A/N: OH MY GODDESSES! CAN IT BE? CAN IT BE THE VERY LAST CHAPPIE OF THE BROTHER SQUADRON EXPERIENCE? THAT'S RIGHT! Oops, left the caps lock on. XD Well, anyways, this is the last chappie of the story itself, and some of you may be surprised, but I hope not disappointed. Well, see for yourselves!

Brother Squadron: Chapter 18: The Era Comes to a Close

There was a sudden rush that came to his head that turned it upside down and inside out. His eyes rendered useless, his mind processed images of shapes and colors that made no sense whatsoever, but he made no attempt to string any of these pictures together as his brain lost its ability to process any clear thoughts in the mists of the endless vortex. His senses went astray and he felt nothing sans this incredible and terrifying sensation known as a dimension shift.

The next thing he knew, he felt himself connect with something solid, something soft. His senses came back before his mind fully could, so for now he observed what his senses told him. His eyes were shut, seeing nothing but black, no more odd shapes. His sensitive ears heard nothing but the occasional... occasional... breeze. Yes, breeze, that was the word. His nose detected the smell of fresh... fresh... fresh something. And against his skin was a soft, slightly itchy sensation that he barely recognized.

Now his brain began to work through the memory section, and he traced the process, hoping to clear some things up. His name was L... Li... Link! He remembered now! Link Alben Gaiden, that was his name! He had a younger sister named Zelda and an older incarnation, or brother, that was tragically deceased... He was the Leader of Brother Squadron, prisoner number 214365887 from the Warsaw Camp. He and the rest of his fellow Nin... Nintendians were inside the Hand Warlords' Fortress, running to get home...

Home... Oh dear God... Did that mean this soft stuff below him was...?

He felt two things next. First, there was something that clenched his... his... jacket, and pulled him up in a sitting position. There then was a sharp sting across his cheek, and his head snapped to the side, as if he was... what's it called... slapped. Cringing, he found the strength to lift his eyelids and process real images into adapting mind. There was a face in front of him, female, vermillion eyes blazing with annoyance.

"What the hell was that all about?" she shouted, thinking he had fully recovered. "You could've just asked, y'know!"

Link struggled to decipher what she was talking about, then remembered how he dragged the girl named Sayu into the Portal. Yeah, he didn't remember why he didn't just ask her. There was a reason, but it was still a blur.

"Hey, let him be, he's still recovering!" another voice, one that he blissfully recognized to be a friend, tried to shush Sayu.

"F... F-Fox..." Link coughed as he attempted to speak, only furthering the sick feeling in his head and throat. He felt himself sway and fall back into a pair of strong arms, and he dragged up to meet that pair of emerald green hues, laced with happiness.

"Hey, Link," he greeted. "You take some time to make sure your head's on right."

And Link did just that. He sat there in Fox's arms for some time, not like he could tell for how long. At last, his thoughts, senses, and memories all strung together tightly, and the sick feeling was gone. He sighed deeply and shook his head a bit, and the effects of the dimension shift had worn off.

"Mmm... Did we make it...?" Link asked softly, glancing back up at the warm smile on Fox's face.

"Yep. Take a look."

Link focused ahead, and his eyes widened and the breath got caught in his throat. There they were: the porcelain blue skies and kelly green fields, together as one. Not the polluted skies of orange and yellow. Not the bare and cracked deserts. This was different, it was so goddamn beautiful. Pearly clouds hovered against the blue tapestry like fluffy pieces of cotton, and the breeze blew through the individual blades of grass, swaying to nature's rhythm. Link curled his fingers around a clump of grass, feeling the soft sensation in glee. He hadn't felt this stuff since he was a small child, and now it brought back so many memories...

He saw silhouettes against the warm, merciful sun, figures of other Nintendians taking in this new environment. Most were stunned into a sense of awe, and some of the younger ones collapsed in the grass to feel it close to their skin in gaiety. But all around, there was a gentle silence, a type of silence that could've never been obtained on Planet Earth.

Seeing a certain figure, Link groggily got to his feet and approached her from behind, wrapping an arm around her waist. His little sister beamed up at him, and they both turned back to gazing at the beautiful horizon.

The brothers Mario and Luigi were linked in a similar embrace, and Luigi beamed at his elder brother. "We made it, huh?"

Mario nodded, sighing happily with a warm smile washing away all the bitterness inside. Luigi was happier than ever to see him warm instead of cold, and hugged him tighter.

There was this same feeling of warmness shared all around as the Nintendians marveled at the beauty before them. Even Sayu, who never thought this kind of place even existed, gazed on in awe, tears glistening her eyes. Now she was glad to come with, to leave the world of oppression and join them all in the escape to home.

Home. Home at last. The home they knew, with porcelain blue and kelly green as far as the eye could see. Home, where they could no longer live in fear, with no Human hatred or callous dictators to place weights on their shoulders. Home, where they would receive the rest and salvation they so sorely needed. Home.

It was then that the winds pierced through the elated silence, carrying more than just leaves and air on its breath. They gasped as they felt warm, spiritual energy cascade about them, feeling the spirits of the deceased Nintendians who had found their way home, just as the legends spoke.

"Mario... You feel that...?" Luigi gasped, but after receiving no response, he looked to his brother, whose eyes drained tears of happiness as he felt the spirit of Peach float about him. Through her spirit energy, they could tell she had been waiting for them, and was glad to see both brothers had made it to see home for themselves. And now she knew her lover was okay... Yes, lover. And now Luigi knew it was true as he comforted his sniffling brother.

All could feel the soul of Captain Falcon soar through the air to greet his old Squadron, free of insanity and even grateful for being relieved of his pain during his life. And now he truly was home. His race was glad he was able to find rapture after a lifetime of paranoia and delusion.

"Hey, Yoshi!" Kirby poked his dino friend. "You feeling who I'm feeling?"

Yoshi felt the air and beamed. "Hell yeah! It's Popo and Nana!" Indeed, it was the Ice Climbers they felt, siblings they knew since kids. Ness felt them too, but more quietly as he stood there and shut his eyes, letting their presence float about him. They were his close companions before the two were captured and he had found the developing Squadron. To know they had found peace at last made him satisfied.

Bowser felt the souls around him, but most of them were people he didn't know, so he didn't quite share in the elation. But it was then he felt another one, one that he actually recognized: Ganondorf. Hell, even he had found peace in death! Bowser was stunned, to say the least.

Link felt and knew mostly all souls wandering about in the air, all thanking him for bringing the rest of their race here. It was then he felt... no... it couldn't have been... The elf reached out with a shaky hand to feel for sure, and it was. Tears began to run down his face as he felt the warm presence of his older brother, reaching out with a spirit-hand and taking his own in a comforting grasp. Link felt his legs give way, and he collapsed in the sweet grass and began to bawl uncontrollably as he let go of all the emotions bottled up inside for a decade and all the things he had wanted to say to his brother before he was taken away.

Oh, God, Link, I'm so goddamn sorry for all this, this is my fault, I could've gotten you out, I could've done something to help, and I almost lost track of Zelda and Pikachu when I was captured! Oh, God, I miss you so much, every night I thought about you and wished you were still here, even if they were to bring in another older incarnation, it wouldn't be you and the love wouldn't be there, and oh God, I love you so much!

Link continued to cry, tears coating the grass below like glass beads. He felt his brother's spirit wrap around him in a warm embrace, comforting him like the brother he was and could've been if cruel fate had not separated the two before their time. All the blame Link was shouldering was being forgiven, and he swore he could hear soft, wispy words of comfort on the wind's breath. He smiled through the sobs, wishing he could return the hug.

A pair of real arms wrapped around him after a while, and he looked up with dreary eyes at his precious little sister, who offered her comfort as well. He allowed both of his siblings to embrace him as he continued to weep for a long time, like a deep cleansing of the soul.

Finally, the spirits knew it was time to go for now, and the wind blew in again. Before they knew it, the spirits were gone to wherever they belonged in this world. There was silence again, no more breezes, no more whispering words of the afterlife. The Nintendians were met with the same silence they had entered by, and it was slightly discouraging, but they took the spirits' words in comfort, as a warm welcome home.

At last, Link's cries subsided, and he was helped to his feet by Zelda and Sayu. He brushed some of the dampness away from his face as he gazed back out towards the horizon.

"...Now what?" someone asked, bluntly interrupting the silence.

Fox sighed as he gazed back at the glistening Portal. "It's a shame we couldn't help Earth..."

Link himself turned towards the Portal's warm glow. "The Hands will destroy each other, so at least they'll be rid f a dictator. Other than that, there's nothing we could do." He turned to a certain brainiac. "Ness... deactivate the Portal."

Ness gazed at his leader solemnly, then nodded as he approached the Portal, reluctant to turn off that welcoming glitter, but knew it was necessary to do. He placed his handheld on the round, stone barrier, pressed a button, and waited. There was a slight hum, and the glow grew weak until the swirls within froze, forever encased in stone. The powerful gems turned grey with the rest of the Portal. It was forever closed. There was no going back now, not that there was any need to. Ness removed his handheld, sighing as he returned to his place among his fellow Nintendians.

Link sighed himself, facing his Squadron for the last time as their leader, and he seemed hesitant in addressing his last thoughts. "Well... I guess... this is it, you guys." He gazed around, eyes lost as he continued. "We're... home now... no more living in exile or fighting for survival... So... there's no need for the Brother Squadron anymore..."

"But... that doesn't really mean it's the end, does it?" Luigi spoke up, not feeling as timid as he would before. "I mean, we could all visit each other..."

"You're getting ahead of yourself, Luigi," Mario chuckled, washing away that rough exterior. "We haven't been here in years. Let's settle in first before we think about traveling to meet each other."

Indeed, that would be the better idea. As far as they could remember, the Nintendians' homeland was split into separate lands in which they lived, so they were all quite spread out among the lands they belonged in. That's why they were so diverse. Knowing this, Luigi nodded in agreement.

With that issue solved, Link was forced to continue, but he wasn't quite sure what to say. "I remember forming this Squadron a couple years ago... We've all been through a lot together, and... I gotta say, I'm proud of everyone here. Because of all of us, we made it home together, something others before us failed to do."

"But we wouldn't have gotten anywhere near home if we didn't have such a strong leader," Fox spoke up with a smile, looking into those eyes of azure. "You're the one who gathered us all together. You're the one who made sure we stayed alive. You're the one who motivated us to take the risk. And sure, you made a couple dumb decisions, but your leadership makes up for it. We wouldn't all be here if it wasn't for you, Link."

Link couldn't help but grin warmly in response, subtly adjusting his ascot, perhaps to gulp down the comings of a blush. But he was too proud to be a modest individual when he was being praised. He looked up into those warm emerald eyes and equally warm smile, and in seconds, he found himself in that one-arm embrace for what felt like was the last time. Of course, it was most likely, despite their distant realms, that the two closest comrades would keep in touch in the many years to come.

Link turned back to his Squadron one last time, and an exchange of warm smiles between comrades and leader said enough. He gave them time to say their farewells amongst each other, as his eyes traced back to Sayu, glancing at her intently. There was a moment's pause before the Frame's shoulders slumped in defeat.

"Okay, alright," she sighed when facing that smile that spoke for itself. "...Sorry for getting pissed at you." She gazed around in awe. "...This place is... amazing... I never thought a place like this existed..."

Link grinned inwardly. "Then where would we have come from, space?"

This succeeded in getting a tiny chuckle out of her, but it faded once she came back to meet sapphire eyes of serious sincerity. "Just... consider it as thanks... 'cause we'd still be in that hell hole if it wasn't for you. Besides... a person like you don't deserve that treatment, just as much as we do."

Sayu felt her chest grew tight as she continued to stare into those pure eyes that caught the grateful sun's light and seemed to glow. No one had ever treated her like a "person" before, not in that snake pit... For some stupid reason, she felt a funny sensation in the pit of her stomach and her skin grew hot as she couldn't tear her eyes away. And if she didn't know better, she'd think Link was experiencing the same sensations.

Then again, he didn't look away either.

The spell was broken at a small giggle, and the two turned to Zelda, who tried to hide a knowing smile under her slender hand. Pikachu laid contently in her arm, giving them an innocent smile.

Link turned back to Sayu, swiftly clearing his throat before speaking. "Um... You can go to whichever realm you want... I'm sure they'll all accept you."

Sayu nodded in acknowledgement. "I'll decide that on my own."

"Right."

As farewells were clearly finishing up, Zelda glanced up at her big brother, clutching his hand gently. "... Can we go home now, Link...?"

He glanced down at her, smiling warmly, but before he could respond, a clinking noise brought his gaze down to the pair of dog tags settled against his bare chest. He raised a hand and let them settle in his palm as he stared at them in deep thought. He turned to glance upon the dormant Portal, specifically at the top, where a part of the stone curved downwards in an arc, like a lost symbol.

His mind made up, Link began removing the dog tags, chains lifted over his head. "Not before we leave our mark." He held out the tags towards the Nintendians. "Everybody pass these up!"

In a way of understanding, they did as they were told. Mario removed his, then glanced at Luigi oddly. "Where're yours?"

Luigi grinned sheepishly. "Oh, I, uh... lost them during my escape...?" he shrugged.

Mario stared at him, dumbfounded. "You lost them during your escape." Luigi nodded. "You moron!" the elder one laughed, lightly whapping him upside the head, and the younger broke out into an embarrassed laugh himself.

Mario glanced at his own dog tags, then produced a knife from his pocket that was also slipped past the none-too-bright Frames. He scratched into both of them, then showed Luigi the finished project. "How's that?"

Luigi glanced upon both, with LUIGI written on one and MARIO written on the other, and nodded. "Yeah, that's good."

"Alright." Mario grinned, putting an arm around his brother as he passed up the tags. "Wouldn't want you to feel left out."

Once all had been passed out, Link held the clump of chains in his hand, the rest dangling freely as he held them up for all to see. "These... are indications of our sufferings. These... represent the past that we leave behind from this moment on. These... are proof of our survival in a world of chaos, a world that will hopefully have a brighter future with our absence. There's no point in laying the blame on ourselves. What happened, happened." He paused as the nostalgia hit him at full force. "But..." He glanced back at the Portal. "At least we can leave our mark so that others will hopefully learn from our mistakes."

Afterwards, the green fields that connected the different lands were empty as the Nintendians spread out to embark back to wherever they belonged. All that was left was the hulking silhouette of the Portal, and on the top curve hung the dog tags, ringing as they touched each other in the slightest breeze, like a wind chime. The sound carried throughout the fields, a luscious sound with a powerful meaning behind it, lost to all except those who survived the perils of Planet Earth.

This was not only a symbol of pain and suffering, but also of triumph, of beating all odds and accomplishing the seemingly impossible. Despite the obstacles, the Nintendians had made it to a place where they could at last feel like they belong. The names of those who survived would remain there for years to come, and the names of those who arrived in spirit would remain on the wind's breath. It would forever be an engraving on the face of Nintendian history, a time that would live in infamy.

The era of the Brother Squadron.

THE END

"Unlearn me...

Ditch what I read, behind what I heard.

Look. Find. Free...

Do you get it yet? Do you get it?

From here on, it's instinctual!

Even straight roads meander!

Every piece contains a map of it all!

It all!

Evidence...

In the march of the ant, pulse of the sea.

Look. Find. Free...

Do you get it yet? Do you get it?

From here on, it's instinctual!

Even straight roads meander!

Every piece contains a map of it all!

It all!

Out of line and indivisible!

A crow left of the murder!

Every piece contains a map of it all!

It all!

Everything I ever wanted to know...

Everything I ever wanted to see...

To see...

Do you get it yet...?"

-A Crow Left of the Murder, Incubus: Brother Squadron Theme

A/N: YEAH BABY! After 5 months, 18 chapters, 26 songs, 171 pages, and over 150 reviews, this fic is over! Stick a fork in it, cause it's DONE! 8D ...Okay, maybe not quite yet, as there's still one more thing left, so don't go anywhere! And click that purple button below quickly before your monitor spontaneously combusts!