Prologue: ?

Duster claps me on the shoulder as I stride back into the crowd.

"I didn't know you and Porky were friends, m'chap! Wonderful man, ain't he? Wonderful, wonderful man!"

"Listen here," I lower my voice, ignoring the comment. "You aren't planning to go to New Pork City, are you?"

"Well, you heard 'im, refuge for all cowards!" He chuckles obliviously, beaming as if he's just won the lottery. "I'm goin', sir! There ain't nothing for me here sir, not anymore."

"What do you mean?" I ask, my stomach sinking. "This is a lovely village! Look all all the pretty buildings, and the sunflower fields-"

"Don't get me wrong, m'lad! It's a lovely place! But, alas, the people ain't really all that. There's a couple nice 'uns, Fuel, Lighter… but they keep 'emselves to 'emselves, don't 'ey?"

I glance over to Porky, who's herding the excited crowds toward a plethora of horse-drawn carriages. Seeing men, women, children, all succumbing to his allure makes me feel distinctly unwell. Their faces look so bright and optimistic. It disturbs me how many people are willing to give up their livelihoods, everything they love, just for one man who sold them some promises. Porky must have done a lot of work on manipulating them, and I secretly have to admire the way he's pulled this all off.

"Seriously." I'm pleading now. This man was nice enough to house me last night, and I'm not about to let him go to his death. "Anyone who goes into that place will never return to Tazmily."

"It's that nice?" Duster say, hopefully. "I'll go right away!"

"No!" I exclaim. Is he really this dense? "Duster, please. It's not nice there. He plans to kill you all."

"Nonsense, m'chap." He waves a hand. "Come on, I'm going. You can stay behind if you want, but you're missing out on paradise!"

Before I can reach out to stop him, he powers into the crowd, joining the assembly that desperately clamours to be at the front of the queue. Porky's hearty laugh drifts over from the distance as guards dressed in steel unfold flights of stairs from the carriages. In a split second, I look over my shoulder. No purpose remains for me here. Only one thing is to be done.

I join the queue.

Do I have a plan? No. Do I ever have a plan? Usually not, and I've turned out alright up to this point. I'm not going to give up on Duster that quickly, nor anyone else for that matter, and so I have to do what is right, do I not? It's just me, doing what I can against Porky Minch. Defeating him is impossible, but I can save as many people as I can before the clock runs out.

I tried to do as much as I could before making my escape from his prison. Hopefully, it will be enough to bring the right people to the forefront of the opposition, to bring salvation from the terror to come, but I cannot be sure. That role of mine is over now.

My new one is just beginning.

"Come on, Duster," I plead, reaching him in the horde. "He will kill you. I'm not lying! Just, come on, come back to the village-"

But he turns, and this time he doesn't look so amicable. "M'chap, I told it straight t' you already. I met you yesterday, an' I've known Porky much longer. I trust 'im more, and I believe in his promises."

"Bu-"

"And that's the end of it!"

I sigh. This new role is off to a bad start.

In disagreeable silence, we eventually reach the front of the swarm. Porky's eyes flare when he notices me. He lets Duster through, before dropping his voice to a harsh growl.

"What are you doing here?"

I smile pleasantly. "I thought I was the first volunteer to go to the city? Or did I mishear you, up on that high horse of yours?"

"Well, your loss, I suppose. Guards - this one is for carriage four. Enjoy your trip, sir."

Porky waves me off, and I'm shepherded onto a carriage by his steel men. I take the remaining empty seat, looking around at my fellow passengers - ten or so people, including Duster, who turns away. The door is slammed shut behind me, cutting out any whispered conversations that had already begun.

This is it.

Looking around, there are a lot of carriages. There must be more than thirty in total. I always underestimate Porky's wealth; no normal man could even dream of affording anything so outrageous. But then again, he's no normal man. Will I live, when all is said and done? Will I survive this ordeal? I've only ever heard Porky's descriptions of his city - he'd ramble about them as it was being built, since his greatest weakness is his tendency to boast about what he's doing. I frankly lost count of the number of times I overheard him monologuing his plans.

It's because of this that I know exactly what to expect upon arrival, why I so urgently need to save these people from a fate worse than death. I'm not scared - I don't do scared. I'm not important anymore, I'm not the one who will be able to bring down this empire. But, hopefully, if I can die doing the right thing…

I think that's all I've ever wanted.

Outside the dusty carriage window, the sunflower fields glow in the distance. Even if the Tazmily townsfolk fall, at least some historic part of Tazmily will remain, taken up residence by the wretched Dead Alive. I'm also pleased to see several people watching from the square, not joining the queue, perhaps Porky's persuasion wasn't as perfect as I thought. Hope remains.

Duster notices me staring, and he nudges me, pointing to a lumberjack and his son.

"Glad you came around, m'chap. That's Lighter an' Fuel over there. Decent folk, they are. Tried to convince them to come along, but they wanted to stay. They don't trust Porky, see..."

"It's not too late," I remind him. "What about your house? You've brought nothing with you."

"Didn't you hear 'im, m'man? Everything's gonna be darned free! Why'd we ever need anything else?"

"You don't have anything of sentimental value?"

"Ah, it's all old or broken," Duster waves a hand, though at last, he seems a little stricken. "Picture of m' dog that went missing. Some instrument that I don't know how to play anymore. Painting by a kid long gone."

"I don't think-"

But Porky interrupts my reply, beaming childishly from outside of the window. "Thank you so much for choosing to travel with PorkyCarriages today! Your journey will be roughly two days long, so feel free to sleep, and enjoy freshly served meals from my guards."

I look out the window, seeing more of the armoured men moving mechanically onto another carriage. I frown.

"As for me," Porky continues, "I'll be meeting you all at the other end. I've got a couple of other commitments to attend to, so sadly, I won't be joining you on the journey."

Other commitments. I don't doubt that.

"But, again, my trusted guards will ensure your safety! They will check up on every carriage from time to time, catering to all your needs and wishes. Now, have a grand journey!"

With a radiant smile, Porky doffs his top hat, and the carriages begin to move.

The timer has begun.

I've got just two days to get these people to safety.

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~~o00o~~

Chapter 19: Learning

(Ness)

~~o00o~~

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Moving our stuff back into our dorm feels like going out into Onett after a long day at home. It's wonderful, but I get the distinct feeling that someone's going to attack me.

Perhaps that person will be Lucas. He's vexed about the prospect of magic. I can tell because he's been poring through his science textbooks for at least half an hour, and somehow, he's achieved a whole new level of reclusiveness. Thankfully, our room's renovations are nice - the walls are now a sunset orange, the beds are slightly larger, and the wardrobe's new height makes me feel distinctly tiny. I internally thank Headmaster Hand for this, taking the five magical books from the bookshelf, along with the foreboding egg.

"Investigation time," I say. Lucas looks up from Myelination: A Complete Guide.

"It won't be magic," he says, coming down to the carpet. "It can't be. You were probably just tired, and you happened to fall asleep as soon as you touched it."

"That doesn't explain how we ended up sharing a dream."

"Well - there has to be some kind of an explanation. Something that abides by science…"

Worriedly, I study the egg. Just to be cautious, I wrap it in Lucas's blanket to ensure it doesn't trap me in another dream, but Lucas reaches out and prods it with his index finger.

"The Dreamlord said something was inside, didn't he?"

"Yeah," I say, touching the egg myself. It's cold, almost alarmingly so. "It rattles."

"It must have been welded shut," Lucas murmurs. "What if this is solid gold? I could sell it and make a fortune."

"We need it for solving the mystery, you goof. Don't sell our clue!"

Lucas laughs. It's a great feeling, sending butterflies through me that I almost immediately feel guilty about.

"Anyway," I say hastily, ignoring that for now. "How about we look at some books?"

"That's a good idea, I think."

I quickly deposit the egg beside our other clues - the spine of Magical Monsters and Mythical Creatures, and the ominous figurine of Lucas. It's a fun little collection we're starting, even if we have no idea what any of it means. I opt for The Mystery of Magic as our starting point - all I remember from glancing over that during a breakdown was some conspiracy theory about Crazy Hand, the maniac who bombed the Onett Library ten years ago. Unfortunately, that doesn't relate at all to golden eggs or sharing dreams.

Lucas shifts up next to me, and we study the contents page. Nervousness swells - I don't particularly want to discover that magic is real. Even worse, us potentially being magical ourselves. Reluctantly pushing those worries aside, I point to a section entitled dreams. Okay. Deep breath. Here goes.

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'In the context of the magical self, dreams are an important factor for channelling inner thoughts, memories, and emotions. Dreams are manipulated by the magical subconscious; they can convey messages, information, and even in some cases, premonitions. This passage aims to explore the extent to which dreams factor into the magical psyche, and the extent to which the impact of dreams varies across different branches of magic.'

'Observing one's dreams allows for observation of the self whilst unrestrained by typical human boundaries. For instance, those born with magical abilities tend to visualise themselves expressing said abilities via a variety of means; some dreams display signs of danger, whilst some dreams show wondrous magical displays. Conscious perceptions of magic have been shown to alter how the impact of dreams in magicians varies; furthermore in PSI (Psychic) users…'

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"I'm not understanding this," Lucas says, twitching nervously, and I give him a one-armed hug.

"Maybe we should look at 'How to know if you have Magical Abilities' instead. That looks more helpful."

"Yeah. Okay."

Lucas turns the page, and I grab his hand, somewhat roughly. He intertwines our fingers, tugging me a little nearer.

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How to Know if You Have Magical Abilities

'In answering this question, it is important to note that by virtue of asking, you admit to having some idea that you could indeed be magical. That in itself is strong evidence for your abilities, despite magicalness being rare (documented in 0.01% of people). However, in order to comprehend what these potential abilities may mean for you, it is crucial to gain an understanding of exactly what magic is.'

'Magic is not concrete, nor something that can be specifically confined or pinned down. It is wild, abstract and dynamic, presenting itself differently in every magician. It cannot be caused, nor created, nor destroyed; it can only be harnessed and wielded to suit the bearer. Magicians do not gain magical power through hereditary means, despite being born with magic within them, and they must learn to control their powers through extensive practice and self-discipline.'

'Without practice, those with magical abilities have the tendency to express these abilities at times of high strain, for example, whilst in danger. This can be dangerous, considering the illegality of magic (although, many who witness magic do not believe in it) and the destructive nature of certain branches of abilities. The categories of proven magical abilities include PSI (psychic), LYT (light), ELM (elemental), SFI (diplomatics) and CRN (creation). In order for you to determine if you fit any of these categories, and are henceforth magical, you must understand the differentiation between each grouping...'

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I glance up, surprised. "'At times of high strain…' like when Porky was chasing me, years ago, and I set that bush on fire! And all the time, I dream about being in a forest, and the whole thing going up in flames."

"It's impossible…" Lucas says, mesmerised, turning to the PSI pages.

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'PSI (psychic) powers are subtle in a way that eludes many observers. They are the most dynamic of the power branches, varying in strength and potential from person to person. PSI powers are the rarest branch of powers that are as of yet proven to exist (only powers of TYM (Time) would be rarer, however, these have merely been theorised in Artur's writings). Within the Record of Magical Persons, only six PSI users have been discovered. The fundamental abilities and characteristics of many, but not all, PSI users are as follows:

A heightened ability to identify particular emotions within other individuals.

Limited telepathic communications with other PSI users.

A tendency to engage in sharing dreams with other PSI users.

An increased ability to perceive potentially hazardous situations.

Broadening of the emotional range; heightened levels of emotions such as joy, fear, and anxiety.

Limited manipulations of fire and ice.

Whilst PSI powers aren't particularly powerful, they are unkempt and vary broadly in magnitude. Being as of yet mostly uncatalogued, the potential for further exploration is vast.'

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My stomach sinks, and I glance up at Lucas, who's gone very pale.

"That's impossible."

"That's us," Lucas says.

"We're impossible."

Lucas looks at me, and I hold his gaze. This fits us perfectly. This explains everything, whilst simultaneously opening the door to an endless series of further questions. My mind flails; I'm just Ness. I'm normal, not magical!

"That does seem to be… an accurate description of us," Lucas murmurs, trailing the characteristics with his finger. "I'm - I'm not sure what to do now."

"It's a lie." I slam the book shut, shuddering. "It has to be."

"We need to see Ryu," Lucas says, standing up abruptly. "He believes in all of this stuff. He might be able to help."

"Ryu?! But - he might be-!"

"Come on." Lucas takes my hand. My breathing eases, as he squeezes it tight. "We need to understand this. He might be the only person that can help."

I let out a dire whimper. He's right. Maybe Ryu will tell us that we're wrong, that we're not magical, and that this is all just a funny coincidence. I stand up, still trembling, quite unable to process the room, to process anything around me. It's a complete blur, as suddenly we're in Ryu's office, and we've knocked on the door, and we're sat down, with the book placed in front of us…

"...And that's why we can't be magical!" I finish desperately.

But Ryu looks at the book for a few seconds, and then he looks up at us with dawning comprehension upon his face.

"You've finally figured it out?"

Lucas nods frantically, but then he frowns. "What do you mean, figured it out?"

"About your, well, your magic."

"We are not magical!" I exclaim, standing up.

"Ness, sit," Ryu commands, pulling the book towards him and scanning its pages. "You are. You have been since the day you were born."

I throw myself down. There's a dry feeling in my mouth that won't go away. I don't want this. I want to make it disappear forever.

"You knew?" Lucas says with abject surprise.

"Yeah, you knew?" I process this information all at once.

"I thought you'd be pleased to find out about this." Ryu folds his hands, his face creased with concern. "I thought-"

"Pleased!?" I shout suddenly. "This is terrible! I don't want to be magical - I don't want to be different from everybody else - tell us we're not!"

"Ness-"

"This goes against everything scientific!" Lucas exclaims with equal force. "This is an abomination!"

"Lucas-"

"But Professor, it's-"

"Quiet!" Ryu commandingly raises his hand, silencing us at once. "Both of you, please calm down. It will do no good to shout, lest your powers choose to emerge."

But I stand up again, shaking. This big secret, and Ryu thought it was his to keep. He thought he could steal that information from us. "How did you even know? Have you been watching us?"

"I worked it out," Ryu says calmly, remaining seated. "I used magic of my own. I possess the SFI powers, which is the name given to the Diplomatics branch of magic. This includes a gift for martial arts, the ability to phase any species to a new location, the ability to detect and locate anything malicious, and the ability to identify when other people have powers. That's how I've rescued you from those Future Humans so frequently, I track them down, and then I phase them back to wherever they come from. That's how I know what you are - I knew you were both magical the very second you walked through my classroom door."

"Then," Lucas says, shaking with anger. "Why didn't you tell us straight away?"

"Think about it, twelve-year-old boys, knowing that they had magical abilities? As if you didn't have enough to be dealing with, growing up in this hellhole city. That would have been a travesty, one I could foresee leading to a disaster of unexpected proportions. See, it is usually best for magicians not to know they have powers at all, because otherwise they could fall into the wrong hands. Demand is high for magical people, from traffickers, sex traders, slave owners…"

I pale at the thought.

"Fortunately, most people don't end up knowing about their magic," Ryu says. "They live out their lives, blissfully unaware of it all. However, it came to me in a dream over Christmas; the time was right. You had to know."

"And?" Lucas demands.

"And I found copies of the oldest magical informative texts. Over the holidays, I selected four that I knew would be useful. Because, in this time of crisis, I believe that you two might be instrumental in helping-"

"Wait." Lucas rubs his forehead. "So, wait, what?"

Ryu sighs. "I went out into Onett city in disguise, and I gave you, Lucas, four books. I didn't know what you'd do with them, but I knew it was high time you both understood exactly what you are."

"Is this true?" I turn to Lucas.

"Yeah." He nods distantly, looking downcast. "A strange man gave them to me for free. I thought they'd be a nice gift for you, Ness."

"Oh. So," I fold my arms, anger bubbling inside me again. "Professor, why didn't you wait until we arrived at school, call us into your office, and tell us in person? Instead of running all this nonsense with the books?"

"Think about it." Ryu smiles shrewdly. "You simply wouldn't have believed me. In order to believe in magic, you have to discover it for yourself."

I take my seat again, breathing in and out. This can't be right. And yet, it is.

"But I'm not magical!" I exclaim again. "I'm - I'm just me! Lucas is just Lucas!"

"The fire in the school," Ryu says simply. "It was extinguished all at once, just like that. That was one of you two, I'm sure of it. It was a blast of ice, which is a Psychic trait."

Those with magical abilities have the tendency to express these abilities at times of high strain.

It all makes sense. No! I wither.

"Can't you take it away?"

"I'm sorry, Ness." For the first time, Ryu looks sympathetic, pushing the magical book back towards me. "It's the way you were born. People are sometimes brought into this world with magical abilities. It happens, and it's unpredictable because it's not passed down through the generations. But, I assure you, magicians like yourselves can live fully normal lives."

"But - I don't want… I…" I run out of steam, collapsing miserably against Lucas's shoulder.

"Is there anyone else magical in the school?" Lucas asks.

"Yes. Just one other person." Ryu nods to a framed painting on his desk; it's a much younger version of him and Professor Rosalina, standing by a vast cruise ship. "That's how I knew I could confide my hunches in her. She masters the LYT powers, she is able to create a light source at any given moment, she brings auras of peace, and she can also, at great cost to her strength, evoke a beam of light that evaporates any living matter. That was the fate of the Future Human chasing you in the forest."

"Something is wrong," Lucas frowns, looking closely at the book again. "Look. Only six psychics have ever been discovered. If they're so rare, isn't it a weird coincidence that Ness and I happened to be best friends?"

"I thought that too," Ryu admits. "But, I would put it down to coincidence. Magic is a force, an attractive one at that. Especially within the Psychic branch."

I put my head on the desk, all sorts of thoughts flying through my mind. It's so much to take in, and I can scarcely believe it. What if I'm dangerous? What if I cause all that fire to come out of my hands, like I did in the bush? I'll have to lock myself away in the wardrobe. That's okay, I can do that. I need to do that! I cannot hurt anyone, I refuse to-

"I suppose we're the people that you thought could help with the disappearances." Lucas takes my hand again, still eyeing Ryu.

"Indeed."

"Really?" I glare upon this realisation. "What good would psychic powers do against the Future Humans?"

Ryu ponders this. "In the case of Lucas, the aura I receive from his magical self appears to be a lot… stronger than yours, Ness. I'm sure there's something he could do-"

"So you want to use him like a pawn?"

"No!" Ryu exclaims, visibly recoiling this time. "I just thought - well, that's why I kept asking you if you've seen anything odd-"

"Is that why someone is sending the Future Humans after me?" Lucas asks. "Because I'm magical? My magical aura is strong?"

"I cannot be certain." Ryu folds his hands like some dithering ancient prophet, and I'm filled with further distaste. "You are a special case, Lucas."

"He's not," I snap. "He's just the same as he's always been."

Ryu laughs at that. I see red.

"What's so funny?"

"You're so stubborn, Ness. You remind me so much of your father."

I stiffen. Lucas knowingly makes another grab for my hand, but I bat it away.

"Don't compare me to my father."

"When he was better," Ryu amends. "Before things changed."

"What happened?" Lucas asks quietly.

"I'd rather not disclose that," Ryu says. The awkwardness thickens, and he stands, closing the book and pushing it towards us with an air of finality. "You should go. Lots to discuss and consider, I'd imagine."

"Yes," Lucas says stiffly. "Sorry for getting angry."

"It's fine." Ryu waves it off. "Just remember what I've been saying, it's about time you looked at what is real, and what is not. Future Humans are real. Magic is real. The unknown is here, and it could be the most dangerous thing this world has ever seen." He turns dramatically, his face dark. "Normality has become a myth. Go, read the books, whilst you still have time."

Unsettled, Lucas and I exit the room.

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"But how can we be magical!?" I exclaim, as soon as we're out of earshot.

"I don't know. But I disagree with him, I don't think it's a coincidence," Lucas says quietly, lowering his voice on account of a proximal Marth.

"What? What's not a coincidence?"

"That we're two of the only psychics in the world, and we just so happen to be best friends."

"This doesn't change anything, right?" I grind to a halt, shaking. "We're still best friends?"

"Of course!" Lucas exclaims, hugging me. "If anything, I think we need to stick together even more. We're powerful, and someone wants to get us. Anything could happen if we're left on our own."

"How are you not freaking out about all this?" I ask, hugging him in return.

"I am, I really am! This is, this is all so unscientific, Ness. You can't just create ice and fire! That defies all sorts of laws of physics - where does the energy come from? How can it be there?"

"Unless the laws of physics are wrong." I shiver, considering this. "But if Rosalina is powerful too, and she teaches science, then it can't all be bad. Forget how it works, what about the fact that we're different from everyone, and if anyone knew we were magical, they'd kill us?"

"Well, it's not so different from you being homosexual, is it?" Lucas says, rubbing his face. "It's just a part of you, of us, that we have to keep a secret."

"Another secret. It's something else I have to keep buried."

We enter our bedroom, collapsing onto my bed. I plant my face into the pillow.

"Ness." Lucas huddles up next to me. "C'mon, it might be a good thing! It could be really useful."

"But what good are these powers? I'll accidentally create fire - or ice - and I'll hurt people, Lucas!"

"Is that what's got you so worked up?" Lucas says softly, threading his fingers through my hair in a way that makes me shiver. "I don't think these powers are dangerous if you know how to control them."

"But I don't know how to control them. Neither do you. You've seen our dreams - the forest, it burns down, and it's our fault! Ryu's right, normality isn't real anymore."

"Yes, it is. He's just being overdramatic. We still have each other."

There's a pregnant pause.

"But-"

"And no magical powers can take that away from us," Lucas says firmly. "We're in this together, okay? We always have been. We'll figure it out, just like we've figured out everything else."

I'm quiet, as Lucas lets his words sink in. He's so good, so kind, too kind for my messy, emotional self. He holds me close, soothingly rubbing a hand over my back. He's always been there to pick up the pieces, just like I have been for him, together, always and forever. He's right; nothing can take that away. I'm lucky enough to be best friends with the most amazing person in the world.

I love him.

The realisation shoots through me like a bullet. It crashes into me, violently tender, like a soft tsunami coming to overtake me completely. I'm head over heels for the boy in my arms, the boy whose head is buried in my shirt, the boy who doesn't seem like he'll ever let go. Lucas… I silently form the word on my tongue, savouring how it feels. Lucas, the boy I love.

But he's my best friend. I can't - oh, why, why do I have to be like this? Why can't I just be normal? I bury everything down again, keeping the surge of emotion at bay. I can't break, not again, not here, not now. Lucas would hate me if he knew. Every touch, every hug would become a betrayal. I was fortunate, so fortunate that he didn't feel that kiss in the collapsing passage.

I love him, but he can never know. I can never tell Lucas how I feel. I'll move on, I'll manage to find someone else. A girl, perhaps! That'd be good. Father would approve of that. A lot more than if me and Lucas… but it'd be perfect. He'd be perfect. We could live together, grow old, him a brilliant scientist, and me his secret lover. Every day, I'd get to wake up to those beautiful eyes, and we'd live out our days unconditionally, growing vegetables, sunflowers, sampling all the rich delicacies life has to offer.

My heart aches, physical pain filling my chest. Why does everything have to be so complex?

"I think we should read about our magic tomorrow," Lucas whispers, throwing me back into the real world. "I'd rather just talk for now. Give this time to sink in."

"Can we just, never read the book again?" I say pathetically. "Never find out? Never use any magic?"

"But, c'mon." Lucas smiles slightly, and I find myself blushing. "Telepathy, Ness. That's kind of cool, right?"

"I guess so."

There's a momentary pause.

"I can't believe Ryu compared you to your father," Lucas says quietly. "Even if he meant how he was before. He had no right to say that."

"I guess," I say, thinking about my stubbornness, and my tendency to solve my problems in the most unhealthy way possible. "Maybe he didn't know."

"He must know to an extent. He said things changed."

"Father must have been decent once." I shift, picturing the face in my mind's eye to be kind, friendly. "Rosalina wouldn't have been friends with him otherwise."

"Ryu still shouldn't have made the comparison," Lucas says, sticking out his bottom lip.

"Tell me he was wrong," I say. "Tell me I'm nothing like that man."

"Of course you're nothing like him!" Lucas exclaims. "You're everything that he could never be. You're sweet and soft, whilst talking to him is like biting into cement! I don't know much about your father, but I wouldn't ever like to be alone with him. He's scary. You're not."

"He's always been scary." I shake, unpleasant memories rippling at the surface.

"You don't deserve that."

"Nobody does."

"Talk to me about him."

Words start tumbling out of my mouth.

"He's awful, Lucas. Terrifying. He's really manipulative. 'After all I've done for you', or 'I work to keep this family fed', that sort of thing. He started hurting me, Mother, and Tracy whenever he was drunk, or whenever he was angry because of the mining business, and I bet he did the same to your dad too. I was scared of him, Lucas. I'd hide in the cupboard under the stairs, praying that he wouldn't find me. One time, he told us all he was going to change. He gathered us around the table, apologised, promised that everything would be better, but it wasn't. It just got worse."

Lucas slowly wraps his arms around me.

"He says that he loves me, that he has hope for me, that he has plans. He told me that if I succeeded and worked, I could be like him, but I didn't want to be like him. It was like - like he could make me feel as if I was everything, but also nothing? Then, he's always been into, you know, alcohol. Beer. You've seen how much he has with dinner, and he'd get drunk, sometimes. When we were little, Tracy and I ran into the forest whenever that happened, but Father started locking the doors, and - and I didn't know what to do. It was so scary. It was like our house became some sort of maze, and he was this monster, so I'd just hide under the covers and cry. I hoped that someone would come to save me, but they never did."

"I would've come for you," Lucas says quietly. "You know I would. You should've told me."

"I know. I didn't want him to hurt you too."

"Why does he do it?" Lucas asks. "I don't understand why he'd hurt you so much."

"He says it's for my good," I say miserably. "I - I believed him. But I don't believe it anymore. I want nothing to do with him. I hate him, Lucas, I hate him, is that bad?"

"Of course it isn't bad. He doesn't deserve your love."

I choke up, and Lucas pulls me close. There's no need for him to speak. He holds me like I'm delicate, but like I'm his. Safe. Away from it all.

"He always - he always tells me everything that's wrong with me. He tells me what I'm not good enough at, and it makes me feel so worthless. Whenever I stand up for myself, or Mother stands up for me, he hurts us. When he's at work, managing the coal mines, it's peaceful, but when he's in the house, I'm scared. I'm scared whenever he calls my name, whenever he speaks to me. I - I don't want to be scared anymore!"

"You don't have to be," Lucas says, almost too quietly for me to hear.

"I know. I won't be." I come to a conclusion. "I want to show him that I'm not going to be afraid. He can hurt me all he likes, and I still won't do what he wants. He doesn't matter anymore, he's nothing. Yeah, that's right. Nothing!"

"Nothing," Lucas agrees. "He's not worthy of being your father. He failed you."

"I've given him a lot of chances," I say. "I still think - I sometimes wonder if all he's done is my fault, that maybe if I was a little cleverer…"

"Don't say that, Ness. It's not your fault, and you know it."

"You're right." I untangle myself from the covers, choosing instead to sit on the edge of the bed. Lucas sits beside me, and I sigh. "I don't know why he hates things so much. I don't know why nothing is good enough, why he hurts me - I just don't, I don't understand. How can he have been nice, friends with Ryu and Rosalina? How can he just change?"

"Whenever I come round to your house, he's usually more passive," Lucas says. "Perhaps he puts on a front, or tricked them in some other way. I'm sorry he's been so awful to you."

"It's okay. It's not like your father is an angel either... uh, would you like to tell me about him, too? If you want?"

"Erm," Lucas leans back, looking a little embarrassed by the change of focus. "It's complicated. It's a long story. Is that okay?"

"I'll listen." I wrap my arms around him.

"Alright. Back when we lived in Tazmily, he was really nice. He's quite quiet, like me, actually. My mother did most of the work, she earned most of the money, she collected sunflowers and turned them into sunflower oil, which she'd sell. We had a reasonable house, and Father would usually keep himself to himself. He'd work on the fields from time to time, but he was reclusive. He preferred to look after me and Claus. When Mother, uh, passed away - in the fields, it was heatstroke - he became sadder, I think. He wouldn't play with me or Claus, even though we were very young, just seven years old. We needed money, you see, because suddenly our income was gone, so Father took out a loan from Porky's company. It meant we could go to Onett for work."

"We moved into a tiny house in the First Residential District, but it was still okay, I suppose. Father got a job with your father's mining corporation, but I don't think he earned much, so we couldn't pay back the loan fast enough. The interest piled up, and I've only just finished paying it off. Then, when I was eight, Claus ran away… and Father lost it completely. He blamed me, said all sorts of things, that I should've stopped him, and it kind of, erm. Screwed me up. For a bit. Since then, he's just been silent, he prefers not to talk to me at all. He doesn't even cook anymore, he leaves me to do that for us both. I do everything for myself."

I hold him a little tighter.

"And then, that's been how it is for the past eight years, I guess. He works in the mines, earns the money, and puts it towards the food and the debts. Porky keeps showing up, charging us money for things, or tricking us with false deals for information on Claus, which just made Father more distant, more tired, more reclusive. I try to get him to notice me, but he doesn't. He never does."

He sighs into my arms, averting his eyes to the bookshelf. I hug him, even though I know there's more he's holding back. He deserves more love than he's gotten, a hell of a lot more. I'm going to give him as much as I can.

"No wonder you come round to my place so often," I say.

"I'm sorry." Lucas hangs his head.

"I like it when you're there. It makes everything okay again."

"I'm so glad we found each other," Lucas says quietly. "Without you, I don't think I would've survived all this."

"I'm glad we found each other too," I say, holding his gaze, and in a mad moment I find myself leaning forwards... but I quickly stop myself. Lucas might have noticed, because he goes a little red, but he doesn't mention it.

"You and Claus would've gotten on so well," Lucas says. "He'd have teased you endlessly, but he would've thought you were amazing. I know he would."

"Claus might still be around somewhere," I remind him.

But Lucas shakes his head. "I don't think so," he says mournfully. "Onett is a cruel place. And, I sort of, I feel that he's gone. Like with Dark Pit."

"I don't have those feelings about people," I say. "I guess Ryu did say you were more powerful..."

"Yeah." A small smile plays on Lucas's lips.

I pout. "You're mocking me."

"Don't be silly." He manages to retain a straight face. "I'd never do anything of the sort."

The clocktower rings - has the afternoon passed us by already? - and Lucas stands up, me following suit, standing beside him.

"It was good to talk," he says.

"Yeah."

He smiles faintly, and I smile faintly back, taking his hand in mine.

The aroma of roast mutton greets us in the hall, warm, fresh, and inviting. It's delicious, we're very lucky at this school; most other schools don't even offer meals to their pupils. Then again, most other schools aren't boarding schools.

I reflect vaguely on how weird our school actually is. I suppose it's all thanks to Headmaster Hand's modernistic revolutionary ideas. But I like it, I think we're all quite privileged to be here, amongst people of all genders, of all races. It's a miracle that Lucas has managed to pay the fee, considering the inflated costs for each term, but he claims his selling and trading makes enough. I feel a sting of guilt thinking about it. Lucas has nothing. Lucas gives up everything just to come to school every term. Father pays on my behalf, but Lucas… I wonder why he does it. Why does he put himself under so much strain just to come here? What is the point?

It's the wrong way round. Lucas deserved to be born into a wealthy family, so why did I end up with that privilege instead? I look down at the meat on my plate. Some people don't even get to eat meat, some have never even tasted it. I don't think about that enough.

Villager and Toon Link join us.

Lucas doesn't sit, instead, he only manages to crouch, and with a sting, I remember his caning. It's probably still sore. I'd help if I could, tend to his wounds, but, well. It's his butt. And, he eats his lamb meagrely as usual. Why doesn't he eat more? Everything is beginning to frustrate me. I need to calm down.

You're behaving like a little boy.

I know, Buttercup. I'm trying my best.

"Ness?" Toon Link glances across at me. "You look angry, what's up?"

"Nothing," I lie.

"Alright then." He carries on talking to Villager.

I grumble to myself, choosing to focus instead on the mysteries at hand. The Future Humans, still an unexplained phenomenon. The Face, even more mysterious, without any leads whatsoever. The grave, that chimney in the forest, the golden egg, with its mysterious treasure inside.

The golden egg.

My eyes widen, with a sudden revelation.

I think I know how to open it.

A/N

Well! I hope you enjoyed this chapter. Surprise - magic is real! This is something, one of the four big reveals I've been planning since the start, so that's pretty cool. This magic system isn't identical to the magic of earthbound - so before you flame me for Canon Desecration, may I remind you that I seasoned it with some romance?

Also, yeah, this is nothing like a Victorian school system at all. Uh, I have no answer for that one.

Notes:

-Fuel and Lighter are canon Mother 3 characters. Thought it'd be fun to give the lumberjacks a tiny cameo.

-Ryu, in his game, is strong at Martial Arts, sort of explaining his power.

Thanks for reading!

~ReadyForTeddy