(Prologue: Headmaster Hand)
In the end, it only takes a day to reach Onett.
We follow the river, which we probably should've done in the first place. Thanks to the chaos of the explosion, the Onett Brigade doesn't even notice our escape, and by morning, we're standing on the city's outskirts.
"We should try to find an empty house," Ike says importantly. "Several men have gone to war, leaving the Third Residential District practically empty."
For once, everyone agrees, and we begin traipsing through the nicer streets of Onett, looking for abandoned flowerbeds and overflowing mailboxes. I'm surprised Ike came with us in the end, but I suppose his near execution, as he put it, 'tarnished his opinion of the Brigade'. I was a little annoyed not to have been included in the whole Geldegarde business, but I suppose Ness and Lucas saw to it. I just hope they survived, because the world needs all the help it can get.
As for Captain Strong's death (and presumably Geldegarde's, though I'd bet he got away), I couldn't care less. He always struck me as a corrupt fellow, powerful but unjust. There was a drug case at Onett Boarding School I had to get him involved in, and his manner came across as creepy, cold and indifferent. I suspect he held some sort of grudge over Crazy Hand's library bombing, at least, he looked at me as if I was planning to repeat it. From what I understood of Ike's recount of events, money took away his morals. That's just what Onett does, I suppose.
We traipse down an alley, many of the others looking cold, miserable and hungry. I can't blame them, but I keep reminding myself that once we've found a house, we can sell things like jewellery to buy food. Sure, it's a crime, but with Porky's army taking over the world, I don't think some old necklaces would go amiss. It's life or death, anyway. A house means safety, comfort. I can get to work on making plans.
It's on Clifford Way that we finally strike gold.
A big cityhouse stands before us. The front lawn is untamed, meadowlike, a clear sign nobody's been living there for a while. The garden gate is ajar, so we walk right through. Elmore removes her hairpin and she deftly unlocks the front door.
With great sighs of relief, we pile into a lavishly furnished hallway. There's a lot of noise as shoes are removed and coats are hung on a dust-covered hat stand. I'm quick to close the door behind us, allowing myself a deep breath. Paintings cover much of the hallway, all of the same blonde woman in a bright pink dress, but I dismiss them. I'm far too relieved to see actual, genuine sofas in the living room.
I collapse into one, sighing. Home, at long last.
Finally, we can rest.
.
.
.
~~o00o~~
Chapter 45: A Threefold Tale
(Ness)
~~o00o~~
.
.
.
In a sudden, awful movement, Dr Andonuts spreads his arms like a demon, collapsing onto his blackened knees. He tips his head to the sky, and out of his mouth, there comes an earsplitting cry.
"P-P- PLACET AUXILIUM!"
.
.
~~o00o~~
(4 Hours Later)
~~o00o~~
.
.
Cut Flowers — By Ness, age 13
I don't know how it began,
diamonds form under pleasure, but leaves,
they wither, crumbling into dry nothingness.
I relate to cut flowers,
the ones that sit in vases, only to die
to lose themselves completely in the fog.
I know how it feels to lack roots,
to have no anchor to the real world,
to be expected to shine in spite of it.
I think I'm a sunflower head,
in a vase without water,
left to find my own solid ground.
I close the book with a humourless laugh. All my old poems read the same, miserable tales of that terrible time.
There are physical remnants, too. The long scar on my left collarbone, the funny shape of my right leg. Mental ones, my quick anger, my clingy soul. No matter how hard I've tried to purge this darkness, I have failed. I'm still weak to Father's fury.
Nothing ever changes.
I toss my poems back under the bed.
As a child, I quickly learned the bungalow's best hiding-places. I sought out the hidden corners, the ones nobody would ever think to look. I'd crawl into them, knowing I could be alone, knowing the monster couldn't get me.
In my sanctuaries, my mistakes were my own, not some appalling crime. The safety was temporary, yes, but until I was found, it was my oasis, my solid ground. For a short time, I'd have a place to bury my roots.
But when the monster found me — and he always did — the cycle continued. He sang into my ears, promising I was loved while he hit me senseless. He tucked me into bed, kissed me on the forehead, and strangled me with the blankets.
On the worst days, when the monster screamed and shouted, slapped and beat, there was nothing to be done. I bit my fingernails to the skin, hiding in my nooks until I was discovered, until he got me. From there, it would be a blur until the next milestone: the next meal, the next day.
It was hell, an endless prison. I wondered if I deserved it, if I'd been born so awful that there was no other choice. I didn't understand, but I didn't understand much of anything. I just knew I was deeply hated, and I knew it was never going to end.
~~o00o~~
An hour later, I'm staring at the monster across the dinner table. But all is not normal. There's a girl here.
My heart thrums like a marching band.
Lucas promised it'd be okay. He's good, not a monster, he wouldn't lie to me — would he? But sweat pours down the back of my neck. Tension hangs thickly in the air. I stare down at my meal, not hungry for the first time in my life.
Father threateningly lifts a dish of peas. He tips them onto the girl's plate.
"You will meet with her," he'd declared, fangs dripping with cold disappointment. "She will come for dinner, you will dress well, and she will be yours. Is that understood?"
It was understood.
And so, we sit around the dinner table, a roast pork in front of us. The girl sits opposite Mother — the girl who's supposed to be mine, but who I can barely look at. As always, I'm failing to live up to expectations. Lucas and Claus are listening from my bedroom, not that there's much to hear other than a thick, awkward silence.
"Go on," Father says harshly, tipping a slab of meat onto my plate. "Aren't you going to tell her about yourself?"
I gulp, looking up at the girl's rosy face. In a way, she looks like a model, her cheeks soft and ladylike. She wears a pearly necklace with a pink, frilly dress. A hat covers her blonde bob, adorned with an elaborate red bow.
"I'm Ness," I say, stammering. "Nice to meet you."
"Maybe try a little more enthusiasm," Father says scornfully.
"What's your name?" I ask, ignoring him. The girl smiles at me. I'm sure I'd find her very beautiful if I were straight.
"I'm Paula," she says happily. She has an optimistic kind of voice, the sort I'd expect from a public speaker. "It's nice to meet you, Ness. I like your cap."
"I like your bow," I say awkwardly, wondering if it's impolite to eat roast potatoes while a guest is speaking. She smiles at me nonetheless.
"Sorry Paula," Father interrupts loudly, speaking through a mouthful of pork. "Ness isn't very good with social situations. I had to invite you here myself, after all."
"Ah, yes." Paula forces a laugh. "Father thought you were coming onto me at first..."
Tracy stifles a giggle at the other end of the table, earning herself a look from Mother. Father glares at her before turning back to Paula again. The tension thickens.
"Good pork, this," Paula says obliviously. "Did you cook it yourselves?"
"Ah, that was the cook," Mother says. "I'll pass on your thanks."
"Thank the cook?" Father raises his eyebrows. "What are we, socialists? It's her job. Apologies for the wife, Paula. She doesn't understand basic economics..." He lets out a short laugh. "The kinds of people we get nowadays, it's getting ridiculous. Just last month I had to fire a rogue worker for starting up strikes left, right and centre. That Flint!"
Paula pretends to smile as Father shakes his head. Tracy scowls into her roast potatoes. Mother eats in submissive silence. The coil of tension winds a little tighter, the silent battleground of the dinner table becoming a cold war.
It's not my first fight of the day.
I idly cover the burn on my forearm.
~~o00o~~
"PK FIRE!"
An inferno surges towards Dr Andonuts, but he dodges, and the wall catches ablaze.
"PLACET-"
"DUCK!" Villager screams, and I throw myself away from a toppling vase. It shatters on the floor, pieces scattering. Dr Andonuts turns to me, furious, and I rip off his spotless lab coat. It reveals decaying flesh, metal, machinery.
He's been a Future Human for a while.
"Quick!" Toon Link cries, leaping on a chair. Flames roar behind him, tearing along the drywall. I follow, hearing my shirt rip as Dr Andonuts grabs it. Red picks up a chair, throwing it at Dr Andonuts with a crunch.
I shoot another PK Fire, but it does no good. Blades fly out from Dr Andonuts' hands, and I dodge his lunge.
"Watch out!" Villager exclaims, and I turn to see swathes of flame licking at the chair leg. I cry out, and Dr Andonuts growls, knocking me to the floor. A foot rises from the ground, hovering over my face, but Toon Link swings at him with a lampshade, and Lucas yanks me out of danger.
"The door!" Red exclaims, but it's locked. A flame grabs at my forearm, and I tear it away, wincing.
"PK Freeze!" Lucas cries. The fire explodes into steam, and I cough as black smoke billows among it. Dr Andonuts disappears in the fog, and I grab for Lucas's hand-
"PLACET AUXILIUM!"
I duck the blade with a cry. I grab a chair leg, swinging it into Dr Andonuts' face. He snatches it from my hands, snapping it in two. Lucas falls back behind me to launch a PK fire, but he disappears into smoke. Red appears, barraging Dr Andonuts from behind, but Andonuts twists his neck.
He crumples to the floor.
"NO!" Villager cries, but Andonuts takes him too, maniacal eyes glinting. Villager kicks and pounds at his chest, and I surge forward, grabbing his foot. It becomes a sort of tug of war, but suddenly, Andonuts lets go, sending me toppling to the floor. The tang of blood fills my mouth, and my vision swims...
~~o00o~~
...and I open my eyes in the dining room.
"Why don't you tell her about yourself," Father is saying. "Your achievements, your successes."
I wince, my head throbbing. "I'm not sure... I'm good at the harp, I guess? I go to the boarding school..."
"That sounds lovely," Paula says. I can only nod, staring down at my meal. I have to remember to save some for Lucas and Claus, or they'll go hungry. The tension winds tighter.
We continue eating. The occasional scrape of cutlery is the only thing to break the silence. Father looks between me and Paula. Paula looks at Tracy. Mother looks at Paula. The cook hums in the distance, whistling like artillery.
"Alright," Tracy says, suddenly standing. "This is too weird. I'm going out."
"Excuse me?" Father turns, raising his voice. "We have a guest."
"Does it look like I give a shit?"
"Tracy!" Mother reprimands. "Don't use that sort of language at the dinner table."
"Mother, shut up!" Track throws down her cutlery. "I'm going, and you can't stop me!"
"Can't I?" Father's eyes flash with menace. "The door is locked, girl. Sit down and hold your tongue!"
Tracy protests, and I turn away, trying to block out the furious rattles of their voices. Paula smiles at me amidst the chaos. I try to still my panic.
"What's your family like?" I ask, focusing on that enormous bow.
"Oh, not bad," Paula says. "Not amazing, though. We don't always get along."
"I'm sorry to hear that."
"Ah, it's alright." Paula waves away my sympathies. "There are people much worse off than me. Heavens, how I wish there was something I could do…"
"Fine!" Tracy interrupts, practically shouting now. "If you want me to have no friends because I don't show up-"
"Any wine, dear?" Mother asks Paula loudly.
"Oh, yes please."
"French Chambourcin," the cook says, pouring her a glass. "Enjoy."
"Right then!" Father says, having finally subdued Tracy. Silence falls almost at once. "I propose a toast," he says. "To Paula, and to Ness finally getting somewhere in life."
"Cheers," Paula says, raising her glass.
"Cheers," I mutter, doing the same.
"Ness," Father says warningly. "Paula is potentially your future wife. Show some more enthusiasm, okay? Straighten yourself up a bit."
"Cheers," I say a bit louder. As if I'll be straightening any time soon.
"Good," Father says. "Now, Paula, where does your father work?"
"Oh, good question," Paula says, putting down her wine glass. Her upper lip is slightly red. "My parents run the Polestar Preschool in Twoson. I help out when I'm not at school."
"That sounds enriching," Mother says, sounding pleased. "Do you enjoy it?"
"And how much does it earn?" Father adds.
"Oh, I love it!" Paula laughs. "I'm not sure how much it pays, though. Enough to get by, not that it matters much to us. It's worth it to see the kids growing up. We try to give them the support they'll need, we help them prepare for primary school, that sort of thing. How about yourself, what do you do?"
"I manage a coal mining firm," Father says proudly. "Eight-hundred and twenty-two employees, forty hectares of land. A revenue of over a million pounds."
"Impressive," Paula says. Her smile is a little forced again.
"I tell all my workers the same," Father continues obliviously. "A man has to make his own way in the world, has to build himself up from scratch. Progress comes through doing rather than complaining, and on that note, Ness." He turns to me. "Are you still… acquainted... with that Lucas boy?"
"Yeah," I say, trying to draw attention away from Mother's giveaway expression. "He's my friend."
"He is your friend no longer," Father says. "His father caused trouble in the mines, and he had to be dismissed. I will hear no mention of his son in my house."
"But that's not fair!" I protest, even though Lucas is only metres away. "He's done nothing wrong-"
"No mention!" Father says, and I slump down into my seat. Tracy catches my eye. Mother hastily looks at her pork. Paula looks bemused.
The battle continues to rage.
~~o00o~~
A father should be the most important figure in a boy's life. He's who they should aspire to become, who they take after, whose business they inherit and views they share.
Every child is entitled to food, water, a roof over their head. But most of all, it is their right to be loved, to have someone to turn to. My father tore that away from me. He dangled glimmers of it in front of my face, but snatched it away whenever it got too close.
Some may call it tough love. But there's no love in beating your kid to a pulp for speaking out of line, for disobeying your commands. There's no love in screaming your lungs out when your kid gets a bad grade. There's no love in confiscating food, forced isolation, and abuse.
It's good for you!
It ripped me apart.
I just want the best for you!
I was left with the worst.
Life under Father was terrifying. I was scared to come home from school, terrified he'd be waiting to hit me when I returned. There was no escaping his menace, not even after dark. Every night, I'd tiptoe down the hallway, so frightened of his shadow. I would lie, frozen, whenever I heard his echoing footsteps.
But as far as I was concerned? It was for my good.
"Don't disappoint me, Ness."
"You should already know this."
I cried. Most nights, I cried. I curled up like a little baby, huddled under the covers. I couldn't sleep. I tossed and turned, pleading, begging for something to change. I begged to know what was so fucking wrong with me, why the one who loved me most would hurt me so much.
But I never found out. And the house became a warzone. There was nothing but yelling as the work increased, as the solace of school days came and went in a flash. There was nothing but bitter shame as bloody murder was screamed in my face, my body shaking.
In the world he'd built me, he was the victim. I'd ruined his plans, crushed his dreams. He was the one who needed rescuing from me. My crying was manipulation. My sadness was an act for attention.
He didn't see what he did to me. He didn't see that he was killing me, day by day. He didn't see that I was becoming just as bad as him.
"Hey!" I yell. "You leave him alone, or I'll hit you!"
It was the only thing I could do.
"Fuck you!" I shove Meta Knight in the chest. "Get him down this instant!"
Because violence is all I've ever known.
~~o00o~~
"PK FIRE!" I scream, launching another volley at Dr Andonuts' face. He roars, sprinting forward. The new Future Humans are too strong, immune to fire, immune to ice. Suddenly, he's got us cornered. A blade gleams in his hand. We have no hope.
"PLACET AUXI-"
CRASH!
"HIIII-YA!"
KER-PING!
And suddenly, hope is back.
"Got anymore, Andonuts?" Pit exclaims, a bow in one hand, a quiver around his shoulder.
"DOLOR!" Dr Andonuts cries, stumbling. An arrow sticks out of his side, and he judders. "Quomodo?"
"Easily," Pit says, looking to the doorway. There's a hole where he forced his way through. "Looks like this lab's starting to rot."
"Impossibilis!" Dr Andonuts says, surging at him, but Pit fires again. An arrow sticks out of his eye.
"No weaknesses, huh?" Pit says. He dodges Dr Andonuts' blind stagger, pushing him back into Toon Link's waiting arms. Dr Andonuts cries out as he's forced onto a chair, a rope slung around his body. "Porky's workmanship is shoddy," Pit says scornfully. "Holes in the metal? Vulnerable circuitry?"
"P-Placet Auxilium!"
"How did you know where we were?" I say in disbelief. "And where did you get a bow and arrow?"
"Andonuts' lab is on the map." Pit says, notching the bow again. Dr Andonuts gives a pathetic little whine. "And I got the bow from Toon Link's little brother. He's really into live-action battle roleplay."
"He's four years old," Toon Link protests.
"And a big fan of realism." Pit edges closer to Dr Andonuts' juddering body. "Now, what should we do with this guy?"
"Placet," Dr Andonuts murmurs.
"There's nothing left of him," Toon Link says, tapping the inventor's greyed head. He seems much more comfortable now the threat is gone. "He's just another Future Human, one of Porky's puppets."
"Still speaking Latin," Lucas notes. "I thought he said they'd overcome that."
"But that wasn't Dr Andonuts speaking," Villager says. "It can't have been, he was dead. It must've been Porky speaking through him, pretending to be him." He looks sick. "God knows how much of that spiel was true."
"We should really stop falling for these traps," Lucas says.
But suddenly, Dr Andonuts' body jerks. We freeze. His head abruptly tips to the side, a lopsided grin appearing on his face. That manic air reappears, and Dr Andonuts begins to writhe.
"Help me!" he croaks. His voice is gravelly again, mixed with an undertone of static. "It's Porky, he's trying to convert me!"
"Nice try," Pit says, notching the bow again. "We know it's you, controlling him."
Dr Andonuts' face becomes slack. We watch in anticipation as he struggles, only to find himself stuck.
"Well?" Pit says. "Are you going to admit it?"
"Does it matter?" Dr Andonuts says, sneering. "Porky will win either way. He's too powerful."
"Porky hasn't got the balls to challenge us in person," Pit says. "That's two of his robots I've taken down."
"This was a test for the Future Humans," Dr Andonuts says. "They resist your magic. All you've done is reveal the final weakness!"
"We'll find more," Pit says. His expression is almost manic. "Nothing's perfect, no matter how hard you try."
"Oh, really?" A grating laugh comes from Dr Andonuts' animated mouth. "I'd like to see you beat him, Pit. You know, of all of you six... you're possibly the most fun. You're not even a sidekick, you're like some sort of add-on to this group, and your temper... dear me. But at least you're alive, I guess. Not stuffed with metal like your brother."
"Where did he go?" I ask before Pit can retort. "Porky could've killed us in that cavern, but he didn't."
"You ever kill a spider?" Dr Andonuts buzzes. "So small, so defenceless... but no fun if you squish it. Instead, you pull off its legs, one by one, until it's nothing more than a feeble ball. Porky likes to chip away at his victims, taking away what they cherish the most until they're alone."
"And where's he going next?"
"An excellent question." Dr Andonuts' body rolls again, flopping against the rope. "Porky's been getting bored, lately. It's no fun manning the factories — especially when the Future Humans can do such menial tasks themselves. No, what Porky needs is a break. A job away from the city. It's just as well that a position recently opened in Onett Boarding School."
"Then we'll come right up and put a stop to him," Toon Link says.
"Oh, you'll have no choice." Dr Andonuts' expression morphs into a smile. "You see, Porky's made sure your faces are on every wanted poster in Onett. You've murdered a respectable inventor, you've betrayed the Onett First Brigade, you're magicians, and you're possibly even faggots. In fact, some say you were behind the killings of Ryu and Wario."
A clatter comes from outside. I look up, nervous.
"You can't win," Dr Andonuts says simply. "Porky is unstoppable, how many times must he tell you? He's the most powerful man of all time. Worst of all, he's cleverer than you."
"But we're more determined," Pit says. He looks murderous again, pointing his bow at Andonuts' other eye. "Because this lot? They hate you. But not nearly as much as I do right now. You've hurt my flesh and blood, Porky. You killed Dark Pit. And I will avenge him."
"Porky looks forward to it," Dr Andonuts says, the cold hum of his voice echoing around the room. "But he will have what he wants. He will have what he deserves. All of you — you are little more than nothing, just a blight on his plans. Dr Andonuts was worthless, just another man to play with. And after Porky leaves him, he'll be just another corpse. Then, when the Earth has fallen, his body will be found, and the Future Humans will repair it again. This never ends. Never!"
"Oh, it does," Pit says coldly. Another clatter sounds outside. "Everything ends. Starting with you, Dr Andonuts."
With a furious twang! Pit fires the bow. Dr Andonuts lets out a cry, and I jump back as his body jerks once more. But then his head falls against his chest, his shoulders sagging in place. The echo of static slowly dissipates into nothing.
None of us are sure what to say. Bits of the drywall and broken chairs are strewn around the room. The carpet smoulders in one corner, the stub of a candle having fallen onto it. Even the ceiling is burnt, a shattered hole emerging amidst the scorched paint.
Our silence is broken by another clatter, and a knock at the door.
"This is the Onett police force! Open up!"
~~o00o~~
"Have you ever been arrested?" Father asks, staring Paula in the face. "And are you still a virgin?"
"Uh, no? And yes?" We're finally reaching the end of the meal, and Paula looks utterly bewildered. I feel my cheeks flushing even redder than before. This has been a thoroughly awkward affair.
"Very good," Father says. "I only want the best for my Ness, you see."
"Of course," Paula says, and I burn with shame.
I don't even know why we eat dinner as a family. We do it every night, sitting in our usual seats at the dining table. It usually ends in warfare, or a session of passive-aggressive glaring.
Mother breaks the quiet. "Paula dear, when are you expected back home?"
"There are trains to Twoson every two hours," Paula says. "But I can stay as long as Ness would like."
I'd quite like her to go right now, though I don't say that. Instead, I look into the kitchen, where a fruitcake is being brought out.
"Freshly baked," the cook says quietly, laying it on the table. "Fruits from the market. Flour from the mill."
"Looks delicious," Paula says, beaming. "Thank you."
The cook isn't usually permitted to reply, but I do see her cheeks pinkening as she leaves.
Silence falls again. Mother distributes the cake. Paula watches. Tracy folds her arms. Father sits back down.
"So, Paula," he says. "I expect you'll be wedding Ness within a few years?"
"Uh, maybe!" Paula looks quite taken aback by that bombshell, a raisin falling from her mouth. "If everything goes well, that is. I don't want to force him into anything."
"Of course," Father says, but his gaze only intensifies. "And you'll be willing to continue the family line?"
"Dad!" Tracy exclaims. "That is so disgusting!"
Paula pretends not to have heard, though her face holds considerable surprise. "Uh, I think so. I love children, and having some of my own would be a dream. But again, I don't want to force anything-"
"Good," Father interrupts. "In that case, the matter is settled." He speaks like he's closing a business deal. "At long last, Ness, things are looking up for you."
"I guess," I say through a mouth of fruitcake.
"You guess?"
"I mean... definitely," I lie, trying not to think about all the people trying to kill me. "I am very happy."
But Father doesn't look convinced. "The woman of the dreams is in front of you, Ness. Would you mind showing some enthusiasm? Making some effort, for once? I already had to find her myself, thanks to your laziness."
I sigh. It always comes to this. "Sorry, Father."
"All the things I do for you." He digs at his fruitcake. "You never appreciate them."
"I'm sorry."
There's an uncomfortable silence. The whole thing is kind of ridiculous. I find myself longing to be back with Lucas, kissing him, giving him cuddles. Sleeping by his side was so nice last night. Father can't actually make me marry this girl, can he?
It'd be easier than being with a boy.
But I'd hate it so much. I know what I want now — what I need. I need Lucas. We're codependent, for better or for worse. That's the fact of the matter.
"Well then," Father says eventually, putting down his fork. "What a delightful meal, and an honour to have you in our abode, Paula."
"An honour to be here," Paula says, smiling politely. "Come on then Ness, how about we go to your bedroom?" Seeing my stricken expression, she laughs. "Sorry. I didn't mean it like that. Just so I can get to know you, if I'm going to be, uh, marrying you and siring your children-"
"Okay," I say, seeing Father looking expectantly at me. "Let's go."
And so, with Tracy miming throwing up in the background, I lead Paula into the hall. She looks quite excited as we approach my bedroom, and when I'm sure we're out of earshot of Father, I stop. This can't continue.
"Right, so this is a little awkward," I say, feeling my face heat up under Paula's smile. "I, uh, don't particularly want a girlfriend at the moment? I'm... not really into girls, you see. So, this whole thing…"
"Oh!" Paula laughs, to my relief. "Okay, thank God. Honestly, I could tell you weren't really interested. I thought it was my fault! I thought I was boring, or something"
"Yeah, uh, don't worry about that." I rub my cheek as we head into my bedroom. Lucas is there, and he yelps, dropping my poetry book with surprise. "But keep it quiet, okay? Father doesn't really know..."
"Of course," Paula says emphatically. "Your father seems like a nasty piece of work. If he knew, I don't think he'd be very happy at all."
"And this is my boyfriend," I say, waving toward Lucas. "I smuggled him into the house."
"Boyfriend?" Claus says.
I blush. "I mean, this is my friend who happens to be a boy."
"Oh. Okay!" Claus says toothily. "Lucas, can we go see dad now?"
Lucas winces. "Soon, Claus."
"Well, hello to all of you," Paula says, looking around in bemusement. "It's nice to meet my competition... though I suppose there isn't any anymore, is there?" She sighs. "Oh well, I suppose I'll find someone."
"I'm sure you will," I say honestly. I know guys who'd kill to be with a girl so objectively pretty.
"Aw, that's sweet of you." Paula adjusts her bow, smiling. "Anyway, if you're not — you know — the one, then I'd better go and catch my train. We've got to set up the preschool for tomorrow, after all. Perhaps you'll see me around, though? If you ever need a favour or decide you're not into guys anymore?" She laughs. "The address is Polestar Preschool, just knock on the red door. I'll be there!"
She spins away. I wave, despite having very little intention of visiting. When I hear the front door close behind her, I'm sorry to say it's a bit of a relief.
"She seemed nice enough," Lucas says, absentmindedly turning a page. I swipe my poetry book from his hands, scowling.
"Father asked her if she was a virgin."
"What's that?" Claus says, and Lucas laughs.
"Nothing to worry yourself with. You going to visit her, Ness? She's only a trainride away..."
"Uh, no way." I plop down next to him, rolling into his arms with a sigh. "She was kind of insane, honestly. Definitely Bayonetta's type."
"Who was she?" Claus asks.
"Oh, just Ness's girlfriend," Lucas says. I buffet him with a pillow, and he giggles, smothering me with a kiss.
But in our laughter, neither of us hears the door opening. Neither of us hears Father storming in, staring down at us with fury.
"NESS!"
~~o00o~~
"FUCK!" Toon Link exclaims. "What the hell do we do?"
"Onett Police!" the voice says again. "We know you're in there!"
"We have to climb," I say. "Come on!"
"Are you insane?"
"Probably!" I push a chair beneath the hole in the ceiling, scrambling onto it, my heart beginning to pound. "Toon Link, you first!"
"We're coming in!" the policeman calls. "Stand aside!"
Panicking, Toon Link snatches my hand, and I help him up toward the hole. He balances precariously on my shoulders, pushing himself up into the light.
"Bring up Red!" he exclaims.
Villager obliges, him and Pit picking up Red's limp body. I help it upward, and Toon Link grabs it, unceremoniously trying to drag him to the roof. Banging begins to come from the hallway. They're knocking down the door.
"Quick!" I shout, beads of sweat slipping down my neck. "Pit, you next!"
Pit tosses his bow aside, and he clambers fast, agilely reaching the roof. The bashes get louder, and I pull Villager onto the chair, Pit and Toon Link working together to tug him up. Villager disappears, but then there's a mighty crunch from the doorway, footsteps echoing out.
"They're coming!" I cry, and Lucas scrambles to my side. I haul him up — he's light, though he struggles to reach for Toon Link's hand. I lift him higher, and Pit grabs his arm, but just as he does, the living room door bursts open.
"Stop right there!"
"Ness!" Pit cries, desperately reaching down. The police surge forward, and I jump, grabbing Pit's wrist. I kick a baton out of one policeman's hand, bashing aside a bayonet, but another policeman shouts, grabbing my foot. Toon Link yanks me upward, and it feels as if my arm is being pulled out of its socket, but then Lucas is there, and I'm rising, breaking free, kicking for all I'm worth, ignoring the fury behind me, emerging into the light!
But the policemen begin to climb as well. I scramble to my feet, helping Villager with Red's body, and we hurtle along the tiles, jumping planks of rotting wood. We reach the edge, and Toon Link leaps, landing in a hedge. I follow suit, my chest soaring as I plummet, but then I'm brushing off leaves, running again. Villager follows with Red. We hurtle into Fortune Alley, hearing police chariots giving chase behind us, weaving among startled pedestrians.
"In here!" Lucas shouts, pulling us into a side street. The chariots screech to a halt behind us, but they're far too slow. Toon Link pulls us between two buildings, ducking behind a pile of burst bin bags.
The policemen run into the side street, waving truncheons and bayonets. I huddle closer to Lucas, praying we won't be seen. But the force runs by, turning right into a hotel garden. A few more seconds, and they're gone, hurtling back down the main road.
"He's alive," Villager whispers, checking Red's pulse. "Thank God."
I breathe a sigh of relief, but my heart is still pouding. The police won't be finished with us, I know that for certain.
The battle isn't over.
~~o00o~~
Father's eyes blaze.
He shakes with disappointment, disgust, or possibly both. I've never seen his face so red. Suddenly, I'm hit with an inexplicable sense of fear, and I find myself clutching Lucas tighter.
It's the wrong thing to do.
"What the hell is this?" Father says, his voice deathly quiet.
I shake my head. I'm too frightened to explain.
"What the hell is this?"
"It's not what it-"
"I've raised a faggot." He surges forwards, shaking, and I flinch. "I knew it — I fucking knew it, all that music, all those sleepovers, always following each other around — by GOD!" he roars suddenly, breaking into a charge. "You're fucking dead!"
I yell, rolling over the bed. Lucas tumbles next to me, but Father is there, shaking with fury.
"I went to such an effort to bring Paula here tonight. But you have the gall to sneak a boy under my roof — under the roof that I paid for. There has to be something — you can't — I'll beat it out of you, that's what I'll fucking do! You can't be a fag!"
He kicks, and I cry out, his boot hitting my side. I clamber up, but he grabs my neck, his face purple and bloodshot.
"Tell me you're not a fucking faggot — tell me!"
"I'm not!" I yelp, but he slams me against the wall.
"Don't you — don't you lie to me — don't you dare lie to me you little-"
"Stop!" Lucas cries, but in an instant, Father turns on him.
"And you — this is your fault, you've done this — you wretched boy! Your father, messing up my business, now you — you -"
He lunges, and I cry out. Lucas runs to me, shaking, and Father sneers.
"But you would protect him, wouldn't you? You've always chosen yourself over your family, your flesh and blood, who work to keep you fucking safe. But instead of being grateful, you just bend over for fucking whores, and-"
"He's not a whore!"
"DON'T SPEAK TO ME LIKE THAT!"
"I'll speak to you how I want!" I shout, shoving at the monster, pushing him away. Tears threaten to spill onto my cheeks, but I hold them back, standing my ground. "You've never cared about me! All you've done is hurt!"
"And what about the hurt you've caused me? Your own father! You pathetic, whiney, son-of-a-"
"You're no father of mine!" I cry. I feel stronger suddenly, the rehearsed lines spilling out, coming to the surface. "I've done what you said for seventeen years. I've cried in silence while you beat me and hit me and told me I was worthless. I've done things that you couldn't even understand, and I've learned to love people like you never loved me! But I won't let you control me anymore. It's over!"
"Over, is it?" Father's voice is deadly cold again. He looks at me, ugly with rage, practically frothing at the mouth. He steps forward, and for a split second, I'm sure he's going to hit me.
"Don't," I whisper, but he doesn't move a muscle.
"Get out of my house," he says, his voice barely audible. "Get the fuck out of my house."
"But-"
"You don't need me anymore? Prove it!" Father grabs me by the scruff of the neck, and I cry out as he drags me down the hall, Lucas and Claus running after me. "If I'm a terrible father who makes your life a misery? If you don't need our house, our money?" He throws open the front door, and cold rushes over me.
"Please, it's dangerous out there!" Lucas exclaims, but Father gives a short, humourless laugh.
"Apparently, I don't care what happens to you. And why should I? Years wasted on raising a faggot, a boy only fit for a brothel." He spits at my feet. "I never want to see your face round here again. Never. Do you understand me?"
"Do you understand me?" I say, shaking. "You and Ryu were together, weren't you? But it went wrong. That's why you don't speak anymore, why you hate homosexuality so much. But Ryu's dead now. I hope you're happy with yourself!"
There's a horrid pause.
Wham.
I only have time to make out a fist, and then I'm on the pavement, the door slammed shut behind me.
~~o00o~~
And so, another fight ends. Another battle is fought, and I don't know if I've won or lost.
As I sit up against the wall, Lucas huddles next to me, warm despite the cold. Copper stings on my tongue, the distant ringing of Father's words still in my ears. We count each others' injuries, keeping our heads low.
The truth is, my life has always been a battleground. I've fought off monsters, some human, some not. But I can never win, not when the enemies are so countless and the world is so tinged with red. So many awful things are here, with so few lights to guide me among them.
Eventually, I won't be able to fight anymore. I'll stop for too long, and a monster will catch up with me. When that happens, I will surely die.
But I rest my head on Lucas's shoulder.
I don't think I want to die quite yet.