Kid Icarus: Recruited

J

Jarred

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Original poster
{Lady Palutena}

"Alright, the boss has taken shelter in that creepy old mansion. Be careful Pit.", I informed the angel, watching intently through his laurel crown as he crept up to the double doors with the key I had given him. "Maybe I should have exchanged my Silver Bow for a vacuum cleaner.", he joked absently, but as the wall between our universe and that began to crumble I said hurriedly, "No no no, don't say things like that! Our universe and that universe have nothing in common!". I sighed in relief as the wall stabilized, ignoring Pit's annoyed huff of, "You and Viridi keep saying the same thing.". He throws his voice up an octave and says, in a childish impression of Viridi, "We're not allowed to say things like that. Our universe and that universe have nothing in common.". It was actually pretty good. I giggled and said, "Pit, don't disrespect Goddess' like that. They might just come after you.". "Might come after me? I don't think there's anyone left to come after me.", Pit complained as he neared the entrance to the boss' lair. I took a breath to deny this, but... he was right. Instead I said, "Alright Pit, the boss is just through that door. Be careful.". "I will Lady Palutena!", he said cheerfully, "That boss won't know what hit him!", adding as an afterthought, "Or her.".

The first thing that clued me in to something being wrong was that the video feed from Pit's laurel crown was cut off as soon as he stepped over the threshold of the boss door. "P...Pit?", I asked tentatively, but I was cut off by the second clue, that being the sound of the boss door slamming. "Pit, what's happening over there?", I demanded, but the only answer I got was Pit's horrified cry of, "What the heck is that thing!? What is it doing!?". Not a moment later the third clue came, that being his crying out in sheer terror, and with panic fluttering in my chest I desperately adjusted the settings of the video feed. All at once the video snapped back on and into focus, showing me a human-shaped shadow carrying an unconscious Pit through a glowing portal. "Pit!", I cried out in panic, but it was no use. The portal had closed. "Pit!", I cried again, though this time it was in despair. Tears pricked at my eyes, but I quickly wiped them away and focused. I stood up sharply and teleported outside, announcing loudly, "Centurions, stand to attention!". They all stood and saluted, and I said, "Pit, your captain, has gone missing, kidnapped by a shadowy figure. I want you all to scour both the heavens and Earth, and even the Underworld if you can manage, in search of him. Go!". With that abrupt order, the ambiance of Skyworld was drowned out by the beating of hundreds of pairs of wings as my army took to the skies in search of Pit. The tears pooled in my eyes once again as I watched them leave, and once again I wiped them away and teleported to the interior of my temple. "This is an emergency broadcast to all Gods and Goddess' capable of receiving this message. Pit, the captain of my army, has been kidnapped by an unknown shadow monster.", I said into my Communication Crystal, a large multi-faceted crystal growing from the ground, "If any of you have any information please contact me, and I beg you to consider sending out search parties of your own to places my Centurions can't reach. Please...". I let the tears from earlier finally spill over down my cheeks as I begged, "Please, I... I don't know what I'd do without Pit... He's like a son to me, and I just... I can't...", and my emotions finally caught up to me. I collapsed onto my knees in front of the crystal, bringing my hands up to cover my mouth as the trickle of my tears turned into a stream. "Pit...", I muttered into my palms.
 
{Lady Palutena}

I kneeled there for a few minutes and let the tears streak down my face, the Communication Crystal eventually going dark with inactivity, until an image of Pit popped into my head. Come on Lady Palutena, don't be sad., he said to me, The Centurions'll find me. What you need to worry about is defending Skyworld.​ The pseudo-Pit grew serious with this last remark,seeming to look past me as he said, The first wave of the Forces of Nature are already on their way. My eyes widened, and I quickly wiped my tears away as I reactivated my Communication Crystal. The magical viewing stone descended it's view to the world below, and I quickly headed for the nearest town. I scoured the streets and avenues, the crystal displaying each person's traits and faults before I found a lone boy strolling down the street. "Natural leader, determined, confident...and an orphan.", I listed to myself, thinking it over before saying, "Perfect.".

{Jason}

I was walking down the main street of That First Town, reflecting on the humorous name and looking around for places I could earn money by helping with the repairs, when the Goddess of Light herself decided to address little old me. "Hello? Can you hear me?", she asked, her voice resonating inside my head, and when I nodded she continued, "Well, uhm, I'll assume you know who I am and get straight to the point. Pit, the angel who defeated Medusa and Hades, has gone missing, and all my Centurions are busy searching for him, so there's nobody to defend Skyworld or keep the Forces of Nature at bay. Well, there is Dark Pit, but he's sorta freelance... Anyways, I've decided to recruit you.". Not doubting her words at all, for I had no reason not to, I thought to her, Why me?, hoping she could hear. Evidently she could because she said, "Oh, uh... well, with my Super Goddess powers I have looked back through the mists of time to review your past actions, and based on them I've concluded that your are the perfect candidate for the one to organize this new brigade of recruits.". I stopped in the road and crossed my arms, raising an eyebrow as I thought back, Great, now what's the real reason? She sighed and admitted, "Alright, I can only turn people of innocence into angels. Plus, can you imagine what would happen if I posted a notice on a bulletin board somewhere? Humans would be lining up by the millions to enlist only for the immortality.". Whoa whoa whoa whoa whoa... Immortality!? Turn into angels?, I thought in surprise, and she responded, as if it was the most obvious thing in the world, "Well, yeah. You don't think I'd put mortal people in danger, do you? It's hard enough resurrecting angels! Plus, only angels can wield celestial weapons.". Oh..., I thought dumbly as I instinctively started walking again.

"Yeah. So whaddaya say, wanna be an angel?", she asked, but before I agreed I had one last question. You choosing me wouldn't have anything to do with my being an orphan, would it?, I asked. My parents had perished in the Reset Bomb the goddess Viridi had sent down, and as such I felt a little bitter at the Goddess of Light's sheepish mutter of, "Well, it is easier to enlist people that,uhm...". That won't have anybody to miss them., I thought tonelessly, and even though she wasn't there I could sense her nod. I sighed and said aloud, "Alright, I got nothin' ta lose. But uh, before you do...I wanna do something first.". I smiled mischievously as the Goddess took a look at my last mortal act. She giggled and said, "Alright, but make it quick.". I cheered and headed back the way I had come.

Clint was the town bully. He was about my age, shorter than anyone else in town, and still managed to terrorize everybody in town. As such, I felt it natural to get a little... revenge. As I passed a scaffold I discreetly picked up an open can of paint, placing one hand on the handle and the other on the bottom. Luckily I spotted Clint not ten yards away, so I didn't have to remain so conspicuous for long. I snuck up behind him, and with a cheerful cry of, "Hey Clint!", dumped the paint all over his head, taking the sound of paint splattering as personal revenge for all the hateful things he'd done over the years. I danced away as he yelled out in anger, and before he could make a move toward me I thought, Now, Lady Palutena!. A magic circle inscribed itself on the ground around me, invisible bodies chanting in a low bass. White and black feathers rained down from nowhere, colorful bands of light swirling around my body before gathering a coalescing into a pair of coal black wings protruding from my back. The circle, lights, and feathers exploded into little dust motes that danced away, and with an easy smile I walked over a surprised Clint, tapped him on the nose, and promised cheerfully, "Bully anybody again and I'll torture you 'til your ears bleed with the sound of your own screams, 'kay?". He nodded dumbly, and I chirped out a, "Great!", before flapping my wings powerfully and shooting into the sky. I yelled out in joy as I soared through the sky for the first time, doing multiple acrobatics before heading toward the glowing door floating in midair.
 
{Lady Palutena}

I giggled at the new angel's antics and turned back to the Crystal, continuing my search for recruits. In quick succession I found two more candidates and sent out the same thought to each of them: "Wanna be an angel?". A little taciturn, I know, but it was a conversation starter.
 
Aryn stopped as a female's voice rang out in his head. Wanna be an angel? He frowned, wondering if he was going insane. He glanced around for a moment, but he was alone. He was always alone. You're not crazy, the woman's voice told him. It's expected for you to say that, but you're not. He started walking again. Aren't angels supposed to be innocent? I'm nowhere near innocent. He could feel her sigh. You haven't killed, she said, and her voice was soft, a whisper in his ear. He shook his head in disagreement. He remembered the break-in, how he froze when the man pointed a gun at his frail foster parents. Not your fault, the woman told him. He frowned. It was like I had pulled the trigger. I could've saved them, instead of being useless. He'd ran after that, out of the house and it was hours before he'd stopped running, stopped jogging, stopped walking. She sighed again. We can talk later. Are you with me? Aryn looked around him. He was homeless and alone, starving slowly. He had no life, so why not take a better one? He nodded. Okay, lady.

He could hear her amused laugh as a magic circle inscribed itself on the ground around him, unseen men chanting in a low tenor. Feathers rained down from nowhere with colorful bands of light swirling around his body before gathering and fusing into a pair of wings, black on the right, white on the left, on his back. They itched and he flapped them and looked at himself.

His scars were gone, as was his hunger. When he reached up to touch his hair, it was soft, and clean. Thank you, he thought, and for once he meant it. He looked up and saw a shimmering door hovering, it seemed, with the stars. He jumped on instinct and flew up, spiraling into the sky. he didn't know where he was headed, but Aryn knew, right then, he finally had a purpose in life. And so he left London, left the life he knew behind in favor for a new one.
 
{Lady Palutena}

I watched as he glanced around, his skepticism clear in his eyes. "You're not crazy.", I said assuringly, "It's expected for you to say that, but you're not.". He started walking again, his voice issuing from the crystal with the words, "Aren't angels supposed to be innocent? I'm nowhere near innocent.". I sighed, my shoulders drooping with the sound. Why did everybody think angels were innocent? I still remember the time Pit was storming Gaol's fortress thinking about... no, best not to think of Pit until he's found. I raised an eyebrow at the crystal and decided to perpetuate the stereotype...for now. "You haven't killed.", I said simply, and I watched through the crystal as the boy shook his head and started thinking about how he thought it was his fault a no-good dirty low-life had broken into his home and killed his parents. "Not your fault.", I said dismissively, but the boy persisted. Not to her, but to himself, in his head with, It was like I had pulled the trigger. I could've saved them, instead of being useless., and even though he didn't say it the crystal picked it up. I sighed at his stubbornness and said, "We can talk later. Are you with me?". A few seconds later his confirmation came through, and I laughed in glee as I sent down the magic needed to Angelize him. Hmm...Angelize. Might need a copyright on that., I mused as he headed for the Door.

"The Do-or!", Phosphora chimed in an annoyingly high voice, and I questioned, "The Door?". "The...the Door!", Viridi affirmed, appearing in front of me to gesture to the magic passage as if I didn't know what it is. Maybe they weren't talking about my Door... "What is 'The Door'?", I asked incredulously, and Phosphora explained, "The Door controls everything.", Viridi adding, "Time and space, love and death!". "The Door can see into your mind!", Phosphora said adoringly, and Viridi continued in an awestruck voice, "The Door can see into your soul!". Thoroughly freaked out by this summarization of The Door's powers I asked, "R-Really? The Door can do all that?". Viridi merely scoffed as Phosphora went, "Pfft, no.".

With a deadpan face I threw them out of my temple.

{Jason}

I yelped and dodged to the side as a young woman in blue and a kid flew out of the Door at the same time I flew in, but when I looked back there was no sign of them. "Uh...alright then.", I dismissed, flying the rest of the way through the door and marveling at the sprawling island in the sky before me. "Welcome to Skyworld!", a green-haired lady greeted warmly as I landed, and I waved awkwardly and said, "Uh...hi there.", and a second later it occurred to me that she could be the Goddess of Light. "Just call me Lady Palutena.", she said cheerfully, pulling from her pocket a crown of laurels which she placed upon my head. "This crown will allow me to follow you on whatever journeys you might take outside of Skyworld. It will also protect you from any mind-based magic, so that means nobody will be able to control you or read your thoughts.", she explained, and I found that very stupid. "You mean to tell me that the only protection I have from mind control and people reading my thoughts is an easily knocked off, easily burned headpiece?", I asked incredulously, but the Goddess only laughed and said, "No silly! The crown is kept on by magic, and is also fireproof. Nobody can take it off but you.".

I suddenly felt very sheepish. "Oh, uh, of course Ma'am. Sorry Ma'am.", I said, though that seemed to be the wrong thing to say, for her smile immediately became more strained as she asked, "Ah...ma'am?". "Yes. Ma'am. An honorific usually given to females you hold in high esteem or respect. Would you prefer sir, or perhaps Grand Poobah?", I asked, being totally serious. She blinked at me, then brought her hand to her mouth in an effort to hide what I think was a small smile. "Lady Palutena's fine.", said a muffled voice from behind the appendage, the owner turning and starting toward the main temple building. "Follow me.", she called back, and I jogged to catch up to her.

"This is my temple.", she said as we passed the threshold, "This is where you will live. Your room is down that hallway, the first door on the right.". She pointed down a side-passage, then to one on the opposite side and said, "That's where the Weapon's and Training Rooms are. We have a lovely selection of butt-kicking items including blades, staffs, claws, palms, and orbitars.". She then pointed to a large door like the one I took to Skyworld, standing just to the left of a huge crystal growing from the ground, and said, "That's the door-". She was cut off by the two people I saw earlier, who shouted in high-pitched voices, "THE DO-OR!", and were immediately shot with lasers and ejected from the premises. "Where was I?", Lady Palutena asked, putting a still-smoking hand on her chin to think. Her eyes lit up in remembrance and she continued, "Oh yeah. That's the door you'll take to all your missions, and in front of that crystal is where you'll receive them. Any questions?". "Only one. Who were those two helium addicts?", I asked, and Palutena sighed and said, "Viridi and Phosphora. After Hades was defeated they promised to lay off killing humans for a while, but they got bored and started tormenting me. They must've gotten into the habit because they still come, despite their forces having moved out to the human world already.". "...Oh. All...right then.", I said confusedly, then, "Guess I'll take a look at my room, then go check out the weapons.". "Alright then. I have to wait on two new recruits anyway. Have fun!", she said, vanishing in a burst of white light.

"Cool.", I muttered, turning left and making my way to the first door on the right. I opened the door to find a bare, windowless room, the walls and door a stark white and the floor hard concrete. There was a sticky note on the other side of the door reading, 'Welcome, new angel, to your humble abode. This room is magic. It can become as big as you want, an color you want, and have windows anywhere. For furniture, see the back of this note.'. I plucked the paper from the door, and there was a simple 'Say it and it will come.' on the back. I stuffed the paper into my pocket and turned to look at the bare room, hesitating before asking, "Plush carpet?". A thick carpet immediately sprouted from the floor like hair, growing to full length in seconds. I blinked and, not liking the blinding white, said, "Carpet black.", causing the new addition to fade to pitch black. I looked up and said, "Blue walls. Window opposite the door. Floating balls of luminescence for light.". The walls dyed themselves a dark blue, a small hole crumbled on the wall and was immediately filled with glass, and floating lights bloomed everywhere. I smiled and said, "Alright, uh... bookshelves and a desk on the right wall. Fireplace on the left one, with a cushy chair next to it. Carpet in front of the fireplace replaced with a small stone dias. Second floor with an elevator next to the window.". Bookshelves and a desk appeared in a flash of light similar to Lady Palutena's exit, the fireplace rose along with a portion of the floor-turned-stone, and the wall next to the window had a rectangle outlined on it, the rectangle splitting in the middle to open into an elevator. I boarded and traveled to the second floor. Here I made the carpet shorter, with a pattern of foliage, and the walls I had painted to look like a rainforest. For lighting... "Vines of light growing and blossoming into flowers of brilliance.", I said, a dream of mine once, and from the ceiling glowing creepers grew. They wove in and out of themselves on their way to the walls, flowers unfurling here and there like miniature suns as the vines stuck to the walls and began their trek downward. Little curls and spirals split off from the main stalk, and when they reached the floor the vines split into a perfect 180 degree line and lined the entire room.