The Tournament

Chapter 1: The Off-Season

AN: I have never written anything before. I have always wanted to write a story, but didn't think I would be very good at it. I decided to just go for it and give it a shot. I'm sorry if it's terrible. I would greatly appreciate it if you could tell me what I did well and where I could improve. Thanks and enjoy! Also, I don't own any of the characters so please don't sue me!

"HERE IS YOUR CHAMPION! SAMUS ARAN!"

Applause and cheers echoed throughout the stadium. Samus stood alone at the top of the mountain. She had just beaten Link to be the champ and Zelda was there to console her best friend.

"Sorry you didn't win." She said with sadness in her voice.

"It's alright." Link reassured her.

"You try your best. I gave my all and didn't win. I was unlucky this year, but next year is a chance to start fresh."

Zelda looked back up to the podium and saw Samus leaving the stage.

"Well, this means now you can train for next year." Zelda tried boosting Link's confidence.

"Don't you want to win?" Link asked her. She looked away.

"Well….yes. But I can't beat you…or Samus…or anyone for that matter."

Zelda looked down. "It's the off-season. If you train hard and push yourself, I bet you could win. I'll even help train you." Link smiled.

After the tournament, there are a few months where the competitors have a bit of free time and space. They can either go home and relax, or train over the break, or even compete in friendly battles.

"Ok. We'll start training tomorrow. What are you planning to do for the rest of today though?" Link thought for a minute and smiled.

"I'm thinking about taking a nap. All that working out and training really made me tired." Zelda laughed lightly.

"Ok. You can sleep in one of the rooms back at Hyrule Castle. I'll see you tomorrow."

"Ok. See you tomorrow."

Link walked away as Zelda looked back at the stage.

'I will win someday.'

She thought to herself. As she was thinking, a blue fox walked up behind her.

"Are you going to stand there and daydream all day?"

Zelda turned around to see one of her good friends.

"Oh, hi Krystal. I didn't see you there." Krystal laughed.

"I'm very sneaky. I can get around very quietly. What are you planning on doing today?" Zelda crossed her arms and sighed.

"Well I was planning on getting training in tomorrow, but I am thinking about asking someone if they would be willing to train me." Krystal thought for a minute.

"Well, I could talk to Fox. Although he is a little upset that he lost to Luigi in the quarter finals. I'm sure he wouldn't mind." Zelda shook her head.

"I think Link is going to train me. I'm meeting him tomorrow. I hope I can train well enough to compete in the tournament." Krystal placed a hand on Zelda's shoulder.

"I'll go talk to him. You might want to go home and relax if you have the rest of today off. I don't think Link's training will be easy.

"You're right. I'll head home." Zelda agreed.

"See you around." Krystal waved goodbye. Zelda was excited for training tomorrow.

The following day Zelda woke up, put on a lace shirt, and walked down to the kitchen and noticed a note on the table. She walked over to it and read:

Zelda,

Sorry to break a promise but I was asked to join a friendly fight with Marth and Ike. I promise I'll train with you later.

-Link

She sighed in disappointment and decided that maybe she should work out by herself. She has trained by herself and she didn't want to bother Link. She ate breakfast and left for the main facility. Once she arrived, she walked straight to the workout room but when she got there she heard someone hitting the punching bag.

"Who could be in there this morning?" She asked herself as she continued down towards the door. Once she arrived she noticed who was in there so early in the morning…it was Samus.

"Oh….um." She quietly spoke while watching Samus hitting the punching bag.

'She's really pretty.´ Zelda thought to herself. She had fought Samus many times before but she had never really seen her. She felt that she should say something, but for some reason, she couldn't speak. She looked so pretty and she couldn't speak to her. So, all she did was watch.

A few minutes past; Samus felt as if someone was watching her. She turned around and noticed Zelda looking at her.

"Yeah?" Samus wiped some sweat off her forehead as they made eye contact.

"Um….nothing. Zelda quickly looked away from her out of fear.

Samus shrugged, turned around d began punching the bag again. Zelda looked back at Samus.

'She has a really pretty face.' Zelda thought to herself again.

Once again Samus stopped and turned around to see Zelda looking at her again.

"What?" She asked more sternly and began to walk towards Zelda.

"I…I…I…" Zelda stammered.

"I…I…I…" Samus mocked her. "What do you want?"

Zelda was frightened. She was being confronted by the champion and now she can't find her voice.

"Well?" Samus asked folding her arms and looking at her.

Zelda was now panicking. She was very nervous. She didn't know what to say.

'Say something. ANYTHING!' Her mind was screaming.

Zelda closed her eyes tightly, her body tensed up, her fists clenched, and she asked the first thing that rand through her mind.

"Can you train me to be a better fighter?" Samus's eyes narrowed and she raised an eyebrow.

"I'm sorry?"

Realizing now that she couldn't go back on her statement, she kept her eyes closed and asked again.

"can you train me to be a better fighter?"

Samus shook her head.

"Fuck you. I have other things to worry about."

Zelda was taken aback by her response. She had never been talked to that way before. She had been denied certain requests, but to be cursed at? This was very new to her.

"Oh…I see." She opened her eyes but turned away from Samus. "I…should get going. She turned around and walked away.

As Zelda was walking away, Samus rolled her eyes; realizing that she was too harsh on her. Besides, helping her a little wouldn't kill her.

"Wait." She called to the princess. Zelda turned around. "I'll help you."

Zelda was surprised that Samus took her up on her offer. She took a deep breath and calmly responded.

"Actually…Link said he wou-" Samus quickly cut her off.

"Look do you want my help or not?" Samus asked.

Zelda was still nervous. Samus was the reigning champ. Zelda closed her eyes as a million questions ran through her mind.

'She's the champion. Why would she want to train me? But what if she's serious? Would Link be upset? I really want to win…"

"Well?" Samus asked again. "Do you want my help or not?"

Zelda opened her eyes. Still not able to look at Samus directly in hers she gulped hard.

"Y-yes. I…I will accept your help."

Samus cracked her knuckles.

"Ok let's get started. First I want you to punch that bag as hard as you can."

Zelda walked towards the bag and was psyching herself up."

'Ok. Breathe in. And out. Show her your inner strength. Be strong. Hit it with all you've got!"

Her fist clenched and she punched the bag as hard as she could.

"Fuck…this is going to be a lot of work…" Samus mumbled. "Ok hit it again harder."

Zelda complied and again, it barely moved.

"Harder." Samus demanded.

Zelda hit it again.

"Harder."

She hit it again.

"Harder."

And again.

"Harder."

And again.

Samus could see Zelda's frustration building and it gave her an idea.

"You're so weak. It's not worth it to train you." Samus sneered.

Zelda was trying to ignore her but it was obvious that her words were sticking to her.

"I mean you are SO pathetic and weak." Samus sarcastically said. Watching to see what Zelda's reaction would be.

Zelda was hitting the punching bag much harder. Her punches were pretty good but Samus felt she had more in her.

"Why bother coming to fight? You're just a weak little princess."

That did it. Zelda's blood was boiling, her adrenaline was rushing. She clenched her teeth, shut her eyes, and screamed. As she did she punched the bag with all of her might and the result was astounding. Samus couldn't believe the force in which Zelda hit the punching bag.

'Wow." Samus thought to herself.

Zelda then turned around. Breathing hard and giving Samus an icy stare.

"Ok." Samus began. "Keep that energy and you'll be fine."

"I am NOT weak!" Zelda stated sternly.

"No, I was just trying to see what you have. I didn't think you had that kind of power." Samus explained. You've got a lot of potential."

Zelda blushed a little and smiled. She didn't think she was that good of a fighter and for someone like Samus to say she had potential was a very big compliment.

"Th-Thank you." Zelda nervously responded.

"Would you stop being so fucking nervous?" Samus asked Zelda. Who immediately turned away.

"Oh. I'm sorry." Zelda responded as if she had done something wrong. Making Samus feel bad about herself.

"No it's not you. I…I don't hang out with people often. As a mercenary, I'm usually traveling around. When I get here, I tend to space myself from everyone else so it's not your fault, it's mine. Sorry." Samus folded her arms and reassured Zelda. "Why don't we keep working?"

Zelda nodded in agreement. "Ok."

Samus and Zelda kept working all day. Zelda was exhausted and wanted to quit but she didn't want to upset Samus so she kept going. They took breaks throughout the day and finally finished training at around 10pm.

"Ok that's enough for today. Shower up and change clothes. Then we'll go home and train more tomorrow. You were really impressive today." Samus smiled at Zelda.

Zelda was breathing hard. She was completely exhausted and so very tired but having Samus smile at her was worth it. "Ok. I may get…a room here…I'm too tired…to go back home." Zelda breathed between every few words. Samus nodded.

"I'll get us a room. Go shower up." Samus left to go get some keycards for a room. Zelda smiled.

'I wonder if she likes me.' Zelda wondered to herself as she walked into the women's locker room. She showered off and grabbed her change of clothes. They were white gym shorts and a white t-shirt with the triforce on it. It wasn't anything special but it was just regular gym clothes. She left the locker room, her eyes were shutting and opening much more frequently.

'I…need to sleep.' Her body felt like it was going to shut down any minute. The workout took a lot out of her and she was very down.

"You ok? You don't look so good." Samus said with deep concern in her tone. "Should I cancel tomorrow's training?" Zelda shook her head.

"No. I'm just…very tired. Do you have the room?" Zelda weakly asked. Samus nodded and held up two card keys.

"Yeah. We're in room 248". Samus replied. "Do you have some extra clothes?"

"No. But I can just go home tomorrow and grab some. Besides, I feel like I am going to pass out." Samus smirked.

"We worked out a lot. And if we're going to work out tomorrow, we should get a good nights' sleep."

The two girls left the gym and went towards the competitors' rooms. They checked into their rooms. It was set up like a hotel suite. Two king beds, an extremely large television, complete with all accommodations for all competitors and it's all free. Zelda and Samus walked in and went toward the beds.

"So, which one do you…" Samus looked over at Zelda, who collapsed on one of the beds. Her performance earlier took a lot of energy and her body had now given up on her and she was out. Samus chuckled at this.

'She's tired herself out. She deserves a good night's sleep.' Samus thought as she began tucking Zelda in. As she did so, she noticed certain features about her. Her pointed ears, her soft skin, her beautiful hair.

'She's really cute.' Samus thought. 'But she wouldn't like me. She couldn't be with me.' Samus frowned. She thought Zelda was cute but she wasn't going to lie that she knew how it worked. A princess was to marry a prince. That's how things were. Samus changed into her bed attire and went to the other bed and got in.

'She can't be with me. She wouldn't want to be with me.' She told herself before closing her eyes and going to sleep.