-face down on the floor.

A/N: First off, it was glitching out earlier, so I went and reuploaded this chapter from scratch. If you got two notifications about this chapter, that's why!

Second off, I want to thank you guys for joining me on this wild ride of a 'fic. This was my first multi-chapter story to ever get finished. The ending may be cheesy, and maaaybe not as well-written as I would've liked, but the whole point of writing this wasn't so much to create a perfect story as to tell the story I wanted to. Something that would hit people, that they could enjoy, and maybe even relate to. Again, thank you for your time, and uh... Keep your eyes peeled, Kid Icarus fandom, b/c I ain't going anywhere any time soon. I'm thinking a lil' over a month before you see me again, but we'll see. *heart emote*

Once they were all home, he finally got his answers.

Based on what the fighters most knowledgeable about magic could tell, what they'd encountered in there was a nightmarish hybrid; one where Dharkon had consumed Hades and taken on some of his powers. With two quasi-demonic forces combined, along with the world seeming a lost cause after seven years, and them fighting on the enemy's terms, the fighters had agreed to fall back instead of risk losing anyone.

Not that Dark Pit could really blame them. Nor could he blame Palutena for blasting the mirror as soon as everyone was out, sealing that realm off forever. He'd grumbled about not saving any surviving mortals, only to catch the sorrowful look on the goddess's face. There wouldn't have been anything left to save. He wished he was surprised.

In return, Dark Pit felt the need to come clean about the lies he'd told since he'd first escaped through the mirror. Everyone got the basic version-the reality of the Mirror of Truth and what it did, how he'd fled from the ruins of his home and struggled to make a life in the other realm.

Those he was closer to-the rescue party and Palutena-were told the expanded version. They were told of the lies he'd been fed about the other side of the mirror, and how it'd caused him to lash out in fear when he'd arrived. They were told how he'd come to change his mind about Pit and Palutena, and, quietly, they were told of some of the less-than-kind treatment he'd earned from his goddess.

(Lucina and Pit would later reveal that they'd eavesdropped on him, making them the only ones who knew exactly how cruel the mirror world's Palutena was. He didn't mind, and it was even a relief to curl up against Lucina's chest while Pit gave him his first good preening since his 'punishment.')

He didn't really want to be treated differently, but he knew it would happen. On the one hand, he'd kinda lied about his entire life. On the other hand, he figured that some may view this as… an improvement? As an explanation for all his issues? He wasn't sure he wanted pity, but… understanding might be nice.

And on the elusive third hand, he didn't expect the ones he called his closest friends to be the ones avoiding him.

"Hey, M.K.-" Dark Pit sighed in resignation as Meta Knight flew away. Annnd you blew it, he thought. You broke their trust, you showed your inner demons, you-

"S'cuse me!" Daisy yelled, hurrying past him, almost knocking him over with the large box she barely kept a hold on. "Just gotta-" She froze, slowly turning her head to look over her shoulder. "Oooooh."

"Gotta what?" Dark Pit muttered, crossing his arms.

"Gotta go this way-" Dark Pit yelped as pair of hands grabbed his shoulders and spun him around "-and you gotta go that way!"

Dark Pit shook his head, turning back around to see Richter corralling Daisy towards the door to the dining hall. The angel groaned under his breath, then yelled, "Seriously!?" Richter turned, but before he could do anything to stop the angel, Dark Pit took off at a run, ducking around Belmont and grabbing the door before it could fully close behind Daisy. "If you guys don't want me around, just tell me, alri-"

He wasn't sure what he was expecting to see when he tore the door open. He didn't really expect to see that they'd all snuck into his room and packed all his stuff when he wasn't looking. Maybe he expected to catch them discussing the best way to convince him to leave. He definitely expected to see something that validated his fears that, at the same time that he'd decided he wanted to stay above anything else, they had decided that they didn't want him around anymore.

He didn't expect to see pale silver streamers threaded through the upper railings of the dining hall. He didn't expect to see Chef Kawasaki and an army of Waddle Dees running back and forth from the kitchen. And he didn't expect to see Pit almost drop in surprise the box he'd taken from Daisy.

"Why is he here?!" Pit cried, hurrying to put the box down on a nearby table.

"Well, maybe don't tangle up all your best distraction plans helping here!" Daisy responded.

"I-I had to get this done fast, we didn't have a lot of time between breakfast and lunch- I dunno what you want, I'm not the strategy guy!" Pit turned to his brother, who'd taken about ten steps before freezing, looking around the room in confusion. "H-hey, buddy!"

"Hey…" Dark Pit turned back to Pit, eyes wide with confusion. "Pit, what're you…?"

"Well, uh, I figured we could do something a bit more… Elaborate for lunch this time?" Pit scratched the back of his neck, rocking on the balls of his feet. "Y'know, to celebrate the fact that… you're here and… not dead." He walked up to Dark Pit, continuing, "I didn't want to make too big a deal out of it, if you didn't want it to be." He saw the distinct, stunned look on the other's face, and whispered, "It's… alright, right?"

Dark Pit took a deep breath, then, quietly, he spoke. "Y'know, you… didn't have to make this a surprise, right?" He looked over his shoulder again, adding, "Or… you could have waited more than eighteen hours before trying to do something?"

"Or, I could not?" Pit crossed his arms, pouting slightly. He was still worried for a moment that he'd hurt his brother's feelings, but instead, the darker angel chuckled.

"You're an idiot." Dark Pit turned to Pit, eyes glittering slightly with unshed tears. "Thanks. You didn't have to, but… Thanks."

Pit smiled, inwardly squealing and pumping his fist with joy. "Of course!" He looked around the room, then said, "Y'know, just for future reference… what would you have wanted to do?"

"Well..."

"So, I gotta ask…"

Pit looked at his brother, raising an eyebrow. "Hm?"

"Hooded figure, nothing but the void under the hood and in the sleeves, speaks in weird-ass riddles?"

"Riverperson?"

"THANK YOU!" Dark Pit throw his hands in the air, nearly flinging his soda across the balcony and causing Pit to giggle from the other side of the table. "Is that what the thing's called?! I knew it reminded me of that weird boat guy from the game you were playing the other day, but I couldn't remember the name-"

"Yeah, no, I think you might've met the Riverperson, P-dude." Dark Pit froze, glancing sideways at Pit, who looked away sheepishly.

"Pit, we've talked about this." Pit shivered, shaking his head, but turned back to Dark Pit after a moment. "What's my name?"

Pit shifted in his seat, then muttered, "Dark Pit."

"Or?"

Pit looked even more nervous now, rolling his own glass of soda between his hands. "P...Pittoo?"

Dark Pit nodded, one corner of his mouth turning up. "And why would I prefer you call me that than the name I used to have?"

Pit shook his head. "I-I dunno, you never explained that part."

Dark Pit sighed, eyes falling to the tinted glass tabletop. "I didn't, huh? Guess I forgot." He looked up at Pit, putting his hands over the other angel's. "Because I like who I became here so much more than who I used to be there. I… I don't like who I was… with her. Frankly, I'd rather be your clone than her toy." Pit took a deep breath and nodded in understanding. Dark Pit chuckled morbidly and added, "I'd have probably liked serving the Underworld more than I liked serving her."

"Hey, hey, shut up." Pit let go of his glass and took Dark Pit's hands in his own. "Don't say that."

"What? At least I'd know they didn't care about me." Dark Pit laughed again quietly, but he looked up and saw the concern in Pit's eyes. "Alright, I'll stop." He blew out through his nose, muttering, "I mean it, y'know? I... For all I did wrong, I still like who I became, and if it's alright with you-"

"I'm alright with whatever makes you most comfortable." Pit sighed, not quite able to look Dark Pit in the eye. "I wish we'd known. Lady Palutena and I, we would've helped you…"

"Don't blame yourself. I wouldn't have taken it then anyway." Dark Pit sighed, his head dropping until his chin rested on the table. I was a mess then, he thought bitterly. I still am now. Hell, I'm probably gonna be a mess for the rest of my life.

Dark Pit felt a weight rest on his head, and looked up to see Pit affectionately ruffling his hair. The dark angel snorted in amusement, letting his eyes fall closed. But maybe I can get better.

"Everything alright?"

The two angels looked up, seeing Lucina standing over them. "Oh, hey, Lucy!" Pit shot upright, while Dark Pit just flashed a thumbs-up.

Lucina looked at him, then back at Pit, saying, "Did you show him more of that show you had him watching? Hasn't he been through enough?"

"Hey, it was his idea today!" Pit said.

"Also, don't worry, not the problem."

"Also-also, how was I supposed to know he'd get so attached?!"

"Also-also-also, in his defense, he did warn me the end of Volume Three was the painful part." Dark Pit scoffed, pushing himself upright. "I just got too distracted with the 'PvP' pun, I forgot…"

"Anyway," Pit said, ignoring the amused-but-baffled look on Lucina's face, "Pittoo and I were just havin' a little chat." He shot Dark Pit a look, as if still waiting for the moment the nickname would be shut down, but Dark Pit just smiled. Once upon a time, that nickname would've ground against his mind, seeming like it would drive him to madness, but now he preferred it over his own name. Weird how things happen.

"Well, if you two want," Lucina said, looking between the two of them, "me and my father were going to run a few sparring matches, if either of you are feeling competitive?"

Pit gasped, opening his mouth to speak. Then, he stopped, glancing at Dark Pit. The other angel smiled, nodding in approval. Pit grinned, then turned to Lucina and said, "Sure thing!"

Pit shot to his feet, and Dark Pit said, "Give me just a sec to finish my drink. You guys go choose the arenas and ruleset."

"This feels like a trap," Lucina said, but by this point, Pit already had a hold of her arm and was dragging her away. Dark Pit laughed quietly to himself, watching as the two ran off.

A small squeak came from beneath the table, and Dark Pit froze. He dropped into a crouch, smirking when he found the source. "Well, hey there, lil' guy…" He stood up, patting Shadow Kirby on the head. "Decided to stick around a bit longer, huh?"

Shaby bobbed up and down, yelling adorable gibberish. Dark Pit sighed, then muttered, "Hey, I… I never thanked you for helping me back there. You did everything you could, and…" He smiled as he held the little creature up to his face. "I'm grateful."

"Pittoo! You coming?!"

"Hang on!" Dark Pit called back, then let his eyes wander to Shaby. "You've never gotten to try one of these matches, have you?" Shaby seemed to shake his head, and the angel smirked. "Wanna lend me a hand?"

Shaby waved his arms excitedly, and Dark Pit turned back towards the arena. "Pit!"

"Yeah?"

"You're being replaced with a Kirby!"

"What?!" Pit's head shot out from behind the stands, and Dark Pit hoisted Shaby high in the air. "Oh, wha- no way! I won't stand for this!" Pit turned and (if Dark Pit's limited view was accurate) vaulted down the steps. "Link! I need help here!"

"Crap-" Dark Pit shoved Shaby under his arm, barely noticing the puffball's squeak of surprise. "Oh, no, you don't!" He took off at a run, taking the steps two at a time, as he hurried to meet his friends at the bottom.

...Confession time-I WAS gonna let the whole Riverperson gag slide (yup, that was an Undertale reference! Waiting for my siblings/voice actors to feel better before we take on the ending of my True Pacifist run, too!), but after that September Direct... *flails arms at Sans Mii costume* the two series actually crossed over and I needed to acknowledge that. And then, I slid in a reference to ANOTHER fandom I'm in, and the reference is... *checks Tumblr* about five times better if the spoiler I accidentally found is true. I'll find out Saturday when I get to watch the season premiere myself.