[PolarStarQuote]

Hades wandered the far abandoned halls of Crestfallen castle, humming joyously as he seemed to almost...Skip in delight. Could it be that he had discovered something in these castle walls that brought him joy? Well, it was obvious. This was a little...Rescue mission.




And 0h, what a rescue it was.




"Oh, Poor Poor Pitty-pat...You should know."


"You will never hear the end of this."

Hades said this, as he tapped the bottom of Pit's trophy, bringing the fallen angel back to life again from his statue state!

[TartoonHand94]

“Guys! What happened back here?”
The newly revived Pit repeated before breaking into a coughing fit.
When he reopened his eyes they widened in horror at the sight of no other than the Lord of the Underworld himself.

“It's the 4300th post already?.”

“Hades.”
Pit squinted and growled before scrambling to revive the Centurions' trophies littered around him.




“Hades!”
The Centurions screamed in terrified unison, looking up after a chorus of disoriented grunts.
They all immediately made a cowering formation behind Pit.

Without so much as a beat, Pit drew his bow ready and aimed it squarely at Hades' heart.
Following his lead, all the Centurions promptly stood in battle stance as well.


“Okay you... Underworld scum!
I've got a load of questions and you better be afraid not to answer them!”
A panting Pit threatened.

“Because I've got a loaded bow and I'm not afraid to use it!
First, what are you doing here?
Second, what am I doing here?
Third...”
And this seemed to be the question bothering Pit the most.

“...Why did you save me?”
Pit asked almost scared by his own confusion.
He almost looked ready to lower his weapon but nothing in this god's resume or reputation gave Pit any reason to trust him.

[PolarStarQuote]

"One, The shattered fourth wall told me you were here, so i came to save you. Two, I have no idea, and Three, Because the only person who deserves to give you a Game Over and make ou loose all those precious hard earned hearts is me~ Your welcome, by the way." Hades said, not flinching a moment at the sight of Pit aiming a arrow at his heart, arms crossed as he grinned happily. He laughed a little at the centurions, before looking back at pit.

Oh, Poor Pit. "So, Seems you took a nasty tumble, eh Pitty-pat??"

[TartoonHand94]

So Hades answered all three of Pit’s questions.
Now what? Pit couldn’t just shoot him now, could he?
He probably could, but it wouldn’t be fair. And between the two, at least one of them had to maintain some form of honour.
Pit wrinkled his lips, coming very close, but hesitating to formally say thank you.
Whatever was left of his dignity was all he had left as far as he knew.


“It…happens to the best of us.”
Pit protested defensively.
“We had everything under control until…!”
He began to argue before hitting a shocking thought.


Lady Palutena! Where was she?
Surely she would’ve revived Pit and his men herself a long time ago if she were able to.
She must not have been able to… But if that was the case that would mean…


“…Okay Fourth question Hades:”
Pit announced, resuming proper aim and firming his loosened grip on his bow.

“Where’s Lady Palutena?”
He demanded, to the collective gasps from the Centurions behind him.

[PolarStarQuote]

"I dunno."


...Well, That was rather...Bluntly answered.  Regardless, Hades chuckled a little at the sight of Pit being so determined to go save his goddess, which was currently in probably danger.




"And further more, you are not going to go rescue her." Hades replied, in a now confusing way. Ok, now this was probably worth questioning, as Hades still didn't seem too intimidated by the Centurions.

[TartoonHand94]

Pit squinted, realizing he was a fool to think Hades would tell him anything that he wanted to know.
But what Hades said next baffled him.

 
“What?” W-why not?”
Pit asked concerned, naturally confused as to what Hades was implying.
He then remembered that he's spent his entire time knowing Hades struggling to ignore his lies and see through his deception.
Pit shook his head as if to shake the doubt instilled in him out of his ears.


“Of course I am!”
Pit retorted valiantly, calling upon the optimistic bravery in the face of adversity that saw him through countless quests against Hades forces.


“I’ve saved her twice and I’ll sure do it a third time!”
Pit bragged, refusing to let Hades get to him.
 
“In fact, we’ll do it together, right boys?”
Pit nodded to his posse encouragingly.
“Right!”
The Centurions saluted in unison, still stacked behind him.

[PolarStarQuote]

"Okay, First question, Do you have any idea where Paulutena is right now? Second Question, How little do you have faith in her if you think she cant rescue herself from whatever predicament she's in right now? Third, and this is the important one here, How can you go help someone when you, very obviously, have proven you just died trying to?" Hades asked, smiling happily as he asked his own set of questions.




"And i mean, i get it, No one wants to see Pauletena safely in place where i can ruin her day more than i do Pit, But you gotta know when to hold, and when to Fold. At the moment, You and you're Squadron of 'Skipping Leg Day' are in no condition to Hold."

[TartoonHand94]

“First, Last time I saw her, she was outside fighting Big Bird.”
Pit tried to recall the last he saw of Palutena before he was trophified.
“I think it was called… A Garuda?”

“Second, no matter how well she’s doing,
Everyone could use a little bit of help now and again.”
Pit shrugged, referencing way he helps her out all the time and how the Centurion squad at his back has his back now.

“Besides if she didn’t need my help…

…She would’ve helped me before you did.”
Pit realized soberly. This could only mean one thing.

“This isn’t the first time something like this has happened to me.
And every other time, Lady Palutena was there to…
...Aw man that only Proves she's in trouble!”
From the look in his eye it was now that it sunk in how urgent matters were now.

“And I don't care what You of all people say Hades!
I've saved Lady Palutena, my troops, and all of Skyworld with even less than what I have now!”

[PolarStarQuote]

"Carefull boy, dont want that Gift Horse to up and Eat you!" Hades said with plenty of Smarmy gusto, before sighing as he simply shrugged. 



"I swear, Viridi saves you while your at war with her, and you give yourself to her aid no problem, but I save you, and suddenly you think that means nothing. Honestly Pit, as an Angel, you rate a 1 out of 5 stars on Help." Hades said, giving an advertisement to a social media site of some description.



"But the only thing you serve to do is Waste your time, and everyone elses time in the process. Because, again Pit, You do not know where Paulutena is at this very moment. For all we know, she's already bitten more dust than a trash monster on a Munchies trip."

[TartoonHand94]

Pit flinched at the thought of the metaphoric gift horse eating him…again. But he remained steady. He had been in the belly of the beast before with only the hope of seeing Palutena’s light again to guide him out. He had to hold onto this hope if we were to see himself through this.
He had to hold onto this hope and block out Hades taunts and detractions. Until a verbal wrench from Hades got the wheels turning in Pit’s head.


“Wait a minute…”
Pit’s squinting eyes widened and then re-squinted at a revelation.
“I see what you’re trying to do…”

“You think just because you revived me I’ll be your loyal servant?”
Pit deduced with disgust.
“Break the Gremlin free and he’ll rub the lamp and I grant all your wishes?”

“I may be devoted to Lady Palutena and took up that brief summer job under Viridi's that one time.”
Pit admitted shamelessly.
“But I do and did because were both on the side of righteousness! They stood for the greater good!”
“But I know what side you’re on. I know what you stand for...”

“I know who you are and what you’ve done, and I'll have no part in it.”
Pit coldly rebuffed in a tone that would trigger flashbacks of Dark Pit.


“Even when Viridi was dropping those wretched Reset Bombs,”
Pit began an anecdote.
“She was still doing it with the earth’s best interest at heart.”

“I mean she wasn’t right, but she was wrong for the right reasons.”

“And that’s when Lady Palutena and I came in to stop her!”

“To help restore and maintain the balance between the heavens, the earth and even the underworld!”


“So too bad, Hades. You’ll have to try another box top. Because I don't work that way.”
Pit boldly rejected his suspected proposition.

“You may have tapped my trophy base, but I won’t become your toy.”

[PolarStarQuote]

"What in the underworld are you on about?!" Hades asked, seeming more confused than anything else at pit's little speech.

"Pit, you must really give yourself way too much credit if you think i came here to save you so i could 'Have' you. What would i need with a flightless angel anyways? Besides, News flash pit, we tried that already! And he's edgier than shadow and causes more Salt than a saltine factory!"

"Im merely giving my advice. If you wanna throw your head first back into the blender for no reason, fair enough. But im not saving you a second time, Pitty-pat. This first time was merely because you're the only good challenge ive ever had."

[TartoonHand94]

Pit snorted in frustration of hearing about his inadequacy from the upteinth time.
Nobody in the godly pantheon, from the Constellations to Underworld Army cared for a lowly angel who couldn't fly. Without working wings, Pit was worthless to everyone.

Everyone but Lady Palutena.
She had faith in him when that no one else did. The gracious Goddess of Light shined down on Pit and gave him a chance to prove himself.
And prove himself he did indeed, she appointed him the honored position of captain of her guard.
But beyond a cool title and an exciting career, Palutena granted Pit one of the greatest gift of all: the miracle of flight.
Thanks to Palutena, Pit could achieve what was long seen as impossible for him. As such, he gladly fought for her through literal hell and back.
As such, he never gave up on her. As such, he was not going to give up now.

Pit had just about enough of Hades and couldn't sit through any more of his condescending shtick.
The more he wasted with Hades, the more time he lost to do something to save Lady Palutena.
“Say boys?”
Pit whispered to his troops under Hades' answer.
“Yes Captain?”
One whispered back with equal subtly.
“See that window over there behind us?”
Pit nodded backwards at the window he saw hanging open when he revived them.
“Uhuh?”
the one nodded.
“On my signal, we're gonna pull a Squid Icarus.”
“Roger.”

“Gosh, I'd almost say the feeling's mutual.
But Y'know what Hades, as much as I'd love to stand around and be insulted,
I gotta get to the game store.”
Pit replied as the Centurions grabbed a firm hold of him.

“I wanna be first in line because there's a new game launching soon...”
Pit finally fired the arrow he had aimed at Hades heart after all this time, and sent two more for his eyes for good measure.

“...On the Nintendo 3-Deez Nuts!”
Pit battle cried as he threw in some bonus Deku Nuts in hopes of disorienting and distracting him.
As soon as Pit let the distraction loose, his Centurions took off with him.
Pit opened up his Guardian Orbitars to cover them as they bee lined out the window.

Once out the window, the Centurions shifted gears and started flapping even harder up into the sky.
By connecting their adornments to Pit’s belt, two Centurions formed a harness to better carry Pit by.
“Captain Pit, did you really just...”

“I know I know, I'll make a less embarrassing one-liner next time,
Just keep flying and don't look back!”
“But Captain Pit, where are we going?”


“Home to Skyworld. We have a lot of regrouping to do.
Pit ordered solemnly.
And entire army to brace.”

On the entire trip back up through the sky Pit's mind raced with questions strategies and doubt.
As much as Pit refused to admit it, Hades did have a point. How was Pit going to rescue Palutena without any idea where exactly she even was? And even if he did know, how would he do it then?
It had been a while since Pit left Skyworld to join this mission. Who knows what has happened up there after all this time. It was going to be different knowing Palutena wasn't waiting there for him. But he still had her army, all the Centurions of every rank and file. Being en masse inferior to Pit himself in both skill and strength, they were regularly left behind to patrol and protect Skyworld in his and Palutena's absence. But what if saving a goddess required even more divine intervention. Either way, getting home safely was the plan for now. He and his men could strategize properly when he got there.

[End of Presence]