A/N: Second chapter. :)

Pit - The Dangers of Meeting a Lucario: Getting Devious Ideas That Eventually Bite Back

The first few months of school had that natural grueling feel to it. You still looked at the handbook map from time to time, but for the most part, you remembered where you were going. You had also realized that you could make up less, er, embarrassing introductions, like "Hi, I'm Pit Ilari! I read Harry Potter!" or "Hey baby, I'm Pit. Want to fall into me?"

…You never used that last one, but you still thought that it had some potential as a pickup line. But, it wasn't as if you were that desperate.

Naturally, you fell in with anyone that you met. It was easy to make friends, maybe because all you had to do was make a lame joke or something and you both would laugh at how stupid it sounded. And, despite what you'd thought earlier, a lot of people didn't have their friends from their old schools.

So, in other words, you were having fun.

There was, however, the small matter (it was really really small) of a certain kid that made you uncomfortable as hell.

It was in a class--History, joy oh joy--where you and everyone else had to share a desk with the other for collaboration and partners in activities, etc etc. The teacher thought it was a brilliant idea to get to know someone.

You thought it was torture, namely because of your partner.

It was Link, the kid who had laughed at you at orientation. Now, you weren't excessively uncomfortable around him, not really, but he was just this antisocial guy that you really didn't understand.

"It's like he has one expression all the time! I can't stand it!" you complained loudly at lunch. "It's always this stern what-the-hell-did-you-just-do look." You punctuated your plight with mimicking Link's eyebrows with your fingers, both pointing down.

"Steal his backpack and toss it somewhere," Lucario deadpanned. Despite his eternally serious face, you had been paired up with him in the activities in orientation, and hey, he made some pretty good ideas from time to time…

"Don't encourage him," Samus said, patiently opening soda bottles and cans they handed to her.

"That's actually a pretty good idea," you muse halfheartedly.

"Do it and I'll beat the crap out of you," Samus said smilingly, handing you your opened Mountain Dew. "Don't forget, I'm in your class."

You just smiled because you wanted your Mountain Dew in your mouth, and not on top of your head and dripping down your shirt (it happened before, and it was not pleasant).

The next day, you hid Link's backpack under the teacher's desk while he had just carelessly left it unattended during break.

With a devilish grin, you waited for his reaction as he came back to his desk to realize it was gone.

You pretended you were having a fascinating time with Brave New World as the Savage committed suicide during a break where you would usually be chatting with Samus in the usual way.

"Where's my bag?"

You could feel Samus glaring at you from across the room. At the same time, you felt brilliant.

Nevertheless, you took a breath and were about to say "Dunno!" in a really cheerful voice, but the word died on your lips as you took in his expression.

He looked worried. Extremely worried. Like, worried in the way of I-might-have-just-lost-something-really-important. The eyebrows were still pointing down, but his eyes were just…

You felt guilt wash over you in waves.

And, like every kid that wasn't really used to plaguing guilt, you jerk a finger towards the teacher's desk without a word and look back to your book, not so interested in someone committing suicide anymore.

You didn't want to see whatever expression he put up next. Maybe he hated you now? You had never been hated before. Maybe your real parents hated you so they put you in the orphanage in the first place. Were you hated now? If someone just took your backpack out of the blue, you'd be really angry.

Link came back with his backpack, and plopped down into his seat next to you.

You were almost quivering with guilt.

He rifled through his bag, as if searching for something you could have stolen (and that really hurt, because you weren't that mean). Finally, when he was done with his search, he sounded like he heaved a sigh of relief, because you didn't dare make eye contact with him.

The bell rang, and the teacher started class.

This was going to be horrible.

"So, since we're a small class, we can probably do this with your table partners," Mr. Vaughan said briskly but friendly. You liked Mr. Vaughan. He was interesting, gave next to nil homework (though his tests were the longest thing you've ever experienced), and made these weird assignments to learn things. And he was bald. All of your bald teachers were awesome. "You're in charge of…" At this, he bent down to look under his desk and grabbed a huge poster. "One of these countries, or you're an invader. It depends on what card you choose." And at that, he held up a standard card deck, though vastly reduced to around ten cards. It made sense--there were twenty people in the class. He walked to the other end of the room and pinned it up.

"So? Who's first?"

Link's hand shot up.

For a moment, you forgot how guilty you were to actually stare at him quizzically.

The guy, of course, got first pick, and conveniently picked out the smallest country whilst Samus and her partner got the biggest invading country.

"Aw, man…" Pit whined, staring at the two of spades on your shared desk.

"Sorry," Link said quietly.

You glanced up towards his face. Conveniently enough, he had been looking at you, and your eyes locked.

Dammit!

Guilt washed over you again. You didn't want to be hated, nosiree. And, right then, those stern eyes of his made you kind of wary and depressed.

"Uh, thanks for telling me where my bag was," Link said, probably the most words you had ever heard come out of his mouth at one time.

You jerked your head up, relieved that he didn't hate you and all of that, and was about to say "no problem!" before realizing that… wait. He didn't think I took it?

And your big mouth flapped before you could just go with it. "Uh, haha, I was the one that took it in the first place…haha… ha…" Your eyes locked again, and your mouth went dry. "Ha… ha…" Nervous laughter bubbled out of you uncontrollably.

And for some really weird reason, Link was grinning and laughing a little bit too. "You know, usually someone would just leave it as it was…"

He was letting you get away with it. He was letting you get away with it! And no, you weren't hated!

Relief poured down your spine. "So, uh, let's do this government thing! It kind of sucks that we got the smallest land with the least food and war supplies, though…" you rambled.

"Uh, sorry. I thought going first would improve our chances of getting a big country," Link said, sheepish. Sheepish!

"Oh, damn, I should have thought of that!" you exclaimed without a thought. "Then maybe Vaughan would have given us two chances!"

He rewarded you with one of his quiet laughs, and you both got to work on how the hell to survive Samus's conquest of the world.