At first there was nothing but the crowd.

The blood-thirsty, ruthless crowd.

The crowd that was never seen and never heard…but always present. Like insects, their heavy drone filled the air and deafened ears.

Slowly the gate creaked open. Light streamed from under it, promising warmth and hope. Also enemies. And the crowd, the ever present crowd.

Link smiled wryly. The crowd were his people now. He couldn't remember anything else. Just his people, the crowd, and these fights.

The door now open fully, it revealed a stage in the distance and a long, long fall up close. Link could remember why. They didn't want anyone to escape. He was fine with that, after all, here life was simple and pure, win a match, get food. Lose and you starve.

An angelic pad floated nearby and Link stepped on without question. The angelic pads were the only way to get on and off the stages.

The crowd screamed their approval as Link rode in and he drank it in joyfully. His people loved him. That was all that mattered. He excited the crowd further by taunting before jumping lithely off of his angelic pad. It zoomed off, to another fight he presumed.

He turned to face his enemy and frowned. It was Meta Knight- a short speedy opponent who was as ferocious as he was cunning. The alien's eyes glowed beneath his mask as he launched himself forward, his blade Galaxy catching the light.

Link quickly dodged and retaliated with an upward slash, slicing in the gap between Meta's armored shoes. His opponent jumped back and winced as he landed on his sliced foot. Link chased the blue creature all over the state, but never managed to actually catch his quarry. Link stopped, panting and screamed "Stand still!"

His enemy's eyes took on a peculiar light, Link thought he almost looked amused. Then he saw his opponent jump into the air and sprout wings. Link's eyes widened and he tried to run as his nemesis came at him, sword swinging wildly.

Unfortunately the stage did not go on forever and eventually Link was faced with a choice; fall of the stage or face his oncoming foe.

Link gritted his teeth and assumed a defensive position as the first blows hit. They came with lightning speed and precision, stripping Link of his guard in a matter of seconds. Meta raked Link with his sword, causing millions of tiny lacerations. Link screamed and was rewarded with a slice on his tongue. Just as the pain became unbearable Meta Knight broke off and danced out of reach.

Laying in a pool of his own blood, Link moaned. His whole body burned with pain as millions of cuts drained his life away. But that wasn't the worst. Through the red mist of agony, he heard it.

Laughter.

His people were laughing at him.

Link growled as he struggled to his hands and knees. No one would steal his people. No one would take his fame.

Meta waited calmly, ignoring the crowd's screams to finish Link. As the green-clad hero rose he slid into a defensive stance.

Link felt red hot anger dancing in his limbs, spurring him on as he charged. He swung his sword down heavily, scouring a deep grove in the stage's stone floor. However Meta had already jumped far out of reach and was flying away.

Link charged after him, and as the alien plummeted from they skies, his wings failing him, Link swung up sharply and carved a deep grove in the creature's mask, batting his opponent through the air like a baseball.

Meta landed heavily but quickly recovered, slamming his foot into the oncoming hero. Link felt the air rush from his lungs as he landed away. Struggling back to his feet, he charged the small knight again with the same outcome.

Again and again the action was repeated. Link charging like a raging bull, Meta Knight retaliating with a sharp kick of his metal clad feet. For a long time, neither tired, until finally Link struggled to his feet again, only to slip and land in his own blood.

Meta walked up slowly to Link. He was so close he could see the chinks in the armor where the Master Sword had connected with the small creature's armor. "Fight me." He said in a voice without sympathy or emotion.

"I can't." Link said, blood spewing from the cut on his tongue.

There was no change in the warrior's eyes. "Fight me." He said again.

"I can't."

Meta kicked Link again, hard. "Fight me."

Link convulsed and clutched the new bruise on his stomach. "I can't." he hissed through gritted teeth.

Unperturbed, Meta Knight kicked the green-clad hero on his legs. "Fight me."

Link's tongue gushed blood as he bit it to keep from screaming, he gave and screamed as Meta kicked him again. "I CAN'T!"

Meta Knight kicked Link again, this time there was a loud snap and his pointed shoes came away with blood. "Fight. Me."

Link screamed as he clutched his new broken rib. " I WON'T!"

The blows stopped. Link's tears streamed down his face, clearing twin paths through his blood. He looked into the glowing eyes of his enemy to see…satisfaction? No, there was no mistaking it, somehow he had passed some kind of test.

Meta leaned in close to his enemy and whispered into his pointed ear. "You have fought well. I like you." Link felt something slip into his tunic as he watched his masked enemy walk off.

The last thing Link heard before he blacked out was the roar of a crowd who has found a new hero.

---

Before you even ask, yes Meta is an alien. He came from freaking space, just like Kirby. Don't beleive me? Watch Hoshii no Kaabii.

Ah-hem. This is my first actual story (not oneshot) and I hope you like it. I'll be updating it whenever a pig flies by my window to remind me so I'm sorry. If you guys like it I may be more inspired to update so who knows.

All characters do not belong to me, though I wish they did.