A/N: Sorry for the lateness of this chapter, but May is a ridiculously busy time for florists, as you can imagine. I lost my chapter buffer as well, but what can you do? :) Since I'm trying to do longer chapters, I might switch to updating every other week instead of every week.

I figured the last chapter would cause a little confusion, but I need to make this clear-the "Marth" referred to in these chapters is not THE Marth. I'm excited to finally have our second main character in here, who is one of my favorites from FE: Awakening! :) Without further ado...

Lucina and the winged boy launched into their plan just as the bull-faced monster shuffled towards them, blades at the ready. The archer fired his arrow at the beast's face, distracting it long enough for Lucina to close the distance between them. While her unexpected comrade continued raining arrows, she set Falchion at her side. The blade glowed blue as she ran it through the beast's haunches, illuminating the wisps of darkness that escaped the wound it left in its wake.

The creature released a fresh bellow of pain, but to Lucina's frustration, it remained standing. She had failed to sever any tendons like she had been intending. Still, the princess had no time to fret; the monster returned its attention on her, dropping both of its massive blades down.

Blocking was out of the question. Lucina leaped backwards and narrowly missed a beheading.

"My turn!"

The masked swordswoman glanced up to see the archer scaling the beast's back, using his wings for an extra boost. Their foe flailed its arms in annoyance, attempting to dislodge the winged boy, but with little success. When he managed to reach the head, the boy pulled back another bolt.

"Light Arrow! Apply directly to the forehead!" he shouted before letting it loose.

At that point, Lucina wasn't sure if her new ally was insane or… odd. Still, his unusual tactic had merit. The beast howled in pain, dropping its weapons before clutching its head. Lucina saw her chance. She dashed in for another attack, followed closely by the winged archer. Together, they took turns delivering strokes to the beast's hide until it retaliated. Lucina and her comrade were sent flying again as it backhanded them.

If the beast had been outraged before, now it completely livid. Snorting white smoke from its nostrils, the creature dug its hooves into the ground several times before lowering its head.

"Quick! Heads or tails?" the archer asked as he picked himself back up.

Lucina inclined her head towards him, baffled. "What…?"

The beast began its charge, aiming its horns right at the duo.

"Heads it is, then," the winged boy hastily replied. Leaving Lucina in the dust, he rushed forward as if to tackle the beast head-on. When he drew near, the beast swung his fist down, but the boy rolled between its legs. As he landed on his feet, he thrust his bow blades out and sliced into the monster's ankles.

Releasing a surprised but chocked bellow, the beast fell to the earth. At last, Lucina realized what the winged boy had meant. Picking up Falchion, she leapt into the air and bore down the final blow, impaling the creature right through the skull.

Time froze. The temple square fell dead silent, all motion ceasing for a brief moment. Then, the monster collapsed in on itself. Lucina braced herself as its hulking mass evaporated into black mist, blasting her face with a gust of wind. Soon nothing remained of the creature, no sign that it had ever existed, save for the hole Falchion had pierced into the ground. The shadows that had been watching the fight began to shrink away, disappearing to parts unknown.

Lucina stood and pulled her legendary sword free. Though she had hoped for a reverent moment to gather her wits, her wish was denied.

"Woohoo!" the winged boy hooted, raising his bow triumphantly into the air. "Heartless Boss annihilated! How was that for chicken wings, Palkia?"

He looked pointedly into the sky, as if challenging some onlooker. Lucina gave him a cautious side-glance as she slowly sheathed Falchion. Did she dare interact with him further? She had to admit that though he had demonstrated capable fighting abilities, there was something… not quite right in his head. If that were the case, perhaps it would be better if she—

"Hey, wait!" She winced. Too late. She turned to see the winged boy practically rushing over to her, his mouth moving at a thousand miles per hour.

"That was amazing back there! Those crazy jumping attacks and that crazy golden sword and the glowing thing and… You're a really good fighter, for a human—er, you are human, right? Do you know Magnus, maybe? Wait, are you from around here? What's your name?"

From behind her mask, Lucina blinked. His questions were overwhelming… Did he honestly expect an answer from all of them? Which one should she answer first? Deciding the last was the easiest, she calmly but curtly replied, "Marth."

Although she had felt more comfortable using that cover name this time around, she hadn't expected his reaction. The winged boy's eyes grew wide.

"Wait, Marth? Like… the Marth? The prince of Altea? From Fire Emblem? No way! But… it makes sense! Blue hair, blue clothes, awesome fighting skills… Is that Falchion, then? It looks a bit different from what I remember. You're a bit smaller than I expected, too. In Smash Brothers you always looked—"

Lucina's breath hitched when he named her weapon. Out of reflex she took a step back, her hand flying back to Falchion's hilt. No one in this country knew about her or her weapon. No one should have known. "How do you know that name?" she demanded.

The boy must have realized he struck a chord. He held out his hands in an attempt to placate her. "Whoa, whoa, easy—just calm down a second. I know because I…" He stopped, a strange expression crossing his face. "Wait… You… You're not supposed to be here."

Turning his attention back to the sky, he asked, "Palkia, what's going on?"

Lucina again considered just walking away. This boy was clearly unstable, speaking to no one in particular—and then holding conversations with them. The thing that kept her rooted in place, however, was his apparent knowledge of Marth and Falchion. 'Altea' was a name that had thrown her for a loop. She wasn't certain she had heard that name before… Was she just—

"What? But if he's not Marth, then… Who is he?" The angel frowned, returning his confused gaze to her. However, his eyes grew wide for the second time. "Wait… He's a girl?!"

Falchion flew from its sheath, pointing straight at the boy's throat. Without bothering to mask her voice, Lucina growled, "Who are you? What are you?"

"H-hey!" the archer gulped, staring down her blade. "E-easy! I'm a good guy! A friend!"

She didn't move Falchion. If anything, she tightened her grip.

Moving cautiously, the boy slowly lifted his bow and used it to ease move Falchion away. "Look, I think we got off on the wrong start…" he tried to sound casual. "How about we start over? Hi, I'm Pit."

He held out his hand in a friendly gesture. Lucina, however, didn't return it. Behind the mask, she narrowed her eyes.

Awkwardly, 'Pit' withdrew his hand. "Er, right. Anyway, I'm an angel—a servant to the Goddess of Light, Lady Palutena. The reason why I know so much about yo—I mean, 'Marth', is because…"

He stopped, his eyes darting to the skies again. "What's that, Lady Palutena? …Er, is that allowed? Okay, then!"

Addressing Lucina, he added, "If it's alright with you, Lady Palutena would like to speak with you in person. Is that okay?"

Lucina lowered her weapon. Palutena? That was the name Heracles had used, before… the monster appeared. This 'Pit' certainly wasn't making it up, then. Was this goddess a real person?

Pit seemed to take her slight relaxing as an affirmative. Grinning, he glanced over at the people cowering in the temple. "Hold on one second," he told her.

Before she could stop him, the angel approaching the temple. Calling to the villagers, he declared, "People of the Overworld! The Boss has been conquered, and the Heartless have retreated! You may return to your homes, now. If trouble ever arises again, know that the Goddess of Light has blessed this temple. You will always find sanctuary here."

Even from where she stood, Lucina could see the relieved expressions on the faces of the people. Some even began to cheer, praising the good goddess' name as they emerged from the shadows of the pillars. Falchion's wielder was surprised; all these people seemed to believe the angel's words. Some even approached him to personally thank him, to which the angel sheepishly scratched his head. He quickly separated himself from the crowd before it could overwhelm him and skipped back to her side.

"Sorry about that!" he said, a goofy grin spread across his boyish face. "Ready to go?"

Chrom's daughter studied the angel closely. She had never been one to blindly trust anyone, friend or foe. Even when in the company of the Shepherds of Ylisse, she held secret doubts against all of her father's companions, suspecting each and every one of them of a treachery that had doomed her future. Lucina knew as well as anyone that even a face as innocent as Pit's could hide a deceiving cutthroat.

"How do I know I can trust you?" she finally voiced her suspicions.

That seemed to put a downer on the winged boy's spirit. His wings drooped slightly as he responded. "Trust me? Um, well… I'm an angel. It's against our sacred code of conduct to lead others on in deceit. We're to be honest at all times! …Except when it comes to Lady Palutena's cooking." He winced and quietly muttered, "Sorry, Lady Palutena…"

When she continued staring without uttering a word, the angel straightened. "Okay, how about this: I swear by the sacred name of Lady Palutena that I will in no way harm or deceive you. Angels' honor!"

He finished his oath by placing his fist over his heart. Lucina let her guard down a little, considering the angel's words. So far, he hadn't given her much reason to doubt him—if fact, he gave her anything but that. He had helped her take down that monster, and after that… She glanced over at the spectating villagers. Many were nodding encouragingly at her, as if trying to assure her that the boy could be trusted. He had treated them so kindly, she had to admit.

Numerous times, this Palutena character had been addressed as a goddess of light. If that were so, would she even be capable of deceit? What if she was a sham? Lucina shuddered inwardly as she thought of the Grimleal—the Plegian cult that had brought her world so much misery. The dark religion had followed foul practices designed to please the Fell Dragon Grima, and despite the corruption it sowed, it had fooled many into fervent but blind worship. What if Palutena was another Grima?

Lucina looked at the angel, and then back down to her sword. Although all her instincts told her one thing, it felt like her heart was telling her another. Even though she knew nothing about Palutena, Lucina couldn't deny she felt a certain degree of peace at the mere mention of the name. Looking at these people, and at Pit, she could almost see a spark of light in their countenance. Despite the attack, they seemed… happy. Almost glowing with joy. That was something she had never encountered with the Grimleal, whose joy came only when others suffered.

And then there was the temple itself. Lucina had seen for herself how it had repelled those creatures of darkness. It seemed silly to think that darkness could ever repel darkness, for a house divided would never stand.

She wondered: could darkness be disguised as light?

Maybe Palutena could have been another Grima… But what if she was another Naga?

Sighing in defeat, Lucina sheathed Falchion one more time. "Where are you taking me?" she asked submissively.

Pit beamed, his spark reigniting quickly. "To Palutena's Temple in Skyworld!"

He held out his hand. Lucina stared at it, wondering what exactly she was consigning herself to. She wasn't sure how she had ended up in this strange company, with dark beasts and winged men, but there was no going back. Hesitantly, she took it.

"Okay, Lady Palutena!" Pit lifted his eyes to the sky. "Beam us up!"

Lucina gasped in surprise as a warm beacon of light encircled them. A sound almost like a singing choir rang in her ears before she and the "angel" where slowly lifted from the earth. She opened her mouth to ask what was happening, but all she could manage was a small squeak before the damaged town disappeared completely from her view.

Palutena's extractions were as familiar to Pit as breathing. He never gave them much thought, nor did he think they were that frightening. Travelling through Palkia's wormholes was worse by far. Given that, he wasn't expecting "Marth's" reaction. The angel winced as the human's hold on his hand tightened into a death grip. He thought he would have lost all feeling in it if the trip hadn't been as short as it was. As soon as they had their feet on solid ground once again, the angel tried to reclaim his hand.

"Ow, ow, ow—Okay! We're here! You can let go now!" he whimpered.

'Marth' grunted an apology and quickly released him. The human, however, became quickly entranced by their new surroundings. While the angel tried to rub circulation back into his fingers, 'Marth' stepped across the forecourt of the temple grounds, gaping at the statue of Palutena gazing down at them above. Ethereal white wings of massive proportions extended from either side of it protectively over the temple, almost like an eagle guarding her nest.

Pit remembered asking Palutena once what the wings were made off, but he couldn't remember what her answer was.

The human's gaze continued to wander across the grounds, taking in all the white and golden architecture spread across the floating islands. Pit wondered what was going through his/her (er, its?) mind, but the mask hid any and all emotion the warrior might have been expressing.

Whatever it was, Pit figured he'd finally get around to formally welcoming the stranger.

"So, here we are," the angel gave a sweeping gesture towards the structures surrounding them. "Welcome to Skyworld!"

'Marth' was silent for a brief moment, as if still trying to decide what he/she thought of the place. "Are those islands… floating? In the sky?"

"Yep." Pit answered, popping his lips on the 'p'. "We don't call it Skyworld for nothing, you know."

"…How is this possible?" the human breathlessly muttered, speaking to his/herself.

Pit scratched his head, trying to make up his own mind on something else. The stranger's mask was making him feel uneasy, appearing so cold and impassive. What kind of person hid behind it, if it wasn't Marth? He wondered, but he didn't question his goddess's decisions. She trusted this human enough to bring them to her temple. They tended to work out in the end, even if, at times, it put the angel in danger.

"You should feel honored," he commented. "You're the first human that's ever set foot here, as far as I know."

"…Am I?" the human seemed surprised. Whatever thoughts went through his/her head, he/she eventually bowed his/her head in reverence. "It is an honor, then."

This person was respectful, at least, but Pit felt odd being on the receiving end of it. Usually folks just picked on him… Looking to change the subject, the brown-haired angel took a few steps towards the statue. "Lady Palutena is just up ahead—we shouldn't keep her waiting."

The human hesitated for a brief moment, but nodded his/her head.

Pit led the way through the temple's grounds, crossing first over the grand bridge that spanned the distance between the main island and Palutena's chambers. Thankfully, it had been repaired since the incident with the Chaos Kin, allowing easy access for mortals and flight-challenged angels. Most other sections of Skyworld had also seen renovation since then, although others still bore the scars of war. Yet the light of Angel Land had been restored, and Pit could think of no other place he would rather call home.

The walk to the temple was a long one, allowing 'Marth' plenty of time to enjoy the scenery. Every time Pit glanced over his shoulder to check on his charge, the human had his/her head turned towards some passing landmark, silently observing.

"What are all these buildings for?" Pit's charge startled him by speaking up. Their journey had been so quiet up until then, the angel hadn't been expecting a conversation. "It seems to me you have a small city here, not just a temple."

Pit frowned. Back in its golden age, Skyworld had been a bit of a city with all the angels that had lived here and served Lady Palutena. The Centurions made use of most of the buildings now, though some remained unused.

"Oh, this and that," Pit finally replied with a shrug. "Some are for living in. Others we use for training, or storage, sometimes banquets or dance parties. Maybe an occasional karaoke night."

"…Karaoke?"

"Yep. You know, singing? I don't mean to brag, but… I make a mean alto. I've written a few of my own songs, too."

"I'll… take your word for it." The conversation died after that, much to Pit's disappointment (after all, he wouldn't mind sharing one of his masterpieces). Their journey continued in an awkward silence, bringing them across the great bridge and into the courtyard of Palutena's Chambers. Although this had been one of the most drastically remodeled parts of the temple, Pit still hated passing through here. It reminded him all too clearly of the day he had to fight the goddess of light to free her from the Chaos Kin's control. The angel picked up his pace, which the stranger matched without question. Pit, however, could feel the human's eyes on the back of his head.

The Centurion Strongarms on either side of Palutena's door stood at attention as the duo approached, saluting their captain. However, they looked down at the human with some distrust, and seemed hesitant to let them pass.

"You may open the doors, Centurions. Lady Palutena wishes to speak with this human," Pit informed them simply, his tone suggesting that his words were an order.

The Strong Arms had no objections after that. With a grunt of affirmation, they reached out their brawny arms and pulled the giant doors apart, revealing the goddess's grand foyer in all its splendor. To Pit's surprise, Lady Palutena and Palkia were already waiting for them inside.

"There you are, Pit," she said pleasantly. "Looks like you made it back in one piece. Palkia's wormhole didn't turn you inside out after all."

The dragon beside her snorted.

Ignoring her, Pit strode forward and presented his charge. "I brought the human as requested, Lady Palutena."

"Thank you, Pit." Turning to 'Marth', she said, "Welcome to Angel Land, child of Naga. You may remove your mask; you're among friends, here."

A/N: Did that battle seem a little too easy? Good ;) BTW, why hasn't a Minotaur been used as a concept for a Heartless yet? It'd be a pretty cool beast, methinks. Well, here's to hoping in KH3! :D