Angels of a Feather (Kid Icarus fanfic)

2. Before and After

Hey guys, I'm gonna take over the story here for a bit, mm-kay? Don't worry, I'm doing this with permission. There's just a few things that happened before Aurora woke up that you should know about.

(I edited it by adding detailed descriptions, to make it a little easier to read. Love ya, Pit!)

Uncle Viridian was the first one.

It was a normal, calm day in Skyworld. Lady Palutena was off doing... whatever she does when I'm not around, and I was playing a game.

Not a video game, like I would have preferred - Lady Palutena had specifically told me not to that day - but a game of precision and accuracy.

I pulled the arrow back to my cheek, keeping my back slightly arched and my feet firmly planted as I aimed the glittering tip at the distant target. This is it, I told myself. This is the day you beat your record! 386 failures were NOT going to keep me from doing this! Letting out a tiny breath and narrowing my eyes a little more, I released the arrow.

It sliced through the air...

... And shattered the target.

I stood there for a moment in disbelief, unable to comprehend what I had just seen. Once it finally clicked into place, I let out a whoop and starting dancing, jumping up and down with glee.

Lady Palutena must have heard me, because I heard her laughter-filled voice ask, "What's with the victory dance?"

I turned to her, grinning even wider than usual. "New high score!" I shouted, pointing to the splintered remains of the target.

The goddess smiled and was probably about to tease me when a weary and cracked voice spoke behind her. "M... Milady...?" A heavy thud followed shortly after.

Lady Palutena and I spun around to see a disheveled heap of... someone on the ground not far away. She and I exchanged an alarmed glance and both rushed over to the stranger. I held my bow at the ready, just in case.

We approached them from opposite sides - Lady Palutena knelt down in front of them and I hopped around behind, standing defensively. It didn't take long for Lady Palutena to identify the person - only a few seconds, actually.

I just didn't expect her to react the way she did.

She staggered back and gasped, her fair face going pale. She whispered something I couldn't make out.

"What is it, Lady Palutena?" I asked urgently, having no idea what to expect.

My goddess locked eyes with me. "Pit..." she whispered. "It's Viridian."

My heart skipped a beat and I nearly dropped my bow. Viridian? Uncle Viridian? The Viridian I assumed to be dead and hadn't seen in almost 30 years?

That Viridian?

The last time I had seen him - and any other angel, for that matter - he had been petrified, turned to stone. Lady Palutena and I had tried everything - everything - to recover and revive them, but... We never found them after that first time.

So how...? Why...? What...?

Too many questions.

Carefully looping my arms under his, I lifted up the person, finally recognizing the mangled, bloody mass on his back as wings, and stared long and hard at his face.

It was Viridian.

Exhausted, bruised, and bleeding, but still Viridian.

"Uncle Viridian..." I gasped. I hurriedly threw one of his arms over my shoulders and practically dragged him back to Lady Palutena's temple. Lady Palutena herself hovered on the other side of Viridian, helping.