Chapter contains sexual content toward the end!
Unbowed, Unbent, Unbroken
Unbowed (adj): not bowed down; not subdued
Unbent (vt): freed from flexure
Unbroken (adj): not broken; not violated; whole, intact; not subdued, untamed
-Merriam Webster's Collegiate Dictionary, 11th ed
Kirby's POV
Day 10
I feel great! I've never felt like this since—well—ever. For the first time in months, I can smile and laugh and share my joy with everyone around me. There's no smothering gloom or sneering faces or harsh voices telling me that I'm "low-tier trash" or a "filthy casual". I can look in the mirror and see the hero who fought for Dreamland, not some naïve little pink puffball.
Luigi is to thank for most of it, but I can also thank myself. I've stopped assigning a value to myself based on a piece of paper. The reason why I was in the dumps was because I was starting to believe my hecklers. But they're wrong, and I've demonstrated that to them countless times. Thanks to my new Kirby-cide technique, I've started to prove that I'm far from useless. That I could win a Smash battle if I put my mind to it.
Fox, Marth and Falco are no longer bothering me, and they want to be my friends again. Really? After what they pulled on me? I don't hold grudges against people; that's what most of my fans like about me. But just because they're showing remorse doesn't mean they're automatically back in my circle. Fox, especially, crossed the line with his vicious display that day.
But—I'm not thinking about that anymore. I'm not thinking about the times I was used as a ball or dumped in a trash can. I'm not thinking about the food items chucked at me or the way they tried to use cake, my favorite food, to torture me. I'm not even thinking about the shard of glass I used in a twisted attempt to escape from the pain. I'm only thinking about the future, and the days and opportunities stretched out before me like a freshly paved road.
…
Day 11
I got to battle Marth today. Mr. High and Mighty Marth, with his blue hair, vain attitude ("Everyone, please watch me!"), his big f—ing sword and his Tipper (Just the tip). He was the first of my tormentors to come around, but it doesn't change the fact that he willingly participated in humiliating me and made a big show of being high-tier. It was nothing short of satisfying to copy his f—ing Tipper and penetrate him with "just the tip". Adrenaline zipped through my veins as I floated and flitted about him, attacking with lightning fast jabs and kicks, knocking him around with my Hammer and slashing him with my own sword. The punchline was the "Kirby-cide". Marth was great about losing to me, by the way, shaking my hand and gushing about my finishing move. After the match, I was less angry at him, but I still wasn't ready to let him back in.
After I took a shower, I hung out with all of my friends. We sat around the GameCube, taking turns playing Luigi's Mansion. I love that game! Not only do I get to play as the person who saved my life, but I also get to help him rescue Mario! I'm well on my way to 100% completion with this game, but I don't care about collecting all of the gems and capturing all of the Boos. My favorite part is getting to fight that mean ol' blob of ectoplasm and show him what it really means to be a hero and a brother!
Pikachu and I are doing great, and he's continuing to stitch up the still-raw wound between him and Luigi. He's taken down all of the signs decrying Luigi's side-special as cheap imitation, and he's put an end to the smear campaign with Pichu's help. Alas, Dorf and Koopa have a hard time getting the memo, but they never cared about Pikachu's Skull Bash. They just wanted to pick on Luigi more severely than they already were.
Well, to Hell with them. I have better things to do than to put up with them or even dwell on them. Their day will come, and when it does, I hope to get a front-row seat.
…
Day 12
Believe it or not, Fox used to be a nice guy. On that April day back in 1999, he was the most affable anthropomorphic fox on the planet. He told us stories about his life with Star Fox, his camaraderie with his crew and his battles with Andross and Star Wolf. He allowed us to grieve with him over his father's death. He shared so much with us—and yet when the first tier list came, he changed.
Eventually, he came to his senses and apologized, enabling us to part on relatively good terms. When we reunited two years later, along with some new faces, he'd fallen in love and found closure over losing his old man. And yet again, when that tier list was put up, he slipped back into a domineering jerk—only worse.
By the time he pulled his head out of his [bleep], he'd dealt so much damage. He'd caused me to alienate myself from my friends and almost self-destruct. He'd left so many scars on me, inside and out. And he thinks that he can heal it all with an apology. Well, he's wrong.
I can't see how Luigi can look him in the eye after his own experiences in the first Smash. I can't see how he can say hello to that vulpine whenever they pass each other by. I can't see how he can even be near him. He tells me that he's trying to keep an open mind, but in his eyes, I see that the hurt and resentment is still there. Fox needs to be in the doghouse a bit longer after what he's wrought, but maybe that's just me.
But c'mon—I can't stay mad at people forever. I certainly don't stay mad at DDD for sending monsters after me or stealing food. And I didn't stay mad at Meta when he crashed into Dreamland on the Halberd. I don't like being mad at people. I want to forgive and give second chances. But DDD and Meta didn't physically assault me unprovoked or try to drown me in a lake. That's gonna take some time to move on from.
Oh, what to do, what to do—
…
Day 13
Fox approached me in the bake shoppe today, the very bake shoppe where we had it out some months ago. I was extremely wary of him, and who could blame me? But he broke the ice some by offering me some cake on his dime. Then, he sat with me and told me about the night Luigi rescued me.
Before everything spun out of control, he'd wanted to apologize to me for what he did. After the Wireframes dragged him to his room, he'd had time to calm down, and he was starting to reconsider his actions and mindset. He knew that he'd taken things way too far, but his pride was holding him back. The illusion he'd kept himself in was starting to crumble, and he'd realized he'd broken the promise he'd made during the first tournament, to never act self-absorbed like that again.
He finished by saying that he knew I was upset, and that he knew I wasn't ready to forgive him yet. "I don't care what it takes," he told me, "I will find a way to right the wrongs I've done to you."
I was so flustered. I wanted to hug him and tell him that everything would be okay. But I couldn't let go of my anger. I don't think I was ready. The things he did to me—
But here he was, with his heart on his sleeve. He didn't offer any excuses for his atrocious actions. He straight-up confessed what he did and apologized (again). The least I could do was meet him halfway. Luigi did just that, after all.
So, I smiled at him and told him that I appreciated his outreach to me. But I still kept him squirming by not telling him whether or not I forgave him. He needs some incentive to stay his current course, yes?
…
Day 14
Things are still iffy between Pikachu and Luigi. They've worked their way past the worst of the clutter between them, but I wouldn't call them friends just yet. Luigi still speaks Pikachu's name a little tersely, and his hand still clenches into a fist when someone mentions him. He wasn't as bad as the others, but he left me to fend for myself while trying to one-up the poor plumber. Good old Luigi—he hasn't stopped looking out for me since that night—and since the morning I was released from the hospital. As inadvisable as it was, it brought me great joy seeing him slug it out with Dorf while Mario dealt with Koopa. Luigi emerged with bruises to his face and body, a blackened eye, a bloody nose and bruised ribs. Mario emerged with claw strikes to his face, abdomen, arms and shoulders, as well as some bruises of his own. Their respective opponents had to be carried out of the cafeteria.
But I digress.
On separate occasions, my friend and my BF thanked me for arranging that special lunch date. It had really kickstarted the process of clearing the air. But the two are still guarded in their interactions, especially on Luigi's side. I get that he's doing that on my account, but Pikachu's really pulling out the stops to make up for his absence in my life. Maybe when he sees how in love we are, he'll start softening his stance. Yes, I know things like this take time, but still.
…
Day 15
Today was a fun day. First, I got to beat the [bleep] out of Dorf on the infamous Temple Stage. There's this tight little spot ripe for infinite combos, and I made good use of that to pound the Gerudo King. The spectators ate it up, which spurred me to go at him even harder. He deserved it for making life miserable not only for me but also for Luigi, the two Links and Zelda. By the time I was finished with him, his eye was swollen shut, he was bleeding, and he was limping. Try the humble pie, Dorf—it tastes like crow!
After that, it was me against Falco on Corneria. I really wanted a chance to go against Fox, but I had to settle for what I could get. Falco fought similarly to Fox, except that he could kick out his Reflector, and his Blaster shots hurt more. He attacked with swift wing strikes and savage kicks, but a blow from my Hammer could slow him down. The two of us fought fiercely on the aircraft, and all I could think about was Falco's stuck-up attitude. I smashed down on him a couple of times with Stone before grabbing him and flipping both of us off the stage. By the way, I've learned to use Kirby-cide sparingly, and preferably when I had more than one stock remaining. Otherwise, my opponents would catch on, and the hours I've spent fine-tuning that move would be for naught!
Finally, I sat in the stands with Pikachu, the Ice Climbers, Pichu, Young Link, Ness, Mario and Peach, watching Luigi take on Koopa. Those two going head-to-head was always a big deal, since it was usually Mario who squared off against that reptile. But Koopa caused me so much pain that watching him get his just-desserts at an underdog's hands would act like soothing balm. And it was. First, Luigi grabbed his opponent and repeatedly slammed him down in a chain throw. Next, he spun into him with his Cyclone move. Then, he mixed things up, pairing light aerial attacks with heavy Smash attacks to combo the big lug. And then he blasted off in a spectacular Misfire, launching Koopa off the stage. I drank in all of the sights and sounds, from the look on Koopa's face as Luigi put him on the defensive to Luigi breathing heavily as he gave no quarter with punches, kicks and knifehand strikes. He wrapped the deserved beatdown in a nice little bow by way of a Super Jump Punch, bringing the entire arena to its feet. Koopa was miffed over Luigi beating him, of course, but we all could care less.
I'm receiving more positive messages on the Smash Blog, by the way. When the bloggers learned what happened that night, they wasted no time expressing remorse for their words and genuinely wishing me well. I read the latest blog posts over and over, and they always make me smile. I've used the blog more frequently, talking about my day, discussing the weather and local happenings, posting photos and venting to a more supportive crowd. It really lessens the sting. Wow—why didn't I think of using the Smash Blog sooner? I really would've saved Luigi a lot of trouble.
…
Day 16
This afternoon, I had the opportunity of battling Koopa on the roof of Peach's Castle. I wasted no time copying his scorching Fire Breath and racking up heavy damage points with my Hammer and Final Cutter. I also made good use of my throws, especially my down throw, where I got to throw him onto the stage and stomp on him repeatedly. He prides himself in stomping on others, so I wanted him to know what it felt like. I decided not to use my Kirby-cide on him; it would end the match too quickly, and I wanted to draw things out with Koopa for as long as possible. This little puffball served up some big pain and made Koopa wish that he'd never laid his claws on me. After I won, he showered me with compliments before retreating elsewhere with Dorf. I don't think they'll bother me again after today.
…
Day 17
Have I mentioned that Luigi likes going to the gym? Well, he does, and he has been since the first go-round. On any given day, you can come across him on one of the spin bikes, pedaling furiously, or burning more calories on an arc trainer, working up so much sweat that it flies everywhere. And—he's shirtless. Anyone got a problem with that?
Recently, I've started going to the gym, and I think I know why Luigi likes it so much. The anger still wells up periodically, and the gym is the best place to let it out—second from the Training Area, of course. While Luigi enjoys the cardio area, I like to stretch, lift weights, swing at punching bags or run through an obstacle course. Thirty to forty-five minutes of brisk physical activity can sweeten my sour mood right back up. Whenever I have to face Fox, Falco, Marth, Dorf, Koopa or even Pikachu, I retreat to the gym to shed all of those toxins. I gotta work off that cake somehow, right?
…
Day 18
I'm a little less angry at Fox now. I see him in the Training Area lately, practicing hard. All of the Wireframes are shocked—he hasn't been in to the Training Area in a long time. Falco and Captain Falcon are his frequent sparring partners, but he sometimes spars with Marth, Dr. Mario, Roy and the older Link. He's invited me to spar with him, too, but it's still too early. Despite what went down between us, I don't want to actually hurt him. I'm afraid I might land him in the infirmary and become like the very monsters I've fended off of Dreamland. But seeing him display humility is like salve. He really wants to fix this.
I still look forward to meeting him on the battlefield, though.
…
Day 19
Peach lured me, Marth and Falco outside for a tea party today. She brewed some mint tea for us, and set out some milk and sugar to sweeten it. To go with the tea were a variety of cupcakes and sandwiches, and she served up some ice cream toward the end. During that tea party, I surprised myself with how easily I could fall into conversation with Falco and Marth. The ice around our relationship further melted, and I began to see them less as entitled jerks and more as the heroes they were supposed to be. Peach is one sly Princess, getting people to put aside their differences with a tea party. Maybe if she gave Koopa just one of her cakes, then he'd probably stop trying to snatch her. Alas, one can only dream.
I'm almost ready to forgive those two now. Fox could use a week or so more of suspense, and we'll see how it goes with Koopa and Dorf. The wounds are steadily healing themselves up, and I wouldn't have it any other way.
…
Day 20
Well—Luigi and Pikachu finally had a chance to fight it out on Pokémon Stadium. And let me tell you, no punches were pulled during that bout. It was fiery, fierce and intense—I could feel the intensity from where I sat. There was this look on Luigi's face as he and Pikachu traded blows, his brow knit, his tongue licking his lips, and Pikachu's face was flushed to the point that the red circles on his cheeks almost blended with the rest of his skin. Both sides had a lot of emotion to let out, and by God, they let it out. It got to the point that some Wireframes had to run in and pull them apart as the match concluded. The throwdown ended in a draw, but it was never about winning or losing. Right off the bat, I noticed that Luigi was more relaxed around Pikachu, and vice versa. At long last, they could put their side-B feud behind them and move forward.
I intend to take the high road and try to make peace with my hecklers and assailants. And in order to do that, I need Luigi and Pikachu by my side as a united front.
…
Day 25
Luigi and I were paired together in a Team Battle against Koopa and Dorf, and you should've seen us! We gave those two our all, favoring an aggressive approach which gave them no time to breathe or think. Luigi's powerful attacks kept the pressure on, while I provided the assist with my quick blows and throwing abilities. We could hear Pikachu cheering for us both, while Zelda and Peach taunted their respective kidnappers. There was certainly nobody calling me a "filthy casual" then. On and off the battlefield, Luigi and I are a great team.
Later, I came across that stupid glass shard, stained with dried blood—my blood. I stared hard at it before carefully picking it up and unceremoniously chucking it into the trash. A feeling of pure peace flooded through me, and I wound up on the bed, weeping in happiness. A painful chapter in my life was sealed for good, never to be visited upon again, and I could look to the adventures ahead with nothing but good feelings and a sunny disposition.
…
Day 50
MH has declared me a Smash MVP. Me, the lowest-ranked fighter in the tournament! That should give everyone something to chew on. Who's laughing now, huh?
But the reason I've been declared a Smash MVP is because I've practiced. I didn't magically become such a versatile fighter. It was the result of my own blood, sweat and tears. I'm certainly not going to lower myself to these a—holes by rubbing this accomplishment in their faces. I worked myself back up in spite of them, but I'm not gonna do to them what they did to me.
You should've seen the look on Fox's face, though—as well as Falco's face, Marth's face, Koopa's face and Dorf's face. To me, that was more rewarding than the MVP award itself. Why? Well, because it's evidence that I've reached a more significant goal—proving them wrong.
Now, they're really gonna start begging for my forgiveness!
…
Day 75
It was finally the moment I've waited for—a one-on-one between me and Fox on Final Destination! Fox knew that his day of reckoning had come; he gave me a solemn expression when MH teleported us onto the stage. From the word "GO!", it was my time to shine. It was my time to personally demonstrate to Fox that he and his friends were wrong about me. Pikachu and Luigi were present, along with my other friends, shouting encouragement down to me, and it set my heart aflame. I showed no leniency toward Fox, hitting him with my best combos, Inhaling him so I could use his short-hop laser trick against him, grabbing, pummeling and throwing him to my heart's content and knocking the wind from him with my Hammer. I made no move to hide my fierce joy as I relentlessly depleted his stocks, taking his last one with my Kirby-cide technique. After a stunned silence, everyone cheered for me. They used to throw food at me, but now they threw me flowers. Look how far they've come.
I showered and freshened myself up in time to see Luigi face off against Fox as well. The stage of choice was Corneria, which was a real treat. Luigi wasted no time getting Fox to the aircraft's stern, cornering him against the back wing. What followed was an extremely cathartic one-sided fight in which Luigi blasted his most powerful punches into that vulpine, grabbing him and slamming him back against the wing whenever he tried to escape. His face was hard, his jaw was tight and there was anger in his eyes as his fists smashed away. I could see Dorf and Koopa exchanging apprehensive looks and Falco bite his lip. I could hear the spectators' low murmuring. And I could feel the surging adrenaline at the sight of Luigi going to town on the one who used to be my chief tormentor. Karma had finally come for him—karma clad in green and blue. Fox didn't get the chance to use his cherished Reflector, or his short-hop laser, or his short-hop double or triple lasers. The only thing Luigi allowed him to do was regret his past actions, try to withstand those infinite combos and pray that there'd be some of him left after the match was over.
MH docked Luigi a couple of points after the match was over, but it was a fitting price to pay. Both of us had finally gotten our long-awaited shots at Fox, and from here, the residual anger will melt away. Fox will recover, swallow his pride and continue bettering himself, and I'll continue to inch toward reconciliation with him. However, I shouldn't think too far ahead.
The tier list had been taken down some weeks ago, and MH has vowed never to tack that thing onto the bulletin board again. His next move should be to persuade the higher-ups to do away with tiers altogether, but again, that's just me.
…
Day 80
Last night, Pikachu and I took that next step. That's right—we made love for the first time. I'm not gonna be too graphic in the description, but our consummation was so powerful that it makes fireworks go off inside me at the thought of it. We took it very slowly, starting with kisses that grew deeper and more passionate. Touches. Contact. Our bodies rubbing against each other. I guided Pikachu's hand to a small depression between my legs, which dilated when he started to rub it. He was the first person other than myself to induce that reaction. First, he rubbed the depression with his paw, and then he used his mouth and his tongue. Wow—who would've thought that? His actions caused indescribable pleasure to surge through me, and all I could do was "poyo" languidly.
He licked and sucked until my round body started to shake, but he stopped before I exploded so he could bring his own anatomy into the mix. After inviting me to rub "Little Pikachu", he pressed the tip (I'm not talking about Marth's sword) against that singular depression, which had dilated considerably thanks to Pikachu's oral ministrations. And then he rubbed himself up and down, quickly settling into a slow rhythm, and it felt so good! Yes, it was unconventional, but it was tender and sweet. I gasped as his hips started gyrating, and our lovemaking progressed through the hours, the two of us switching positions so we could each have a turn on top. Drool seeped from the corners of my mouth, my eyes rolled back and sweat sparkled on my rotund body as Pikachu made me feel like I'd never felt before.
He made me feel special. He made me feel loved. He made me feel like a true Star Warrior. He made me bloom.
Oh, wow. He pleasured me so intensely that every nerve in my body is still thrumming the morning after. This is how someone's first time should feel. It should be a significant experience with a significant partner.
In the moments before another day begins, I take the time to acknowledge how completely blessed I am in spite of everything. I have an ensemble of friends who will go to bat for me. I have an unflappable spirit. I have reliable skills and abilities. And I have a significant other with whom I can feel comfortable just being me.
Being last on some tier list will never hurt me again.
I've been running through rain
That I thought would never end
Trying to make it on faith
In a struggle against the wind
I've seen the dark and the broken places
But I know in my soul
No matter how bad it gets
I'll be alright
There's hope in front of me
There's a light, I still see it
There's a hand still holding me
Even when I don't believe it
I might be down but I'm not dead
There's better days still up ahead
Even after all I've seen
There's hope in front of me
There's a place at the end of the storm
You finally find
Where the hurt and the tears and the pain
All fall behind
You open up your eyes and up ahead
There's a big sun shining
Right then and there you realize
You'll be alright
There's hope in front of me
There's a light, I still see it
There's a hand still holding me
Even when I don't believe it
I might be down but I'm not dead
There's better days still up ahead
Even after all I've seen
There's hope in front of me
There's a hope still burning
I can feel it rising through the night
And my world's still turning
I can feel your love here by my side
You're my hope
You're the light, I still see it
Your hands are holding me
Even when I don't believe it
I've got to believe
I still have hope
You are my hope
-Danny Gokey, "Hope in Front of Me"
Please R&R!
