CHAPTER 10
Laying on her large, fluffy bed atop the clouds, Palutena stared blankly at the clouded sky, unmoving. She didn't bother to change out of her bloodied clothes, nor did she let go of Pit's feather. Entering her chambers Viridi looked sadly upon the sorry sight that was Palutena. Speaking with false confidence Viridi then said,
"C-Come on. Let's get you cleaned up.. You can't mope around like that.." Unresponsive, Palutena ignored her completely. Slowly approaching her bedside, Viridi held out a hand to grab Pit's feather. Springing up, Palutena looked her dead in the eyes. "We need to get you cleaned up," Viridi repeated. Palutena emptily rose, still clutching his feather.
In the bath Palutena was completely silent, allowing Viridi to cleanse her. "Honestly, you can't do this yourself?" Sighing, Viridi tried pulling a smile to her face but with no success. The sound of bells rang out, summoning Palutena. "I'll go," Viridi communicated. Hopping out of the bath she grabbed a white robe and tied it around herself. She made her way to the front of the temple, dripping wet, to find a messenger.
"The God of Healing, Asclepius, has sent me to deliver a message to the Goddess Palutena! The commander of her army, Pit, is currently in the care of Asclepius!" Viridi's jaw dropping, she ran back toward Palutena, leaving the lowly messenger. Entering the room once more she found Palutena face down in the steamy water. Stumbling, she immediately grabbed her hair, pulled her out of the water and checked her pulse. Her heart was still beating but at a very slow pace. Palutena opened her dark green eyes and still held onto Pit's feather.
"Palutena! Don't scare me like that! A messenger came to the door! It's Pit, he's alive! He's in the care of Asclepius!" She breathlessly spurted. With her eyes lighting up like fireworks, Palutena marched to her bedroom, forsakening the feather behind her. Throwing on her freshly washed attire she spread her transparent wings and began to fly toward the original hot spring. "Wait for me!" cried Viridi, raising her staff to command flight.
Landing in the warm water Palutena spoke,
"God of Healing Asclepius, it is I, Palutena, Goddess of Light! Allow me an audience with my angel!" Divine light shined just as it did before, allowing Palutena to enter his chambers.
"W-wait for me Palutena!" Arriving a few seconds later, she then said, "Well I guess I'll just wait here for her out here.. Plus, as much as I want to see Pit he needs his rest.." Looking around the spring she noticed Dark Pit from across the way however he seemed physically older. His facial features were more defined as well as he had gained quite a bit of height. After all, Pit and Dark Pit were two sides of the same coin.
Upon entering the room Palutena kept a brave face, attempting to not come undone. Sitting beside Pit, she hovered her hand over his wing and chest, but didn't touch. His body had grown since being introduced to the blue liquid. Pit was equivalent height to Palutena with his scars slowly healing. His face held a certain maturity as well as physically being more defined. Also his wings were much larger yet the left one was still regaining its lost feathers.
"Oh Pit…" She whispered. Holding her hand, he smiled weakly,
"Lady Palutena.. Long time no see." The green-haired goddess was at a complete loss for words. She didn't know whether to laugh, cry, apologize, or express anything. "It's okay.. He said that I'm going to be okay now.." Touching his worn face she asked gently,
"What happened?" Calmly, she began to stroke his hair.
"I was captured after the attack on Skyworld.. I was brought to a cell were I was.. Tortured nearly to death.." He paused, studying her face before he continued. Palutena looked utterly appalled by this news, covering her mouth with her hand yet still trying to maintain her composure. "Mesperyian, the daughter of Hades and the Goddess of punishment had come to give me 'what I deserved'. She even cast a spell on you that made you lose sight of me. That must have been frustrating for you.." Braking off his sentence, he gazed at her warm, comforting green eyes. Palutena bit her lip and shakily responded,
"I'm so sorry Pit… I should have never let this happen to you.. I shouldn't have ever stopped-" She cut off due to Pit's finger pressed against her mouth.
"Shhh… This is not your fault. I shouldn't have pushed myself so hard.."
"I'm a Goddess Pit.. I should have known.. I should have been able to protect you.. I should have been.. flawless.."
"Just because you are a Goddess doesn't mean you aren't flawed. Every living soul is flawed in some way. That's what makes us unique, that's what makes us who we are and who we strive to be." Resisted warm tears streamed down Palutena's cheeks as she closed her eyes. "It's okay to be imperfect." Wiping her tears, Pit smiled. "I want you to never, ever forget that Palutena." When she opened her eyes once more she no longer saw the goofy Pit she once knew. What she saw was a man who understood what it truly meant to be alive. Feeling her heart sink to her stomach, she felt that it was time to tell him. They were alone and Palutena feared that she wouldn't get another opportunity such as this.
"Pit I want to tell you something… When I thought you were- finished, I regretted not telling you something I should have said to you long ago." Surprised, Pit asked with curiosity,
"What is it?"
"Do remember when we met?" Thinking back, the memories seemed very hazy.
"I think so… All I remember was you telling me that I was your last hope to stop Medusa and you were captured." Painfully looking at Pit she shook her head. She began to softly stroke his face before she continued, "I cursed you with the wings of Icarus. I took away your ability to fly." Her strokes came to a slow stop to study his reaction. He blankly stared up at her, dumbfounded. Palutena looked at Pit with an apologetic visage. "Back then.. Eons before Medusa.. You were able to fully fly.. However you abused this power. You gave the promise of flight to humans. You would hold onto them, take them far up and then- you dropped them." Sitting up with much effort Pit looked at Palutena without words to utter. He was purely disgusted with himself in more ways than one. Closing her eyes, Palutena took a deep long breath and pressed on with her story. "As punishment I- locked you in chains of light within a deep, dark, pit to ensure you wouldn't reincarnate."
"Palutena…" Pit whispered. "I had no idea…" Looking downward in embarrassment, he cast his gaze away from the ashamed Goddess.
"But then Medusa came to overthrow me. She killed all the other angels and took me prisoner. You were my last resort so I came to you in a vision. I had asked you if you knew who you were. You had completely forgotten who you were because it had been so long. I released you on one condition: that you would save me and serve me forevermore. From that point on you were called Pit, so you would never forget your debt to me."
"Pit… That's.. my name…" Closing his eyes he began to remember the blinding chains of light, the screams and the pleas humans before their deaths. Also the overwhelming boredom and loneliness he felt came to mind. His face pained, he looked up to the Goddess and whispered,
"How did I forget all of that? Those humans.. That loneliness.."
"Now you know the truth of your past. You've suffered so much for one soul and for that I am eternally sorry.." His fingers sliding through his thick brown hair, Pit tried absorbing this news as best he could.
"Palutena can you please leave me alone for a little while? I need some time to myself right now…" Pit kindly asked.
"Of course.." She exited the room, hoping that Pit would accept his past with grace.
Meanwhile, down in the relaxing hot spring, Viridi and Dark Pit struck up a conversation.
"So you're telling me it was you who cast the spell on Palutena?" Viridi responded.
"Yeah, it should have worn off by now though. I honestly had no idea that Pit was going to be tortured."
"Don't worry about it." Lifting her arms up over her head, Viridi looked toward the sky. She continued, "If it weren't for you he would have died and with no revival either. I guess you can say you two are even now." Smirking, she looked over at Dark Pit. He silently pondered this thought for quite some time before she brought up another matter. "I understand why you are aggressive." Interested by this, Dark Pit attended more focus to Viridi. "You don't have anyone to look out for you. No 'Mommy Goddess' if you will. You have no one to provide you anything; you have to earn all you have. You were upset that you were simply a flawed copy of Pit. Who wouldn't be? It's much like the distortion of a broken mirror. All the pieces are there but something is still different." A long rather awkward silence spread between the two before Viridi then asked, "With that said, do you want to be my Angel of Nature? I can provide for you in return for services." Scooting close to her he replied with a smile,
"Not on your life. As I recall you destroyed the humans without a second thought. You are a mass murderer and a back-stabber. I don't know your relationship with Palutena but I refuse to work with for someone who I have nothing in common with. Plus you already stated previously that if you had an angel you would abuse and overwork him. I am a servant to no God like you. Plus, where were you when I was falling apart and Pit was asleep for three years? Why didn't you use me then? Don't act like you know me and then try to get me to be your slave. I would rather work for Palutena and keep an eye on Pit than ever work with you. You're mean, bratty and have no consideration for others. Once I'm certain that you've changed that then maybe I will consider working for you." Absolutely infuriated Viridi then yelled,
"Don't you think I'm trying to change that?! I'm trying to be more gentle and caring, I really am! I haven't been very productive being the way that I am. All who had followed me are dead and my forces of nature are terrified of me!" A heated paused occurred before Dark Pit said,
"We're done here."
Updated: 8/7/15
I'm happy that things are finally getting back together! Thank you all for sticking with me and please review! It feels good to know what I can change or improve!