Alright! Time to see what the five smashers and Master Hand are up to! XD
Roy: Yeah, I wonder what my group's doing…
Pikachu: By the name of the chapter title, I would assume you guys are researching.
I APOLOGIZE FOR THE LACKING OF THE ACTION AND STUFF! The action should pick up starting with the next chapter, okay? Bear with me for one more time! Please? (Gives puppy dog eyes)
Falco: The Ancient Library…I wonder what they find there.
You'll find out! Roy, disclaim.
Roy: Nuts…RF doesn't own us or SSBM, but she does own the mysterious past of the Hands and Giga Bowser, Mrs. Nina Hand, and the story.
Pikachu & Falco: AWAY CHAPTER 8! XD
The Star Chariot, containing Fox, Roy, Luigi, Peach, Zelda, and Master Hand, finally reached its destination; the Shiekah Village. Dust and ruins were everywhere.
"This place must've been abandoned for years," Zelda said, taking in the scenery. It was very familiar to her, perhaps because of Sheik? "It doesn't look as if the wireframes came and decimated the place."
"So, where exactly is this Ancient Library?" Fox asked, looking around.
"There," Master Hand pointed to a building that didn't appear to be touched at all. The six walked/floated towards the building and entered.
It was a scholar's paradise; hundreds upon hundreds of bookshelves lined the long walls of the building. There was a clutter of tables with about ten lanterns on each table, and what the smashers soon realized to be a hidden door in the floor was in the right corner.
"That door leads to the lower floors, each that contain just as many books as this one does," Master Hand said.
"Will we have to go down there?" Peach asked.
"I do not believe so," Master Hand replied. "I want you smashers to sit and light the lanterns; I'll search for the books." The five nodded and did as they were told.
"This is amazing," Luigi said, as he, Peach, and Roy sat at one of the tables. The plumber lit three of the lanterns and gave one to the princess and lord.
"To think that such a grand library exists…and in such perfect condition!" Zelda added as she and Fox sat at another table. The princess lit two of the lanterns and gave one to the kitsune.
"I wonder why MH wants us to wait here," Roy said, trying to start a conversation. "You think he's been here before?"
"Most likely," Fox replied, observing the lantern. "But what legends are we actually looking up?"
"Probably legends about the Angels' Door and people who managed to open it," Zelda said. "That's my guess at least."
"I wonder how many books on angels are here as well," Luigi said. "I mean, it sounds as though there are a lot of jobs that angels are either born or created to do."
"Guardian Angels, Angelic Informers, Realm Gatekeepers, Angel of Death, Angels' Door Guardians, Seraphim Angels…there must be a lot of angels," Zelda said.
"Most probably live in the Realm though," Luigi said. "I wonder why they started coming down here."
Master Hand returned; ten books stacked in his palm. He dumped four of the books on Zelda's and Fox's table, and six on Luigi's, Peach's, and Roy's table.
"These will do for now," Master Hand said. Each smasher grabbed one of the books and began reading.
"Oh wow, that's so beautiful!" Peach exclaimed, looking at a picture of a field of flowers. "It says here that the flowers in the realms are tied to each mortal; when the flower wilts away, that's when we die."
"Never knew that," Fox said. He flipped through pages. "Hmm…this speaks a lot about Renegade Angels, the "bad" angels. It says here they attempted to dethrone the gods and goddess so they could rule themselves."
"Hey guys! Listen to this," Roy said. He cleared his throat. "'Angels are different than mortals, for they were created with both free will and the life of servitude. They could live as mortals do; make friends, fall in love, have children, and so on, but are forever tied to their job. This is why most angels do not travel to the mortal worlds; for if they are forced to choose between friendship, love, and any other "mortal" connections and their job, they would be forced to choose their job.' That's so sad…"
"They were originally born to serve, with no free wills," Master Hand said. "However, one of the goddesses pitied them, and gave them free will, and the ability to try and live a mortal life. Some angels have jobs that don't give them time to do such a thing, but there are angels who can still perform their jobs from even down here."
"Like my brother…" Roy muttered.
"Indeed," Master Hand said.
"Listen to this!" Zelda said. "It's about the Angels' Door, and its quite shocking: 'Perhaps the most interesting of all the gods' inventions is the Door of the Angels. It is a "test" for them to see how selfish or selfless the mortals are. It is never to be opened, for the perfect worlds of good and evil are not so perfect at all, but mortals have fallen quickly to the desires of having such perfect harmony or perfect chaos.' It's all just a test?"
"Balance is what makes the world perfect," Master Hand said. "The Door, however, gives off a false hope that unbalance is what makes the world perfect; many have fallen for that false hope. When the time comes, we may be tested too."
"By the Judge," Luigi said. "'The Judge is also an angel; he has been the Judge ever since he was first created; no one has ever been in his place, unlike the other jobs. The Judge lives in the Realm, and descends to the Door. There, he tests the determination and firmness of the Door opener. If the opener passes, then the Judge lets him/her do as he/she wishes. If the opener fails, he/she loses his/her life. Unlike the rest of the angels, the Judge cannot be killed by weapons or the Toxicosis; he is to live forever.' Do you think Giga Bowser was tested?"
"Most likely," Master Hand said.
"Master Hand?" Zelda spoke again. "I can't read this…" The Hand floated towards her.
"This is…ancient demonic," He said.
"Demonic? The language of the demons?" Roy asked.
"Yes," Master Hand said. "How do you know of that?"
"My father had some books that he said were in the language of the demons," Roy said.
"Yes, the demons," Master Hand said. "The guardians of the Realm of the Underworld. Most of them are what you would expect: mortal haters and killers, the little devil that sits on your shoulder that whispers to you to kill, or steal, or do anything else it wants. But like there are bad angels, there are also good demons. There aren't enough though…"
"Biased opinions…" Luigi muttered. "Cause even good has its bad side and bad has its good side…I hope I'm not biased."
"I hope so too," Master Hand said. "But only others can tell if you are biased or not. If you truly do believe that all angels are good and all demons are bad; that those who are unique are freaks; that those who love the same sex are different that those who love the opposite; or those who have different colors of skin are less than their fellow man."
"That's very deep," Luigi said.
"Hmm…'A Door Guardian has ties to his/her door, but is still given the freedom of movement. Unless "chained" to the source, a Guardian can still move about in spirit, helping the Door opener or anyone else that lives inside the ancient Door.'" Zelda read. "Looks like even in the midst of the job, they still have their will."
"Listen to this! I found a lead!" Roy said. "'Of all the cities of the world, there is none as great as the City of Eternia, located on the hidden continent at the top of the world. The city is known to be the Door Guardian's second realm, and many of the lances used by their hand are buried deep inside the ancient chapels.'"
"Ah, Eternia, a place I haven't seen in quite a while," Master Hand said. "I've done research on the hidden continents up north and down south; in fact, that was where I met Nina, her first boyfriend was a Door Guardian himself."
"What happened?" Roy asked.
"He…was the Door Guardian of another planet, and was called to there. He never returned," Master Hand said. "Nina was a good friend of mine; she usually got me books that I could use for my research. When she told me about him, I immediately dropped my research and went to her side, to be there for her. Eventually, we were married.
"I can't picture that," Fox said.
"I wasn't in this state at the time," Master Hand said.
"So, are you an angel or something too?" Peach asked.
"I promise to tell you, and the others, all about myself when we are finished with this door predicament and are at peace," Master Hand said. "It would be best for you, for now at least, to assume that I'm a regular mortal that was "cursed"."
"Alright," Peach said. "So, shall we keep looking? Or do we have all we need to know?"
"We have a lead on where the Holy Lance may be," Master Hand said. "But I believe it would be best if we continued research on the Angels' Door; most specifically, the inside of the Door."
And so they continued to read; hoping to find more clues about the Door.
Yoshi: End chapter!
Ness: RoyalFanatic says she feels guilty for all the information and no action. She wants to give you guys ice cream cake as an apology. The six should be starting to rescue the trapped smashers, besides the five in the Door, in the next chapter.
Marth: Makes me wonder where they all are…and I wonder if my weapon's still in good condition.
Yoshi: I WANNA COOL ANGEL WEAPON THINGY! ;.;
Ness: XD
Marth: Nothing I can do about that…anyway, review!