(Toon Link)

Today, I smashed up a cistern.

It's been one of those days.

From Villager receiving a furious letter from his mother, about the 'homosexual verse' she'd found in his room (I mean, who leaves their gay poetry on display?) to the burnt toast we had for breakfast, it's been a disaster from top to bottom. And I'm supposed to be the expert on tops and bottoms, so when sweet little Ness asked me if I'd create a distraction for Porky, I was more than happy to oblige. What I didn't bank on was Porky Minch, the richest man in the world, tying me up to a grandfather clock, drenched head to toe in toilet water.

"See ya," the beefy man snarls, striding off. His tone drips with venom. "I'll come back for you later. Perhaps I'll throw you out a window."

Thankfully, before he manages to defenestrate me, my saviour comes running, in the unusual form of a bandanna-clad boy wearing what looks to be a postman's cap.

"What on Earth is going on?"

I go for a wry smile, as his slender fingers undo my bonds. "I smashed up a cistern. It was a bit wet."

If Bandanna Boy is shocked, he doesn't show it. "And Headmaster Minch tied you up?!"

"You bet he did." I grin. "Y'know, I'm usually the one doing the tying."

My bonds slide out onto the floor, and I am liberated from the expanse of the grandfather clock. I pat the antique on its ticking pendulum, before turning to see exactly who's come to my rescue. The boy beside me isn't one I recognise, but his face is good-natured, round, with dappled pink cheeks. He reminds me of Villager - though of course, nowhere near as spectacular.

"So, why exactly did you destroy a cistern?" He asks, bemused.

I shrug. "Felt like it. And for rebellious reasons, of course. Porky's a bad man."

"A very bad man, but-"

He's interrupted by a loud crash ringing out from next door.

I turn on my heel. "And that'll be my friends! I've gotta go, thanks for the rescue!"

The boy cocks his head. "Porky's office is down there. Are you trying to rob him or something?"

"Yeah, but that's just a side effect of the mission. You know what - fancy kicking some ass?"

The boy livens up. "Absolutely!"

"Then let's go!"

I grab him by the hand, and we hurtle down the corridor, leaving big wet footprints on Porky's velvet carpet. We nearly run into Red, the formal boy giving my new friend a strange look, but he doesn't mention anything. For once, we have a common goal: make sure Porky isn't killing our friends.

We careen into the office at top speed, Bandanna Boy keeping pace remarkably well. I rapidly survey the scene. There's ash all over the walls and the carpet. Lucas has a pile of letters stuffed down his trousers. Ness looks terrified out of his mind, and then there's Villager, looking sexy as ever.

Oh, and Porky Minch, pointing a pistol directly at my face.

I throw my hands in the air. "Don't shoot me! These clothes are designer brand!"

Porky growls a low, inhuman growl. "I'll be sure to aim for the head. How did you escape?"

"This guy!" I wave towards Bandanna Boy. "But don't shoot him either, he's got a cool hat!"

Lucas's eyes spark with recognition. Ness still looks like he's going to wet himself.

Red steps forward. "Porky Minch, sir, it is not diplomatic-"

Bang.

The noise reverberates off the walls. A warning shot - and a hole in a perfectly good table.

Red balls his fists. "I said, sir, it is not diploma-"

Bang. This time the chair.

"Headmaster, we can explain," Villager begins, but he falls silent as Porky aims the pistol at his chest.

"You've got five seconds. What the fuck are you doing in my office?"

"Admiring the view," I say, before Villager can get us all killed. "It's the best view in the building! Lucas was going to paint it."

"There is ash on the carpet, there is ash on the walls, there is even ash on the CEILING!" Porky bellows, sending flecks of spit across the room. "You dare come in here - you scum - desecrating my sacred space?"

I roll my eyes. "So ungrateful. We're just redecorating. If you don't like it, we can clean it off. We could go for some magenta perhaps?"

Porky aims the pistol at my chest, shaking with fury. "You filth. I think I'm going to enjoy your death the most."

Bandanna Boy whimpers. Villager gives me a panicked shake of his head. But I calmly step forwards, plucking the weapon out of Porky's hands.

"Threaten me all you want, Porky, but you wouldn't dare. Not yet."

Porky draws a revolver. "Wouldn't I? You're getting too big for your boots, Toon Link! But don't think I don't know about you - the foundling, rejected by your real parents, only kept alive out of pity… How does it feel to be so unwanted?"

I wince at the insult, biting back a retort. "You've got other plans for us, pork man. Shooting us would be far too easy. You want us to play your games, like hamsters in a cage."

Porky wheezes, before erupting into a furious, biting laugh. "Ha! You fool. Do you not understand? This whole city is a cage! Everyone plays my games! So what if I've got other plans? Do you expect me to clap for you? Would you like me to bow, perhaps? You're living on borrowed time - all of you. You're lucky I've been so merciful. But it'll all be over soon - and I'll enjoy listening to your screams for all eternity!"

"Is that right?" I raise the pistol to his chest.

Porky laughs once more. "Oh! A cute gesture, but it's out of bullets. I know how you work. I knew when you'd bite. Go on - start playing. Leave this office. Oh, and," he turns to Ness, with a sneer. "Keep those letters and that money you stole. It might just help you survive an extra day."

Pit meets us outside, looking about as pale as an overly sunscreened redhead. "What happened?"

I shrug. "The usual. Porky making threats. He didn't act on them."

"Did you get the letters?"

Lucas withdraws the stack from his trousers, looking relieved. "Yes. I'll open them later."

"I've got some other stuff too," Villager says quietly. "A couple of interesting order forms."

"And some cash," Ness adds. "Overall, a success."

Red gives a furious sniff. "It was not a success. He wanted us to escape. He knew we'd see the letters - he must've had a reason."

Bandanna Boy clears his throat, looking awkward amongst our large group. "Well, it's been fun nearly dying with you guys, but I've got various social commitments to attend to, so…"

I wave. "Thanks again for untying me from the clock. Bye!"

He laughs, before heading down the corridor. "No problem. See you around."

I watch him leave for a while, then just before he disappears around the corner, I call out: "I'm Toon Link, by the way! What's your name?"

"Oh!" He turns with a smile. "The name's Ninten. Nice to meet you!"


.

.

.

~~o00o~~

Chapter 56: The Aftermath

(Lucas)

~~o00o~~

.

.

.


This whole city is a cage. Everyone plays my game.

Porky's words reverberate through my ears.

You're living on borrowed time - all of you.

Time after time, I've waded through danger. In Tazmily, when my family was attacked by a horde of angry snakes. I'd cowered behind Claus, whilst Flint shot them one by one with his gun. Then in Onett, when Geldegarde took me. His whispers still ring in my ears to this day: 'Listen to me, Lucas… You're my treasure… My little goldmine… Behave well for me, and I might reward you…'

I shudder. Professor Ganondorf looks over, snorts, and continues teaching the lesson.

Then there were the streets, fighting off the fearsome beast called hunger, scraping a living to buy a hunk of bread that I could have for dinner. The fear and starvation were alike: even when I thought I could never be scared again, the fear always returned, leaping in bounds. Even when I thought I was full, that I'd be satiated for a thousand years, within a day, my stomach would be hollow. On the streets, you don't think about how to get away. You only wonder where your next meal is coming from.

I survived all this. Somehow. But one day, will Porky be right? Will the dice be rolled, one final time? One day, will I not be so lucky?

Porky wants us alive. He has a plan. A plan that we have no hope of discovering - I wrack my brains. Ninten - why does that name ring a bell? The golden egg - what's inside? And what happened to Mega Man?

Play my game.

Ganondorf's Law lesson flies over my head. The man vaguely resembles a troll, angry and irritable, but cold and uninteresting. His words about the sacred Onett commandments are so dry, and my head is still so heavy from the Psychic Stone, that I want nothing more than to sleep.

Why Ness suggested we bury that stone at our grave is beyond me. I was too tired to argue, but it seems insane. Didn't Ryu tell us to keep it with us at all times?

I sigh. I need to relax. I can't worry about everything I see.

The rest of the day passes by in an empty haze. Double Onett studies is dull, and English is predictably mind-numbing. All the time my thoughts linger around the mystery, the image of Porky's pistol locked in my mind. But one thing in particular captivates my thoughts:

The letters.

Once lessons are over, and Ness and I are alone in our dorm, I bring them out. There are three plump envelopes, all tied together with an elastic band. I know who I want them to be from, but I don't want to hold out too much hope. Better to be pleasantly surprised than disappointed.

Ness flicks me a smile. "They're a bit sooty, but I hope they're alright."

"They're fine," I say, sliding them out. But to my surprise, amongst the pile, there's a letter addressed to Ness. And then after that, in an unkempt scrawl, a letter for us both.

"Your sister," I presume, handing Ness's over. He takes the envelope in his hands.

But as soon as I spot the stamp on my letter, my heart fills with warmth.

It's from Mount Oriander.


Dearest Lucas,

My kærest, it is so wonderful to finally read your words.

I must tell you, this is a delightful surprise. When your letter arrived on my doorstep, I could scarcely believe my eyes - I told off the mailman for delivering false envelopes! And yet, there it was, the stamp of Onett City.

Life has been gentle in Oriander. Your mother wouldn't have liked it. She would have called it langsom, slow, a lack of pace. But for an old man like me, it is simply a delight - I own a hilltop farm now, and I should love for you and Claus to come to visit someday! As a spædbarn you loved sheep - do you remember? You and Claus fed them down in Druid's Hollow when we visited Duster's family. The littlest one was your favourite - for well over an hour, it followed you around wherever you went. Duster's father told me that the poor beast was miserable for days after you'd gone home.

You and Claus were such little things back then. I could bounce you on my knee, or hold you in my arms. And quite the troublemaker Claus was as well! Remember when he took my hat and hid it in the coal shed? You must both have grown into tall young men, I suspect you must be starting to think about your futures. Perhaps you have even become friendly with a lady? I remember meeting your grandmother, it was a cold winter's day, and she'd come to sit beside me at the churchyard. A funny place to meet a woman, you might think, but we got to talking, I found out she was a seamstress, and two years later, your mother was born!

I am troubled to hear of Flint's condition. You have such a big heart, Lucas, to be looking after him and making him comfortable. He owes you a great debt, and he is fortunate to have a son of such good nature. He loves you enormously, Lucas, even if he has such trouble showing it. He always was a reserved man, your father. He was a resilient man too, and I'm sure he'll be on his feet in no time… otherwise I'll have to catch a train and give him a proper talking to!

Do you still paint, Lucas? On my wall, there's a painting you did when you were six, of a vase of sunflowers. It was impressive for that age - but I'm sure you're even better nowadays! I would love to see your newest works, and even if nobody else buys your paintings, I shall. There are too many empty walls in my house, and there is too much money in my bank account.

I say all these things because I would like to meet again, and reconvene properly, face to face. You, Flint, and Claus. I can come down on the train, and we could go for a fancy meal - my treat, for all the birthdays I have missed. When are you permitted to leave the boarding school?

Do tell me about your studies. I would love to hear how the education system has changed since my days. And tell me of your friends, and of Claus! Hearing about your life brings me joy incomparable.

But above all of this, stay safe, Lucas. The stories about Onett are echoing through the country. There's talk of war, battles that haven't been seen since '24. 'Porky' is the name they whisper. An evil man, they claim, king of the coal mines, king of the streets. I pray to all the gods that you are keeping yourself safe. And if the gods do not answer my prayers, then it is my oath that I shall come and save you myself.

Lots of love,

Grandad Alec.


Ness gives me a warm smile, and I hug him tight. Alec is doing okay! And, he wants to meet up! I gulp, suddenly thinking of Claus's condition. How would I explain such a thing?

I spot Ness's letter sitting, sealed, on the bed. "Aren't you going to open yours?"

Ness's expression turns grim, picking it up. "Look at the address. It's from my Father. "

"And?"

"I'm done with him. He's done being a part of my life. I'm not opening it."

I break into a broad grin, pulling my counterpart into my arms. Finally! The reign of terror is over - my Ness is free from that awful man. But I eye the third letter with suspicion - the one addressed to us both. I'm fairly sure I recognise the handwriting.

Ness slits open the envelope, allowing me to pull out the tightly folded parchment inside. I unfurl it delicately onto the bedside table, stretching it out for us to see.


Ness and Lucas,

50% of people are born male, and 50% are born female. 50% of the buildings in Onett are also owned by me. Just thought that might interest you.

P16L2W20

So, you've broken into my office and found your letters. Congratulations! It's wonderful that your little pen pal friend took the bait. I must say, it has been a lot of fun predicting when you'll come to call. I'm betting on the fireplace for now, but we shall see!

P3L4W18

In any case, this is part one of the puzzle. How's the golden egg doing, by the way? Yes, it shall open, and yes, you shall find out what's inside, in the end. You see, there are many things you do not understand, and many things that I am the master of, that you are not. In the end, I will have what I want.

P7L2W1

I'd suggest you start looking for the second clue. You have until Friday to solve my little riddle, otherwise, a lot of bad things will happen.

Remember: Never eat yellow snow.

Remember: Play my game. You will bow. You will call me Sir.

Remember.

~ Porky

(P.S Lucas, you still haven't come for our meet-up, you meanie!)


Ness and I exchange a look of utter exhaustion. What's Porky playing at now, setting us riddles? We'll ask the others about it later, I resolve. For now, I'd rather spend some time alone with my boyfriend.

"We need to talk," Ness says.

Oh dear.


(Toon Link)


I sit listlessly alone in my bedroom.

Rain has begun to spatter down outside. It obscures the forest outside to nothing but a shadow, smudging the sky into a dark grey. Another early winter's night is here, and it's yet another day where we've made no progress.

I worry about my family a lot. I worry about tiny Young Link, asleep in his bed, unaware of what's going on. I worry about Gerald, Father, at the butcher's stall. Most of all, I worry about that woman in the baker's shop, the woman looking for her missing son.

Me.

Scraps of letters sit on my desk. Dear Felicity. Dear Mother. My name's Toon Link. I'm your son. All are torn up, not quite right, too cheery, too sad, too trite. I can't do it. The thought feels like a thousand hits on the arse with Bowser's cane. I can't do it.

And who is the father?

This question is constantly pressing through my mind. It's always accompanied by a vague figure of a man, distant, with his back turned away. He walks off into the forest. He doesn't ever come back.

How does it feel to be so unwanted?

Porky's words.

You're not unwanted, your parents chose you.

Villager's.

The door creaks open. I snap to attention, but it's just Villager. He casts his eyes over my failed scraps of parchment on the desk, and he melts in understanding beside me.

"How are you faring?"

"Not too good," I admit. In front of anyone else, I would've made a joke, told a white lie. But Villager has always been able to see through my deceptions.

"Want to talk about it?"

"Not really." There's a slight pause.

Villager loops his arm around my middle. "Ness and Lucas are discussing their relationship next door." I can see what he's doing, trying to distract me.

I let him. "What are they saying?"

"From what I heard, Ness is worried that Lucas is becoming distant. Lucas is worried that Ness doesn't want to hear his problems. I didn't want to eavesdrop too much."

"They spend too much time together," I mutter. "I don't think it's healthy."

"It's the psychic bond," Villager explains. "Apparently. It's what Ness says."

I lay my head on his chest. "We don't need any psychic bonds."

Silently, Villager wraps his arms around me. It still feels unfamiliar, even though we've been in this 'experimenting' stage for a couple of days now. Secretly, I long to make things official with my sexy friend with benefits, but I don't think he's ready for such action yet.

I snuggle up to him, absorbing his warmth, wrapping us up in the covers. The perfect antidote to a cold, miserable day has always been a hot boyfriend and blankets.

"Find anything in the office?" I ask.

Villager's chin nestles against my shoulders. "Yeah, but I'll show you later. We've got other things to be doing now."

My heart skips a beat. "And what things are those?"

Villager's silence is everything. A hand starts to roam, underneath my shirt, brushing gently against my stomach. Shivers dart down my body from the ministrations, and I respond by fervently shoving a hand in Villager's hair. He twists his head to face mine, and I feel a distinct heat rise in my throat.

"Hey there," I blurt.

Villager's voice is cool, soft. "Hey."

He runs his fingers up my sternum, reaching my chest. My heart pounds, a gasp escaping my lips. I must look so controllable to him, so easy to tease… and yet, I don't find myself minding that at all.

I sneak a hand behind his neck, feeling my palm collide with his warm, moonlight skin. He retaliates by pulling me in, parting his lips in invitation. We crash together in ecstasy. Heat swirls over my cheeks, Villager's hands now exploring my back, my sides. He wraps his legs around my waist, breathing deep, and our lips burst apart, red-faced and gleeful. My mind spins under his touch, as he pulls my shirt up over my head, and I eagerly do the same to him, revealing his perfect body.

His lips brush against my neck, and I let out another gasp, infinitely grateful the windows aren't open. His lips come again, this time harder, and my thoughts start to blend into one.


(Lucas)


"I want to be honest, completely honest," Ness says, looking into my eyes. "Is that okay?"

I nod, swallowing the lump in my throat. "Yeah." Does he not want this? Is the relationship over?

He slowly touches my face. "Lucas, I love you, a lot. I've never loved you more than I do now. Battling alongside you, trying to figure all this out… there's nobody I'd rather be doing it with."

I blush. "The feeling's mutual."

"But recently, I've worried about you." The words sound like they're costing Ness a lot of energy, and my fears increase. "I've said it before, but you've been sullen, upset, and gloomy, and it's not just the stone. There are things on your mind, and that's okay, but you're being dragged down by them. Am I correct?"

I give a weak nod, frightened of what's to come.

"And, I think it's been affecting our relationship. You don't seem to want hugs anymore. We stay together, sure, but it's so often in silence."

"I always want hugs," I mumble.

Ness puts an arm around me. "I just wanted to make sure that you're happy with this relationship, with the way we are now, and by that, I mean one-hundred percent happy. If this isn't what you want, we can go back to being friends. Best friends, if you like." He gulps, suddenly. "And, I wanted to make it clear that you can tell me anything, literally anything, and I will help you through it like you did for me before. Okay?"

I'm lost for words, staring into his face. His eyes, his violet flecked eyes.

"I love you," I whisper, the words hardly coming out. "I want to hug you, I want to kiss you, I want to do all of those things."

"But?"

"There are obstacles," I admit. "Everything Geldegarde did. Everything he and his clients promised, I always hear them in the background, when you say you love me, that you'll keep me safe. And when you touch me, it's even harder. But I want to touch you, I want to love you. I want to be able to get past all that."

Ness listens.

I blunder on. "You make me happy, you make me comfortable. I know you love me, I feel safe when you hold me. Geldegarde messed things up, but I won't let him take what we have away. I'll keep fighting for us."

"What else is worrying you?" Ness asks gently.

"Saul," I say, thinking of the gunpowder.

"Is he really your brother?"

I give a tiny, nearly invisible shake of my head, willing the ground to consume me there and then.

Ness's shoulders droop a little. "I thought so. Why did you lie?"

"He didn't show me proof. He showed me his gunpowder. He said that if I didn't tell you and everyone else that he was my brother, then he'd blow up the school, and Porky and the rest of us with it. He's part of Onett Power."

Ness lets the information sink in. But, he doesn't say 'if you told me sooner…', or 'we could've dealt with it.' Instead, he proceeds to wrap me in a tight, one-armed hug.

"I'm really sorry," I whisper, shaking. "I should've said."

Ness lets me bury my head in his shoulder. "It's okay. I'd have done the same."

"I want to be with you. I want to be with you, one-hundred percent, for the rest of our lives. I'm sorry for acting so differently. I didn't mean it."

"It's okay," Ness soothes, rubbing circles onto my back. "Don't apologise. We'll get through it all."

I look up at him. "So are we still boyfriends?"

He inclines his head slightly. "If you still want to be."

"I still want to be."

Ness's face glows happily in the warm light of the gas lamps. "In that case, my love, our fates are bound forever."

I feel distinctly less weighed down as we head towards assembly. Villager and Toon Link emerge too, red-faced and giddy, and I'd be a fool if I didn't know what they'd been up to.

"Come in, come in!" Porky calls out, evidently in a great mood after his win in the office. "Quickly, quickly!" He flashes me a dangerously quick smile as I pass, and I gulp, instinctively looking for Claus.

To my relief, he's just a few meters behind me. Since it seems Porky knows about Claus already, I reasoned it would be sensible to let him come to assemblies, to hopefully start reintegrating him with people, and to help him get over his crippling fear of the big evil man in our midst.

Claus shrinks away from the villain as he passes, but to my relief, he doesn't scream, he doesn't even make a noise. I give him a smile, and my redheaded twin comes over.

"Lucas!"

Toon Link jumps in. "Claus! How are you?"

Claus beams. "Very happy. Has been very happy day."

"What have you been up to?"

But before Claus can reply, an ear-splitting ringing fills the hall. Claus throws his hands to his ears, letting out a yell, as I dart around, looking for the source of the noise.

"Lockdown!" Ness exclaims.

"Another one?!"

"Daily practice!" Porky sings. "Behind tables, behind chairs! Go on! If there were a real intruder right now, you'd all be dead!"

Once again, chaos reigns. Claus runs off into the crowd. I try to call, but he disappears in a sea of faces. Ness grabs my hand, but there's suddenly an ear-splitting shriek from the middle of the hall. Someone has collapsed.

"It's Popo!" Villager exclaims, rushing over. Ness and I follow suit. The professors swiftly rise from their seats.

"Come on, come on!" Porky snarls, over the ringing. "It's a lockdown procedure! What do you think you're doing?"

But everyone ignores him, as a bright purple light erupts out of Popo's face.

Someone screams. "It's happening again!"

"Finite Majiko," Byleth mutters furiously next to me. "Finite Majiko!"

But nothing happens. Then, Popo's body starts to rise, and from his mouth there comes a piercing screech, competing with the clanging clocktower. I chance a glance at Porky - he looks just as horrified as the rest of us. Popo's face is empty, unresponsive. Someone tries to step forwards and shake him, but they recoil, under the deafening noise.

He reaches full vertically, rigid as a board. The purple light shines. And then, all at once, the screeching stops, and so does the lockdown alarm.

The quiet hangs deafening, as everyone watches Popo's face. And then, he opens his mouth, and he rasps a word.

"Five."

His body collapses to the floor. The light disappears.

The silence is palpable. Everyone looks at their friends with abject horror on their faces. This time it's not just rumour - they've all seen it happen. They've all seen the impossible, unfolding before their eyes.

"Pick him up," Porky mutters.

Nobody responds.

"PICK HIM UP!"

Byleth and Rosalina rush forwards, effortlessly lifting the rotund boy in their arms. Porky shakes, furiously gazing at the scene before him.

"Go. Take him to the Hospital Ward. Everyone else - disperse. The assembly is cancelled."

Clamour rings out. 'What was that?' 'Is he okay?' 'Was that magic?'

"GO!" Porky yells at the top of his voice. "NOW!"

"Did you see his face?" Villager whispers, once we're all safely back in Toon Link's dorm.

"He was furious," Pit grins with relish. He leans back happily against his bed. "He didn't understand what was going on."

"Or, it wasn't supposed to happen in public," I chime in, equally happy.

"Or he was acting," Red mutters.

This worrying thought washes over us. But I find it unlikely - not even Porky could act that well. In his face there was rage. Pure, unquenchable rage. I just pity whichever kid he'll choose to be his punching bag for the next few hours.

"Where's Claus?" asks Ness.

I sit up, worried, but thankfully, my ginger twin chooses that moment to walk in, looking considerably better than before.

"Here I am!"

"So," Villager brings out a bundle of papers from under his shirt. "I've been waiting a while, but now that we're all together, I can show you these."

"What are they?"

"Order forms," Villager says meaningfully, handing them around. "I found them in the office. Porky's been importing an absolute ton of farm animals from Twoson's suburban breederies."

I leaf through the forms. Each order form is signed by Porky himself, confirming the animals' arrivals in Onett's river harbour. There are chickens, cows, pigs, sheep, all sorts.

Toon Link raises an eyebrow. "Opening a zoo?"

"Maybe he's trying to do some work with reproduction?" Pit suggests.

Red rolls his eyes. "No. Future Humans cannot reproduce, as metal is inorganic."

"It could be to do with stocks and shares," Ness guesses. "Maybe animals are worth a lot at the moment?"

I shiver, uneasy. This form confirms the importation of one hundred sheep from Twoson Central Breedery, to Mister Porky Minch… Whatever this is, it cannot be happening for a good reason.

Ness withdraws the riddle from his pocket, before placing it importantly down on the table. "Lucas and I found this amongst the letters. It's a riddle, Porky meant us to find it."

Red huffs. "See? He wanted us to steal the letters." But he views the riddle with interest, taking in the sequences of numbers and letters. I secretly cross my fingers. He's the best hope we have at figuring it out.

"You have until Friday…" Villager muses. "It sounds like there'll be more than one clue, like a treasure trail of sorts."

"Friday? Isn't that when the Formal Dance was supposed to be?"

"And wasn't it Sports Day today?" I remember.

Pit aims a half-grin at the pouring rain outside. "It was rescheduled to next week."

Toon Link sighs, taking the parchment clue in his hand. "Do we need to bother with this? We've got enough things to be looking at. He's got something planned for Friday, so what? We'll take care of it."

"Play my game," Villager murmurs softly. I give him a funny look, and he blushes. "Sorry - it's what Porky keeps saying. This is his game - riddles."

"Well, the code sections are easy," Red interrupts haughtily. We all turn in surprise.

"They are?"

"P16L2W20. Isn't it obvious?"

"No. Please enlighten us," Toon Link sighs, exasperated.

Red gives a rare smile, enjoying the moment of superiority. "Page 16, Line 2, Word 20. Book references. There'll be words, and the words will spell out a phrase."

I nod, impressed. "Which book?"

Red's smile falters. "I don't know."

"Maybe there's a clue in there?" Pit leans over keenly. "'Never eat yellow snow' - is that a book?"

"I don't think so," Red mutters, disgruntled.

Claus folds his arms. "Boney made yellow snow."

"Look," Villager declares, trying to sound authoritative. "We can worry about all this later. For now…"

The clocktower rings.

Ness jumps up. "Dinner!"

I'm excited for some good food, until the smell of burning fills my nostrils, for the third time today.

"This is why you hire catering staff," Ness whines, picking up a plate of blackened chicken. "Is this charcoal, or meat?"

The youthful server shoots him a dirty glare. "We tried our best. It's hardly our fault that we can't actually cook."

"It's an honest mistake," Villager says kindly, but the server huffs in his face, shoving more plates towards us and bustling away into the kitchen.

"Oooh! Black pudding!" Paula appears out of nowhere, excited.

"It's supposed to be chicken," grumbles Pit. "You can have mine too if you like."

Paula's face falls. "Oh dear… I'd rather not…"

At dinner time, the atmosphere is usually vibrant, and excitable. But today, I can see Porky's regime is taking its toll: there are tired eyes, some students hardly touching their burnt meat, most talking in low groans to one another. Memories of the sausage-and-mash food fight come back to me - how far away that feels now.

"Miserable lot, this," Villager says, drawing out his new pocket watch from his waistcoat. "We should hurry up and eat."

"Why, somewhere to be?"

"No, but Lucas and Ness have their meeting with Byleth."

I blink. I'd completely forgotten about that, amid all the afternoon's chaos. The blue-haired Professor waves cheerily from the other side of the room, seemingly oblivious to the low mood of the students.

I force down a few chunks of the incinerated meal. "Come on. Let's go."

We stand, drawing a significant amount of attention. In fact, a couple of people seem to lean away from us, as we walk down the aisles.

"What's their problem?" Toon Link mutters, as a girl in grey gives him a terrified glance. "Is there food on my face?"

"And Popo-" Diddy Kong talks to his friend, before freezing, locking eyes with me, and hastily moving away.

"They're worried about what happened to Popo and Mega Man," Villager reasons. "Everyone's worried that it could be them next."

He's right. Even as I pass a table of younger students, they're whispering about purple light, and collapse. After the first incident, there had been curiosity, rumour, excitement. But now? Fear. And if this is Porky's doing, then it is working very well.

"Come on," Pit murmurs uneasily, as some kids give Claus yet another terrified look. "Let's just get out of here."

We do so, but I sure as hell don't miss Porky's beady eyes trailing me, right up until we've left the hall.

Ness and I stand outside Byleth's great wooden door, brimming with excitement. What will he teach us? Some magical way to destroy Future Humans? The means to controlling the Psychic Stone? Will he understand what happened to Popo and Mega Man? Ness swings the hourglass-shaped knocker three times, before turning to me with a grin, that I share in equal magnitude.

"Come in."

We obey. The room is just the same as when we were last here, though the disorganised pile on the desk has grown slightly. Two velveted chairs have been set down in front of the desk for our convenience. We gladly accept them, and I look surreptitiously for any signs of what Byleth may be doing with us.

Byleth himself shows no sign of recognition, rapidly scrawling away in some tattered journal. Ness and I exchange another awkward glance, eyes racing around the compact office, the dusty magical books on their shelves, the stacks of papers bursting out of their drawers, and with a shock I notice Ryu's bronze globe, tucked untidily away under a fallen coat.

"So," Byleth says suddenly, his hands folded. His words come easily, as if he's spoken them millions of times before. "Some things happened earlier."

"They did," Ness replies awkwardly, as Byleth puts his journal under the desk.

"Another incident. Another collapse…" Byleth momentarily pulls out a watch, and then a second watch from a pocket, attaching one to each wrist. "Interesting, don't you think?"

I eye the watches with suspicion, before asking the obvious question. "What's going on?"

Byleth continues to speak with complete confidence. "The purple light. Either someone's invented LEDs far too early, or there's some magic at play. The way the victim rises, defying gravity. Either physics has broken… or there's some magic at play."

"Popo said a number," Ness chips in. "The number five."

"He did indeed."

"And it's not Porky's doing," I add. "He looked furious when it happened."

"Yes," Byleth says distractedly, bringing out a folder from his heap. "Unfortunately, that's not what today's meeting is about,"

"Then what is it about?"

Byleth doesn't reply, instead, he turns the folder around, revealing a small canvas painting of a young boy. He's matched by an even younger boy with similar features, and two older figures standing confidently in the background. I recognise the central boy to be Porky, but looking much younger, his hairline a lot further forwards and lacking the streaks of grey. In the painting, he looks in great health, though whether the painter adapted the scene or not is unclear.

"I think we'll start here. This is Porky Minch, and his family," Byleth explains. "Porky himself had this painting commissioned, just a few years ago. See the date? Unfortunately, this version is a copy… but it's good enough."

I point to the youngest boy in the painting. He's grinning, clutching a teddy bear, and there's what appears to be a giant white letter M across his shirt. "Is that Porky's brother?"

"Indeed it is. His name is Picky, Picky Minch. Then in the background, his parents: Aloysius, that's his father, the one with the moustache. And then his mother," Byleth points to a woman with vast blonde hair. "Lardna."

Ness frowns. "Where are they all now?"

Byleth puts the painting away, shoving it back into his tottering pile. "We'll get onto that. You see… It is very hard to find any information on Porky's family. It's all been very well tucked away. This painting and Porky's words are some of the only few pieces of evidence that suggest they ever existed."

"Will that help us beat him, then?" Ness asks, perhaps more childishly than he'd intended.

Byleth folds his hands with a smile. "All in good time, Ness. Porky is a complex man, and it is Ryu's wish that you should understand his past. After all, in order to understand your enemy, you must understand where he came from."

I try not to show my disappointment. I'd expected training for our powers, not bonus history lessons.

Byleth continues. "I trust you've been listening to Porky's little speeches in assembly?"

Ness and I nod in unison.

"Good. As I'm sure you've figured out, since I believe they're intended for you, he's been giving analogies of his past, in the form of this character, Peter. The information has been sparse, but he's telling us a lot."

"Nobody in Onett quite knows where he came from, you see, and that is the mysterious thing. There are very few men, or women, who rise from nowhere. Of course, many disappear, boated down the river to become slaves or worse. But very few people just appear."

Byleth fixes us with a resolute gaze. "This is the crucial thing. We have to understand where he came from, as where he came from shall surely mirror wherever he is going next. Does this make sense?"

"Yes, sir."

"Good. Then we shall begin with the first piece of evidence, which is this, an old letter written by none other than Geldegarde Monotoli."

The name shoots ice through my heart. I give a horrific shudder. Byleth raises his eyebrows. "Is something wrong?"

"N-No sir," I manage, ignoring Ness's worried look. "It's nothing."

"Good." Byleth unfurls the paper. It's browned at the corners, but the handwriting is neat, a series of ornate loops and curls. "This letter was written approximately sixteen years ago. At that time, Geldegarde was a mere undersecretary in Carpainter's government, and he was writing to none other than Captain Strong, who was at that time the minister of crime and punishment. I sent men to lift it from Strong's home, following his untimely death in the war, and I think you'll find it very interesting."

We lean in.


Good afternoon, Captain Strong,

I hope this letter finds you well. I am sending one of the junior ministers to deliver it, but you know what they can be like! Slippery fingers, and a tendency for mischief…

I am writing to you concerning a rather pressing matter, the matter of the applications for the Minister of Science and Innovation. Mayor Carpainter has sent me the shortlist, and it is one which I find to be most agreeable. Doctor Andonuts would no doubt be a wacky but experienced member of the team, whilst Maxwell Labs is young, but holds a lot of promise. However, the matter lies in the third member of the group: the one who calls himself Porky Minch.

As far as I am aware, this man has no prior experience in government. In fact, I have been unable to track down his history: he is not listed in the last Census, nor is he named in any shipping records. I gather Porky is an intelligent fellow, from the meetings I have had with him on Mayor Carpainter's behalf, but otherwise, he is simply unreadable. He has potential in him sure enough, but this could be potential that undoes us all.

I have attempted to research, to discover his lineage, but it seems there is none to discover. There is a small business renting carriages, and a property in the Third Residential District in his name, but that is all. He is an enigma, and I wondered if you may have some more information.

As you know, you are a man who I greatly respect, and a man who I know is experienced in matters of governance. Your assistance would be truly appreciated.

Best Regards,

Geldegarde Monotoli, Senior Undersecretary to Mayor Carpainter.


Ness looks up, bewildered. "Porky applied for a position in the government?"

"Not just any position. The Minister of Science and Innovation. I suspect he had begun brewing his ideas on Future Humans already."

"Did he get the job?"

Byleth folds up the letter, before leaning back in his chair. "Thankfully, he did not, else we would no doubt be made of metal. However, this shows us a lot - even sixteen years ago, Geldegarde noticed Porky's potential. He did not have a lot to show for himself back then, but he bided his time. He made some endeavours in Tazmily, began construction on his city, and it escalated from there."

"Did he apply to any other positions?" I ask, unable to imagine Porky giving in so easily.

"He did not," Byleth bows his head. "I believe by that point, Porky had a pretty clear idea of what he was going to do, and after his initial rejection, these plans no longer involved the government."

A howl of wind permeates the discussion. The sky outside of Byleth's window is a murky blank, and the gas lamps inside seem to glow all the brighter for it.

"I think that'll do for today," Byleth says.

Ness bites his lip. "Professor?"

"Yes?"

"What branch of powers do you possess?"

Byleth blinks with surprise, before composing himself. "I would've thought it was obvious from the decor. By Sothis's bidding, I possess the Time powers."

My mouth hangs open. "I thought the Time Powers were only hypothetical?"

"Well," Byleth gives a rare smile. "It seems that the hypothesis was correct."

Ness and I stare at the man before us in awe. I long to ask what exactly he can do with his powers, but I restrain myself. It wouldn't be polite, not now.

Byleth stands. "Well, today, we covered all that is certain about Porky's past. But in our next meeting, we shall start looking into the imprecise realm of theories and premonitions. Shall we say this Wednesday?"

I nod.

"Good. I suspect you have much to be getting on with, training and the like. But until then, stay safe."

"You too, Professor."

We're almost at the door when my curiosity finally wins out, and I turn on my heel.

"Professor, are you able to time travel?"

I hesitate. Byleth merely smiles. "Goodnight, Lucas!"


A/N

I'm happy with how this chapter came out, mostly because I managed to get a lot in without using too many words. Conciseness always wins!

A lot to consider here, and I've been hearing a lot of interesting theories from readers! I really love hearing all your thoughts on who could be sending the letters to Ness, what the deal with Saul is, and what could be happening to Mega Man and Popo! And now there's a riddle to solve too :))

Reviews

RainyTazmily: Well, this is definitely the longest review I've ever received lmao! It's really interesting to see your theories (some are impressively correct, but some are miserably wrong…)

THE BOIS FINALLY SPOKE ABOUT THEIR FEELINGS! But that's not to say they're all resolved yet, not at all. Their relationship still isn't 100% healthy, but they're getting there!

There was lots more to your review but I think I covered it in DMs, so I'm glad you enjoyed!

Stranger Danger: Well, I couldn't just have it by easy for my boys now could I? Haha :DD, Luckily, judging by when the review came in, you won't have to wait two long for the cliffhanger to resolve!

Guest: Hey! Fantastic to hear that you always come back here, you're always welcome amongst these words! I think this chapter managed to cover all bases of your review, so hopefully you enjoyed.

Until next time,

~ ReadyForTeddy