Sitting in the only Starbucks on Planet SMASH was a brown-haired woman. Her messily crimped hair was cut just past the nape of her neck. She sported a pair of clean skinny jeans and a red V-neck with three-quarters sleeves with a black jacket, an outfit totally out of the norm for her. A partly filled cup of mocha grew cold next to the laptop she was so engrossed in. The woman screwed her eyes and counted to twelve as she came up with yet another dead end. Out of all her years freelancing, she never had to deal with Google SMASH. How was she supposed to find her former workplace, Smash Stadium, where she had spent approximately ten years of her life? She smacked her palm against her forehead.

The door opened, and the chimes jingled merrily. She growled under her breath in annoyance at the tinkling. She spun unintentionally and glanced at the doorway at the young man standing at the doorway. He was a medium-height person around her age. If anything, the clothes were very familiar.

"You have got to be kidding me," she muttered to herself.

His gray sweatshirt bore a logo shaped like an iridescent basketball, the logo of Smash Stadium competitors. This person had competed in the tournament before.

He strode confidently to the cashier and purchased himself a caffeine-loaded drink and a bagel. The woman in the red V-neck racked her memory, trying to identify the familiar stranger; her memory came up short. Not that she would have to play her guessing game any longer. He sat at her table in the overcrowded Starbucks. She looked more thoroughly at him and caught a quick look at the muscular yet slim body under the jacket. His skin was clear, and he had nice teeth. The longer she looked at him, the more attractive he was.

"Hi, it's a pleasure to meet you. My name is Ness; what's yours?" he casually introduced.

Her heart stopped dead. This was Ness, as in THE Ness that knocked her off the Holorena stage time after time after time.

"I can't say that I've seen you around here. Are you from out of town?"

"You don't recognize me? It's me: Nana. You know, from the Tournament? It's been so long!"

His face scrunched in concentration as he racked his brains, then his expression lit up. "Wow! It really is you. Gosh, it's been like…how many years?"

"It unquestionably has been quite a while. I couldn't keep in touch very well after everyone was dismissed. Stupid economy."

"Well, you look fabulous," he complimented.

"So do you. Have you been hitting the gym?"

"You noticed! By the way, where've you been the past…I don't know how many years?"

"I was freelancing. You know, traveling the world and that whole jig. What about you?"

"I haven't left this dump. Me and Lucas share an apartment, and we help with the maintenance of Smash Stadium. But there are worse: Link and Zelda got married."

"Aww… I pity him. Zelda can be…"

"PMS-y."

They both laughed and sipped their now-cold coffees. He put his mug down after downing it in a few gulps.

"Actually, Nana, I was looking for you."

"Really?" she said, her interest turned on.

"Yeah. I was going to wait until the big reunion, but I guess that now's as good a time as ever, since I found you."

"Well, what did you want from me?"

"I wanted to ask you something."

"Is that so?" she said nonchalantly. Inside her chest, her heart was threatening to burst out of her ribcage and into her coffee. "Well, ask away. I'm listening."

He looked away and at the ground. Then he shifted out of his seat soundlessly and materialized on his right knee at the ground by her feet. A black velvet box rested in the palm of his hand. It was open like an oyster shell, and arranged amidst the puffy white silk in the oyster's mouth was the most valuable pearl of all pearls in the world: a ring fashioned out of white gold inlaid with tiny diamonds and set with a flawless pearl reflecting his adoring look.

"Nana, I love you with all that I am. I've loved you since we met and fought together, and that's lasted even though we were apart. You're funny, intelligent, kind, nice, gentle, beautiful, and I'm the complete opposite. I'm way out of my league in requesting this one favor of you, but I can't help it. Nana, will you marry me?"

The bustling coffee shop seemed to shut down all processes of coffee-drinking and credit card transactions. Time froze, and all heads turned to witness a great love story be dramatized before them. Nana stared at Ness with an indescribable expression on her face. Inside, the great gears of thought stopped turning, and she stood dumbly.

Why me? Why does he want to marry me? That was the only thought her brain willed her to think. I do love him a lot. He's totally nice, smart, and very funny. Why am I so unsure right now? She sat in her chair, trying to decide whether or not to take his hand in matrimony.

"Um…ah…well," she stuttered vacillatingly.

Ness averted his gaze, mortified about his sudden pronouncement of love for her. He was taken aback at his unexpected eruption of audacity, despite the fact that he had been preparing this single moment for weeks. It all went exactly as he planned, even though he planned to propose to her in the lounge area of the stadium. At least if he proposed here, there was nobody who knew them well.

"Ness," she said gently. He whipped his gaze back to her. "I'm not sure…this is all really sudden. It's just…why did you wait so long? I don't intend to hurt your feelings, but why should I?"

"Just say yes, baby, and we can do whatever. I would do whatever it takes to keep you."

Nana's heart nearly burst. It was so sweet that he would do this for her, but she couldn't, no, wouldn't, be tied down.

"I…I can't. I'm sorry, but I'm only gonna break your heart, and I don't want to do that. I've…I've promised myself to someone else."

The world fell silent around them. Ness looked away. "It's Lucas, isn't it?"

"Wha?"

"It's obvious that you like him better. You'd never pick me over him. I get it; all I did was make a fool of myself today. Well, goodbye, Nana. I hope I never see you again." The cold pain cut her worse than the wraths she had endured anywhere else.

"Wait!" she called out. But he was already gone.

Six o'clock P.M.

"I can't go," Nana said to the beauty in the mirror. She felt like a fake in the red dress that hugged her torso and fanned out at the skirt. Her hair was straightened properly, and Princess Peach had applied a layer of makeup. The stranger in the mirror mimicked her look of horror at the thought of going to the party to see everyone, to see Ness.

"You look good," Samus said stiffly. That was the last argument against Nana. If even Samus complimented her, she had to have looked party-ready. As the former female Smashers piled into a rented limousine, they started telling stories about what had happened over the past few years.

"I went back to rule the kingdom. You will not believe the state of shambles Daisy left it in."

"I continued bounty hunting. Aliens these days are so predictable."

"I got married to Link. It was like a dream….until the honeymoon was over.

"What about you, Nana? What have you been doing?"

She hesitated. "I traveled, you know. Freelanced. Dabbled in this and that."

"How boring!" Peach exclaimed. "What really happened? Did you find a foreign lover?"

"Well…"

"Oh! She did. What's his name?"

"I didn't!"

"Then what's with the hesitation?" Samus pointed out.

"Well…I got a proposal."

"OOH!" exclaimed Zelda. "From who?"

"Um…well, it was...ah…" She needn't say more, for they had arrived.

"Master Hand went all out, didn't he?'

"Look at the garden! I've never seen it so clean."

"Oh my gosh! The lights are so bright."

The girls chattered about the state of the grounds as they made their way to the lounge. The party was already in full swing: Kirby was stuffing his face, Marth and Ike were chatting with the "men," and the Pokemon had gathered in one corner to show off their abilities.

"I can't do this," Nana told herself once more as she spotted Ness. He wore a pair of black slacks and a black oxford shirt with a blue tie. He was brooding. Lucas stood next to him, tilting back and forward on the balls of his heels. He had brown dress pants, a starched white shirt, and a green tie. He seemed awkward and a little scared of his friend.

"Nana!" he exclaimed, and he ran forward and hugged his oldest friend. Ness jaw clenched, and his eyes burned hatefully.

After he let her go, Lucas started rambling about the past few years. He held onto Nana's hand and swung their arms back and forth. Even though they were around thirty years old, Lucas acted like a five year old when it came to friends.

The party went on. Nana caught up with all the Smashers while Ness watched her every move. Nana became scared of his disconcerting attitude. Then, the unthinkable happened.

Lucas had asked Nana to dance with her. That wasn't much of a shock since they were best friends. Then Lucas, shy, shy Lucas, got up onto the DJ's platform, and then he made an announcement.

"We have all been separated for too long, my friends. Unable to really stay in touch, this meeting has been a great chance to reintroduce ourselves. Now, you all know me as Lucas, the PK ability child, the quiet scaredy-cat. Now I want to be known as something else: the husband of Nana." The room filled with gasps. Ness seemed about ready to pull out a knife and stab Lucas to death. Nana's face drained of color. Her look was one of horror.

"Nana, we've been best friends forever. I want to change that all. Will you marry me?"

"I…"

"I knew it," Ness said. Nobody else seemed to hear it other than Nana. She whipped around to where Ness was, but he was gone once again.

No.

"Lucas…I don't want to tie myself down just yet. I may be almost thirty, but I…"

"I understand," Lucas said sadly. "I'd do anything for you, even let you go." He stepped down.

"Lucas," Nana whispered to herself. She ran up to him and pulled him aside.

"I really mean what I said."

"And I understand. Nana, I respect your decision. I won't hold it against you, but I don't regret proposing."

"Where do you live?"

"Huh? That's a strange question. I live in the same place I've always lived: Room 145 at 1919 Nintendo Avenue."

"God, I have to rush." With that, she ran with a speed that rivals Sonic to Nintendo Street, Building 1919, Room 145. But she was too late.

The room was filled with a sickly sweet stench. On the couch was Ness, covered in blood and vomit. On the coffee table was an open bottle of pills. Nana peered in. the bottle was half-empty.

"Oh, Ness," she whispered as tears flowed from her eyes. "I didn't mean to do this." She grabbed Ness's hand and disposed of the pills permanently.

Nine o'clock A.M.

Everyone wore black. Black armor, black dresses, black everything. Lucas stood at the pulpit, red-eyed and grieving, delivering the eulogy.

"Ness was the best friend a guy could ask for. He was honest, kind, and straightforward. He would never lie, even if he hurt you. He loved passionately, and that may have been his downfall." Lucas then choked up with tears and broke down, unable to continue. Popo walked up to the pulpit to deliver the rest of the eulogy.

" 'I will never forget Ness. Or Nana. Nana was my best friend. She was so compassionate, and to me, she represented everything good. Her love was strong, too. She loved Ness more than me, and she would go with him everywhere, even to Hell.'" Popo stepped out from behind the pulpit and continued with his own words. "Nana was the best sister ever. Her love was strong. If she wanted to be with someone for the rest of her life, she would stay with them. She loved Ness enough to follow him to death. Wherever they are, they are together. That's all that matters."