Fractured Reality part 2

Adventures In the Mushroom Forest

Lucas, trailing behind the others, fell into the dirt with sweat dripping off his face like water droplets from the skies. Much of it was absorbed by the fabric of his hood, the traces that weren't would crawl down his flesh until slipping off and onto the ground. He picked himself up off the ground and brought the back of his hand up to wipe his brow. Farther up he could hear Ninten's faint call, when he brought his head up and saw him rushing over to his side, a hand extended to help him to his feet.

"Yo Offworlders, stop slacking!" Flame called back with a broad smile plastered on his face. Skipping ahead of them without a care in the world, despite the intense heat being brought by not one, not two, but three different colored suns shining down on them. One red, another blue, and the largest one shining a golden yellow.

"Does this guy have sugar and caffeine for blood?" Ninten questioned, annoyed.

Lucas gives Flame an annoyed look for a moment before sighing. "Can… we… take a break?" he pleaded, as his legs began to give way again. Ninten went to help Lucas stand allowing the blonde to lean on him a bit. Lucas looked at Ninten surprised. "Y-You don't have to-,"

"No, but I'm a lot stronger than you. This heat is bad, but not bothering me much," he responded. Lucas thought Ninten was all talk but after taking in Ninten's appearance, it was evident that he had been sweating a lot too as a large wet patch was positioned on his chest with sweat dripping from his brow. But he didn't seem tired at all. Ness who watched the both of them carefully, standing at halfway point between them and Flame, was in the same shape as Lucas, even removing his cap and fanning himself with it. Lucas could rely on Ninten to help him walk.

However, Lucas regained himself somewhat, leaning away from Ninten. Seemingly pushing Ninten away.

"I'm not worth-…I don't want to get in the way," Lucas expresses in a soft voice. He said it in a way of compassion which was the first real feeling he had expressed so far. Ninten looks at Lucas somewhat conflicted but nods, allowing Lucas to stand on his own. They continue deeper into the seeping hot forest of Hives, managing to catch up to both Flame and Ness, doing their best to avoid the gaze of stray swarmers flying by.

"Why is it so hot?" Ninten exclaimed as he, like Ness before him, removed his hat to reveal his damp messy raven hair.

"The temperature feels like we jump 50 degrees since the hive," Ness wheezed as he began to fan himself with his hat.

Lucas glances up at the suns. Being out under them like this was draining energy from the group, "Where are we going?" he asked. When everyone's eyes are focused on him, he blushes and stares down at his shoes nervously twiddling his thumbs. Ness gives a small chuckle at Lucas' shy nature before moving his gaze to Flame.

"Yeahhh, that is a good question, where are we going?" Ness repeated, taking a moment to lean against a Hive. Only for him to remember what creatures were inside, so he straightened himself quickly and backed away cautiously.

Flame fixes Lucas with a curious stare, head-tilted in seemingly confused with the blonde's shy demeanour. He eventually breaks away to answer him, a wicked smirk playing on his lips. "Agaricus bisporus holt," he finally said.

"English, please." Ninten asked, rubbing his temple as he turned to Flame.

"Mushroom Forest"

"And why are you taking us there?"

"You guys don't have anywhere to go and I know of a cool place where we can stake out." Flame shrugged. He did have a point, they didn't have any alternative options." Also if you think the swarmers are bad… Oh boy wait till you see what lurks in the dark," This made the boys flinch hearing that there are things more dangerous than those swarmers. "Black Tarantulas, Ligers, Devil Dogs, Hounds" Flame turns around on them, arms raised and making gestures that emulate each creature he mentioned. "Claws as big as your torsos with jaws wide enough to chomp your h-"

"Well I'm convinced, let's go then!" Ness exclaimed, pushing Flame to get back to guiding. Flame smirked, turning back around. He leads them out of the hives which is a great relief, and they would only travel a little further until they felt the ground become solid again. There was a collective sigh as the extra bounce in their steps ceased, regaining full control of their movement. They still walked a little funny after having gotten used to walking on the bouncy ground. Ninten comments Ness looked like he had something up his butt to which Ness decides he will respond with silence. It was a relief they felt greatly, but were then struck dumb when a few steps later they entered a new portion of forest. One that was vastly different from where they just left.

"Geez what's up with the climate in this place, it's like the temperature changes depending on where we stand!" Ninten whined, he folded his arms around himself and shuddered. The chill winds blowing with a different sun shining down on them than the previous.

"Join us again when Ninten continues pointing out the obvious," Ness said while rolling his eyes as he wrapped his arms around himself.

"Well here's another obvious fact, you are within arms length " Ninten threatened, dropping his arms to ball his fist.

"Please… now's not the time" Lucas said, glancing past the sides of his hood at them. Ness and Ninten both blink at Lucas, but they didn't get to hold eye contact with Lucas long as he turned his head right away.

"Come on, OffWorlders were burning precious daylight! " Flame said, picking up his pace.

"I vote we find a new guide," Ninten suggested.

"Agreed" Ness and Lucas said nodding. As they hurried to catch back up again with the chilling cold coming and going every five minutes exhausting the boys even more, but Flame seemed relatively fine for the most part. Eventually they arrived on the outskirts of the Mushroom Forest which made Ness and Ninten jaws drop at the sights they were witnessing. Tall purple grass shined in the evening light. They looked up admiring the towering mushrooms which loomed high above their heads. Tiny dust particles floated in the atmosphere reflecting in the retreating rays of sunlight.

"W-wow" Lucas muttered to himself, not expecting anyone to have heard him. Except Flame does somehow.

"I know right, this place is so awesome!" Flame exclaimed, flashing a quick smile to the boys behind him.

"So where is this place of yours?" Ninten inquired, as he tried to keep the dust particles from coming into contact with his hair.

"It's just around the corner; stop being a killjoy, enjoy the scenery!"

"I would enjoy not getting mauled."

"Oh don't be a baby, you're with me. Everything's gonna be fine."

Contrary to Flame's claim his hideout was not just around the corner. The boys traveled through the lush undergrowth of the mushrooms. They eventually got used to the chill of the air, but were noticing the light starting to die down. Ness and Lucas were a bit uneasy with how close they were cutting their time limit. Flame was as happy going as ever. Ninten, was in a similar mood interested in challenging any monster to a fight. Confident in his ability to "destroy 'em all!" in his words.

"Okay Offworlders, the place should be just straight ahead past that undergrowth there," Flame points out to a mushroom patch sitting at waist height. It leads up to a large hill to which their destination lay on the other side of.

"Should we book it?" Ness asks.

"We could try but that patch is pretty thick. It'd be difficult to run through," Ninten points out.

"Don't be a bunch of normies guys come on!" Flame exclaims rushing forward. The three boys watch as Flame jumps onto the mushroom heads easily running atop them. "Keep up!"

"Well easy enough," Ness states following the redhead's lead as he runs on the heads. Ninten and Lucas follow though both of them move at a slower pace in the more agile Flame and Ness. While following though Lucas suddenly pauses getting an odd sensation of being watched. He jerks his head back not seeing anything in the dim light or the casted shadows of mushrooms that rose even higher than the ones they were moving on. While not seeing anything he feels that there is a presence close by.

"Lucas you okay?" Ninten calls from up ahead. Lucas returns his attention forward to see that Ninten had almost made it to the top of the hill and paused to look back at the blonde. Lucas gives a final glance back before moving forward to catch up with the group. "Something happened?" Lucas shakes his head. "Well try and stay close, our tour guide may be too excited to keep us safe." Lucas nods in affirmation as the two rejoin Ness and Flame at the top of the hill.

"Something happened?" Ness echoes Ninten's earlier question.

"No I don't think so, I guess he just got distracted," Ninten says.

"Okay," Ness says, eyeing Lucas carefully before returning forward. The three look out over the hill to see a brilliant castle resting on top of a large mushroom with the blue sun setting behind it. "Man, talk about good real-estate…"

"Once we get to the bottom we can enter the castle," Flame explains pointing down the steep slope before them, a slope which fell several hundred metres before curbing into the underbrush of mushrooms.

"Well that looks fun," Ninten says sardonically.

"It is!" Flame exclaims not picking up on the tone. "Last one down gets mauled!" he exclaims, sliding down the slope on his feet.

"Geez this kid…" Ninten mutters.

"Haven't been around people much obviously," Ness added.

"Regardless," Lucas cuts in, once again drawing the attention of Ness and Ninten as he walks past them both. "it doesn't seem like we have much of a choice." He hops down, hands on in his pockets, and glides down the slope as if he was a surfer on water.

Ness and Ninten share a look amongst themselves, he did have a point. They both jumped at the same time, Ninten landing on his feet a bit less gracefully than Ness who immediately slid forward with greater speed and control than Lucas before him. It wasn't long before Ness had caught up too and surpassed Lucas, giving the blonde a little wink on his way down, though he got nothing but a blank stare in return.

"Kid needs to loosen up," Ness mutters as he focuses on catching the ponytailed redhead.

Lucas' expression hardened as he watched Ness gradually gain on their guide but his change of expression isn't a result of the speed of the raven haired boy but something that nags at the back of his mind. Like a mouse in an open field, he feels as though he's being watched. A quick glance backward, past Ninten who seemed to briefly be struggling with pacing himself along the slope, and back on top of the mushroom they had leapt off. Only catching the dark figure that rested there as it leaps forward and down towards Ninten.

"Watch out," Lucas called out, whirling around his feet dragging against the solid ground, with both arms extended towards the shadow as it drew near Ninten. "PK-" Whatever command he intended to utter got trapped in his throat, his eyes as wide and still as a billboard poster.

Ninten for his part, whirls back almost automatically, fist reared and ready for a fight. The shadow descends on him with great speed, far quicker than he can successfully manage to pull his hand back for a swing and he's knocked down, feet completely disconnected with the earth beneath his shoes and he falls down. Snapping out of his daze, Lucas pushes himself to slide in the trajectory of his falling acquaintance, arms spread out to catch him. But Ninten is heavier than expected, made even more pronounced by the fact that he had another force pressing down on top of him, and he's far too heavy for Lucas to even begin to hold. The commotion above draws the attention of both Ness and Flame who were nearing the bottom of the slope, who, after turning with scrunched up faces, would both gasp.

Ness, being the closer of the two, plants himself firmly against the slope completely stopping his downward slide. Much like Lucas, he places himself in the position of the falling bodies and much like Lucas he'd find himself pushed off his feet by the heavier than expected weight.

They all tumble down the slope now until they hit the ground with an audible thud, that ripples through the entire forest, and in return a cascade of howls follow suit. Ness, who was for all intents and purposes not having the best day, couldn't help but lament on his ability to find himself at the bottom of a rather heavy pile. He silently thinks that Ninten definitely made up the bulk of weight pressed against him, squeezing his lung and making it a nightmare. He needed them off him, like yesterday.

"Alright alright, this cuddle session is over," He groans, pushing lightly, much lighter than he would've if it was Ninten, against Lucas' frame. The blonde would also groan, shuffling uncomfortably under Ninten who'd perk up, jumping to his feet, fist once again balled and looking around frantically for whatever had jumped them. Lucas helps Ness to his feet, the older boy needing a moment to recover on wobbly legs, he gives his thanks to which the blonde gave a simple nod to, both hands on the string of his hoodie and looking down.

"You alright?" Ness asks the blonde. Lucas only nods in affirmation. "So is someone gonna explain to me what happened or…"

"Where's our guide?" Ninten cuts in, his previously hunched and ready stance straightened. Ness and Lucas both perk up and look around. The flame headed youth was nowhere to be seen.

There's a shout and their eyes are drawn to parted grass. "Flame!" Ness calls out, speeding head first into high savannas, the others quickly on their heel. They find Flame on his back, a dog licking furiously at his temple, the red haired boy chuckling heartily underneath it.

"Stop it, that tickles!" the boy exclaims. The brown furred creature pauses before turning to the other three newcomers. It barks in a defensive stance.

(Strangers, identify yourselves!) is what the boys were able to translate it to since they could understand animals.

"You, jumped me!" Ninten exclaimed.

"Simmer down everyone," Fuel says sitting up and rubbing the back of the creature. This is a hound I came across yesterday. It was hungry and I gave it some food, guess this is it's way of thanking me."

The hound as Flame described was bigger than a dog, about the size of a full wolf. Bristling brown fur, shining golden eyes with protruding claws as long as an entire hand of any of the boys.

"So that's a hound?" Ninten asks.

"Yeah, but he's only a pup, I call him Buddy" Flame said, ruffling the dog's fur to ease the tension in the animal. "They get a lot bigger, like eat you up in one gulp big."

"Nice to know…" Ness mutters. The animal approaches the three boys sniffing each of them. It stops at Lucas though. It sniffs the boy then nuzzles into his side.

(You smell nice) it barks.

"Thanks…" Lucas mutters.

"Not nice enough to eat I hope," Ninten adds.

"You guys are talking like you can understand it," Flame says getting to his feet.

"Yeah, I guess that's a common skill with PSI users to be able to read the minds of animals. They have less complex thoughts than other people."

"That's awesome!" Flame exclaimed. "What did he say?"

"Lucas smells nice apparently," Ness says.

(You should seek shelter, nightfall is coming) it barks.

"Yeah, agreed, Flame takes us to your castle."

"Okay mister bossy," Flame said, turning to lead the way again. The hound for some reason decides to tag along moving alongside Lucas. Lucas wraps his arms around himself trying to ignore the creature as it barked questions at him.

The group arrives at the base of the ginormous mushroom they saw from the hill just before the last light of the day fades. It seemed to take up half the forest alone with its giant red with white spots dripping dust from the fungi. Suddenly Lucas came to a conclusion that seemed rather important.

"How are we getting up there?" he questioned. He doubted either of the boys could levitate that high and since the ground no longer bounces it was going to be much trickier. Flame smiled as if glad the question was asked. Flame walked over to grab Lucas' hand again and lead him away with Ness and Ninten looking at them curiously following not far behind. The hound just sitting looking rather excited. Lucas was not sure where they were going but he didn't resist even while being rather confused. Flame then suddenly sat him down on a stump of a mushroom that was significantly shorter than any of the others there.

"Ya see that mushroom there?" Flame asked standing over Lucas and pointing ahead of him. Lucas looked to see there was a mushroom right next to the giant one with the castle on top. Lucas nods seeing it but even more confused. "Aim for it."

"Huh?" Lucas questioned. Flame smirked as he placed his foot on the mushroom in between Lucas's legs. Lucas flinched at the area now nervous. Flame seemed to enjoy his reaction as his smile widened and he chuckled. Flame pressed down on the mushroom head and suddenly it sunk down like a coil. Lucas suddenly was not concerned about where Flame's foot was but more on what was happening. "What-," Lucas was cut off as Flame removed his foot and suddenly like a coiled spring Lucas was launched upward high into the sky making Ness and Ninten gawk at the panicking Lucas.

"He's gonna miss the target," Flame pointed out casually. Since the ground was no longer rubber the pain was going to be very real this time if landed on the wrong spot. Ness moved quickly leaping onto the mushroom to launch himself into that air. He aimed for the mushroom Flame pointed to while using levitation to increase his speed. He manages to grab Lucas by his hood as he flies by, he bounces off the other mushroom, and lands on the giant mushroom without a problem. Shortly they were joined by Ninten, Flame, and the hound. Lucas outright glared at Flame for the lack of any warning.

"Come on I didn't mean no harm. I thought you were gonna make it,"

"Worst apology I ever heard," Ninten stated as he gazed at the castle.

It's not the largest castle ever, but it was still quite graceful in aesthetic. A brook, which the dark haired youth couldn't quite figure out where the water was dripping from, dancing beside the border wall. Into the wall a large scrolled gate was set, and above the gateway was an ornate arch over-run with friendly toadstools. Indeed, the wildly beautiful gardens and the surrounding greenery had not been tamed by the trained hand of a gardener for many years. Odd a garden could even exist on the top of a mushroom…

Strange energy sparkled on every available surface like a thin layer of chalk, the golden spires of the symmetrical turrets gleaming with dulled warmth beneath the confines of the potent dust. Even abandoned, the aged bricks bearing the weight of the massive structure seemed to hum with impish delight. The castle was lonely, the empty rooms and drafty corridors left still, seemingly filled with life and energy. Yet the unnerving silence engulfed the surrounding mushroom side where the castle stood elegantly against the backdrop of a radiating sunset. Not a depressing place, nor was it ecstatic either, a sighing breeze ruffled through the spacious halls.

"Not bad," Ness says rather coolly, as he surveyed the surrounding area. Though internally he couldn't help but be gobsmacked by it's brilliance, and he's seen some pretty out there things.

"It's home" The Flame says with a shrug, before turning to Lucas "Hey Blondie open the ingress would ya," Flame asked, giving a small grin and playful shove to the younger boy's shoulder.

"The w-what?" Lucas rubbed his shoulders, giving Flame a questionable look.

"It's this thing that lets you enter a different room, yall don't have them where you're from?"

Lucas squinted his eyes at Flame. A frown playing on his lips as he jerks his attention away from Flame and towards the "ingress". He was done with Flame for the day. His eyes stared at the entrance, ingress as he called them instead of a door! Lucas's eyes flashed for a moment and the doors flew open nearly coming off their hinges somewhat startling the others.

"Now stop bothering me," Lucas said as he walked forward into the castle. The brown furred hound seemed to find a spot on the mushroom to curl up. Clearly it preferred the outdoors and sticking close to the boys would ensure some degree of safety.

"What's his deal?" Flame questions looking after Lucas.

"You launched him in the air with no warning and he would have broken every bone in his body if I hadn't caught him," Ness explains.

"That, and you're a little too abrasive. Lucas seems a bit shy," Ninten explains.

"Shy, what's that?" Flame asks with a tilted head.

"Well…" Ninten began as he moved toward the entrance. Once he passes the threshold, the other two follow with Flame closing the ingress and sealing it up tight. "It's a person who needs to warm up to someone. Like you have to approach them gently otherwise they may not respond well to you. And you have to be a little patient."

"Oh I see..." Flame closes his eyes in thought for a moment. "So what should I do?"

"Say you're sorry, and try using our names every once in a while."

"Okay, right! I was just so excited to get my name, but it's probably more fun hearing other folks say your name too. Think that might make us friends?"

"Remember you also gotta be patient," Ninten adds.

"Right, patient." Flame nods. "So, seeing as you guys aren't uh, shy, like Lucas… does that mean we're friends?" Flame asks curiously.

Ness gives a shrug, "If ya want to be that's fine. How are you aware of the concept of friendship but not know what being shy is?"

"Well do you know every concept that has ever existed?" Flame asked.

"No," Ness responds.

"Well there ya go, no one knows everything. Besides, there's not actually a lot of people to talk to around here" The hound bounds forward and sniffs at Flame's palm. "Well besides buddy here, but we only just met. I've definitely not talked to people from other worlds before. It's a miracle I'm not just a drooling mess!"

"All good points."

They walk down the castle corridor into the foyer. With only three corridors to follow. Flame seems to scan them a moment before perking up and walking toward the left path into a room. Ness and Ninten glance at each other before walking in after Flame. It became clear why he chose this room when they saw Lucas laying in a loveseat with his eyes staring at the ceiling. Flame was about to rush over but seemed to remember his crash course on interacting with Lucas and decided to take another seat. It was odd seeing modern couch cushions in this old timey like castle. There also appeared to be a bar on the far side of the room with an assortment of bottles. A bookshelf that reached half the height of the room posted up next to the entrance.

"Cozy space, but it's starting to get dark in here," Ness points out. The source of light would be coming from the window behind the couch Flame is sitting on.

"I got it," Flame snapped his fingers for a bright source of light to come alive coming from the ceiling. It looked like a white flame shining and illuminating the room like normal electricity. "A little trick I know." Flame demonstrates by holding up his hand to create a small tuft of flame. "Those light things are called Sun Fixtures. All it takes is a little Old Power to light 'em up."

"Old Power?" Ninten asked as he sat on the arm of the chair next to Lucas. Ness walks over to the bar to see if there was something good to drink or a snack. Buddy finds a spot on the floor to lie down, tongue out and dripping drool as his brown hues shifts between the boys.

"Oh, guess you guys don't have it where you're from. You really are from another world. It's like this mystical energy that some people are born with, not sure on the specifics. Still trying to understand it all myself," Flame said bouncing the fire on his palm. He then creates two more fires and begins juggling the fire between his hands. The small fireballs bouncing between his hands. "There's a library in the castle. I started looking through it to kinda figure out, well, pretty much everything. Where I am. What's Old Power? The layers and Guardians. I don't know a whole lot about Peril honestly, so I don't know how much of a guide I can be. I mean hardly know myself...but I know something feels off about everything."

"Well maybe when the sun comes up tomorrow we can look around to see if we can find something that jogs your memory," Ninten suggests.

The sound of munching reaches everyone's ears. They turn to see Ness walking over with a bag of what could be considered chips. However, the snack has the appearance of what looks like twigs you'd find on the ground. "What about us finding a way home?" Ness asks.

"What the hell is that?!" Ninten demands.

"I thought they were chips...looked kinda unappetizing but I was hungry so." Ness shrugged, munching on another twig-like chip." They kinda taste like salt and vinegar and sour cream had a baby."

"And you'd just eat them, hogging it all to yourself, gimme some!"

"Buzz off and get your own!" Ness said, waving him off.

"Come on let me try one!" Ninten said moving over to Ness.

"Go find a bag yourself!"

"I wanna see if I like em first before I get a bag!"

Flame sucks his teeth, "He found my stash…" he mutters. He sighs ignoring the escalating argument as he crushes the flames in his palms. He looks at his hands in a small form of contemplation.

"So how long have you been all by yourself?" Lucas suddenly asked. The blonde speaking up actually startles Flame a bit as he looks toward Lucas, seemingly forgetting the boy was there.

Lucas had quite a few questions on a lot of what Flame said, but decided he'd ask at a later time. Besides with Ness and Ninten messing around he'd be the only one getting this information. It'd be best they all heard the information together when they were ready to act on it.

"Uh, a year maybe? Nothing really changes here and my mind was kinda foggy for a while too. Besides I haven't bothered to keep track of the time, guess I've been too busy having fun," Flame beamed. "I've seen other people around though, just they seemed a bit hostile so I've never tried to approach them. Everyone's a little uptight…" Flame trails, seemingly wanting to say more, but the way his usually Cheshire grin tightened at the edge and his gaze narrows a tad Lucas figures that he was having difficulty verbalising his feelings. Lucas doesn't prod him on the matter, welcoming the peace even as Ness and Ninten continue their squabbling in the background, they would just have to sort that out later.

"I was wondering Lucas… heh that's actually a cool name Lucas-"

"What were you wondering?" Lucas cuts in as he tugs absentmindedly at the drawstring of his hoodie, his eyes up towards the ceiling rather than on Flame.

"Is there something wrong? It feels like something is really bothering you," Lucas didn't respond, he just turned his head to face another direction. "Okay gotta be patient!" Flame thinks to himself. Flame moves to lean over the arm of the couch where Lucas' head rested on the cushion. He hovers over the blonde, and his gaze searching Lucas' face for some kind of insight. Lucas baulks somewhat at the forwardness of the gesture, unintentionally tightening his drawstring so that the hood clung to his head.

"W-What are you doing?" Lucas asked, startled.

Based on that reaction Flame inwardly winces, "Oh wait was that wrong too?" Flame mutters to himself. Flame backs off before taking a seat on the arm with one leg perched as the other dangles.

"I guess this is all like a lot for you guys. It's a lot for me too. Before now the only person I've talked too is buddy and he isn't much of a conversationalist." The hound perks it head up at the sound of its name. " Lighten up and be happy. I know you're far from home, but you're not alone. All of us just wanna be your friend," Lucas' didn't move both physically and emotionally. Flame finally sighed as his face turned more somber. "Look…um, I'm sorry for earlier. I got carried away, never my intention to hurt you or anything. I'm just bad at all this. I know I could cheer you up since you seemed really sad." He sighed and pulled back, allowing Lucas' some breathing room. "Guess I'm only just adding to your stress aren't I?'

Lucas is still for a moment. His face scrunched up in clear contemplation. They hadn't even known each other for a day yet and Flame was already showing Lucas his more vulnerable side. Lucas bites down gentle onto his lip and takes a moment before he responds. When he does he speaks slowly, carefully. "I know what you guys are trying to do. I just really think you shouldn't bother. I'm not worth it. Apology accepted."

Flame felt a twist on his insides he couldn't quite identify. Flame moves to his feet to turn to Lucas. He offers his hand out to Lucas.

"Want me to show you around the castle?"

Lucas stared at the outstretched hand, seemingly pondering if he should take up the offer, but shakes his head. "Thanks but I think I'll sit here for awhile. Another time."

Flame stared at Lucas nodding, though the disappointment was clear even as he gives a somber smirk, "Well if you change your mind just give me a shout with my new name!" Flame's face shifts into a more serious one. "I don't what your worth has to do with being a good person, but don't think I'm going to give up on you." Flame shifts gear with his trademark smile as he surprises Lucas by ruffling his hair before walking away to watch the ongoing argument with Ness and Ninten. At least he was until he saw the two raiding his stash of stickles. In a snack induced rage he rushes the two of them. Lucas stared at them for a moment before his eyes glanced toward the window in the room. He frowned, but said nothing.

"Hey Lucas!" Lucas turned toward the three other occupants to see all three were rolling around the floor. Ness was the one who called him. "Do me a solid for saving you today, turn their brains off or whatever!" Ness wasn't doing so well. Lucas allowed a smile to slip onto his face.

A few hours after the wrestling match the boys were thoroughly exhausted, at least Ness, Ninten, and Flame. Lucas had to inwardly try not to laugh at seeing the bruises on their faces after the fight. Once they managed to stuff food in their mouths they made sleeping arrangements with each person getting they're own room. After that the Flame turned the lights off and the current inhabitants lay scattered across the Castle, sound asleep. The moonlight reflecting on the tainted glass, giving off a foggy effect, a young boy attired in a long black robe, appeared from the fog on top of the castle walls watching as each room's light went out. A long silver staff clasped in his hand, he ponders on who to approach first, before his form melts away into the shadows of the castle side.

A/N: Sorry, totally forgot to mention what was happening int he stories itself. I listed this on my profile but I will let you guys know here too. So, my co-author and I were planning on making a sequel to this story. But we felt that the original was a little unfocused at some parts, weird in others, and not well written out in others. So before the sequel we decided to fix up the original a little bit. Give it my MBZ redone type of deal. I deleted the parts in the story so those who liked the story can keep up with it and the changes made. As we upload new parts. Sorry for the confusion. These shouldn't take too long to come out depending on the changes we want to make though.