas, all somehow coming together into one form. Whatever he's painting today, it's intended to be geometric; he's come a long way from when I first taught him about transition tones and underlying shades, and honestly, I'm a little bit proud. He's come into his own, and it's awesome.
When Ness first told me he wanted to do Art, I'd thought he was joking. It turns out that his father had tried to make him study Geography, but by some unknown fortune, he'd been able to change. As it turned out, Ness only wanted to do Art to be with me, a sweet notion, but we laughed as we considered Ness's stickman figures and scrawny renditions of buildings. But perhaps we were only laughing because it had been so long; that had been a weird summer, one full of secrets that I can never tell. Business with Porky. Business with someone even worse…
I shudder at the thought.
"Ness?" I pipe up, keen to divert my train of thought.
"Yeah?" He completes a triangle, focusing intently on the canvas. Is this what I look like when making art?
"What are you painting?" I ask.
He shrugs, waving airily at his piece. "I just wanted to make something pretty - it's not too bad, is it?"
"It's awesome." I smile. "Really beautiful."
"No, you are," he says, and I blush intensely at his words.
"Ness!?"
"No, you're awesome!" He backtracks suddenly, alarmed. "You're awesome - not beautiful - but you are beautiful - but - agh - no! You know what I mean!"
"Thanks, Ness." I hug him, suddenly filled with the uncharacteristic desire to giggle. "I appreciate it."
"It's - I. It's no problem," Ness says, flustered. I grin. I like it when he's embarrassed, it's sort of funny. I feel slightly mean when I think that, but it's his fault for being such a goof.
"What was Tazmily like?" Ness asks, keen to change the subject. "What's your favourite memory?"
"That's a good question," I say, sitting back down.
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~~o00o~~
The morning of the fifth of July was always my favourite. Perhaps that's because it was my birthday, or maybe it's because it was the first day of the Sunflower Harvest. I liked to draw, and those drawings were mostly of the sunflowers, bundles that Mother had brought in after a hot day's work making oil. She'd sell them at the market the next day.
This particular fifth of July was no different. I sprang out of bed at sunrise, throwing open the curtains to watch the fields of yellow, to watch Butch's pigs perusing the lane, to watch Tessie mixing beer in her inn's back garden. The bright light woke Claus, who leapt up, giddy with delight, and all at once we scrambled down the stairs, desperate to be the first to see our presents. We jostled past Mother, who beamed at us, sizzling omelettes in the frying pan. We pushed past Father, who ruffled our hair and grinned merrily, as though he had no care in the world.
"Happy birthday!" Claus shouted, nearly crashing into the presents. "We're six! That's so old! But I'm still taller!"
"I'll catch up!" I promise, laughing. There were gifts from all kinds of people - from Duster, from Fuel, from Lighter, from the many people that knew me in Tazmily. The smell of the omelettes filled my nostrils from next door, and I knew it was going to be a wonderful day.
~~o00o~~
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"It sounds lovely." Ness practically glows. "It sounds like the best place in the whole world."
I smile inwardly. I know it's only a rose-coloured memory. Fuel, Lighter, Duster… it's been ages since I've thought about names like those. But nostalgia is quickly replaced with worry - I hope they're smart enough to get away. They should be, shouldn't they?
The clocktower rings for the lesson's end, and Ness takes my hand. "Detention time…"
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Three hours later, we walk out of the detention room, exhausted.
"That wasn't too bad, was it?" Ness asks, bumping me on the shoulder.
"It was awful," I say. "I wrote 'I must not be richer than Wario' over a thousand times. My hand is killing me."
"Aw, c'mon," Ness says, ruffling my hair, but my head throbs as Ness accidentally makes contact with where I hit it. The wounds there seem to be healing, but they're still irritating, a source of much brain fog which is no good for solving a mystery. Not that we're supposed to be solving it anymore, of course, but no matter how hard I try, my subconscious intends to brood on it day and night.
At least the detention wasn't too bad, though the amount of free time I'd had to dwell on Tazmily hadn't been enjoyable. At least Wario didn't hurt me, which was something I'd been afraid of. But I feel a slight twinge of nerves, remembering that Bowser is still searching for me and Ness to dole out our punishment. It's a real stroke of luck that we haven't been caught yet.
We find the others in the games room.
"Ah! You have served your dues," Toon Link says, waving cheerily. "It's good to see you again."
"Hi," Ness flops down onto a couch, and I join him.
"You missed dinner," Red says.
Ness shrugs. "I figured."
"Aren't you hungry?"
"Not really."
"Unusual." Villager sounds concerned, but he doesn't say anything more.
"Howcome you got away without detention?" Ness points at Toon Link. "You gave one of them a broken arm!"
"I don't know," Toon Link says, shrugging. "Maybe Headmaster Hand has a personal vendetta against you."
"I wouldn't be surprised."
"It's a shame that Meta Knight and Olimar got away with it too." Toon Link balls his hands into fists. "Even though they were the ones who hung Lucas up!"
"To be fair, I did start an argument with the Headmaster," Ness says sheepishly.
"What was it about?" Villager stares at him.
Ness and I exchange a look. One that says it's fine, we can tell them.
"I overheard something," Ness begins, rubbing his fists together. "Something that Ryu said. About disappearances."
"Disappearances?" Toon Link puts down his pool cue.
"Ness and I have been looking into them," I say. "It's, uh. Concerning. Ryu said there are some 'really capable people' on the case, but we're not sure who they are."
"Who has disappeared?" Red asks sharply.
"We don't know," Ness says, but there's a touch of doubt in his voice. We haven't seen the Pit twins, Popo, or Mega Man for days.
"No wonder you've been so emotional." Toon Link gives a low whistle.
"This is serious," Villager says gravely, sitting down. "We need to tell Headmaster Hand. If this is true, we need to go home, until they've caught who's doing it."
"I tried telling Headmaster Hand," Ness grimaces. "Apparently, we can't go home, thanks to the virus."
"What!?"
"There are quarantine restrictions," I say. "Nobody's allowed in or out."
"So what do we do?" Red asks bluntly, holding his pool cue like a walking cane.
"Stay out of trouble," Villager decides. "We've already seen that gravestone. Something's going on around here, and we need to have no part in it. Anything unusual, we flag it up. I'm - we're not having any disappearances amongst us, okay?"
"So, no more forest trips?" Toon Link sighs dejectedly. "That's no fun."
"Neither is being kidnapped." Villager gives him a severe look. "I don't want anyone to get hurt."
There's an uncomfortable silence. No doubt everyone is trying to process this new information. I let Ness pull me a little closer towards him.
"Well," Toon Link stands, placing a hand on Ness's shoulder. "After that jolly conversation, it's time for us to go to orchestra."
"What?" I stare. "I thought it was weekly."
"It usually is," Toon Link says nonchalantly. "However, so many people missed the last practice that Sebastian told me we'd be having another session today. Come on!"
Ness nods, still consumed by the mystery. "What's going on?"
"We don't want to evoke Sebastian's wrath," I sigh, helping him up. And so, Toon Link leads us out of the room and shuts the door.
"Alright." He grins. "It's investigation time."
"What?" I blink.
"Oh, c'mon, we're not actually going to orchestra. We've got to investigate, and find out what's going on."
I glance at Ness, who glances back. "Then why did you lie to Villager?"
"He wouldn't approve," Toon Link says. "He's too cautious. I blame Red's influence. Anywhere, where are we gonna start?"
"I think Villager might be right to be cautious…" I mumble uncertainly. Ness nods in agreement.
"Oh, c'mon!" Toon Link rolls his eyes. "Don't be so worrisome! It'll be fine."
But Ness grips my hand. "If Lucas doesn't want to investigate, he doesn't want to investigate, okay?"
"Come on," Toon Link protests. "If we don't do something, who will? Do you want to be skewered by some random psycho?"
"What's wrong?" Ness asks. "Why are you so wound up by this?"
"Nothing's wrong! I'm not wound up - I'm only. Whatever. Don't worry."
"It'll be okay," I say. "The professors will sort it out."
"I know." Toon Link relinquishes, letting out a deep breath. "I just hate standing around when something's going on."
Ness pats Toon Link on the back. He gives a wry smile, and Ness returns it. We're interrupted by the sudden arrival of a short man with frilly white hair, an intense moustache, and a distinctly fussy suit.
Professor Sebastian Tute.
"Boys!" he squeaks. "It is hereby time for an Orchestral recital! Since many of you missed Wednesday's practice, it is time for one now!"
"But it's so late!" Ness protests.
"Music doesn't follow the rules of time!"
"Yes it does," Toon Link argues. "Haven't you heard of time signatures?"
"Haven't you heard of jazz? I will not have any cheek from you ragamuffins! The instruments will not play themselves!"
We give in, following him through the halls. What a dumb coincidence - I'm not ready for an orchestra session now. It's a sleepy day. I've given up trying to find anything good to get out of it. It's not a day for playing the piano, it's a day to admit that things suck, and that it's better to go to bed early. Worry prickles at the back of my mind as we enter the music room. What if forces are marching on Tazmily this very second? What if Father is conscripted into the army? That would be a nightmare.
"Well," Sebastian says shrilly, gazing around at us all. "There is no information on the whereabouts of a few people…"
He's right. Much of the brass section seems to be absent.
"Nonetheless, we will perform to the highest of standards! Today, we will be doing the classical piece 'Thème de la chaîne Mii!'"
I take my position at the grand piano. I haven't heard of this piece before. I flex my fingers, ready. There are vague expressions on most of the other instrumentalists, and Ness fingers his harp in trepidation. Toon Link looks ready to beat all of the percussion instruments to an untimely death. The sheet music is handed out - and oh no, what is this? The rhythm is completely irregular. It looks revolting to play. I notice some surprised looks from the woodwind section, as if they have no clue what they've been given.
"Who says music follows the rules of time? Let's give it a try!" Sebastian chirps. "One… two... three…"
The brass section plays an ascending motif, all out of time with one another. I hammer a bass triad thrice, as instructed - in synchrony with Toon Link hitting the bass drum. What is this madness? The brass section repeats the melody: DUN, DUN DUN, DUNDUN DUUUUUUUUUN DUN DA-
I play some unusual syncopated notes, which clash with some staccato violin. Is this jazz?
"Terrible!" Sebastian squeaks, halting us all. "Please, try and stay in rhythm."
"There is no rhythm!" A trombonist protests.
"It's arhythmic!" Sebastian declares, pointing his baton at us.
"It sucks!" A violinist points their bow right back.
Ness shrugs over at me from the other side of the room. I shrug back, equally bewildered.
"We will select a different piece, then!" Sebastian snaps. He grabs the hardest score he can find and hands it around. "You need to take this seriously! Music is a divine art of notes, interwoven to create a sound of perfection. Music is no laughing matter!"
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After several worlds have died, and several seasons have passed, we're let out. Villager and Red are playing pool again, and Villager seems pretty worn down. He waves.
"How was it?"
"Fine," Ness says. "Sebastian was as chaotic as ever."
"Naturally."
"Yes!" Red pots the black ball. "That's my seventieth win!"
"And my seventieth loss," Villager sighs, chucking the cue on the table and sitting down. "I'm getting tired."
"Sucks to be you." Toon Link slings an arm around his shoulders, tumbling down next to him. "Maybe we should go to sleep soon."
"Maybe," I say. "Or we could just talk for a bit."
"That'd be nice," Villager says.
"About what?" Red asks.
I sit down, comfortably accepting Ness when he wraps his arms around me. It's something we used to be self-conscious about, but one can only be called a homosexual so many times before it loses its meaning.
"Anything you like. What did you do today?"
But before anyone can answer, Pit and Dark Pit enter the games room, looking about as gleeful as I've ever seen them.
"What's the-"
"Private gathering-?"
I jump away from Ness, trying to act natural. It doesn't really succeed.
"Unusual." Pit frowns.
"You're unusual," Dark Pit snipes.
"No, you are!"
"No, you!"
"I was born first! Everyone knows you're just an unusual copy!"
"What! No, I was-"
Villager laughs. "You two are pretty much the same person, so you're both unusual."
"Alright, mister no-personality!"
"Alright, comic relief!"
"If anyone's comic relief, it's him!" Dark Pit points to Toon Link.
"Comic relief helps us to forget about the inevitable heat death of the universe," Toon Link says.
"Why are you two here?" Ness asks, amused.
"Because..."
"...We have a fabulous…"
"...Invitation!"
"An invitation?" Ness says.
"Yeah! Come, look!"
"What does it say?" I approach them, concerned. "What's it an invite to?"
"A secret party!" Pit cheers.
"Secret parties are forbidden," Red huffs. "Can I see this invite?" He takes it before waiting for a reply.
#########
Dearest Pit and Dark Pit.
I am hosting a party! If you enter the passageway I found behind the boxes in the first cupboard in the main hall, and travel along it until you find a room with a suspiciously bright light in, then you'll reach the venue. It's a very secretive event, and only the most fun people have been invited, so please, tell nobody!
From: A mystery person!
#########
"Well," Red scoffs. "This is evidently leading you to your untimely demises! Why would you follow this deceit?"
"Who could it be from?" I ask.
"We don't know!" Pit says cheerily.
"Exciting, right?" Dark Pit adds.
"And in those passageways…" Villager ponders, glancing at us all, unnerved. "I hope you're not planning on going."
"Part of them caved in," I recall. "Even if they wanted to, they wouldn't have much choice."
But Dark Pit cheers. "You've seen the passageways before? You can show us the route, and come to the party with us!"
"I'm just insulted that I wasn't invited," Toon Link says distantly. "I'm supposed to be one of the most fun people in the year..."
"I'm very glad that I haven't been invited," Villager says, giving him an exasperated look. "I don't trust it. There have been other disappearances; what if others have got this invitation, have been lured to that room, and that's where they've been kept?"
"Come on," Dark Pit sighs. "Live a little, Mr boring! You're just scared of parties!"
"Yeah, c'mon Villager, that's not very likely, is it?" Toon Link bumps Villager on the arm. "I mean, only the best parties are hosted in creepy death-trap passages."
"I thought we agreed not to take risks?"
"Well..." I consider it, trying not to be pessimistic, for once. "People have been disappearing in the dead of night, not the daytime. So maybe it really is a party?"
"Plus," Toon Link adds. "If it's dangerous and something's going on, we should go down to put a stop to it."
"Alright then!" Villager sarcastically enthuses, holding up his hands. "Let's go and get killed!"
"killed?" Toon Link tenderly takes his hand. "Not on my watch, Villy. I'll keep you safe."
"Toon Link!" Villager blushes, flustered, distracted, and the Pit twins take the opportunity to disappear.
"Dammit!" Ness gets up, and I quickly and silently grab his hand.
"Quickly!" Toon Link hurries into the hallway, but the Pit twins are already at the cupboard door.
"Now we've got no choice!" Villager folds his arms, frustrated. "This is stupidly dangerous. Maybe I should go alone."
"No way!" Toon Link says suddenly. "We're a team. You're definitely not going alone."
"He's right." Ness looks at me. "We should go and make sure they don't get into any trouble - is that cool with you?"
"Definitely!" I squeak, praying that Ness doesn't let go of my hand this time. I hope to all things sacred that there really is a party down there, but the chances are slim. Pit and Dark Pit are going to their deaths, and we're the only ones who can stop them... which fills me with a sudden burst of purpose.
But then the twins open the cupboard, and my fear of the darkness and the tight spaces come rushing back - the passage falling in, the fear, the tightness in my chest. Last night was a night that I don't want to relive. Ever. Ness tenses up as well, and I hold him close. I don't want to admit that I'm scared, but I am. I can see by Red's silence that he feels the same way.
"I don't want to go down there," Red says flatly. "It's horrible."
"Yeah," Villager says cautiously, as the Pit twins fool around with the boxes inside. "Red, you don't have to come if you don't want to."
"Yes, he does!" Toon Link calls. "We're a team!"
"No, he doesn't, Toon Link," Villager scolds. "And neither do you, Pit or Dark Pit! Come back, please!"
Dark Pit sticks out his tongue and enters the passage.
"I'm not coming," Red decides, backing out.
"That's okay," I say quietly. I'm not sure if he hears. Red walks back into the games room, probably to practice some more pool.
"Alright, we may be down our cynic," Toon Link says motivationally, "But we're still going to give it our all! Quickly!" he adds, as The Pits disappear from view.
"We need some light," Ness says, but Toon Link seizes a bag of scented candles from his pocket, lighting them all from the nearest gas lamps. He doles them out, I steel my nerves, and we run into the darkness.
It doesn't take long for us to catch up. Villager grips Pit's shoulder and Pit jumps with alarm.
"Hey!"
"Candles?" Dark Pit says, in the most accusatory tone he can muster. "You're ruining the vibe!"
But Pit scoffs. "You're only saying that because you're 'Dark' Pit."
"Am not!"
"Are too!"
"Quiet!" Villager exclaims. "Look, here's the deal. We'll come down here with you, and if there's a party, then we'll let you attend. But, if there's not a party, as is extremely likely, then we'll go straight back. Okay?"
"Fine," Dark Pit says. "But these candles suck. Blueberry is such a bad flavour. Where did you get these?"
"I just like some mood lighting," Toon Link protests. "Is that a crime?"
"Come on," Ness intercedes, noticing that my hands are now shaking. "Let's just go."
Memories of the last few visits to the passages play like a slideshow as we hurry downhill. There was a room, I recall, from which a light shone, and it had possessed distinctly bad vibes. It must be where we are headed, but amongst all the different paths and catacombs, it would be a miracle if we find it. I wish I'd thought to use string, or something to make sure we don't get lost. It wouldn't do if we ended up someplace dangerous.
From the candlelight, we can see that the passages have been roughly carved from the stones and dirt of the ground, without any additional supporting materials. That would explain the rockfall from last night, the weight of the rainwater and my disruptive presence would have applied enough pressure to cause a collapse. This suggests to me that these passages must be a recent creation. Else, surely, they would have already caved in; but that makes me think about the weather up above, and the fact that there's a dripping noise in the distance. I cling onto Ness's arm even tighter than before.
We branch onto a wider section of the route, and the chill gets noticeably worse. Just as I'm beginning to find our silence eerie, Dark Pit turns around.
"This is much nicer! We're nearly there."
"It's not too late to turn back!" Villager hisses, still looking as though he'd rather be anywhere else. "Does this look like a party atmosphere to you?"
"It's a hidden party," Dark Pit scoffs. "People have them all the time. Maybe you haven't ever been invited, Mr Boring."
The insult stings Villager a little bit, and he shrinks back.
"I forgot how awful these passageways were," Toon Link says weakly.
"They're not that bad," Dark Pit says, folding his arms.
"They are," Pit disagrees.
"But you wanted to come down here!"
"I know. Unfortunately, I legally have to disagree with everything you say."
"Since when?"
"It's in my contract."
"What contract!?"
"You fool." Pit gets out a sheet of paper and some spectacles. "This contract hereby declares that Pit must disagree with everything that Dark Pit says."
But Dark Pit smirks. "In that case, Pit is a well-respected individual, and women find him extremely attractive."
"Wha - Hey!"
"Hey!"
"Guys?" Villager loudly clears his throat. "If you're done practising your awful jokes, it'd be nice to get this over with before the roof caves in, alright?"
"Oh!" Pit spins around to face Villager. "Well, I oughtta-"
"Just walk. For the love of God."
The Pit twins move onwards, somehow ending up in some kind of poking battle. Our footsteps echo around the walls. We take the next fork to the right; the Pits seem to be leading us as if they know exactly where they're going. We join another path, and I look behind me, noticing that in one direction, there's been a cave-in. It has to be where we were last night. Then we reach a familiar fork, light to one side, the other being our tunnel into the forest. I can't believe that I'd just walked past this, assumed… but maybe it's for the best that I had. What could be in there? I don't hear any music, any shouting, any bottles. The light is coming from around a corner, yellow and flickering slightly. Ominously.
"It's still not too late to turn back…" Villager's voice cuts the silence.
"No, come on." Toon Link advances, pressed by curiosity. Ness shrinks forwards, me at his side. Villager keeps a keen eye on Pit and Dark Pit at the rear, and Toon Link peers round the corner…
"Holy-" He backtracks with a jolt. "Everyone, get back! Everyone back, now!"
"What is it?" Dark Pit says, pressing forwards.
"Not a party. Come on! We have to leave!"
But Dark Pit turns around to face us. "No fear here! Who's with me? I say in we go!"
"No!" Pit counters. "I say we don't go in!"
"Are you a coward?"
"No, I'm not!"
"Are you sure about that?"
"Dammit - yes, Dark Pit, I am! Come on!"
Toon Link tries to pull Dark Pit away from the light, but then there's a flash, a shadow, and he's yanked from view.
"DARK PIT!" Pit yells, dashing forwards, and a mangled scream comes from around the corner. He lunges, but then Dark Pit's foot swings up at the ceiling, and suddenly, it's all falling in. Pit's advance is blocked by a cascade of stones, and the light vanishes behind them. Dark Pit and his captor are gone.
"Dark Pit! Dark Pit!" Pit yells, desperately trying to hold up the roof. I feel Ness pulling me backwards, away from the cascade, but I wrench myself free. Dark Pit's strangled voice rings out from the other side of the rocks, over the echoing roar of collapsing dirt.
Someone yells, "RUN!"
Toon Link grabs Villager's hand, pulling him out of his shock. Pit hammers at the rocks, but it only accelerates the chaos. Immediately, I know what I have to do. I shake free of Ness's renewed grip, and I run towards Pit.
"No!" Ness exclaims, whirling round. "Lucas, we have to go!"
"Pit, come on!" I beg.
"Dark Pit!" He beats the wall with his fist. "Dark Pit! Dark Pit! Dark Pit!"
I grab Pit's hand, hauling him out of the path of the oncoming torrent. Toon Link and Villager are long gone. Ness desperately swings for my other hand, parrying a rock just before it strikes my head, and then we're running, screaming, blind through the darkness. Pit's hand is tight around my own, and someone is crying. I have no idea where we're going, or where we'll end up, all I can focus on is the light and the noise.
I throw us to the left, then to the right. Our candles are long gone, the air thick with dust and heat, too thick for me to think clearly. Ness pants for breath, slowing down, and Pit's weight gets heavier and heavier. There are crashes and roars, blaring through my mind, and it's coming, the darkness, the sound of pure rock, pure power. I'll be forgotten forever. I'll be dust. Razed. Destroyed like Tazmily.
Destroyed like Tazmily.
The thought is fatal. My body jolts, and I'm flying to the ground. Pit soars from my grip, and it's over, it's all over, and there's weight, and it's all over my face, and my eyes are screwed shut, and it's warm, and squidgy, and it's-
It's Ness.
Ness is on top of me. The ceiling is not.
There's dead silence in the cavern. Not a pebble, not even the smallest grain of gravel, dares to move. Then there's light, sudden light. Have we died and gone to the afterlife? Ness, still on top of me, wraps his arms around me tight. I flounder, reaching Pit's hand, and he grips on like a vice.
Ness scrambles off of me, and the cold hits in an instant. I look up. I look up at Ness's frightened face, which stares down at me as though he's never seen me before. Is something wrong with me? My forehead creases when I glance up again, and then there is the form of someone else.
Ryu.
"Where's Dark Pit?" Ness asks, turning to him in challenge.
"Gone." Ryu looks grave. "Be quick, you need to get out of here."
Pit scrambles up upon hearing the voice of an adult. "What happened?" he chokes out.
I grab onto the wall, disorientated, wordless. We're not dead. Ness is silent, gaping; Ryu seems to have a candle of his own. Questions burn through my mind, but none can escape me. I grab Ness's hand, but he shakes it off again - what's wrong with him?
Ryu gives us a significant look. But why is he here? How is he here!? What happened to the rockfall? My adrenaline levels are through the roof.
And then, it hits me with abject certainty;
Dark Pit is dead.
Notes:
-"Happy little trees" is a Bob Ross reference. What a legend.
-"Thème de la chaîne Mii!" is French for "The Mii channel theme", Of course.
- Syncopated means Off-Beat and Staccato means quick and jolty.
Thank you for reading this chapter! I look forward to seeing you all, hopefully soon, in the next one!
~ ReadyForTeddy
