(Prologue: Ness)
I scramble underneath a bush, panting heavily, eyes darting about in all directions. I shiver, completely alone, terrified out of my mind. An unsupervised ten-year-old child is so, so vulnerable in Onett City, that's what Mother told me. She was right. What was I thinking? I sit completely still, pressing myself up to the centre of the bush, hoping, fingers tightly crossed...
It's Porky again. He caught me as I was going out to the forest. The forest is my happy place, the place where I've made such great memories with friends, but today, I foolishly went out alone. I wanted to sit by the river, taking advantage of Father's absence to have some peace and quiet, but, of course, Porky had been there… 'fishing,' he claimed. As if. What does he want with me? I've given him everything, money, possessions... I've even stolen from Father so that he wouldn't hurt Lucas.
Lucas is my best friend. Nobody gets to him, no matter how much they hurt me. Lucas's address is my well-kept secret, and I've been able to smuggle him home without prying eyes thus far. I'm not letting Porky get him now, not when they're already so poor.
I can see him coming, his hat over his eyes, short legs moving in pursuit. Has he seen me? I think he's seen me - oh God - I tremble as he comes over, I feel like I'm going to blow a fuse, something's happening, nervous energy overflowing as he gets closer and closer, his facing moves into view, and he's grinning, so nastily-
I scream, as flames erupt out of nowhere. They tower high - what has Porky done!? But he's still a few metres away - I scramble out, the fire consuming the bush completely - and I run. I run as fast as my legs can carry me, not looking behind me, not until I'm home.
It's only when I'm huddled under the covers that I register I'm unscathed. Completely unscathed.
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~~o00o~~
Chapter 7: Reflections of Future History
(Ness)
~~o00o~~
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.
.
The night is colder than I'd expected, though at least the snow has finally melted. Lucas is shivering, of course. I wish he ate more… maybe then he'd be warmer. However, Lucas, ever full of surprises, brings blankets out of his backpack. He smiles knowingly at me, wrapping one around himself, tossing one to everyone else as well.
We walk down the hill in a relaxed silence, headed down towards the forest. The moonlight illuminates the tips of the trees, revealing the gently sweeping branches that almost appear to paint the skyline itself. The night is cloudless and perfect; the stars shine brightly, landmarks for if we get lost. The air is crisp, and there's an earthy smell in the air that digs deep inside me, bringing out my adventurous spirit.
"What do you think's going on in the school?" I ask, with a skip.
"Nothing as exciting as this!" Toon Link beams, picking up a long stick. "Ah, I wonder what we'll find in there? Maybe… gold! Or, some big, giant monsters-"
"Gold and monsters?" Villager scoffs. "What are you, six?"
Lucas and I exchange a knowing glance, the Face on both of our minds.
"Ah, ye of little faith!" Toon Link enthuses. "We'll see!"
Villager rolls his eyes, but Lucas gives a small smile. "Bowser's probably going mad, searching for me and Ness."
"And rightfully so," Red says, angrily confiscating Toon Link's stick and snapping it in half. "That was a dreadful display of truancy in English."
"We left the lesson for a good reason," I sigh.
"What reason is that then?" Red's expression remains hard.
Lucas cuts me off before I can answer. "It's personal."
Red chooses not to argue, and he instead kicks at a pile of pine needles as we make our way under the tall canopy of evergreen trees. The moonlight trickles in just enough to illuminate a track, possibly taken by deer in the past. It seems to lead enticingly deeper into the forest.
"Orchestra was supposed to be tonight," Lucas realises. We're both regular attendees, managed by the pretentious Professor Sebastian Tute.
"Ah, screw orchestra." Toon Link spins around, arms outstretched. "Just look at this place! There must be so much to discover here!"
"Which way do we go?"
"Further up, and further in." Villager points down the path.
There's a rustle to the left, and Lucas tenses up. Toon Link glances over.
"What was that?"
"Probably just a deer," I dismiss. "A Roe deer, probably. They're common around here."
"Thank you Mr Biodiversity," Toon Link bows. "Good to know."
"I see you've recovered from being hit on the head?"
"Yes, thank you," he says mockingly. "I see you've recovered from your black eye?"
Ah, my black eye. I'd almost forgotten about that; nobody has mentioned it since being on the train. At least it's faded now, and at least I wasn't asked too many questions about how I got it...
"How did you really get that black eye?" Villager asks.
Of course. I rub my arm, suddenly glad for the cover of darkness. "As I said, I walked into a beam."
"There aren't any beams in your house," Lucas says, wrapping his blanket tighter around himself.
"Fine. It wasn't a beam." I sigh. "But, I don't want to talk about it, okay."
"If you're sure." Lucas, for once, doesn't press.
Villager shifts nervously. I'm sure he suspects - I'm sure they all do - but the subject is dropped.
"Let's just… keep going, how about that?"
We continue to walk.
Slipping behind the others a little, I slide my hand into my pocket, once again finding the strange item I'd seen on Ryu's floor. I run my fingers over it, bringing it out. Illuminated in the moonlight, I'm fairly sure that it's just what I suspected.
A painted wooden figurine of Lucas.
It's got his details down to the last button on his shirt. There's his hair - just how he wears it - there's his nose, his eyes, his mouth. It's Lucas. There's no denying that this is Lucas.
But why would Ryu have it in his classroom? Where did he get it from, how was it made? It creeps me out to no end - no way can I let Lucas find out about it. He'd be worried sick. I'm worried sick. What is Ryu doing with the figure? Maybe it's some form of magic he wants to try out? My trust in the history professor starts to sharply drop.
"Disappearances..."
What if it's Ryu? What if Ryu is causing the disappearances somehow - maybe he's turning people into figurines! No, that's impossible. Plus, Lucas is still here, and not a figurine. But, either way… it's suspicious. Very, very suspicious.
What if people disappear when they go into the forest?
I tell the voice in my mind to shut up for once, but I'm interrupted by a yelp from Lucas. He's tripped over, falling flat on his face - I hastily stuff the figurine into my pocket, and I rush over to assist.
"What happened?" Toon Link's there already.
"I don't know..." Lucas picks himself up with a groan, wiping mud from his face. "I tripped over this root or something, whatever it is." He gestures towards a protrusion in the forest floor - I angrily brush the leaves off of it. It seems to be some sort of rounded rock, sticking up at a deceptive angle from the ground.
"Are you okay?" Red asks.
"I think I'm fine," Lucas says, through gritted teeth, regaining his composure. "Sorry about that."
"I think it's a gravestone." Villager looks a little closer at the rock. "Old, though. Loads of moss. Cracks, too… And the name's a little faded, but…" He squints.
"Creepy." Toon Link laughs. "You good to keep walking, Lucas?"
"Yeah," Lucas says, having wrapped the blanket back around himself. "I should be."
But suddenly, Villager sinks to the floor, short of breath. His eyes are wild, frenzied, as if he's seen some sort of ghost.
"What's up?" Toon Link asks. Villager merely points at the gravestone, trembling from head to toe.
"What does it say?" Lucas tries to scramble over.
There's a deadly silence that falls, as Toon Link sweeps the moss, and the words become clear.
.
.
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In loving memory of Ness, and his best friend, Lucas.
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.
A chill of absolute horror courses through my body.
"What the hell?" I stammer, backing away. My name. My name. Maybe it's another Ness - another Lucas from the past - but it's an awful coincidence... 'Best friend' - I can't imagine there are many best friends with our names. It's us. It can only be us.
"Is there a date?" Lucas says, and I grab onto his shaking hand, terrified.
"Don't look for it!" Villager exclaims suddenly.
"Why not?"
"Do you really want to live in fear of one day?" His voice tremors. "One day in your future that you know you're going to die?"
"But." My hands shake, as I comprehend his words. "But how can it be here - how could it have a date from the future? We're still alive, aren't we?"
"I don't know!" Villager backs away. "I don't understand any of this - we need to be safe-"
"Wouldn't it be better just to know?" I move towards the leaves that cover the rest of the stone. "It might be import-"
"NO!" Villager slaps my hand away. "Once you see the date, that's the date it'll be. It'll be set in stone!"
"That's impossible," Toon Link quakes. "This is completely impossible."
"Its very existence is paradoxical," Red agrees.
"I'm - I-" Toon Link grabs a nearby tree for support. "Sorry for freaking out - but - but how the hell can this even be here? Who buries two people in the middle of the woods?"
"I don't know." Villager shakes with deep unease, and I find myself clinging tighter to Lucas's hand. "I have no idea. But we should leave this place, right now."
"Why?" Red asks.
Our friend eyes us grimly, the moonlight catching his pale cheeks.
"Because if the gravestone is here, this might be where they die."
The implication is clear. Lucas hastily gathers his blanket, and I quickly step back, my heart thumping. There is only dead, empty silence now. No sounds of birds, animals or insects. The moon has been covered up by a cloud, and goosebumps prickle through my skin. I'm more than happy to get away from whatever this is.
Rustle.
I jump about ten feet, and huddle towards Lucas, throwing my arms around him. He's clammy, cold with fear, but he takes my hand again, shuddering. This isn't normal. Nothing here is normal. Maybe we should go back - but thoughts of Bowser waiting with canes and whips and who knows what else deter me... maybe he'll be our cause of death, I think.
"We should find a place to sit down," Villager says, his voice still shaking. "Maybe we can build a fire or something."
There's a murmur of agreement. Lucas wraps his blanket around the both of us. I think it's his way of telling me that he's scared. I squeeze his hand, my way of telling him that I am too, but that he's not alone. The gravestone doesn't want to leave my mind - maybe we misread the name? Maybe it's - maybe it's not - maybe...
Maybe you're going to die here tonight.
No. I shouldn't be thinking like that.
Better watch out. Any one of these people could kill you.
They're my friends. They'd never do that.
Or a wild animal in the woods… it could come and get you.
No. No! I try and push away my paranoid side, deep down into the abyss.
But would anyone miss you if you died?
Of course they would. Toon Link - my friends, Mother, my sister-
Nobody would know. You'd just be another missing kid.
But-
Who'd look for you?
I stagger, and Lucas catches me. I breathe, in, out. I look up - the clouds are shaped like the grave. I look across - the shadows are shaped like the grave - I don't want to die - I don't want to die!
"Here!" Toon Link exclaims, gesturing towards a reasonably sized clearing. It's bordered with rocks, and it seems to have some sort of firepit in the middle. It's the perfect place, so I stumble onto a boulder. Lucas helps me down, and I grip his shoulder with thanks.
My mind returns to the scene.
"Right then." Toon Link puts his hands together, but his expression reads only worry. "Red - first off - I'm sorry."
"Are you really, though?" Red picks at the moss on his rock.
"Yes. You have to understand, I-"
But Red interrupts. "This is very out of character for you."
"You don't like me when I'm in character, Red."
"I do, it's just..." He picks up a chunk of moss, throwing it into the fire pit. Toon Link watches it sail through the air.
"Just what?"
"Just... hard. You never make sense. You only insult me. You're ridiculous."
"Red..." Toon Link sighs. "You know I'm only kidding when I'm like that… right?"
"Do I know? How am I supposed to know?"
"Because I'm your friend? I wouldn't want to hurt you."
"But why?" Red crosses his legs together, and Villager pats him on the shoulder. He stares at Toon Link's feet. "Why do you insult people that you like?"
"It's, well..." Toon Link stammers, not meeting anyone's eyes. "I'm bad with compliments, so instead I guess I-"
"Maybe you were just born mean."
"Come on." Villager gives Red a reproachful look. "Give him a chance to speak."
"This is why I wanted to talk, to have a deep conversation." Toon Link stands up, walking towards the fire pit. "I feel guilty. I'm dreadful with socialising and stuff. I don't know why I'm like this, it's..."
"Your way of showing affection?" I say quietly. He looks my way for a few seconds, surprise on his face, but then he nods.
"Yeah. Look, I care about you all, a lot! But Red, if you think I'm - well, you know... That makes me worry. But, Ness, Lucas, you knew me when I was shy. What happened?"
"You grew up," Lucas says. "You got more confident."
"I worry that people don't like me anymore." Toon Link stops still, digging his heel into the ground. "They don't like that I've changed." There's an edge of fear in his voice.
"You're being too negative," Red says flatly.
"I'm sorry." He wrings his hands. "I just - I didn't like being shy! I taught myself to be social. I read a lot of books over the summer before starting at Onett Boarding School. I practiced speaking to people in the street. I'm sorry if you all hate what I've become." He looks down at the floor. "I'm a total fraud."
"Toon Link..." Villager says, and suddenly, he's pulling him into a close hug. "You're awesome, mate. You're funny. Please don't say that. We do like you."
"Besides," I add. "You haven't changed that much. Right now, your sensitive side, your shy side, it's still here, right? You're still you."
"Thank you, but..." Toon Link turns again. "Red, I'm sorry if I upset you. I'm really sorry. I never meant to be a bad person."
The rest of us turn to Red, nervous. Red looks to be in deep thought.
"It's okay," he says, after some time. "I understand."
"You don't have to forgive-"
"Too bad," Red cuts him off. "You're one of the few guys on my side, here at school. I'm forgiving you. And the rest of you all too."
"Now hug!" Villager cheers. We all stare at him. He smiles apologetically. "Too much?"
"Nah, c'mere buddy." Toon Link grins, yanking an alarmed Red into a hug. Red makes a small squeaking noise, but he eventually hugs back. Lucas turns to me, a look of happiness in his eyes. I get the impression that that's a big weight off of his shoulders.
"Now that we're all friends again," Villager says, sitting back down. "I reckon we should try to light a fire."
"Good idea." Toon Link nods in agreement. "Does anyone know how?"
I think. "Well, we need some dry wood, and some dry leaves. How about Lucas and I find the leaves, and you three others get the wood? Meet back here in a few minutes?"
There's a general murmur of assent, so we get up from our places, heading off in our respective directions.
Lucas comes up alongside me. We suddenly have a lot to discuss - nervously, I grip onto the figurine in my pocket, my mind rushing with ideas.
"Lucas, I'm scared." The words rush out before I have a chance to process them.
"I know." Lucas takes my hand. "Ness, it's probably not us on that gravestone. We're still alive now, right? So how could it be ours? It looks so old, and so cracked."
"I want to go and see it." I look down. "I want to read the date."
"No," Lucas says sharply. "Didn't you hear what Villager said? It's dangerous."
"I don't care. This is our lives we're talking about, isn't it? If we know what's going to happen… maybe we can figure out how to prevent it."
"Ness," Lucas takes my other hand, looking severe. "I know you're scared, but-"
"Scared? I'm beyond scared-"
"But you can't go and look at that stone!"
"Yes, I can!" I stamp my foot shaking off Lucas's hands in a sudden burst of anger. "And you can't stop me!"
I run.
"Ness! Wait!"
I ignore him. Where was the stone? What was the way? I need to find it, and fast. Lucas gives chase. Of course - ugh, can't he let me do what needs to be done? He doesn't get it, of course. Bitter thoughts fill my mind. Since when did Lucas think he could tell me what to do? I'm my own person - I can decide what to do with my life. It's not dangerous - and didn't he contradict himself? Saying it's not our gravestone, then saying it's dangerous... he must be lying to me!
Again. He lied to you about his family.
But that's different - his family is different…
He only pretends to care about you. That's another lie.
He - does care, doesn't he? Nevermind, whatever, where is the gravestone, where has it gone? I can't find it, can't find it anywhere - I look back angrily, expecting to see Lucas behind me.
But he's not there. I'm completely alone.
I turn around, breathing heavily, but there are trees and only trees. I'm lost in the forest. The stars! I can use them to guide me… I look upwards. Clouds. No stars. It's dark - so dark - I miss Lucas suddenly. No, I'm angry! But I miss him. But - oh - Lucas where are you? How could I have been angry at him? What's wrong with me? I'm no better than Porky, I'll never be forgiven!
No. Porky's worse. I need to stop thinking like this. I need to find everyone - I'm so lost. I kick at a tree in frustration. Frustration with myself, for being such an idiot, and for getting myself in such a mess. Lucas is right, the grave doesn't matter. What would he do if he was here?
What do I recognise? Nothing. Do I see anything that I remember from before? No. My memory is awful. My breathing accelerates again as I spin around, staring at the masses of branches surrounding me. I shiver; I left my blanket in the clearing. My chest constricts, my head overflowing with hopelessness, I'm lost, I'm never going to be found...
Think. Think. Rosalina - she taught me how to deal with this panic - with, uh, what was the thing called? The five-point grounding method. What can I smell? Not much. What can I taste? The air. What can I feel? Cold. What can I see? Trees, endless trees. What can I hear? I try and slow down my breathing to listen... and is that someone talking? Is that hope!?
"You're sure nobody will hear us out here?"
That's not any of my friends' voices. But who is it? It sounds like...
"I'm sure, sexy."
Oh God, is that Bayonetta? What's she doing, and who's she with?
"Wahaha… good… good."
No - it can't be -?
"Oh, Professor Wario," Bayonetta laughs. "You are silly. Now, undress me, you fool!"
No. No.
"Just because you're doing this doesn't mean you can disrespect me! Don't call me a fool!"
I feel sick to my stomach. What the hell is this? Why are they-? Why?
I ended up courting some guys for money, Bayonetta had said. So - what - Professor Wario?! I suppose he has a lot of money to pay - but - oh dear - poor Bayonetta-
They start getting a whole lot louder, which is definitely my cue to leave. I'm fully nauseated. I think I'm going to throw up. Even the thought of Professor Wario - Ugh, no, no, get that image out of my head - where's Lucas - where's anyone - my head is spinning…
I can still hear them, or specifically, Wario. I breathe heavily, walking backwards-
Thump.
Oh, that's a tree… which hurts. My vision is swimming... the pretty trees are dancing… haha… ha...
The darkness swallows me whole.
...
When I come to, Lucas is leaning over me, a very cross expression upon his face. He exhales suddenly upon seeing me awake, pulling me into a frantic hug.
"Ness - you idiot-"
"Where am I?" I rub my head, slowly sitting up.
"I found you knocked out - I assumed the worst-"
My head throbs as I take in the scene. We're back in the clearing again. Guilt rises inside me.
"I'm sorry."
"You should be!" But he sees my wounded expression, and he softens. "Ness, it's okay. It's a scary situation... I'm just glad you're safe. And truth be told…You're quite funny when you're angry."
"Funny?!" I blush. "I'm not funny - I'm - I'm fearsome-"
"No you're not, Ness, you're just a big cuddly teddy bear."
"I can be scary!"
"No you can't." Lucas laughs gently. "You've never scared me."
"I'm soft with you."
"You're just soft in general."
Lucas grins, and I pinch his cheeks. It's such a relief to be back with my best friend. The worry slips away a bit, the gravestone can wait. Bayonetta will be fine, I hope.
"Did you get the dry leaves?" I ask.
"No," he says reproachfully. "I was too busy looking for you, wasn't I?"
"Sorry," I say again, gazing at the distant trees. "I'm just scared, and curious - I - I shouldn't have taken it out on you."
"Ness, I understand."
Lucas and I sometimes fall out over stupid things. It's usually my fault, but the fallouts never last for more than five minutes… try as I might, I can't stay angry at his stupid lovable face.
The others choose that moment to come back, arms piled high with wood.
"Alright!" Toon Link cheers. "Have you two got the leaves?"
"No…" I say meekly.
Lucas rubs his neck. "We got distracted."
"Distracted?" Villager throws down his wood. "You didn't look at the gravestone, right?"
"I... tried to," I admit. "But I couldn't find it."
"I told you not to!"
"I know, I know-"
"Ness, seriously, it's dangerous!"
"Villager, please-" Lucas mutters nervously.
But Villager carries on. "You could've been killed!"
"I know." I grit my teeth. "Lucas told me off already, okay?"
"It doesn't seem to have gone in!"
Red and Toon Link watch nervously, having deposited their wood in the firepit.
"Villager - I know!" I exclaim, the pressure inside of me escaping with a burst. "How would you feel if it was your gravestone?"
"I feel like I'd be smart enough to leave it alone!"
"Are you calling me stupid?"
"No, I-"
"I know I'm stupid." A sick, guilty feeling smothers my insides. "But at least it's me who's going to die, and not you."
"Ness, you're not going to-"
"I hope you're happy."
"Ness..."
I look up - oh no, he's crying, Villager is crying, what have I done?
"Look - I-" I lose my resolve, sitting back down on one of the rocks. "I'm sorry," I say, for what feels like the umpteenth time today.
"You have to understand, Ness," Villager says, wiping his eyes, "I worry about you. I worry about all of you, okay?"
"I know." I look down, the sinking feeling in my stomach deepening. "I shouldn't have gotten mad."
Villager shakily sits beside me. "I should've been more understanding - of course you're curious about it - but, still..."
"I've messed everything up, haven't I?" I croak.
Lucas gently rubs my back, his arm over my shoulder. "What do you mean?"
"I'm a mess. I can't seem to be normal with people today. I keep getting angry."
Villager puts his arm around my other shoulder. I feel like some pitiful child, vying for the attention of friends that I don't deserve. Toon Link sits in front of me, looking as if he doesn't know what to say. I wish I were alone.
"I'm so sorry," I murmur.
There's silence.
"Let's just try and move on from this," Villager suggests, after what feels like an eternity. "We all have off days. Let's not think about the gravestone. Let's remember why we came here tonight, and let's try to enjoy ourselves. But we should go somewhere else. I don't like this clearing anymore."
"Okay," I say miserably. I'm a weight, a dead weight. Everyone would be having a much better time if it weren't for me being here, bringing everyone down like a lead balloon. There's another quiet as we stand up, wrapping our blankets around ourselves, and Lucas takes my hand. Its familiar shape grounds me a little bit, and I breathe, trying not to panic at every turn, focusing on every individual step. I'm fine, I tell myself. Fine.
Luckily, I'm cheered up soon enough. Almost immediately after we leave, we're met with a beautiful, rushing river.
The moonlight is back, so I can see the long, stretching bank, coated with flowers and dew. The channel is deep, full from the last of the melting snow, but it's lazy, calm in the tranquil scene. Unfortunately, we're not as calm, and as we approach the waters, shouting and yelling, I feel myself slip, and then I'm tumbling in with an almighty splash.
"After him!" Toon Link bellows, and then Lucas yelps as he's shoved in beside me. I laugh, grabbing onto Toon Link, and then he's coming too, Villager in tow-
"Cold!" Lucas exclaims, and I sling an arm around him, grinning like an idiot. The current is surprisingly powerful, icy, and likely to render me impotent, but I don't care. Lucas splashes me, and I cackle, splashing him right back.
"Ness!" he yelps, and I grin.
"I dare you to put your head under,"
"No way! I double dare you!"
"Same time?"
"But my hair-"
"Aw, come on!"
"Fine," Lucas groans, and I grin.
"Three… Two… One... Go!"
There's a hesitation. Neither of us move.
"Hey!" we exclaim simultaneously. There's a pause, and then I launch myself at him with a yell. I wrap my arms around his body, and he giggles as I start tickling him - I know all his weak spots - and he yelps, slipping. He wriggles around - I'm not losing this battle - but he knows my ticklish spots too, so we're soon immersed in a very wet tickle war, that predictably ends with a mighty splash... and both of us disappearing beneath the surface.
We emerge, laughing and shivering. Red toes the bank nearby, looking nervous.
"Come on in!" I shout happily. Red stares at the water.
"It's cold," he complains. "We'll get in trouble."
"Well, Red," Toon Link says, coming to the bank.
"Yes?"
"You need to loosen up." Toon Link splashes him suddenly, and Red gasps. We all freeze; has Toon Link overstepped it?
"Not so fast!" Red shouts, pulling off his shirt and performing a perfect dive into the water.
We cheer, and Red swims after Toon Link; of course, he's secretly a good swimmer. Typical. I think he has a huge pool at his home… he's an only child, so he probably doesn't have much to do except swimming and playing sports. I'm glad we're here, suddenly - despite the grave and Bayonetta, we're together. The grave doesn't have to change anything.
"Come on, or we'll miss their fight!" Villager says happily, and so we swim downstream to see Red and Toon Link having a sort of messy splash battle that, of course, we have to get involved in too, and it's chaotic and crazy but so good, and so, so fun, and honestly, it's perfect.
It must be at least an hour later that we clamber out of the water, panting, but thoroughly happy with ourselves.
"I swear, it's got darker," Villager laughs, shaking the mud from out of his hair. "We've been out here for so long."
"Do you think anyone's looking for us?" Lucas asks, wringing out his shirt.
"No idea," Toon Link says. "Apart from our good lad Bowser, I don't reckon."
"We'll find out when we get back," Villager decides. "No good worrying about it now. We've got fun to have."
"Who cares, anyway?" I say. "It's been totally worth it. Even if I'm completely soaked."
But Lucas suddenly groans. "I left the backpack back at the clearing."
"It's alright." Toon Link ruffles his hair. "Not like a grizzly bear would have stolen it or anything."
"Are there bears here?" Lucas's voice quavers.
"Of course not, goof," I tease. "Except me."
"You're a bear?"
"Roar," I say flatly, and we all burst out laughing.
"Okay," Lucas says. "I'll go and get the backpack. Wait here, alright?"
"Do you know the way back?" I ask, just to be sure.
"Of course." Lucas nods. "I'll be five minutes or so."
"We won't go anywhere," Toon Link assures him. "Or will we…?"
"No, we won't," Red says, missing the joke. Toon Link sighs, and Lucas heads off into the forest. I try not to worry - it's just going to be five minutes, right?
I sit down on the grass by the river, hoping that I might start drying off. We've managed to find a pretty good spot; it's flat, and there aren't too many trees here. The moonlight perfectly catches the dew as I lie on my back, staring at the stars.
Surprisingly, Villager comes and lies next to me.
"Hey, Ness."
"What's up?" I ask.
"Nothing much… I just wondered how you're holding up, considering everything that happened earlier."
"It's a fluke," I declare. "That gravestone is nothing to do with me and Lucas. It means nothing at all."
Villager smiles at that. "I'm glad."
"I'm surprised you're not angry at me… for earlier. Sorry again."
"I was," Villager shrugs, turning on his side. "We all do stupid things sometimes. It would be foolish to think otherwise. I can't hold it against you, especially considering the gravity of the situation."
"I guess, yeah, but you have to put up with all of my… problems," I say, for lack of a better word.
"If I can't stick by you at your worst, I don't deserve you at your best," Villager says, staring up at the moon. "To an extent, of course. If your worst was murder, then I'd probably not be your friend."
I'm surprised by his sincerity tonight. Usually, Villager and I have an unspoken agreement to keep it light, hiding our emotions from one another. Villager depends on Red for any emotional support, and I usually turn to Lucas.
"This is getting deep," I say.
"Toon Link wanted a deep conversation, I guess."
"What's happening at school right now?" I wonder aloud, clumsily changing the subject.
"Not much, I'd imagine," Villager says, picking up a leaf, and observing it.
"Nice leaf?" I ask awkwardly.
"Oh - not especially."
We lie in silence. I'm used to Villager being the friend I have a laugh with at the back of lessons, the friend I goof off with. I'm not so used to his sensitive side… but I don't mind it. He's a good friend, dependable, solid as they come. It's like Pit said, he's the mother of the group. He gets on well with every single one of us, and he knocks some sense into us too. We're fortunate to have him.
I think back to the first day of boarding school.
~~o00o~~
When I came into the classroom, I was a bit of an awkward mess. History was my first lesson, and, I mean, I liked history, but this was nerve-wracking. Lucas wasn't in my class. I'd thought we'd end up together in all our classes, but this was a much bigger school than Onett primary.
The professor smiled at everyone as they walked in, until he saw me. When his eyes raked my face, he gave a start as if he recognised it, but didn't quite know how or why.
"Is everything ok, Professor?" I frowned, already worried.
"Yes, fine..." he regained his composure. "Tell me, your father... did he go to this school?"
"Yes," I said nervously.
"No wonder. You look just like him."
Curiosity got the better of me. "Did you know him?"
"We went to school together," he said thoughtfully. "I had no idea he'd had a son… surprising, considering. But enough on that, sit down, sit down!"
I hastily scanned the room for somewhere to sit. Knowing my father could hardly be good news, I reasoned. There was a space next to a somewhat lonely looking boy - perfect, I decided. I placed myself down.
"Hi," the boy said quickly. "I didn't think anyone would sit there."
"Oh - sorry," I said. "I can move-"
"No, no, it's okay. The name's Villager, by the way."
"I'm Ness," I replied, cheered by his welcome.
"Nice to meet you, Ness. Do you know anyone else here?
"Well, nobody here..." I looked around. "But I know some people that aren't here. Toon Link, he's our shy friend, or he was, he seemed totally different this morning... and then there's others, Popo, Nana... and Lucas, my best friend, you have to meet him!"
"You talk a lot!" Villager laughed.
"Sorry," I said, blushing.
"No, no, it's cool, it means I don't have to!"
I laughed at that, and Villager and I hit it off throughout the lesson. The professor, who turned out to be called 'Ryu', was unusual, but I didn't mind. Even if he did look at me as if I'd recently died...
~~o00o~~
I open my eyes again. Looks like I drifted off momentarily.
"Has it been five minutes yet? Is Lucas back?" I ask sleepily. I feel hazy, all of a sudden, like some sort of fog has descended over my mind.
"Yeah, yeah," Toon Link says. "It's been about an hour, actually."
"An hour?!" I shoot up.
"Yeah."
"So where's Lucas?"
There's a pause.
"Uhm," Toon Link pushes himself up from the ground. "I'm not sure."
"What?" Villager stands. "Did we lose Lucas?"
"Yes!" I say frantically. "Don't you remember him going off to get the backpack?"
"The backpack is here," Red says.
"What?" I'm confused now. "Did Lucas come back with it?"
"Yeah." Toon Link nods. "A good thirty minutes ago."
"Did I miss that, or something?" I frown with bewilderment. "And where is he now?"
Something pokes me from behind.
"Hi."
It's Lucas.
"I didn't know you were back," I say lamely.
"You were asleep," he admits. "I didn't want to wake you."
"I don't remember falling asleep."
"You've been asleep for an hour," Red says, surveying me with uncertainty.
I think. I wrack my brains, staring around at the others, who look back at me with equal confusion. Are they playing some sort of joke? I don't remember waking up. I don't remember falling asleep. I was just thinking about that memory, and then…
I must be tired, gosh. It makes sense - only I could fall asleep and not remember it.
"Okay," I shrug.
"Ness," Lucas begins, his eyes bright.
"What?" I ask, beyond confused at this point. But Lucas only gives me a look, one that says 'later. When we're alone.'
So something happened. But why don't I remember it? Was I really sleeping? I could have sworn I'd closed my eyes for just five minutes, thinking of that memory. It makes very little sense.
"Shall we - shall we play truth or dare?" I ask on a whim, keen not to think much more about it.
"Now that's a good idea!" Toon Link beams, pulling himself into the conversation. "No boundaries, I propose."
"How do you play?" Red asks.
"Oh, you'll find out." Toon Link grins. "Watch and learn. Villager, you're victim number one."
"Oh, great-"
"Truth or dare?"
"Truth, I guess."
"Alright," Toon Link cackles. "What's the truth about you and Zelda?"
"Can I change to a dare?"
"Sure. I dare you to answer the truth."
"Fine, fine." Villager rolls his eyes. "Uhm, you might want to sit down."
I sit down, still dizzy, next to Lucas. Lucas protectively slings an arm over my shoulder, almost as if he's worried that something might happen to me - what happened in that hour? Instinctively, I thrust my hand into my pocket. The Lucas figurine is still there. I need to hide it away, and find out why on earth, why on earth, Ryu would have that in his classroom.
"So." Villager starts to blush. "Alright, I'll admit it. I did like her. Back, uh, six years ago? First and second years of boarding school. I thought she was pretty, okay? I was right, and nobody can deny that."
Lucas and I exchange the smallest of knowing glances. I suddenly want to hug him - we both know that we don't think girls are pretty yet - and it's unifying, in a way.
"But, Link was the one that she preferred." Villager fiddles with his thumbs. "And fair enough. I'm not exactly a looker."
"Nonsense," Toon Link says, but Villager looks doubtful. He's always been self-conscious about his height, even though none of us are much bigger. Red is the only one who gets close to a 'tall' status.
"So I moved on," Villager continues. "I moved on years ago. And yeah. That was about it."
"Is that really it?" Toon Link asks.
"Yes." Villager averts his eyes.
"A clear lie," Toon Link scoffs, "But moving on… Red, your turn."
"Huh?" Red looks up from picking at his trousers. "Who do I choose?"
"Anyone you like."
"Oh. I like Villager. I'll pick him."
"C'mon, again?" Villager sighs, and I laugh at his misfortune.
"Do I ask you a dare?" Red asks.
"Or a truth," Villager says. "Preferably a truth."
"Okay. What's your favourite colour?"
"That's an easy one." Villager breathes a sigh of relief. "Probably red."
"Ah, I get it," Red says. "It's a pun. I hate puns. They are the worst thing to happen to mankind."
"Yeah, I know you hate puns," Villager laughs. "Alright, I'm choosing Toon Link next. Before anyone else can choose me."
"Dare," Toon Link grumbles as he sits on the grass. His shirt is still wet, I notice, and there's a water snail creeping on his shoulder.
"How bad can we make them?" Villager asks innocently, and Toon Link pales.
"As bad as you like. However, I'd rather not do anything that gets me killed."
"How about eating some grass?" Villager suggests.
"Easy!" Toon Link stuffs a handful into his mouth before Villager can think of anything worse. "Lucas, your turn to ask someone."
Lucas grins evilly, staring me right in the face. I know exactly what's coming next.
"How about you, Ness?"
"Why me?" I pout.
"Because you're goofy."
I laugh. It's not funny at all, but because it's late, everything's a lot more amusing. I wrap an arm around Lucas shoulder. "I pick dare, and be warned, I'm gonna make you do the same dare. So be nice!"
"Nice? I don't think so," Lucas says, laughing at my apparent foolishness. "I dare you to climb that tree, all the way to the top." He points to a tall one - but I love climbing trees! What's he playing at?
"Yes!" I cheer, sure to rub it in Lucas's face that haha, his dare is easy. "And you have to climb it too, 'cause I'm gonna pick you on my turn, and. Yeah." I think it sounds logical. I'm tired.
Lucas shrugs, smirking. "I have always been better at physical activity than you."
"So it's a race then!" Toon Link cheers. "I love a good race."
"You're on!" I jump up to the tree, ready. Lucas stands alongside me. No way is he better at climbing trees than me. I'm suddenly energetic - how did that even happen?
"Isn't this dangerous…?" Red asks, paranoid.
"Of course it's slightly dangerous," Toon Link admits. "But it's fun-"
"Then they shouldn't be doing this!"
"Relax, Reddy. They'll be fine. Probably."
Red makes to grab us. "Wait!"
"Go!" Toon Link calls, before Red can reach us.
We're off! I scramble upwards, allowing the friction of my hands on the bark to propel me - who cares if my hands are raw and red after? It seems Lucas and I dried off from the river at some point, because I can see his hair is back to its usual sweeping wave shape. Unfortunately, I realise that means he's parallel to me - in fact, he's really going for it! I can hear gasps for breath though - he must be running out of stamina...
I grin. I'm pulling ahead as I reach the first branch. I test it - that's alright, that'll hold my weight. I stand on it, and sure enough, it doesn't crack, not even a little bit. It's a slight relief, as I'm always uncertain if my weight has increased. I did eat way too much at dinner last night, a pretty bad habit of mine… I should probably do something about it. I mean, I'm not fat, but Lucas's body is far more appealing than mine. I look up, and can see, sure enough, he's skinny as ever. A little too skinny for his health; he does need to eat more, I think. But still. I want to be like him.
Wait a minute - I look up again - how did he get there? How is he above me!? I hear cheering from below, but I'm sure not to look down.
There's a sudden crack, and adrenaline rushes through me. Quick! The branch I'm on trembles, and Lucas is in reaching distance. He'll tease me to no end if he wins, so I can't let that happen. I scramble up as the branch below me falls, but there's another crack - the branches are getting weaker up here, so I need to utilise the trunk more. That's alright - there are a few ledges and nooks still in it. And what height is this? I look to the side, and - oh wow, we're quite high above some of the other trees. This tree must be a big one. And somehow, I'm level with Lucas again.
"Hi!" I shout. He gives a start, but keeps his balance well.
"Ness! Come back here!" Lucas yells, scrambling harder, but I'm pulling ahead. I don't think we can go much higher than this! Where does the race end? We continue, I'm ahead, I'm ahead! But the trunk is starting to sway - it's dangerous to go any further, which means…
"I win!" I beam.
Lucas arrives at my level about a second later, clinging onto the trunk, white as a sheet.
"I was calling you to stop - but you kept going - I had to follow-"
He's completely out of breath. I frown. "Of course I wasn't gonna stop, it's a race after all," I grin suddenly. "And I beat you."
"Ness..." Lucas's shaky hands grasp onto the tree, his knuckles pale. "Haven't you looked down?"
I look down.
Oh.
We're high - really high - above most of the other trees - oh no, oh no-
I nearly vomit. Vertigo - I'd almost forgotten.
"Ness!" Lucas shouts. "Your hands are slipping, be careful!"
"Right," I say, swallowing down the sudden fear. Of all the trees to pick… we must be, what, hundreds of feet in the air? Forget the race! Toon Link, Red and Villager are barely visible! The trees in this forest are huge… but now we're high - so high-
A chill runs through me. My thoughts come back to the gravestone - what if this is how we…? No. I'm not thinking those thoughts.
Lucas looks at me, shaking. He's scared - he's so scared - how hadn't I noticed that? I made him come up here, I made him do the dare with me - how didn't I hear him? He came up here for me. If only I'd stopped...
The branch I'm on sways ominously. It's so windy up here, and so cold, a lot colder than down below. The wind blasts our faces, Lucas's hair flying out to the west like a flag, the bright blonde sweep matching the moonlight. The tree sways, blustered by the increase in mass. My heart pounds, and suddenly I don't know what to do.
"Ness!" Lucas's feet nearly give way, and he clings to the tree like a child. "I want to go back down!"
He sounds terrified, young, and so, so afraid. I forgot about his fear of heights. Of course I didn't think this through. Of course I overstepped my limit. But I got us into this situation, so I have to get us out.
"We can do this," I say bravely. "We can get down."
"Ness!" Lucas cries. "How? I'm - I think I'm gonna fall-"
Tears drip down his face. I've frightened him to his wit's end. I try not to cry with despair; the night smells of fear, the air tastes of terror.
"Lucas." I scramble for a desperate idea to ground him. He'll never be able to get down in such a panic. "Look up, our constellation, amici optimi," I bluster. He tips his head upwards slightly. "Do you see it?"
"I-I see it - yeah-"
"We're going to get down, I promise you," I say. "I won't let you fall. Do you believe me?"
His body trembles, and he hesitates, but he nods. The wind howls in disagreement.
"You're gonna have to trust me," I say, holding tighter onto the swaying tree. "Follow my instructions, I swear I'll get you down safely. Okay?"
"I-I trust you, Ness. What do I do?"
"Alright." I breathe out. "So, first, take one hand off the tree. Make sure to keep one right around the trunk. Hug it. Tight."
Lucas looks at me, eyes wide, but he slowly unpeels one hand from the trunk. I do the same, and I take his new, free hand.
"In case one of us falls," I explain. "Now, there aren't any branches to stand on up here, so what we have to do is slide ourselves down. Use your other arm to grip, making sure you don't slip to the bottom. Got it?"
He gives a determined nod, his bony hand gripping mine like a vice. I loosen the hold of my feet on the trunk, releasing my arm slightly, just enough that I start to descend. Lucas follows my lead, slowly, steadily. It's too slow, though. We're hardly moving. Lucas stares me in the eye, our faces only separated by the wood, expressions fixed with concentration.
Despite the terror, despite the screaming wind, I smile. Just a little bit. And he smiles too. But the moment breaks - a mighty gust of wind swings the trunk to the right. I slam my feet against the tree, no doubt shredding my ankles. I hiss in pain as a rogue branch scrapes across my calves, almost certainly drawing blood. But I don't look down. Lucas holds on tight, to my hand and the tree. The tree rocks, and I screw my eyes shut, hoping the trunk will thicken back up again soon, that we might be sheltered from the wind, by branches that we can stand on-
"NESS!" Lucas screams, as a sudden cracking noise penetrates the orchestra of the wind - what's happening? What was that cracking!? I jolt to focus, suddenly aware of my hands slipping. But otherwise, everything seems to be stable. Lucas looks at me expectantly. It'll be okay.
"Let's keep going," I suggest. Lucas nods, and the shuffling down continues, agonisingly slow. There are more cracks and crunches, and I try to push down the rising, rising panic. Lucas is here. We're together. That calms my nerves.
You could be getting Lucas killed.
I ignore the voice in my head. The bigger branches must be close, and I breathe a giant sigh of relief as my feet touch solid wood, at long, long last. I look up - the top, where we were, must be twenty feet from where we are now, coated in nothing but spindly twigs. Lucas touches down next to me, panting, still white-faced. The trunk doesn't seem to be swaying as much here. But these branches aren't made to support two of us-
Snap.
The wood disappears from beneath our feet.
Tumbling, I grab hard onto the trunk, desperately kicking my feet to get support, but the friction and the gravity cause my shirt to ride up and my chest to be scraped raw. The explosion of pain causes a reflex reaction, to let go of the trunk, and suddenly I'm in freefall-
But Lucas's hand grips my own as I dangle dangerously over the edge. His face is white with strain. If he drops me, I surely die. I kick, screaming, trying to grab a hold of the tree again, but it's agony, my arm, I swear it's getting ripped out of its socket - I swing my legs, and finally, finally make contact, wrapping them tight around the trunk. Lucas rapidly slides down, breathing fast, shaking. I'm shaking so hard.
My fault.
Lucas doesn't release my hand, but his palms are sweating. I think our hands are stuck together. Why didn't I stop? Why didn't I see the danger?
Everything hurts. My arms, my hands, my ankles, my chest, raw from the savagery of nature. I don't know how Lucas is faring… my eyes sting with tears from the cold and from the fear, the terror, the blind terror. Down, we keep shuffling down, meeting new wood, new leaves. I won't stand on it this time. Down, down, my heart plummets, it's so far, so far. Lucas slips, I slip, we catch each other, everything blending into a blur, a fearsome blur of pain and cold. Lucas. I have to keep going for Lucas. I will get him down.
"Guys!" A familiar voice calls. We're close - we must be close - the wind makes a last desperate scream. A big branch, the final branch before the ground, supports me comfortably. The trunk is too wide to keep shuffling down, so it'll be a jump. It'll be fine. It's all muddling into a haze. I launch myself, Lucas does too, our hands still intertwined. There's a blanket that we land on, held up by the others to break our fall - smart - smart - ow…
I'm distantly aware of people speaking, as I lie on the oh-so-solid ground. Lucas is unscathed, I think, but he's shaking like a leaf, lying next to me, arms wrapped tightly around my body. I'm never climbing a tree again. I try and focus on the world around me, aware of Lucas's ice-cold hand. I don't want to let go in case he falls... but no, we're back down on the ground. Toon Link leans over, worry all over his face...
…
It takes me a good thirty minutes to recover and ground myself. It takes a lecture from Red for being "irresponsibly dangerous," and a questioning of what happened? for me to sit up against a tree with Lucas, still panting heavily from the ordeal. My wounds are pretty bad, but only surface level - my ankles, my chest and my hands sting immensely, even after Villager washes them with cold river water.
"You're an idiot," Lucas pants.
"I know,' I reply miserably. I put his life in danger, and I know it.
"I didn't mean it like that," he says, running a thumb over my palm.
I shrug. I don't think I'll be forgiving myself any time soon. I don't think he should be so quick to forgive me either.
"I don't want to walk back home tonight," I decide. "Can we just sleep here?"
"Yeah," Villager says softly. "It's late, there will be professors on patrol. We can't go back even if we wanted to."
"I brought pyjamas," Lucas says weakly. "I thought this might happen."
"You think of everything, don't you?" I smile.
"What can I say? I plan ahead."
I wish I had that ability… but it's too late to be reflecting on that. We get changed pretty quickly.
"Shall we do something that involves no injuries?" Toon Link suggests. There's a general agreement - I'm too pumped full of adrenaline to sleep, even if Villager does look exhausted, and Red - wait, where's Red?
"He went to bed already," Villager explains, when I ask. "The lateness was too much."
"How about we tell ghost stories?" Lucas, the last person I'd expect to suggest such a thing, suggests.
"I like it!" Toon Link says, trying and failing to sound energetic. He's exhausted too, he's just not as good at hiding it.
"Who's got one?" I ask drowsily.
"I do." Villager raises his hand.
We listen. Lucas leans sleepily against my shoulder, both of us huddled under a blanket. I wonder vaguely who'll be the last one to go to bed.
"It's a true story," Villager whispers.
"Sure," we chorus.
"Shush, don't wake Red," Villager says, leaning his head against an arm. He looks tired, but he looks happy all the same. "It was a dark, scary night, in a forest not unlike this one. There was a man who lived in a shed. His name was… Bill. Bill lived alone, and he was a lumberjack. He chopped wood by day and packaged it by night. However, one night he got a letter through the mail."
Toon Link blinks. "What did it say?"
"The number four. That's all." Villager rubs his hands together. "The next day, another letter appeared, except with the number three. Then two. By this point, Bill was smart enough to notice the pattern, so he waited by the door with his axe. But that night, there was no letter. Nothing happened. He waited with his axe on the next night, and then again after that. Eventually, Bill gave up, and instead, he started sleeping normally again. But on one such normal night, a letter came through the door."
We gasp.
"It read: 'One'. That night, Bill was found dead in his bed. What happened? Well, that's a mystery, isn't it?"
"What was the point of that?" Toon Link asks, puzzled.
"You'll never know… point is, never get complacent, yeah?"
"Deep." I nod loosely.
Toon Link tells a dramatic story about an abandoned hospital, and Lucas brings out a story about the real reason that stairs creak. Unfortunately, I am not blessed with any ghost stories, so I pass, yawning.
"Ah, coward," Villager sighs. "Too bad... too sad… huh?"
"You know what I haven't done in a while?" Toon Link lazily stretches his arms. "I haven't had a party... you can all come. But who else do I invite?"
"Bowser," I say, and we burst out laughing, even though it's a stupid joke. It's at that stupid time where suddenly I love my friends a lot, especially Lucas, who I want to cuddle to death.
"No," Toon Link moans. "He sucks…"
"Why don't we discuss your party in the morning?" Villager suggests. "You should go to sleep."
"Never! I am victory - or victoria - victorious!"
"You should definitely go to sleep."
"I'm not that tired," Toon Link mutters, lying on the grass. "I'm just..."
But what he is, we never find out. He tumbles into slumber, and we laugh, Villager covering him up with a blanket.
"I'm going to fold as well," Villager yawns. "Sleeping under starlight… pretty, the stars are." He shakes his head, probably realising his own incoherence. "Goodnight, guys."
"Goodnight," I say.
When he's finally dropped off, I lean back against a tree, Lucas huddled up to my side. He feels nice, warm, and altogether right, which I register is a strange thought to have about my best friend.
"Strange day," I say quietly, and Lucas smiles.
"To think I was ill this morning…"
"You'll catch a cold out here!" I exclaim.
"Shush, Ness, calm down. I won't catch a cold."
"You sure?" I grin, staring at Lucas. "Hey, have I ever taught you how to skip stones?"
"What?" Lucas laughs a little bit. "Where did that come from? No, you haven't."
"You're laughing at me," I say. Lucas giggles.
"Maybe I am."
"You're such a goof."
"A goof? That makes me very sad," Lucas says, pouting. "Behold my misery. You have created it with your meanness."
I only manage to poke him in response. I'm swimming in sleepiness now. I take another blanket, rolling onto the grass.
"The stars are pretty. Let's watch them."
"They're very pretty." Lucas rolls by my side, bundling up to me.
"You're very pretty," I say sleepily.
"No, you are," Lucas laughs, sounding a little bit giddy. "Can you see our constellation?"
"Yeah," I nod. "It's nice."
Lucas lies down on the blanket, and I lie next to him. I wrap us up in it. "Now we're like a burrito."
"It's nice being a burrito," Lucas says, laughing again.
"What's that star called?" I point.
"That's the north star, Ness."
"North star." I nod, my eyes closing. "Good star."
"I agree. Are we going to sleep now?" Lucas asks.
"Sleepytime," I say.
Lucas snuggles up to me.
"Goodnight, Ness. Thank you for saving me up that tree."
"Thank you for saving me in the forest," I reply dozily. "Goodnight," I add, as an afterthought.
Silence falls, and I look up at the sky.
"Lucas?" I grin stupidly.
"Yes?"
"You're small."
He pokes me. "Thanks."
"Lucassss?"
"Whaaaaaaat?"
"You're cute."
Lucas blushes, his face warm.
"Goodnight, Ness."
I finally fall asleep.
A/N
That got long! Also, I wrote a whole 1500 word scene that I ended up cutting out from this chapter, so it could've been even longer. I'm writing this whilst just as tired as Ness was at the end - I wonder if he would've called Lucas cute while wide awake?
Also, despite the gravestone, the tree, and the other antics, I felt this chapter should be more about developing the main five. The individual friendships amongst them are all so unique, and I want to get them all nailed down as best I can.
It's tempting to rename this chapter to "Ness is a colossal idiot multiple times but we love him anyway."
Notes:
-"Further Up and Further in' is an obscure reference… though I won't say where from ;)
-The 5-point grounding method is a known way of dealing with oncoming panic attacks. If you suffer from these, it may be worth a try. Just follow Ness's lead.
Thank you for reading! See you next time.
~ReadyForTeddy