Episode 9: Isolation

After getting an overwhelming call from Zelda, Roy had connected several stories. One, the strange doctor that helped Daisy, two, the strange man that all the hospital staff are silently freaking out about, the strange man in the car Palutena pointed out when she found Daisy, and whatever car hit Zelda's car.

He tried to put together a timeline in his head, but it was too confusing for his little brain. For now he'd just keep the fact that all of this happened well under an hour.

Peach noticed him thinking. He could see it in the concerned wrinkles on his forehead as he scrunched his eyebrows.

"Roy?"

"This is all suspiciously close together right?"

"Yeah— but I mean it's not like it's going after us specifically—"

"He was Daisy's doctor."

Now, that did put a bad sinking feeling in Peach's stomach. She peered into the hospital room where Daisy was passed out on the bed.

"Imagine what he could've given her!" Roy exclaimed.

"We're getting another nurse to give her a check up."

Roy didn't respond, but dropped his head down, facing his lap. Peach looked over at Rosalina, in which she shrugged sadly. Peach, not knowing what to do, patted Roy's back. It certainly wouldn't make him feel better, but it was all she could do.

••••••

Pit laid on the ground, regretting his actions as of two minutes ago.

He laid on the ground at the bottom of a mini hill on the right side of the sidewalk, his bike not too far from him.

It was his mistake, he got caught up in thinking about how guilty he felt for leaving Zelda and Link with that car, but what was he supposed to do anyway.

His knee burned. His elbow ached. And he just laid there.

He stayed for about five minutes before finally getting up, grabbing his bike. He looked around.

He didn't even realize what road he took.

The side of the road was an entrance to a forest, tall yellowish green trees surrounding the area. The forest wasn't exactly a hiking area, but it wasn't really a place where you'd be trespassing. Pit, not caring about anything anymore, decided to explore.

It was mainly just trees, a few large boulder piles, an old bonfire, etc.. As he walked, he noticed a steep hill in front of him. It looked vaguely familiar.

He hopped on his bike and rode up. It was hard for him, not just because of his minor injuries but the fact that he was small, but he pursued.

When he finally made it to the top, it was more trees.

An odd pathway started fading in farther away from him.

And when he really squinted, he saw a building behind a large group of trees.

"If there's a cult or something in there... I don't care." He muttered to himself.

He continued to ride his bike over to the building, trying to stay out of the way of any of the crunchy chip-like leaves on the ground.

Then, he stopped. In front of the building.

The building was a large white barn. Some of the paint decaying on some parts of the wall.

He recognized the building.

His friends would too.

Roy, Ike, Palutena.

This was the very building he, Daisy, and Samus were held captive at three years ago. The same area where two people died. The same place where he was starved. Beaten...

The upcoming feeling of nausea was cut short when he noticed a car parked around the corner.

FUCK.

His heart dropped.

"Pit?"

"AHHH NO I DONT WANNA DIE ANYMORE STO—"

....

"Richter?"

"Uhh yeah?"

"What are you doing over here?" Pit asked. He noticed that the other boy was carrying a large wooden crate in his arms.

"Uhm, my grandpa—"

"Richter" a voice said sternly.

The two turned to see Simon Belmont carrying another crate in his arms, his eyes dead yet carrying a fierce look.

"G-grandpa—"

"Who's this."

"My friend."

Simon observes Pit quickly. His eye twitched as he asked, "how did he get here?"

Richter, not knowing either, looked back at Pit.

"I-I was just wandering around I-I didn't actually expect to see anyone."

"Wait you were just wandering over to the mysterious barn in the woods?"

"W-well it's not like that."

Richter hid a small smirk from the man behind him as he asked,

"Did you need a ride back? We can give you one. Right grandpa?"

They both looked back at Simon, who still had that dead look in his eye.

"Fine. But he can't come back to the house—"

"I know."

Simon stared, maybe even glared at Richter for a second.

"Where do you need to be?"

Pit remembered that he read a text from Palutena to go to the hospital probably a few seconds before he fell.

"T-the hospital?"

"Why—"

"Fine then. Let's go."

Simon and Richter had put the crates in the back of the old red truck. Pit asked what was in them but Richter didn't even know.

But as they were putting the crates in, as Pit watches from afar, he saw the two talking sort of harshly at each other. They must've thought he wouldn't have seen. After Richter had said something, though, Simon turned quickly and fully around to face his grandson.

Pit noticed how Richter flinched and backed up quickly in response.

After that, as if it didn't happen, they all piled into the car.

The truck actually has a tow behind the drivers seat, thank god. So that's where Richter and Pit sat.

The first couple of minutes were silent.

It was a painful silence. That one where you'd be too embarassed to talk to your friend as your care-taker say right in front of you— except kinda worse.

"Grandpa."

"Yes."

"What were we even getting there?"

"Old materials."

"Why?"

"To sell to people who are looking for it."

"Why—"

"Stop with the questions."

Another silence.

Thankfully, it ended. Pit had thought that there was gonna be this big social explosion between them, but he got lucky.

They dropped him off in front of the hospital.

"See ya later." Richter waved.

"T-thanks for the ride." Pit responded. Simon said nothing.

The car immediately drove off the second Pit exited the car.

He figured that he's have to talk to Richter about Simon. Obviously he was isolated.

As he stepped into the hospital, asking the desk lady what room Daisy was in, he noticed some of the staff sort of panicking.

He brushed it off as he stepped out of the elevator into the third floor. There, he immediately saw his friends.

Palutena seemed upset.

Maybe he could turn back—

"PIT?!"

Well shit.

Pit turned to Palutena as she marched towards him.

"WHERE HAVE YOU BEEN?" Palutena checked her phone. "YOU HAVENT ANSWERED ME FOR A WHOLE HOUR I WAS WORRIED!"

Worried?

"I uh. Fell."

Palutena just looked at him, sort of disappointed.

"Wh-what happened?"

"Daisy... god I don't know. She's high on meds right now so don't bother with her."

Pit nodded awkwardly. He walked over to Roy, who was lost, his head in the clouds.

He sat back in his chair across from his friends, took a deep breath, and slumped down as he prepared himself for his friend's bullshit, hoping they didn't manage to kill Daisy while he was gone.