(Prologue: ?)
The journey to New Pork City is set to be a long one.
Our carriages are bound to a narrow dirt track, swaying and juddering against the uneven paving. The horses grumble with protest ahead of us, occasionally being splashed by pails of water from the ever-present guards. The system is clunky, I think, bursting to the seams with weaknesses.
I'm going to need to exploit them all.
"Here's the plan," I say, addressing all of the occupants of my carriage. For the first time in what feels like a decade, they're all silent, listening intently. "The journey is long enough that we will have the time to gather ample supplies. But after that, we'll need to be quick. You see, if we reach New Pork City, that'll be it. Time up."
"But where else can we go?" Angie asks, fiddling nervously with the straps of a purple satchel.
"Into the forest. If we wait until tomorrow, by my estimations, we'll be at the closest point to the river-"
"What river?" Pusher barks. "I know no river!"
"The Onett River," I explain, already regretting having mentioned it. "It comes from the Southern Peaks, goes past the boarding school, and through Onett City Centre. If we break free of our carriage at the right point, we'll only be a couple of days' walk away."
"Where do you expect us to get food?" Elmore demands, but before I can reply, Caroline smiles. She opens up her satchel, revealing an enticing selection of baked goods.
"Pays to own a bakery," Caroline beams, bringing out a golden loaf. The fresh aroma of warm nut bread fills the space, and my stomach grumbles.
"Excellent!" Duster reaches out to take a slice, but I grip his wrist.
"We need to wait. We have to conserve what we have. The guards will bring us dinner in, say, thirty minutes? Elmore, if you store some of it in your handbag-"
"Don't put food in my handbag!" Elmore squawks. "It's a designer brand!"
"I don't care. We can put the meal in there, wait until morning, and then under the cover of darkness we can make our move."
"Reggie has a question," Reggie says. "How do we evade being sighted?"
"We will need to immobilise the guard that delivers our breakfast," I say, "So that they can't report to Porky that we've escaped his trap."
"But if it's a trap, why hasn't Porky chained us down already?" Elmore complains, yet again. "I'm telling you, Porky is a good man!"
"He's not a good man," I say exasperatedly. Why are the questions regressing? "He needs to make us feel powerful. That way, we'll cause him no trouble on the journey. When we arrive at New Pork City, when it's revealed what's going on, that's when there'll be no escape. That's why we need to do this. Alright?"
Elmore grumbles, but she says no more.
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The first part of our plan goes quite well. Dinner is some sort of chicken broth, and before Elmore can stop me, I pour several bowlfuls into her handbag. Unfortunately, come morning time, the second part of the plan is a fiasco.
A tangerine sunrise illuminates the tips of the forest. The clouds shift slowly, the sky is still dim, and peace floats through the air. The gentle rolling motion of the carriage attempts to drag me back into the slippery arms of sleep, but I manage to resist it for long enough.
The carriages slow to a halt, the horses nickering in protest as the guards appear, providing them with a measly bowl of grains. A glint of silver armour catches my eye, and then a plateful of bread appears in our doorway.
It's time.
"Get ready," I whisper, and everyone rouses, rubbing their eyes. Disappointed by their tiredness, I point frantically at the guard who's unlocking the door. All at once, coats are gathered and bags are swung, cold broth splattering over the window when Elmore picks up her handbag too quickly. I run through the plan just once more in my head: We'll jump the guard, gather the food, enter the forest, and then we'll run like our lives depend on it.
Because they almost certainly do.
"Now!"
With all of my strength, I drag the guard into the carriage. Tessie sweeps the bread into Caroline's satchel, before grabbing the serving dish and smashing it on the guard's armoured head. I bundle him into the back while Pusher leads the charge into the road; the guard doesn't even resist, and I yank the helmet from his head, revealing a youthful man with red hair and impossibly empty eyes.
They scare me a little. But there's no time for fear when lives are at stake. I hastily usher the others out, Duster tumbling through the doorway, Elmore shoving after him, Tessie close behind. Duster gives the rest of us the signal.
The coast is clear.
But the key falls from the hole, and the door swings shut. Cursing, I release the guard's body, wincing at the resultant clang of his armour on the table. Something falls from his neck, something shiny, something metallic. All at once, he gasps a staggering breath.
"Hurry!" I exclaim, my heart suddenly thumping in my chest. Ollie and Angie rapidly pull the door back open, but Matt is still drunk; he clatters into a window.
A steely hand clasps my shoulder. The guard's face is alive now, awash with inhuman agony, burning pain. I try to shake him off, but he grips like a vice.
"Porky!" He croaks. "Porky!"
"Hurry up!" Tessie calls from outside, but the guard pushes me down, his eyes wild with rage. I cry out, frantically clambering towards the doorway, but the guard suddenly spasms, toppling back into a seat. He thrashes, steel boots shattering a window. Tessie screams as shards of glass fly into her arms.
"Move!" I bellow, but Matt bumbles again, blocking the exit. I try to push him, but he's stronger than me.
"Get me out of here!" The guard screams into the air. "Porky!"
"Porky's not here, you lunatic!" I shove at Matt again, and he falls through, but the door slams shut in my face.
"Let me go!" The guard bellows, covering his face with his hands. Suddenly, his whole body contorts, and he's launched against the wall, causing the carriage to veer to the right. I work frantically at the lock, but my hands shake under the pressure, we don't have much time…
The guard falls limp against the floor. "The things he did to me…"
"What?" I'm caught by surprise, and the key slips from my hands. Cursing, I reach down, but the guard grabs my arm in a rigid grasp.
"Come on!" Reggie bellows from outside. "What are you waiting for?"
"It's all coming back!" The guard wails.
"What is?" I grab the key from the floor, shoving it into the lock. "What's coming back?"
"Where are you going?"
"Away from here!" I turn the key, throwing the door open, but the guard pulls me by the shirt.
"Take me with you."
I turn in surprise.
His face is torn apart. "Take me with you, please, I have to - I can't - let me go, please, let me go!"
The others yell from outside. His face screams for mercy. In a split second, I make my decision.
"I'll take you with us, but only if you hurry!"
I tumble out of the carriage, the rogue guard in tow. Steel gleams from all directions; others are coming. The Tazmily villagers sprint towards the forest, and I try to keep pace, but the guard's body slumps to the dirt.
"Move!" I bellow, and the guard cries with protest, stumbling to his feet. Not daring to look over my shoulder, I drag him to the treeline. I hurl him behind a stump, ducking for all I'm worth.
The other guards stride to where I was standing. They observe it for a mere second, grumbling to themselves. To my surprise, they slam our carriage door shut, and they march towards the front of the parade.
We're safe.
I release the breath that I didn't know I'd been holding. The guard complains pathetically against his stump.
"Are you okay?" Caroline asks, hurrying over. "Who is this?"
"A guard," I say weakly.
"Fraternising with the enemy?" Elmore demands, jabbing a gnarled finger into the guard's face. "We ought to destroy him!"
But he dithers, broken eyes appearing ever so hollow in the morning light. I feel for a pulse, and it's there, but weak. What has Porky done to this man?
"Mother's right, for once," Ollie says, frowning. "Isn't he going to report us to his master?"
"He doesn't seem to be with Porky," I try to explain, checking again for the man's breathing. I arrange him into the recovery position, where he writhes weakly on the floor.
"Please," he moans.
A trundling noise echoes from the track. The carriages are moving again, continuing down their path to doom. I perform a rapid headcount - ten. Everyone's here. We've done it. I sigh with the relief of it all, the others all dusting themselves clean, and I shake off the guard, who's now grabbing onto my trousers.
"Porky…" He foams at the mouth.
I stand back, alarmed by how animalistic this man seems to have become.
"What's your name?"
"My name…" he stares at me, fright in his eyes, his brain almost humming with effort. "I have a name, I think, yes, yes, name…"
The sound of the carriages dissipates fully as they turn a corner of the dirt track road. The man continues to think.
"Got it!" He looks up suddenly. "I'm - my name - Roy, yes. Roy. I am Roy. Roy."
"Roy - do you know where you are?"
His expression is vague. It's as if he's just emerged from a trance-like state, as if he hasn't seen the sun in days. He stands up in a hurry, his eyes abruptly wide and terrified.
"We need to go, we need to get away, Porky, Porky, Porky!"
"Roy, listen." I maintain eye contact. "I'm not Porky. Porky is not here. What has he done to you?"
"You - who are you!"
"I'm Steven," I lie, but he screws up his face.
"No, no… you, I recognise you… you…"
I curse under my breath. If he's a resident of Onett, he'll almost certainly know who I am. Luckily, he seems to be a little bit delirious for now. If it weren't for the Tazmilian bias against Onett, I'd reveal who I am right this instant.
"Roy, you don't recognise me, I'm from very far away," I say firmly. "Come on. We should start walking."
"He's not coming with us, is he?" Elmore rakes Roy up and down, her arms folded with disapproval.
"Of course he's coming with us. He's only human. He deserves a chance."
"What!? He's a lunatic!"
"Help comes to all who ask," I say firmly, pulling Roy to his shaky feet. "Let's move."
But the others don't look convinced. Pusher regards Roy with the utmost suspicion, and even Ollie and Angie shift nervously in their places.
"Reggie thinks he will slow us down," Reggie murmurs.
I turn in disbelief. "What do you suggest then? Leave him to die?"
"Obviously," Elmore scoffs, her hands on her hips. "Leave this filth to the elements! He's a guard, he's in with Porky Minch."
"We can't do that!" Caroline protests.
"Yeah!" Angie agrees.
"He has information," I explain, as Roy attempts to hug a tree. "He's coming with us. That is final."
"Since when were you in charge?" Elmore barks, brandishing her handbag. Unfortunately, that results in chicken broth spilling onto her dress, and she curses, momentarily distracted.
"If I may, I'm in charge, as mayor of Tazmily," Pusher says, marching onto the scene. "I say we should allow this fellow to come with us. If he has information, we can easily dethrone Porky from my righteous seat of power!"
"What?" Elmore exclaims. "That's an awful idea. Sebastian, tell him!"
"Erm," Sebastian says, looking up.
"Wife, you are to obey me." Pusher folds his arms. "Sebastian, tell her!"
"Sebastian, my butler," Elmore says, "Tell him we are not to bring this creature, Roy, or I'll have you hung, drawn and quartered!"
"Sebastian, tell her that we are to bring Roy, or I'll have you buried alive!"
Sebastian steps back. "My lord, my lady, please! Be reasonable!"
"Mother, Father, shut up!" Ollie shouts. "Look!"
We all turn to where he points. The sound of rhythmic footsteps tells us all we need to know. The guards are coming back.
"Let's move!" I order, and Duster and I sling Roy over our shoulders. Caroline gathers her satchel, and Tessie secures the drunken Matt.
With no more debate, we begin our charge into the deepening forest.
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~~o00o~~
Chapter 22: The Letter
(Lucas)
~~o00o~~
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Darkness surrounds me. Pillars of midnight blue shoot through ribbons of inky crimson, and I plunge, down, down into the depths. My hands are ablaze, and I'm falling, falling so infinitely far. I'm scared. I'm so scared! Behind me, everything roars; the Face, Future Humans, a million floating gravestones-
Wait.
Floating gravestones? That's not realistic. I turn, mustering all of my courage, envisioning nothing in place of the horror. I form a bed of pillows beneath me, and I tumble into them, panting with relief. It's all just a dream.
'For psychics, dreams are important. They can convey messages, memories, or even premonitions of the future.'
So which is this? I lay back against the floor of pillows, staring upwards into the shadowy void. I hope for something important to rear its head. Some kind of clue, perhaps?
But nothing appears. And then, from my hands, fire rises; the pillows catch ablaze. I leap up, desperately trying to extinguish the flames, but they're immense, towering, and they consume me completely.
The world dissolves to ash.
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I wake up, gasping for breath, grabbing onto Ness. But there is no Ness, only my pillow remains, and I plunge my face into it, everything coming back to me.
He doesn't want to be my friend anymore.
Maybe that's a dramatic way of putting it. He's distancing himself for 'my own safety'. It's idiotic, I'm furious at him for it, but I'm furious at myself for working it out. Whoever is behind this, of course they'd come after me. I'm Ness's greatest weakness.
Since we met, I haven't lived a day without him being there for me. I've always known that he's rooting for my best interests. Even when there is a physical distance between us, I can take solace in the fact that he's on my side. But now, that's changing. He wants to be alone. He thinks that if he stays away, the Future Humans will stop trying to kill me, and that they'll go after him instead.
The worst part is that he's right.
"Screw you," I mumble into my pillow. I always was a pillow-hugger, long before meeting Ness. If I was tired enough, I could pretend it was someone else, someone warm and safe. That made me feel better after Mother died. Ness took over that role pretty quickly, and I grew familiar with the stacks of blankets in his house and his comfortable arms.
All of that seems so far away now.
Eventually, I resign myself to getting dressed, making a start on the day. I would go after Ness right away if I wasn't afraid of what might happen. Another argument. A deeper wedge between us. Maybe it's better that I finally gain some independence… perhaps that's some of the reason why this is happening. I clung to him so much that he disappeared.
These dark thoughts get no better as I head down the stairs. Even the little things get me, the fact that I always start the day with Ness by my side. We always walk down these stairs together.
My chest aches with the absence.
The cafeteria has finally been reopened since the fire, and I make my way into it. The others wave me over to their table, I stumble past some excited first-years with a bowl of cereal in hand, and I settle down to join them.
"Hey," I say, before remembering Pit's advice. "Sorry about yesterday."
"It's okay," Toon Link assures me. "Ness and I already talked that through. I'm uh, sorry, too. Yeah."
There is an awkward silence. Without Ness here, my social functionality appears to be severely limited.
"Is Pit doing alright?" Villager asks.
"He was in a good mood," I say. I neglect to mention the late-night crying. I have a feeling that he wouldn't want everyone else to be aware of that.
"I'm glad," Red barges in, arriving with his signature oatmeal. "Maybe that means he'll leave us alone."
"Oh, not again," Toon Link groans. "He's not doing us any harm, Red-"
"Where's Ness?" Villager cuts in.
"Ah," Toon Link casts a nervous glance towards me. "Erm, Lucas, are you aware-"
"Very," I say, my mouth tight. "He's keeping his distance from me. Remember the monster we saw in Toon Link's room? They're called Future Humans. There are more of them, and they're trying to kill me because their creator also happens to have a massive vendetta against Ness. I'm being attacked as revenge for whatever Ness did. Ness thinks that by keeping himself away from me, I'll be safe."
"Is this to do with all of the magic stuff?" Toon Link asks.
"What do you know about magic?" I look up in surprise.
"Everything that Ness told me. Five stones, bonus Time Stone, fire, ice, telepathy…"
"Nonsense," Red grumbles, but Toon Link elbows him.
"We saw it from the window, remember? It's real."
"I'm not sure if the Future Humans have anything to do with magic," I say. "I don't know much about any of this. I just miss Ness."
"He'll come around," Villager assures me, and I quietly eat a mouthful of cereal, trying not to envision the exact opposite. Wherever he is now, it's not where he's supposed to be. I have the feeling that something very bad is about to happen.
"Have you seen him today?" I ask.
"He took his food and left the cafeteria," Villager says worriedly. "I don't know why he thinks this is a good idea. If I'd have known…"
To Villager's chagrin, Popo takes the opportunity of Ness's absence to slouch onto our table. He grins around at us all, looking as if he's recently won the jackpot, dressed in surprisingly sharp attire for a Sunday morning. If I didn't know any better, I'd say he'd been to church.
"Hey, Popo," I greet, wanting to make a decent impression at least. I've been meaning to talk to him for a while now, and perhaps I'll be needing a few more friends in the near future. "How are you doing today?"
"Excellently!" Popo beams. "Simply fantastic!"
"Hello, Popo," Villager says, weary. Red glares across the table in a very unsubtle fashion. Toon Link merely nods in recognition.
"Dear me, Toon Link." Popo grins. "You look dreadful!"
"Thanks, I had a long nigh," Toon Link says, gritting his teeth.
"Link's fault?" Villager pats Toon Link on the shoulder. He looks sympathetic. "Get some rest today, okay?"
"What's that?" Link surfaces from Zelda's lips on the nearby popular table. "Did one of the little kids mention my name?"
"No, go away," Toon Link says, chucking a fork at him. Zelda gasps.
"How disrespectful!"
But Toon Link rolls his eyes. "As if I care about your opinion. Don't you have a boyfriend to be simpering for?"
"Is that a challenge?" Link appears behind him, brandishing a butter knife. "Are you talking bad about my girl?"
"Wow!" Popo cackles. "Link! It's you, the guy whose ego is bigger than even his-"
"That's it!" Link yells, drawing the attention of the entire school. "Popo! I challenge you to a duel!"
"No, Link-y!" Zelda pulls him down, much to Popo's amusement. "I know he's a little swine, but you'll get suspended!"
"Yeah, Link-y!" Popo cries out. "Listen to your bird!"
"To think you crushed on her once," Toon Link snickers, and Villager elbows him in the side.
"Shut up! No I didn't!"
Link seethes, attempting to throw a stick of butter across the room, but Zelda makes sure he stays in place. I breathe in and out, relieved that the chaos has ended.
"What are your plans for today, Popo?"
"Not much," Popo picks up a spoon, examining it as though it is a historical artefact. "Perhaps I'll tail Link and annoy him some more."
"Right," I reply. "Good luck with that."
"How about you?" Popo turns to Toon Link, before striking him in the crotch with the spoon.
All the men in the room groan with sympathy.
"OW!" Toon Link squeals. "Ow! You - hey! Get back here!"
Popo cackles, sprinting off amongst the tables, and Toon Link scrambles up, a hand covering his violated genitals. Popo laughs hysterically, sending chairs and tables flying, but Toon Link gains on him, brandishing a spoonful of jam-
"He's going to get in so much trouble!" Villager groans, before standing up and joining the procession. Students cheer and whoop, Popo performs a dramatic somersault over a table, but-
"POPO!"
It's Nana. Popo screeches to a halt, looking wildly around for an exit, but Nana clamps a firm hand on his shoulder.
"I heard a lot of noise, and I was right to assume you were the cause. How many times? Don't hit people with spoons!"
Toon Link clatters past Link's table, grinning as he finally reaches his target. He launches the jam, but unfortunately, it lands on Nana's coat.
"Oh, lovely!" Her eyes flare. "Exactly what I've come to expect from the boys of this school - sorry Lucas," she quickly turns to me, her cheeks pinkening. "You're alright. But the rest of you, I am appalled!"
"Sexism," Popo mutters, and Nana shoots him a furious glare.
"I'll tell Mother."
"Right you are!" Popo yelps.
Villager finally catches up to Toon Link, forcing him down into his seat. But Toon Link cackles, smearing another spoonful of jam over his face. The crowd gasps, some people laughing, but luckily Villager laughs as well, in high spirits.
"Thanks for that! You'd better watch out. I'll get my revenge, don't you worry."
Toon Link cracks a grin. "I'll be waiting."
Villager elbows him, and the pair burst into giggles.
"That brother of mine." Nana turns to me, having deposited Popo to a nearby table. "I swear, he will be the death of me, if not himself first."
I watch as Popo almost collides with a chair, and I laugh. "Yeah."
"So, anyway," Nana smiles at me, raising her voice over Toon Link and Villager's giggling. "Painted any good landscapes lately?"
"Oh, erm," I glance towards her, a little confused. She doesn't often take the time to talk to me. "Only the ones in class. How about you? Any good fruits and vegetables?"
"Quite a few!" She beams. "I might paint a persimmon next time. I really love the colours, you know?"
"Yeah, they're nice," I say, despite never having seen a persimmon before. "May I ask - what is it with the organic produce? Do they have a deeper meaning?"
"Absolutely," she says, pleased with my question. "It's about the fragility of life - POPO! Sit back down!"
Popo meekly returns to his place, having been attempting to approach Toon Link with a ladle.
"Sorry, Lucas," Nana sighs, her face a little pink. "I should go and take him away before he starts a war." She smiles at me again, standing up. "See you around, yeah?"
"Yeah," I answer absent-mindedly, my mind back on Ness again as she walks off to Popo.
"Get off me!" Toon Link exclaims, as Villager attempts to put him down in his seat. "He tried to get me with the marmalade!"
"No, you're staying with me," Villager commands, and Toon Link laughs.
"Anything for you, sir."
"Quite right!" Red scolds. "That pandemonium was dangerous!"
"I don't think I've done that much exercise in years," Villager says, wiping some of the jam from his face. "Toon Link - your, uh, are your nether regions okay? After that brutal violation?"
"Hurts like hell." Toon Link smirks. "You might have to kiss it better."
Villager smothers him with the butter.
Soon enough, Shulk comes over, wielding the mail. As always, my heart sinks - since coming to this school, I don't think I've received a single letter. Villager eagerly tears open a message from his Father, and Red happily collects a parcel full of sweets. But to my surprise, Shulk turns to me, handing me a tattered envelope.
I take it. "What's this?"
"A letter, I presume," Shulk says, "Seeing as there's an envelope, and an address, and a stamp, and a-"
"Thanks, Professor," I say hastily, tearing the envelope open.
"No problem! I mean, it's just the job that Headmaster Hand assigned to me today, but yes, enjoy your letter. Oh, by the way, training for the Wilderness Survival Week for the whole school is being done by me and Ryu on Monday and Tuesday evenings, so, see you there!"
He bustles off, keen to fulfil more of his postman role. I laugh, but then I see the handwriting on my letter.
It's from my father.
This wouldn't be a big deal for an ordinary kid, but Father never writes. He prefers to forget about my existence. To bad-mouth me to relatives, and to ignore me if I ever speak to him. So whatever this is… it must be important. Very important. A nervous feeling rises within me.
"What does it say?" Red asks, leaning over with a sweet in his mouth.
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Lucas,
This letter contains information of a sensitive nature. I would ask that you read it with caution, and that you destroy it once it has been read. I trust you can do that for me.
In the newspaper today, there was an article that was once again attempting to bad-mouth our hometown. This article reported that a policeman in Tazmily was prosecuted for withholding information on the death of Hinawa, your mother. There was a big payout, enough for this man to lie to the courts, but the truth has finally been revealed.
Hinawa didn't die of heatstroke. She was murdered in cold blood with a bullet through her heart.
They killed my wife, your mother. We've been lied to for nine years. The fraudulent policeman reportedly took his own life in lieu of the murderer finding out he'd squealed. Whatever would have been done to them for snitching would be worse than death itself.
Only one man has that kind of power. I'm sure you don't need me to say.
Porky Minch killed your mother.
~ Flint.
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The words fly through my head, past any form of comprehension. My body sinks to beyond this Earth, my heart thumping with a visceral force.
Porky killed my mother.
Images flash through my mind. Porky standing over her lifeless body, the smoke still rising from his gun. He laughs, rejoicing over his own destruction. The destruction of a life, the destruction of a family. He sneers, kicking her body once, twice, before dashing into the woods. Another piece of mastery. Another death secured.
Something burns in my stomach. White-hot, unadulterated rage flows through my body, fiery sparks crackling from my upturned palms. They rise, spiralling through the air, and something grabs my wrist.
"Lucas. What's wrong?"
I burst from my seat, hardly seeing the dinner hall through my swimming eyes. Like a coward, I run, far from everything, far from the voices that call my name.
Father has to be playing a cruel trick. He has to be. Porky couldn't - what would he have been doing in Tazmily? Doesn't he live in Onett? And why her, why Mother? I know Porky would rob, would swindle us to our wits' end, but this, this…
My lungs ache. A sudden thought slams into me. What if Claus knew?
What if Claus found out what Porky did, and that's where he went that night? Seeking revenge, seeking closure? Does that mean Porky took him too?
Yes.
It hits me in an instant.
I'm sick. I feel so sick. I'm shaking, bundled deep beneath my covers. This is wrong, this is all so wrong. Porky. Porky. I hate him. I hate him!
And now Ness hates me too. Ness hates me, Mother is dead, Claus is gone. Terrible things happen to the people I love. Everyone leaves, everyone dies, everything ends.
"Lucas?"
"Who's there?" I cry out, trapped by my duvet. Part of me hopes it's Ness, but it's not. It's Pit.
"What's happening? Are you okay?"
"Go away," I say emptily.
"Come out from all those covers, Lucas. What's going on?"
"Go away."
"Fine. Sulk here forever."
The door slams shut behind him, and I grip my pillow, shaking with renewed emotion. I could've been there, I could've watched over Mother, I should have known. I should have known that she wouldn't be okay on her own.
And Father. He finally wrote, but he doesn't even care? He signed the letter with his first name. Flint. He didn't write dear Lucas. He was never there for me when Mother died, never there for me when Claus disappeared. He's left me to fend for myself, and I've been selling and trading for what? For him? A man who I hardly know? A man to whom I'm worth nothing?
The realisation drains the last of my courage from my veins. I've always taken it as a fact that one day, I'll do something to be good enough. One day, I'll be noticed. But that's not true. It never has been.
I grip his letter in my hands, reading over the feeble scrawls. Porky Minch killed your mother. I turn it over, desperately hoping to see an I love you, but I don't. Instead, I see something much worse.
Avenge her, Lucas.
I fall silent.
No. I can't.
Avenge her.
I can't. That's not what I do. That goes against all of my morals.
But… would it make Father love me? I feel horrible for the momentary hope that this gives me. Does he want me to kill Porky? How would I do it? But I can't. I can't kill someone. I could never kill someone.
I'm scared of weapons, for goodness' sake. I have a stupid fucking phobia of blades and knives and guns. How could Father expect me to do this? What sort of man would send their son into battle?
Revenge is for children. Revenge is Porky's area of expertise. I am too much of a coward. I refuse Father's order.
Maybe that was another reason why Claus left. He thought there was a better life out there avenging Mother, a better life than putting up with his cowardly brother. Perhaps he thought he could be the brave one, or perhaps Father put him up to it as well.
Why couldn't Father do it himself? Because he's a coward, I think to myself. My father is just as scared as me, always a diminishing man, one to pass on his problems to the people beneath him. Mother faced every single one of her problems, armed with bravery and courage. I got those genetics. I face every single one of my problems. This is a problem that I will face. I will not murder Porky Minch.
This resolution doesn't make me any happier. I roll onto my back. Everything used to be so much easier.
Mother would pick me and Claus up from junior school. She'd hug us every night before we went to bed, tucking us in with a bedtime story. Claus and I shared a room, competing to see who could be the last one to fall asleep. There'd be omelettes at the weekends, a special treat for being so good.
Now I'll never be good enough again.
Someone knocks at the door.
"Who is it?" I ask unhappily.
"Villager. Can I come in?"
"If you insist."
He does so. He's alone, surprisingly unaccompanied by Red or even Toon Link. Perhaps they sent him in because he's the easiest to talk to.
"What's going on?" The mattress sinks as he sits next to my form. "What was the letter about?"
"I don't want to talk about it." I grip it in my hand, a sharp crease forming down its middle.
"That's understandable. Sorry if it was bad news, or, or something worrying… would you like to come out from under the covers? Do you need a hug?"
I push the duvet from above me, emerging into the light. Villager looks calm, gentle, and I let him pull me into a hug, which is only slightly awkward.
"I'm sorry about Ness," Villager says. "I think he's being idiotic, if I'm honest. You two, you're going through this madness together. You have to be able to trust one another."
"I don't know what to do without him," I admit, and Villager pats me on the back.
"It's okay. He'll come around. He needs you too."
"I can't help but think…" I begin, swallowing down my nerves. "That part of it is my fault. Maybe I'm not good enough, maybe I did something wrong, that… I don't know. I just don't know."
"It's not your fault," Villager assures me. "He cares about you a lot. He thinks he's doing something good, but I don't think he realises how much that hurts."
"What if he hates me?" I ask plaintively. "What if he's sick of putting up with it all? He's been protecting me, looking after me for so long. What if he's bored?"
"Lucas," Villager says, pulling me back into another hug. "Do you know how Ness and I met?"
"In History class?" I guess, vaguely remembering something that he said before.
"Yeah. The first time we spoke to one another, he couldn't stop going on about you. It was all Lucas this, Lucas that. Lucas is such a great friend. Lucas is so amazing. 'You have to come and meet Lucas, because he's the most awesome person in the world.' I know," Villager says when I raise my eyebrows. "He really said that. But the point is, I don't think he could ever hate you. He truly thinks that you're fantastic."
"I'm not that good," I say, but my face is red. Trust Ness to retrospectively make me blush, even with something that he said six years ago. My stomach gives another funny ache. "Why can't his opinion have changed?"
"He likes you enough to do anything in the world to keep you safe," Villager explains. "Even this. He's just missing the bigger picture."
"The bigger picture?"
"Yeah." Villager pats me on the back. "The bigger picture. He doesn't get it - I don't even think that you quite get it yet."
"Get what?"
But he just smiles. "One day, I think, you'll finally understand. Brighter days are coming."
I have no idea what he's talking about. "Villager, could you talk to him, could you convince him to come back? Convince him that he's wrong? Tell him that I need him."
"I will." Villager nods. "If I can find him. He's very good at hiding."
"Yeah." I grimace.
"You look after yourself, Lucas," Villager says, standing. "Take it easy today, alright? Read a book or something. Get some rest. I'll see you in a bit."
"Thanks, Villager," I say, as my friend makes his way out of the room.
The exchange leaves me feeling a little bit better. But what now? What on earth do I do without Ness? When did I become this dependent on him?
I take the book on powers, The Mystery of Magic, from the shelf. Perhaps if nothing else, I can find out a little bit more about my abilities. There is an introduction we didn't read, plus a couple of chapters nearer the beginning that look to be important. However, when I scan my eyes over the opening passage, it appears to be written in the most crass, informal way possible.
'Magic is super cool!' writes the author. 'Are you ready to learn about the wonders of the magical world?'
I flick further through the text, confused. I'm sure the sections we'd read were meaningful to a fault, packed with big words that Ness had to ask me about. But a thought hits me; of course, magic is illegal. They must've written the introduction like this to deter people from stumbling across the rest of the book by accident. If the introduction sounds ridiculous, people will take the remainder with a pinch of salt, and they won't call the police on the owner for reading about a forbidden subject. I flick forwards; the next section - 'Magical Conspiracies' - is equally ridiculous:
In 1874, famous criminal Crazy Hand exploded the Onett Library. But DID YOU KNOW, he actually used magic to do it? Yes, Crazy Hand used spells and wizardry to kill twenty people! Isn't that epic and cool? For years, the truth has been covered up, but now it's all coming out. Crazy Hand is a magician, folks. You heard it here first...
I groan. I think Ness mentioned reading this section beforehand. He certainly mentioned something to do with a conspiracy - I close the book to study the author, Wiz. Ard. Okay, a clever pseudonym. I suppose that way, the real author won't be prosecuted - but, for goodness' sake, why does there have to be all this prejudice surrounding magic? It's not fair. I hadn't quite considered it before now, I knew that magic was taboo, but I didn't think, I never thought about it. Especially given it now applies to me. I place the book back on its shelf with a miserable sigh. The fact that they had to hide the actual magical information at the back of the book, behind this nonsense, makes me sad. I'd always thought of magic as fantastical and ridiculous, but real people have been hurt for having magical abilities. Real people like me, like Ness…
Ness. All day, my thoughts have been drifting back to him. Why is that? I collapse upon my pillow, allowing the memories to flood in.
.
~~o00o~~
.
Yesterday, I met a boy called Ness.
He was strange. He was happy, but sad at the same time. He was nice to me though, so for the first time in a while, I'm walking to school feeling happy. Ness promised me that he would see me again today, and I hope he remembers. I shiver as I think what the bigger, meaner kids might have been telling him about me. They could easily have scared him away forever.
His friends were nice too, I think. Toon Link was shy, while Inkling was really loud but really friendly. Ness is like a mixture of both, shouting just like the others on the playground, but sometimes he stops, thinking to himself for a couple of minutes. Maybe he's lonely. I'm a bit lonely. My mind drifts back to Claus again. He'll come back for me soon. It's only been two days - whatever he's doing must be very important. I trust him a lot.
Onett Primary School isn't a very nice place. Most of the kids are mean to me, or they don't talk to me altogether - Ness is the first friend I've made since moving here. I miss Tazmily Primary school, I had one friend there at least, a kind boy called Fuel. But, because Mother died, we had to come here, to this dirty great city. I think it's nasty.
Claus thought so too.
I enter the school gates, preparing to be caned as usual for having dirty hands, and for being scruffy and ugly and not clever enough. Every day, our class is made to assemble in the main hall to be checked over for neatness. I don't think I've ever passed the test.
I wait in the queue to be examined, trying to make out Ness somewhere along the line. He had a red and blue cap, I remember, but he was quite short. I can't see him over the taller heads. The boy behind me flicks my ear, and I turn, noticing that it's Captain Falcon. The biggest bully of them all.
"You're ugly," he sneers.
"Okay," I say.
"Well?" He shoves me, hard. "Aren't you going to get me back?"
"No," I reply.
"You're such a baby. A little, ugly baby. I bet you cry to your mummy every night-"
Suddenly, out of nowhere, someone pushes Captain Falcon into the wall. I gasp with amazement. Nobody ever pushes Captain Falcon!
"Leave him alone!"
My hero comes into view, a red and blue cap on their head. It's Ness.
"I'm gonna hit you for that!" Captain Falcon surges forward.
But before he can do anything, the hall monitor appears, surveying us over their massive spectacles. "What's going on here?"
"Captain Falcon was starting a fight," Ness explains. Warmth spreads through my body. Nobody has ever stuck up for me before.
"It's true!" Inkling appears out of nowhere, backing Ness up. Toon Link peeks out from behind her, giving a single nod.
"Captain Falcon, with me," the hall monitor commands, and Captain Falcon is taken away in disgrace. I turn to Ness, quite taken aback.
"Th-Thank you!"
"No problem!" Ness beams, patting me on the shoulder.
"Why did you help me?" I ask nervously. "You could get in big trouble. The other kids don't like me very much."
"He was being mean to you, and that's not okay," Ness says. "They're mean to Toon Link as well. You're cool!"
I blush. Nobody has ever called me cool before.
"Thank you, Ness."
"No problem!" Ness exclaims. "We're friends now. That means we look out for each other. No matter what!"
He slings an arm around my shoulder. I don't think I've ever smiled wider in my life.
.
~~o00o~~
.
When I wake up again, I'm feeling happier, warmer. To this day, I have no idea what Ness saw in me, why he decided to stick up for my sorry self, but I owe him big time. At some point during my slumber, Father's letter got scrumpled in my hand, but that's not important anymore. I toss it towards the bin, certain of myself.
For psychics, dreams are important. They can convey messages, memories, or even premonitions of the future.
This message is loud and clear.
I need to get my best friend back.
Reviews:
"No not Dark Pit! Poor Pit he's not going to get over his loss so quickly U-U Ness I don't think keeping your distance from Lucas is going to improve anything, but we'll have to see what happens in the next chapters! Thank you for your story"
Hey, thank you for reading! And yeah, Ness, smh, such a fool, he really gotta stop doing these foolish things. And poor Pitttttt, I feel so bad!
I hope you all enjoyed, see you next time!
~ReadyForTeddy