Chapter 35: A line you can't cross

(Ness)

(Prologue: ?)


Days go by.

We slip into the new routine remarkably quickly, learning to take what little food we're given, learning to keep together when we can, learning to obey. Reggie remains muted, Pusher allows himself to be pushed around, and the others sit in silence, making their own conversations. Sickeningly content. It's almost as if we're not being forced to go to war by the Onett First Brigade. frustrating.

It's as if nobody even cares anymore. As if they want to get chopped up. As if they've forgotten our long-term aim.

But unlike the others, I'm planning our escape.

It's not going to be easy. I've been scouting out for weaknesses - of which this well oiled machine has very few. But they are definitely there - for one, Ike. Ike has been making an extra effort to put himself down to guard our group. Because he's friendly with Roy, he could be easy to convince to help us escape - though the careful conditioning that it seems his father and the government have put upon him are big obstacles.

Another weakness is the horses. They're unpredictable, erratic, and noticeably, very easy to alarm. They'd be a fantastic distraction, a veil under which we could make our getaway.

But those strategies don't work, if they come to nothing, there is my final plan. The hail mary.

The war itself.

It's risky. It's very risky. But when the Onett forces inevitably meet Tazmily and 'Porky's secret weapon'... Chaos will ensue. Nobody will be looking at us. Everyone will be for themselves, and amidst that, we could try to make a run for it. Try to get away.

But late at night, when I outline all this to Roy and Duster, they only regard me with uncertain expressions.

"I dunno, m'chap…" Duster frowns. "Th' horses are chaotic, but they'd keep someone back t' guard us, if they do break out."

Roy kicks the ground. "Duster's right. And Ike is very stuck in his ways. It's very hard to change his mind, and he believes that this is what we all have to do."

"And your final plan - goin' in t'er the war?" Duster adds. "Tha's crazy!"

"Crazy," Roy agrees.

Of course. I suppose I'd been expecting little more.

"It's the best we've got," I huff, brushing my trousers free of leaves. "We can at least try the horses, we can get to work on Ike, and if we really think of nothing else, waiting for the war is at least a possibility."

Duster and Roy grumble at that, but the conversation goes no further.

And so morning comes, and my work begins. Coaxing Ike, coming up with every possible argument in favour of our escape that I can. Whilst we stop, I search for a large object I could throw into the midst of the horses to cause a stampede. And I consider more possibilities - studying the best times to strike, watching the schedules of the brigade as they wake and sleep, in their nighttime routine. It's arduous work, and it seems I'm the only one who cares enough to do it, but it's necessary.

I got these people into this situation, I'll get them back out.

On the plus side, I roughly know our location. On Thursday evening, we reached the river. (Proving, to my annoyance that we were very near our destination.) But to our fortune, we ended up travelling alongside it - which is good news, because suddenly we have a surplus of water, and that means that I know exactly where we're headed. It's going to be roughly four days until we arrive at Tazmily, I reason - because we initially travelled North in Porky's carriages, then walked mainly West - which means we need to travel south again, down this river, before heading east.

I think. It's all a load of words and directions, but I think I know what we're doing. That fills me with some security, giving me a scraping of comfort, a luxury that seems to have become so sparse. Knowledge is hope, at this point, and I keep running over what I know in my head. If we keep following the river, and we don't turn east, we'll go right up to the Onett Boarding school. If we travel in the other direction, the river would eventually widen out, flowing through Onett in the giant estuary.

Before the industrial revolution, the Onett river was the centre of most local cultural and religious ideologies - with the rich folklore of Naiads and sea snakes, and water gods and drowned ships, and the never-ending depths. But all that vanished when the coal deposits were discovered - Porky and other entrepreneurs built their companies up, and the river became a deposit for mining waste - broken pickaxes, dirt, rubble. In fact, it's become little more than a toxic cesspit.

At least this part of the river is nice, I think to myself. Onett is downstream, so here, the waters are crystal clear.

And so, it continues. Each night, we stop somewhere different, rigidly guarded, while each day, I do the same, talking to Ike, talking to Duster and Roy, ignoring Elmore's complaints, painfully forcing courage and resilience into my veins.

And all things considered, I have never felt more miserable.

(Ness)

(Prologue)

Bravery.

I am not brave. I have never been brave - I am a coward beyond all belief. Hot headed and quick to confront, sure, but never brave for the sake of it. Never am I brave to do the right thing, never brave when I'm needed; when my name is called, I am just a pile of bones.

...

To him, I am no more than a pile of bones.

...

My brain aches, as my head spins, throwing me into an agonising blur.

I should have seen this coming. I really should have seen this coming. I fell for it - fell for every trick, every trap, every red herring. I was the perfect plaything, doing just as I was supposed to. Every deceit, every lie, he controlled it so that the blame would never lie on him, but so my suspicions would shift. So I'd go through the suspects - one by one - and it was genius, and I, the perfect fool, fell for it all.

My chest raw, I embrace the ground. Bravery, Ness. Bravery. But bravery is impossible, so impossible when it comes to this. This impossible decision.

I breathe in. All my senses are screaming.

...

My trembling hands raise the blade to Lucas's neck.

(One hour earlier)

The crashes of the thunder reverberate around the cavern. Lightning strikes menacingly above, rain slashing, unrestrained, drilling an ambient rattle through the night.

"I-It's a trap!"

"Yes," says Headmaster Hand, a malicious grin taking form on his face. "Yes, I'm rather afraid it is."

There's barely time for me to comprehend his words.

Immediately, heavy arms grab me from behind - my vision suddenly obscured - light pours in through a suddenly open door - a slash of pain tears through my cheek - what's happening-!

"Lucas!" I scream, but it's no good, because they're everywhere-

So many of them. So many Future Humans.

"PK FIRE!" I shout in desperation, but it does nothing. Darkness tips in from the sides, echoing laughter ringing from somewhere - fear raising a tempest inside of me-

"Ness!"

Lucas's voice. It grounds me slightly - I punch and kick against my captor - I catch a glimpse of Ryu trying to fend off something dark and shadowy, but he crumples over the weight of a heavy fist. Toon Link's shadow desperately claws the air for Villager, who's being dragged away by a taller one - and there's a sudden blur of metal - and I scream, but it's no good - and - and-

Everything goes dark.

.

.

.

.

.

Terror.

I've felt terror before, but not like this.

In the moments of consciousness I feel, there is only terror. Fear, tearing at my gut, and I'm hyper-aware of how everything rises, and then slips, slips, slips away again...

.

.

A childish voice sings in my mind. "Ring a ring of roses, a pocket full of posies! Ness is dead and buried, Ness is dead and buried!"

My eyes keep phasing in and out, visions of a dark room swimming before me. Vague thoughts of Lucas fill me, vague worries about the others...

It all happened so quickly.

Noises echo through my mind: Ryu collapsing to the floor, Pit's desperate screams, Lucas crying out for me.

.

.

A dull whimper escapes my mouth as I try to move, but I can't.

There's no point trying.

I force my eyes open.

I jump, as a lively figure dashes towards me through the darkness. I stare at him, over my murky haze, as he comes nearer and nearer, and as he does so, my heart sinks, and my pulse thrums-

Blindly, panic strikes me all at once, and I shout as I try to reach forwards, my voice echoing all around. But ropeburn sears my arms, and I realise, horrified, that I'm bound, tight.

From nowhere, a hand oozes over my mouth. My entire body convulses, as a maniacal giggle tickles the silence.

"Oh Nessiekins… you're just not ready yet…"

My own voice comes out muffled and frantic. "Get- Get off me! Where's Lucas!?"

The figure glimmers in front of me, sliding his clammy hand from my face. His silhouette shuffles in place, before it twists violently into my eyeline, a lewd whisper speaking. "Oh, Lukey? Ah, Lukey is just fine. He's right there… Just next to you... Isn't that wonderful? Aren't I nice?"

My stomach lurches, as I turn my head to the side.

I scream, and everything dissolves again.

"I promise, you'll make it out alive," I had consoled, as Lucas buried his face into my chest. "I'll keep you safe, whatever we find down there."

I've failed him…

"Ness! Ness!"

Consciousness drifts over me like a cloud. All of this… a trap? All of this, a set-up - and... I don't understand. I don't understand... how the hell this could have happened...

A hot, sticky sensation crawls down my wretched face, from beneath my eye, dragging painstakingly slowly over my cheek. Pain beats at my skull, a million knives stabbing every inch of my skin. I'm broken, again and again. I'd only just been repaired.

.

.

.

Am I dead?

The thought cuts through me.

I'd held him close. "Lucas, if we don't make it out of here, I love you."

His face had grown oh-so warm. So pretty and warm. "I love you too, Ness."

Little did we know.

My burning eyes fly open. Before me - there's a shadowed room - and - that awful odour - this terrible place - the storm, storm, the storm inside my mind, pressure, pressure building up inside, how did this happen - how did this happen - how did this happen, how did thIS HAPPE-

"Yes," Headmaster Hand had said, a malicious grin taking form on his face. "Yes, I'm rather afraid it is."

Does that mean…? But, how can it be him? How can it possibly be him? We were so certain; Wario, Wario is supposed to be the villain!

A croaked noise echoes from my mouth, around the walls. I'm tied up somewhere, in the room. The room we entered - there's the chimney... Which means I'm not dead. I'm not dead! But... I don't know what is going to happen to me. And that's a horrible thought.

I try to make out shapes, but my eyes are so hazy, so, so, hazy. There's an empty figure next to me. There's another in front of me, laid out on the floor, unmoving. There's - SUDDENLY, RIGHT IN FRONT OF MY FACE-

"HELLO!" a childish voice screams, before jumping back again snickering.

My heart thunders. I try to control my breathing, scrambling backwards, but I remember that I'm held fast in place - my eyes swim from the sudden pain, and I force them shut-

There's laughter. "Aw, you're scared? Boo hoo!"

My mind throbs, as I try to form a cohesive sentence. "W-Who are-"

I'm interrupted, as a vast set of teeth emerges from the darkness, caught by the light. "I'm… the villain, as you like to call me. Hah, what a big surprise thiugh, it was me, Headmaster Hand, all along! What a twist!"

"B-But W-Wario... H-How…" I moan.

"Wario?" Headmaster Hand scoffs, with a cry of mirth. He comes close to my ears and I can feel his hot, foul breath on my cheek. "Wario is dead."

I let out a pained groan, trying to comprehend. There's a sudden scuffling of noise to my side, and Headmaster Hand scoots away to the source, intrigued. "Ooooooohie! Luuuucas, is that you? Are you waking up? Are you being a good boy for dada?"

I physically feel my blonde counterpart snap to attention, - and a yearning sensation to move over to him takes root in my mind. But my stomach plummets when he speaks: his voice sounds so... broken.

"W-Where's Ness?" He scrapes.

Headmaster Hand grins, only just visible in the dull gloom. He shoves a violent finger to Lucas's lips - "Calmy down there… there's others, asleep, still. It's rude to wake them up! Haha!"

"T-Toon Link? Villager? Pit? Red? Ryu?" Lucas stammers, fear emanating from his voice. "Wh-Wh-?"

"Oh, I don't mean them," Headmaster Hand chuckles, standing back and rubbing his hands together. "They're gone - they're in the other room, being converted."

There's a pause.

Absolute horror courses through me, and all of a sudden, I'm wide awake, thrashing in place. "No!"

But our captor just laughs. "Oh, you are so sentimental. But they're so worthless to me…" He fakes a frown, which quickly morphs into a snicker. "As for you two, though… heh."

I feel like my mind is swimming through thick mud. There's much I don't understand… So little hope, so much raw fear. My mouth moves automatically. "D-Don't you hurt them!"

Headmaster Hand pouts. "But they're being improved! Upgraded! Consider it mercy, if anything!"

"Those - those things are not improvements!" Lucas quakes. "They're - they're awful!"

"Those things are the FUTURE!" Headmaster Hand snaps suddenly spinning round and storming forwards towards Lucas. "You ungrateful bastard. I've seen what is becoming of this world. It is the only hope. The only hope.

I shake my head, dizzy. "H-How can it be you…"

Headmaster Hand narrows his eyes, with a smirk. "How can what be me, Nessie?"

I shiver. "How can you be behind all this!?"

He giggles. "Oh, excellent! This is my favourite bit. This is the bit that'll make you really really sad!"

Lucas lets out a moan of pain.

Headmaster Hand beams, jumping back with a clap. "It's storytime! But first… well, hah. Do you reaaaally wanna know?"

"Yes!" I exhale, trying once again to break whatever holds me in place.

Headmaster Hand smiles, happily. "Ah, well, first, I'd better start with who I really am."

My heart skips a beat. "W-What do you mean?"

He moves inches near to my face again, and my head swirls uncomfortably as he whispers: "The real Headmaster Hand is gone, Nessie."

"G-Gone?" Lucas tremors.

"GONE!" The man shouts, leaping back against the wall. "Ah, he.. got away. But I'm going to deal with him, later. Soon. All will come together… HA!"

Horrible suspicions come to mind. "But- what do you mean?"

"Oh, for goodness sake," he groans, over exaggeratedly. "Do I have to bloody spell it out? In fact - look. In your pocket. The book. The mystery of Magic, Wiz. Ard. It's on the first damn page."

"I can't look, my hands are bound," I protest.

To my sudden alarm, the silhouette of a knife - but he only uses it to slash through the thick ropes holding me in place.

"Not anymore."

He sheaths the knife, and shakily, I bring out the book - not wanting to disobey - opening it to the first page. Opening it to words I've read many, many times before. But - I can't quite make out the words-

"Well, read it out!" Headmaster Hand snaps.

Quivering, I mumble. "It's too dark to-"

Seething, Headmaster Hand goes around, lighting gas lamps. I blink in the sudden illumination - and Lucas and I finally manage to catch sight of one another. He looks bedraggled, and - there's a stream of blood on his face-! Angrily, I push forwards, but Headmaster Hand forces me back against the wall.

"Stay."

"L-Let go of me!" I bite, furiously. But Headmaster Hand only laughs. A rumble of thunder penetrates the scene, as I give in, and fall back.

"JUST READ THE BLOODY BOOK!" Headmaster Hand yells, causing me to jump up again in alarm, and let out a scared whisper, scrambling around to find the right section.

I clear my throat. "P-Potions. C-Clone potion - d-drink this potion to become the splitting image of someone else… Love potion - Give to another and they'll fall in - fall in l-love"

"There we go!" Headmaster Hand sighs. "Get it, yet?"

I shake my head, diminishing. "N-no, these are just - these are just made up things, by Wiz. Ard, to make the book look ridiculous - what's the point of-"

Headmaster Hand scoffs. "Made up? More like forgotten."

My eyes widen. "What - So- So-?"

He stamps his foot. "You're so SLOW! Good lord, it's so frustrating, having you captured at last. I made the cloning potion, I drink it every couple of hours, and so I look exactly like Headmaster Hand."

There's a deadly pause, as I try to understand.

"Then- then who are you?" Lucas whispers.

Headmaster Hand groans, leaning back against a table. "Come on. Please, you know who I am. YOU KNOW! Who else could create something so magnificent?"

I rapidly shake my head. "I don't! I don't know!"

He closes his eyes for a few seconds. "Come on. Check your other pocket. The other book. My book. I know you have it!"

With a trembling hand, I bring out Magical Monsters and Mythical Creatures. "What - what now?"

He snaps round like a coiled spring. "The author, imbecile!"

"It's- it's just some Italian name," I stutter.

He screws up his fists, his fuse blowing. "JUST READ IT OUT!"

I shudder, trying not to let out a sob. My eyes scan the cover, trying to make out the lettering through my shaking hands. "It says… Pokey... Minchini."

Headmaster Hand smiles condescendingly, patting me on the head. "There we go! Are we switched on yet, Nessie?"

Oh.

I shake, comprehension finally dawning. "No. No."

He grins. "Oh, yes."

Lucas pulls at his binds, agonised. "Please- Please no-"

But, 'Headmaster Hand' twirls around on one foot, grinning with unrestrained glee. Before our eyes, his face suddenly begins to contort, widening, eyebrows growing, mouth sneering, wrinkling. Portly limbs begin take shape, a pot belly expanding out of the middle, just as a greying sweep of hair appears, and the arms and legs thicken into bulbous, sickening masses.

The new man claps his thick hands together, stepping forwards. "Behold, it is me. The greatest inventor of all time. The man with the largest empire, of all time. BEHOLD, PORKY MINCH, THE SINGLE MOST POWERFUL MAN ON EARTH!"

.

.

.

We've already lost.

Porky. How can it be Porky? How can all this be Porky? Porky, disguising himself as Headmaster Hand? And for what? Our school? Why?!

"H-How!" Lucas exclaims, pointing with a juddering hand. "You're in - you're in your new city, you're- you can't be here!"

"Aha! Good, good question!" Porky grins. "Star pupil Lukey! He-Hey! Well, you see, my little plum, being a man as rich and as I, I can afford to invent some pretty impressive means of transportation!"

"L-Like what?"

Porky beams, over to the wall. There, he easily sweeps an arm, and suddenly it all tumbles away, revealing… a... steam train?

"Like... High-speed direct underground rail travel! Easy transportation to my city, via Onett, via Tazmily, in less than an hour! Fantastic, right?"

"But - but how?"

Porky giggles. "Aw. You're such a cutie when you're confused… I'm a very clever man, Lucas! You just have to roll with that!"

I press my eyes closed. This is too much. This has to be some crazy dream, or something - everything here is wrong, everything is impossible - how the hell were we supposed to work this out? It's been illogical from the beginning, and now, now-

"Where's the real Headmaster Hand?" Lucas demands, quaking like a leaf. I want to go and hug him so badly, but I'm still restrained. "How long have you been impersonating him!?"

"Since September," Porky grins. "Took me a whole damn term to get this place set up, to design the final blueprints for the Future Humans… but then, then came winter… ah, ah, it's all fallen into place!" In an instant, he grabs me by the shoulder, another twisted smile taking form on his face. "Oh, I've been working so hard, Nessie, just for this one moment! And it feels so good!"

I squirm, screwing my eyes tight shut, and Lucas makes an agitated noise. "How - how can this - how can this be possible-"

"How about I take you from the top? Porky offers.

"Not - not while you're still converting our friends!" I shout, but I'm met with a blow to the head.

"It's not optional," he snarls. "Look upon my works, Ness, and despair. Do you see all I've done? All I've conquered?"

I shiver.

"DO YOU?"

Frantically, I nod my head.

"Good! Oh, and, hah, keep in mind, you two ants are never leaving this room, so don't go thinking I'm giving you free information. But, oh.. oohie… where to begin… Well, I suppose, yes… the September term. Oh, I'd planned everything out. My city was being built. My EMPIRE was being built! My plan to change the world... into the cesspit that it deserves to be."

He plows on. "See the first day of term, I paid Headmaster Hand a little visit. See, I've been very generous... given a lot of money to the school... how do you think this place gets by, with all the luxurious crap in it? But, point being, Headmaster Hand trusted me… Hehe... Let me into his office. Next thing he knew, I had him in a lovely cell, down here! And he was all mine! I'd have killed him right away, but the bloody clone potion needed the original alive. But with my newfound power... I took the term to prepare... hah. Splitting my time between city construction, and the development of the railway, building passageways, designing blueprints, setting up all this bloody machinery... and of course, Headmaster duties. Ha!"

Lucas lets out a sudden pained noise, the ropes around him clearly digging in more than he can bear. "You're - you're crazy!"

"I am," Porky admits. "But that's not a recent thing. It's quite… sexy, if you ask me. Don't you think? Oh, this is what you've done to me, Lucas..."

Lucas groans, trying once again to free himself, but he's left panting, leaning back against the post he's tied to. "Please - just get the others to safety. I'll do - anything!"

Porky laughs. "Aw, you really do care about those little creatures, don't you? But don't you worry your precious little baby face. I'm making them better. Better, faster, and stronger. Fitter, happier… more productive." He does a strange little dance along with his words, before breaking into another sickeningly gleeful laugh.

"But-" I protest.

He turns to me with burning rage. "SHUT UP!"

I whimper.

"Good!" He continues. "Now, where was I? Well, then this term finally came! Ah, how it came... I opened my city up for all the residents of Onett, and Tazmily. A perfect trap! They all go into the city gates, as normal humans, all ready to start their brand new lives in paradise... but oh deary me, can you guess how they're going to come out?"

"F-Future Humans?" Lucas shivers.

"Oh, band on! Ahhh, it's brilliant, isn't it? But, oh, all that, it's only a side project, really. My bigger goal lies right here."

"What - what is your bigger goal?" I ask, trembling.

"Not telling! Haha!" He rubs his hands together with barely suppressed mirth. "Ah, ah, when I say I've waited a long time to get you to this very spot… I mean years. But, that's unimportant… I haven't finished telling you how I did it. I mean, that's always supposed to be the best bit, after all!"

"Don't worry, we can skip it out," I assure him, but I'm met with another strike to the head.

"Don't you cheek me, vermin. Heh. That's better. So... I set up this facility underground. I lured people here with secret messages, tailored to them. It worked a treat! I converted them into Future Humans. My army steadily grew, and at first, when I had enough ranks, I tried to send them to get you, Lucas."

I can visibly see the hairs on the back of Lucas's neck standing on end. "W-Why me? Why us? W-What has all this got to do with us?"

Porky sneers. "Ah, precious little Lucas. If only you knew… But back to the point, I soon realised that capturing you wasn't doing the trick. Not only were those Future Humans far less than optimally functional, but they would try to hurt you. That's when I tried to get you myself in the shower."

Lucas lets out a miniature scream. "That was - that was-"

Porky's gaze darkens. "Then, it started to go quite wrong, actually. The real Headmaster Hand got away, lord knows how. My book of blueprints vanished, somehow ending up your bookshelf, as you so kindly announced earlier. And to top it all off, the disappearances were noticed. I had to burn the second Magical Monsters and Mythical Creatures book in my fireplace, and it started that massive fire. But as it happened, that turned my luck for the better. I decided to let it burn. Burn down your dormitory. You had to move away, I got the chance to connect your room up to the passages. Easy access for me… easy access for Future Humans. But as I said, I realised they might hurt you, Lucas, and..."

Lucas lets out a small whimper.

"...I wouldn't want that. So, instead, I decided to send them after Ness, for… other reasons. And I learnt then that tormenting Ness was fun! That's where the golden egg came in. I knew only he'd be idiotic enough to touch it. I'd hoped to trap him in that dream forever, but, I'll admit, he outdid me there…"

I swell with pride. "Serves you right."

Thud. Another strike to my head.

"Ness, stop doing that," Lucas whispers desperately.

Porky laughs.

That's another thing we were wrong on, I think to myself, glumly. Thinking they were sent after Lucas just to get at me. Great.

Porky does not relent from his explanation. "Ness, you then survived the Future Human's big attack on you. You were comatose for a bit, sure. But that proved useless, Lucas stood guard over you, so I unfortunately couldn't quickly finish you off without hurting him in the process."

My heart pounds, trying to get the measure of the situation. "W-Why do you want to kill me?"

Porky grins. "Told you many a time, Nessiekins. I hate you."

"I've done nothing to you!" I protest. "Nothing!"

"Oh, you may think that. But I assure you. You have done everything. In fact, if it weren't for you… I wouldn't have had to do any of this."

I look down. So it's my fault. Of course! Everything is my fault. Why should I be surprised by that? My eyes well up in spite of themselves.

"But never mind that," Porky continues. "The real fun was the red herrings. Leading you two in your quest to become little detectives, but sending you so far astray. It was Ryu first - I planted that figurine of Lucas in his classroom. It's mine. I'd quite like it back, actually."

"Why?! What is it?" I exclaim.

"Just decorative," he shrugs, before a grin takes shape on his face.. "Really good for… a lot of other things, too.."

"That's creepy!" I exclaim.

Porky turns on me again. "SHUT UP! I don't give a damn what you think. Not a damn! But," his tone mellows. "More importantly though, hah, and this is the best bit... Wario. I had you convinced it was him. I had all the professors convinced. Wario 'disappeared' after we started suspecting him. How suspicious! Hah. I merely took him, and converted him. Wario is no more."

A sick feeling rises in my stomach. "You-"

"Meta Knight and Olimar too, for that matter!" Porky says breezily. "Converted them too, the little whinging toerags. I gave them clear instructions to attack Ness - but what did they do? Attacked Lucas! They deserved punishment for that, and they make great Future Humans. Just like your friend Dark Pit. And I, I -" all of a sudden, he stumbles back against the wall, clutching his head.

Lucas and I exchange a brief glance, making eye contact for the first time down here. My heart leaps again.

"Goddamn - arm -" Porky gasps breathlessly, grabbing a medicine bottle from his pocket, and upending it into his mouth. He lets out a moan of relief.

He steps forwards, shaking himself off as if nothing happened. "Much better. That oaf Headmaster Hand's body is a right pain. Transforming back into my alluring self is a mess."

Lost for words, Lucas and I exchange another terrified glance - but we're distracted as a loud crash comes from behind a nearby door.

"Ignore that," Porky grumbles. "That's the machinery starting up. About time, too. Your friends are about to begin their conversion!"

I rear at my bounds, desperate. I'd forgotten about that. "You can't! You can't!"

"I can, and I will," cackles Porky. "Now shut up for once, and let me enjoy myself."

"B-But-" Lucas whimpers.

"THEN CAME TONIGHT!" Porky shouts obstructively, drowning out anything Lucas is saying. "Ah, I had to host that miserable play. But when your buddy Pit was brought to me this morning for beating someone up, I took him down here, leaving a fake note in his dormitory to explain it. When I then found out that you'd both located my blueprints book, I knew it was time to bring you two here as well. So, I popped out during the play, prepared the Future Humans for when you'd arrive, and now here you are!"

Something snags at my mind. "You tried to stop us from coming down here!"

"Reverse psychology works a trick!" Porky cackles gleefully. "Ah, it took so long to design my Future Humans, though. You don't even understand. You never will. They're a miracle!"

"They're an abomination!" I exclaim, earning myself yet another strike to the head.

"They're mine," he hisses. "They're beautiful - controlled by me through a receiver unit, which is embedded inside each of them. Sometimes, if I don't want to do a full conversion, I just attach the receiver to the neck. But for a full conversion… Oh, it's a lot of fun. I torture the human until they go mad, primal, troglodytic. Beyond repair. But far gone enough to be susceptible to my will. Then it's a simple case of replacing the body with metal, with strength, manipulating their brains with circuitry so that they feel nothing but pain, and the desire to change others. The desire to change the world. To follow my lead - they do anything I want."

"That's sick," Lucas whispers hoarsely. "Sick."

Porky grins widely, bringing his disgusting face extremely close. I can almost count the hairs on his head. I feel suddenly nauseous.

He sneers. "I know. And isn't it great? Not that the process hasn't been without its problems, though..." He begins to pace around the room. "The torture seems to drive people back to such a primal extent that they start speak Latin - the root of modern language, I suppose. Something pretentious like that. And then the ticking noises they made for a bit - and them always whining 'Placet Auxilium!' because they can't take a little pain- but that's all fixed now. Now, they're even capable of converting people themselves! Capable of attack, defense, teamwork, filled with the drive to convert. This very morning, I solved it all. Paid Andonuts a final visit and - ah, never mind. That's another reason why I knew it was the perfect time to bring you down here... A perfect time, to begin my domination of the world."

"What are you going to do to us?" Lucas asks, fearfully.

Porky only grins. "You'll see."

Again, I crave to reach over to Lucas, to hold him tight, but I can't. Frustration builds - especially as another crash comes from the room next door. This is hopeless, so bitterly hopeless.

"Well, that's me done, any questions?" Porky asks lightly.

"Yes!" I exclaim. "What were you doing in the forest that night?"

Porky narrows his eyes. "Actually, it confused me when you brought that up before. I was never in the forest. You'll remember I made up some crap about Wario tricking me into entering it - which you so foolishly believed, but… never did I enter that place.

"What about the night when that poster appeared?" I add. "And when Bowser got knocked out?"

He sneers. "I put up the poster for another clue, since you were so behind on figuring it out. Knocked out Bowser because he was creeping around with my discarded bones from old conversions. Pretty simple."

"And what's in the golden egg?" Lucas challenges.

"Ah. Ahah, that, you'll never know!" Porky giggles. "Too late! You ended up here, down this path instead!"

"Then, what about our gravestone, in the forest?" I add.

Porky frowns. "Huh? What gravestone?"

"And the Face?!" Lucas exclaims.

"I don't know what you're on about now," Porky snaps. "But if you're done asking things, which I've decided you are… I guess it's time for me to… deal with you. Now…" He grins, suddenly, pulling his hand into his pocket. "Let's start nice and simple with-"

Boom.

Our heads all turn at once. A door explodes open, causing everyone in the room to jump with alarm - and, to my utter delight, shrouded in smoke Toon Link walks confidently through the newfound hole in the wall, followed by Villager, Red, Pit and Ryu. And suddenlt, hope swells again - and I cry out, to let them know where we are!

Porky growls, tension building in the air. "What the - how is this possible? You're supposed to be being converted!"

"Magic is helpful," Ryu smiles serenely. "The game is up, uh - hold on, you're not Headmaster Hand-"

"Porky Minch," Porky grumbles. "I'm not going through that explanation again."

Toon Link gasps. "Aren't you that guy who followed us around as kids?"

Porky steps forwards. "I see you're less frightened of me nowadays, huh?"

Villager quickly hurries over to Lucas and I, numbly untying the bonds that hold us. I give him hushed thanks, before naturally, rushing straight into Lucas's arms.

Porky surges over to Ryu, grin still firmly in place.. "Well, very good, then. you escaped. Though, using magic is cheating. I'm not sure how you managed to get out of being mauled by my creatures so easily, but-"

Ryu smiles pleasantly. "Ah, you see, your Future Humans don't seem to respond well to the storm outside."

Porky grumbles. "Bloody storm. Interfering with the signal… but no matter! Oh I have… other assistance. Surprise assistance! Porky loves a surprise. Reveal yourself! Hehe!"

And all of a sudden, in one swift movement, Red grabs Ryu by the throat.

"Red!" Villager exclaims. "What are you-!"

"Oh, give his necky, a little checky!" Porky sings. "He's been under my control for quite a while!"

Intently, Villager moves Red's hair out of the way, revealing a receiver unit - in fact, it looks exactly like what Bayonetta found inside that Future Human. Lucas's grip around me tightens, as my throat constricts.

"H-How long has this been here?" Villager trembles, turning to Porky. "How long!?"

A slow grin takes form on Porky's face. "A couple days… Ah, it was so easy as well! Imagine my surprise when he walked right into me, running away from the dinner hall?"

I squirm in Lucas's arms. That must've been straight after Red had gotten angry at Villager, and stormed out. Which means he's been under Porky's control for so long - that means the apology - everything at the party - everything else was fake! A horrible chill slides down my neck. How much did he hear?

"I used him as a spy," Porky cackles. "Nice little tool, he was. How sweet, Toon Link, asking dear Villager to be your boyfriend! Young love, how adorable!"

Villager tears the receiver off of Red's neck, shaking with anger. "Whoever you are - you're awful. Red is my best friend, and you do not hurt my friends!"

"Ooh!" Porky mocks, as Red topples into Villager's arms. "Oh, I'm so terrified of this little child!"

"You should be terrified of me though," Ryu grimaces suddenly, stepping forwards. "I have powers that you couldn't dream of."

"And quite simply, I have an army," Porky hisses, clapping his hands. "Good luck! You'll need it!"

And just like that - oh lord - Lucas's grip tightens around me, as for the second time tonight - swarming from every angle - Future Humans - everywhere! Toon Link rapidly loses all composure, letting out a sudden wail, grabbing Villager's hand and dashing to the other side of the room, as the beasts storm forwards from every nook and cranny, shouts and screams of "PLACET AUXILIUM!" reverberating, and it's deafening, and-

All hell breaks loose.

"PK FIRE!" I yell, trying to aim at the Future Humans, and not at any of my friends. Ryu pulls a headband over himself, before darting around, performing some high-intensity martial arts moves. Pit ducks down as far as he can, while Red lies flatly unconscious on the floor.

Light erupts through the room as Lucas launches a volley of flame at the nearest Future Human - with a sickening realisation, I recognise Wario's face amongst its metal features. But, it topples to the ground, smouldering, and, gaining confidence, I whirl around to fend off a pair that are making their way towards Toon Link.

"Give up now!" Porky shouts, over the pandemonium. "GIVE UP! I WILL HAVE WHAT IS MINE!"

Ignoring him, I duck under the metal fists of another Future Human. All these fights with Meta Knight and Olimar must've paid off - Lucas launches another volley of flame, collapsing more Future Humans to the ground, in their charred multitudes. I twist past another one, and it lets out a scream when I knee it in the crotch, obliterating it with flame.

"Nice shot!" Lucas calls out.

"Thanks!" I call back.

But another three emerge from the swarm, stomping straight towards us - Lucas and I stand back to back, as we're driven back to the wall, and in one quick move, I dive under the legs of one, aiming a PK Fire at another that's making a move for Pit. The trio crowd around Lucas, and I hurry up behind it, and just as Lucas dives, I aim yet another PK Fire, blowing them to smithereens.

Lucas and I exchange a quick high five before moving further into the melee. Porky laughs from the side of the room, Ryu quickly finishing off the one nearest to him. I notice Toon Link and Villager under pressure from a large gang of them, but I'm caught by surprise when a fist grabs me by the shirt, from behind, and I'm lifted up, and-!

But Ryu comes out of nowhere with a lightning fast kick, that topples the creature over. I'm released, but I fall to the floor, scraping my elbow against the rough ground.

Lucas quickly helps me up. "You ok?"

I nod, wincing. "Yeah, just a scrape."

Thanking Ryu, we move nearer to Toon Link and Villager, whilst Ryu assists Pit, and Lucas launches the perfect shot, collapsing two to the floor, but Porky observes, with a grin.

"You can't win!" He calls gleefully. "There's too many!"

"You try us!" Lucas shouts with venom.

Another pair go down - but there must be hundreds more, crowding into this claustrophobic space, and suddenly Lucas and I find ourselves surrounded, and suddenly, our chances don't look so good anymore.

Lucas and I stand back to back. This is the fight that our lives may depend on - and I realise I have no idea what I'm doing, but Lucas and I are fighting together, and something about that gives me immense hope.

"PK FIRE!" I exclaim, barraging a Future Human that leans forwards to grab me with a faceful of flame.

"Placet Auxilium!" comes another cry to my left - "PK Fire!" I shout in retaliation, but this time my shot misses, instead being absorbed by the wall.

Lucas swivels round. We both simultaneously blast the beast in the chest. It topples over and I silently cheer.

But they keep on coming. Toon Link and Villager are forced back into a corner, Porky egging the Future Humans on with triumphant, maddening yells. There's a chaotic grinding sound to the right. The tang of blood starts teasing my mouth, and a metal arm swings right towards my head-!

In a sudden blur, Lucas's fist collides with the metal. The Future Human is bustled aside. I give Lucas a quick thanks, but there's no time, as there's three more behind me - and even more to the left -

"Help!" Toon Link cries, as the swarm overtakes him and Villager. Lucas lets out a pained noise, as he observes his bruised and bloody fist. I grip his other hand..

"PK FIRE!" I bellow, but again, I miss, this time the ceiling absorbing my attack. Pit lets out a yelp, as he's pushed by multiple of them. Who knows where Red's unconscious body is - and just like that, Toon Link and Villager sink below the swarm.

"What do we do?" My blonde counterpart shouts at me, desperately. "What the hell do we do, Ness? There's too many!"

"No - we can do this!" I exclaim, still determined, despite the onset of many metallic hands around us. "C'mon, we just have to-"

Lucas swivels round to face me, as we're herded back further, hands and feet grabbing and snapping. "There has to be another way! There has to!"

In an instant, Lucas's mother's words come rushing back to me. Remember the storm. The storm… what about the storm? What's good about that? But what had Porky said? "Interfering with the signal…"

My mind whirs. Red's funny turns! When lightning struck, it had caused Red to go all weird - it must've been interfering with the receiver, and, and-!

"Lucas, I've got it!" I practically shout, over the rushing noise. A fist narrowly avoids my gut.

"What? What is it?!" Lucas exclaims.

"The storm!" I shout. "Something about it messes up the receivers - and Porky said there's one inside every Future Human - so we just need a bolt of lightning to strike!"

"How are we going to make lightning strike?" Lucas asks, bewildered.

I falter. "I-I hadn't thought of that bit yet!"

"I've got it!" Lucas shouts suddenly.

"What?" I ask, hopefully.

"Lightning strikes tall things, right? So we just need to get something tall!"

"How would we do that?" I ask.

"I don't know!" Lucas flounders, pressing back against the wall, as the creatures's faces leer even closer. "I-I'm getting desperate, sorry- I-"

Crash!

The very earth itself reverberates. Blinding light tears down from the chimney for a split second, thrashing around, immediately, all of the Future Humans freeze in place.

There's momentary silence.

"Quick!" Lucas shouts, dashing into the conversion room. "Everyone - i-in here! We haven't got long!"

I'm wrenched back with him, thrown back into reality, heart pounding. Sweat pours down me. We have seconds, at mos! My mind races. Pit obeys, rapidly crawling out from underneath the legs of one static Future Human. Toon Link and Villager emerge, clambering over one another, surfacing from an ocean of metal. Villager grabs Red, and they rush into the room. I tense.

"HEY!" Porky yells, but suddenly Ryu leaps from out of nowhere, and grabs him by the throat, throwing him to the floor-!

"What are we doing?" I whisper frantically to Lucas, pushing everyone back. "What's the plan? We've not got long!"

"One large combined PK fire, " Lucas whispers back, grabbing my hand. "It'll eviscerate Porky, and every single Future Human from this room."

"That could destroy us too!"

"It's our only hope!"

Commotion rings, as Ryu and Porky wrestle on the hard ground. Porky kicks and strikes, grimacing. Ryu doesn't relent - letting out heavy grunts, forcing the bigger man to the floor.

I turn to Lucas, panicked. "What about Ryu?"

"Just - do it now!" Ryu shouts, pinning Porky to the ground. "You've not got long! They'll be back to normal soon!"

"Ryu - come over here!" Lucas calls out, anxiously.

"I have to hold him back! Use your powers, now!"

I start. "No, Professor, we can't!"

Porky struggles like a child, and Ryu viciously presses down harder . "J-Just DO IT! End it! You barely have any time!"

"No!" Lucas exclaims. "There has to be another way!"

"The only bloody other way is all of you getting killed! Come on!"

Panic rises inside of me. "But-"

Ryu cries out. "Then do it! Don't worry about me. I've lived my life. I've nothing left to live for! Blow this all to hell! QUICKLY!"

The silence is immense.

Toon Link leans forwards. "It's - it really is the only way. To end this all."

I look at my friend, appalled. "No!"

Lucas stares down at the ground, visibly distressed. "It can't be the only way!"

"It is," Villager murmurs. "If Ryu lets go , then Porky will too, and then.."

"But-" I choke.

Ryu wrestles Porky down, as he tries to get up again. Suddenly, the nearest Future Human stirs, with a "Placet Auxilium!" - and the rest are moving too, and there's no time to think as my thoughts rush, and it's chaos, and it's mounting, mounting, and I grip Lucas's hand tight, and Ryu tumbles over, and Porky makes a move, and the creatures are coming - and we're trapped - and - and-!

"P-PK FIRE!"

.

.

.

Brighter light than could ever be imagined emerges in slow motion out of our hands.

Flames, licking at every corner of the room, engulfing Future Humans, that let out primal screams as their essence burns to ash. I can't even make out the figures amongst the blaze - I throw my eyes away, screwing them shut tight, all of the emotions in the universe obliterating my consciousness, as worlds are destroyed before me.

Everything tearing apart. Everything ravaged, and scorched.

"Remember what is real," he'd told us, time and time again. We hadn't remembered. We missed it - every trick, every lie, we missed it completely.

"Your Father and I were close," he'd said. I'll never know why.

He'd guided us. Protected us throughout, from the Future Humans. He'd done as much good as one man could muster.

He's given up his life to save the world.

As the blaze dies down, Lucas buries his face deep into my chest, holding me tight, his quiet sobbing filling the resultant silence. I wrap my arms around him, my own tears numerous and fast-flowing.

It's all my fault. All of this, is all my fault.

And it's torture, when Porky coughs out from the floor.

"Heh… Heheh… You didn't think, with all of this technology, I wouldn't try upgrading myself?"

Restraint evaporates, turning into an explosion of unrestrained anger. Heat burns through me. Rage courses. and suddenly I surge towards that beastly man, throwing myself at him with a scream. "YOU SHOULD BE FUCKING DEAD!"

His features are blackened - smouldered - but his sickening grin remains. Because he's living. Breathing. The disgusting man, he's alive.

Weakly, Porky pulls up his sleeve, revealing a revolting sight - his upper arm, flaking with flesh, a mass of damaged tissue, right down to the bone.

"See this?" He hisses bitterly. "Every single Future Human - every receiver unit, it has a little piece of me inside it. A little piece of my flesh. That's how I can control them all. But it works both ways. A little piece of me in them - it means that so long as they live, I live."

My stomach churns, anger and nausea boiling. "T-That's impossible!

Besides, they're all gone!"

Porky pulls himself heavily off of the ground, sneering. I want to punch his face in, so badly.

"Magical, isn't it? I'm the greatest inventor of all time for a very, very good reason. And you may have killed my Future Humans here - but I have many, many more. All in Onett. New Pork City. All of them - all mine. Indebted to me."

I hold my ground, shaking with fury. "You make me sick."

"Good," Porky snarls.

In a quick move, I snatch the knife from Porky's pocket, holding it to his neck "Let us go, or I slice you up into a million pieces. Immortality won't do you any good in eternal agony."

Porky grimaces, leaning back in pain. "Ah. Of course. Hell. Sounds fun."

"Just let us go!" I yell. "I mean it!"

Porky sighs. "Yes, fine. I'll let you go. You won. The big red button on the left - it releases a ladder. You can climb back up the chimney, and carry on with your faggot lives."

"Lucas, press it!" I exclaim, holding the knife closer to Porky' neck.

Taking nervous steps, Lucas silently makes his way over to where a sizable button is embedded in the wall. At least we can get out of here. At least Ryu's sacrifice is worth something, even if Porky remains. I would slice Porky's neck here and now, but...

I'm no murderer.

Lucas presses the button. But all of a sudden, he lets out a yelp.

"Lucas?" I exclaim.

"It - burned me!" Lucas realises, holding his hand for me to see. A large, dark, letter 'P' has been branded in Lucas's pale flesh.

I edge the blade closer to Porky's throat. "What is that? What did you do?"

Porky slowly grins. "Ah. What I just did, friend, was win."

Another flash of anger. "...Win?"

Lucas collapses to the floor with a strangled cry, and all my rationality vanishes. I scream, rushing over, throwing the knife down, forgetting all about Porky.

"What's he done to you!? Lucas, Lucas, are you okay?!"

Lucas lets out a strangled groan, his hands at his throat. "It - It burns! It burns!"

Working quickly, I pull him up into my arms, taking his hand and examining it closely - and as I expected, the brand is peppered with little holes, out of which a colourless substance seems to be seeping.

"What's this!? What the hell is this?!" I shout, turning sharply back to Porky.

Porky slowly spreads his arms wide. "A genius, genius creation! Ah! And Lucas is the test subject! How… fitting!"

Panic builds. "W-WHAT HAVE YOU DONE!"

Lucas screams again - his face screwed up impossibly tight - his body thrashing in my arms - and I try to keep him still - to soothe him, but it's no good. Toon Link and Villager make a sudden dash for Porky, but Porky merely shuns them away with a laugh.

Lucas forces his eyes open, trying desperately to grip onto me, his voice reduced to a mere helpless croak. "N-Ness - help me- please.."

Desperately, I cradle him, caressing his angelic face. "Lucas, please, what do I do?"

But he just screams again, incapable of words, knuckles white, feet kicking, writhing, and - I try and hold him tight, but he's so far gone, a-and-

"WHAT THE HELL HAVE YOU DONE TO HIM!?"

Porky shrugs. "Ah, only injected him with a million nanobots, each about to send out a signal to New Pork City, which will initiate the conversion of every single resident into a Future Human. You see, the nanobots just needed a human vessel to transmit through. They need a lot of energy, see. And I'm no good, so, all I needed was someone else! It will pass. He'll be okay!"

Lucas's eyes turn bloodshot, his screams dry and grating, hands tearing at his shirt, his bodythrashing. I try to telepathically take the pain away, I try to gently rock him in my arms, but it does no good, again and again. I let out a sob, watching my world tear itself apart.

Toon Link advances again. "Nanobots!? Transmit!? What does all that damn mean!?"

Porky rolls his eyes. "Nanobots are little robots. Whatever you want to call them."

"Robots? What are they!?"

"Just a machine - please, stop with the stupid questions!"

I panic. "Ma-Machine?!"

Porky growls. "It doesn't matter. The point is, in a few minutes, tens of thousands of Future Humans will be prepared. And they will be mine. And then, I will have the world. I will have everything I want!"

"If that happens, everyone dies!" Villager shouts. "You can't!"

Porky turns savagely. "I can, and will! Everyone dying is what I want. Maybe I want to purge this planet of all the rottenness, all the horror. This broken city. The corruption, the wealthy, all in it for themselves..."

Lucas collapses to the floor, somehow breaking out of my grip, emanating broken sobs. "Ness. Ness. Ness."

"And would you look at that, the nanobots should be sending their signal in 30 seconds!" Porky pronounces gleefully. "Ah, I can't wait!"

Lucas's eyes bug out, as he suddenly grabs me, pulling my forehead to his-

I swim in the darkness as our connection is made - and suddenly I-I can feel it. The agony. Not physically - but, mentally - and it's enough to make me scream.

Suddenly, Lucas's voice rings out faint, inside my head, but... it's impossible to mistake those two, horrible words.

'Kill me.'

Time slows, as ice runs through my veins. Lucas is being driven to insanity before my very eyes - I have to do something!

'Please, kill me!' Lucas repeats, shuddering.

I try to prise myself away from him, but Lucas's strength has intensified under the pain.

"26, 25, 24…" Porky calls out, relishing in the moment.

I start to panic again - but Lucas doesn't stop, forcing every word into my mind. "Kill me. It hurts! Kill me. Or they send the signal. That would be the end of the world!"

I try to pull apart, swallowing down the new lump in my throat. 'No!'

'I'll die anyway!'

My heart breaks. 'Don't talk like that!'

'Do it!'

I prise myself away from Lucas's forehead, shaking. "I-I won't! I refuse!"

Lucas writhes in agony. "P-Please, Ness.You have to!"

My eyes leak in spite of themselves. "No! I promised, before we came down here, that I'd make sure you're okay! That we'd leave alive! You can't make me do something as crazy as this!"

"NESS!" Lucas shouts, the pain bursting into his voice. "Y-You HAVE to, or everything we love, everyone we love, is destroyed!"

"But I love you!" I sob. "I love you! You can't die!"

"10… 9… 8…"

Lucas forces Porky's fallen knife into my hand as his back arches, and his legs are drawn up to his chest. "Ness, I love you too! But this is the only way - it's right!"

I tremble in place, a sheen of sweat coating my forehead. This is it. Hinawa's impossible decision. Lucas, or the world. Of course it would come to this, after everything else!

My brain aches, as my head spins, throwing me into an agonising blur.

I should have seen this coming. I really should have seen this coming. I fell for it - fell for every trick, every trap, every red herring. I was the perfect plaything, doing just as I was supposed to. Every deceit, every lie, he controlled it so that the blame would never lie on him, but our suspicions would shift. So I'd go through the suspects - one by one - and it was genius, and I, the perfect fool, didn't know.

My chest sore, sobbing, I beat the floor. Bravery, Ness. Bravery. But bravery is impossible, so impossible when it comes to this.

"5… 4…"

"Please!" Lucas begs, again and again. "Please! There's n-not long!"

I hold him close, as my trembling hands guide the blade to his neck. I shut my eyes tight, willing everything to disappear. I draw the knife closer and closer, as Lucas wails in my arms. I make baby steps to what I know I have to do. To the decision that must be made.

To what I must do, to save the world.

...

"HAPPY BIRTHDAY LUCAS!" I exclaim, rushing down the school corridor.

Lucas blushes, his face lighting up. "Huh? Wha - You - how did you know?"

I beam, repeating a phrase my mother uses. "I have my ways."

"I can't believe I'm 9…" Lucas marvels. "9 seems so old…"

Exuberant, I hand Lucas a messily wrapped present. "This is for you!"

Lucas stares at it for a moment, evidently puzzled. "What's this?"

"A present!" I enthuse, unsure as to why Lucas is looking at it so weirdly.

"A… present?"

"Yeah! Go on, open it up!"

Curiously, Lucas unfurls the paper from around the package, and he holds up the contents - a large, blue, fluffy blanket.

I beam. "I hope you like it, I bought it on the street from a nice lady selling blankets, and it looked really fluffy and mother said it would match your eyes-"

My rambling is cut off as Lucas suddenly pulls me into a hug. "This is- this-"

Confused, I hug back, and a sniffle alerts me that Lucas has burst into tears. Nervously, I scratch my arm. "Ah, is it really that bad?"

Lucas looks up, his eyes shining. "I love it - thank you - so much-!"

Delighted, I wrap it around him. "No problem!"

He withdraws from the hug, huddling in the blanket. "You're right, it's really warm!"

"Really?" I beam.

"Yeah!" He wraps it around me too.

I giggle. "It must be the fluffiest thing in the world…"

...

The memory stings. But now we're here. Lucas's eyes screwed up tight in anticipation, Toon Link and Villager only able to watch on in fear, Porky looking like a kid on Christmas.

"3…"

I want to throw up. Everywhere. I never noticed how beautiful Lucas's neck is before now - soft, smooth, yet narrow, signs of his Adam's apple just protruding out amongst it all. And I'm going to have to mess it all up.

"2…"

Taking myself by the reins, I prepare, ready to make the move. I'll never forgive myself. I'll never be able to live with myself again. Maybe I'll kill myself too. I'd deserve it.

"1…"

There's no more time.

...

Taking a deep breath, I plunge the knife in.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

...to the ground.

I collapse onto Lucas, sobbing. Never could I harm him! How could he ever thing I would? Screw the world! Everyone else can get converted right now for all I care. So long as Lucas is safe, and we're together!

Porky applauds. "...And so the process begins! Darn, I thought you were actually going to kill him then, Ness."

Lucas gives a horrified gasp, shoving me off of him as the pain evidently subsides. "Ness - you - you-"

I attempt a grin. "Yeah, you bet."

He scrambles away, tears forming in his eyes."No. You - you goddamn sentimental idiot!"

"...How's the pain now?" I blunder, suddenly nervous.

Lucas curls up. "It - it disappeared, when all of those - all of those things sent their signals and initiated the end of the world!"

I shrug arrogantly. "Well, pardon me for not wanting to murder my best friend."

But Lucas pushes me over, anger in his eyes. "You - you - it was my choice. Not yours!"

That hits a nerve. I stand. "Then why did you make me do it? Why would you put that pressure on me?!"

"Because in case you hadn't noticed, I was being tortured!"

"Well, I-"

"I-I needed you to do it for me, Ness! You - you let me down! You let the world down!"

I shiver, a sick feeling of shame rising. "Lucas, please-"

He shoves me again, anger tainting his eyes. "No. Don't 'Lucas please' me! I- I can't believe you'd do something so stupid!"

"We'll - we'll fix it!" I exclaim desperately.

Porky scoffs. "Yeah, right. Har-De-Har. As if anyone's 'fixing this'. All of you are staying down here for a very, very long time."

But under Lucas's incriminating gaze, I don't even have the resolve the argue.

The silence is deafening. I was right, wasn't I!? I made the right decision? But Lucas isn't even looking at me, and the others are watching with abject horror in their eyes, and all of a sudden… I doubt.

What have I done?

What have I done!?

I curl up into a ball, wiping the residual blood from beneath my eye, knowing I'm a mess.

You've killed tens of thousands of people with your selfishness.

Even Buttercup agrees.

Sobbing.

Toon Link narrows his eyes, suddenly stepping into the action. He stares at Porky. "I don't think so."

Porky smiles politely. "You don't think… what?"

Toon Link smiles back. "You said we'll be down here a long time. But I don't think we will."

Porky laughs. "Oh, cute. And why's that, then?"

Toon Link claps his hands together, obviously excited. "Ah, you see, this place has a major weakness."

Porky's eyes narrow. "Oh yeah? Is that so!"

"The ceiling!" Toon Link points. "We're underground! And there's a lot of rain… it's all gonna be very heavy up there, waiting to crash down on our heads…"

Porky laughs. "Oh, boo hoo. You think you'll be saved by a bit of rain?"

"I think, Toon Link grins, sidling over to me and pulling 'The Mystery Of Magic' out of my pocket. "I think that if I hit just the right spot…"

He throws the book up at the roof - where it makes a resounding thudding noise, but otherwise falls back down to the floor.

Porky laughs maniacally. "You're ridiculous! Maybe I won't convert you. I can keep you around as a… court jester! In my palace!"

But I meanwhile eye the point where the book hit. Because there's a little faultline… and then a little crack, skidding along the ceiling… a little glimmer of hope...

"I'm almost sorry to have to kidnap you," Porky laughs. "Ah, the ineptitude of the 19th century, it is profound."

...and the crack becomes a little bigger, branching off in all directions…

"Then, Lucas, you will finally be mine, after all these years… hah… hahah…HAHAHAHAHAH-"

...and all of a sudden…

"RUN!" Pit shouts, kicking down a nearby door to reveal an exit into the passageways. Dust flies down - heavy boulders and rocks - and I'm uprooted from the spot. Burying my emotions for now, I make to grab Lucas's hand, but he's already ahead of me - so I plunge myself through the exit, just as Villager does the same, Red's unconscious body in his and Toon Link's arms - and Porky's laughter dissolves into the thundering as our feet churn up the earth, led only by our intuition. Darkness swallows us fast, as I try to follow the others - but Lord knows where these passages lead! Deja vu hits from before - running through the collapsing passageways, when Dark Pit…

No. Best not think about that now! I need to focus on going as fast as I can, otherwise I'm good as dead!

Through the blinding cascade of dust and stone - through the destruction, through it all I sprint. A left turn. A right turn. Noise. A dip. A fork. A crash. A cry. Another right turn - more noise! But suddenly, there's light again, and, and we burst out of that broom closet, and - it's all over, and - we're safe- it's all over-

I make to hug Lucas with utter, utter relief, but the blonde moves away from me.

"We did it!" Pit cheers. "Porky probably got crushed by all that rubble!"

Lucas violently shakes his head. "He'll escape. Some way, somehow."

Villager lowers Red down to the floor. "Oh my God. We did it. Toon Link, you hero."

I shake my head, still barely comprehending what's just happened.

Toon Link grins momentarily, but his expression shifts. "We may have escaped - but what was - what was all that about Red being… controlled?"

Through my heavy breathing, I run the others through the basics of what we heard, and Toon Link grips his forehead in agitation.

"Honestly - all that - all that down there, the, the nanobots, the, all the Future Humans, what the hell even was all that?"

"And Ryu," Lucas whispers quietly.

Oh God, Ryu.

I'd almost forgotten, amidst everything. That hurts. Not only because Ryu was a wasted sacrifice, but without him, Lucas and I will have very little chance of being able to fix this.

I suddenly choke up again, realising how much Ryu rooted for us. How he guided us without us knowing - keeping us safe - working tirelessly.

But at least, he got the noble death that, I believe, he would've wanted. Maybe old age wasn't for him. Teaching History his whole life - it would've got tiring, right?

Or maybe I'm telling myself this, to make it all seem okay.

...Because, technically, I killed him.

Not even technically - Lucas and I fired the blast. Clear as day. But we had to, right? Surely?

I bury my head in my hands, emotionally and physically exhausted. I can't even count the amount of times I thought we were going to die down there, or I was afraid, or shaking, or when I was so, so bitterly alone. 'Impossible decision' - no joke. Kill my best friend, or save the world. And, now I might have doomed us all. But, trying to be rational, I stand by it - I'd rather a Lucas that's mad at me than a dead Lucas, anyday. No matter the consequences.

"Okay, so - uh - what do we do now?" Toon Link asks, sounding utterly defeated. "What do we do?"

Lucas sits up, rocking on his haunches. "We need to tell Rosalina. Everything that's happened. She's the one we can trust the most."

"I'll take Red upstairs then," Villager mumbles, clearly concerned. "I'll need a hand."

"I'll help," Toon Link decides, glad for a distraction. "Pit, you too, Red's a heavy guy."

I turn to Lucas. "I guess that leaves us to go and tell Rosalina then?"

Lucas merely lets out a grunt.

"You're still mad at me," I observe, as we walk to Rosalina's office. I try for a hopeful slant. "We're free, c'mon, we made it out, like I promised!"

Lucas merely nods, staring straight ahead. "Yep."

I sigh. "Look, I, I just couldn't do it, okay? You know I could never…"

Lucas tightens his lips. "You still don't seem to understand exactly what you've done though."

"Well, yeah," I admit. "But surely he would've found a way to do all that with the nanobots anyways?"

Lucas grits his teeth. "I guess. It just means that now it's on our shoulders, and we have to go and resolve it."

"Not a problem!" I declare grandly. "Together we can do the impossible, right?"

Lucas resolutely continues to avoid my gaze. "Well, we're going to have to, now."

I sigh. "Look, Lucas, I'm really sorry, okay? I wasn't strong enough to do it. I'm weak, and useless."

Lucas rubs his forehead, some of his toughness melting. "I'm sorry too. I shouldn't have said some of the things I did. It's just… now, the people in the New Pork City - what if they're your mother? Your sister?"

A chill runs down me, as I realise I haven't heard from them in days. "No -they'll be fine, right?"

Lucas shivers. "I honestly don't know."

"Then we need to start working this out!" I exclaim. "What's - what do we know?"

"Well, I have two big questions," Lucas begins quickly. I get the impression he'd been saving them up. "One, why us? What is about us that's so pivotal to everything he's doing? Two, where did he get that technology? He's talking about all sorts of things that are impossible."

"Well," I suggest keenly. "He could have hired a load of scientists, or something."

Lucas shakes his head. "No… No. Nothing like that, I don't think."

"Then what do you think?" I ask, but we arrive at Rosalina's office, before Lucas can answer.

I give a nervous knock, and Rosalina opens the door with a smile.

"Ah! Nice to see you two - where did you go with Headmaster Hand during the play?"

I shut the door. "Professor - it's the Headmaster. He was behind it all. Well, not the Headmaster. Porky Minch disguised as the Headmaster, but-"

Rosalina holds up a hand, her face suddenly grave. "I see. Please, you might need to explain from the start."

Rosalina sits with her head in her hands. "I had no idea. No idea. I even noticed - I knew he was off, more sympathetic with Bowser, but I didn't suspect, not even for a minute…"

"There's another thing," Lucas says seriously. "Ryu, he… was killed in the chaos."

A sinking feeling hits me, even though I already know. Rosalina looks up, a bemused expression on her face. "Ryu? No - no, that's not something to joke about now-"

"It's true," I mumble, wanting to look anywhere but at Rosalina's face.

Her expression swims. "It - it can't be though - it can't be!"

Lucas averts his gaze. "I'm sorry."

Rosalina takes a deep breath. "Well, if that's really true, then… then we need to take action, immediately. For Ryu. We need to stop Porky. And fast. Now… please excuse me, for I suddenly have a lot of letters I need to write."

I nod. "Yeah - good luck."

Lucas nods too, opening the office door and stepping outside in an instant.

I wipe the new layer of sweat that's formed over my forehead. "She took that well."

Lucas sighs heavily. "She put on a brave face for us - listen."

We grow quiet, and the noise of a stifled sob rings through the office door. A pang of guilt hits me.

"It's our fault," I mumble, before I can stop myself.

"It was the only way," Lucas reasons. "It was his choice."

I notice the remnants of bloodstains on Lucas's forehead, and I'm filled with a sudden determination. "We need to stop Porky. Rosalina's right - for all he's done, all the people he's hurt, we need to stop him. And, again, I'm sorry. For causing this."

Lucas grips my wrist, alarmingly firmly. "Let's just agree not to talk about what happened down there, yeah? Never again."

Slowly I nod. "Yeah."

"But you're right. We do need to stop him. Or at least, it's our responsibility to try."

"That's right," I agree, taking his hand. "We will stop him, together."

Lucas hesitates nervously, before giving in and integrating his fingers with mine.

"...Together."

End of Part 1


A/N

'End of part 1? What do you mean?' I hear you ask.

Well.

Logically, this fic splits into two parts. Part 1 being the big mystery (which, if you've got to this point, you've completed! Hooray!) while Part 2 is, well, I won't say any more than 'the rest of the fic'.

Part 2 will be shorter than part 1 though, so fear not. That means I'm at least halfway through this now! Hooray! Also, please don't be too alarmed by the fact that there's a lot more to read still.

Next on the agenda - damn this chapter was hard to write, my gosh-

I ended up writing 2 side things in the meantime, just because working on this chapter was so difficult. One of them, Love is a Killing thing, is a nesscas oneshot that's up already. The other one, Repeating, is going to be a pretty short fic (15k max) that I had a cool idea for, that I'll occasionally write for. None of that will take away from this fic!

Next: IT'S HEADMASTER HAND! Not one person I've spoken to even considered that it could be him. And then of course: HEADMASTER HAND WAS DISGUISED PORKY!

Ah, but I still have so many twists to reveal!

Also, please, do not question some of the strange science going on here, just, vibe with it, blame it on magic hah. This chapter was pretty confusing, so feel free to ask any questions!

As for me, now I gotta proofread this thing… the current draft is unsatisfactory, so, I'll see you soon!

~ ReadyforTeddy