Chapter 2: Daddy Issues
(Morning at Palutena's throne room)
Pit entered the throne room and was dressed in his usual clothes instead of those pajamas with feet he was wearing in the previous chapter. Palutena was there waiting for him and she too was wearing her usual outfit instead of that nightgown she had on in the previous chapter.
Palutena- Glad you decided to come, Pit.
Pit- Well, I want to know why I keep having these dreams. And from what I've heard, the other members of the Super Mario Brothers' Team have also been having strange dreams lately. Kirby and Donkey Kong most recently before me.
Palutena- Well…you say you were dreaming about an angel…named Icarus…is that correct?
Pit- That's correct, Lady Palutena.
Palutena quickly turns her head away from Pit for a moment.
Palutena (mutters)- I was afraid of talking to Pit about this one day…
Palutena turns her head back to look at Pit, but she had a worried look on her face.
Palutena- Truth is…this angel you keep dreaming about…Icarus…yes, I knew him. You see…he was the captain of Skyworld's forces before you were.
Pit- Really?! Now that I remember it, Kyrin did briefly mention Icarus while me, Mario, Sonic, and Kirby were battling Tabuu, Fawful, and Fredrick.
Palutena- Forgive me, but I really don't like to talk about it. You see…Icarus is…no longer with us…which is why you have his old job…
Pit- Oh…I see…
Palutena- But I don't think those were ordinary dreams. I think those were Icarus' memories.
Palutena makes a book appear out of nothing, opens the book to a picture of two men who looked like Mario and Luigi, and shows the book to Pit.
Palutena- Tell me, Pit…were these two humans also in those dreams?
Pit looked at the picture in the book and his eyes widened.
Pit- Yeah, they were helping Icarus defend you from some kind of monster. But now that I look at them…they look a lot like…(GASP)!
Palutena- Yes…like Mario and Luigi. Pit…these were the original Super Mario Brothers from 1,000 years ago. In short, their ancestors that formed the original team 1,000 years ago.
Pit- Then…was Icarus…
Palutena- A member of the original team that fought Tabuu? Yes, he was.
Pit- Lady Palutena…! How come you never told me about this before?!
Palutena- You never asked for starters. You just focused on whatever task I assigned you to think about anything else, even after you joined the current Super Mario Brothers' Team. But to be honest…I had hoped that Tabuu would never return…or…be forced to put another of my loyal angels through what Icarus went through during that gruesome battle against Tabuu. Icarus didn't just have your job before you did, he was also just as loyal and dedicated to serving and protecting me as you are.
Pit- That can't be possible. No one can be more loyal to your cause than me, Lady Palutena. Even if he was your servant before me.
Palutena snapped her fingers and the book flipped through the pages and stopped at a picture of an angel who looked like Pit.
Pit- Hey! That's the…
Palutena- That is a picture of Icarus.
Pit took a closer look at the picture.
Pit- Wait a minute! Icarus looks almost like…
Palutena- Like you, Pit.
Pit- Are those also the Three Sacred Treasures he's wearing?
Palutena- They are. Icarus was the first angel to wield them. I gifted them to him as thanks for freeing me from Kronos' castle.
Pit- Kronos…that was another name I heard being mentioned in those dreams I've had about Icarus. Was he the monster Icarus was protecting you from?
Palutena's expression changed to worried after she heard Pit say that name.
Palutena- Pit…that is a name I would very much like to forget about!
Viridi (telepathically to Palutena)- Wow! Just wow, Palutena!
Pit- Viridi?!
Palutena- How long have you been listening in on our conversation?
Viridi (telepathically to Pit and Palutena)- Oh, I've been listening since the beginning of the chapter. I didn't say anything because I didn't want to interrupt. But seriously, Palutena! You're gonna keep refuse to inform Pit about Kronos when I think it's clear he's gonna need to know about him for this fanfiction? Look, are you just going to continue leaving Pit in the dark or should I tell Pit about Kronos?
Pit looked at Palutena with a confused look on his face.
Palutena- Fine, you win, Viridi. Pit, do you know about the Titans of Greek mythology? Kronos was the leader the Titans. In fact, he once held the title of Lord of the Universe. But unlike Lord Arkness, Kronos abused that authority. But Kronos was dethroned his three sons, Zeus, Poseidon, and Hades.
Pit- He's Hades' father?!
Viridi (telepathically to Pit)- Relax, Pit. Hades despises his daddy even more than he does you. Kronos used to eat his kids and Hades would've been on the menu if his mother hadn't of hidden those three gods until they grew up.
Palutena- Thousands of years later, Arkness became Lord of the Universe and he ruled with a fair and just heart.
Pit- Well, he is still the Lord of the Universe even to this day.
Palutena- However, Skyworld used to be his kingdom. This Skypalace used to be his home. But Lord Arkness gave this land and Skypalace to me after he tasked me with watching over the humans of Earth. And 1,000 years ago, Kronos wanted to reclaim his authority over the gods and decided to start by attempting to reclaim Skyworld.
Pit- And where does Icarus come in?
Palutena- As I said before, Icarus was captain before you. However, he was lacking self-confidence at first. He was just as skilled in combat as you, but he had trouble believing him himself and his performance suffered because of that. One day, I detected a human enter Skyworld's boarders and sent Icarus to investigate. Icarus found a man from the Mushroom Kingdom, except he was using the flying cape powerup Mario and Luigi get after eating those super feathers.
Pit- Mario's ancestor!
Palutena- If I may continue? The man from the Mushroom Kingdom said he was trying to find his brother. Kyrin gave them each a super feather and the younger Mario Brother flew too high and far from the Mushroom Kingdom…so Mario's ancestor flew up to Skyworld in hopes of finding where his brother went. Icarus offered to help and they did eventually find the missing Mario Brother. But while Icarus was away, the Titans attacked Skyworld. Kronos captured me and locked me in a dungeon in his castle. But then Icarus and the original Mario Brothers broke me out. But to my surprise, Icarus had changed, but in a good way. Apparently, Mario's ancestor helped Icarus find his self-confidence and Icarus was fighting like the angel I knew he was. But Kronos had already reached the Skypalace and he needed to be dealt with immediately. So, I bestowed the Three Sacred Treasures onto Icarus to give him an edge over Kronos. I tried to have Kyrin return the Mario Brothers back to the Mushroom Kingdom since this fight didn't involve them, but they insisted on staying to help Icarus. They did defeat Kronos and he was banished to a magic prison located at the bottom of the Tartarus sea.
Pit- That does match with what I've been dreaming lately. You don't think Kronos is gonna escape?! If my dream is like the dreams the other members of the Super Mario Brothers' Team have been having…
Viridi (telepathically to Pit)- Your funeral, Pit. Tartarus is worse than the Underworld.
Palutena- Viridi's right. Tartarus has a magic property that literally drains the magic of most gods just by being near its oceans. Which is why Arkness put Kronos and the other Titans down there. And I think that's all I've got for you about Icarus and Kronos.
Pit- I still don't think it's wise to just wait for the danger to come to Skyworld. Ash dreamt about a Prince and he got attacked by some strange energy called the Dragon Force. Sonic dreamt about a hedgehog god and he was attacked by a dragon god who was just as strong as Super Sonic is. Ty dreamt about a Tasmanian tiger thief and he was attacked by some kind of demonic sprite. Link dreamt about a swordsman wearing a wolf's pelt and he got attacked by a negative version of the Triforce. Kirby dreamed of a female Star Warrior and he got attacked by a dark painting sorceress. And Donkey Kong dreamt about an even bigger gorilla and he was attacked by army of dinosaurs. I believe it might be my turn for something. I'm going to give Mario a quick call and see if he might know something.
After Pit left the room, Palutena turned to look at a mirror hanging on the wall behind her. Standing inside the mirror was Kyrin.
Kyrin- Not so settle on telling Pit the truth about Icarus.
Palutena- Everything I said to him was true.
Kyrin- But you neglected to tell him the whole story…like what really happened to Icarus.
Palutena- I know…but…I just don't know if he can handle it…first Icarus and now Pit…you won't tell him, will you?!
Viridi (telepathically to Palutena)- Keeping that part of the story from Pit is a dick move, but me straight out telling him, especially now, would be an even bigger dick move. But better if you told him rather than him finding out the truth on his own.
Palutena- You don't think Pit will…
Kyrin- Some secrets can't stay hidden forever, unfortunately. Like how my father tried to hide the secret of what happened to our mother. But Tabuu and I eventually found out on our own. And it would've hurt a lot less if dad had told us sooner.
Viridi (telepathically to Kyrin)- I know…what happened to Lisa was…very sad indeed…But what about Pit's dreams? Is Tabuu really plotting to free Kronos?! And yes, I know Icarus hid his piece of Tabuu's soul in Tartarus with Kronos.
Kyrin- I haven't looked into it. Believe it or not, I've actually been working on something for Pit recently. Something that might help him even the odds during Tabuu's next big attack.
Palutena- You have?
Kyrin- Let's just say, my mechanical prosthetic arm wasn't the only request I made with Lord Dyntos.
(Back at Tartarus)
Hades and Star Dream were standing on the beach next to the ocean as Hades made the ocean split, creating a pathway for the two to walk.
Star Dream- What? No fourth wall breaking joke or making a reference to something like Moses splitting the red sea?
Hades- Shut the **** up, Star Dream! I'm afraid comic relief Hades was left behind in Subspace after Tabuu instructed me to find my bastard of a daddy! Let's just get this over with so we can return to Subspace.
After walking through the opening Hades had made, Star Dream led Hades to a large hole in the ground, despite that this was the bottom floor of the sea of Tartarus.
Star Dream- Following the trail from your DNA, this must be where your father is.
Hades and Star Dream looked down the large hole and saw there were bolts of lightning acting as bars at the surface of the hole.
Hades- My brother, Zeus' lightning bolts. Surprised that's what's holding my father and the other Titans back.
Star Dream- This is an unholy land with the power to drain gods like in Stone Tower Temple. Speaking of which, why aren't you being drained, Hades?
Hades- Because I'm using Tabuu's power. He is strong enough to drive the unholy presence away from me.
Suddenly, a large hand reaches from the hole and grabs hold of the lightning bars. There appeared a face in the hole. But with how dark it was, all that was seen was the being's eyes and mouth.
Dark god- Well…look who finally came to pay his old man a visit.
Hades turned his head and held hand out so that one finger was standing out.
Hades- **** you too, dad!
Star Dream- So that…
Hades- My father? Kronos? Unfortunately.
Kronos- What's wrong, Hades? All the times you've gotten your ass handed to you by Pit from all the they played "Kid Icarus: Uprising" or all the times the author has written about you being beaten up while working for Tabuu getting to you?
Star Dream- Did he just…?!
Kronos- Where do you think my son got the habit of breaking the fourth wall over and over from?
Hades- Well…thanks for letting me know…douchebag!
Kronos- Is that anyway to talk to your daddy?
Hades- You tried to eat me when I was a kid! And you would have if my mother not have hidden me and my brothers!
Kronos- Regardless, you came all this way to see little old me. Besides, you're too big to swallow now.
Hades- That ****ing does it! Give me one good reason why I shouldn't turn around, put Tartarus back together, and pretend this never happened?!
Kronos- I think Tabuu will be very angry with you if you didn't return to Subspace with this…
Kronos stuck his hand through the lightning bars and showed he was holding a black glowing substance. Hades tried to reach and grab it, but Kronos pulled it back behind the lightning bars of the prison before he could.
Kronos- Oop! Too slow! Want to try again, son?
Kronos did this with Hades a few more times just to teas Hades.
Kronos- Ooo! I think you almost got it that time! Shale we continue this little game?
Star Dream- Wow! I think I'm starting to see the resemblance between you and your father.
Kronos- As much fun as this is, I think you know there's only one way you're getting this piece of Tabuu's soul from me. And that's setting me and the other Titans free. So Hades…would you do this for your dear and handsome dad?
Hades- **** you…
Then Hades pointed at the lightning bars and fired a red beam of energy at them. Eventually, the lightning bars shattered and the only thing keeping the Titans in that hole was no more.
Kronos- Thank you, Hades. You always were my favorite son after all.
Hades- Just give us that piece of Tabuu's soul so Tabuu can get off my back!
Kronos- Tabuu is much worse than me yet you're working for him.
Hades- He didn't try to eat me.
Hades then grabbed the piece of Tabuu's soul from Kronos' hand.
Hades- At least I know Pitty Pat will kick your ass in the end of this story like how Icarus did 1,000 years ago!
Kronos- Want to bet? Palutena and her silly new helper won't stop me so easily.