CHAPTER 19

The musty exo-tank raced along the track toward Dyntos with the Great Sacred Treasure's cannon on board. Pressing the small round communicator upon his toga Dark Pit bellowed,

"I'm coming up on the horizon of Dyntos's place. Are you still alive over there?" Pit, dodging enemy fire as best he could responded,

"Yeah! Doing fine! I'm headed toward the Rewind Spring now!" Smiling in relief, Dark Pit then slammed on the brakes, drifting the exo-tank. Looking around he found himself in the middle of a circular platform. Dark Pit then shouted out into the open,

"Dyntos! I am Pit's, the messenger of Palutena's, other half! I've come here to ask you to repair the Great Sacred Treasure! Palutena, Zeus and Poseidon have all been captured by Mesperyian! She is planning on reviving Hades!" Lugging the large locked case from the tank he placed it beside him. A vision of the old spirit appeared in front of Dark Pit.

"Ol' Pit's doppelganger, huh? Honestly why is it that I'm always fixing your things?"

"What do I have to do to get you to fix it?" Dark Pit grimed.

"You must pass the trials I set forth. I must ensure that you are who you claim to be." Enter the door before you to face your first challenge." Fading away, a large golden door appeared before Dark Pit.

"It's on! I accept your challenge!" Sprinting full speed ahead, Dark Pit entered the door into a dark area. A cloaked figure in the distance began charging at Dark Pit. An arrow breezed past Dark Pit, nearly piercing his leg. Running around, avoiding his fire, the figure then ran out of breath. Catching him off guard Dark Pit fired his own bow at the masked man. Just for a moment Dark Pit thought he had caught a glimpse of his hair color. "Brown?" He murmured. Firing continuously, the masked man mirrored his movements with great precision. Maybe he's a copy of me? No, then why would he have brown hair? The darkened angel continued to study his movement until a thought had dawned upon him. "Pit?!" He yelled. The hooded figure removed his long black cloak to reveal that he was indeed Pit, or at least a copy of Pit. "Gotcha!" Now predicting his movements, Dark Pit brimmed with confidence. He avoided every shot that copied Pit had fired and caught the fault within his movements. "You're finished!" Dark Pit yelled as he released the final blow.

"Ahhh!" Copied Pit grunted. Crossing his arm, Dark Pit cockily remarked,

"That was too easy! What's the next challenge?" The room began to change into the sky, fluffy clouds everywhere. "Skyworld?" Lady Palutena appeared behind Dark Pit, holding him tightly. "Get off of me!" Pushing her away, he readied his bow. "Why is it that you always have to keep watch over somebody?" Firing his bow she reflected all of his shots. "This is why I despise you! I honestly can't see how Pit sticks around with you for more than ten minutes at a time!"

"Those can't be your only feelings toward me, can they?" Palutena slyly grinned.

"Why do you care?!" Dark Pit shouted angrily.

"I can see what you truly feel toward me and it's not only hate. You are after all, a copy of Pit." His eyes widened in frustration and then screamed,

"I am- NOT a copy! You're the copy!" His shots finally pierced her torso he continued on, "So what if I have those feelings for you! It won't ever matter!" Continuing to fire his arrows of darkness he finished her as he said "Besides you won't ever feel that way about me." The final arrow now within her chest she vanished into nothingness.

"Excellent work Pitto!" Dyntos called out. Dark Pit tried to keep his annoyance at bay. "Lucky for you I have a special bonus challenge!" The room changed for the final time into a scene in which Pit was faced with a shot coming from Medusa, unable to escape. On the opposite side there was a small orb of glowing light. "You can only acquire one. You may save Pitty-Pat or have the power of flight for as long as you live." Dark Pit remembered that his power of flight was stolen back from him once he defeated Pandora permanently. The power to fly on his own is what he craved most in the entire cosmos. Dark Pit was not a fool though. He jolted toward Pit, pushing him out of Medusa's fire.

"You really think I'm that stupid?" Turning around, he laid the unconscious Pit on the ground. "If this idiot dies then I do too." An ethereal light then took Dark Pit to the circular platform, outside the door he was just in.

"Congratulations! You passed all my tests! I had to be sure it was you after all," Dyntos called forth.

"Why those particular tests though?"

"I was testing your personality. I needed to ensure that your heart was able to wield the Great Sacred treasure, in which I will now repair." Appearing before Dark Pit he walked over to the case, opening it with a small golden key. With the wave of his strong, ancient hand, different parts and pieces began to assemble around the cannon.

Spotting the three Gods around the rewind spring, Pit noticed that they were all unconscious. Steering the chariot downward, he landed next to Palutena.

"How nice of you to join the party Pit!" A dark feminine voice sounded. Viridi then suddenly appeared in front of Pit, devoid of expression.

"W-what are you doing here?" She had taken her staff in response and whacked Pit upon the head. Viridi tried doing so again but Pit dodged it, gripping his bow tightly. Shots began to fly at Pit as he evaded them, confused. "Viridi, it's me, Pit! Can't you see me?" Her face remained stale as her shots ceased for a moment, granting an opening. Pit raised his bow and shot her. "Well no matter, I won't allow you to get in the way of my rescue mission!" He awaited another opportunity and repeated the cycle until she was finished. "What was her deal?"

"Isn't it obvious? I exposed her darkest desire and subjected her to act upon it!" A sly voice emerged.

"Mesperyian! What did you do to Viridi?!" Spinning around, Pit faced the black-winged Goddess.

"Silly little Goddess. I offered her a new bomb-depot and even support of the Underworld Army if she would help me bring back old daddy. Oddly enough, she refused. Something about trying to be a better person or some shit like that." Walking over to Viridi she stroked her long golden hair. "It's amazing what a little bit of magic will do to such a little Goddess. I guess you could say she was my little puppet until you came along."

"I-I will defeat you!" Pit screamed, despite his trembling body.

"With what, that silly little bow you have? I am a much more experienced Goddess than she is. I won't be taken out so easily!" Lifting her one hand, she beckoned him forward. Obliging Pit ran straight for her only to have her use his force against him, slamming him into the ground hard. Come on Pitto.. Where are you..? Pit thought, his world spinning.

We're nearing to the final chapter, it's sad but it has to end eventually! I thank you all with my whole heart for reading this story! It makes me feel like my writing isn't all that bad! ^u^