Aki Ai Takehiko Yumi

Warnings of descriptive deaths of characters for this chapter

"Excellent work, Lady Zelda. You've passed."

Zelda smiled at her flying coach and landed. The wings began to fold themselves back into her back and the feathers scattered to the winds. She pulled the ponytail out of her hair and shook her head out. The coach continued to speak.

"Your flying test went over quite well. If you do become an angel, a little practice will be all you need to perfect your flying. But I have no complaints. You've passed."

"Thank you very much," Zelda said with a respectful bow. The coach hurried away to report to Palutena and Furai came over to help Zelda out of the tonga and back to her original look. She was smiling proudly at the princess, who took it as a good sign.

"I'm so happy for you, Lady Zelda. This test is almost over and you're doing so well. Our prince has never looked happier than today. And I'm happy because of that," the small maid said.

"Really?" Zelda slightly raised an eyebrow. She wasn't over the recent 'attack of the jealous maid' that happened earlier.

"He is my prince. I live to serve the royal family, Lady Zelda. And if you were to become an angel, I would serve you as well." Furai's smile got wider. "And I like you. It would be an honour for me to serve you."

Zelda relaxed as Furai brushed and braided her hair. She decided Furai was a sincere and honest person and judging her because of someone else's actions wasn't fair. Perhaps Furai was raised to try her hardest to please people. Zelda felt comfortable around her and smiled at the thought of her having a new friend up here in this beautiful world. She didn't feel so worried anymore.

Just as Furai finished with Zelda's hair, Pit and Palutena approached them. Pit had an odd expression on his face. His forehead was scrunched up and his lips were set in a straight line. From Zelda's view, it looked like he was trying to smile but was suppressing it at the same time. Or he was worried and trying to smile. Palutena, on the other hand, had a neutral expression on her face. Now that Zelda had passed the second test it seemed very likely that she would become an angel and marry her son. Of course, there was still one test left and Palutena was sure it would be the one Zelda would not get through. Humans' emotions were a fickle thing and when they saw something they didn't like, they would automatically reject it.

"Congratulations, Lady Zelda," Palutena said, keeping her voice even. Pit did not say a word. "It seems that my son taught you how to grasp flying quite easily. Very good. There is only one test left before you can become an angel. Are you ready?"

"Yes." Furai finished the braid completely and bowed before leaving. Zelda stood up and looked at Palutena in the eye, trying not to notice Pit's puzzling expression. "I am ready."

Palutena smiled, but the smile held anything but good intentions. It sent a chill coursing through Zelda's body. "Follow me then. We will get started right away."

"What have I gotten myself into?" Zelda thought.

A horrible stench hit Zelda as Palutena led her and Pit into a dark room. The smell was overwhelming and Zelda fought the urge to gag. But the moment she started to cough, she knew it was impossible to hold in. How could she? The room smelled like those horrible Twilight monsters she had been forced to endure during Zant's invasion. And they stank like rotten garbage. Raising her eyes, she noticed she was the only one gagging and Pit and Palutena were acting like the smell was no big deal. Where were they? Why was she being forced into this stink hole?

"Kazuki!"

Palutena's call was sharp and demanding. At her word, however, a row of candles suddenly began to light themselves up with a strange light blue fire. The candles' light was enough to reveal another angel in the center of the room. He was dressed oddly for an angel; instead of donning a tonga and sandals, he wore a black sorcerer's robe and a weird top hat that was crooked. Light blue hair, the same colour as the fires on the candles, poked out from under the hat. His eyes were a deep blood red and a monocle sat in front of his right eye. Zelda guessed this was Kazuki and his appearance meant he was some sort of magic user for the kingdom.

"Lady Palutena," Kazuki said, moving around his magic tools and coming to bow in front of his queen. "What an honour it is to have you grace me with your company."

Palutena's mouth twitched in amusement. Kazuki took no notice and turned his attention to a rather stiff looking Pit. "Ah, my prince. Wonderful to see you. I trust the tournament has been going well?"

"Well enough," Pit answered tensely.

"Wonderful!" Kazuki smiled. He then noticed Zelda - who was trying to block out the smell with her handkerchief - and his eyes widened. "A human? There's only one reason a human would be here. You've reached the final step of the test to become an angel."

"Y-Yes," Zelda choked out.

"Apologies for the smell, my dear." Kazuki led Zelda closer to the candles. Zelda noticed a large black cauldron that was bubbling with a clear liquid. "I don't get many human visitors here. The last time I had one here was..." the sorcerer paused. "...possibly about a hundred years ago. This is the year two thousand and ten, right?"

"Yes." It was Palutena, not Zelda, who spoke.

"Two hundred years then." Kazuki gave Zelda a different cloth. The scent that lifted from it was pure and clean, a welcome relief from the disgusting stench that was in the room. How did Pit and Palutena withstand it? She questioned Kazuki with her eyes.

"Ah, I can see you're curious about that smell." Kazuki chuckled. "You see, my dear, I'm Skyworld's sorcerer. Before the war on Medusa many years ago, this kingdom never dared to make use of dark magic. But I had escaped Medusa's abuse and wanted to aid Queen Palutena in any way possible. And here I am. The spells I cast and the potions I draw up all smell bad to humans, especially humans with the power of light coursing through them because of the overwhelming darkness. Angels cannot smell it, lucky for us."

That was when Zelda noticed Kazuki also had wings. Evidently Palutena had made him an angel when he betrayed Medusa for her. But no one forgets the things they were taught and Kazuki was, indeed, the only one who knew how to use dark magic. Zelda suspected it made him a half angel and half...whatever they had in the Underworld.

It still didn't explain why she was in this room.

"I take it my queen has told you what the final test is?" Kazuki asked Zelda, who shook her head. "No? Very well then, I will explain." He took a small bottle from his cloak and poured some liquid in the bubbling cauldron. As he stirred it around, Kazuki began explaining the final test.

"I am going to show you the future. I am going to show you what will happen to the mortals who are your closest friends in a good...few decades, I suppose." He fixed his ruby red eyes on Zelda. "Being immortal means you will remain young and live forever, but the same cannot be said for your nearest and dearest. Can you really give up your mortal life and endure the pain of watching your loved ones die? Can you accept the fate of always befriending mortals and always watching them die century after century? This is your final test, girl. You will watch your closest friends die. You must endure the pain, knowing it is going to happen. You can't avoid it and you can't change it. You will be tested on your will to really give up your life and watch your friends die time and time again. And the emotional pain..." his voice lowered dramatically. "...is always there."

Zelda's eyes widened. She remembered Pit telling her that she would always have to watch her closest mortal friends die time and time again but she had stupidly brushed it aside in her haste to reassure him she wasn't afraid. Now, though...watching her friends' deaths was going to cut her heart open with a knife.

She was afraid.

Zelda thought of all her close friends. Link and Toonie, the two boys she held close to her heart like brothers. It would murder her to see them suffer and die. Then there was Peach, her best girl friend and the only one Zelda could relate to in terms of...everything. Princess things, damsel in distress things and girl things. Red and Sonic were also close friends of hers. In fact, when she wasn't with the two Links, Peach or Pit alone, she and Pit were always with Sonic and Red. They had formed a small group and called themselves the Gruesome Foursome, doing everything they can to stir up trouble and get some laughs out of it.

Suddenly, she felt incredibly selfish. She was giving up her mortal life to be with Pit forever but she never thought how much it would affect either her or her friends when the time came for their inevitable passings. And watching them die would almost be too much to bear.

But Pit's had to do it over and over her thoughts reminded her. Thoughts of her being selfish were pushed out of her mind and she felt an overwhelming desire to share the pain of loss with Pit. She had taken the risk of seeing trouble headfirst with her lover when they agreed to go steady and again when she made her deal with Palutena about never shirking from her word. She loved Pit more than anyone. He was her angel, her heart's other half and she wasn't going to lose him. With Nayru on her side, she was going to beat Palutena's little challenge and claim her wings.

Zelda looked at Kazuki with hardened sapphire eyes. "Do it," she instructed.

"As you command, girl," Kazuki said with a hint of amusement. He threw some silver dust into the cauldron and shouted, "Ochite kita yami kieru maboroshi todokanai mama!" The cauldron hissed and flashed. "Go on, girl. The spell knows who your nearest and dearest are. Watch it happen. Can you endure it?"

"Yes. I can endure it..." Zelda paused to look over at Pit. "Because Pit can and I will be strong for him."

"You are our prince's lover?" Kazuki chuckled. "This is certainly an interesting day. Go on."

The first image that flashed before her was Link. He was an old man that hunched over his walking stick. Zelda's lips almost formed a smile when she saw he was surrounded by a lot of younger children that squabbled like seagulls around him. They were likely village children or even his own grandchildren. Zelda wondered who Link had gotten married to if they were his grandchildren.

Suddenly the future Link's legs gave out and he collapsed on the floor. His breathing gave out and an old woman (Zelda had no idea who it could be) rushed over to Link's side, only to scream out words of horror. The children all began to cry and young adults hurried into the room to get the kids out of there. The cauldron seemed to move closer, giving Zelda a better view of future Link's face. He was old and wrinkled up but the scary part were his eyes. They were wide and frozen open in death.

"His heart must have stopped," Zelda realized. She didn't flinch, even though the sight of her brother figure was dying was right in front of her.

The cauldron changed its scene. Zelda could see two ships at sea beside each other. She almost recoiled when she realized that one of the ships was Tetra's ship and the other one was a band of cutthroats. One of them was dueling with Toonie (who looked about in his late thirties). The cutthroat was much younger and quicker. With one swift movement, he plunged his sword into Toonie's chest. Zelda screamed in shock, not wanting to believe it.

Murder. How could this happen? She reeled in horror, wanting it to stop and feeling helpless that she couldn't do anything to stop the pain.

"Zelda!" Pit's voice broke her thoughts. Her angel lover ran to her side, forcing her to face him. "Zelda," he said, quieter this time. "This is what happens. It's always inevitable. If you really want to be an angel, you have to endure it. Even though it hurts," he added.

"But..."

"Zelda!" Pit's eyes were frantic now. "If you say anything to protest, you'll fail! And if you fail, we will NEVER be together again!"

Palutena was watching with emotionless eyes. Zelda could feel herself torn up. She wanted to run out and never see this nightmarish room ever again, but that would seal her fate to be a mortal forever. She realized that being an angel wasn't easy and it was no wonder why Palutena had to test mortals harshly before becoming one. And there was no turning back. It was a lifelong...or rather an eternity long...change.

Zelda swallowed bile and forced herself to look into the cauldron. Peach had replaced Toonie now. She appeared to be in her fifties and was lying in her bed looking very frail and sickly. "A wasting disease," Zelda thought. The Mushroom Kingdom had various antidotes crafted from their rare mushrooms but many of them sometimes brought on a stronger illness rather than curing a person. Peach was alone and coughing uncontrollably. After a final bout, the queen sunk into her pillows and sighed. Her eyes ever opened.

Red replaced Peach. He was much older than Peach or Link appeared to be. Zelda guessed he would probably pass because of old age...and she was right. He died in his sleep. Zelda breathed a sigh of relief. There was nothing bad about this one.

A large building came into view and Zelda suspected this was Sonic's demise. She shuddered, wondering what was going on. Without warning, the building suddenly blew up and the cauldron showed a very charred and blackened corpse. The spikes on the back were a dead giveaway to who it was. Sonic obviously was trying to be a hero again but was tricked and met his end. Zelda had no way of telling how old he was or when it was going to happen.

She shuddered. These deaths were all grisly and terrifying. But it was true, they were all inevitable.

"So?" Kazuki said. "You've seen what lies ahead. And it will only repeat itself over and over. Will you accept that fate anyway?"

Zelda took a deep breath to compose herself and faced Kazuki. "I have to. I promised Pit I would stand by him. Our pain must be shared. And I promised I would do anything to become an angel. I won't go back on my word!"

"Yes," Zelda finally said. "I will accept that fate."

Kazuki studied her closely and Zelda felt oddly exposed somehow. But he soon smiled. "She's honest, Queen Palutena. This one has passed."

"Are you certain?" Palutena asked.

"I don't lie and neither does my monocle."

Palutena couldn't believe it. No one had passed the test in many centuries. And the one who did just happened to be her son's lover?

"She was being honest. She endured my test all for Pit. She truly does love him..."

Pit and Zelda were both staring at Palutena, waiting for her to say something. Finally, the goddess of light nodded. "It's been so long since a mortal passed the test, Lady Zelda. Now I see you weren't lying. Your will is strong and so are your feelings for my son. I was certainly wrong to doubt you."

The couple didn't say anything so Palutena ushered them out and bid farewell to Kazuki, who resumed his odd spell casting in the dark. They went back to the main room where Zelda first met Palutena and the goddess went to her throne.

"I'm certain you two are very tired from today's events. Would you like me to send you back to the Smasher's castle? You can return tomorrow, Lady Zelda, and I can give you your wings then."

"No," Zelda stepped forward. "I've worked so hard for this and I know I will have no regrets. Please, Goddess Palutena, make me an angel now."

Palutena faced Zelda and nodded. Without a word, she waved her huge staff around and walked towards Zelda. The moment she stood in front of the Hylian princess, Palutena tapped her shoulders with the tip of her staff. Zelda felt like she was being knighted.

The change began. The warm feeling of the angel's strength washed through her body and the stretching feeling of wings growing began to push out of her back. Zelda uttered a cry when she realized her dress would be ripped, but it was no great loss. She could get it repaired later.

The transformation ended as quickly as it began. Zelda felt a bit shaky but no different than before. The realization began to dawn on her. "Oh my Nayru, I really did it! I'm an angel!"

"Zelda!" Zelda hardly had time to turn around before she got tackled to the ground in a fierce hug. Pit clung to her and refused to let go. "You did it. You actually did it. I still can't believe it but you did it!"

"Pit!" Zelda laughed, hugging him back.

Palutena smiled. She had never seen her son this happy before. Briefly she wondered if it was a good idea to allow it to happen, but she dismissed the thought when Pit kissed Zelda with a passion she could feel from her throne.

"My blessings are with you, my son. I am certain you two will be happy together...forever."

This chapter got a bit longer than I had hoped but I'm so glad it's finished.

The last chapter's up next.

Kazuki is Nightwish's brother and a character I've had dormant for a year. I wanted to make use of him for a long time, so here he is.

The translation for the words Kazuki said is, "The fallen darkness, the disappearing illusion; I still cannot reach them." They come from the song Under The Darkness. Love it so much, especially sung by the Vocaloids. -squeal-

I won't bother with a summary for next chapter because I'm posting these at the same time. ;D