.
.
.
A blade held sharply to my throat,
A choice that he can hardly make,
A patterned whisper in the shadow,
A path that I can't dare to take.
Responsibility looms greater,
Than it has even loomed before,
There is no more 'we'll do it later,'
We lost the battle, now the war.
.
.
.
~~o00o~~
Count It Up: Part 2 (Making a New World)
Prologue: Headmaster Hand
Once, there was a man.
When he was born, he wasn't anything important. His mother was a maid, and his father was a builder. His twin brother was his best friend, and the world seemed complete.
That man was me.
My name is Headmaster Hand. My brother's name is Crazy Hand. Ten years ago, Crazy Hand used his magic to blow up a library, and my life spiralled out of control.
It started with the enquiries. I had to attend so many hearings, so many court cases, so many sentencings. I had to contend with victims' weeping families, my parents' disappointment, and the crushing guilt I felt by association. What Crazy Hand did was despicable, done in a manic act of rage, and it tore my life apart, my twin brother a killer. I was shoved into the spotlight, expected to atone for what he'd done. I was avoided in the street as if I would do it too. I hid my face away, reclused, while Crazy Hand served his sentence.
Looking back, I wonder if it might have been easier to stay that way. But I've never been one to give in. If my brother would do wrong, then I would do right. I would balance out his crimes with good, with hope. That was the only way I could live with myself.
I took the open post at Onett Boarding School following King K. Rool's untimely resignation. I swore that I would do my best to make education better, to make the world a better place. Unlike my predecessors, I would use the budget for good, not for greed - I would allow women to be taught, and I would feed my students with proper food. And for a while, life was good.
The years went by, with only one attempted assassination. Rosalina had saved me on that occasion, and I hired her as a Professor as a result. But talk of my brother never faded, never left my legacy. Sometimes I'd hear students whispering in the halls, sometimes descendants of those killed in the library. Sometimes I'd receive anonymous letters, awful ones, warning me that I'd been killed on sight. But the worst letter was the one from Crazy Hand, the one that started the beginning of the end.
Brother, I'm free.
Later, I would find out that Porky Minch had paid the sky-high bail. Porky was a man I trusted, a generous contributor to the school's limited finances. I'd lunch with him on occasion, walk with him in Onett City. More than just a benefactor, I saw him as a friend, even if he was a little weird, even if the rumours around him were so horrible. I saw him as a pariah, like me, a social outcast, blemished by crimes uncommitted. It was on a visit to the school that he proved me wrong.
There had always been stories about the kinds of people Porky liked to sleep with. People said he was a paedophile, that he liked little boys. I passed the rumours off as silly, jealous attempts of defamation. But on the first day of term, he snuck into the dormitories. He raped two young boys, students in my school, under my protection. He did it in their bedrooms, barely metres away from my office, while I was distracted elsewhere. When I found out, I attacked him, but Porky laughed, told me to get a grip. He told me that all the higher-ups did it, that he was hardly the first. When I tried to fight him, he knocked me out, and the next thing I knew, I was in some kind of cavern, somewhere deep below the earth.
The story never got out. It still hasn't. Those boys weren't his first victims, nor were they the last. That such a thing could happen in my school - it made me sick. It made me sick to the core, tore at me for months in that cavern. Then Crazy Hand was there, and I was told he would take my place as Headmaster.
It ruined me.
I was fed the tiniest scraps. I knew that the students in my school weren't safe, not while a monster like Porky had access to those halls, could get in whenever he pleased. I tried escaping daily, tried to tear through the cage when Crazy Hand wasn't there. It was no good at first, but then I found my magic.
Elemental. When I was alone, I would cast fire, searing the padlock, slowly bending at the chain. I would work tirelessly, hiding the process from my guardians. By this time, Porky's plans were even bigger, plans of taking the world, plans of converting people into monsters. Crazy Hand would be his spy, collecting information, laying a trail for Porky's latest obsession.
Two boys. Their names were Ness and Lucas.
On the day I broke free, I knew what I had to do. I had to go to Onett and expose Porky's crimes for once and for all. I stole Porky's book of blueprints - Magical Monsters and Mythical Creatures - and I hid them in Ness and Lucas's room. I ran, incidentally passing them in the forest, but I couldn't tell them who I was. Crazy Hand couldn't know I was gone. Porky couldn't find out, or they'd stop me. I had to fulfil my mission.
I ran for days, following the edge of the forest, but instead of finding Onett, I found a little village. The village had monsters of their own, the Dead Alive, as they called them. Lost, I took the name of Steven, liberated one of Porky's carriages, and joined with a band of madcap Tazmilians. We journeyed through the forest, down the river, until we hit a minor snag.
We were captured by the Onett First Brigade.
And that is how I got here. This is what I've endured, for the sake of doing what is right, for the sake of atoning for the things I've failed to be. I refuse to be like Crazy Hand, because I must be good - I have to be. I have to bring these people to safety, because if I don't, what kind of a man would I be? Certainly not one I can be proud of.
So that is why, as the days go by and the Brigade advances on, I don't give up. I've made mistakes, but I will fix them, because I must. I learn to take what little food I'm given, scouting out the weaknesses, even as the others remain aimless. Pusher complains. Elmore bickers. But I'm silent, working tirelessly to do what I know is right.
For starters, Ike. Wearing him down is hard, but he's becoming more friendly, more amicable with our group. Then, the horses are easy to startle. If I was to alarm them and start pandemonium, that could be our cue. And finally, there is the war itself.
That's my least favourite plan. It's risky, very risky, but when the Brigade meets Tazmily, chaos will ensue. Amidst the fighting and Porky's secret weapon, nobody will notice if we run. Everyone will be looking out for themselves.
But late at night, when I outline all this to Roy and Duster, they only regard me with uncertain expressions.
"I dunno, m'chap," Duster says, frowning. "Th' horses are chaotic, but they'd keep someone back t' guard us."
"Duster's right," Roy says. "Plus, Ike is too loyal to the Brigade to betray them. He doesn't think he has a choice."
"And goin' t'er war?" Duster looks incredulous. "Tha's crazy!"
"It's the best we've got," I say. Duster and Roy grumble at that, but the conversation goes no further.
And so, the days keep moving, and my work doesn't stop. I work on Ike, wearing him down with my pro-escape arguments. I search for large objects to throw amongst the horses. I consider other possibilities, too - studying the best times to strike, watching the schedules of the Brigade. It's arduous work, and it seems I'm the only one who cares enough to do it, but it's necessary. For the sake of good, it's necessary.
We reach the river on Thursday. The Brigade follows it for most of the day, and then we turn east, aiming for Tazmily. Knowing where we are gives me a scraping of comfort, a luxury that seems to have become so sparse. Knowledge is hope at this point, and I keep running over what I know in my head. If we kept following the river, we'd have reached the Onett Boarding school. If we'd travelled north, we'd have found Onett, where the river becomes an estuary.
Nothing changes as our journey continues. Each night, we stop somewhere different, rigidly guarded, while each day, I do the same, talking to Ike, talking to Duster and Roy, ignoring Elmore's complaints. I force courage into my veins. I obey, I walk, and I eat the same dry piece of bread. I pass the same trees, the same grass, the same empty, cloudless sky. I'm strong, because I must be. I'm strong, because this time, I'll protect the people in my care.
But all things considered, I have never felt more miserable.
.
.
.
~~o00o~~
Chapter 36: A Line You Can't Cross
(Lucas)
~~o00o~~
.
.
.
An hour after the worst night of my life, I'm sitting alone at the tail end of a storm.
Rain pours sleepily from the sky, covering the distant hills in a dewy haze. The lightning has stopped now, the thunder reduced to the occasional faraway rumble. The sky is grey, empty and boring, a perfect contrast to my searing thoughts.
I'm beyond crying. Ness would be here, but he has enough emotional intelligence to know I need time alone.
A lot of time alone.
Ryu wasn't the first person who's died in front of me. But it was the first death that felt up close, intimate, intrusive in my life. Once, when I was selling, a man leapt from the roof of a factory. People begged him not to do it, but he jumped, bursting on the concrete like a fleshy balloon. It had been disgusting, sickening, yet it hadn't been quite like this.
I don't think Ness quite understands the seriousness of the situation. He processes death in an unhealthy way, I think, burying it down and choosing to forget. He was like that with Dark Pit, and it nearly tore us apart. And then everything else, the war, Porky, Crazy Hand, Future Humans. The end of the world.
I cover my face with my hands. The rain patters gently in the background, soaking me through, making me shiver. Ryu gave so much. He deserves to be avenged.
Nobody deserves anything, says Pit. But they are owed better. Everyone is owed better.
Everyone but me.
"P-PK FIRE!"
The flames rise from my hands, arcing like a rainbow, falling into the lake. Toon Link and Villager are attending to Red, who's still unconscious in the medical ward. It hits me that we're supposed to be leaving soon, what with the Wilderness Survival Week awaiting us. We'll have to come up with some sort of plan, but I can't think clearly enough. I can't figure out if I'm angry at Ness, or not. I begged, pleaded for him to kill me in that cavern. He saved my life instead. And yet, my survival means that millions of people are being converted.
Which doesn't help my romance issue. Ness has potentially started the end of everything, which is a bit of a turn-off. But then, him choosing me over the world...
A bizarre giggle escapes my mouth, and I clap my hand over it, surprised at myself. I suppose, either way, it's just another thing to work out, but maybe I need to hurry up, given the stakes are so high. It would do no good to die without being honest. It's nightmarish to think back to being in Crazy Hand's lair, where we nearly died so many times, where we fought with everything we had. I thought I would die when that microchip beamed its signal, when the pain began. It was torture like I didn't think possible. It was agony.
Even thinking about it makes my muscles clench. I try to steel my nerve, but it's too much. I want to throw myself into the lake. I hate this - all these feelings. I try to repress, and there's no space left in me, nowhere to push it all down to. And when I overflow, this is what happens. I isolate myself. I hurt myself over and over. It's something else to focus on, I guess. Sometimes I wish I had the balls to actually hurt myself, but I'm too weak. Feebly, I try to swing a fist at my chest, and I barely even feel the impact.
What if Ness could see you now?
He'd be ashamed, ashamed of how pathetic I've become. But then again, I've probably ruined it all anyway. I asked him to kill me. To kill me! He would never have been able to live with himself. I know how he works.
He loves me too much.
A silhouette appears by the school, stepping out of the door and into the rain. The glow of the lamplight illuminates an old baseball cap, a striped shirt, and violet eyes.
That sentimental idiot.
"Lucas?" Ness says, looking around. I duck down against the grass, but it's too late, because he's already seen me. "Lucas!"
I try to calm myself as he hurries over.
"There you are!" He plonks himself down, making a large squelch as he lands in the mud. He gives a goofy grin. "Hey."
"Hey," I say flatly, staring out at the distant hills. The sheep there are huddled together, cold in the winter's air.
"Aw, are you still angry with me?" Ness asks, bumping against my shoulder. "C'mon, Lucas, I miss you-"
I give him a warning glance.
"Sorry." He looks down. "No jokes. These are serious hours. Serious hours in the pouring rain. This is... serious o'clock."
"Right," I say, looking away. Not even Ness's goofing around can cheer me up. Nothing can, it seems.
Ness frowns. "Hey, come here. Come on. It's alright."
I don't move, burying my face into my pale knees. I want to be angry, but I don't have it in me.
"C'mon," Ness coerces. "Talk to me. What's up?"
"You know what's up," I say, muffled.
"Yeah, sure, I ended the world. Big deal!" Ness throws an arm around me. He shakes the rain from his hair, and some of it flies into my face. "Why are you out here alone? It's cold."
"Then go back inside," I say.
"I'm not going anywhere without you, you goof. Not until you tell me what's wrong."
"What's wrong? What's wrong?" I look at him in disbelief, but my expression falls flat, and I hang my head. "Everything's wrong. It's like everything we have gets taken away. I miss when things were normal."
"Lucas..." I feel a soft hand against my back. "Me too. You know I think that too."
"It's too much," I murmur. "I'm not strong enough to deal with this. It's our job to end the Future Humans - and, and I can't see how it's possible. I just can't."
"Magic?" Ness says with a hopeful shrug. "It's worked before."
"B-But it's so hard, Ness, and - and, God, the things we've seen - I'm scared!" My voice breaks. "I'm so, so scared."
In one swift motion, Ness pulls me near, and I sob helplessly into the gentle folds of his shirt. His tender arms wrap around my waist, holding onto my broken form like a mother holds her child. Thunder rolls again in the distance, and I let out a broken noise, all of the images surging through me. Ryu's body. Dark Pit. Crazy Hand, licking the blood from his knife.
"It's okay," Ness whispers, close to my ear. "Let it out."
"Why us?" I ask, my voice choking. "I don't g-get it - why us?"
"I don't know," Ness says sadly. "But we'll get through this, I promise."
"What if we don't? What if we can't ever be happy again? What if we fail?"
"You're being overdramatic," Ness says scoldingly. "You told me off for that, remember?
"But everyone's gonna die, and it's all my fault!"
The rain pelts down harder, and Ness pulls me near, wrapping his warming arms around me. He rests his chin on my head, stilling my raspy, broken sobs. We stay like that for what feels like hours, nothing but the rain echoing around us, the sky steadily darkening above our heads. The rain eases up after a while, and Ness moves to sit by my side, holding my hand.
"What's bothering you in particular?" he asks. "What doesn't make sense? I know you hate things that don't make sense."
"So much," I say. He's right. "None of the technology, nothing that Porky can do seems possible. It goes against all the laws of science, Ness - I just don't understand it. It scares me."
"Maybe he hired a load of inventors?" Ness says. "Perhaps they found some new stuff out."
But I shake my head. "Porky prefers to work alone, remember? He said so himself."
"Oh yeah." Ness falls quiet for a moment, leaning his head against my shoulder. His face is shiny with rainwater. "Can we go inside yet? It's cold."
My stomach lurches at the thought. "I'm not sure. In a bit."
"Alright," Ness says, and my chest feels that familiar ache. It's so easy with him. Everything's so easy with him. I'm lucky that he's still here.
"Thanks," I mumble. "For this."
Ness smiles softly. "I'm guessing we're still best friends, then?"
"Yeah," I murmur. "Sorry. I'm not really angry with you. It's everything else, I guess. Porky. Claus. The end of the world."
"Those usual topics of teenage angst."
"Yeah." I laugh slightly. "We're not normal anymore, Ness."
"I don't think we ever were," Ness says, gently thumbing my palm. He prods me, grinning. "Everyone always called us weird, remember?"
"They were talking about you, you goof."
"No, they weren't!" Ness laughs. "Come on, let's go inside. Let's warm up by the fire. It's nearly dark."
"We have to prepare for Wilderness Survival Week," I say.
He pulls a face. "Ew, what preparation is there to do?"
"Mental preparation. For being alone with you."
"Hey!" He prods me again, but he extends a hand, helping me up. "Whatever. At least I know how to start a fire."
"You tried using two pinecones last year," I remind him. "The real test of survival is going a week without you being a goof."
"How about an entire lifetime?"
"Are you proposing marriage?" I ask, laughing. It feels remarkably refreshing. Ness goes beet red.
"Shut it! I am so going to beat you up when we're inside."
But thankfully, he doesn't do anything of the sort. Instead, we head into the games room, where somebody has lit the fireplace, and we draw the comfiest sofa to it, tumbling down together. It's admittedly nice to be out of the cold and in the warmth, and I feel myself relaxing for the first time in what feels like hours.
"There you are!" Toon Link cries, entering the room, beaming. "You're soaked through, have you been showering together or something?"
"Lucas was out in the rain," Ness says. "Blame him."
"How's Red?" I ask, and Toon Link's face falls.
"He's, uh. Gone kind of loopy. Villager's with him right now."
"Loopy?" I feel a sick sense of dread. "Because of Crazy Hand's receiver?"
"God knows, I don't understand how any of that works," Toon Link says, putting his hands together. "But, uh, you'll see. You'll see how he is."
There's a knock at the door, and a grave-looking Shulk puts his head around. "We're leaving for Wilderness Survival now. Meet at the station in ten minutes. Thank you."
"I guess we'd better go then," Ness sighs, standing up. "We should find the others, so we get a compartment with them."
Conveniently, the others come through the door, but it's a dismal scene. Pit and Villager support a docile-looking Red, looking very much worn-down and bruised. We haven't heard much of what Crazy Hand did to Pit while they were alone, but my skin crawls to imagine it.
"Hey," Villager says, lifting a hand. "You okay, Lucas?"
"Not yet," I say, deciding to be honest for once.
"Fair enough. Don't beat yourself up too much, yeah?"
"I won't," I lie.
We head out of the school, straight back into the cold, drizzling rain. Red stumbles as we walk, needing a lot of help to move in a straight line, but we eventually make it down to the station. I give the school a last look as we arrive - I'll be glad to get out of here, what with all the horrors of this term. Even if the forest is unsafe, at least it isn't tainted by bad memories.
The train is disappointingly absent, so we have to wait a while longer. We'll most likely be deposited somewhere along the river when it's time, each of us in our pairs, each pair spaced out along the route. After that's done, we'll simply be left to our own devices, and then it'll be a challenge to hunt, fish and forage. It's a lush area, so it's not as bad as it sounds, but we've forgotten to sneak food along from the play, so it'll be harder than usual this year. At least I'll be with Ness, and besides, we'll probably plan something else anyway. Something to do with taking down Porky.
"Finally," Toon Link says, as the train appears in the distance, puffing out clouds of smoke. Red claps his hands together.
"Train! Train! Train!"
I gulp, alarmed.
Loopy.
"Students!" Shulk calls out, seeing the locomotive. "Can I have your attention, please? There are some announcements I need to give."
Nobody responds, talking loudly amongst themselves.
"Uh, can everyone listen up?" he tries again, with no more success. Rosalina clears her throat.
"Everyone!"
Everybody turns at once.
"Before you go, there are some things we need to tell you," Rosalina says. I notice her eyes are red and puffy, though she's tried to hide this with make-up. "These announcements may come as a bit of a surprise, so I would ask that you all stay calm while I give them."
A little bit of chatter breaks out, and Rosalina raises her hand.
"Quiet! Please." Her voice shakes. "This is - this is really a rather horrible thing for me to report. Professor Ryu, the History professor, my closest friend and well-loved colleague... was killed, earlier this evening."
Gasps ring out, and my stomach sinks, even though I already know. I think back to the way he dived in front of the lightning. The way he saved Ness's life.
"Professor Wario was killed too," Rosalina says, her voice becoming squeaky. "And - and it turns out, he was innocent. You see, Headmaster Hand was - was an imposter, it was Crazy Hand, I'm - oh God, please give me a moment, I'm sorry - I'm really sorry-" She turns away suddenly, letting out a sob. It's a dismal sight.
"Is Crazy Hand gone?" someone calls out.
"He was killed too," Marth says, sounding more composed than Rosalina, but still shaken up. "I know this news is a shock to you all, but I urge you not to panic. The school board will be meeting tomorrow to discuss the future of Onett Boarding School, and whether we can even continue as an establishment. For now, we will hold the Wilderness Survival Week, but... things are going to be different from here on. This is all very sudden and terrifying, not least to us other Professors."
More questions are shouted out, but the train interrupts them with a mighty roar, clattering into the station. Professor Marth throws open the doors, all too quick to see us go, I think. I step on board, taking a last look at the station as I disappear inside, following Ness into the first compartment he sees. The others join us, and I collapse my head on the little table, my mind stinging.
"What do we do if school's over for good?" Villager asks, worried, and I gulp at the thought. Living with Father is the least of my concerns right now, but it could become a disaster if he chooses not to let me in. It's not safe on the streets at the best of times, but with the virus, I'd be doomed.
"It doesn't matter," Toon Link says. "We'll be busy taking down Porky, won't we?"
"Yeah," Ness agrees, squeezing my hand. I squeeze it back, grateful for his presence. It's some anchorage to the real world.
"But how?" Pit says, and we all fall short.
I look out at the rain spattering against the window, thoughts of the Face all too fresh in my mind. It was less than two weeks ago that this all began. We've fallen so far since then.
"We save the world," Red says sleepily, looking dopey. "We cool."
"Are you sure he should be doing Wilderness Survival?" I ask, worried again. Red giggles. It would be funny if it wasn't so horribly wrong.
"I'll look after him," Pit says. "But for real, we need a long-term plan. Has anyone got any ideas?"
"Go to New Pork City, overthrow Porky," Toon Link says, putting his hands together. "How does that sound?"
"I don't think it's that simple," Villager sighs. "New Pork City is probably massive, if what the newspapers have been saying is true. And there are probably about ten thousand Future Humans there, waiting for us to arrive."
"But we've got Ness and Lucas's powers," Toon Link says, looking at me with hope. "They'll get us anywhere, right?"
"Possibly," I say. "But after that fight, I felt really, really drained. I think our powers have a limit."
Toon Link curses under his breath, and we fall into silence again. The train starts moving, and I lean on Ness's shoulder as it does, wrapping my arms around him for once, instead of the other way around. On an ordinary day, riding the train together would be nice, full of joking around, gentle teasing, but today it's just bleak. At least Ness smiles when I snuggle against him. At least he still likes me.
Stop getting your hopes up, Lucas.
I frown, caught out by my thoughts. Hopes up? When did I start thinking like that?
"Alright, so no New Pork City," Toon Link says, as if the conversation never stopped. "We need to do something, though. We should meet up for the Wilderness Survival Week, I think, if that's alright with Pit."
"Huh?" Pit says, snapping out of a daze.
"Since you'll be with Red. Do you think you'll be okay to meet us?"
"Oh, yeah," Pit says vaguely, and Toon Link frowns.
"Are you alright?"
"Yeah, yeah - sorry." He puts a hand to his forehead. "I'm just thinking about Crazy Hand, that cavern, Porky... it's a lot to process."
"What happened to you before we arrived?" Ness asks. Pit grimaces.
"Well, uh, I got sent to the headmaster for punching Diddy Kong-"
"Which was awesome," Villager says.
"-Then he knocked me out and took me underground. He tied me up and kept me there all day, telling me what he was going to do to you all. It was..." He shudders. "Awful. But, uh, how about the play? Did I miss much?" It's obvious that he's trying to change the subject.
"Oh, you missed a lot!" Toon Link says, perking up. "Villager and I dressed in drag, then I asked Villager to be my boyfriend."
Pit snorts. "Yeah, right. What actually happened?"
"It's true," Villager says. "Unfortunately."
"Wait - what?" Pit's eyes widen. "Does that mean you guys are together?"
"Erm," Toon Link begins, giving Villager an awkward glance. "Not quite. Villager doesn't know how he feels yet, and he's concerned about society, so his answer is... pending."
"Pending," Pit repeats, but he still looks upbeat. "Better than nothing, right?"
"Oh, yeah." Toon Link grins. "I was expecting a flat-out rejection."
"That could still happen," Villager says, smirking, which shuts him up.
"That's cheered me up, actually," Pit says, looking between the pair. "I hope it works out."
The tension slightly lifted, I look out at the forest as it rushes by. We're probably going to be here a long time, since the train will have to stop every half-mile to drop off a group. But hopefully, we'll be out early, so we can get a head start on foraging. Even if we form a plan, we'll need to eat.
"Boys?" Professor Rosalina says from outside the compartment. I open the door, and she comes in, looking morose and holding a very large piece of paper. "I'm here to tell you your drop-off points. Pit and Red, you'll be getting off at stop twenty-"
"Hooray!" Red exclaims, clapping. Rosalina frowns, caught out.
"Is he okay?"
"There was an incident with Crazy Hand," Villager says sadly. "He's gone a bit... wrong."
"But I'll look after him," Pit chimes in before Rosalina can comment. "We'll be okay."
"If you're sure..." Rosalina gives Red another worried look. "In that case, Ness and Lucas, you're getting off at stop nineteen. Toon Link and Villager, you'll be getting off at stop eighteen. Is that all good?"
"Yeah," Ness says, but he lowers his voice. "Are you going to be okay, Professor?"
"Oh, me?" Rosalina looks quite flustered for a moment. "Why - erm. Yes, I suppose I will be, in the end. The other professors will see me through, it is a dark time for all..." She brushes her hair over her shoulder. "But don't go worrying about me, Ness. You've got plenty on your plate as it is."
"I won't. Just, look after yourself," Ness says, and I smile at him. I like it when his compassionate side comes out. "And thanks for everything."
"You're very welcome - but what's this in aid of?" Rosalina asks, looking between us in turn. "Are you planning to go somewhere?"
"No," Ness lies. "I'm just worried, that's all. We all are."
"Well, I really appreciate that," Rosalina says, and her smile looks a lot less forced than before. "Have a safe week, all of you. Thank you for being so kind."
"No problem," Ness says, and Rosalina leaves, looking a lot happier than when she came in.
There's a moment of pause.
"Okay," Toon Link says, leaning forward. "Our stops are all next to each other, so I reckon we should try to meet up. We could walk down to the river as soon as we get off the train, sleep the night, and then follow the river towards Red and Pit in the morning."
"I think we should go to Onett," Ness says, and I frown.
"Why would we go there? Aren't we going to New Pork City?"
"Yeah, but we need supplies," Ness reasons. "There won't be enough food in the forest for six of us, and we could do with some weapons."
"Wait," Villager says, holding up his hands. "Are you suggesting we walk into New Pork City?"
"What else can we do?" Ness says, shrugging. "We need to go there and destroy Porky before he takes over the entire world."
"But that's so dangerous! We don't even know what we're doing-"
"I'm with Villager," Toon Link agrees. "That's crazy-"
"But it's the best we've got," I say, though it pains me to admit it. I like having solid ideas, solid plans, not ones that might get us killed.
"I agree," Pit says, joining the conversation at last. "When Crazy Hand was rambling about his plans, he kept mentioning some sort of factory, built under a skyscraper called the Empire Porky Building. If we could destroy that..."
"With a big PK Fire..." Ness adds.
"Then it'd be a start," Villager says. "But wouldn't we have to destroy all of the Future Humans? Otherwise Porky can't die, or something? Which makes loads of sense, of course."
"It's best not to question it." Toon Link pats him on the head. "That's what I do with all of this impossible stuff. But you're right, we'd have to somehow destroy Porky, blow him up or something."
"With a big PK Fire," Ness says again. "So that's agreed?"
"Maybe?" Toon Link says, looking dubious. "I think it should be our provisional plan, at least. We get off the train, walk to the river, and sleep. Then we meet up, get supplies in Onett, and take the train to New Pork City."
"Sounds good," Pit says. "We've got this."
"We've got this," I agree. "Ness?"
"If you're in, I'm in," Ness says, bumping against me. "Villager?"
"Alright," Villager sighs. "I suppose if I'm going to get killed, I wouldn't mind getting killed with you guys. I'm in."
Toon Link cheers, and a new kind of confidence forms over our group. I try not to worry about what happens when the Wilderness Survival Week ends and the professors discover us missing. I try instead to focus on the positives; we have a plan, which always makes me feel better. Suddenly, it seems a lot more feasible, the whole thing.
Pleased, I move a little nearer to Ness. Now that we know what we're doing, Ryu's death doesn't feel as futile. If we can somehow pull this off, it will be a miracle, but even if we die doing the right thing, I suppose that's okay. Sort of.
"So, what now?" Pit asks. "Do we know what Porky's planning?"
"Porky?" Red yelps.
"Yeah, Porky. I think he mentioned some things in his bunker-"
But Red leaps up, suddenly shaking. "Where is he? Where is he?"
"Dude?" Villager says. "Porky's not here, what do you-"
"You're working for him!" Red exclaims, pointing around at us all. "You want to be his slaves! He's going to destroy the world!"
"Red," Villager begins, but suddenly Red leaps on him, throwing his hands around his neck.
"No more! The things he did - he did such terrible things - such terrible things-"
"Let him go!" Toon Link leaps up, trying to prise them apart. Villager shouts, his throat constricted, and I look wildly around, grabbing a fire extinguisher. I grab the nozzle, slapping it against Red's face, and he gives a cry, tumbling back against the wall.
"Porky - Porky - Porky-"
"Is not here!" Villager says, massaging his abused neck. Red gives him one terrified glance, before suddenly falling back in his seat, snoring.
We look around at each other in shock.
"What the hell was that?" Ness asks weakly. "What the hell just happened?"
"What did Crazy Hand do to him, more like," Toon Link mutters darkly. "Are you hurt, Villager?"
"I'll live," Villager says, shifting a little further away from Red. Toon Link pulls him a bit closer, happy with this arrangement.
"Well, I look forward to dealing with that," Pit says flatly, looking at Red, who's sleeping as if he was never awake. "Please try to reach us quickly tomorrow morning."
"We will," I assure him, just as the train slows to a halt.
Professor Marth comes down the hall, calling for Nana and Popo to dismount. I catch a glimpse of the pair walking past our compartment, and I almost wave, but then I remember the awkwardness of Nana confessing her feelings, and I turn away instead.
I still feel guilty, I think. It reminds me of my other romance problems, which I'm thinking about way too much again, now that I'm pressed up against Ness on this tiny seat. I suppose Nana asking me out was a kind of turning point on the whole thing, because Nana's a perfectly nice girl, and if I was straight, I reckon we could've been a good pair. Sure, Popo would've delivered an awful best man's speech at the wedding, and Ness might've been a tiny bit jealous, but it would've worked. Unfortunately, I don't think I am straight, not in the slightest. And I wouldn't want to lead Nana on, that would be despicable, so that leaves me in this dilemma.
Ness, or no Ness. Relationships are a risk in this society. Sure, I think I like him. In fact, I'm almost certain that I do. But if we were to date, to do things for real, we'd be skirting the rumours all our lives. We'd be hiding behind closed doors, pretending just to be friends in public, unable to do all those cutesy romance things that I've sort of been obsessing over recently. I'm not sure if I could do that, if I could stomach living such a life. But then, for Ness's sake, part of me feels that it's worth it.
It's a mess. A Ness mess.
Because he might be everything that I want. He's compassionate, loving, and his eyes are dreamy - which isn't something I thought I'd think about anyone, ever. He's funny and he's goofy, and even if I said it myself in that cavern; he's too willing to throw things away for me; we can work on those flaws. We can build on them. That makes me feel kind of excited.
"What are you looking at?" Ness asks, prodding my nose. I blush, realising that I was staring.
"Not much. Did uh - did anyone remember to save food from the play?" I ask, drastically changing the subject.
"You bet," Toon Link says, nodding. "Did you forget?"
I hang my head. "Yeah."
"Don't worry," Toon Link says, and out of his many pockets, he produces an array of apples, slices of bread, some pork, oatmeal, three sausages, four carrots, a lot of peas, and a solitary parsnip.
"Where did all this come from?" Villager asks, frowning as he picks up an apple. "Were you carrying it around in the cavern?"
"I've been saving it up for a while." Toon Link shrugs. "Fancy anything?"
"We haven't even had any parsnips with dinner - have you been stealing?"
"Oh, I brought that one from home." Toon Link swipes the parsnip, grinning. "It's my favourite vegetable. I hoped we could cook it together."
"Cook it together?" Villager laughs. "You are something else, Toon Link. First, you bring scented candles, then you bring a parsnip? Anything else hiding in your dorm?"
"Uh, maybe," Toon Link says, looking surprisingly worried all of a sudden. "But don't go looking, please-"
"Yeah," Pit chimes in. "Don't do that."
"Are you hiding a dead body or something?" Villager looks between the pair, visible confusion on his face. "We're busy going to our deaths. I'm not planning to search, don't worry."
"Good." Toon Link leans back against his seat. "Sorry, it's just… uh, something. A thing."
"A thing," Villager repeats.
"A thing," Pit agrees.
"Alright, you two are mad," Villager concludes. "Though, I am glad you brought all this food. Can I have some?"
"Of course," Toon Link says. "So can you, Ness," he adds, seeing Ness hungrily eyeing an apple.
Villager chooses some pork and Ness tucks in, leaving me to stare back out of the window. It seems the rain is easing at last, though that may be because of the trees. The forest is usually a lot more beautiful in spring when tulips and daffodils line the trunks, but even in winter, it can be lovely. The evergreen pines look a lot like Christmas trees when they're covered in snow, which we get a lot of up here, and sometimes, I like to walk amongst them, crunching through the frost. Of course, there's been no time this term for leisure, but maybe once this is over, these simple things can return.
The journey continues, stops three to twelve passing by in a blur. I find myself growing sleepy against Ness, the gentle drops of rain becoming a background haze. His shoulders are as comfortable as ever, the train swaying gently as it chuffs onwards, rumbling like a distant waterfall.
Thoughts of Ryu threaten to creep in as I close my eyes. I tense, and Ness might feel it, because he tugs me a little closer, but there's no need to say anything. I push those darker thoughts away, unable to process them at this moment. I push the memories of my torture away, too, the agony, the searing pain. It worries me, how I can hardly shut my eyes without these awful memories, but then Ness wraps his arms around me, and I'm slipping into sleep.
.
.
.
.
.
I find myself standing in the middle of a forest.
It's night, the glimmer of distant stars the only light for miles. Trees tower mightily overhead, their silhouettes looking like giant fungi in the darkness. I shiver, trying to make out where I could be, what I could be doing here.
A bird calls faintly in the distance. I reach down to the ground, feeling dirt, loose enough to pick up and toss in my fingers. There's no indication of grass, or life in the slightest. In fact, the whole area feels dead, scorched somehow, filled with a real sense of desertion.
"Hello?" I call, bravely looking around. I'm met with a deafening silence.
I shudder, stepping forward. I hate the dark, especially when it's full of such unknowns. Wherever this is feels so cold, so miserable.
So empty.
All of a sudden, a bright light erupts from the sky, full of reds and oranges and yellows. Momentarily blinded, I look to the ground, where the dirt reveals itself to be sand. The trees turn out to be giant cacti, bursting with vicious thorns, the kind that look like they could impale you in an instant. The light comes from some kind of immense sun, and I look up, feeling the heat searing down at once.
Nervously, I try to cover my face. Ness tans like a god, but I either turn yellow or burn in bright sunshine. I remember being younger, when I'd gotten sunburn all over my cheeks from a day in the sunflower fields. I'd thought I was dying, my skin peeling like an onion, and I ran to Mother, who had to comfort me and promise I'd be okay.
The desert feels infinite, yet incredibly claustrophobic. I have to sit down, dizzy, looking up at the shimmering blue sky. But just like that, the sky vanishes, and I'm plunged back into darkness.
Birds call, louder this time. They sound like rooks, mocking and greedy. I hear their voices circling me, and then, without warning, comes the fear.
It comes just as I'm trying to stand up. It freezes me in place, prickling at my skin, breathing down my neck. In an instant, I'm deadly cold, feeling my breaths coming shorter and shorter. There's a flash, and I see the transmitter. I see Porky's laughing face. I feel the pain again, swooping at me like dark, howling shadows. The birds grow louder, and I can hear them, hear them screaming like lost souls, like Ryu, Wario, Dark Pit-
Tonight will be awful, yet tomorrow beyond imagining.
The words come to me out of nowhere, but they hit me with such force that I stumble. Then, suddenly, the terror is released, and the sun returns, blinding.
I fall to the ground, collapsing on the hot sand. The warmth of the light resets my brain, settling my nerves. Tonight will be awful - worse than it has been already? So many dreadful things keep happening, scary things, things I never would've thought possible. For the first time in my life, I can't think Claus wouldn't be scared, because he would. Anyone would.
The light vanishes all at once, and instantly, everything becomes much worse than before. I feel something coming, something dark, huge and menacing. The fear seizes me once more, immense and awful. It leaps and bounds at me, diving like crows, and I lie terrified, helpless and alone, noise rushing in my ears. Then the wind starts up again, lurching into a sickening scream, building and building, and there's a sudden thumping noise behind me. I whirl around, heart racing, and in a final awful moment, terror seizes me like a beast; then comes a tearing crash, the howl of the wind suddenly so much harsher, colder, and a great blast of it flings me cowering away. Someone shrieks, there's banging, clattering, and I diminish, scarcely conscious as all these sounds and feelings and horrors unfold around me. But then there's a voice, calling in concern, and a merciful light that brings me back to life.
"Lucas?" It's Ness. "Are you okay?"
Gradually, I open my eyes. The roof of the train is above me, bright and welcoming. The sound of the engine hums in the distance, and I feel the terror fading away as Ness peers down at me from above.
"Are you awake?" he asks, and I nod, my voice evading me. I pick myself up, realising that I'd fallen into his lap in my fit, my knees drawn right up to my chest. The distant fear still prickles, those words, beyond imagining.
"Was it a nightmare?" Ness asks, his arm around me. Again, I nod, trying to move my lips, but I find them stuck in place. Ness frowns, running a hand over my forehead. "You're burning up. It's alright, you're safe now. You're okay." Each word of Ness's calming tone brings me closer to reality again.
"What's going on?" I ask at last, weakness penetrating my words.
"Not sure," Ness says, pulling me up so that I'm leaning against his shoulder. "The train hasn't moved in a while, and all the gas lamps went out."
Just like before.
I quake. "What?"
"The others have gone out to investigate, but they've not come back yet..."
"Which stop are we on?" I ask, looking wildly out of the window. The countryside isn't moving anymore, and for a second, the darkness threatens to overpower me again.
"Stop fifteen," Ness says briskly. "Should we go out and explore?"
I nod, standing up at once. The rain outside has finally stopped, though droplets remain on the glass. I have to use the table to keep my balance, feeling somehow colder than the bitter wind made me, the dry ache of terror still hanging rigidly in my stomach. If only it were as simple as having been afraid of the darkness… yet, something about that dream was deeply, deeply troubling.
I hear the howling voices again, the dark silhouettes of rooks in my eyeline: Tonight will be awful, yet tomorrow beyond imagining.
.
.
.
.
.
We walk out of the compartment to an eerie silence. The train corridor is empty, completely still. I put my hand to a gas lamp, feeling the remnants of its heat on my palm.
Ness nudges me, pointing with his eyes to the driver's room. In silent agreement, we walk towards it, past other compartments full of people. But just as we reach the door, it bursts open and out tumble Toon Link, Pit and Villager, with a disconcertingly giggling Red.
"Did you find out what's going on?" Ness asks at once.
"Not a clue," Villager says, sighing. "The professors wouldn't tell us."
Crash.
My eyes drift to the roof. I notice people in other compartments craning their necks, looking around, worried.
Crash.
"Godammit!" Toon Link cries out suddenly. "I've just about had it with all this creepy stuff. I'm going back into the compartment, going to sleep, and then waking up when everything is okay!" He makes to storm off, but Villager grabs his shoulder.
"Toon Link, please-"
"No!" Toon Link throws him off. "I am not fighting any more monsters, no more Future Humans, no more creepy men, nothing!"
Villager looks at him, and a sort of understanding passes between the pair. "Alright, fair enough. But you have to look after Red."
"Hooray!" Red says, clapping his hands.
"Alright," Toon Link agrees, calming down somewhat. "But the rest of you had better stay safe, okay? I don't know how you all cope..." He shakes his head, disappearing down the corridor, Red in tow.
Villager sighs. "Well, I guess it's just-"
Crash.
"It's coming from the roof," Ness says, nervously looking up. He's right.
"Come on," Pit says, opening the door to the next carriage. "Let's ask around, see if anyone's seen anything weird."
We go through, knocking on the nearest compartment. Hop, the boy from the play, opens it with a smile.
"Hello, what's up?"
"Hey," Villager says. "Do you know what's going on?"
Crash.
"Erm, I dunno." Hop looks up at the roof as if it's about to cave in on our heads. "Didn't something like this happen on the way to school?"
"Yeah," Pit remembers. "Now that you mention it…"
"Yes," Ness says, impatient. "And so kickstarted a sequence of events that led to a lot of bad things happening. Do you know why we stopped?"
"No idea," Hop says. "Vic?"
"I'm not sure." Victor, his friend, shrugs. "Come look out the window, though. I think something's happening..."
We enter the compartment, pressing our faces up against the glass. At first, it's too dark to make anything out, but then, amongst the trees…
"That's a lot of birds," Pit says. "They're huge!"
"Rooks." Hop scowls. "We get a lot of them on the farm at home. Sometimes they try to eat the chickens."
Dark, howling rooks. The lonely desert. Unimaginable.
I shudder. "They're just birds, right? Gathering?"
"Yeah…" Victor says, but he doesn't sound convinced.
"It's freaky," Ness decides. "I don't like it."
Crash.
"And I don't like that noise, either!"
"Do you think Porky's sent something after us?" Pit asks, his voice tremoring as he comes away from the window.
"Porky?" Hop cocks his head to the side. "Isn't he that rich businessman?"
"He's evil," I say. "Long story, no time for it now-"
Crash.
Villager frowns. "Is it me, or is that getting more frequent?"
Crash.
"That came from above us!" Ness yelps. "Something's up there!"
I look out of the window, the rooks circling, a black mass of wings. I push away from the glass, suddenly feeling that tingle of fear.
"I wish the gas lamps would be relit," Hop says, whimpering. "I don't like the dark."
Crash.
Pit stands up at once. "Toon Link was right. This is getting creepy. We should go back to our compartment."
"Agreed," Villager says, and we hurry out, leaving Hop and Victor to fend for themselves. But we almost crash into Professor Rosalina, who's running down the aisle.
"Professor!" Ness calls, and she whirls around.
"Yeah?"
"Do you know what's happening?"
"A tree fell on the tracks," she says. "We think it's because of the storm. Bowser and Wii Fit Trainer are trying to shift it."
"Why did all the gas lamps go out?" Villager asks.
"We're not sure, but don't worry. Go back to your seats, and we'll be moving again soon."
Crash.
"What was that?" Rosalina asks, frowning.
"It's been happening for a while," I explain, stumbling over my words. "It's coming from the roof."
"...Get back in your compartment," Rosalina says, paling. "Close the blinds. Something's not right."
"But we need to investigate," Ness protests.
"No buts. Your safety is more important. Us professors will sort this out, okay?"
Crash.
"...We'll keep you updated, I promise." Rosalina casts a nervous look at the ceiling. "Stick together. I'll be back soon." She runs off down the corridor.
The rest of us look around at each other, unnerved. We re-enter our compartment to find Red staring vacantly at the window, with Toon Link asleep, true to his word.
"Oi," Villager says, shoving him. Toon Link opens a sleepy eye.
"What?"
"We've been sent back, so you're gonna have to help us out."
"Really?" Toon Link groans, sitting himself up. "Didn't I say that I want nothing to do with this?"
"I could die instead," Villager says. "If that's what you'd prefer."
"Fine," Toon Link says, rolling his eyes. "What do we have to do?"
"Cold," Red says.
"We can't do much about that." Toon Link puts a hand to his head. "We'll just have to wait until the gas lamps are relit-"
"Cold," Red says again. I frown, looking at him. He's sitting stock-still, staring into nothing.
"Red?" Villager says cautiously.
"The night," Red speaks robotically, as if in a trance. "The darkness is coming. Tonight will be bad. Tonight will be bad."
Crash.
"What do you mean?" Ness asks, his voice high as he grabs my hand. "Red, are you - are you back? Back to normal?"
"The fire. The ice is coming." Red's head snaps around, his eyes boring into mine. "Tomorrow. Beyond imagining." He vibrates, making a sound like static, and his voice takes a completely different tone. "Lucas? Can you hear me? Do you read me?"
"R-Red?" I say, unnerved.
He shakes again, his voice reverting to roboticness. "The darkness is nigh, and everyone shall fall. We are rising. He is falling. Humanity shall perish!"
With an almighty thud, he collapses back against his seat, beginning to snore once more. Villager hurries over, checking his pulse.
"He's okay, but - God, what's happening to him?"
"Probably the aftereffects of being under Crazy Hand's control," Pit says, sounding unnerved. "Are you sure there isn't another receiver on him somewhere?"
"Doesn't look like it," Villager says, checking. "What was he saying, though? Was he talking to you, Lucas?"
"I don't know," I say, gulping, not ready to share that information quite yet. The dream is still lingering in the back of my mind, fresh and terrifying. An uneasy hush falls over us, and I rub my arm, uncomfortable.
Crash.
I jump, a lump rising in my throat. That one was louder. That one was definitely louder.
"It's like nowhere is safe," Ness moans, giving the roof another nervous glance.
Thump. Thump. Thump. Thump. Thump.
I freeze, chills running down my body. It's an unmistakably different noise, the sound of something striking the roof.
It's trying to get in.
"It's coming for us!" Pit exclaims suddenly. "It is - it's coming for us!"
"No - it can't be!" Toon Link grabs Villager's hand, shaking. "It - it's the wind!"
"It's not," Villager says, unnerved. "What do we do, should we move?"
"I'm in favour of moving!" Toon Link yelps. He scrambles over to the door, tugging at it, but it doesn't budge. "What the hell!?"
Thump. Thump. Thump. Thump.
My heart pounds. Villager tries the door, with no result. Pit stands up quickly, striking the roof four times in response.
"Pit!" Toon Link cries. "Now it knows we're here!"
"It already knew," Pit argues. "I'm just seeing what it does..."
Thump. Thump. Thump.
"It's counting down!" Toon Link says, sounding hysterical. "It's going to get us - I knew it!"
"Toon Link, calm down," Villager orders, wincing as he gives up on the door. "Look, maybe we need to be quiet, then it won't think we're here-"
"That won't work," Pit interrupts, shaking as he looks around at us all. "We need to - maybe we need to break the window!"
"Guys," Villager says. "Please, we need to be rational-"
Thump. Thump.
Ness wildly shakes his head, clutching my hand. Outside, the rooks are swarming again, their cries ringing in my ears.
"What happens when it reaches zero?" Toon Link asks, his voice high. "If we all die, I - I love you guys."
"Love you too," Pit mumbles.
"We're not going to die," Villager says, exasperated. He tugs at the door again. "Come on! Just a little more force..."
I wait with bated breath, staring up at the roof, my mouth dry. Ness clings harder. My eyes burn from concentration, full of fear, full of-
Thump.
…
Kaboom!
There's a sickening lurch as the train rocks to the side. Somebody screams, darkness falling over us, and I tumble into Ness with a cry. There's a shattering noise, and then suddenly we're swinging in the other direction, rooks howling, wind soaring. Something slams into me, and I crumple like a rag doll, yelling, and - and -
The train slams back onto the tracks with an almighty screech. The darkness fades, and I dare to look up, shuddering.
From all around, I hear people in other compartments shouting with alarm. Light glimmers from somewhere nearby, illuminating the pale faces of our group. I hastily check the roof, but it's intact. We're okay. Whatever that thing was, whatever dark powers it possessed, it failed.
"Is everyone alright?" I ask, my voice sounding ragged.
"I think so," Villager says, giving a weak nod. "That was - that was terrifying."
"What the hell even happened?" Pit puts a hand to his head. Toon Link hits his forehead as if trying to banish the memory from his mind.
"It's like it tried to knock over the train, but failed."
Ness stiffens. "Or it tried to get in-"
"Or break the roof," Toon Link says.
"Or disconnect the carriage-"
"Or-"
"Or-!"
"Never mind all that," Villager says, hushed, looking to his side. "What's up with Red?"
We turn, and I feel the chills returning. Red's crouched in his seat, his knees drawn up to his chest, his arms wrapped around his legs. He doesn't seem to be moving.
"Red, you alright?" Toon Link asks cautiously.
There's no response.
"Red?" Villager tries. "Are you with us?"
The dark-haired boy lifts his head, coming into our vision. His skin is wan, deathly pale, his glassy eyes almost haunting. Ness and I exchange a nervous glance.
"Red, it's alright," Villager says, putting a hand on his shoulder. "It's stopped. The knocking's stopped, see?"
In a horrifying moment, he rises, looming over us. He opens his mouth, and then he speaks.
"We are rising."
My heart skips a beat. His voice is awful, grating, far from his own. It's not like before, somehow more sinister, more menacing. Just looking at him makes the fear inside me rise like a beast.
"What?" Toon Link says.
"We are rising," he says again, with more force. He steps forward.
"Red?" Villager says, inching away. "What - What's happened to you?"
"The thing from outside," Ness says faintly, looking up again at the roof. The knocking has stopped now, the absence of it deafening. "What if it - What if it's..."
"We are coming," Red says, and a twisted leer forms on his face. "His power is fading."
"I'm scared," Toon Link whispers. "I don't like this."
"Red?" Villager says, tensing. "What do you mean?"
"We rise." All at once, Red leaps up. "The Future Humans will rise!"
"I don't think that's Red!" Ness yelps.
"We are awake. The storm has brought heaven down upon us. The end comes near!"
"Someone make him stop!" Toon Link wails.
"Shush!" Villager says. "We need to find out information!"
"I don't care! This is all crazy! Bloody crazy!"
"It is inevitable! The earth will perish! The earth will be razed!"
"If that's Porky, leave our friend alone!" Pit cries.
"A new age is coming!" Red shouts, slamming his hand on the table. "It will be an age without fear. An age without hatred! We will be liberated. We will be freed! Our inner selves will be unleashed. The pain. The pain, it will hurt no more!" Red turns to face me, and suddenly, his mouth opens impossibly wide, his voice rising to a scream. "PLACET AUXILIUM!"
There's an almighty crash, and I yell, falling to the floor. Glass rains down over the table, a metal fist flying through the window. The wind tears into the compartment, billowing my hair into a storm. I leap into action, shoving at the fist, but a leg appears, followed by a rotting face, and a twisted smile.
"COME IN!" Red bellows. "COME IN!"
"Push it out!" Toon Link yells, making to grab at the Future Human, but it's too strong. I shove at it, but it flicks its wrist, and a blade appears.
"PK FIRE!" Ness shouts, and I scream as his burst ignites the window.
"PK FREEZE!"
Ice flies from my hand, but the Future Human is unaffected. It roars, and Toon Link tumbles back.
"SO MUCH FLESH! IT WILL BURN! EVERYTHING WILL BURN-"
"Toon Link, get Red out of here!"
"He's in league with it! Can't you hear-"
"Toon Link, just listen for once! Get Red safe-"
"No!" Toon Link shouts. "We need to get this-"
"ALL WILL FALL, ALL WILL BE STEEL, ALL WILL BE UPGRADED-"
I scream as the Future Human swings its blade, the stench of rotting flesh searing my nose. I try to push at its shoulders, but it doesn't budge. All of a sudden, the train roars into life, and I'm thrown back against my seat.
The Future Human growls, but it clings on, clambering forward. The rooks scream, the train picking up speed, Red rocking in his seat-
"ALL WILL DIE, ALL BONE WILL BE DUST, ALL FLESH WILL BE GRASS-"
I cry out, struggling against the oncoming beast. Pit throws the clock over its head, but it's no use, glass exploding everywhere.
"It's gripping too tight!" Villager cries, trying to unclench its hands from the window frame. "What do we do - what do we do?"
"SO STRONG, SO POWERFUL, SO DIVINE-"
The Future Human swings a fist, and Villager ducks wildly to avoid it. The rooks swarm into a violent frenzy, circling above with menacing cries. The train picks up momentum, clouds of smoke pouring in through the window.
I cough loudly, and panic builds, the Future Human giving a great, angry cry. It turns its head towards me, and I duck an attack from the blade.
"HELP!" Toon Link yells, struggling with the door. "HELP US!"
"Boys!" It's Rosalina. She runs to the door, pushing at it with all her weight. "It's stuck!"
"THAT'S IT! FURTHER! FURTHER!"
"Pit!" Villager shouts. "Push it out!"
"I don't see you helping much!" Pit shouts back.
"I can't reach it!"
Pit quickly moves his legs out of the way, Villager hurrying through, hurling a punch at the Future Human. Toon Link pummels madly at the door, and I shove at an oncoming leg. The knife slashes again, and Ness cries out as it meets his cheek.
"No!" I yell. I grab a shattered piece of glass, and with pinpoint accuracy, I launch it into the beast's fleshy eyehole. For a moment, it bellows, releasing its grip, and...
"NOW!"
I launch myself at it with all of my strength. It pushes back, but it slips, the train gathering speed. Its limbs billow in the air outside, and Rosalina yells, Red screaming louder, Toon Link shoving, Villager shoving, the Future Human screeching, and with an almighty bang, it falls. It flies through the window, clattering onto the rails below.
"Don't let it get back up!" Villager cries. He hurls another shard of glass at it, and I follow suit, adrenaline soaring. It lets out a metallic scream, trying to grab the train, but it's buffeted by a door, and as we accelerate away, it disappears into the darkness.
Red tumbles against his seat, his voice disappearing at once. Rosalina forces the door open, her hair wild and frantic. I collapse onto Ness, and he wipes the blood from his cheek, breathing hard.
"Is everyone okay?" Rosalina asks, panicked, looking around at us all. "Are you all safe?"
I faintly nod, the cries of the rooks fading into the distance, replaced by the train's ambient hum. Cold air blasts through the open window, and I wheeze, breathing in a mouthful of smoke. The madness fades away, my head spinning, thick with nausea. Ness helps me up, and I let out a moan, falling into his shoulder.
"Come on," Rosalina says, looking at our pale faces. "Let's get you into another compartment. It'll be okay. It's gone now."
But even as Rosalina moves us to another carriage, I don't feel much of anything. Today has been too much, a barrage on my emotions, an attack on my ability to cope. It's moments like these that make me wonder if I'll ever be normal again.
.
.
.
.
.
Eventually, the train comes to another stop. For most of the journey, we don't talk, just lying there, trying to process everything that happened. Professor Marth comes to our compartment, looking at his clipboard as he knocks on the door.
"Toon Link and Villager?"
Villager stands, looking exhausted. Toon Link follows him, without even so much as a bad joke to lighten the mood.
"See you soon," Pit murmurs. "Stay safe."
"See you," Villager says weakly. "Sorry for shouting at you earlier."
"I'm sorry too."
In an instant, the pair of them are gone, and we're moving again. I don't have the energy to worry about them, not when they have each other. Pit stares out of the window, unspeaking, and I almost start a conversation with him, but I can't muster the brainpower. I didn't think it possible to be burnt out from fighting battles, yet here I am.
"Ness and Lucas?" Professor Marth says, when the train has stopped again. I stand, glad to get out of this awfully cramped space. Ness follows me to the train's door, which is open, revealing the yawning night outside.
"Which way is North?" Ness asks. Marth points, looking serious as he observes his checklist.
"That way. Travel due east for half a mile to reach the river. Remember, if something bad happens, fire your flares and we'll send help." He hands me what looks like a firework, some kind of powder in a tube. "Stay safe out there, drink enough water, and remember everything you've been taught. Once the week is over, come back here and we'll pick you up. Okay?"
"Okay," I say, despite having no intention of coming back. We'll send a letter, we'll explain everything nearer the time. I can't manage that right now.
"Then off you go," Marth says, gesturing out of the doors. "Best of luck. See you in a week."
"Thanks," Ness says. He takes my hand, giving me a tiny nod, and at last, we step into the night.
A/N
That became more intense than planned. Writing tension and action scenes is hard, but also quite fun. Some interesting things were amongst all that. More clues are being dropped…
And so, Part 2 of the fic and Wilderness Survival Week begins. Except, our protagonists are deciding to ditch it for the sake of saving the world.
Maybe I'll give them a break in the next chapter.
Maybe.
If you're on AO3, you would've seen the map at the start! I've never drawn a map before so, uh, how is it? If you're on FFN, feel free to pop into the AO3 upload of this chapter, where you'll be able to see my hand-drawn map of the entire landscape of this fic.
Also, it's my birthday! If you're reading on the 5th of July, anyway.
Thank you as ever for reading,
~ReadyForTeddy