Kid Icarus: The Fighter

Chapter 7: Preparing, and Kurai

It was "Morning" in the Underworld.

The sky was a light orange, and Athena yawned as she stretched.

"Ah...a day off."

She mumbled happily.

From her bed she grabbed a notebook and pen.

She then began to write.

She was planning her escape from the Underworld.

"Hmmm..." she thought.

Just then there was a knock at the door.

"Athena! Let's train!"

It was Summer's voice, her fists banging on the door.

Athena quickly hid the book and lay back down.

"Can this wait? It's my day off for gods sake...."

She mumbled sleepily.

"But we're warriors! We can go to the fort!"

Athena paused a minute.

"Ask me in 3 hours."

Summer growled with a heavy sigh.

"We gotta be strong if we want the underworld army to prevail. We gotta be ready and train for when we're grown up!... But okay."

Athena heard Summer's footsteps get quieter as she left, and Athena sighed, taking out the notebook again.

"Disguise as a human." She wrote.

She knew if she was to leave, she couldn't show up in the Overworld with Underworld Armor. Luckily, she wasn't a monster so it would be as simple as to find a plain tunic.

Maybe even a mask, just as a precaution.

She thought a little bit more.

"What else..."

Looking around her room, she rubbed her temples.

Thinking and preparing was harder than she thought.

Just then, she heard a vase drop behind her.

"Huh?"

She turned around and saw a thing fly by then disappear.

"Who's there?"

She got up from her bed, and looked around some more.

Turning her head slowly to the right, she heard something else fall.

"W-what?"

She turned her head fast to notice her favorite book, "Greatest Overworld Warriors" had fallen to the floor.

"Hey!! Knock it off whatever you are!"

She was going to turn behind her to grab her blade, but when she turned around, there was a somewhat small creature, or monster, more like in the way.

It was a pink, Squid like creature with a very large eyeball that took up most of it's body/face. It was a Monoeye, and Athena recognized it as one of Hades' army members. Normally they would be aggressive and attack at will, but this one seemed....scared. It meekly pulled back away from the blade and hid behind her bookshelf.

"Hey....it's okay....it's just me. I'm not gonna hurt cha."

It was a bit strange she had to admit, to see a scared and meek member of the Underworld Army, but she felt a little bit sorry for it.

Athena slowly moved carefully toward the Monoeye and held her hand out.

"I'm Athena. Are you lost? Are you afraid?"

The Monoeye slowly moved closer, but still reluctant.

Underworld monsters were made up of souls, and normally didn't have emotions or thoughts, but there were extremely rare cases in which the souls used to create a monster are so pure of heart, they couldn't be manipulated to be evil, and carried on as good even into their Underworld Afterlives. Athena had a strong feeling that was the case with this Monoeye.

"...Can I call you Kurai?"

Athena asked, moving closer to the monoeye.

The Monoeye continued to move closer, and blinked as to acknowledge her question.

"Good. Kurai then."

Athena smiled.

Kurai moved closer to Athena till it finally moved into her arms.

"See? I'm not that bad."

Athena giggled, cuddling the Monoeye.

Kurai seemed to relax a little, and started feeling comfortable around Athena.

"If they see you here, they might take you away to fight, so I'll make sure you're hidden, ok?"

The Monoeye blinked as if to say "ok.."

Athena grabbed a basket and put a small blanket in it then lay it on the floor.

"It's not much, but will this do as a bed?"

Kurai blinked, then sped to the basket as if in excitement.

He happily Floated/hovered above and rolled in the blanket.

Athena giggled and crossed her arms.

"I'll take that as a yes."

She turned around to grab her pen again, but felt something rubbing against her back.

"Huh?"

To her surprise, It was Kurai, cuddling against her as if to say "thank you."

Athena smiled and pet the little Monoeye in return.

"I'm gonna have to take you with me."

She nodded.

Kurai floated back to his makeshift bed as Athena sat down to write down another thing on her list.

"Bring/Hide Kurai"

She added.

"Now what else do I need?..."

She looked around and noticed her blade.

"I'm definitely gonna need Aegis."

She mumbled.

"Aegis and all it's accessories"

She added again.

Athena didn't realize how hard it would be to simply plan everything out, so it was then she decided she needed a break, and some time to think about it.

"Ok Kurai. Starting today we count down to our journey to Skyworld."

She smiled.

But despite the smile and excitement Athena had at the thought of Skyworld, there was still the thought in her mind about what would happen to her new friend and comrade Summer, and more importantly, herself, and the danger and trouble she would be in through Hades.

There were so many risks.

Athena just needed the time to think about things for a bit.

But her motive was clear.

Get out of the Underworld.