(Ike's PoV)

When Pit and I arrived at the café Junior and Peach were in, everyone turned their heads to look at us. We ignored them and approached our companions that sat at the table against the wall straight ahead from the entrance of the small building. They didn't say anything as we walked towards them; in fact, I don't think they were saying anything before we had arrived. The atmosphere around the two was palpable; I knew just from their presence that they still haven't made up. Junior held a grudge against his mother, and he was not about to let it go so easily. This wasn't the time to deal with that, and so I did not bother to ask how things were between the two. Instead, I told them it was time to leave Castle Town.

Junior and Peach stared at me, and I had to ask why they weren't doing anything. Peach exchanged looks with her son before turning to me and saying, "Did something happen?"

"What?"

Junior slammed his hands on the table, leaning forward, "You fought an Original, didn't you!? Oh man, how do I always manage to avoid fighting them!?"

"You should consider yourself lucky," Pit said.

Peach nodded, "I fought two Originals, and I must say I wouldn't want to face another one…"

"I-I don't get. How did you two…?"

"It's kind of obvious," Junior said, "You have a cut on your face, your clothes have a bunch of shreds and your hair is wild—"

"Oh my god!" Peach cried, "Were you electrocuted!?"

"Pikachu was sent to delete me, Ike, and you, Peach."

Junior frowned, "Wait, what about me?" he asked Pit.

Pit scratched the back of his head, "Here's the thing…Pikachu was not sent by Tabuu or Mario… He was sent by Link to take you back."

Junior scowled, "Seriously? I gotta thank you for beating the guy, Ike."

I grimaced, "It was no problem really; I actually ended up deleting him…"

Silence. Peach looked away nervously and attempted to change the subject, "What about Marth? Were you guys able to visit him at all?"

I was unable to respond, and Pit explained, "Pikachu classified him as a Defyer and deleted him."

Junior's eyes widened, and Peach gasped. She looked at me with her mouth covered, "Ike, I'm so sorry!"

"I don't want to talk about it," I said. "I just want to leave this place…"

"Yeah," Junior agreed, "Before Dad sends someone else to take me back!"

Pit laughed, and Junior asked what was so funny. The angel replied, "You just called him 'Dad'!"

Junior was about to hit Pit, but then he noticed his wings, "Hey, are your feathers falling?"

Peach noticed them as well, "He's right! Pit, did something happen?"

The angel passed us, "Obviously…" he muttered, leaving the café.

Junior and Peach looked at me, but I only shrugged. We knew Pit would very well leave us behind, so we hurried after him.

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Peach was ahead with Pit, while Junior stuck to my side. He was babbling about many things, but I wasn't paying attention to anything he was saying. Junior realized this, and stopped speaking to me. I grew uncomfortable with the silence between us, and I apologized to the boy. Junior only shook his head, a troubled expression etched on his face, "It's all right," he said, "It's just…"

"What's wrong?"

"I-I guess the reality of it all just hit me—When Pit said Pikachu deleted Marth, I couldn't help but think that we can get deleted, too… Pit saying Pikachu was after you two and Mom just makes it all worse…"

"And?" I asked.

Junior turned to me, and I was surprised to see him about to cry, "I'm scared, Ike! More than anything, I'm scared my Dad—Link! I meant Link!" He cried out, "I-I'm scared of him, Ike! There, I said it!" Junior covered his face with his right arm. He stopped walking, and I had to tell the others to stop so they wouldn't get too far away. Peach appeared as if she wanted to come, but suddenly she looked to the side, turning her head around and looking up at the sky. I held Junior awkwardly, pulling his arm down. The sight of his blurry red eyes left me dumb, and I couldn't think of anything to say. After a while of just staring at him, the boy closed his eyes, the tears running down his flushed cheeks, "When he hit Mom, my body froze. I-I couldn't do anything at first, but then… but then…" Junior tackled me, "I ran! I ran like a cucco!"

When nothing else came to mind, I ended up wrapping my arms around Junior, "Junior, it's fine. What could you have done?"

"I-I could have interfered or something, but," he sniffed, "I was scared of what Link would do to me… It's pathetic!"

"Junior…"

"Mom would probably think me a coward if she only knew I was there, watching…"

A shadow fell over us, and we both looked up to see Peach. Junior quickly let go of me, and he took a few steps back, "Mom," he began, but Peach would not let him continue.

"I would never think that of you, Junior. You are the bravest Trophy I know."

"I saw Link hit you, Mom! And I couldn't do anything but watch…"

Peach nodded, "I heard."

Junior's mouth quivered, and I quickly got out of the way. I was glad Peach decided to comfort him, because she would undoubtedly do a better job of making him feel better. It no longer mattered that Junior was mad at her; in the state he was in, that was the least of his concerns. Junior was unable to say anything else, and Peach said, "I've always known you were there; I know you've seen our fight, at least. If anything, I'm glad you were not involved."

Junior shook his head, "I should have done something."

Peach bent down and embraced her son, "You're here, and that's more than enough for me."

I smiled at the scene before me, and I searched for Pit to see his reaction. I was surprised to catch him with a look of pure disgust, but just as my mind had processed it, the angel turned, leaving me wondering whether or not I simply imagined it. Looking closer, I was only able to see two feathers fall from his wings, the breeze taking it away and leaving no evidence of what it had just done; only two blank spaces where the feathers used to be.

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"Say, Pit, where are we headed?" Peach broke the silence that had come upon our little group. No one was saying anything, and I was grateful she attempted to change that.

At first it appeared as if Pit had ignored her, but right when Peach was about to repeat her question, he said, "There's a town we're going to stop by. I think it's called Onett, or something."

"How long will it take to get there?" she asked.

There was a long pause, "I'm not sure. We're passing through a valley that has mountains closing in from both sides… I remember we had to go inside through a series of tunnels in order to reach the path that leads out. I forgot where it was though…"

He should not have mentioned that last part, because Peach's eyes bugged out, "We're lost!?"

"I didn't say that."

Peach began to hyperventilate, and Pit was yelling at her to calm down. Junior was looking around, and I followed his gaze. The mountains around us were a needed change of scenery; I felt as if we've only been on flat plains, forests, and cities. They weren't spectacular to look at, but their sheer size were impressive, easily taller than most of the buildings in Allys. They sort of closed in from the top, protecting us from the sun that had not made its way to the center of the sky yet. It made walking through the narrow passage a bit chilly, but I did not mind. Peach on the other hand looked like she was considering mountain climbing to the top, shivering so much that her body was a constant blur. I couldn't really blame her; the wind that traveled between the mountains were almost frosty, and their movement between the small passages and closed in spaces made them howl, making us even more aware of their presence, thus vulnerable to their low temperature. It might be an odd thought, but I quite enjoyed it; the wind seemed to have acquired musical properties upon coming here. Their sound was pleasant to the ears, and I found myself closing my eyes to listen.

I wasn't given much time to do so. Pit yelled at me to catch up, as I was soon falling behind. I ran towards them, hearing Peach complain about the cold, "Seriously," she said, "It wasn't nearly this cold in the fields before we reached here."

"It's the wind," Junior said.

"No shit," Pit told him.

I blinked at Pit's use of profanity; Peach also took a moment to make sure she had heard the angel right, "What did you say?"

"It's pretty obvious," Pit said.

"Still, that was uncalled for. Pit, apologize to Junior right now."

He scowled at her, "Who do you think you are? You can't tell me what to do. I'm the leader here."

"That doesn't matter. If anything, being the leader means you take responsibility for your actions, and right now, you were in the wrong by cursing to a child." Peach frowned when the angel laughed, "What's so funny?"

"Seriously!?" he asked, "The kid has seen domestic violence, and you're worried about him hearing some bad words!?"

That shut Peach right up, and I intervened, "Pit, stop it. What's with your attitude? You've been this way ever since we left Zelda's castle."

"Forget it," he said.

"Pit…" Junior said softly, "You're dropping a bunch of feathers right now."

I looked down, and sure enough, there were about ten behind him. The sight of them made Pit's eyes widen, and he leaned dangerously to the left, almost to the point that he would have collapsed if he hadn't caught the wall beside him. "Forget about it," he repeated, "Just forget about it."

He said that, but he remained where he was. Peach made no move to comfort him, and I was about to reach out to hold his shoulder when suddenly the wind's tone became melodious. There was a pattern to its sounds, and when you listened closely, there were words to be heard:

"Do you know why

We're born without light

The first thing we see is darkness.

Where is the light?

The glorious light?

That they all claim to be there when we die?

It's inescapable

It's interchangeable

Life and Death are but the same thing

Darkness and light

Death and Life

It's all a misconception

We're born without light

The first thing we see

Is black from total blindness.

Disregard what they claim

They are all lying

For some tunnels don't always lead out…

So let's quicken the pace

Let's not prolong Death

I just want to get it all over with

My soul is like glass

When it breaks it can't mend

So let's just die together

Because from what I have learned

The only truth to be taught:

Every man reaches his end…"

Pit's head quickly snapped up, "Crap! Guys, cover your ears!"

None of us questioned him. We did as we were told, and the angel quickly signaled us to follow him. We sprinted after Pit, the angel quickly disappearing behind an opening that led inside the mountain. The walls inside were a dark grey color, making it impossible to guess the landscape. Pit ran in blindly, however, and he did not stop until we had traveled a considerable distance within the mountain. The wind was still present, but faint, the same went for the voice that was transferring its song through the breeze.

Everyone was catching their breath, and Junior said, "What was that!?"

"The twelfth Original," Pit responded, "Jigglypuff."

Peach and I frowned at the name, "Jigglypuff?"

Pit nodded, but then he caught our confused expressions, "Don't let the name fool you; Jigglypuff is just as dangerous as all the other Originals, especially in a place like this where sound travels a far way…"

"What do you mean?" Peach asked.

"We better move… Our voices echo here."

We followed Pit through the dark tunnels, but soon it became near impossible to do so. My vision became black from the lack of light, and I had to call out in order to tell the others to stop. I did not hear a response, or the shuffling of steps from any of my companions. I realized we had gotten separated somehow, and my heart began to pump more blood, accommodating for the rise in panic. My hands groped out for a wall I might be able to follow, but instead they squeezed something soft. I frowned, but then my eyes widened. My thoughts were immediately taken over by the idea that I was holding on to Peach's—or rather Junior's—pacifiers.

I should have let go, but my grip was frozen in place, "P-Peach?"

The voice sounded bored, as if the trophy was waiting ages for me to say something, "Sadly no, but can you let go?"

It only took me a moment to guess who it was, and I jumped back immediately, "Jigglypuff!?"

"You're well informed, aren't you? I guess there's no point of the darkness if you know who I am… Chandelure!"

The room was suddenly lit in a ghastly purple by strange chandelier-like creatures. Despite the sudden light, the flames of the pokemon were not enough to blind me. Still, it was disorienting, and it took my mind while to process the Original before me, standing on top of a boulder. She was obviously a female, round in shape with pink fur, cat ears, and curly bangs. What struck me most interesting was her eyes. They were enormous, taking up the majority of her spherical body. They were half lidded and directed towards me. The light they reflected danced across her irises as the Chandelure in the room floated around, moving in circles as if the place was a carousel. It was actually pretty haunting, and a bit creepy if I had to admit. Jigglypuff did not appear to be dangerous, but she certainly gave out an indistinguishable vibe, the kind that leaves one uncomfortable. There was something…off about her; that much was evident, the fact of which had me on guard.

"Where are my friends?"

She looked towards the Chandelure, "Friends? Is that what you call them?" I did not answer, and she continued, "I had a friend once… he died…"

"How unfortunate."

She met my gaze, "He was deleted."

This made my heart skip a beat, and suddenly everything started to piece together. Jigglypuff was an Original, but she was also a pokemon. It would make sense if she were friends with Pikachu. At that moment, I started to sympathize for her, "I know how you must feel…"

"No…"

"What?"

"No, you don't. You have other friends. I only had Pikachu."

"The other Originals?"

"They mean nothing to me…"

"Isn't that harsh," I said.

"I'd say they're fortunate. Personally, I would rather be ignored than hated…"

I frowned, "Hated?"

"Never mind that. Ike, I'm going to delete you here and now…"

Suddenly my body began to levitate, and I was unable to move. I realized the Chandelure had me suspended in the air using their ghostly powers. I glared at Jigglypuff, "Like this is any fair!"

She did not even blink, "Fighting isn't really my thing… If it bothers you so much, consider this my way of fighting…"

"You're way of fighting, huh?" I tried to slash at Jigglypuff with Ragnell, but my arm would not even budge an inch. I gritted my teeth and forced any one of my limbs to move, but it was absolutely useless. I started to cry out, and deep inside of me, I felt the Monster stir.

"You're having trouble with Twelfth? Truly pathetic…"

Despite the insult, I felt the Monster supply me with strength. I was able to break free from the Chandelure's grasp, and I charged forward towards Jigglypuff. She made no move to dodge the attack, but it just so happened she did not need to. A Chandelure took the blade for Jigglypuff, and she simply hopped off the boulder. As the Chandelure started to disappear, Jigglypuff skipped about.

"Poor Chandelure… Poor Chandelure…"

Her words did not express sadness. If anything, they were mocking in tone. This made me angry, and when I tried to strike Jigglypuff, she jumped out of the way. Ragnell was embedded into the cave wall, and while I tried to remove it, the Original smacked my face, following the attack with kicks and a body slam that sent me back. They weren't particularly powerful, but they definitely hurt. I looked up to see Jigglypuff standing on the hilt of Ragnell.

"What a powerful sword you have here… It's called Ragnell, right?"

"I just killed one of your Chandelure… Aren't you angry?"

"What would anger do for me at a time like this? It would only serve as a distraction. To defeat a Replacement such as yourself, I'll need all the help I can get… Feelings are but a hindrance, the same goes for empathy. Morals, too. If you constantly think what is right and what is wrong, you never get things done. There is no progress. In the end, isn't it the result that matters?"

"Is that how the Originals think?"

"You truly believe we're the villains, don't you?"

"The Originals would delete any trophy that does not follow their views; how could I not?"

Jigglypuff jumped off Ragnell, lightly coming towards me with a few bounces in the air, "You speak only of Marth. I won't defend Pikachu, but I will present you with these facts… Marth was your friend. If it weren't for you, he would still be alive today. You dragged him into your business. Don't blame us. Pikachu was just doing what he was told. You of all people should understand… A soldier follows orders without question. Would it not be hypocritical of you to blame Pikachu when you're a mercenary yourself?"

Jigglypuff left me speechless. I would have come up with some sort of answer, but her face told me everything: she wouldn't care. Given any comeback, I know Jigglypuff would just shrug it off, no matter how much it contradicted her statement. She didn't care about anything. Watching the two voids she had for eyes, I had to wonder whether she really wanted to be here or not. She might be the weakest Original, but couldn't she have taken the opportunity to delete me now that Ragnell was not in my hand? What was she after? From what I can tell, it was not victory. She was too hard to read, and I stared at her for a long time trying to figure her out. She also had the chance to delete me when the room was unlit, and again when the two Chandelure had me paralyzed, but she didn't do anything.

What was her motive?

"Well?" she asked, "Aren't you going to pull out your sword?"

I retrieved Ragnell, my eyes on the Original the entire time, "Is it a fight you want?" She did not answer, and I lowered my blade, "In that case, I'm leaving."

I walked past Jigglypuff, but right when I was about to reach the tunnel out of the room we were in, she said, "Do you know what I'm capable of?"

I stopped, "Frankly, it doesn't appear like you are capable of anything. Pit told me you were the weakest of all the Originals. When you hit me back there, I barely felt a thing, at least when I compare it to the attacks of other trophies. I know for a fact that if we were to fight, you would lose."

I started to leave, but Jigglypuff said, "You couldn't save Marth… but you could save your companions…"

I froze. I turned slowly, "What?"

"I can put trophies to sleep with my voice. With this ability, and with the help of ghost-type pokemon like Chandelure, I'm able to send a trophy into a never ending nightmare. After a while, psychological damage can take its toll. I wonder how long your so called 'friends' will last… I doubt the one in the pink dress will last any longer. She was already whimpering by the time I left them at Spear Pillar…"

I did not let Jigglypuff finish. I charged at her so quickly, to the Original it probably seemed as if I had teleported in front of her. Once again she did not move. The remaining Chandelure blocked the attack for her with its body, and as it began to disappear, the room turned pitch black.

I was only able to hear Jigglypuff's voice, "Don't you dare underestimate me… Just because I am not as strong as the others does not mean I am not as dangerous…"

"Come back here!" I ordered, "FIGHT ME!"

The Original giggled, "How climatic! A trophy that lets his feelings get the better of him versus an Original that has long lost her empathy… Who shall be victorious?"

"WHERE ARE YOU!?"

"I'll be waiting for you at the summit of the mountain..."

I started swinging Ragnell aimlessly, hoping I would strike the Original with the golden blade. No such luck. After a while, I knew she had left the room, and that I was alone. I fell to the ground, my chest heaving with anger. Peach is suffering. Peach is suffering because of Jigglypuff. She knows I care about Peach, or she would have told me about Pit and Junior's condition as well. She knew the idea of Peach in pain would rile me up… and rile me up it did. The ground became visible as my eyes began to glow an intense yellow. I felt bad for Jigglypuff. I really did. But she had made the mistake of hurting Peach, and for that, she will be deleted. Who was she kidding? She does not stand a chance against me.

Not when I'm angry.

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It was easy figuring out the way to the top; if the tunnel led upwards, then that would be the one I would take, but if they sloped downwards, I would have to look for some other way. The caves, for the most part, were dark as the room where I encountered Jigglypuff. However, there were sections where the ceiling had crumbled to allow sunlight to pass. Unfortunately, there was not much of that, but soon I found myself climbing up stairs that seemed infinite—at the end I saw the light of day, and seeing the exit made me run the rest of the way up to the summit of the mountain. The entire time I was left alone, my worry towards Peach had only gotten greater; at the same time, my wrath towards Jigglypuff had intensified the same way.

The summit was not what I expected. There seemed to be some kind of ruins here, remnants of a forgotten temple. I saw broken pillars, incomplete staircases, walls high enough to support a second story, and a platform at the far end where a massive creature stood upon it. It had to be some sort of monster, almost as tall as the incomplete stone walls. It might of had a pink color scheme, but everything about it was beastly. Its small eyes were incapable of mercy, and its large feet looked like it could step on a trophy and squash them. It was bipedal, with long arms that had pearls embedded into the shoulders. Its neck was one with its head— similar to a giraffe. Its tail was massive, like that of a dragon, and its wings were of a solid material, not flimsy like that of a bat, nor sensitive like that of a bird's. The monster's skin was unidentifiable, but I think it would be impossible to tell; it was wearing some sort of armor, and if that itself was its skin, I would know not how to take it down. It was large as it was bulky, and I was able to tell from its appearance alone that it was also a heavy hitter.

I noticed Jigglypuff was before the large creature, and I called out to her. She turned slowly; so slowly, that I was already behind her by the time she completely turned around. Her face remained stoic, and for a second it was as if she had no idea what I was doing there, "Where are my friends!?"

She looked to the side, and I followed her eyes to see Pit, Junior and Peach slumped over one another. They were fast asleep, but they wore expressions of pain and fear.

I faced Jigglypuff, "I'm here! Wake them up already!"

"I never said I would wake them up upon your arrival… Besides, it's not as if I'm the one that has them trapped in their individual nightmares. You have Darkrai to thank for that."

I stared at her in pure disbelief, "Darkrai…?"

Jigglypuff nodded, and a shadow started to form between us. I jumped back as it materialized, revealing some sort of demon with a body that moved like fire. It was entirely black with the exception of what appeared to be long flowing white hair and a giant red jaw that rested where its collar bone would be. Its eyes were an electric blue; the pupils were slits of a slightly lighter color. It had no legs; its body ended with its torso, like a ghost.

"Ike, Darkrai, Darkrai, Ike. Mercenary, mythical pokemon, mythical pokemon, mercenary." That was the only introduction Jigglypuff offered, but I did not really care. As the pokemon started to retreat back where Peach and the others were sleeping, I chased after it. Jigglypuff began to sing, and the words that came out her mouth made my movements sluggish. I started to slow down, and my eyelids grew heavy. I fell on my knees, and I dropped Ragnell, fighting the urge to knock out on the spot. Why was I so tired all of a sudden?

Jigglypuff approached me, "Your fight is with me, Ike."

"Let them go…"

"Not until you delete me!"

I grabbed Ragnell, but I did not have the strength to lift it. Jigglypuff laughed, "You versus me! You said so yourself it wouldn't be a problem. I am one of the weakest Originals, after all."

My eyes were unable to remain open, but right when they closed, Jigglypuff smacked me, "Well!? Are you up for it!?"

I could not think profoundly, but I was able to remember the huge monster on the platform, "Just you…?"

"Of course… If you're worried about Palkia, he's a legendary pokemon. He does not follow my orders quite easily, even if I am an Original. That does not mean he will not intervene, however, but who knows? It might be to your favor."

I tried to stand up, but the ground appeared to be so comfortable at the moment. I just wanted to lie down and sleep…

"Ike, snap out of it!"

The Monster brought me back to my senses, and I shook my head wildly to get rid of the remaining drowsiness. I turned swiftly and swung Ragnell towards the Original, but Jigglypuff was able to hop back in time.

Her eyes were wide, "How did you wake up so quickly?"

I didn't answer her, but from my reflection in her eyes, I was able to see that my irises had begun to glow a bright yellow. Jigglypuff furrowed her brow, "If it weren't for being a damn Replacement…"

I did not let her finish. I struck her, and Jigglypuff was sent flying. It surprised me how light she was; even gravity took some time to pull her back towards the earth. Jigglypuff stood up, "Let's make a deal, Ike, you and me."

It seemed as if the Originals just loved to talk during battle. I charged towards her, slashing at Jigglypuff mercilessly. The Original began to sing, and despite being activated, my mind turned blank, and my shoulders drooped. I willed myself to ignore her voice, but something about it left me mesmerized. I had to listen. It was soothing in tone, but the words carried so much hate and sorrow. My body collapsed, and Jigglypuff approached me, "Pay attention when I speak to you. Seriously! You come at me like some savage. Loosen up! I know your friends are in danger and all, but that does not mean you could hack at me as you please. When I say something, you listen. Got it?" I heard her clearly, but I was too tired to respond. Jigglypuff knocked me back with a kick, "Got it!?"

I mumbled something even I was unable to interpret, but it satisfied Jigglypuff, and she continued, "If I win… I'll let you all go! I'm not bent on destroying you for deleting Pikachu, because I know your deletion will not bring him back. No… Deleting you would only bloody my hands. For that reason, I'll let you all go. In fact, I will wake your companions up right now on one condition… Abandon this foolish quest."

I gathered the strength to sit up, "Hell no… We're fighting. You're going to pay for hurting… Peach…"

She scowled, "Is that your final answer?"

I nodded, "If… I win… what happens?"

"Victory is not enough?" I was too tired to reply, but Jigglypuff continued regardless, "Tell you what, if you win, I'll leave the Originals; that is how serious I am."

I involuntarily chuckled, and this made Jigglypuff slap my face, "You can't take me seriously, can you!?" she shrieked, "You're just like the Originals, judging power based on physical strength… I can fight to! I can fight… I can fight!" Jigglypuff started to pummel me with punches and kicks. I would have fought back, but I was barely able to stand up. I couldn't do anything but take the hits Jigglypuff was throwing at me, "The first day after the Memory Loss, the Originals held a tournament. It was to serve as a reminder of our place, who was the strongest out of the twelve. I lost the first round, and was a laughing stock since then. In fact, Mario asked Tabuu if he had made a mistake identifying me as an Original… Can you believe that!?" Jigglypuff smacked my head hard enough to make me fall, "I cried. I cried after every loss. The Originals only took that as their chance to make even more fun of me, calling me a baby and weak… I could not let them see how much their words hurt me. I started to hide my feelings, and wore a mask of apathy. Amazingly, they stopped making fun of me after that. They realized their laughter and jokes could no longer make me move, but soon, they learned that nothing could ever make me smile, laugh, or cry. In the process of keeping in my tears for all the ridicule they gave me, I had locked away all my other feelings as well… Soon I cared about nothing, not even my life. As you can guess, this did not make me good company to be around, and for that reason, none of the Originals took the opportunity to get to know me… Each one of them decided to ignore me and pretend I didn't exist… All of them but Pikachu…"

Jigglypuff stopped hitting me. I gained a bit of strength back, but it was not enough to fight. I decided to remain in place and focus on clearing my head in order to revitalize my body.

"Did you know?" the Original asked, "Pikachu asked me to come with him to Castle Town. I said no; I always do for such requests. I knew he would win and come back safely, so one could only imagine my surprise to hear that he had been deleted…"

"He killed Marth," I spat.

"I understand that. My point was the utter shock that I felt upon finding out that Pikachu had fallen under your hands. I would have expected Pit to have committed the atrocity. Maybe Link Junior, or even Peach! I never expected it to be you, not if I was given years to guess. Do you know why? Because you are like me, or at least, I thought you were…"

My strength was coming back. I only had to stall Jigglypuff for a little while longer, "What do you mean?"

"Out of the four Defyers on the Quest, you are the most disconnected. I noticed that you would not really bond with any of your companions. You would usually be in the lead, or off to the side in silence. I assumed you didn't care for the Quest, and for that reason, I thought you were someone us Originals would not have to worry about. That's why I couldn't believe it when I was told you deleted Pikachu. I know he disposed of Marth, but you have amnesia! Why!? Why would you avenge someone you don't even know!? And to such an extreme level, too!"

I lunged towards Jigglypuff, but she had taken note of my recovery, and was able to counter. The Original hit me again and again, too close to my body so that I would be unable to use Ragnell against her, "Damn you, Ike! Damn you! Because of you, I was never able to tell Pikachu… I was never able to tell him…" I tried grabbing a hold of the pokemon, but she would inflate herself so that it would be impossible to get a good grip on any part of her body, "H-he wasn't like any other Original! He was kind! He cared about me! He talked to me! He enjoyed my company! He gave me so many chances to say… To say… Damn you Ike!" Jigglypuff pounded me with more force, "Despite his everlasting kindness, I never smiled at him, I never laughed when he intended to be comical, and I never comforted him as he did for me… He's gone now because of you, and because of that, I never got to tell him that he… he…"

I was finally able to grab Jigglypuff by her front curls, but I almost dropped the Original when I saw her large blue eyes had tears in them, "…he was my only friend…"

I loosened my grip, and the pokemon slowly fell to the crumbled floor of the ruins, "Apologize all you want, but I don't blame you. I said the same thing to Link earlier today. You see, if anyone is to be the blame for Pikachu's deletion, it would have to be me for not aiding him when he asked me to… He wanted me to come with him to Castle Town, but I declined… Because of me, he's dead!"

This was the perfect chance to delete Jigglypuff, but I couldn't do it. Not like this. "Jigglypuff…"

Her voice was hard to hear, "Why did you do it?"

"Marth…"

"Cut the crap! It had nothing to do with Marth!" I was about to respond, but Jigglypuff wouldn't let me, "I had a ROB analyze Pikachu's teleporter, and according to the data, he had created a portal back to the Imperial Tower! H-he was going to come back, but you deleted him! Pikachu lost the battle, but you deleted him anyway! If you are the so-called good guy, wouldn't you have let him go!? Why!? Why…?" Jigglypuff was staring at me the entire time, but when she focused on my yellow eyes, her body deflated, "Y-you lost it, didn't you? You gave in to anger, and were unable to control yourself…"

Maybe it was to appease her in some way, but I nodded. This made Jigglypuff cry even more. I didn't know what to do but wait for her to stop, "I'm sorry, Jigglypuff…"

She ignored me, "Don't you see? In the end, feelings only get in the way. I'll be fair. I will act like a good guy. An eye for an eye, tooth for a tooth. Because Pikachu deleted Marth, you deleted Pikachu. Because you deleted Pikachu, I will delete you! After all, if you, the good guy did it, it's nothing you can object!"

"You won't beat me," I said.

"Let's make it fair then. Palkia!"

The entire world flipped. Suddenly I was falling into the sky, and Jigglypuff, having the ability to jump in the air multiple times, was able to attack me with punches and kicks. I was unable to fight back, and the Original took the opportunity to come at me with all that she had. The summit of the mountain rotated back to its original place, and gravity was back to pull Jigglypuff and me to the ground. The pokemon was able to land a couple more hits on me before my body made contact with the ruin floor. It took a moment for me to get up, the side where I had landed screaming in pain. Jigglypuff was a few yards away from me, and I yelled out to her, "I thought you said it was only you and me!"

"If it weren't for Palkia, it would be two against one. I'm just evening the odds."

I frowned, "What!?"

"You and 'the Monster' versus little ol' me… It's not so fair, is it? How many times has it aided you in a battle against the Originals? Admit it! Without it, you would have been deleted a long time ago!"

I stared at Jigglypuff for a long time before closing my eyes, "Monster… go."

The Monster began to object, "Don't pay any attention to her! This is what she wants!"

"So be it," I told him.

"Don't be an idiot! Jigglypuff would still have Palkia on her side!"

I studied the Original, "Somehow, I doubt it."

The Monster growled, "It's your death wish!"

I sensed him fade, and I spread my arms out wide, "You and me Jigglypuff!"

She didn't say anything for a while, and for a moment, I thought she didn't get what I had just done. I was about to explain, but she cried out, "H-how stupid can you be!?"

She wasn't angry or upset. She was… scared? "Excuse me?"

"I-I didn't lie when I said I had no control over Palkia…"

As if to prove her point, lightning started crashing down on the summit in response to Palkia's roar. The space around started to distort terribly; Jigglypuff now seemed to be right in front of me, but her body was no longer spherical. It was like looking into an optical illusion, and the sight of her gave me a headache. My own body was stretching like rubber, moving side to side along with the space around it. Jigglypuff and I switched places spontaneously; the summit shrank and grew in size in a way that one step toward the Original brought me twenty steps forward, directly in front of Jigglypuff.

"What's going on!?"

"Space is distorting… Palkia is angry I have attempted to control him…"

"Stop him!" I ordered her, "I feel like my body is about to split!"

"I can't!" the Original cried, "It doesn't really matter, anyway. I'm planning on taking advantage of this situation!"

Jigglypuff smacked me, and followed the attack with a roundhouse kick. When I attempted to block, Jigglypuff was already between me and Ragnell. Right when she was about to strike, the distance between us was torn apart. She was now far ahead of me, but the Original did not let this faze her. She began to spin like a ball in place before charging forward in an incredible speed. I struck the ground with Ragnell so that it was stuck slanted forward, and ducked. Jigglypuff was unable to stop, and she rolled forward and off the golden blade as if it was a ramp. Jigglypuff was sent flying, and she crashed into a marble column, breaking the structure and making the top half fall on her. I pulled Ragnell and ran forward to attack Jigglypuff now that she was unable to move. As I raised the sword to bring it down upon the Original, we were enveloped in light. Jigglypuff quickly inflated her body to get the rubble off her and ran off. I chased after her, just as a massive laser beam struck the area where the two of us were before. I stared back in horror, realizing it was the work of Palkia.

The summit of the mountain was no longer distorted. Jigglypuff was panting, and I approached her, striking her from behind. She cried out as she was sent forward, sliding a few feet on the ground before coming to a halt. She stood up as I was coming to her, and she said, "You're a heavy hitter, Ike, but you know what? I am, too." I swung Ragnell downwards, but Jigglypuff sidestepped and made her way behind me. Before I was able to turn around, I was sent into the air at least a couple of stories. I landed like a rock, and I lifted my head to see Jigglypuff sleeping.

What in the world did she do? I was suddenly thrown into the air with an amazing force, but there was no contact between me and the Original. I stood up shakily, Jigglypuff waking from her short slumber, "Rest…" she mumbled, "I feel a lot better now. Not only does it heal me, but my power becomes focused and is released all at once… It is my most powerful move, but it comes with a price…"

I understood now, "It leaves you helpless."

Jigglypuff nodded, "Even so, you're close to finish. I just need to land one more Rest on you. I will win, and Pikachu…" She didn't finish her thought. Once again she began to roll in place and she charged forward. I jumped out of the way, but Jigglypuff was able to turn around and end up behind me. I cursed and swung Ragnell towards Jigglypuff blindly, the blade erupting in blue flames. The sword made contact with the Original, and she was pushed back by the force I had put in the attack. A crumbling wall caught Jigglypuff, and she fell forward, getting up shakily, "D-damn you, Ike! So it has come to this…"

A yellow aura surrounded Jigglypuff. I feared what was to come, and my eyes widened when Jigglypuff began to grow. After a couple of seconds she was already bigger than Palkia, and I realized the Original meant to push me off the mountain. She continued growing and growing, and I ran as farthest away from the Original as possible, up to the edge of the mountain. She reached her maximum height, about twenty stories high. The Original had also grown as wide as she had grown tall, taking up the majority of the summit. Jigglypuff turned around and began walking the other way. I was confused at first, but it dawned to me that the Original was going to push Peach and the others off the mountain, not me.

"NO!" I ran towards her and struck her with Ragnell, but the blade just bounced off her skin. I tried hitting Jigglypuff again and again, but my sword no longer had any effect on her. She was now in front of my companions, and as she prepared to kick them off the edge, my chest tightened. My eyes began to burn, and the sensation made my body turn weak. I cried out in a voice I never knew I had, filled with such desperation. The words forced their way out, "NO! PLEASE, THEY'RE ALL I HAVE!"

Jigglypuff hesitated, and before I was able to react, the floor beneath her collapsed. The Original's bottom half was within the mountain, and as she struggled to get out, it became evident that she was stuck. I was frozen in place, and the Original began to cry. She continued to flail her arms around, but it was absolutely useless, "No! I-it's not fair! Why would something like this happen to me!?" Despite having her back to me, Jigglypuff cried out, "Don't look at me! I-I'm not crying! I… I! I…ah…" The Original was unable to form complete sentences. Her body became limp, and soon she lost the bright aura that had surrounded her. Jigglypuff began to shrink until she was back to her normal size. I jumped into the crater that Jigglypuff had created, the Original at the very center. She was still crying, but I did not let that distract me. I slashed at her with Ragnell, and immediately she began to fight back. However, she was no longer into it, and the Original was mostly evading my attacks. I realized this was because she no longer had the energy to do anything else. She had lost.

I landed more hits on the Original, and her movements became sloppier. I was about to finish her off when the area we were in began to glow. Palkia was about to send another attack our way, and I knew that if we were to get caught in it, it would be the end for the both of us. I started to run off, but I was suddenly pulled back by Jigglypuff. I would have pushed her away, but the Original began to sing, making my body tired and my eyelids heavy. I had lost the energy to release myself from her grasp, but I was still able to speak, "Wh-what are you… doing?"

"I knew I wouldn't stand a chance against you Ike. From the very beginning. In fact, my plan all along was to delete Pit, Peach and Link Junior so that you would be left all alone, just as you had left me all by myself by deleting Pikachu. Of course, that is no longer a possibility to accomplish… But, if I'm going down, I'll be sure to take you down with me!"

My heart began to race, but my body was still lazy. I tried to struggle, but Jigglypuff would not let go.

"You idiot, what's the point of this battle if none of us come out of it alive!?"

More tears began to spill out of Jigglypuff's eyes, "I don't care. It's the result that matters…"

I shut my eyes tight as the light around us grew brighter.

"…isn't it?"

Palkia's energy beam enveloped me and Jigglypuff.

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My eyes struggled to open, and my body was taken over by intensifying pain. I was able to hear Jigglypuff scolding me, but her words were difficult to understand with her blubbering, "Y-you mindless Pidove, why would you protect me!? I'm you're e-enemy!"

I suddenly remembered. At the last possible second, I had curled atop of Jigglypuff and received Palkia's attack for the both of us. I do not know why I had decided to shield the Original, but I felt that I owed it to her, "You could have deleted my friends, but you didn't. I'd hate to owe an Original any favors."

Jigglypuff's eyes widened, and she looked the other way, "You truly are unorthodox, aren't you?"

I got off her, "Well? Shall we continue fighting?"

The Original nodded, and I came at her. She didn't counter any of my attacks. She simply dodged and took them interchangeably. After a few moments of this, Jigglypuff said, "Thank you."

I frowned, but continued my onslaught. Jigglypuff went on, "Truly. I am grateful to you, Ike. Now I know that even if I were to have been with Pikachu that day…"

Ragnell's blade began to emit blue flames. It would be the end of Jigglypuff with one final hit.

"… we wouldn't have stood a chance."

I struck the final blow.

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I shook the pink Original, "Jigglypuff, wake up."

Her eyes opened slowly, and Jigglypuff looked around, "Wh-what?"

"You're not deleted, if that's what you think. You have to tell Darkrai to wake up my friends. Also… this was part of the bet. You have to leave the Originals."

Jigglypuff had returned to her emotionless self. A bored look had come upon her face, and she said, "Very well. Take me to your companions."

I carried her out of the crater and to the summit of the mountain where Peach and the others were still fast asleep. Darkrai was above them, darkness spilling out of him and surrounding, Peach, Pit, and Junior.

"Darkrai," Jigglypuff said, "It's over. You can wake them up now. The Defyers are victorious…"

The pokemon disappeared, and soon after, my companions began to wake up one by one. Pit was the first to see me holding Jigglypuff, and he cried out when he did so, "Ike! That's Jigglypuff you're holding on to!"

I put the Original down and walked towards them. I fell to my knees and lowered my head as my mind became empty. I remembered how scared I felt when I thought Jigglypuff was going to delete them. I always thought I only cared about Peach, but that moment proved otherwise. It's true, though. They are all I have. I have no memories of the past. I may have clips and images, but those are nothing. When it all comes down to it, I've only lived for a couple of weeks, and these guys were with me my entire life. Even Pit, the trophy I thought I despised for keeping secrets from me... if he were to be deleted, it would no doubt have an impact on me.

"What happened?" Peach asked.

"You were all under the influence of Darkrai… but it's all right now. Jigglypuff is no longer a threat, so you may ignore her…"

The others nodded, unsure. Pit said, "In that case, let's leave this place. Spear Pillar is known to give residence to an extremely powerful pokemon; we wouldn't want to wake it up." Pit began to head for the tunnel that led back inside the mountain. Peach and Junior followed the angel, but I stayed where I was. Pit turned back, "Ike?"

"You guys go on ahead… I have something to tell Jigglypuff."

The angel's eyes narrowed, but he nodded, "Be quick."

I waited for the others to leave before I turned to face the Original, "Jigglypuff…"

"Don't worry about me. There are many places a pokemon can seek refuge."

"It's not that, although now that we're on the subject... have you heard of Pokemon Paradise?"

Her face remained expressionless, "That place is nothing but a myth."

I shook my head, "It exists. It lies within the Forgotten Forest."

The Original changed the topic, "What do you want, Ike?"

I knelt down so I was at near eye level with the pokemon, "Jigglypuff, it's bad to keep your feelings bottled up inside you."

She didn't even blink, "So I heard."

"You obviously care about Pikachu, so I was just wondering… Have you cried for him yet?"

"Of course not."

"Jigglypuff… tears are not a sign of weakness. The Originals were wrong by making fun of you for crying. They are insensitive. True friends like Pikachu would want you to express your feelings."

Jigglypuff met my eyes with a deadpan stare. I sighed and stood up. "Goodbye, Jigglypuff."

I turned to leave, and just as I reached the opening of the tunnel, I heard Jigglypuff choke out a sob. I looked back to see the Original weeping for the loss of her friend. She started to cry out loudly, and I couldn't help but smile. This was the first time Jigglypuff was letting it all out, suppressed feelings that she had forced deep inside of her of all the torture she has been through living with the Originals. Watching the pokemon's body tremble as she sobbed uncontrollably, I finally realized what was off about her.

She was nothing like the other Originals.