(Prologue: Ness)

Bravery.

I have never been brave.

Bravery isn't something I was born with, something I can control. I'm confident, hot-headed and quick to fight, but I'm never brave when I'm needed. When I'm called upon, I'm just a pile of bones.

...

To him, I'm just a pile of bones.

...

My head spins. My lungs ache, dry and empty. I should have seen this coming. I really should have seen this coming. I fell for it, every trick, every trap, every lie. I was the perfect plaything, doing just as I was supposed to. Every deceit, every ruse was genius, every action planned out to the tiniest detail.

I fell for it all.

My chest raw, I embrace the ground. Bravery, Ness. Bravery. But bravery is impossible, so impossible when it comes to this. This impossible decision.

I shake, taking a deep breath.

It's time to end this.

I raise the blade to Lucas's neck.

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~~o00o~~

Chapter 35: A Line You Can't Cross

(Ness)

~~o00o~~

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(One Hour Earlier)

We arrive in what looks to be a cavern.

Thunder roars above, the chimney tremoring from the impact. Lightning strikes, crackling with electricity, brightness bursting into the room. I take Lucas's hand, peering through the darkness, bumping against him in a silent promise.

I will get you out of here.

But lightning strikes again. There's a shadow against a post, bound tight and struggling.

"Pit!" Lucas cries. Pit looks up.

"I-It's a trap!"

"Yes," says Headmaster Hand. "I'm rather afraid it is."

There's no time.

Arms grab me from all sides. Something slashes against my cheek, and I'm dragged, screaming, pain darting through my skull.

"NESS!"

"LUCAS!" I flail, seeing him disappear from sight. They're everywhere.

Future Humans are everywhere.

"PK FIRE!" I yell, but nothing happens. Darkness tips in from the sides, laughter echoing around me. A steel hand clamps to my mouth, and I writhe, but it's too strong, too powerful. Ryu falls, crumpling under the weight of a heavy fist. Toon Link's shadow desperately claws for Villager, the pair disappearing in a sea of metal. I shout, but suddenly, there's impact, and - and...

It all goes dark.

It's over.

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It's all over.

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Terror.

I've felt terror before, but not like this.

In the moments of consciousness I feel, there is only terror. Terror, tearing at my gut, and I'm hyper-aware of how everything rises, then slips, slips, slips away.

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Sometimes, Lucas is nearby. I can sense him, feel him through the pain, desperately trying to reach me.

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My eyes phase in and out, visions of a dark room swimming before my gaze. It all happened so quickly.

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Noises echo through my mind. Ryu, collapsing to the floor. Toon Link, crying out for Villager. Lucas, shouting in the horde.

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A dull whimper escapes my mouth. I try to move, but I can't. There's no point in trying.

I still do.

I force my eyes open.

The darkness is thick, murky and menacing. Nothing appears to have form or substance, and I jump when something flickers amongst it. A figure comes into view, and I stare at him, paralysed as he comes nearer and nearer, and my heart sinks, my pulse thrums-

Panic strikes me all at once. I shout, desperately attempting to tear forwards, but something sears around my middle. A thick coil of rope.

I'm bound tight.

I struggle, but before I can scream, a hand oozes over my mouth. My entire body convulses, and a maniacal giggle tickles the silence.

"Oh, Nessiekins… you're just not ready yet…"

"Get - Get off me!" My voice comes out muffled and frantic. "Where's - where's Lucas?"

"Hah!" The figure glimmers in front of me, sliding his clammy hand from my face. His silhouette shifts a little, before it slithers into my eyeline. "Oh, Lukey?" He speaks in a lewd whisper. "Yes... Lukey is just fine. He's right there, next to you... his best friend... Isn't that wonderful? Aren't I nice?"

My stomach lurches, and I turn my head to the side. Through the darkness, I can just make out something, something flapping pale and limp against a post. Sickness rises up, and suddenly there's pressure on my neck - and then - and then...

Nothing.

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I will get you out of here.

Lucas.

I've failed him.

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Consciousness drifts over me like a cloud. All of this, a trap. Everything here, perfect, and... I don't understand. I don't understand...

A hot, sticky sensation crawls down my wretched face. It drags painstakingly slowly over my cheek. Pain beats at my skull, a million knives stabbing every inch of my skin. I'm broken, again and again. I'd only just been repaired.

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Am I dead?

The thought cuts through me.

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I'd held him close. I'd whispered to him. His face had grown so warm. So pretty, perfect and warm.

"I love you too, Ness."

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I force myself back into the present. My eyes scrape open, rough and raw with fatigue. The room is clearer now, but awful, foggy, the rancid smell of flesh lingering in the toxic air. A figure is hunched over in the corner, illuminated in an instant by a distant flash of lightning.

It's a trap.

Yes... I'm rather afraid it is.

"Headmaster Hand," I croak, reaching out. My arm is bloody, ruined and impossibly heavy. I flinch as the figure whirls around, zipping forward with a hiss.

"Ness!"

I stare, barely comprehending, my mind trying to surface. It's him. Headmaster Hand. But how? We were certain - so certain. Wario is supposed to be the villain. He has to be.

A broken noise comes from my mouth, echoing around the walls. The rope is thick around my middle, binding me to a steel pole. I try to make out shapes, the chimney, machinery, something that looks like an egg, but my eyes are hazy, so impossibly hazy. There's no sign of the others, just darkness.

"HELLO!" screams the figure. I yell, my heart thundering, and there's laughter. "Aw, you're scared?"

My mind reels, trying to form a cohesive sentence. "W-Who are-"

"YOU KNOW WHO I AM!" There's a scream and another flash of lightning. The figure comes close, awfully close to my face. "I'm the Dreamlord, or the... villain, as you like to call me. Hah - haha! It was me! Headmaster Hand! Surprise!"

"B-But Wario... H-How…"

"Wario?" Headmaster Hand scoffs, and he leaps back with a cry of mirth. "Wario is dead." He pulls out a knife, the blade caught by a flash of lightning. "Why shouldn't you be too, Nessie?"

My eyes widen as he advances, wildly flipping the knife in his hand. But there's a sudden scuffle to my side, and Headmaster Hand scoots away.

"Oooohie! Luuuucas?" He giggles, poking the blade into Lucas's cheek. "Is that youuuuu? Are you being a good boy for daddy?"

I physically feel Lucas snapping to attention, his pain cutting through me like a bullet. I yearn to reach over, to hold him, but I can't break free.

"W-Where's Ness?" he rasps, sounding like a wounded animal. My stomach drops, filling with fear. He sounds so broken.

"Calm down!" Headmaster Hand says cheerily, pulling the knife away and tossing it in his hand. "Others are asleep, Lukey. It would be rude to wake them."

"O-Others?" Lucas's voice trembles. "Toon Link? Villager?"

"I meant Future Humans," Headmaster Hand says sweetly. "But your friends are safe and sound. Busy being converted, whoopsie!"

"Don't!" I plead, trying again to pull at my bonds. It's no use. Headmaster Hand just watches, laughing, and I want to punch the hell out of him.

"You are so sentimental!" he says, jumping around like a kid on his birthday. "Oh, that is beautiful! Touching, even. But they're so worthless, don't you see it?"

I feel like my mind is swimming through mud. There's so much that doesn't make sense. So little hope, so much fear. My mouth moves automatically, and I push back the tears that are starting to well up. "P-Please don't hurt my friends."

"But they're being improved, Nessie!" Headmaster Hand pouts. "Don't cry. They'll be upgraded! Consider it mercy, if anything."

"Those - those things are not improvements," Lucas says, shaking. "They're awful."

"Those things are the FUTURE!" Headmaster Hand screams, flipping like a switch. He storms forward, pushing the blade against Lucas's throat. "You miserable bastard. I know what becomes of this world. It is the only hope. The only hope."

"But - but how?" I cry, seeing Lucas's fearful expression. "How can it be you?"

"Me?" Headmaster Hand turns on me, glaring. "How can what be me, Nessie?"

"You're the headmaster!" I shiver. "How can you be - be evil?"

"Oh, excellent question!" He giggles, suddenly jumping back with a clap. Lucas exhales, falling back against the post. "It's storytime, I think. But first… well, hah. Do you reaaaally wanna know?"

"Yes!"

"Intriguing." Headmaster Hand smiles, studying his knife. He licks the blood off of it, savouring the taste, dragging his tongue across the metal. "Well, I suppose I'd better start with who I am."

My heart skips a beat. Lucas freezes next to me.

"Who you are?" I say, hoarse.

"Oh, Nessiekins..." He shuffles close to my face, gently touching my chin. He presses a kiss to my forehead, and I writhe, feeling his foul breath against my skin. "Dearest Headmaster Hand is allllll gone."

"G-Gone?" Lucas tremors.

"GONE!" The man shouts, leaping back against the wall. "Ah, he... got away. But my master will sort him out! All will come together!"

"Wh-What?" Horrible suspicions come to mind. I watch the blade in his hand as it creeps steadily closer to Lucas. "Y-Your master? Who are you?"

"The name's Hand," he says. He sneers, flicking me the middle finger. "But not Master Hand. I'M CRAZY HAND, BIATCH!"

I fall silent, my mouth hanging open. Crazy Hand, the maniac who blew up the library. The psychopath who killed twenty people with a single bomb. The most famous criminal in Onett's history.

Headmaster Hand's twin brother.

"Great, right?" He advances on me, and I shrink back, horrified as he raises his blade. "I'm iNsAnE, Nessie... I could strike at any minute... Call my bluff, and I may just kill you!"

Grinning, he drags the knife against my neck. I look to Lucas, horrified, shaking. I feel sick. I feel so sick. It's over.

"But that's no fun." He leaps back, shoving the knife back in his pocket with a cackle. "First I need to tell you how I did it, of course. Ah, it was so... satisfying to take his form. We're identical. Except for one thing..." He waves his arms. "I'm left-handed!"

"Left-handed?" Lucas repeats, his eyes wide. "But - but... you were Headmaster Hand? This whole time? An imposter!?"

"Yes. BOW DOWN!" Crazy Hand spins manically around. "It was my master's idea, really. My big, genius master. And it's perfect, don't you think?"

"Who's your master?" I ask, shaking.

"Oho..." Crazy Hand smiles even wider, moving erratically with glee. "This is my favourite bit, Nessie. This is the bit that'll make you really, really sad."

"Just tell us," Lucas moans.

"Isn't it obvious?" Crazy Hand spreads his arms. "Check your pockets! You have his book - Magical Monsters and Mythical Creatures - go on!"

"I can't," I protest. "My hands are bound."

Crazy Hand surges forward with his knife, and I scream, but he just severs through my bonds. I pull out the book, frantically trying to make out the author, but it's too dark.

"HURRY UP!" Crazy Hand shrieks.

"I - I can't see-"

Seething, he produces matches, lighting the gas lamps. As the cold glow fills the room, I finally manage to catch sight of Lucas. He looks bedraggled, exhausted, a sizable bruise on his neck, but he turns and gives me a look, one that gives me strength.

"M-Magical Monsters and Mythical Creatures," I say, reading. "Written by... Pokey Minchini."

My strength disappears at once. Crazy Hand lets out a cackle, jerking before me like a coiled spring. Pokey Minchini.

Porky Minch.

"Look upon me," Crazy Hand says. "I am the cRaZiEsT man to ever live. Look upon my master. He is the greatest inventor of all time. Behold us, together, Porky Minch, Crazy Hand, THE FUTURE OF HUMANITY!"

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We've already lost.

Porky. How can it be Porky? How can Porky be behind all this, working with Headmaster Hand's nutcase brother? I press my eyes closed, my breathing quickening, because this is too much. This has to be some crazy dream, or something - everything here is wrong, everything is impossible - how the hell were we supposed to work this out? It's been illogical from the beginning, and now, now...

"W-Why?" Lucas exclaims, pointing with a juddering hand. "Porky's got a city, he's busy, he's - he can't be here!"

"Oh, but he's not!" Crazy Hand says sweetly. "He's not here at all, babey Lukey. He left me in charge, his little puppet, like a... GLOVE!" He waves his knife in the air, and Lucas shrinks back, terrified. "Porky needed a saboteur. That was me. He found me in prison, he knew what I could do, knew about my powers... so he took me and fitted this little chip to my neck." He whirls around, revealing something flashing red. "He tells me what to do from afar, and I do it. Isn't that magic? Isn't that CrAzY!? I was a perfect impostor, and I am so, so happy to serve."

"What about the real Headmaster Hand?" Lucas demands, quaking like a leaf. I want to hug him so badly, for being so brave for us, but I'm still restrained. "How long have you been impersonating him?"

"Aha! Good, great question!" Crazy Hand says. "Gold star for Lukey. Well, my little plum, I've been busy since September. I've been setting things up for Porky, doing as he told... creating these passages, even - did you know I can do that? Did you read Wiz. Ard's conspiracy theory? I'm a magician! Ol' Crazy Hand's got Creation powers! I made you a lovely golden egg, a lovely new bedroom, a lovely set of blueprints for Future Humans... Porky can see everything through me, he can even control them little devils. Nasty things, aren't they? But so, so chaotic - oOH! I love CHAOS!" In an instant, he grabs me by the shoulder, the knife inches from my face. "Porky's been waiting so long, working so hard for this one moment. What an honour that we get to bring it to him."

"Get off me," I cry, struggling again. "How is this - how is this possible?"

"Oh, Nessiekins..." He brings the tip to my nose, dropping his voice to a whisper. "Your brain is so tiny, and so, so fragile... I wonder what a knife would do to it? Or maybe I'll take your eyes? Would you like that, Nessie?"

"Please don't," I say, my voice impossibly small.

"How about I remind you why we're here?" he hisses.

"Not until you've stopped converting our friends!" Lucas says, but Crazy Hand growls, whacking him in the head.

"It's not optional," he snarls. "Let me tell you everything. Let me tell me how you failed. Look at Porky's works, and despair. Will you hear my tale?"

He raises his knife, and I frantically nod.

"Goodie!" He smiles, rapidly withdrawing, and I'm relieved when he stows the knife away. "So, it starts with last term, I suppose. I spent so long setting everything up, under Master Porky's instruction... He paid my prison bail, fitted this chip, and we got right to work. Porky's city was being built, he designed the Future Humans, and I fulfilled my role as Headmaster Hand's double. CHAOS REIGNED!"

I gulp.

"You see," he says, beginning to pace. "Porky paid my dear brother a little visit. He's been very generous to the school, ol' Minchy. Master Hand had no idea what was coming, and Porky locked him up in a nice, ickle little cage. That meant I could steal his powers, prepare my hideout, and get right to work."

"You're crazy," Lucas says, barely whispering.

"Clue's in the name," Crazy Hand says, finger-gunning. "Mad, always have been. Quite brilliant, if you ask the ladies. Now, Master Porky did most of the planning, of course. But he promised the world would be cRaZY if we followed his vision.."

"Please," Lucas interrupts, swaying against his post. "Stop this. J-Just get my friends to safety - save Ness - I'll, I'll do anything, I swear-"

"Aw, you really care about those friends of yours?" Crazy Hand giggles again. "Master Porky would love you to serve him, Lucas, he likes precious little boys like yourself... yet, they must be converted, I am so very sorry. But don't you worry your pretty baby face! They're being made better. Fitter, happier, and more productive." He does a strange little dance along with his words, before breaking into another sickeningly gleeful laugh.

"Future Humans aren't happier," I say, shaking.

"SHUT UP!"

I whimper.

"Good!" He pats me on the head. "Now, where was I? Well, then this term finally came! Ah, how it came... Porky opened his city, and started a war, leaving the world in mayhem. So many innocent people, all seeking shelter in New Pork City... but oh deary me, can you guess how they came out?"

"Future Humans," Lucas croaks.

"WOW, you are clever!" Crazy Hand squishes Lucas's cheeks. "Ahh, but it's brilliant, isn't it? For Porky, that was all a side project. His real goal lies right here."

"And what's his real goal?" I ask, shaking.

"Not telling! Haha!" He rubs his hands together, barely suppressing his mirth. "He's waited so long to get you both in this very position… years, even. He's excited. I feel it through my chip. He's watching us, right now... that's unimportant, though. I haven't finished telling you how I did it. I mean, that's the best bit!"

"We can skip it out," I say, but he pulls out his knife again, hissing.

"I will do it, Ness. I swear to you. I will kill you and gut you, right in front of Lucas, with only him to hear your screams."

"S-Sorry," I stammer, as he advances.

"Quite right, vermin." Crazy Hand spits on my face. "That's better. SO! I built this underground base, and I lured people here with messages tailored just for them. It worked an absolute treat! Then, Porky's lovely machines turned them into Future Humans, and they were all left under my control. The army grew, and when there were enough... I sent them after Lucas."

"Why me?" Lucas asks, shivering. The hairs on the back of his neck are standing on end. "W-What's this got to do with us?"

Crazy Hand sneers. "Ah, precious little Lukey. If only you knew… but never mind. Sending them after you was no good! They weren't very good at capturing, you see, because they weren't finished yet. Also, they hurt you. Master Porky didn't like that. He came here himself, and tried to kidnap you in the shower."

Lucas lets out a miniature scream. "That was - that was-"

"But Ness beat him up," Crazy Hand says remorsefully, pacing again. "Chaotic, but not what we wanted. Then, our plan started to go wrong... Headmaster Hand escaped his cage, Porky's book of blueprints vanished, and that meddling Ryu noticed the disappearances. So, I burnt the second Magical Monsters and Mythical Creatures book, starting a rather large fire.! Your bedroom burnt down, and I gave you a new one, which meant I could connect your old one up to the passages. But Porky didn't want the Future Humans coming to hurt Lucas... so I sent them after Ness, instead." He turns to me, sneering. "I trapped dear Nessie in a dream, using my magical golden egg. I thought he'd be stuck forever. But he wasn't, and now a little... surprise is inside the egg instead. Then, the Future Humans got him into a coma. But he was saved by the power of friendship." He spits on the ground.

I look glumly to the floor. Another thing we were wrong about, thinking the Future Humans were sent after Lucas to get at me.

"Why do you want to kill me?" I ask, trying not to sound as weak as I feel.

"Oh, easy." Crazy Hand grins. "Porky hates you. That means I do too."

"I've done nothing to him," I protest, shuddering at his expression.

"Oh, you may think that," Crazy Hand chuckles. "Unfortunately, you've done everything. In fact, this is all your fault! What fun!"

"It's not. It's your fault," Lucas says.

"Regardless," Crazy Hand continues, bringing out his knife again. "The real fun was the red herrings. You two thought you were little detectives, didn't you? First, you thought it was Ryu, after I created that figurine and hid it in his office."

"What is that figurine?" I demand, hating the knowing look in his eye.

"Just decorative," he says, before another grin takes shape on his face. "Really good for… a lot of other things, too."

"That's creepy!"

Crazy Hand turns on me again. "SHUT UP! I don't care what you think. I'm CRAZY! More importantly," he says, his tone immediately mellowing. "Wario. You all thought it was him. Big greedy man do big crimey wimey? NOPE! I had you two convinced. I had the professors convinced. Wario 'disappeared' after you started suspecting him. How suspicious! But oh dear, I took him away, and turned him into a Future Human."

A sick feeling rises in my stomach.

"The same with Meta Knight and Olimar," Crazy Hand says breezily. "I converted them too, the little toerags. I gave them clear instructions to attack Ness, but what did they do? Attacked Lucas! They deserved punishment for that, and they make great Future Humans. Just like your friend Dark Pit. And I, I-" All of a sudden, he stumbles back against the wall, clutching his head.

Lucas and I exchange a brief glance, making eye contact for the first time since arriving. My heart leaps.

"Goddamn - chip -" Crazy Hand gasps, breathless, grabbing a medicine bottle from his pocket and upending it into his mouth. He lets out a moan of relief, and the chip's frantic flashing slows. "Much better," he says. He steps forwards, shaking himself off as if nothing happened. But before he can continue, a crash rings out from behind a nearby door.

"Toon Link?" I call. "Villager? Ryu?"

"Beginning their conversions!" Crazy Hand says cheerfully. "About time, too. I can't wait to hear you cry about it."

"Don't hurt them!" I exclaim, desperately rearing at my bonds. "You can't!"

"I can and I will," Crazy Hand cackles. "Now, shut up for once, and let me enjoy myself."

Lucas whimpers, mumbling something incoherent.

"THEN CAME TONIGHT!" Crazy Hand shouts, drowning out anything Lucas is saying. "Ah, I had to host that miserable play. But oh diddly dear, your buddy ol' pal Pit beat someone up, and was taken to me beforehand. I kidnapped him. Then, I saw you'd found Magical Monsters and Mythical Creatures, so I knew it was time to bring this to an end. I popped out during the play, prepared the Future Humans for when you'd arrive, left a sneaky note, and you gullible pigeons followed it. Simple!"

"But you tried to stop us," Lucas protests. "You didn't want us to come."

"Reverse psychology works a trick," Crazy Hand says gleefully. "Ah, isn't it glorious? The Future Humans, bringers of chaos, Porky Minch's miracle of nature..."

"They're an abomination," I say, and Crazy Hand smacks me hard.

"They're divine," he hisses. "And now I'm going to explain how they work, so you'd better listen. They're beautiful, you see, controlled by Porky with a receiver unit inside each of them. Sometimes, if he doesn't want to do a full conversion, he'll just attach the receiver to the neck - like with me! But full conversions… Oh, they're so much fun. I get to torture the human until they go mad, beyond repair, crying for their mummies and daddies. I break them, tear them apart until they can't do anything but obey. The machines replace their body with metal. They feel nothing but pain, and they scream, they scream, and all they want to do is convert, to change the world... to rule under Porky Minch!"

"That's sick," Lucas whispers hoarsely. "Sick."

"I know," Crazy Hand says, relishing in our horrified expressions. "And see that, over there?" He nods towards an egg-like shape, protruding from the wall. "A transmitter - constant, automatic updates. I can issue commands to every single Future Human, and beam them out across the world. Isn't it great? So many puppets... I am just yet another, because Porky is so divine, so glorious! Though, even a man like him makes mistakes." He begins to pace again. "The Future Humans developed slowly. Torture seems to drive people back so far that they start speaking Latin, the root of modern language, I suppose. Something dumb. And then they started ticking, for some reason, which was great for dramatic effect, but awful for stealth. One started crying, and some rejects even ran off to Tazmily, converting dead bodies. The Dead Alive, they call them. Even now, the Future Humans are imperfect, whining 'Placet Auxilium!' all the time, because they can't take a little pain... but that is such a minor setback, compared to the rest of their glory. They can attack, defend, work as a team, convert... because this very morning, Porky solved it all! He paid Andonuts a final visit, and - ah, never mind. I ramble! Onto the more pressing matter of your demise!"

"What are you going to do to us?" Lucas asks, fearful.

"Oh, Porky has a very special role for you," Crazy Hand says, leering. "If you're lucky, he might even let you suck his dick."

Lucas pales, and once more I crave to reach for him, to hold him close. Another crash rings out, and I feel tears welling up again. This is hopeless, so bitterly hopeless.

"...But, that shall come later. Any questions?" Crazy Hand asks, smiling as if he's just finished an assembly.

"Yes," I say. "What were you doing in the forest that night?"

"Hmmm." Crazy Hand narrows his eyes. "It confused me when you brought that up before. I was never in the forest. I lied, told you that Wario sent me... perhaps it was Headmaster Hand escaping? Oh, and, before you ask, that poster was me, too. I decided you needed a helping hand. And I pummelled dear Bowsie, since he was creeping around with my bones."

"What about our gravestone?" Lucas asks, shaking. "What was that all about?"

"What?" Crazy Hand freezes. "Gravestone?"

"And the Face?" I exclaim.

"You're talking nonsense," Crazy Hand snaps. "Therefore, I've decided you've finished asking questions. So! I suppose that means it's time to... deal with you little pumpkins." He grins, tossing the knife in his hand. "I think you need a little punishment, don't you? I know loads of torture techniques. How about we start with-"

Boom.

Our heads all turn at once. A door explodes open, and to my utter delight, Toon Link strides through, shrouded in smoke and swelling with confidence. Villager follows with a whoop, Ryu behind him, Red and Pit hurrying after. And all of a sudden, it's no longer hopeless, and I cry out, because the day is saved!

"WHAT?" Crazy Hand growls. "How is this - how? You're supposed to be being converted!"

"Magic is helpful," Ryu says serenely. "The game is up, uh - hold on, you're not Headmaster Hand."

"I look exactly the same!" Crazy Hand exclaims. "How can you tell?"

"Magic," Ryu says again, even more serenely than before. "Not really, I heard you through the wall. Who are you, then?"

"His brother, Crazy Hand," Crazy Hand grumbles. "I'm behind everything. Porky Minch is my master. I'm not going through that explanation again."

"Porky?" Toon Link gasps. "Isn't he the guy who followed us around as kids?"

"Porky is not a creep!" Crazy Hand says, distracted, and Villager quickly hurries over to me and Lucas. He withdraws a penknife, slicing nimbly through our bonds. I give him a hushed thanks, rushing to Lucas's side.

"You okay?" I whisper, wiping the blood from his cheek. He gives a tiny nod, wrapping his arms around me. The bruise on his neck is concerning, shadowy and dark, and he winces when I touch it.

This is insane. Everything about this place is insane. Crazy Hand is mad, like a switch about to flip, and it's him. Impersonating Headmaster Hand. I don't understand how it can be possible, how nobody noticed anything, but maybe we should've. Maybe it was right there in front of us. You've changed, Headmaster, Rosalina had said.

She was right.

I feel sick. I just want Lucas to be safe. I just want to be safe. But we're not safe yet. There's still work to be done, still bravery to be felt.

Dizzy, I spin, raising my hands.

"PK-"

"Not yet!" Ryu exclaims, and I fall short. "We need to understand what's happened, Ness. Hold your peace."

"And I'd like to understand how you escaped my Future Humans!" Crazy Hand bellows. "They're strong! Almighty!"

"Well, they didn't seem to respond well to the weather outside." Ryu smiles. "Design flaw?"

"That storm!" Crazy Hand hisses. "Interfering with the transmitter… but once more, no matter! I have other assistance. Surprise assistance! Reveal yourself!"

In one swift movement, Red grabs Ryu by the throat.

"Red?" Villager exclaims. "What are you doing?"

"Oh, give his necky a little checky!" Crazy Hand sings, spinning around again. "He's been under Master Porky's control for quite a while."

Villager sweeps Red's hair out of the way, revealing yet another red flashing receiver unit. It looks exactly like what Bayonetta found inside that Future Human.

"How long has this been here?" Villager asks, trembling. "How long!?"

"A couple of days..." A slow grin takes form on Crazy Hand's face. "It was so easy! Imagine my surprise when your dear friend walked right into me, running away from the dining hall."

"That must've been after he got angry at me," Villager says faintly. "That means the apology - everything at the party - everything else-"

"Oh yes," Crazy Hand says with relish, and I glare, surging forward.

"PK FI-"

"Not yet!" Ryu exclaims, gasping, finally tearing free of Red's grip. "Crazy Hand, how do these chips work?"

"They let me control him, let me use him as a spy," Crazy Hand cackles. "Nice, crazy little tool, he was. So fun! And how sweet, Toon Link, asking dear Villager to be your boyfriend. Young love, how adorable."

"Fuck you." Villager tears the receiver off of Red's neck, shaking with anger. "Whoever you are - you're awful. Red is my best friend, and you do not hurt my friends."

"Ooh!" Crazy Hand mocks, Red toppling into Villager's arms. "Oh, I'm so terrified of this little child!"

"You should be terrified of me, though," Ryu says grimly, stepping forward. "I have powers beyond your imagination."

"Is that a declaration of war?" Crazy Hand asks sweetly.

"I declared war long ago," Ryu says, raising his hands. "But I'll give you a chance to back down. I offer the same to Porky, who I know is listening."

"Back down? Ha." Crazy Hand spits. "I have an army. Porky is powerful. Actually, I'm fed up with you all talking, because you're all lame. Suck mah balls!" He gives one last insane cackle. "GOOD LUCK!"

And with a shout, he spins away, the gas lamps flickering. Before anyone can stop him, he slams a hand on the egg-shaped transmitter - and there they are. Doors fly open, Future Humans pouring from every entrance. My grip tightens around Lucas as they come, Placet Auxilium echoing all around the walls. Toon Link cries out, grabbing Villager's hand and running. Pit tries to pick up Red, to no avail. I knew we should have PK Frozen him while we had the chance!

But we're prepared. We're stronger. We can do this.

I take Lucas's hand.

"PK FIRE!"

All hell breaks loose.

My shot arcs over the horde, sending a Future Human to the floor. Ryu tightens his headband, and he launches himself at the nearest creature with some high-intensity martial arts moves. Pit and Red are lost amongst the melee, but I can see them fighting, standing their ground.

"PK FREEZE!" Lucas cries, the room erupting in blue light. With a sickening realisation, I recognise Wario's face in the resultant block of ice, but he topples to the ground, and there's no time to mourn him. I launch a volley of flame at a pair making their way towards Toon Link, jumping as Crazy Hand grabs my shoulder.

"Good luck, Nessie! Good luck!"

"PK FIRE!" I yell, aiming at him, but he dives away towards the transmitter, cackling hysterically. Ignoring Crazy Hand, I duck under a metal fist, shoving aside a rotting hand. Lucas launches another fireball, and a group of Future Humans topple to the ground, screaming in their charred multitudes. But more appear from doors behind us, and I whirl around, dodging a blade.

"VILLAGER!" Toon Link cries behind us, and Lucas scampers off. I twist past another fist, my heart pounding, and my aggressor lets out a squeaky Placet Auxilium! when I knee it in the crotch.

"Praise him!" Crazy Hand calls. "PRAISE HIM!"

"QUIET!" Ryu commands, emerging by my side. He kicks at a metal chest, but another two emerge from the swarm, daggers in both of their hands. I finish off one with a PK Freeze, but Ryu is too slow to blast the other, taking a hit to the side. Gasping for breath, I frantically shove at it, and Lucas reappears, roasting it with fire.

"Thanks!" I call, regaining my balance.

"No problem!" he says.

Yet there's no time to rest. More are coming, and I dive under the legs of one, aiming at another that's approaching Pit. A trio springs from behind a machine, encircling Lucas, but Toon Link appears, punching one alarmingly in the face, and I aim yet another PK Fire, blasting another in the chest. I rush to finish off the last one, leaping over a stray metal boot, panting, just about avoiding what looks to be a sword. Pit shouts something, though I can't make it out amongst all the Placet Auxiliums.

"Keep it up!" Ryu says, leaping into the horde again. "Don't stop fighting!"

"GIVE UP!" Crazy Hand roars, chasing after him. "I WILL HAVE WHAT IS MINE!"

Lucas and I stand back to back. No matter how many we destroy, more seem to keep coming, endless. Crazy Hand laughs from the side of the room, Ryu blasting a Future Human with some kind of green ray. I notice Toon Link and Villager under pressure from a large gang of them, but I'm caught by surprise when a fist seizes my shirt, and I'm lifted in the air...

But Pit comes out of nowhere with a lightning-fast kick, and the creature topples. I recognise Meta Knight's face, and I kick at it, glad to see him destroyed, but again something shoves me from behind, and I tumble to the floor, suddenly finding myself in a sea of metal legs...

"Ness!" Lucas cries, quickly helping me up. "You okay?"

"Yeah," I say, wincing. "Come on!"

Thanking Pit, we hurry over to Toon Link and Villager, who are being pressed further and further back against the wall. Ryu assists Red's unconscious body, and Lucas launches the perfect shot, collapsing two Future Humans to the floor. Crazy Hand rushes past again, cackling like a lunatic.

"You can't win!" he squawks, spinning with his knife. "Fighty, fighty, fighty!"

Another pair goes down, but there must be hundreds more, crowding into this claustrophobic space. I can feel my magic draining, and our paths are blocked by a trio with shields, stepping forward with a growl. I aim a PK Fire, but it's somehow absorbed by the metal. I aim another at the head, which explodes, but more are approaching behind us, and Lucas shifts closer to me, desperately pulling for magic. Another of my attacks misses. And another. This is the fight that our lives may depend on, and I realise I have no idea what I'm doing. But Lucas and I are fighting together, and something about that gives me immense hope.

"PK FIRE!" I exclaim, barraging a Future Human with a faceful of flame.

"Placet Auxilium!" comes another cry to my left.

"GIVE UP!" Crazy Hand roars again. "Not long now!"

"PK Fire!" I shout in retaliation, my shot disappearing into the masses. A Future Human reaches out, and Lucas swivels around. We simultaneously blast it in the chest, sending it down.

But they keep on coming. Toon Link and Villager are forced back into a corner, Crazy Hang egging the Future Humans on with triumphant, maddening yells. There's a chaotic grinding sound to the right, the tang of blood starting to tease my mouth, and a steel arm swings right towards my head-

In a sudden blur, Lucas's fist collides with the metal. The Future Human is bustled aside, crying out. I give Lucas a quick thanks, but there's no time, as there are three more behind me - and even more to the left -

"Help!" Toon Link cries, as the swarm overtakes him and Villager. I shoot a stray PK Freeze, and Lucas lets out a pained noise, observing his bruised and bloody fist. It matches horribly with the bruise on his neck, which I briefly register has turned red. I grip his other hand, thrusting my hands forward.

"PK FIRE!" I bellow, but again, I hit a shield, which splinters in two. Pit lets out a yelp nearby, just about keeping his balance. Ryu's disappeared somewhere, and just like that, Toon Link and Villager sink below the swarm.

"What do we do?" Lucas cries desperately. "What the hell do we do, Ness? There are too many!"

"No - we can do this!" I exclaim, still determined, despite the onset of many metallic hands around us. "C'mon, we just have to-"

"Ness!" Lucas grabs my shoulder, kicking at an approaching beast. "I can't - I - my magic's getting weaker!"

"PK Freeze!" I yell. Ribbons of blue fly from my hands, but they come to nothing. "PK FIRE!" Only orange.

"There has to be another way!" Lucas cries, and in an instant, Hinawa's words come rushing back. Remember the storm. But what good is that?

Lucas shoves a blade out of the way. They're herding us, driving us back to the machine room. I hear the whir of machinery starting up, and I close my eyes, desperately thinking. The storm. The lightning. Striking. Electricity. Receiver. Transmitter...

Something pushes at my shoulder. The door swings open, the machines getting louder, and then it hits me.

"I've got it!" I cry. "Red's funny turns! When there was thunder, it sent Red all weird!" I grab Lucas's arm, practically yelling over the Placet Auxiliums. "We need lightning! It messes with the transmitter, and with the receivers - there's one in every Future Human!"

"How do we get lightning?" Lucas shouts, dodging a fist. He presses back against the wall, frantically pushing at the mess of limbs. "Ness! How do we get lightning?"

I grab his hand.

"PK THUNDER!"

An almighty crash fills the room.

I feel a tug in my gut, and suddenly, light sears from my hands. White tendrils spiral from my fingertips, erupting into the sky, before they suddenly dive, coalescing into some kind of hovering, blinding ball. Electricity crackles through me, my hair standing on end, my skin tingling - it's too much, so much power, but the Future Humans have stopped, they've frozen, faces open in horror. I rear, the ball of lightning pummelling me with force, desperate to be released, and I close my eyes, straining to control it, straining to harness the energy.

"In here!" Lucas yells, throwing open the door to the machine room. Toon Link and Villager cry out, emerging from the statued Future Humans, beaten and bruised. Pit comes next, shouting over the sizzling lightning, diving through the metal. Ryu shoves at Crazy Hand, desperately trying to throw him off, and I wince as the ball begins to shake, hissing and spitting with magnitude. The earth itself reverberates.

"Quick!" Lucas shouts. Ryu grapples at Crazy Hand again, but Crazy Hand laughs, producing a knife.

"I don't THINK so!"

"QUICK!" Lucas bellows. My raised arms begin to shake under the weight of the magic, the sheer power of the lightning. I can feel how it wants to burst, but I close my eyes, pulling at all my strength.

"Begone!" Ryu yells, kicking at Crazy Hand, but Crazy Hand laughs, pinning him down.

"THERE'S NO TIME!" Lucas screams, and I yell, feeling my strength begin to slip - tension tearing at my arms - and just like that, Ryu topples Crazy Hand to the side, darting towards the machine room. He shoves past the Future Humans, his bandanna flowing from his head. He dives, just as I lose all strength - and my arms collapse, and there's crackling, madness - I feel the force of the magic moving through me, and then, with an almighty bang, it explodes.

Ribbons of light fly out in all directions. They roar, sizzling, searing my every nerve. I madly sweep my hands, and then they're plummeting, plummeting into Future Humans, pouring into their chests, their helmets, their faces. Screams join the cacophony as they fall, and Crazy Hand yells as the tendrils chase him too, menacingly sizzling. They encircle him, but just as they dive, Crazy Hand reveals something shiny, and what comes next happens too fast to process.

The tendrils spark, changing their target. They plunge into the object, and I feel my control over them disappearing at once. Then, before I know it, the lightning is returning, crackling louder than ever, moving impossibly fast, and it's coming.

It's coming for me.

I scream, raising my arms, but something red and flurried knocks me off guard. I tumble to the side, my chin hitting the floor, my vision momentarily flashing. The bolts dive, and there's an almighty scream as my saviour is seared with the force of 400,000 volts.

Professor Ryu.

The light fades.

The last of the electricity dies, flickering out with a single spark. I tear myself from the ground, but it's too late, because Ryu is lying there, not breathing, his heart defeated. I desperately press my hands to his chest, even though it's no use at all.

I can feel it. He's gone.

I blink, staring around at the sea of bodies, the sudden silence feeling so, so empty. He's the odd one out amongst the charred Future Humans, destroyed, eviscerated to the ground. It looks wrong, everything about it, like some sort of sickening graveyard. The smell of burning flesh reaches my nostrils, and I retch, falling back over Ryu's body.

Remember what is real, he said, time and time again. We never remembered. We failed, missing every trick, every lie. I was close to your father, he told us, and now I'll never know why. I'll never understand how someone so good could've known someone so bad. The right thing is all I ever wanted to do, he said.

He got his final wish.

I sob, clinging to his robes, feeling heat, misery, hopelessness tearing through me. He was our guide, even when we didn't always trust him. He was a good man, who saved our lives more times than I can even count. Now he's made the ultimate sacrifice, all for me.

Just for me.

As I clutch Ryu's shirt, Lucas comes over, burying his face deep into my chest. Our cries fill the silence, surrounding Ryu's scorched body. I wrap my arms around it, clutching it tight, as if that might somehow bring him back, but it doesn't, and I know it won't. I can scarcely comprehend it, not even when it's right in front of me, and as I hold him, the horrible truth lodges itself in my brain.

He was the closest thing to a proper father I had.

And it's torture, when Crazy Hand coughs out from the floor.

"Whoopsie Daisy... Ryu's deady-weady! What's baby Nessie going to do now?"

"FUCK YOU!" I roar, tearing towards him, grabbing him by his beastly throat. "YOU SHOULD BE DEAD!"

"Oh, really." Crazy Hand rolls his eyes. "With all this technology, you didn't think that I wouldn't be prepared? Master Porky knows what you are, Ness. He knows what you can do."

I snatch the glittering object from his hand. It's circular, with a gold rim, painted with a blue lightning bolt. The word MOTHER is inscribed on top.

"A Franklin Badge," Crazy Hand says. "Reflects PK Thunder at the sender. So, really, you should be dead. Lucky that ol' Ryu has good reflexes."

I feel another explosion of rage. His features are blackened, smouldered, but that's not enough. I tear his knife from his pocket, holding it up against his neck.

"Tell me why I shouldn't kill you," I hiss. "Tell me."

He gives a tiny smile, waving at the space behind me. "Because my master is here to see you."

I whirl around, and if tonight could somehow get any worse, it does. A dark shadow descends the chimney, landing tidily in the fireplace. The man steps forward, his arm outstretched, clasping a revolver in his hand.

BANG.

Crazy Hand crumples to the floor. Porky Minch blows the smoke from his gun, adjusting his bowler hat.

"I hope I'm not late to the party?"

His presence is massive, even larger than when I last saw him. He has a certain air about his figure, one of magnitude, of a man who's been winning his whole life. I look wildly between his face, Ryu's form, and the blood trickling from Crazy Hand's body. Lucas stares back at me with tear-stained cheeks, and Toon Link edges out from the machine room, clutching Villager's hand.

"You," I snarl, baring my hands into fists. "You."

"Me," Porky says easily, tossing his revolver so it falls neatly in his pocket. He spread his arms. "Lovely to see you, Ness! And even lovelier to see you, Lucas."

"But - Crazy Hand," Lucas says, gibbering. "You shot him."

"Surplus to requirements," Porky says, waving a hand. "I hope you will forgive the mess. He did his job well, but... alas." He averts his eyes, looking briefly at the bruise on Lucas's neck. "His purpose was served. I prefer to work alone, you see."

"This is all your fault," I say, shaking, looking down at Ryu, at the Future Humans littering the floor. "I should've known."

"You really should've," he says, shrugging. "I left a lot of clues. Crazy Hand was a barely passable impostor. Who else could've invented something so majestic?"

"Y-You..." I raise my arms, shaking. "I told you what happens when you hurt my friends!"

"You did," Porky says, stepping forward. "I chose not to listen."

"PK FIRE!"

Flames rush from my hands. They hurtle towards Porky, but he laughs, spreading his arms, basking in the heat.

"Your powers are admirable!" he says, grinning as the light dies down. "But did you really think, after I created all this beauty, I wouldn't try upgrading myself?"

"What do you mean?" I demand, my voice quavering. "That's impossible."

Porky laughs, a great, wheezing laugh. He tears back the sleeve of his shirt, and where the flesh of his upper arm should be, there is what can only be described as gore. Flesh trails from the bone like ribbons, damaged and mutilated. There are great craters where skin has tried to heal, a raw, angry red.

"See this?" he hisses bitterly. "Every single Future Human, every receiver unit, it has a little piece of me inside it. A little piece of my flesh. That's how I can control them all. But it works both ways. A little piece of me in them - it means that so long as they live, I live."

"That makes no sense," I say, my stomach churning, anger and nausea boiling inside me. "The Future Humans are all gone."

"Magical, isn't it?" Porky sneers. He tears his sleeve back down. "I'm the greatest inventor of all time for good reason, Ness. And you may have killed my Future Humans, but I have many, many more. This is so much bigger than your pathetic little school. I have ranks in Onett, ranks in New Pork City, ranks in Tazmily. All mine. Indebted to me."

I hold my ground, shaking with fury. "You make me sick."

"And yet, who will stop me?" Porky raises his arms, looking around at us all. "GO ON! Who will stop me? Who's brave enough, strong enough to end this? Toon Link, you? Timid Villager? Broken Pit? None of you have the courage!"

But slowly, Lucas lets Ryu's body fall to the floor. He rises, blood painting his shirt, trailing down his cheek. He walks, and I watch him as he comes beside me, taking my hand in his.

"Justice will stop you," he says.

Porky stares for a moment. "Justice?" But then he throws his head back, croaking with laughter, his bowler hat falling from his head. "There is no justice here! Not in this filthy city!"

"You may think so," Lucas says. "I thought so too, for a while. But then I learnt to count up the good things. How many good things are in your life, Porky?"

"Uncountable quantities," he says, still laughing. "I have a city. I have the world!"

"So why haven't you killed us yet?"

Porky freezes. I watch him as he processes the question, his mind practically humming. Toon Link and Villager creep out from the machine room, watching, ready to intervene.

"Because I'm merciful," Porky says eventually, and I scoff.

"You're not merciful. You've murdered too many people to count. You've converted so many innocents into Future Humans. You killed Lucas's mother." In a quick move, I reach out, catching the knife that Toon Link throws from Crazy Hand's body. "Let us go, or I'll slice you into a million pieces. Immortality won't save you from eternal agony."

"I have a revolver," Porky says. "You would be too slow."

"I don't see you reloading it."

"And why is that?" Porky asks loudly, holding his hands up, stepping back. "Why do you think that is? Because if you think I'm scared of you - ha! Don't make me laugh!"

"Just let us go!" I yell. "I mean it!"

"I mean it!" Porky says mockingly. "God, such a temper, Ness. Do you really think I mean to kill you? You really think I'm evil? I'm a... pariah! That's the word. I'm doing good for the world."

"Then you're deluded!"

"And you're so rude to me," Porky says, his eyes narrowing. "I've been nothing but nice to you, Ness. I will have what I want in the end, and you will be punished for what you've done. But until then, I think I'll let you get on with your faggot lives. I'll let you go. So much more to do, don't you think?"

"We're not going," Lucas says, shaking. "This ends now. No more Future Humans. No more ruined lives."

"Oh, but you are," Porky simpers. "Crazy Hand lined the walls with gunpowder. Just one switch, and you're all dead. Play my game, Lucas. Do it my way."

"You'll die too," Lucas warns, though he winces.

"Immortality," Porky reminds him, tearing back his sleeve. "I don't think I will."

"You're not invulnerable," Lucas says. "You'll be torn to pieces."

"And my Future Humans will kill everyone in my absence. What fun!" Porky presses a button, and a rope ladder falls from the chimney. "Go on, get out of here. Lick your wounds. We'll meet again, very soon, and it will be a fair fight. Take your dead, too." He nods towards Ryu. "I know how you hold these things sacred."

But I press the button again, causing the ladder to crash to the floor. "Bullshit," I say. "You'll just kill us when our backs are turned. You don't play fair. You're evil."

"I'm being serious!" Porky takes out his revolver, throwing it to the ground. It skitters across the floor, landing next to Crazy Hand's body. "I'm a man of my word, Ness. I swear to you."

"Ow," Lucas mutters, putting a hand to his neck. I surge forward, glaring at Porky's beastly, piggy eyes.

"That's a lie within itself. You'll hurt us. You always hurt us."

"I do not!" Porky gasps, offended. "Please, both of you. You must be reasonable."

"I am being reasonable," I snarl. "I know what you're like. I know how you operate."

"...But he's right," Lucas mutters.

I turn in alarm. Lucas's lower lip is trembling, blood trickling from it, the bruise on his neck beginning to swell. Behind him, Pit groans under Red's weight, Villager and Toon Link shaking, looking towards Ryu's body.

"Lucas," I say, bewildered. "What the fuck?"

"He's right," Lucas says again. He looks around at everything, Porky's widening grin, the terrified faces of the others. "We can't win, not here, not now. We have to leave."

But he has a funny glint in his eye. The quirk of a smile on his lips.

His scheming face. He's got a plan.

"What?" I exclaim, playing along. "But - Lucas - he'll take over the world!"

"Maybe," Lucas says innocently, turning towards Porky. "You'll let us go, right? You'll let us climb that ladder and get to safety?"

"Absolutely." Porky slaps the button on the wall, and the ladder tumbles back down the chimney. "I'm glad you see sense, Lucas."

"But Lucas," I say. "What if it's a trap?"

"He'll kill us regardless," Lucas says. "He's mad enough to light that gunpowder and explode us all. We don't have a choice."

"But people are being hurt!" I say, staring at him. Suddenly, I'm not so sure what his plan is. "We've got to end this, Lucas - it's like you said - this suffering can't continue!"

"Ness." Lucas clutches my wrist, that look in his eyes again. "We can't fight right now, because we'd lose. We have to admit defeat. Besides, we got what we came for, right? We've got Pit back. We can come back stronger."

"But - bravery," I say faintly. "We have to be brave."

"This is being brave," Lucas says. "Being brave is knowing when to give in. Being brave is picking your battles. Being brave is accepting that you've lost. And we have!" he says, turning back to Porky.

"Quite right," Porky says, nodding sincerely. I look between him and Lucas, the dead bodies on the floor, quite unable to process the situation. Anger mixes with fear, uncertainty, more worry than I can begin to handle. This is obviously a trap. Everything about this is obviously a trap. So what on earth is Lucas playing at?

"Come on," Lucas says, nodding at Villager and Toon Link. Hastily, the pair pick up Ryu's body, groaning under its weight. I keep watching Porky, following his beady eyes. I step toward the ladder, and then I see it.

Tucked in Porky's hand.

Crazy Hand's blade.

"Lucas!" I cry. Porky grins, rushing forward, but Lucas is one step ahead of me.

"PK FREEZE!"

Porky's eyes widen with horror, the blade toppling from his hand. Ice erupts from Lucas's palms as if in a dream, a mighty stream of frost glistening in the darkness. It spins with menace, and then Lucas thrusts his hands forward, sending it plummeting towards Porky's heart. It doesn't hesitate, it doesn't falter, Lucas's eyes blazing with the force of it, and before Porky can even scream, he's frozen in a block of ice.

It's almost too simple.

"Well then," Lucas says, blowing the snow from his fingertips. "I thought he'd try something like that. Immortal, but not invulnerable. Shall we go?"

"But Lucas," I say faintly. "You just froze Porky Minch. You froze him in a block of ice."

"I did," Lucas says, a funny smile on his face. "It felt quite good."

"...You're a fucking badass."

But Lucas puts a hand to his neck again, wincing. I frown, hurrying forward, looking at the bruising. It's growing, or at least, it seems to be. Lucas staggers, and I clutch onto him, supporting his balance.

"Sorry," Lucas gasps, regaining his composure. "I don't know what Crazy Hand did - but it's fine. Come on. We need to get Red to safety."

"But what do we do with Porky?" Toon Link asks, nodding towards the block of ice. "Do we kill him?"

"We need to get Red to safety first," I say, still holding onto Lucas's fragile form. "Get the police, too - they'll arrest Porky. Tell Rosalina to come here - she'll know what to do. Lucas and I can stay behind, and - and we'll make sure Porky doesn't escape."

"Alright," Toon Link says. "Are you okay, though? You seem pretty shaken up."

"We just fought an enormous battle, and froze the richest man in the world into a block of ice." I force a smile. "I'm fine, how about you?"

"Me too," Toon Link says. His smile is equally forced. "Me too."

He joins the others in picking up Red, hauling his body towards the ladder. Lucas helps despite his injuries, aiding Red's body past the first few rungs. I study the block of ice, taking in Porky's frozen expression of fear, the receding hairline, the new lines that have formed since I last saw him. It's weirdly satisfying.

In a way, perhaps Porky should've seen this coming. He's mad, he has to be. Because much as I hate to admit it, he was right. He won. We were half dead, bleeding and exhausted from fighting. We were mentally and physically drained. But just like usual, his arrogance got the better of him - Lucas doesn't give up. He should know that.

Slightly giddy, I lean against the wall. It almost seems too easy. Worryingly easy. We didn't have to fight him, or even land a single blow. Maybe it's all a power play to him, or maybe it's a game, like we're his rabbits in a cage. Perhaps he wanted us to win, perhaps he's somehow masochistic in a sick, twisted way. Then again, it doesn't really matter, not when there's so much else to be thinking about. So much guilt.

My elation fades.

I turn back to face Ryu's body. Toon Link and Lucas have moved to prop it up against a machine, its limp, bloody and broken form. I want to be angry, to destroy things, but my anger is second to everything else. The exhaustion. My drained magic. The fact that something still feels wrong, itching at the back of my mind.

The fact that this isn't over.

"See you in a bit," Pit says, taking me out of my thoughts. I nod with recognition, and he disappears up the chimney, Red's fragile form in tow.

"We'll be as quick as we can," Villager adds, going next. He gives Toon Link an uneasy smile as he does. "Good luck, guys."

"Yeah, being underground with a frozen body." Toon Link smiles. "What could possibly go wrong?"

"Goodbye," I say, rolling my eyes. Toon Link follows Villager out of the chimney, clambering away into the distant storm above. Silence falls, and it feels weirdly unnerving. Lucas comes towards me at once, his eyes blazing, filled with all kinds of emotions that I can't quite detect. There's so much to talk about, now. So much we still don't understand, even about each other.

"Well," Lucas says. "I guess we have to wait?"

"You did it," I say hoarsely.

"Not quite." Lucas's expression is grim. "We've still got about a thousand Future Humans to deal with. Plus, if Rosalina can't kill him, what do we do with Porky?"

"Freeze him over and over?" I suggest. I look back at the giant block of ice; it gives me the creeps, somehow. "Or turn him in to the police."

"He'll escape immediately," Lucas says. "Honestly, they're more corrupt than the Onett Council. Are you okay, though? Crazy Hand hurt you a lot."

"He hurt you too," I say, moving again to look at that bruise on his neck. "Seriously, what happened? Did he hit you while you were asleep?"

"I don't know..." Lucas puts his fingers to it, his pale hand jarringly contrasting with the grey flesh. "It aches, like there's something there. I hope he didn't inject me with something."

"Are you going to be okay?" I ask.

"I'm not sure." Lucas grimaces, dropping his voice down to a whisper. "And I hope the others come back soon. Porky's giving me the creeps."

I look over again at the ice. Porky's eyes look wild, and worse, it feels as if they're looking straight at us. That unnerving prickle hits me again.

"Come on," I say, standing up too quickly. "Let's do something else - let's, uh - let's look at the machinery while we've still got a chance."

"Good idea," Lucas says, his eyes trained on Porky's frozen face. "Very, very good idea."

He follows me, and we head over to one of the big, metal contraptions in the room. It seems complicated, like some kind of manufacturing line, covered in buttons and switches and unfamiliar knobs. I want to press the buttons and pull the levers, but something tells me that might not be good.

So, having learnt nothing, we sit back down again, just taking comfort in each other's presence. All of this has been mad, but it's quite possibly over. It feels like we're at the eye of a storm, all these dead bodies around us, the floor littered with metal and flesh. It's sickening. I turn away, burying my face into Lucas's shoulder.

"You never answered my question," Lucas says, touching my palm.

"Which one?"

"I asked if you were hurt. If Crazy Hand hurt you."

"Oh." I look down, shrugging. "I'll be fine. Just some cuts and bruises."

"He hurt you mentally." It's not a question.

"I guess," I say. "He did the same to you."

Lucas hugs me, closely, tightly, and suddenly, I feel like crying. I hug him back, shaking from it all, everything we've been through. Everything we've seen.

"Is it over?" I ask, my voice weak. "Is it finally over?"

"Nearly," Lucas says softly. "It's going to be okay, Ness. It's all going to be okay."

Yet he winces, putting another hand to his neck. He coughs, rubbing at the bruise, and I grab at him, worry beginning to grow. Lucas looks up at me, giving a weak smile.

"Maybe we should get you to the hospital ward," I say, uneasy. "You're not well."

"No, I'm - ow - Ness - ow!"

"Lucas!?"

"Ness! It's - Ness, it-"

It happens too fast for me to process. All of a sudden, Lucas throws his head back, and out of his mouth comes an ear-piercing scream. I flail, accidentally dropping him to the floor. Then, from behind me, comes a smashing noise.

"Well then," Porky says, stepping over Crazy Hand's body. "Shall we continue where we left off?"

Terror floods through me at once. I drop to Lucas's side as he cries out, clawing at his neck.

"Great that your meddling friends are finally gone," Porky says gleefully, skipping over with his knife. "And, look! It's starting!"

"What's starting?" I say, desperately clinging to Lucas's body. "What did you do? What did you do to him?"

"I won," Porky says, grinning. "Whoops!"

"Won?" Panic flashes through me. "You were frozen! You were - PK FREEZE!"

But Porky deflects the blow. "PK Freeze is temporary, Ness! Do your research before using your magic!"

Lucas screams again, and all rationality vanishes. I pull him up into my arms, desperately searching, desperately clinging to his body. The bruise on his neck is hot, but then the rest of him is writhing, his face contorted in pain.

"Crazy Hand did his job well," Porky says, dancing around like a jester. "One tiny microchip, activating my brand new software update. Implanted into your little friend's neck while he was unconscious. You don't beat me, Ness. You can't!"

"Lucas," I say, pleading, my heart pounding. "What do I do?"

But Lucas just screams again, incapable of words, knuckles white. He seizes my shirt, spasming, and I try to steady him, but he's so far gone, and - and-

"WHAT THE HELL HAVE YOU DONE TO HIM?"

"The microchip needed a vessel!" Porky sings. "There are a million electrical pulses, all coursing through his body. When they're released, every Future Human will receive new instructions. Instructions to take over the world. Instructions to destroy Onett. Instructions to convert everyone!"

"P-PK THUNDER!" I cry, aiming at Porky's face. Lightning shoots out, but Porky laughs, sidestepping the blow.

"Too late, Ness! The update is in Lucas, now. In approximately one minute, it'll go live!"

"And what will happen to Lucas?" I demand. "What happens to him!?"

"Oh, he'll be fine!" Porky waves a hand. "He's just a wire, there to connect the circuit."

But I can hardly believe him, Lucas's eyes turning bloodshot, his screams dry and grating. He thrashes, tearing at my shirt, yelling, pleading for help. I try to telepathically take the pain away, I try to hold him, but it does no good, again and again. He cries. I frantically let out a sob, watching my world tear itself apart.

"You planned all this," I say bitterly. "You knew this would happen!"

"Of course. You see, I'm a genius!" Porky spreads his arms. "Didn't you listen to dear Crazy Hand? I'm the greatest inventor of all time! I control everything!"

Lucas screams again, his face screwed up impossibly tight, his body thrashing. I try to keep him still, to soothe him, but I can hardly think. I hold him close, and he yells again, muffled in my shirt, struggling with agony.

"So, fifty seconds until I win!" Porky calls. "My future Humans will convert everyone. It will be the end as we know it!"

"So stop it!" I cry. "Just stop it! If the microchip sends those instructions - everyone dies."

"I know!" Porky jumps toward me, cackling. "I want them to die! This world is so rotten, don't you see it? Everyone lives for themselves, everyone is so, so stupid, except for me. I must control it all. I must!"

"Ness," Lucas gasps, writhing, emanating broken sobs. "Ness."

"I've got you," I promise, clutching him tightly. "I'm here."

"Forty seconds," Porky declares. "Ah, I can't wait! The world in flames. Everything destroyed. It'll be perfect. What's your plan, Ness?"

"N-Ness!" Lucas says again, his feet involuntarily kicking. "Don't let it - the update-"

"It's going to be okay," I say. "I promise, I swear-"

"It's gonna - it's gonna end everything-"

"I'll protect you-"

"KILL ME!"

The words die on my lips. My stomach drops, my grip loosening completely. Lucas rolls from my arms, tumbling and writhing on the floor.

"Kill me! If you don't - the update - the end of the world!"

"He's got a point," Porky says thoughtfully. "If he's dead, the microchip can't function... Fancy making that choice, Ness?"

"No!" I cry. "He's - Lucas!"

"Please!" Lucas begs, and he shoves his forehead to mine, and suddenly, I can feel it. The agony. Not physically, but mentally - and it's enough to make me scream.

"Twenty seconds!" Porky calls, delighted. "What will you choose, Ness? What will you choose?"

"Ness," Lucas cries, forcing every word into my mind. "You have to kill me - you have to do it, or it's over. It's all over!"

"It's just the pain talking," I say, shaking. "You don't - you don't mean that-"

"Oh, sorry," Porky says, forcing Crazy Hand's knife into my hand. "You might be needing this."

"NO!" I cry. "I won't - I can't!"

"We'll die anyway!" Lucas shouts.

"Don't talk like that!" My heart breaks, and I prise myself away from Lucas's forehead, shaking. "I-I won't! I refuse!"

"P-Please, Ness!" Lucas writhes in agony. "You have no other options!"

"Yes, I do!" My eyes leak in spite of themselves. "I promised I'd keep you safe. I promised to get you out of here! You can't make me do this. You can't!"

"NESS!" Lucas shouts, furious, the pain searing his voice. "Y-You have to, or everything we love, everyone we love is destroyed!"

"But I love you!" I sob. "You can't die!"

Porky giggles. "Ten... Nine... Eight..."

"I must die!" Lucas's eyes swim, his legs jerking with unkempt agony. "N-Ness, I love you too! But this is the only way - it's right!"

"Lucas..." My voice breaks. I tremble in place, a sheen of sweat coating my forehead. This is it. Hinawa's impossible decision. Lucas, or the world. Of course it would come to this, after everything else.

"Do it!" Lucas begs, jerking madly with pain. "Please!"

I feel my head spin. My lungs ache, dry and empty. I should have seen this coming. I really should have seen this coming. I fell for it, every trick, every trap, every lie. I was the perfect plaything, doing just as I was supposed to. Every deceit, every ruse was genius, every action planned out to the tiniest detail.

I fell for it all.

My chest raw, I embrace the ground. Bravery, Ness. Bravery. But bravery is impossible, so impossible when it comes to this.

Porky's smile widens. "Five... Four..."

I grip the knife's handle, my hand shaking. Lucas screams again, begging, but I can't hear anything, only the rushing noise in my head, the delicate beating of Lucas's heart. I'm going to have to mess it all up.

"Three..."

"Lucas," I whisper, holding him close, my trembling hands guiding the blade to his beautiful neck. It's blemishless, so perfect, soft yet impossibly smooth. I shut my eyes tight, willing myself not to see it when it happens, praying for it to end. Lucas wails. I draw the knife closer and closer, making baby steps to what I know I have to do. To the decision that must be made.

To what I must do to save the world.

"Two..."

I want to throw up. Everywhere. But I'm brave. For the first time, I'll be brave when I'm needed. I'll never forgive myself, I'll never be able to live with myself again, but it's never been about me. None of this has ever been about me.

I take a deep breath.

"One..."

And I plunge the knife in.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

...to the ground.

I collapse onto Lucas, sobbing, tugging him into my arms. Never could I harm him! How could he think I would? How could anyone? I don't care if everyone else dies, because I love my Lucas, I love him so much - I need him, the world is nothing without him! But then he looks up, his expression broken, and my stomach starts to sink.

"Ness?" he says weakly.

"Lucas?"

In a sudden burst, he pushes me off him. "Ness!"

"So the process begins," Porky cackles. "For a moment there, Ness, I thought you had the guts to do it."

"Shut the hell up," I say, shaking. "Lucas, please-"

"Ness - the world-" He stumbles back. "You - you sentimental idiot!"

"I love you," I say, desperate, but Lucas shoves me away, tears in his eyes.

"It's over, Ness! When those things take over Tazmily, when they take over Onett, it's over!"

"We'll take care of it-"

"And what if your mother's been taken? Or Tracy, or my dad? What if they're being converted, thanks to you?"

"They..." I fall short, my dry throat cracking and crumbling. "How's the pain?" I blunder. "It is gone?"

"Yes, of course it's gone!" His voice rises to a shout. "It went when the update started the end of the world!"

"Lucas, I don't - this is so silly." I feel my expression wibbling. "I couldn't do it. I couldn't hurt you!"

But Lucas shoves me again, anger in his eyes. "It was my choice, Ness. Not yours!"

"You made me do it, Lucas!" I'm crying again. "Why would you put that pressure on me? Why would you ever put that on me?"

"Because in case you hadn't noticed, I was being tortured!" He lets out a noise, covering his face with his hands. "I-I needed you to do it for me, Ness. You - you let me down. You let the world down!"

"But I couldn't!" I shiver, a sick feeling of shame rising inside my chest. I'm selfish. Millions are going to die, and it's all my fault. "I just couldn't do it, okay?"

"And y-you know what?" Lucas says, misery tainting his eyes. "I shouldn't have expected anything else. You're always willing to throw anything away, just for me, just for my safety. But I can do things for myself, Ness. I can make my own decisions. You couldn't even let me do that. I - I... don't know if you ever have."

He breaks down into sobs. All I can do is stare, gormless, lost for words. Porky cackles in the background, but he doesn't matter, not anymore. My world feels like it's coming down around me.

I was right, wasn't I? I made the right decision? But Lucas weeps, looking away.

What have I done?

What have I done?

You've killed tens of thousands of people with your selfishness.

Even Buttercup agrees. I wipe the residual blood from beneath my eye, barely seeing. I hate this. I hate myself.

"Well," Porky says with a hearty laugh. "Now that my plan is complete, I think I'll keep you here for a while."

His words make me sick to my stomach. I deserve this. I deserve everything.

"And one more thing." Porky turns to me. "Your suffering's only just begun, Ness. You're due a lot more hurt before your debt is repaid."

But I hardly hear, falling down against the wall. My head pounds with the weight of what I've done. The knife is still there, clean, unblemished. And yet, the blood of millions lies on my hands.

"And with that, I'm done here," Porky says, retrieving his bowler hat. "This bunker is out of commission." He goes to the ladder, climbing with surprising efficiency, kicking Lucas in the face when he tries to stop him.

"Get back here!" Lucas cries, blood pouring down his cheek. "GET BACK HERE!"

But Porky draws his revolver, shooting the button with a bang. The button explodes, and the ladder tumbles, leaving Lucas sprawled on the concrete.

"See you later!" Porky says, his voice echoing down the chimney. "I told you - I always win!"

"Get back here - come back!" Lucas yells. "Come back!"

But there's no reply. Porky is gone. In a moment of rage, Lucas swings his fist, punching at the wall. He cries out, kicking at it again and again, but then he falls to the floor, sobbing into his hands.

Guilt twists in my stomach. I force my eyes shut. Scorched Future Humans lie everywhere, surrounding Crazy Hand's ruined corpse. Blood trails the walls, next to the sparking, shattered remains of the button.

I cry, burying my head in my filthy knees. I'm a monster. A monster. The world is ending, and it's all my fault. Porky is out there, and we let him get away. And then there's Ryu, who I'd almost forgotten amidst the chaos. I hate how underwhelming his death now seems, especially compared to everything else. I haven't even begun to process it yet, begun to think about it.

Nothing will ever make this right. It was my blast that killed him, my thunder, reflected in that stupid Franklin badge. He was our guide, the wisest person we knew, and without him, we're doomed.

Without him, we haven't even got hope.

There's a sudden knocking at a door. It flies open, and Toon Link hurries in, flanked by Professor Rosalina, both of them panting for breath. The darkness of the passages looms behind them.

"It's true," Rosalina says hoarsely, rushing over to Ryu's body. "Oh - oh God, Ryu..."

"Where the hell is Porky?" Villager asks, hurrying in behind them. "What the hell happened?"

"Is Red safe?" I ask, my voice coming out hoarse. It's the only thing that seems to matter.

"I left him with the nurse," Toon Link says, looking at the ice covering the floor, the blood on Lucas's face. "Ness, come on. Tell us about it later. We've got to get out of here."

It's only then that I process their arrival, what this means. But Porky probably expected us to escape. He probably planned it, aims to catch me again, to make me suffer some more. I make to get up, but Lucas blocks me, a serious expression on his face.

"Ness," he says coldly.

"I'm sorry," I murmur, sounding so impossibly small.

"We'll have to fix it now," Lucas says, his gaze fixed on my face. "You understand that, right?"

I nod, unable to find anything else to do.

"Porky's going to be busy," he continues. "He'll be planning. His Future Humans are coming, and it's our responsibility to stop them."

Again, I nod, unable to meet his gaze. He reaches out his hand, and for a moment, I think he's going to offer it. But then he turns away, marching towards the door.

I follow him out to the passageway, the world passing by as though in a dream. Toon Link comes behind me, his hand tightly clenched around Villager's, the pair of them giving me worried looks. Rosalina takes a few moments by Ryu's body, but she lays it to rest, writing something on parchment and leaving it by his side.

I watch as she comes to us, downcast and crooked. How many more ambitions will Porky ruin? How many more lives will he claim? It's impossible to know, but Lucas is right. The responsibility lies on our shoulders to fix this. So many people need to be avenged.

So many people need saving.

"Let's blow this place," Toon Link says quietly. He takes Magical Monsters and Mythical Creatures from my pocket, and as he throws it, I see the blueprints inside, the earliest Future Humans rippling through the air. The spine hits the ceiling with a bump, faultlines spitting out from where the impact was made, and then they're growing, becoming cracks, becoming caverns. From the safety of the passages, we watch as the roof caves in, dirt roaring, tumbling down, boulders crashing, returning everything to nature. It feels like it goes by so fast. Crazy Hand's body disappears behind a tumbling piece of ceiling. Ryu's corpse is hidden behind a cascading clump of earth. The machines are last to disappear, and when it's finished, we watch for only a moment, before turning back to face the world.

"I can't believe we're alive," Villager says. "God, I feel like I should say something motivational, now."

"No need," Toon Link sighs. "Let's just go and save the world together."

"Together," Lucas says, and he gives me a determined look. I look up into the passages, wondering if I'll ever have the strength to do anything again. But perhaps after everything I've been through, everything I've seen today, I'm stronger.

I wipe the tears from my eyes.

"Let's go."

End of Part 1

A/N

'End of part 1? What do you mean?' I hear you ask.

Well.

Logically, this fic splits into three parts. Part one is the big mystery (which, if you've got to this point, you've completed! Hooray!) and the other parts are, well, I won't say any more than 'the rest of the fic'.

On another note, this chapter was insane. So much happens, a myriad of twists and reveals. Fun, right? Though, don't question some of the strange science going on here, just vibe with it, blame it on magic or something. This chapter was pretty confusing, so feel free to ask any questions in reviews/comments.

Notes:

- The Franklin Badge and the Egg of Light are canon items in the Mother series.

- Crazy Hand, Master Hand's brother, is one of the main villains in Super Smash Bros Melee. Master Hand is also a villain in that game, however in this fic, he is not.

Thank you so much for reading part one, and I hope to see you in part two!

~ ReadyforTeddy