This is it! The final chapter! Are you as excited as me?

Well, I know that Konpeki Rei is. So here we go!

Also, no suing. Do I have to go over that again?

Chapter 4

Getting a Clue

"Favorite color," I say.

"Pink. Duh," Viridi huffs.

I roll my eyes. "Why am I not surprised?"

She just smirks and splashes some of the hot water into my face. "Shut up!"

I laugh and sprinkle some liquid over her face. She giggles.

After our dance, the two of us just sat in silence. Eventually I got bored, so I went over to the hot spring and dipped my toes in. Viridi joined me shortly afterwards. Then she asked me a question.

"Hey, Pit, what's your favorite thing about me?"

I turned to face her. "Um... everything?" I remember blushing at that point.

"No, seriously. Just one thing."

I thought. "Your personality. You may act all mean and cold- hearted, but you're actually pretty nice."

"I AM NOT NICE!" she bellowed.

"Yeah, you are. At least to me. Sometimes."

She mulled this over. "Well, the best part of you, in my opinion, is-" she grabbed my hand at this moment- "your compassion. You'll do anything for everyone, if it means they'll be better off, regardless of what happens to you."

So from that conversation onwards we just talked to each other, asking both silly and serious questions. I guess it just occurred to us that we had never really learned anything about ourselves. We just... dated, with little substance behind it.

But now I know more about this goddess I call my girlfriend. She understands me more. And even though we're holding hands, with our toes touching under the steaming water, locked in a room together, there's no pressure whatsoever. I feel like I could potentially do this forever. Just be with Viridi.

"My turn!" she exclaims. "Favorite... food."

"Oh, that's easy. Floor ice cream," I chuckle. Viridi sticks her finger down her throat in a mock gag.

"You're a scavenger, Pit. How can I kiss you?"

"Oh, don't say you don't like it," I tease, leaning into her personal space. She shoves me away with a giggle. "Anyway, what's the meanest thing you've ever done?"

"This," she smirks. She then proceeds to yank a feather out of my wing.

"Ouch! That's not fair!" I groan, rubbing the sore spot.

She just runs the feather over my nose until I sneeze. When I do, she breaks into a laughing fit so hard I'm afraid she might hurt herself.

"My question for you is..." she manages to get out between chortles, "what was your scariest moment?"

I look up at the ceiling and think. "Hmm..."

"Take your time."

"I'd have to say when Palutena's soul was taken by the Chaos Kin. It was like, 'I just fought you, the person that has guided me this whole time, and it hurts. And now I may never be able to see you as nice as I remember again.'"

"...Oh. I see," she whispers.

I look over to her, confused. "What?"

She's staring at the wall away from me, but I can still see the sides of her eyes. I'm pretty sure there are tears welling up in there.

"She's really important to you, isn't she?" she asks quietly. I can't be positive, but I think I detect a hint of jealousy and disappointment in her voice.

"Viridi..." I sigh.

"Of course she's important to him, Viridi. She's his goddess. Not me. It's always Lady Palutena," she says to herself.

"No! You're important to me, too!" I yell. She looks me in the eyes.

And that's when I figure it out.

Palutena is important to me. She always has been, always will be. But these past twenty- some years there's been a more prominent figure in my life.

Vri...

We may fight from time to time, but we always make up. I can tell her things that Lady Palutena could never know. She makes me laugh, she makes me smile, she gives me hope to keep fighting for the safety of the world.

Viridi... I...

There's never any pressure. We can just sit and talk like we are right now and never think to do anything different. Even when we fight we still get along and laugh with each other. I bet we could go swamp diving in the middle of winter and continue to tease and poke fun at our companion, as long as we were by one another's side.

Viridi... I... love...

And what I feel for this Goddess of Nature goes beyond just plain old "crush." It's deeper. It's stronger. It's something serious that has a name, but I just can't seem to remember it. A word that means compassion, pleasure, devotion, caring, love...

Love.

Viridi... I love you.

I have to tell her. I have a feeling that once I do, Vri's either going to punch me or kiss me. Hopefully the latter. And if it is, then Palutena be damned.

Palutena be damned? Did I just use a swear word? Man, I am serious about this.

"Viridi, you are more important to me Lady Palutena ever could be. In fact, I guess you could say that I... that I.." Come on Pit, spit it out!

"Alright, that's enough you two. I'm letting you out," calls a new voice.

"Huh? Palutena?" I stutter.

"That's my name. Don't wear it out."

"But it hasn't been three hours yet," Viridi says. "Why are we allowed out?"

"I think you both have learned your lesson. Go on, open the door."

I do so and it pulls in with ease. The Goddess of Light is on the other side.

"What the HELL was that for?" I shout. I'm really angry- no, I'm pissed- at her. Not just because she forced this whole situation on us, but also because she interrupted my confession.

Palutena just laughs. "I bet Viridi gets it."

I turn around to see her nodding. "Yeah, I do."

"Then what is it? What am I missing here?" I ask, looking back and forth at both of the women near me.

"I'll explain later. Pit, come see me in my temple. Viridi, I think it's about time you say goodbye, don't you agree?" Then the green- haired lady waltzes away.

"Viridi... I..." I start to say, but I'm cut off by my girlfriend jamming her lips onto mine. I kiss her back, wrapping my arms behind her to play with her new haircut. She places her hands on my chest.

She pulls back for just a second to get some air. "That entire time... that was torture," she sighs.

"I know," I moan back.

I kiss her again, but I do something different. I keep my mouth open, just a bit. I feel the same happen with Viridi's jaw. Cautiously, I poke my tongue on her teeth. When she mirrors my actions, I feel like I've been Paralyzed. Fifty million volts run through me, or at least my brain thinks so.

Eventually we surface. She nuzzles my neck. "Thank you, Pit. For everything."

I smile. "Thank you, too. You don't know how much this means to me- how much you mean to me."

She kisses the top of my nose, then turns to leave. I wave goodbye as she vanishes in a puff of rose petals.

I didn't tell her. I have to tell her.

But first, time to find out what this is all about.

. . .

"Ah, Pit. Glad you came," Palutena says when I enter the temple.

"So what was the point of all of this?" I ask as I sit cross- legged on the floor.

"Well, I noticed that the two of you had never really talked to one another. You just make out. So, I figured if I forced you into a situation where all you could do was talk, you'll finally communicate."

I think for a minute. "Huh. Makes sense."

"I also wanted to see if you truly cared about Viridi, or if you rather just care about her lips."

I blush. "I care about Viridi! Every part of her! Her personality, her brain, her touch, her... boobs..." I reply, growing quieter with each example.

"Pit, don't play dumb with me. I saw your thoughts. You were going to tell her that you love her," she commands.

I look to the ground. "Yeah... yeah, I was."

"The question is, do you? Do you really love her?" she questions me as she gets down beside me.

"...I... I do. I love her." The second I say the words, it feels like I'm as light as a feather from my wings.

"Good. Then this mission was a success." Palutena gets back up.

I think about our conversation. "Hey wait. How did you read my thoughts?"

"Remember when I said I could see your heart through your laurel crown?"

"Weren't you kidding?" I remind her.

"Yes, back then. But I have since given your headgear a few upgrades," she laughs.

I turn blood red. "You're kidding me."

Palutena begins to leave the area. I stop her with a final comment. "What would have happened if we kissed, though? Would you have seriously locked us in there forever?"

She just shakes her head. "Nah. I would have just let you out the second you were done." And she's gone.

"What? You mean I went through all that suffering for NOTHING?" I shout, chasing after her.

The End

Oh. My. God.

Pit truly loves Viridi.

And the fangirls (and boys) go wild! *cheers*

But will he ever be able to tell her? Maybe he'll get another shot in "Second Chances," the fourth installment in this series, coming soon! (It's best to read that in a movie trailer voice. Just sayin'.)