Prologue: ?
As the sun sets, the light disappears, and so do the last remnants of the dead.
It's easier to pretend they're not there in the darkness. Sebastian's body, lying flat on the ground, eyes hollow and lifeless. The knight's silhouette, broken in a pile.
When we arrived, the scene was beautiful.
Now it's ruined.
I move silently to the knight's shattered form. Upon closer inspection, it appears that his armour wasn't as impressive as it looked. Less than a millimetre of dented and crudely welded copper covers his chest, nowhere near enough to stop an arrow. Onett must be scraping together the metal they have left, the blacksmiths must be working overtime to provide.
I lift the knight's helmet. His face is young, a sweep of dark, black hair covering his forehead, the fragments of a beard starting to form on his chin. He must've been brainwashed, told lies by the Onett Brigades, convinced that Tazmily is full of evil. It must've turned him bitter. How many others have been used like this? Whipped up into a violent frenzy?
"Nice shot," Reggie murmurs to my side, his beads announcing his arrival.
"It was a fluke," I say, biting back the sour words on my tongue. "A lucky throw."
"Still. It saved our lives."
"It didn't save Sebastian."
Reggie pauses, realising I'm echoing his words from a few days ago. He gives a sort of shrug, before disappearing to join the others.
I killed him.
Regret sinks through me. There could've been another way - I didn't need to throw the arrow - I hadn't thought it would end like this...
But it did.
Nothing can ever make this right.
"It was self-defence," says a quiet voice, coming from behind me. Roy emerges from the shadows.
I don't look up. "He didn't deserve to die."
"He would've killed us all, Steven," Roy says, his tone low and compassionate.
But I remain in silence, staring down at the knight's body. His horse is still there, standing obediently beside him. It cocks its head to one side, and I sigh, "He's dead, horse. Your rider is dead."
The horse doesn't respond, instead choosing to paw at the grass. I move around the back of it, unclipping the reins, the saddle, and the bridle.
"You're free to go," I say, throwing the equipment to the floor. The horse nickers, turning and walking steadily into the forest.
When it's disappeared into the shadows, I step back, trying to avoid staring any longer at the fallen knight. Trying to avoid facing what I've done. I've always thrived for life, for growing in strength. For self-improvement, and change. I've always believed in second chances.
I never believed in this.
Eventually, it's with sombre unity that our group digs the ground, forming a reasonably-sized hole. We lower Sebastian's body into it, and we stand back for a moment, simply observing, taking him in for the final time. Then, Caroline and Tessie start working to fill the grave, and I scrape lettering into a stray piece of slate.
~~o00o~~
Here lies Sebastian, butler to Mayor Pusher of Tazmily.
His life was selfishly taken.
May he rest in peace.
~~o00o~~
When the hole is filled, I place the gravestone beside it. The night falls around us, time disappearing as if in a dream, owls hooting, rats scurrying through the undergrowth. The knight, meanwhile, is left unattended by the other villagers, nobody daring to go near his body. Even so, I replace his helmet, laying some stray crocuses by his side, maybe as some feeble attempt to apologise.
It doesn't help.
"We should keep walking," Tessie decides after some time has passed.
"Yeah," Caroline agrees, and nobody protests.
I close my eyes, trying to push the knight and Sebastian out of my mind. We've mourned them, and now we must move on. Other worries remain.
"We need to focus on finding food," I say. "We needn't worry about water. I think my powers are nearly recharged."
"Good," Elmore huffs, but I ignore her, stepping to the front of the group. The night is bleak, and the hour is late, but we can't remain here any longer. We need to get away.
Our journey continues in silence.
.
.
.
~~o00o~~
Chapter 28: You Need Him Too
(Lucas)
~~o00o~~
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Fear is a sinister thing.
Fear prickles down the spine, raising the hairs on the back of your neck. Fear controls you, forcing you to pay it attention, manipulating your every action. It brings alertness, darting eyes, hurried breathing.
It's a simple survival mechanism. Fear tells you something's wrong, giving courage, determination, a fight-or-flight response. It exists to serve all sorts of creatures, from the smallest insects to the largest beasts.
Through a crack in the blanket, I watch a spider creeping up the wall. I move a finger near its body, and it scuttles out of sight.
Sometimes, fear is irrational. Sometimes, there's nothing there when you light the candle. Nothing behind you when you check over your shoulder. And yet, there it is, the hushed breathing in the corner, the shifting silhouette in the gloom. Cold fingers, crawling closer to the back of your neck. Something alive, just inches away.
Something coming for you.
I'm hoping it's irrational now. Ness is asleep beside me, drool pooling on his lower lip. His breathing mixes with something else, something low in the ambience, something like an echoing pipe. His presence is a strange comfort in that best friends don't usually share a bed, but we're close enough that there's no awkwardness when it comes to affection. I told him my darkest secret yesterday, and he understood. He told me that what happened wasn't my fault.
I almost believed him.
I can't quite see the room through the gloom, only the stone wall behind me. The distant orange light of an early sunrise flickers through the misted window, and I shake, feeling the darkness closing in. There's nothing there, I remind myself over and over again. The door hasn't opened, therefore, what could've come in? I don't understand why I'm scared, because being with Ness is the safest place I've ever known. The one place where I'm loved, cared for and treasured.
I feel another shiver jolting through me, and I pull the blanket tighter around my form. I want to look, to prove there's nothing to be afraid of, but I can't. Something's bound me.
Something awful.
I close my eyes, but that's worse. Geldegarde. Streets. Chains. Knives. I desperately fling my eyes open, gasping for air. I can breathe. It's okay. Ness is here. But, but the fear, the fear...
Something whispers. I wildly turn my head. Something creaks. I dart out from under the covers. Something's there. Something's there.
A shadow by the wardrobe. A dark form, writhing, evil. I'm frozen with horror it rises, pulsating, humanoid, glinting, shining, evil. Teeth, hair, mass, darkness, horror.
There's a hiss. "Hello, Lucas."
"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAGH!"
It bolts. Something slams. Ness yells, tumbling out of bed. Light pours through the door as it opens, Professor Shulk wildly dashing in - I look around madly for anything else, but the room is empty, my heart is pounding - pounding so hard -
"What's going on?" Shulk exclaims.
"I saw someone!" I yelp, my voice shrill with fear. "There was someone here - get Professor Ryu!"
"Professor Ryu?"
"Quick!"
Shulk darts out of the room. I leap to my feet as Ness scrambles around on the floor, entangled in blankets. In blind panic, I check everywhere, the wardrobe, the bookshelf, my painting on the wall. I'm sure I saw something. I'm sure.
Others hurry into the room.
"What's going on?" Red demands. "What's all the shouting?"
"There was a figure," I manage, wrenching the duvet from my bed. "It was here, it was watching-"
"Are you sure you're not seeing things?" Villager asks, but I shake my head. I'm certain. I'm absolutely certain.
"aGH-" Ness finally manages to stand up. "What's happening?"
"There was something in the room," I explain again, putting a shaking hand to my neck. A lot of students gather around us, and I tremble in their presence.
"What happened?"
"What did it look like?"
"Where did it go?"
"It was big - dark," I say. "It was standing there, like, like it was going to pounce - it ran when I screamed-"
Mutters break out. Professor Ryu quickly rushes into the room. "Everyone who isn't Ness and Lucas, please return to your dorms."
There's a cry of outrage.
"No dispute!" Ryu commands. "There is danger all around us - we need to perform a full search. Everyone, out! Barricade the doors! Stay safe."
Nobody dares to disobey. Ryu waits for the room to be empty before shutting the door. I breathe deeply in the momentary calm, trying to understand what's happening.
Ryu turns, his voice low. "Alright, boys. Tell me what you saw."
"A dark figure," I say shakily, only now realising how unlikely it sounds. "It was in the room, standing over me, but then it ran out of the door-"
"And you're sure this wasn't a nightmare?"
"Yes! I heard the door - Ryu-"
"Professor Ryu."
"Professor Ryu, you have to believe me!"
"I do. Now, come on!"
"Where are we going?"
"This isn't the only thing that's happened tonight," Ryu says gravely, his bandanna flowing as he turns. "Everything has become a lot more serious. It's become apparent that we need to see the Headmaster."
"The Headmaster?" I shudder.
"The Headmaster. Quick!"
But despite Ryu's plea for speed, we have to walk excruciatingly slowly. Ness remains weak, having to take steady steps thanks to his injuries. I can sense Ryu's agitation as he wrings his hands for the fifth time.
"I'm sorry," Ness moans, slurring his words through tiredness. "I should've stayed behind-"
"It's alright," I insist.
"But they might be getting away!"
"I doubt it," Ryu says, though he sounds worried. "The door has been sealed off."
"What else has happened tonight?" I ask, trying to divert my thoughts more than anything. The figure remains fixed in my mind, shadowy, malevolent. What did it want?
"A lot has happened," Ryu sighs. "First, Professor Shulk found out that even more paint has been stolen from his art room. Then, a large amount of noise was heard around a corridor on the third floor. More students than ever have disappeared. And then, well, this arrived..."
We come to a stop around the science and maths corridor. There, hanging on the wall, is a large poster. Upon closer inspection, there is a sketch that depicts a burning school.
"Who drew this?" I ask.
"We don't know. We tried to take it down, but it seems to be stuck fast."
"What's - this-?" Ness asks sleepily, pointing to the corner. I look a little closer.
Ryu reads aloud: "It says 'Play my game.'"
"Play my game?" I ask, confused. "What does that mean?"
"A cryptic message," Ryu says. "No doubt from our villain."
"Possibly," I say, wondering why they felt the need to devote their time to art. "Unless it was someone's idea of a joke."
Ness shakes his head, bemused. "Was that the villain in our dorm?"
"It could've been," Ryu says darkly. "But come on. We need to go to the Headmaster."
As we continue to walk, I drift over to Ness's side. It's too late for this kind of action. The hallways are dark with menace, and I can't help but feel that if someone found us, we'd have a hard time escaping them. Plus, the cold... without the warmth of the gas lamps, I find myself wishing I'd thought to bring blankets. Although perhaps I'm just shivering because of the situation; someone was watching us. It wasn't just paranoia - it should've just been paranoia - but I know it wasn't. Someone was there.
Ness takes my hand, and I feel like he's trying to communicate something, but I'm not sure what it is. This seems to have been happening a lot since he woke, everything masquerading as some sort of hidden message. The gaps between words, his little sighs. They make me feel like a nervous ball of energy, ready to shout at something. I just want to understand what he's thinking.
We eventually enter the headmaster's office. Headmaster Hand is sleeping in the backroom, so Ryu clears his throat, making himself at home on one of the velveted chairs.
Headmaster Hand sits up at once, rubbing his eyes. "Lord above... Ryu? What are you doing here?"
"Headmaster," Ryu says without hesitation. "Even though it is 5 a.m., there have been several incidents that you need to know about."
"Christ, do you ever sleep?" Headmaster Hand groans, pulling himself out of bed. "But what did you say - incidents?" He pulls on a robe. "What's happening?"
"Someone is loose in the school," Ryu explains. "They were in Ness's dormitory. The disappearances have spiked. And... there's more, things that I haven't told you."
"Someone going around?" Headmaster Hand leans over his desk, visibly distressed. "Do you mean there's an intruder?"
"It could be anything," Ryu says gravely. "We do not know. But somebody has been doing a lot of things under our noses, and we believe they are specifically targeting Lucas."
"Targeting me," Ness corrects, and I squeeze his hand. "They're attacking Lucas to get at me."
"If there's an intruder, then we need to search the school." Headmaster Hand moves swiftly towards his door, and we follow. "Ryu, activate protocol B. Grey Alert. Ness, Lucas, please wake the other professors-"
"I'm still injured," Ness reminds him.
"Yes. Of course. My apologies. Ryu, Lucas, you go-"
"Ness shouldn't be left alone," Ryu says sharply.
"If you insist," Headmaster Hand sighs, pushing through the doorway. "Ness, Lucas, stay here for now. Ryu and I will wake everyone, start the search, and then you can all tell me what the hell is going on."
The professors leave, finally allowing us to catch a breath. We sit, Ness taking my hand in his. I'm shaking. I'm still shaking.
"What do you think it was?" Ness hugs me, shivering. It's so cold in the office.
"It was hard to see." I close my eyes, trying to remember. "It could've been anything - it could've been The Face, it could've been the Dreamlord..."
"At least you saw it," Ness says, holding me a little tighter. "It could have hurt us."
"How much do we tell Ryu and Headmaster Hand?"
"We shouldn't tell them about the Grave," Ness says at once.
"Nor the Face," I add.
"Nor the golden egg, or our magic. Only about the Future Humans and the disappearances."
"Agreed."
There's another pause.
"I'm scared," Ness admits. "If something else comes in the night… I can't exactly run away."
"How's your head?" I ask, feeling myself soften as I look at his injuries. Perhaps fear isn't just in the moment, perhaps it exists in the long term as well. The swelling on his scalp has worsened in the night.
"Erm..." Ness puts a gentle hand to his temple, before wincing horribly. "Not good. Not good at all."
"You're improving," I say, although it's more for my own sake than his. "You're better than when you first woke up."
He nods slightly, which causes him to grimace with pain.
There's another silence, and Ness releases me from the hug. I take the chance to stare around Headmaster Hand's office, seeing all sorts of lavish decorative items adorning the shelves. I imagine that there used to be more before the fire, but at least some gemstones and jewellery survived. There's a particularly pretty crystal, purple and green, sitting on Headmaster Hand's desk. Some antique plates hang on the walls, next to some sort of trophy for brawling.
Ness looks down at the floor. "Everything's about to get worse, isn't it?"
"Worse?" I turn, concerned. "What do you mean?"
"More people are going to be taken." Ness shivers, and I feel a pang of sympathy. "People we love, perhaps."
"The professors will keep us safe," I promise, but I know it sounds empty. They've hardly done anything so far.
"We're screwed," Ness says, letting out a tiny, hopeless noise. "The Dreamlord's been busy. There are always professors on patrol, and yet he wasn't caught. He got into our room. That - that poster thing was weird - and what did Ryu say? More paint has been stolen?"
"The poster was a sketch," I say, frowning. "The paint must've been used for something else."
"But what?"
We wrack our brains, but neither of us comes up with anything sensible.
"We're gonna die here," Ness mumbles after a while.
"Don't be dramatic," I say, hoping it's just his tiredness speaking. "We still have each other."
"But what good will that do? That just means we'll both be taken."
"Not if we can help it," I say, not sure where this has come from. "We're stronger than that, aren't we?"
"Lucas." Ness looks up, and I'm surprised to see that his eyes are watery. "The villain is going to convert us all into Future Humans, because we can't evacuate or get away. There's nothing we can do."
"Ness-"
"We're doomed!"
"Ness, please!" I stand, shaking. "You've overcome a coma. We've escaped multiple horrors. We have magic. I've overcome - well," I gulp. "You know what I've overcome. But, the point is, Ness, we're strong."
"...I'm not. I'm weak. I'm useless."
"No, you aren't," I sigh, coming to his side. "Now is not the time for self-deprecation. You're amazing, Ness. We can be brave, and we can fight through this together."
But he presses his face into his hands. "You're so optimistic, Lucas. So hopeful. Sometimes it doesn't work out, you know? Sometimes, it's not going to end in sunshine and rainbows. Some people don't get their happy endings."
"Ness, we-" I begin, but I'm interrupted by Ryu and Headmaster Hand reappearing. Ness's distraught expression vanishes at once, and I open my mouth, but he gives me a look, one that tells me later. I resolutely sit down.
"Okay," Headmaster Hand says stiffly as soon as he's back in his seat. He looks exhausted. I wonder if he's been sleeping much with all the stress of what's going on. "What is it that you need to tell me?"
"This is going to sound very far-fetched," Ryu warns, folding his sturdy hands.
"I would like to get to sleep. I do not care how far-fetched it is, I would just like to know the facts."
"Alright then," Ryu says. "I'm a magician. So are Ness and Lucas."
Headmaster Hand's eyes widen.
"But so are you," Ryu continues. " See, part of what I can do is detect other people's abilities. You carry the trace of ELM magic."
"ELM?" Headmaster Hand's expression displays nothing but disbelief. "What does that mean?"
"A good question," Ryu says acutely, as if he's talking to a student. "It means Elemental. Now, have there ever been any strange… weather events, perhaps? Around you?"
"Erm..." Headmaster Hand frowns. "I suppose so? A lot of rain, sometimes - sometimes entirely localised to where I am standing… I assumed coincidence, but..."
"Well, that's a feature of ELM magic. There you go."
"But - wait!" Headmaster Hand looks alarmed. "You mean to tell me that's it? I'm just supposed to believe that I'm a magician?"
"Headmaster, please, hold your peace," Ryu says. "Yes, you are."
"And you didn't tell me this sooner, because…?"
"Because it's best if magicians don't know of their powers. When they do, there's a risk of them being kidnapped."
"Kidnapped? They? There are more like you - like us?"
"Indeed," Ryu says, and he proceeds to explain the magical universe in shorthand; the five magical stones and the extra time-stone, the journals of Ninten, the types of magic that can be done. Ness and I stay obediently silent, unsure what is going to happen.
"I see..." Headmaster Hand looks extremely sceptical. "Can you - can you show me some magic? Some proof?"
"We can," I blurt, and Ness raises his hands.
"PK Fire!"
A small blaze shoots from his palms, landing in the fireplace. The wood roars into life, crackling with heat, and Headmaster Hand jumps up in alarm.
"I - Agh! What!? This is insane!"
"I agree," Ness says bleakly, his face flickering in the firelight.
"But - but-" Headmaster Hand seems to be losing his composure. "I don't comprehend how-"
"You don't need to," Ryu says plainly. "Do not worry about it. I will give you a book on your ELM powers that you can read in your own time."
"I'm - but-"
"There's more," Ryu continues as though Headmaster Hand is not having a mental breakdown. "Someone in this school is taking students and converting them into monsters."
"What!?" Headmaster Hand yelps. "You told me about the disappearances - you never mentioned monsters!"
"Future Humans," Ryu states. "Metal armour, cogs, a ticking noise, and far, far from human. I can track them with my powers, but…"
"Have there been any around tonight?" I ask quickly.
"There haven't been," Ryu replies.
"So - so, let me get this straight," Headmaster Hand stutters. He's properly shaken up. "There's - all that - going on…"
"Also," Ness speaks up. "We found out where they're operating."
Ryu and Headmaster Hand turn sharply towards him. "You did!?"
"Yeah," Ness says. "There are a load of passageways around the school, like the one where Dark Pit got lost. Down there, there's a lit-up room. That's where it's all happening."
"And there's a chimney in the forest," I add.
"The forest? What were you doing in the forest?" Headmaster Hand asks worriedly. I consider this a strange question, given we saw him there, but I decide not to mention it.
"We were going on a walk," Ness says. "The chimney led down to the room."
"Another important thing," I pipe up. "There was a book called Magical Monsters and Mythical Creatures. There were blueprints and a description of the Future Humans in it. The book went missing until we found the spine of it in your fireplace, which we think is how the fire began. Someone tried to burn it."
"I... see." Headmaster Hand seems to be developing a migraine. "This is a lot of information you're telling me."
"All very important," Ryu says lightly. "Would you like a glass of water?"
"I - no, I'll be fine, thank you-"
"Something was weird about the spine of the book," I continue. "In the fireplace, there was an extra V after the title, but it wasn't there the first time we read it."
"Maybe it read Version 2?" Ryu suggests. "If it were a book of blueprints, perhaps there were multiple copies."
Ness and I exchange a glance. That means the original copy is still out there!
"Okay, I think I've heard enough," Headmaster Hand says shakily. "I don't fully understand all of this, and Ryu, you'll have to do a lot more explaining, but I can see I'm going to need to put in a lot of new measures. When the search for whatever intruded tonight is over, I'm going to have to call a staff meeting. Ness, Lucas, you two should go back to bed-"
"Back to bed!?" Ness cries out in outrage. "But - all this is happening!"
"Exactly. You are students, so the safest place for you to be is in your dormitory, asleep."
"But there was someone in our room!"
"Professor Shulk will keep extra guard," Headmaster Hand assures us. "Ryu, please escort them back."
"But-"
"Boys, it'll be okay," Headmaster Hand says, sounding stern now. "I'll announce at breakfast what will be happening. Do not worry yourselves until tomorrow."
I know better than to argue.
"Okay, Headmaster."
.
.
.
.
.
"I'm sorry," Ryu says firmly as we walk down the corridor. "You must do what the Headmaster says. You must go to sleep."
"But we know stuff, we can help!" Ness protests.
"I am aware of this. But you're young, not even adults. It would be a heavy burden for you to shoulder."
"We're capable!"
"You're still injured, Ness."
"So?"
"So," Ryu says, but he falls short.
"So what, Professor?"
Ryu steps forwards. "What's all this?"
I look, and to my astonishment, it's Bowser, lying in the middle of the corridor. His limbs are sprawled about, and there's a sizable welt on his head. Ryu quickly checks for a pulse, and it seems he finds one, because he stands back again, folding his arms.
"This is quite peculiar."
"Did someone knock him out?" Ness asks, vexed.
"Probably." I notice a rock of considerable proportions by his side. "But who? Does this mean it happened when we were talking to Headmaster Hand?"
"I'm afraid not," Ryu mumbles, suddenly sounding uncharacteristically sheepish. "The headmaster told me to go into Bowser's office to wake him, but I decided not to, since I value my life. It could have happened hours ago."
"Great," I sigh. "Though, it does rule out Bowser from the suspects."
"Unless he knocked himself out," Ryu says.
"Which is highly possible, knowing him."
"We'll have to ask him what happened when he wakes up," Ryu decides, stepping back. "But that's not a concern for right now. I'll get Doctor Mario when you've gone to bed."
We step over Bowser's body, continuing our walk to the dorms. Ness gives him a subtle kick as we pass, and I stifle a laugh.
"My father said something about you in a letter," Ness says as we round a corner.
"Oh?" Ryu turns, failing to keep his voice neutral. "What did he say?"
"He said, uh, to never write to him again."
"Oh dear," Ryu sighs.
"What happened between you?"
"Well." Ryu folds his hands. "As I said, we were good friends. Then he… drifted apart from me. That was all."
Even I can tell he's hiding something, but I do not comment. Ness also resolves not to comment, and we enter the main corridor, but something else catches my eye. "Hey - the graffiti has been changed!"
We all turn. Where it once read Toon Link is a faggot, Toon Link's name has been painted over with black paint. Instead, it's been replaced with, to my surprise, Villager.
"It appears we've found the missing paint," Ryu notes. "This is very strange. But, again, I wouldn't worry. You need sleep."
"Wet paint," I say, dabbing a finger against the wall. "Why would anyone change it?"
"It is unimportant," Ryu says firmly. "Ness, Lucas, come on. Bed."
We reluctantly ascend the dormitory stairs, and Ryu only bids us farewell when we reach our door. Ness and I tumble into the room, thoroughly bloated with new information. I help Ness over to my bed, and we fall onto it, tired and overloaded. My heart's pounding again, even though it's late.
There's a pause.
"The Headmaster is a magician!" Ness exclaims.
"Someone changed the graffiti!"
"The sketch on the wall!"
"Someone knocked out Bowser!"
"There are two books!"
"Headmaster Hand is going to put in new measures!"
"Everything's crazy!"
I take a gasp for breath. "Ryu never told us about Headmaster Hand being magical. He said it was just us, him and Rosalina."
"Maybe he was worried we'd tell him?" Ness suggests, but he looks unconvinced. "I hadn't thought of that, actually. And how could they make us go to bed? Hey - how about we sneak out? We could look for clues, like investigators, or detectives, or-"
"Ness." I put an arm around him, and he falls quiet. "Let's take it easy. First, your need to heal, okay?"
"Fine. You're right," Ness rescinds. "But I meant what I said earlier. This is starting to get serious. Ryu said more people had disappeared." There's a nervous edge to his voice. "It's time to start cracking down on who it is, I think. On all the clues we have, if that's cool with you."
"That's cool with me," I agree. "So long as we stick together, and we don't do anything stupid."
"Good," Ness says, and he gets up to procure a big sheet of paper and a fountain pen. He writes a big list of names, and I watch him, wondering if this is how he deals with his fear. Ness never struck me as an analytical sort of person, but perhaps getting his thoughts out will be good for him.
"Alright," Ness says proudly, revealing his array. "So, let's go through them. The Face. What do we know?"
"We saw it on the train, where it tried to get us," I say. "Then we saw it in the forest, where it seemed scared."
Ness writes this all down. "Could it be behind this?"
"I'm sure we came up with a reason why it couldn't be at some point," I say, "But it could be getting in through the passages, so yes. Possibly."
"Good." Ness puts a giant tick by The Face's name. "Bowser?"
"Unless he knocked himself out, it's unlikely." I consider the implement used - a rock - Bowser has no interest in geology. "And he's not smart enough for this, unless it's an act."
"Or rich enough," Ness adds, jotting this on the page. "He's definitely up to something, though. Like Ryu said - what was he doing in the corridor?"
"Patrol?" I shrug. "I don't know."
"Hmmm..." Ness nibbles at the end of his pen. "Alright, how about Ryu?"
"Erm." I find myself lost for words. We look at one another, unsure what to say. It feels like we've been over him multiple times.
"There was the figurine in his office," Ness recalls.
"Very suspicious," I agree, "But I think that was a red herring. I reckon the Dreamlord put it there as a trick."
"Smart," Ness says, nodding. "But it could still be Ryu. He's definitely clever, and he's a bit weird sometimes."
"He is bizarre," I admit. "But he seems to be doing all he can to keep people safe."
"Then let's say unlikely for him," Ness decides, noting it down. "Now, Rosalina?"
"The Dreamlord seemed to be a man," I recall, wondering why on earth Ness would consider her a suspect. "Plus, she doesn't hate you. She offered therapy to help you feel better about yourself, didn't she?"
"Sounds correct," Ness says. "Sebastian Tute?"
"I'd be very surprised. Future Humans don't play music."
"Unless he uses their ticking noise as a metronome. Marth?"
"Marth is smart," I ponder. "But why would he hate you?"
"He put me into the Maths Competition," Ness grumbles.
"There's no evidence for or against him," I conclude, and Ness writes it down.
"Shulk?" Ness says, and I find myself wondering how many more entries will be on this list.
"I hope not," I say. "I really like him."
"There was that sketch... he could have drawn it," Ness says. "Plus, he guards our corridor, he could easily have snuck in. And my art might suck enough for him to hate me with a passion."
"Your art is cool, you goof," I say. "And I don't see any reason why Shulk would be evil, so let's cross him out."
"Wii Fit Trainer?"
"Unless he thinks turning people into metal men is a substitute for exercise, then I doubt it."
"Alright, and next, erm..." Ness looks up. "Porky Minch?"
I grimace at the thought. Porky's rich and evil, certainly evil enough to be pulling this off. But something the Dreamlord said comes back to me.
"It's someone in the school, remember? So it can't be Porky, or Geldegarde for that matter."
"Alright then," Ness says, crossing him out. "How about Headmaster Hand?"
"It was weird seeing him in the forest," I say. "We need to ask him about that. But otherwise…"
"He's doing all he can to keep people safe," Ness adds. "He's putting measures in, and calling a staff meeting."
"Also, he's always done good things for the school, like hiring Rosalina, even though she's female. Agh - I don't want the Dreamlord to be any of these people!"
"Even Wario?" Ness asks.
"Biggest suspect," I decide immediately. "He stole the golden egg, he hates both of us, and he's a terrible person."
"He's rich, too. Rich enough to afford all of this..."
"And in the shower, when I was attacked, the person was a similar shape to Wario! Unless that was unrelated to the mystery…"
"No - no, it's definitely part of the mystery!" Ness looks quite excited all of a sudden. "It wasn't a Future Human because it wasn't ticking, and if they were similar to Wario's shape, that rules out Shulk, Marth, Headmaster Hand, Tute and Ryu!"
"Do we think it's Wario, then?" I ask.
"For sure! It has to be, right?"
"Of the people in the list, he looks the most likely," I agree. "But we shouldn't get complacent. It could be someone we didn't think of."
"I suppose so. But there's another thing we should do," Ness says, rolling up the paper. "We need to hide the golden egg, in case Wario comes back to steal it."
"That's reasonable," I say. "Wardrobe?"
"Wardrobe," Ness agrees. I take the egg, pulling open the doors, but something catches my eye.
"Ness, come and have a look at this…" I frown, crouching down, brushing aside a pile of borrowed clothes. The base of the wardrobe is tilted, open, almost like a trapdoor. I test it, and to my surprise, it swings open. Beneath it is a ladder, leading into the gloom.
"Oh, God," Ness says, his voice shrinking. "A secret entrance?"
"How can this be here?" I reach into the hole, deep and cold. It goes down beyond what we can see. "How on earth can this be here?"
Ness grabs my shoulder. "Lucas - please close it. I don't like it."
I slam it shut, standing back from it as if it's going to come alive and devour me. Suddenly, I feel sick. I don't feel safe.
"Why is it there?" Ness quakes. "How long has it been there?"
"I don't know - but - I think it leads down to the passageways," I say, my voice higher than usual. "I think that's how the Dreamlord got in tonight, and maybe other times as well."
"But - what?" Ness is properly shaking now. "How can that be right!?"
"We need to cover it up," I decide. "We need to lock the trapdoor shut."
"How?"
"We can..." I close my eyes in thought, and for once, I have a brainwave. "We'll get Villager to do it. He can get a bolt from the trades classroom - he's always wanted to be a builder, right?"
But Ness shakes his head. "We can't wake him, it's too early!"
"We'll ask him in the morning, then."
"What about tonight?" Ness puts a distressed hand to his face. "What if the Dreamlord comes back?"
"We'll just have to hope that he doesn't," I say, despite hating the solution. I can sense Ness panicking, his eyes darting from left to right. It's the fear again, consuming him.
"But there has to be something we can do!" Ness exclaims, and I grip his hand.
"Look, how about this." I place the golden egg on top of the trapdoor. "If it opens, we'll be woken with a massive crash, right? That'll give us time to get away."
"That's the best you've got?" Ness is getting manic, his hands running through his hair. "That's our only defence?"
"I think it's the best we can do," I say grimly.
"But - Lucas - it's useless! He's gonna come in, and he's gonna get us, and then-"
"Ness-"
"We're gonna die! We're going to be killed in our sleep, and there's nothing we can do!"
"Ness," I say more insistently. "Why are you so anxious all of a sudden? What's gotten into you?"
"Nothing's gotten into me! Maybe if your solution wasn't so useless, I'd be fine!"
"Ness!" I exclaim, stung. Maybe it's the fear, maybe it's my heart pounding horribly, but somehow, venom slips onto my tongue. "What do you suggest? I'm the one trying to solve our problems instead of complaining about how we're all going to be murdered!"
"I suggest that we don't get killed in the middle of the night!" Ness exclaims, his eyes leaking again. "And, solve our problems? You only try to solve them with hope and optimism!"
"Because that's the best we've got! Ness, we're not going to get killed, you're being silly-"
"I'm being silly? Lucas, you're delusional! We're in danger, massive danger, and I'm not about to sit back and let you get hurt-"
"Ness, I'll be fine." I take a deep breath, trying to level my temper. "You need to calm down, or you'll wake everyone up, okay?"
But it's the wrong thing to say, as Ness's face reddens with anger. "I don't care, Lucas! You - you expect us to wait for danger, to wait and face it head-on, just because you think you're powerful or something, is that it? You think you can survive!?"
"Ness-"
"Or maybe - maybe you want me to be killed! I'm such an awful friend that you want me to be killed by a Future, finally off your chest after all these years-"
"Ness!"
"Maybe I should just open the trapdoor and jump right down! That would save you a lot of trouble, because I'm so fucking broken - would that make it better, Lucas? Would you be able to solve that one with your hope!?"
"Ness, please!" I shout, my eyes stinging, and Ness collapses on his bed, pressing his face into his pillow. I quietly move over, placing a hand on his back. "What's happening? What's gotten into you?"
"Nothing," he says, muffled.
"Ness-"
"Nothing!" Ness hits his pillow with his fist. "Just leave me alone, okay? I don't want to speak to you."
"Fine," I say, hurt, and I turn towards my bed. "If that's what you want. We'll talk in the morning."
But he looks up, sore, his face red and blotchy with emotion. "Why do you give in so quickly? Why aren't you fighting back?"
"Because you're being unreasonable," I say firmly. It's too late to deal with this. "I don't want to argue when we're tired."
"This is why everyone walks over you," he says, ugly with misery. "You got hung up from the ceiling, Meta Knight and Olimar pick on you all the time - Lucas, you never defend yourself."
"Because I don't want to start a fight," I say. "I don't need to solve my problems with confrontation."
"Maybe that's why Geldegarde got his way with you."
There's a momentary pause, and I stare at him, shocked that he could say something so awful. But then, tears are welling up, and I dart into my bed, shame burning through my chest. The threats, the knives and the guns. All the customers, queued up, the bitter, acrid taste in my mouth. The misery. The guilt. My resolve crumbles completely - Ness is right! It's my fault. I'm so weak, and Ness is angry about it, he's angry that I let it all happen to me. It's always my fault - that's what Father says, whenever I come home late or I overcook the dinner. It's all my fault that Claus left, that Mother died alone, that nobody who loves me gets to be happy-
I sense Ness near me, but I don't care.
"Lucas..." His voice shakes horribly. "I - I didn't mean-"
Suddenly, emotion grips me around the neck, forcing me to do something I never thought I could.
My eyes streaming, I stand, grabbing Ness and throwing him down on the bed. Because now, I've got something to prove. I need to show him that I can fight back - and then maybe, maybe I'll be good enough at last! I pin him down - our faces just inches away - and his eyes widen in surprise. He struggles, but I hold firm, maintaining eye contact - I can't be a coward anymore! I need to be strong, and brave - but why am I blushing? What are these feelings rushing through me? And suddenly, I'm passive again, and I release him, diving back under the covers. I'm sick of myself. I'm so damn sick of myself.
There's a long, aching pause.
"L-Lucas?" Ness stammers, and I feel him shifting next to me.
Hopeless, drained, I give in completely. "Ness?"
"I'm sorry."
"It's true," I say, my chest throbbing. "You were right. It's all my fault."
"It's not true. I wasn't thinking straight."
"I hurt you."
"No, you didn't."
"Your rib - your head - I could've killed-"
"No," Ness says firmly. "I deserved it. That was a horrible thing for me to say, and I'm sorry. There's no excuse for it."
"Ness," I say, and I hesitate, my eyes wet. "Come here."
"Why?"
"You need a hug."
"No."
"No?"
"I need to earn hugs."
"Too bad."
"I'm such an idiot, Lucas."
"So am I."
"No, you're not."
"Yes, I am."
There's another pause, before Ness slithers under the covers to join me.
"I'm sorry."
"I know you are."
"I - I really didn't mean-"
I don't say anything.
"I promise!"
"Fine," I say bitterly. "Convince me that it's not true. That I'm not a coward."
"Okay," Ness says, his voice tremoring. "With Geldegarde, he had weapons. He would've killed you if you'd resisted. So it wasn't cowardice. It was self-preservation."
"Alright," I say. "And?"
"With Meta Knight and Olimar," Ness continues shakily. "You'd have given them what they wanted if you reacted. You didn't let them have that satisfaction."
"They wanted to hurt me, though. Why?"
"I don't know," Ness says, and I'm relieved to hear that his tone is more measured. "The point is, you were powerless against all of that."
"...Then how do I become less powerless? Do I fight them?"
"It's best if you don't," Ness says, for once sounding serious. "I solve my problems with violence because that's all I've ever known. It just gets you into trouble. You're good, Lucas. Far too good for fighting."
I sigh, resigned. "I suppose that sounds logical."
"Lucas..." Ness gives me a nervous hug. "I am so, so sorry."
"I know. I forgive you, Ness."
"But what I said - it was awful. It was horrible."
"Ness, it's alright," I say.
"I should never have said those things."
"Ness-"
"I'm a monster."
"For goodness' sake, Ness, you're not." I roll over, turning to face him. "You just made a mistake, okay? I literally attacked you. We're even."
"I'm sorry for making you angry," Ness says, his voice sounding small.
"I wasn't even angry! It was just..." I sigh. "I thought if I proved I was strong, then you'd calm down. That was it."
"You don't have to prove anything to me." He runs a hand through his hair. "It was stupid. I let the fear take over."
I look at Ness's dishevelled face, trying to work out where we stand. When I'd pinned him down... no. I don't want to think about that. It's not helpful.
"Can we be best friends again?" I ask meekly. "Forget this ever happened?"
"Of course," Ness says, breathing out. "It's late. Early. 6 a.m.. That's why we got angry and emotional."
"Yeah, and, we're scared," I reason. "This school is the only place I've ever felt safe. Everything's changing, becoming dangerous." My throat turns dry at the thought, and I suddenly don't want to talk anymore, but I try to keep neutral. "Maybe we should get some sleep."
"Okay," Ness says, and I feel him clinging onto me. "I'm staying here, though. It's too cold on my side, and it's safer to stick together. I can protect you."
"Thank you," I say, wrapping my shaking arms around him. "Sorry again."
"No problem," he says, but he must feel the tremors, because he frowns. "You're still hurting, aren't you?"
Dammit. "No - no, I'm fine."
"I can tell when my best friend is sad."
But I don't want to be vulnerable again. It doesn't suit me.
"Lucas, you can tell me anything, you know."
"Fine." I give in. I always do. "I still feel bad."
"But why?"
"I don't know." The aching sensation of guilt hangs heavy around my shoulders, like a burdensome weight. "I just do, I guess."
"Lucas..." Ness rests his head on the crook of my shoulder. "You know I don't blame you, or hold it against you, what happened on the streets. You know that it doesn't change anything, right?"
"What happened was illegal," I say, gritting my teeth. "I don't understand how you could ever accept me after something as disgusting as that."
"Because it wasn't your fault, Lucas." I feel his arms snaking around my middle. "It was some evil man - all his fault. He did this to you."
"It still happened," I mumble. "I've been dirtied, disgraced. I've been ruined. I don't know how - sometimes I don't know if I'll ever be able to..." I avert my eyes. Love, I want to say, but I know that's not true. I still feel love. I feel a lot of it every day.
"You're still you," Ness promises. "No matter what anyone's done to you, you're still you."
"I know," I say. "But I still feel guilty... sometimes, I feel this, sort of, burning feeling. Inside me." I guide his hand to my stomach, and he makes contact with it, almost with a sense of curiosity. "Right here. It aches, and it doesn't go away.
"I feel that too," Ness murmurs. "It's the feeling I get whenever I think about my father, or the homosexuality, or the mystery. It's fear, I think. I'm scared of myself."
"Yeah," I mumble, and I slump down next to him, because I can't think of anything else to say.
"You don't have to suffer in silence," Ness whispers, his voice impossibly quiet. "You've been through a lot. It's okay to hurt." His other hand joins mine, our fingers lacing firmly together, and I feel that funny jolt in my heart as he comes nearer. "I know how it feels, okay? I don't blame you for attacking me, but I know from experience that it won't make the feeling go away."
I nod my head. He's right.
"And I'm sorry that you feel like this. You don't deserve to dislike yourself." He runs a nervous finger along my cheek. "You'll get through this."
"So will you, Ness."
The sick feeling lessens slightly as we lie there in contemplation, and Ness wraps his arms around me, leaning his head on my chest.
"This isn't weird, is it?"
"Weird?" I frown. "What do you mean?"
"Us - cuddling." His face is red. "It's like we're still kids."
"Do you think it's weird?" I ask, this thought only now coming to me. I hope he doesn't say yes.
"Only if you do," he decides, and I smile, satisfied by that.
"I don't think it has to be weird. We're just affectionate, right? Plus, hugs are nice."
"Yeah," Ness says, his face still red. "Hugs are nice."
A/N
Well that was emotionally intense, goodness me.
Poor Ness and Lucas arguing, that always sucks. But, things happen, and that's life. They're still best friends, at the end of the day, even if they're sincerely flawed.
Reviews:
(This review was left on chapter 2)
'Don't mind the ominous noises in the hall, kids. It's just Prof. Wario snuffling about for dropped pocket change.
The tension continues to rise. It feels like the whole world is set against Lucas, with Ness his only corner man.
I'm curious to learn more about this illegal magic business. Lucas didn't mention legal magic as a topic of study, so maybe it's all illegal? Ryu certainly has an interest in it, and he seemed to take the spooky face business seriously…'
First off, thanks for the review! I know you might not see this response for a while, but yeah, it's getting tense, all the way back in chapter two… All magic is indeed considered illegal, and yes, heh, Ryu certainly does (you'll have found out by now that that's because Ryu is indeed magical himself-)
Once again, thank you everyone for reading!
~ReadyForTeddy
