Aftermath

Washing the dishes was never Pit's favourite activity. It wasted time that could have been spent doing better things, like beating the 150cc Special Cup on R.O.B Kart 65 or eating ice cream. So he wasn't too pleased when, after a messy meal of various spicy foods at Delia's place, he was the one nominated to clean up after everyone else. As much as he liked to believe it was out of courtesy, he secretly knew that Bobby has set him up, the crafty bastards. So here he was, in front of a sinkful of suds and water, pulling faces of disgust as he scrubbed the sludgy remains of bean burrito from a plate.

It didn't help that he'd been in a sour mood in the first place anyway, what with losing the King of the Ring Fite yesterday. He hadn't been able to make head nor tail of what was going on - some person has shown up that Jonesy and Zephyrus hated, Captain Haddock was using a skipping rope, for some reason, then there was a ninja, and it kind of got blurry from there. And the whole thing about the Sintendo Building being destroyed was a nice handful of salt in the wound - as much as he hated working at the place, he would never wish avything like that on his old colleagues.

It didn't help that Bobby wouldn't shut uuuuup.

"Sssserioussssly, he wassss ssssecond out of the ring!" The snakes were writing with glee as they retold their story. "And now, thankssss to a generoussss Jimmy, We're fifty dollarssss richer!"

An angry series of clangs announced that Jimmy was not entirely happy about losing that particular bet. Then again, who wouldn't be a little ticked off after losing all that money to Bobby? It was a wonder that the reptile hadn't wheeled everybody out of their life savings by now. Pit shrugged mentally as he finished the plates and moved on to the glasses.

"At least he tried, amigo," came Delia's strident voice - the cactus girl wasn't exactly in the mood to appreciate Bobby's victory, either. "Which, I know for a fact, is better than you could do!"

Again came the hollow, pan-flute laugh. "Really? Becausssse between you and us, better to make ssssure everyone got at leasssst a few bitessss than to jusssst down one persssson and then fail for the resssst of the Fite!"

"¡Cállate!" That was Marcus, the beefy plant loafing in a bean bag chair. "That funny man with the guitar is back on!" The sound of epic Heavy Metal riffs permeated through walls of the kitchen as Pit began to wash the knives, starting with the one used to cut up the peppers. It looked wickedly sharp - the Sahara family were known for their cleanliness and efficiency, if nothing else.

Bobby, of course, payed no mind to Marcus' shouts and went on talking. "Honessstly, though, We know We could have done better. We mean, why didn't Angel Facccce jusssst fly up and out of the way?!"

Pit stopped washing.

The house had gone awfully silent, save for the sounds of the programme.

"...I think, Bobby, it's becaue the pobrecito... actually can't fly."

A derisve snort from eight sets of nostrils. "You're joking. An angel that can't fly?! That'ssss the dumbesssst thing we've ever heard!"

Pit's grip tightened on the knife.

A warning clatter from Jimmy echoed round the house.

Pit's shoulders began to shake.

"But he could fly in hissss game, ssssurely? What'ssss the-?!"

"DON'T YOU FUCKING DARE!!!"

The knife sailed through the out of the kitchen and, with a thunk, embedded itself into the wall just short of one of Bobby's heads. Delia screamed, dropping her orange juice in shock. Marcus gave a yell as he fell backwards out of the bean bag chair. Jimmy dropped to the floor, clanging in terror. And as for the snakes, their vision was suddenly filled with the face of the angriest angel they had seen so far.

"Woah, ssssteady on, We only-"

"WIRES! Wires and STUNT ACTORS! You really thought I could actually FLY?! That'd be pretty fucking peachy, wouldn't it?! Maybe I'd have stood a fucking CHANCE against that flying maggot and the fucking robot and GOD knows who that bitch in the helmet was! But NO, Pit's mommy was on the Pipe while she was pregnant, and now his wings don't fucking WORK right!"

By way of demonstration, the ranting Pit leapt into the air, beating his wings madly. Even though his wings seemed the correct size for someone of his age, they barely kept him airborne for more than a second before he had to drop down again. Jimmy cowered down as a white feather, shaken loose, landed on him.

"Why did it have to be ME, eh?! Answer me THAT, you fucking Japano-Spanish tangle of alcoholic reptiles! Why did it have to be ME who got stuck with the shitty, not-working wings and end up the laughing stock of the entire fucking species?! Why was it ME who had to have all the special treatment and the fucking insurance forms filled out at Sintendo in case I fucking HURT myself?! Why...?!"

Pit's anger began to dissolve visibly, as he realised that maybe throwing a knife at someone just because they insulted your lack of flying ability may not be the best thing to do.

"Why...?"

Tears came to his eyes, and his breath came in choked sobs.

"Why can't I be normal?"

In a flash, Delia's arms were around him, and he didn't even register the spines as he began to weep into her shoulder, the cactus woman muttering soothingly in Spanish as she held him close. Jimmy lifted his non-euclidian form from the floor, shook of the feather and turnted to Bobby in what could only be described as a glare. The snakes could only watch the scene with open mouths, simultaneously terrified of their friend's newfound rage and shocked at the unfortunate revalation behind his handicap.

For a moment, there was complete and total silence, save for the television going on about how M is for METAL!

Then Marcus pushed himself upright, looked around the scene and grinned.

"Well, I think I know how to fix this, chicos," he boomed, as if nothing particularly shocking had happened at all. "Another helping of Carnitos Burritos Suprema! Delia, you fetch the salsa while I-"

Ding Dong.

Practically everyone jumped at the sound of the doorbell going off. There was yet another pause as they tried to figure out who would call at this hour of the day.

Then Pit sighed heavily, wiping his eyes.

"I'll get it," he mumbled, and made his way to the door as Bobby clamped a mouth around the knife and yanked it quickly out of the wall. Wouldn't want to give anyone the wrong impression, right?

Right. Especially seeing, upon opening the door, how Pit found himself face to face with a figure he knew all too well from his recent bar visits.

"Pit Angelos, laddie? Ah've got sum awfie news..."

-----

"Our top story tonight - Daisy Rochefort, Sintendo Star and aspiring fashion model, has slipped into a coma due to severe brain trauma following the destruction of the Sintendo Building. Despite best efforts, the doctors at Hippangopotalin Hospital were unable to revive the young actor after she was pulled from the wreckage of the destroyed building, one of Sintendo's many office around the world responsible for creating their games and consoles. As of yet, it is unknown wherever Daisy will ever awaken, and many experts fear that permanent brain death may soon follow. The search continues to locate Subject 27, the interdimensional criminal responsible for the building's destruction.

"We go now live to Bruce Kent, reporting from Maul Street as Sintendo Corporation's market shares stagger from such a terrible blow..."

-----

The doors to the hospital burst open.

"Slow doon, laddie! Ah'm nae as young as I wuz!"

Sandalled feet charge down the corridor.

"Wait, cariño, wait!"

Doctors and nurses are sent flying.

"Our sssscalessss are killing ussss!"

And Harvey Harolds, Chief Medical Advisor of Hippangopotalin Hospital, got the shock of his life when Pit burst into the ward and, with a despairing wail, flung himself at the bed where his patient lay. Wrapping his arms around her shoulders, the angel buried his face into her brown hair and wept aloud, knowing full well that she wouldn't even be able to respond to him, probably had no idea that he was even there or what he was doing. And that made it worse.

Samson, Delia and Bobby stood outside the door, looking mournfully at the scene.

There was nothing they could say.

(Sad times abound for our heroes. Will Lucy be brought to justice for this terrible atrocity? Will Pit ever overcome his crippling self-esteem issues? Will Marcus ever cook those Carnitos Burritos Suprema? Stay tuned to find out!

Or not, as the case may be.)