Epilogue I: Beyond
"Integrity of life is fame's best friend, which nobly, beyond death, shall crown in the end." ~ John Webster
The first thing that had to be done was the healing. The healing and the saving. Doctor Mario and Xavier, his greatest student, worked late into the night bandaging up cuts and stitching up wounds. The slaves and the Hands poured their assistance into the healing process as well. Within a single night, the Guardians and Smashers- at least those without broken bones- were able to move about.
And then there were the search parties. Those that went out to the battlefield and searched for anyone missing. Among these search party members were Guardians, those hoping to land yet another helping hand to the Smashers and the Hands.
Doggie was now walking alongside her Smasher, King Dedede, and Kirby, Pichn's Smasher. The former Ruler of Dreamland had called her out from the hospital tent, secretly thankful that his Guardian had sustained only a few deep cuts and bruises. Doctor Mario had- quite reluctantly- allowed Doggie to venture out of the tent for one hour. No more, no less.
It had been her dream long ago to visit Dreamland, the Kingdom of the Star Warriors. It had been a fairy tale when she was a young girl, a magical place to which she would be able to escape every once in a while. To her, the girl who had grown up in a world of oppression and decay, Dreamland was a faraway paradise just waiting to be rediscovered.
"I'm glad you came, Doggie," Dedede said, breaking the silence that had fallen between them. "I… I couldn't think of anyone else that could help me and the Kirbs here…" at this, he gestured to the pink Star Warrior. "We… er… we couldn't think of anyone else who was well enough to… to…" the penguin seemed to be choking up, requiring him to wipe his running nose on his bloodstained sleeve.
"… To help us look for Meta Knight," Kirby finished for him. Indeed, after the battle, while many a Smasher body had been recovered, Meta Knight's had not been found. Wrath, much too shaken with the task he had been forced to do, had retired to his rooms after the battle. Both Xavier and Doctor Mario had been unable to coax him out long enough for them to take a look at his wounds.
Doggie took a deep breath, her bottom lip trembling at the thought of the lost Star Warrior. It was extremely likely that by now, the Smasher had succumbed to his injuries. And even if he- by some unheard of miracle- somehow still remained alive, there would be no plausible way to save him. The best they could do was end his suffering.
In this new, hopeful dawn, there could be no hope found for the fallen Star Warrior.
Doggie scanned the battlefield, searching for the familiar cape or mask of Wrath's Smasher. Her nose and ears twitched as she tested her other senses, desperately hoping that she would detect some faint cry for help, some scent that would lead them to the missing Smasher. Closing her eyes, she concentrated on the ebb and flow of the breeze around her, willing herself to pinpoint the Meta Knight's exact location.
They found him right next to Tabuu's rotting shell, where he had managed to crawl as his laboring breath slowly weakened. The sword lodged in his chest- Wrath's sword- was still glistening with his blood. He weakly turned his head to look at the trio as they approached, the infamous mask cracked and stained.
"You… have come… at last…" it pained Doggie to hear such a broken voice. It sounded as if it took him a great effort to speak, his every word slow and deliberate.
"Meta Knight… oh, Mets, I thought… I thought…" King Dedede took a deep breath. "I thought… GET OVAH HERE YOU!" before anyone could stop him, the great penguin had thrown his gigantic hammer to the ground and rushed at the Star Warrior, throwing his bulky arms around the blue puffball's weakened form. Meta Knight hesitantly patted his former King on the back before he shifted his gaze to Doggie and Kirby, large yellow eyes searching.
"Wrath… where is he…?" the Star Warrior asked as soon as Dedede let go.
"Back in his room at the Smash Mansion…" Kirby replied sadly. "I… He… he blames himself… for everything…"
Meta Knight's eyes fell. For a moment, Doggie could've sworn she saw a tear glistening down his cheek. "Ah… I would have… liked to… see him... one last time… before I…"
This was impossible. Meta Knight, mightiest of the Star Warriors, couldn't be saying such things! It was madness! Blasphemy!
"Don't say that, Meta Knight!" Doggie said desperately. "C'mon, we're going to get you to Xavier as soon as possible! You'll be better in no time!" she felt tears pricking her eyes, her bottom lip trembling as Meta Knight's gaze turned to her. "Meta Knight, I-"
The Star Warrior shook his head. "No… My time… has come…" he coughed, a deep rattling sound. "I… I hope that… I served you Guardians well… and you, My King…"
"Mets…" King Dedede held back no tears, as great pearls rolling down his cheeks. "Mets, please… don't die… not here… not now…" the monarch's hands curled into fists, trembling with his every word. "W-We… Dreamland… I… we need ya, Mets… we need ya to help us rebuild… help us become better warriors… better people…"
At this, Meta Knight shook his head. "I have already taught two all that I can teach… now it is their job to teach the world… to pass on my teachings to more students, more people…" Doggie watched as Meta Knight now turned his great yellow eyes upon Kirby, who had been silently sobbing through this whole exchange. "K-Kir… by…"
The puffball ran up to Meta Knight, standing over his broken body like it was some sacred relic. "Y-Yes…?"
Meta Knight touched his mask, never taking his eyes off the young Star Warrior. "When I pass on… I wish you to take my mask… you have grown much since the first time I met you long ago… the child has long ago become the man…" he paused briefly to cough, battling Kirby's hand away as the puffball attempted to help in some way. "Take my mask… because you are now worthy to bear the title of Star Warrior…"
This proved too much for Kirby. The pink puffball burst into tears, burying his face in his hands as Doggie, King Dedede, and Meta Knight looked on. Ripping his eyes away from Kirby's sobbing form, Meta Knight turned his great yellow eyes upon King Dedede.
"My King… I hope that I have served you well. As a final parting gift, I give you a new hope. Dreamland is truly a lucky nation indeed to have a ruler so fine as yourself… you have grown, My King, whether you know it or not. I am honored to have served you throughout these years…"
"Mets…" Dedede whispered, his voice breaking as he pronounced the Star Warrior's name.
Meta Knight now turned to Doggie, his gaze never wavering. "And you, Guardian of my King… I name you my heir. For when I was unable to, you bore the burden of protecting my King… I see no other way to thank you for this great service than to ask you to bear the honor of being Knight of Dreamland… Doggie, nay, Lady Doggie… do you accept this honor?"
Doggie clutched her book tightly, tears threatening to fall as the weight of Meta Knight's request fell upon her. She would be instrumental in rebuilding Dreamland. She would from here on out continue to protect King Dedede, continue to learn from him and teach him the ways of being a great fighter.
She would finally be able to see the land of her dreams.
She bowed her head. "I do, Meta Knight…"
This seemed to please the dying Smasher, as he seemed to become more relaxed, more peaceful. "I… have one last request…" he paused for a moment, seeming to gather whatever strength he had left. "Tell Wrath… my Guardian… that no matter what, I forgive him… and thank him for all that he has done. That in many ways, he has grown and become my son… and tell him that as a final gift to him, I give him Galaxia. Let him know that wherever he travels…" Doggie knelt before Meta Knight, watching as the Star Warrior slowly closed his eyes. "Wherever he wanders… I shall… be with him… in… spirit… … … …"
It was a rather curious thing, the miraculous medical miracles Xavier, Doctor Mario, and Teal had managed to perform that allowed him- even with his blotchy purple bruises and numerous gaping wounds- to walk at this hour. Not only that, but it was even more curious that almost no one had commented on his change. After all, it wasn't every day that someone was purged of the essence of possibly the greatest of all evils, right?
Eclipse stared at himself just a little bit longer before he lifted a finger and, quite tentatively, poked his cheek. The person in the mirror- the guy whom he was quite sure was not his reflection- did the same. The man in the mirror was tall and imposing, with deep purple eyes and ghostly pale skin. His hair was bright blue, matching the color of his skin before the wing-shard was removed from him. This man in the mirror was a stranger to him. Or perhaps, an old friend. Certainly, he could not be the same Eclipse he believed he was.
Curious indeed.
"Hey, Eclipse!"
He turned around, meeting Miles' eyes. The Guardian of Sonic seemed winded as he clutched his chest, shoulders heaving. "You… you haven't seen Sonic around, have ya?"
"Sorry, I haven't," Eclipse replied. "Why?"
"Well, see, I kinda stole his chili dogs on accident. So he stole my knight armor. So then I took his shoes and he just kinda got all pissed and… zoomed off."
Master Hand had agreed to officially knight Miles once Smashville was rebuilt. He would have actually done so on the spot, but the young Guardian of Sonic had insisted that he prove himself capable of accepting the title by doing a great deed first. As if destroying Tabuu's wings wasn't enough!
"Well, if I were you, I'd check anywhere but the swimming pool," Eclipse said slyly. "You know that hedgehog can't swim to save his life."
"Amen, bro," Miles agreed. He frowned as he looked over his shoulder. "By the way… if you happen to see Craptain Falcon hanging around somewhere… tell him that his Blue Falcon is currently at the bottom of a lake and it is highly likely that it won't be digging itself out anytime soon." he straightened and gave Eclipse a flourishing bow. "… This conversation never happened."
Eclipse watched Miles run off, shouting the hedgehog's name throughout the halls. The Guardian of Wario stared out the window, regarded the landscape below him once, then turned and walked out the door. A walk, a long walk, would help clear his head.
"I see you're still getting used to everything," Mima piped up as he exited his room. "I can't believe you're back to normal already! And that you could actually kick some butt out there! Man, that was awesome the way you just cut through those stupid Primids like they were nothing! WHAM!"
Eclipse allowed a smile to form on his mouth, inwardly laughing at the idea that Guardian or no, he would still have a voice floating around inside his head. Strangely, now that Wario no longer took up lodgings up there, his mind felt rather empty. And, though she would never admit it, he was quite sure that Mima missed the garlic-eater as well.
It was strange, to say the least, how his old form had returned to him. The moment Tabuu's corpse hit the earth, all Eclipse had been able to feel was pain. It had been as if a thousand demons were ripping chunks of his soul away from him with greedy fingers, his blood had curdled, his skin had shriveled, his heart had screamed for mercy.
He had known that the pain came from the wing shard. With the death of its master, the shard had been releasing a powerful off-wave-like energy, concentrating it in Eclipse's chest. The Guardian of Wario had known there and then that he was dying. The only thing that was louder than his own screams were Mima's shrieks.
There had only been one moment of clarity before he had allowed unconsciousness to embrace him. It had been the feel of something- or someone- tugging at the vile thing within his chest. The last thing he remembered was the all too familiar stench of garlic…
A sweet tinkling tune sounding from the room next door snapped Eclipse out of his thoughts. It was a truly beautiful sound, the kind that even those who didn't appreciate music would love. Eclipse smiled as he walked into the next room, just in time to see Nask grasping a whip that flashed many different colors in the sunlight streaming through the window. Not far away from her sat a music box with a rose painted upon it, it was from there that the music streamed.
"Hello Eclipse," Nask said as he entered, putting the whip down on the nearby desk. For the first time, Eclipse noticed that the left side of her face was heavily bandaged and her left leg was encased in a cast. A pair of crutches stood not far away from her.
"… That music… it was beautiful," Eclipse said quietly. Nask gave him a small smile in response. Eclipse then cleared his throat and gestured to the multi-colored whip. "But may I ask what that is?"
"An Elysian Whip," Nask answered. "Master Hand gave it to me the moment I regained consciousness." the corners of her mouth twitched. "He said it would tie me over until my hair could grow back." Elipse's eyes were immediately drawn to her dark red hair, where it was quite evident that it had been singed off at some point.
"A good gift," Eclipse said evenly. "It marks you as a Dracoknight now, doesn't it?"
Nask nodded. "Yes. Hopefully, Altea won't object to being ruled by one either."
Eclipse's eyes widened. "Altea? I thought Prince Marth ruled that!"
Nask shook her head sadly. "Not anymore. Marth told me before he left with Roy, Cam, and Ike that he wanted to live out the rest of his life at the Smash Mansion. He'll come to visit Altea occasionally, but he won't be taking the throne anytime soon." her eyes shifted to the window and the grounds below, where Eclipse had no doubt that her younger brother was fooling around. "Ridere and I… we intend to make it a republic. Not immediately, mind you, but we're hoping for a gradual change. It was a Kingdom that was defeated twice before, and it is a Kingdom that shall never rise again." she closed her eyes solemnly.
"You both will be fine rulers," Eclipse told her. "I know it. Perhaps I'll visit someday."
Nask smiled as she opened her eyes. "You and all the others who were willing to give their lives for Smashville are welcome." she blinked. "… Kai has been searching for you, by the way. You should find him near the medical tent."
Eclipse nodded as he walked out. However, he stopped at the door, turned to Nask once again, and bowed. "Hail Nask the First, Queen of Altea." he straightened. "Long live the Queen."
Kai had never truly been your run-of-the-mill Lucario. That much had been clear to Drake from the moment they met. However, when the Guardian of Game and Watch finally worked up the courage to ask him, he had been met with a rather unexpected shock.
Kai was essentially a Grim Reaper.
He didn't go about flapping his arms and causing people to die, mind you. Rather, he was able to serve as a bridge between the living world and the dead. He could communicate with them, but only for brief periods of time. Kai had sensed the tide of death- which had always remained rather high in Smashville since Tabuu's takeover- spike up suddenly. It just so happened that, when the death toll mounted, the Guardians were awakened.
Drake was now standing before Kai, his hand curled into a fist. Only about an hour before, Doggie, King Dedede, and Kirby had returned from the battlefield. They bore the corpse of Meta Knight. But while the penguin and his Guardian had been surrounded immediately, Kirby had managed to disentangle himself from the group and walked up to Drake. The Guardian- whose Smasher had been missing since the final attack- knew that it was not mud that the little puffball had been carrying in a little red bucket.
He had not cried. He had been unable to cry. After everything he went through, there was little left in him to produce tears. Game and Watch had always told him that though they seemed to be weak, they could rise up and be strong. Drake had never really believed him until now.
His blow was the one that had driven Tabuu to his knees.
Drake stared at Kai, watching the Lucario as the aura around his hands flared. Next to him, Eclipse fidgeted with his new white robes. Only a few minutes earlier, he had arrived, claiming that Kai sent for him. The Lucario, stuck in his trance, had neither confirmed nor denied the claim.
Drake swallowed the lump forming in his throat as Kai opened his great amber eyes. The Guardian of Ganondorf was solemn as he spoke.
"Your Smasher has indeed passed on, Drake," Kai said. "There is nothing I can do to make him return."
"I know," Drake replied. "I just want to know how he's doing…"
"… He is proud of you, Drake," Kai said simply. "Though his body may decay, his spirit lives on through you. You are his Guardian, his greatest friend, and his heir. He wants you to know that he could never have asked for a stronger Guardian and…" he smiled. "A greater friend."
Drake took several deep breaths, desperately fighting back the tears that were just ready to start dribbling down his cheeks. "T-Thanks, Kai, I'll…" he was stopped by Kai's hand.
Kai now turned to Eclipse. "… You came here with two questions. And it is here that I shall answer both. I called you here bearing a message from your Smasher-"
"Wario!" Eclipse blurted out. "Where has he been? Is he okay?"
"… Your Smasher was vaporized, Eclipse," Kai told him sadly. "He was killed saving your life."
Drake heard it. The all too familiar gasp of shock and pain escaped from Eclipse's mouth. "W-What…? But-"
"He does not regret the sacrifice, Eclipse," Kai continued. "He does, however, regret not treating you better. Upon his death, Eclipse, you are his heir. He wishes only that you do nothing to taint his reputation and that you find some way to revive Wario Wares."
A muscle in Eclipse's jaw twitched. "I… I won't fail him." he stood up. "I must be going. I am needed back at the Mansion." he quickly left. Drake, wondering exactly what was going on, moved to follow him, but he was stopped by a paw on his shoulder.
"No, Drake. I insist you stay," Kai's gaze shifted to over Drake's shoulder. "I sense two new auras approaching… Teal and Wolf, to be exact. I believe it would be appropriate that you also stay and listen to what I am about to tell them."
And so Drake did stay. He stood and waited patiently as the three newcomers approached, doing his best to force a smile on his face. But while he could smile all he wanted, he knew it would be futile. He wanted to weep, weep for Game and Watch, for Meta Knight, for all that they lost in their war against Tabuu.
Teal was the first to speak once everyone was assembled. "… You called for us, Kai?"
Kai nodded. "I did…" the Lucario adjusted his position, his aura flaring as he did so. "As you are all well-aware of… I have the ability to communicate with those that have passed on."
Wolf growled. In the midst of his recent loss, he had become gruffer, colder, more prone to violent outbursts. "We all know, Kai. Cut to the chase already."
"… I called you here because of Heather." this statement took Drake by surprise. Perhaps that was why Kai took so long to pull out of his trance. "She is proud of you… all of you. There was no way that Smashville could possibly have been freed without you."
"It is we that hold her a debt, though," Teal said quietly. "She has touched us- all of us- in some profound way…" his voice broke. "She has helped every single one of us… and we repay her with her demise."
"No, Teal," Kai said solemnly. "She insisted, quite firmly, that it was she that owed us everything. Now that peace has returned to Smashville, she can finally sleep quietly. She wishes you to remember that it was not she that dealt those final blows upon Tabuu, but you…"
Drake swallowed. "T-Then… we'll be strong. For her." all eyes turned to him. "Smashville may be at peace today… but what about tomorrow? Next week? Years from now? We have to keep training to defend Smashville. You never know when something worse than Tabuu might come and-" his voice caught in his throat.
"And if something like that does come, we'll be ready," Wolf finished for him, a glint appearing in his eyes. "We'll be ready for Heather, Game and Watch, Meta Knight… everyone that didn't make it out."
"Indeed," Teal agreed. "I shall chronicle our story for future generations. Should this peace last until we too must part from this world, I will make sure that we can at least aid the new protectors of Smashville one way or another."
"Maybe some good came outta this mess after all," Drake said quietly, smiling as he remembered the last words he said to Game and Watch.
"I don't know if war is an interlude during peace, or if peace is an interlude during war. But I do know that whatever happens, we'll be there to sustain it. For you, for us, for Master Hand, and above all, for Smashville."
Wrath was finished.
He had all the necessities: toothbrush, toothpaste, money, clothes, and sword. All of that- save Galaxia- fit easily into a small backpack. Galaxia he strapped to his belt, kept respectfully in a sheathe in honor of his lost Smasher.
Doggie had told him everything. How Meta Knight had forgiven him, despite the wrongs he committed. How the Star Warrior, as a final parting gift, had given him the mightiest of all blades to use as he willed it. After Meta Knight's body had been brought to him and he had paid his final respects to his great teacher, Wrath had made up his mind.
It was time to set foot outside of Smashville for the first time.
Straightening, Wrath's gaze swept the room one last time. Here and there, paint blotches would interrupt the monotonous black wallpaper of his room. It was strange, seeing the way the bright morning sun reflected off his walls. It was quite unusual for him, alien almost. The best comparison he could think of to describe such a feeling was Captain Falcon in a tutu.
Okay, bad example.
His gaze finally fell on a drawing, the very same one Kirby had given Meta Knight one hundred years ago. Tabuu had tried many times to remove it from the wall, but it had been stuck there permanently by some magic. Frowning, Wrath walked up to this child's drawing and gave it a hard pull. It popped off the wall immediately.
Wrath looked down at the picture and, in spite of himself, allowed a grin to cross his features. For some odd reason, he felt that he was meant to take this picture along with him. Whether it was to remind him of the journey he shared with the Star Warrior or simply as a keepsake, he would never know. Tucking the picture away in his backpack, he left the room.
Smashville, with its new yellow sun, was beautiful. The sunlight seemed to bounce off the newly grown leaves of the trees and was reflected quite gloriously on the tiny little dew drops found on each blade of grass. Wrath passed many sparring Smashers and Guardians as he made his way to the edge of the lake, where he knew the Pilots were waiting.
"Flamethrower, Charizard!"
"Ivysaur, hit him with a Bullet Seed!"
Red and Lin, each of them armed with one Pokemon, were locked in a rather intense Pokemon battle. Wrath stopped for a moment to watch them, taking in the sight of Red's rose-colored face as his precious Charizard was easily getting beaten by Ivysaur… a grass Pokemon. It was with much glee that Lin ordered a final attack, which send Charizard flying away. With a congratulatory thumbs-up to the new Pokemon Trainer, Wrath continued on his way.
The next people he passed were KOR and the Ice Climbers. The trio were kept busy with creating a winter wonderland right on the Smash Mansion's front lawn, as indicated by the many snow angels and various snowmen littered around them. KOR looked up from his snow-sentry long enough to wave at Wrath as he passed before he peppered his Smashers with snowballs, much to their chagrin.
He could see the lake off in the distance. Not only that, but he could see the shine of the newly fixed Arwings in the bright morning sun. Eric, once recovered, had worked long and hard to get the Arwings back in top working condition. And it really helped that Fox, Falco, and Wolf had lent a helping hand as well. Wrath felt his pulse quicken at the thought of leaving at last, finally setting out on the trip around the world he had dreamed of since he was a boy…
"Wrath! Hey, Wrath!"
He knew that voice all too well. With a small smile, he turned around towards the source. Prince Rinku of Hyrule ran up to him, right eye blackened and swollen from battle. Not far behind him was Cimar, brunette locks drenched in sweat from what looked like a sparring match between the two.
"Rinku, Cimar!" Wrath exclaimed. "How are you two?"
"Oh, you know, just a few broken ribs, strained muscles, bloody nose, bruised skin, black eye, and lack of sleep. All the usual stuff that comes with being a Guardian," Rinku replied, grinning from ear to ear.
Cimar rolled his eyes as he gave Wrath a regal nod. "I'm doing fine, thank you. Luckily, I managed to sustain far less… pressing injuries than His Highness here."
Wrath laughed. "I can tell… say, what are you two planning to do now that our jobs are over?"
"Go back to Hyrule, of course," Cimar answered.
Rinku smirked as he proudly puffed out his chest. "Hyrule needs its King!"
"And its Royal Advisor to make sure its King doesn't get himself killed before he is crowned properly," Cimar added drily. "I do believe we all have had enough death and injury to last three trips to the Sacred Realm."
"Right… anyways, what about you, Wrath?" Rinku gestured to his backpack. "From your gear, I'd say you're not too keen on staying either."
Wrath's smile widened as he nodded. "Yeah… I've had enough of this place. Spending more than a few days here is one thing… but spending your entire life here is something else entirely. The longer I stay here, the more I feel as if Tabuu's trying to call out to me, you know? Sometimes, when I'm just standing in my room, I can hear his voice… begging me to come help him…"
Cimar's face contorted in disgust. "Honestly, I hope that he is burning in Din's Sacred Flames. After all he put us through I think I'd rather be defeated by Rinku here in a duel than see him return."
"That's ri- HEY! Are you making fun of me?"
"Oh no, Your Highness," Wrath heard sarcasm dripping from every word. "I was simply praising your humbling ability with the blade."
Rinku blinked. "Oh… well, that is all well and good."
Wrath laughed. "Alright guys, I kinda have to go. I don't think I can stay here much longer."
Their expressions suddenly grew serious. It was amazing to the Guardian of Meta Knight how easily these Hylians' expressions could change. It was as if shutters had closed behind their eyes, as the life-giving spark within them was doused.
"Wrath… are you sure you wish to go through with this?" Cimar asked, placing a hand on his shoulder. "You can come with us to Hyrule, you know… our Kingdom is in desperate need of brave warriors to defend it…"
"And if you're not up to the fighting part, we can always use new… new… whatever that word Cimar uses to try to avoid people calling him a nerd," Rinku added with false cheerfulness. This quip won him a hard glare from Cimar.
Wrath shook his head. "I… forgive me… but I must decline your offer…" Cimar removed his hand from Wrath's shoulder. "I have always wished to see the world… Tabuu usually kept me locked up in my room or in the mansion all day… My time with you has given me a sort of sense of longing to see more than just Smashville, you know? So… as much as I would love to go with you two to Hyrule, I'm afraid that I must walk my own path…"
Cimar nodded solemnly. Rinku, on the other hand, pounded Wrath on the back. "Just remember, fellow Guardian. No matter what, you'll always have a place among the awesome people of Hyrule or… uh… the nerds."
"I would prefer if you used the word 'scholars' to describe us," Cimar said, obviously miffed.
"Psssh! Just accept it, Wisdom Boy! You're a nerd through and through! As if that Triforce glowing on your hand there wasn't enough to-"
"Oh, that is it! King or not, you are going DOWN!" with those words, Cimar tackled the Guardian of Link, batting away his blade. The two wrestled on the grass, not caring that their attire was slowly but surely getting covered in mud and grass. Wrath's grin widened for a second, but soon fell. It was times like these that he knew he was going to sorely miss. For a moment, he considered their offer, wondering what he could do to help rebuild Hyrule.
Then he turned to look at the horizon, where he saw the three Arwings waiting for him. Once again, he felt that familiar tug on his heartstrings, the call to see the world. Casting one last glance at the two Hylians wrestling in the dirt, he allowed a tear to roll down his cheek.
"Seeya…"
With that, he quietly went on his way, not looking back at the slowly disappearing form of the Smash Mansion and his friends.
"Samus…"
She was numb, a spirit, floating in the wind. She could feel nothing other than the soft layers of the ocean beneath her, the gentle soaring sky above. She felt safe, calm, better than she had felt in over a hundred years.
"Samus…"
There was someone calling to her. The voice was warm and familiar. Why, it sounded vaguely like Adam, but the huntress knew there was no way it could be him. Adam was miles and miles away…
"Miss Aran, please…"
She wondered why she was here. How she got here. The last thing she remembered was a whirling beam of light. The last thing she remembered hearing was a resounding crack!
The last thing she tasted was the coppery tang of her blood.
"SAMUS, WAKE UP! PLEASE! WAKE UP! SAMUS!"
The sky melted. The ocean evaporated. The pleasant sensation disappeared. Samus found herself staring at a sky made of white cloth, floating in an ocean made of that same material. She smelt the disgusting stench of medicine and sickness and decay.
She still tasted her blood.
A figure loomed over her. No, two figures. A boy and a girl. Their features were blurred, but they were quickly clearing. She made out sharp features, a bounty hunter's rifle, a pair of wings…
Traca and Golfer.
She heard a sound next to her. It was a shout of anguish. Turning her head, she saw a huge figure, the bottom half of his face covered with an oxygen mask. A messy mop of brunette hair topped the man's head. Even though she had never before seen him without his trademark helmet, there was no mistaking the bulging muscles from under those sheets.
Captain Douglas J. Falcon was in the bed next to her.
"Where…?" she managed to croak, this little sound costing her much more energy than usual. For the first time, she noticed black waves at the very edge of her vision. With her sound, they edged in a little closer. Traca left momentarily, but came back with a white cup. This was pressed to the huntress' lips.
She drank a quarter, but spilt the rest.
"You're in the medical tent," that was Joe's voice. It was heavy with tears. "You're in the medical tent, Samus… you and Captain Falcon…"
"Xavier and Doctor Mario are working to help you… help you both," Golfer added, trying to sound cheerful. "You'll be up in no time… you'll see…"
There was something in that tone of voice that unnerved her. Samus attempted to sit up, but found that she could not move her arms. Or her legs, for that matter. She was paralyzed everywhere, save her neck.
Captain Falcon looked no better. What was once a strong and healthy mass of muscle seemed reduced, shrunken even. He was white as a corpse, deep gashes in both of his cheeks revealing the bone underneath. They were bandaged, but clumsily so. A foul-smelling pus leaked from them.
As the three Guardians rambled on how surgery would cure them, Samus turned her head, trying desperately to catch the racer's eye. Captain Falcon turned his head ever so slightly, his eyes flickering upwards for a moment at something behind her. Curiously, Samus turned her head, a new sound filling her ears.
She was hooked up to a heart monitor. The line upon the screen was undulating gently, but with every passing minute, it slowed down more and more. The slower it became, the heavier her eyelids felt. She turned her head again, seeing that her fellow Smasher was also hooked up to one, the line undulating just as slowly as hers was. It was then that it hit her, the awful truth that she knew would destroy them.
She was dying.
The fuzzy black lines at the edge of her vision crept closer. Samus suddenly felt very tired, as if she were ready to take a nap. She fought desperately against her tiredness, summoning up every bit of energy she had left to speak to her Guardian one more time.
"G-Gol… fer…" she managed to cough out. Her Guardian jumped as she said his name, shuddering at the sound of her voice. "It's… okay… I… know…"
"Yeah, I know you know," Golfer choked out, desperately fighting back tears. "I know you know that you're going to get better… you and Captain Falcon…"
She shook her head. "No… I'm dying, Golfer… I know… I'm… dying…" she felt a sense of finality wash over her as she said this. It was here she knew that she had accepted this fact, and now simply had to prepare herself for what lay ahead.
"NO!" Joe snapped. "You're not dying! Neither of you are! Teal or Xavier or Doctor Mario will be back here any minute! They'll cure you in an instant! Or Master Hand! Master Hand can fix you! Or-"
"Joe…" Captain Falcon's voice, still strong despite his condition, interrupted his Guardian. "Joe… please… don't kid yourself…" he took a deep breath, his voice coming out as little more than a wheeze. "Don't lie to yourself… and don't beat yourself up over this either…"
"But…" Joe trailed off, unable to form any more words. "But…"
"But it's not fair!" Golfer protested. "Out of all the people that have to go, why you two? Why now? Why anyone at all…?"
"Our time has come, Golfer…" Samus had finally found strength to speak, to voice her words. "It's now your turn… yours and Joe's turn… to carry on our legacy." she tilted her head in the direction of the racer, one of her oldest friends and now her partner to the afterlife. "Douglas and I… we both agree that you have grown… stronger… faster… smarter…"
"We're proud of you, sons," Captain Falcon said, letting out a weak chuckle. "If there's anyone that can become our replacements, it's you two." he laughed again. "Don't let our legacies get to your head, though… don't forget that… in the end… you are- we all are- still human. We have flaws, weaknesses… the real challenge is making them strengths…"
The boys were silent, their eyes downcast. Samus now shifted her gaze to Traca, who had remained silent this entire time. The manakete met her gaze with a sharp one of her one, never flinching as Samus spoke.
"… Take care of Golfer for me. You are… you're something special, Traca…" Samus blinked slowly, watching the lines creeping closer to the center. She was looking out a tiny porthole now, Traca little more than a slip of a thing in her vision. "Please, Traca…"
Traca took a deep breath, then spoke. "… Tell me… do either of you believe in a world beyond?"
An unusual question. Samus turned her head and caught Captain Falcon's eye, the racer answering her silent question with a small smile. Samus turned back to the Guardian of Roy, already prepared with her answer.
"If we didn't, Traca… we'd be a Hell lot more solemn about this."
It was with the laughter of three Guardians in their ears that Samus Aran and Captain Douglas Jay Falcon closed their eyes for the last time.
Eric finished holstering his gun, casting a glance around him at the many bright red suitcases that littered the ground. While he would very much rather stay a few more days with the Smashers and their fellow Guardians, Aly had insisted on packing up and heading to their next destination. It wasn't necessarily a bad thing, of course, seeing that the folks back home were bound to be worried. Despite this, the Guardian of Lucario couldn't help but feel rather let down as he was forced to give such short, inadequate goodbyes to his comrades and friends.
"Hey Eric, are you all set?" Mars asked as he walked out from where he had been inspecting his Sky Claw's newest paint job. "Aly wants to get moving as soon as possible and I don't know about you, but the thought of her and Crystal together in one plane for too long makes my brain ache."
Eric couldn't help but allow a smile to cross his features. "Yeah, almost. We're just waiting for one last person then we can pull out."
Lucario, who had been standing next to him just about the entire time, closed his eyes. "I sense a familiar aura approaching… Wrath, perhaps?"
Eric whistled. "Yep, that's him. He wants to be dropped off somewhere near Unova or something like that. Mentioned something about travelling the world and getting to know the places he never got to go to."
Lucario nodded solemnly. "Indeed… travelling is important to one's health. Helps cleanse the aura and allows for more room to grow as a person and-"
"Cut the spiritual crap already," Falco's voice floated from below Eric's Wolfen, where he was busy changing the oil. "I already got an earful of that from Master Hand after I got my body back."
Mars walked by and gave Falco a hard kick. "Shut up and get back to work. The sooner I leave your presence, the more intact my sanity."
Falco spat at his Guardian's shoes, but did as he was told, grumbling all the way. Eric rolled his eyes as Mars turned to him and shrugged. Next to him, Lucario let out an extremely low chuckle.
"So… what's the plan anyways?" Mars asked, taking out his coin and giving it a good flip. "Because so far, all I can get is that we're dropping a bunch of people off somewhere…"
Eric exchanged a look with Lucario, the Pokemon's amber eyes encouraging him to share what he knew. "I… from what I know, we are dropping off Crystal somewhere near the coast. With a little luck, she'll be able to find her way home. Afterwards, we're going to have to head towards Unova to start Wrath on his own journey… and then…" Eric trailed off, throat feeling dry. "I… I honestly don't know, but…" unconsciously, his hand curled into a fist. "I… Do we have to leave so soon…?"
Mars let out a deep sigh, his coin glittering in the bright sunlight with each toss. "Eric, don't you remember that oath we took long ago when we became pilots? That no matter what happened, all three of us would see it through? Well, now that our job is done, it's time to move on. Smashville… yeah, this place could use some rebuilding… but what about other places? Like Tellius? Or Altea? Heck, even Lylat! I want to stay and help rebuild Smashville as much as you do, but let's face the facts. We are pretty much the only ones with the capacity to travel to different worlds. We have to be there to help rebuild those other worlds, to spread the word that Tabuu's finally bitten the dust."
Eric remained silent, only putting his hands in his pockets and gazing out to the horizon. The sun had finally brought color to the city once so gray. It was strange, abnormal to see such beauty in a world long ago corrupted by madness.
"I know you are reluctant to go, Eric," Lucario said quietly. "But it is inevitable. All three of you are not meant to be caged forever. Had I not truly cared for you as one who was bound to your soul, I would have urged you with every ounce of my power to stay. However… while you may take up wings and soar away, know that together we have created a bond beyond mere teacher and student." the Aura Pokemon placed a paw on Eric's shoulder. "Know this, my Guardian… my final teaching to you."
Eric felt the aura around Lucario's paws flare briefly before settling into a light blue hue. Biting back tears, he nodded once before he turned around and quite simply threw his arms around his Smasher in a great bear hug. Mars made a noise that sounded a lot like a snort when this happened, but he didn't care. He was going to miss his friends, his Smasher, and Smashville.
So why shouldn't he spare a hug or two?
"I'm glad that at least some of us can easily say our goodbyes," Crystal said quietly as she, Wrath, and Aly approached. While both she and Wrath walked with solemn expressions, the female Arwing pilot seemed quite happy, as she was whistling as she walked. However, from the way she kept close-by her Smasher, Fox, she too felt the pain of having to say farewell.
"Crystal, this goodbye was anything but easy," Eric told her, letting go of the Aura Pokemon. Lucario took a few moments to catch his breath. Evidently, Eric had hugged him that hard.
Aly grinned. "I know, right? How the heck were you able to hug your Smasher without getting stabbed? Are you made out of cheese or something?" her grin widened as she fingered her gun. "I can test that for you if you want…"
Eric rolled his eyes. "Aly, can you kindly lay off the constant need for target practicing for this afternoon? Please?"
His fellow pilot laughed. "Fine. But only for today! Tomorrow, both you and Mars are on the field! And thanks to Fox, my aim's improved!"
The mentioned Star Fox pilot chuckled. "She's right, you know. Today, she managed to hit two out of three targets!"
There was laughter all around, but it was not long before that brief moment of mirth died. For it became all too apparent that- by the way the sun was slowly making its way across the horizon- the three pilots and their passengers would soon need to take off. The weight of the inevitable fell on everyone's shoulders and, for a brief moment, they were silenced, humbled by the quiet intensity of this farewell.
Quiet Lucario was the first to speak. "It is my belief that… that this is farewell."
Falco swallowed audibly as he ruffled his cerulean feathers. "Yeah, yeah… what he said…"
Mars nodded, facial features tensed with the effort of holding back his tears. "W-Well… yeah. Yeah, I guess this is a seeya later." Eric would have laughed at how his partner's hand was curling into a fist, had he not felt so numb. "I… Falco, damn you, just don't trash yourself before we see each other again. And… and don't lose your soul again either. I don't think I can handle another round of you whining and crying and carrying on in my head!"
That won another laugh from the surrounding Guardians and Smashers. Aly spoke next, her voice still as cheerful as ever. Yet if one listened close enough, it could be said that hers shook very, very slightly with her tears.
"And that goes for you too, Fox!" her grin reflected the sun. "And I'll keep practicing! Sooner or later, I'll be shooting so awesomely that I'll hit Sonic! And Miles! At the same time!"
Fox grinned. "I look forward to that. Do me a favor and if you see a cranky old rabbit or an annoying little toad thing out there, give them a 'what's up', okay?"
Aly nodded. "You got it, buddy."
Crystal now spoke. "Fox… DK wouldn't allow me to see him before I depart… if you could be so kind as to speak to him for me…" she shifted, choosing her words with great care. "Please tell him that… my heart goes out to him. That if there is any way I could help him get through his loss, to just contact me in any way he can." she bowed her head. "Preferably… via banana. He knows what it means."
Fox's green eyes shifted to Crystal as he gave her a small nod. "I will. Believe me, Crystal, I will."
It was with those words and a final nod that Crystal quietly boarded Aly's Arwing. It did not take long for Aly to follow her, after giving Fox one final hug. Mars too was quick to board his Sky Claw. Eric could've sworn he saw the slight glisten of tears upon the young pilot's cheeks as he passed.
Wrath lingered a little, shifting uncomfortably. He had not been particularly close to these Smashers, and it was quite evident to Eric that he was uncomfortable with having to say his farewells. It was perhaps for that reason that Wrath could only manage a nod at the Smashers before he rushed to board Mars' plane.
The Guardian of Lucario soon became aware that all eyes were now on him and his Smasher. Eric shifted, unsure of how to proceed. But it was his Smasher that saved him, placing a paw on his shoulder.
"Go. If you stay a moment longer, you will never wish to leave."
Eric opened his mouth to protest, but soon closed it. Lucario was right. The temptation to stay, to throw his arms around the Smashers, to abandon whatever rebuilding worlds outside of Smashville needed, was too great. He had to leave.
As the three planes took off, Eric looked into his rearview camera to gaze at Smashville one last time. There were new leaves sprouting on the trees. Guardians and Smashers were entering and exiting the tents. Former slaves walked about, gazing in wonder at their new surroundings.
What caught his eye, though, was the great ball of fire. It had appeared suddenly, engulfing the Smash Mansion- nay, Subspace Palace- in flames. But before Eric could so much as blink at the sight, it was gone, sent careening into the skies like a comet. The only thing that was left of it was a thin trail of smoke.
A beacon of hope.