((Description: Hello, Smash fans and whatnot. This is my first story; it obviously won't be so great. I'm sorry that I lack vocabulary. Maybe a few suggestions would do nicely. I'll admit, that I don't know a whole lot of these men and women. Wish me, and Sir Ike, luck!))

TracedSeconds:Untrustworthy

Ch 1: Smash

Hello. I'm Ike, from the Greil Mercenaries. Before I came to this planet, that is. It confuses me how I got here, but slowly, I will find out.

I woke up, seeing a blue-haired girl look down to me. She was kind of pretty, I guess.

"Are you alright?" she first asked. Her voice sounded like a male's, oddly.

"Yes, I am. Thank you." I got to my feet to prove it.

She, too, stood up. "I'm Prince Marth Lowell. Nice to meet you."

Prince? She's a he? Marth? Not Martha? Ah, my bad. Good thing I kept my mouth shut. But why would a man wear a tiara though?

"Er…. Yes. Nice to meet you, too. I am Ike Greil."

Even after we shook hands, I was still confused if this 'Marth' was actually Princess Martha, and my ears were playing tricks. Though, it'd be rude to question gender.

I am sure this world is complex. I cannot even guess a stranger's gender correctly….

"Alright. Follow me."

"Follow? Why must I do that?"

After a little while, she umm… he (I have to get used to typing that) replied, "well…. What else are you planning on doing? This planet is new to you I'm sure."

"Ye- wait. How might you know that?"

"Long story that sounds silly."

I guess that means Prince Marth won't answer…. And what is royalty doing here around a swamp?

"Ah, well, alright. Even if you do lead me straight to a dungeon, I'd over power anything you have in store for me."

"I see you have a lot of confidence. Well, it's not like I would lead you to one. What good would it do me?"

"Nothing, of course."

"Precisely."

With that, Prince Marth Lowell and I headed a direction. It felt rather a long time before we stopped. The forest, lake, and swamp is a large distance. I wasn't tired, obviously. What's a mercenary commander to do if he's tired?

We stopped in front of a gigantic building. Its surroundings were so different as well! It's like a light mage lit up a balloon-like sphere. It'd take mages and mages if that light was on for a day. Not only that, but it was daytime, with the sun high. Why tire out a mage? However, this radiant light did not use magic. Yet what else would it be? Almost every light sphere was in a different shape. Some were cylinder, eye shaped, 'ordinary' circular…. All this I did not understand.

"Here we are, Ike," Prince Marth introduced. "This is Smash Mansion."

Smash Mansion was huge! It's so much different then Mercenary Fort. Was it possible to create such a large building without injuries? Who made this? What are the light spheres?

Apparently, I had a 'shock, confused face' on me, because Prince Marth asked, "What's with the shocked, confused face?"

So, since I was so obvious to tell expression, I asked, "How many mages are there here?" I might as well have that answered anyway.

"None, actually. You're looking at the light bulbs, aren't you?" Then he laughed, somewhat insulting to me. "That's the most basic and common thing here! Of course you wouldn't be able to find them in Altea, Hyrule, or Tayls. Where are you from anyway?"

"Crimea, within the continent of Tellius."

"Huh. Never heard of it. I'm from Altea."

"I see…."

"Um, well, at this rate, we'll never get inside. C'mon."

So again, with Prince Marth in the lead, we entered Smash Mansion.

Lights flashed, brighter than the speed of an arrow.

My eyes shut tight, my hands over my face, and I jumped back. Sadly, that was my first embarrassing reaction. I cannot believe that's my first reaction to "light bulbs".

"Ike, nothing is going to hurt you here."

"S-sorry!"

Once I reopened my eyes and got my hands of my face- my face surely red- I noticed many people staring oddly at me. So I froze and stared at them back.

"Aw, c'mon. Do I have to hold you hand just so you can follow me?" Prince Marth folded his arms, not likely the idea as much as I didn't like the idea.

"What? No! Of course not." Again, I'm the commander of mercenaries. I shouldn't act like such a child.

"Alright then."

With an attitude, I followed that royal man. I decided that I didn't like this new galaxy. I thought I was a sympathetic man, many people say so. But these men and women will not get any feelings from me. Feelings are necessary when I have true friends, like Soren. He's more like a brother to me. Not only my lack of friends here, but pride. I was proud of how tall I was back in Crimea. It seemed to make me feel stronger. But here, I feel pathetic. There I knew so much. Here I knew nothing. I didn't even know about a light bulb, the most common and basic thing around. I don't know how it works either. I lack intelligence here….

Thanks, Prince Marth I feel much better.

Anyway, while I was memorizing the basics of Smash Mansion (kitchen, training room, my boring looking room, etc.), Prince Marth introduced me to some Smashers.

"Uh hi. I'm Samus Aran."

"Hello, Samus. I'm Ike."

"Ike, huh? You were the one scared by light, right?"

Oh. So he saw too. He's… odd, though. He was taller than I am, big shoulders, and other pieces that were hard to describe.

"Um…."

"Yeah, he was," Prince Marth spoke for me.

"Tch. You're probably a lame fighter."

"Think what you like. I'm commander for a reason," I quickly shot back.

"Probably because you're the older son of the previous commander."

"And that I have a fair heart and great skills."

"You're such a kid."

"Why say that when I'm 18?"

And I left with that, before he said anything else ruder.

What confused me even more is his gender-again. (Why so many odd people here?) His voice sounded feminine, but his body is like a man's. He talked like an average woman, but his personality's was like a man's. If he was female, then "her" name would be Samantha, or so. Samus Aran was probably a male then, I hope….

Then a blond-haired man came up, running towards me. In a way, I was glad. He actually dressed normally like myself.

"Hello! You're new here; welcome!"

Whoa. That was unexpected, when it shouldn't be. He seems to be energetic running over here, so it's supposed to be expected.

"Thank you. I am new here."

"My name is Link, but I don't expect you to memorize it."

"Alright, Link. I'll try my best to memorize your name. I'm Ike."

"Okay, Ike. Pleased to meet you!" He offered his hand.

Well, why not? He seems to be a good man.

"Oh gee. You're being so nice it almost isn't real. I'm sure you saw my embarrassing reaction to light bulbs."

"Really? Huh. That's what happened to me seven years ago!"

Hm? Him too? At least I'm not alone….

"So, wassup, Ike?" he, changing the subject, asked.

"Umm…. I just woke up, met Prince Marth…."

"I see!"

"Umm…." All right? I wasn't done, but it's not like I'd care…

"Where're you from?"

Jeez. What does he want me to do, make an autobiography? At first, he was a bit unreal, but now he's absolutely unreal! This is getting on my nerves….

"Uh…. Why ask?"

"Just curious." Then he added, reading my mind, "Oh yeah. Sorry about the way I act! I get that way when I meet someone new."

"Hm. It's alright." Ah, well, I think we'll be friends in the future, so I must forgive. I regret calling him unreal. He's real enough! And, I must remember his name. Link.

"Hey, Link?"

"Yeah?"

"Sorry, but we're going have to go, meet more Smashers, you see?"

"Ah. Okay. Sure." Link shrugged it off.

"Well, it's nice meeting you, Link."

"Yeah!" He punched the air in excitement. "Maybe tomorrow we can train together!"

"Sounds like a plan," I agreed.

For the I-forgot-what-number-th time, I once-again followed Prince Marth. As I was walking by, I bumped into someone else.

"Hey…. Sorry," I apologized.

"No, it's okay."

This was definitely a man I bumped to. He had blond hair and dark skin, like Link, but he had mysterious red eyes, not that his mask made him less suspicious looking….

"Huh. Thanks. I'm new here, and my name is Ike Greil."

"Okay, Greil. I'm Sheik." Then everything turned so radiant, so white! I blinked, and when I opened my eyes, I was looking at a lady in dress.

"Whoa…?"

"Actually, this is my true form. I am Princess Zelda."

"Princess Zelda? Well, if you don't mind, who did I see a second ago?"

I swear to the goddesses above, I saw a man! Why so much gender confusion? I'm sure the Princess Zelda was a man named Sheik a second ago. I've known transforming because of laguz, but any other way of shape shifting was unknown to me. By seeing this powerful magic, I knew she/he was a mage.

"It was still I. Sheik was used as a disguise when Ganon attacked seven years ago. For now, it's my fighting form."

"Er…. Who might Ganon be?"

"Ganondorf is the beast Link fought years ago, and continuously. We're from Hyrule."

"Unfortunately, I re-meet Ganon here everyday." He glared at another man in dark clothes and skin. "See him?"

"Yes?"

"Yeah. That ugly guy is Ganon."

In a way, I thought that was funny. It was true; Ganondorf was ugly. He had a flat, squared nose, a rectangular shaped face, two, tiny thin eyes, and a mouth that stretched across his whole ugly face!

I tried my best not to laugh. Laughing at one's looks is rude, no matter of who they are. "Huh," I simply let out.

"Ike, remember about the time and people."

"Oh. I have new people to meet. Right, right…."

Then someone walked straight into me.

I spun around and took a step back, emotionlessly.

Ganon…dorf.

"Excuse me. Hm hm. You're that new boy, aren't you?" he laughed.

"Uh-"

Then he laughed again. It sounded so unnatural, so evil. It echoed through my ears, sending a shiver down my spine, of both his odd self, and fear of my own fear. How could I be so pathetic here! I disgust myself.

"I didn't mean to scare you! You're name is Ike? Phah." He straightened his back, and now he was about a half a foot taller than me.

"Ike!" someone called.

What?

"Ike! Earth to Ike!"

Before I knew it, Prince Marth grabbed my collar.

"Ack! What!"

He glared at me. And I gave him a hard stare in return. I find it funny how he was trying to belittle me by pulling me down. Of course, I'd usually be an inch or so taller.

"Let's go," he harshly whispered.

Hmph. It wasn't like I wanted to talk to Ganondorf anyway! He was talking to me. I wasn't talking to him. Big difference! Seriously!

Then… an ear-blasting sound.

"Fwah!"

My head jerked down, while my hands darted up, covering my ears. That's my second embarrassing reaction in the same few hours. What is wrong with me…? "Nothing happened," I mumbled.

"Ike…," Prince Marth sighed. (Probably embarrassed that I was his "friend".)

So Prince Marth led me to the cafeteria, which smelled delicious with meat…. Of course, as expected, I followed him almost everywhere. After all, this was the first time I've seen this room set, with one long table (hopefully, we all can fit on that thing…). With Prince Marth on my left, I found Link seating himself on the other side.

"Hello," I greeted.

"Hi!"

When I looked straight again, I saw a woman seating herself on the opposite side of the table. I will never admit it out loud, but here, I'll say she's very pretty. She had amazingly long golden hair, and beautiful blue eyes. Her clothes, however, were not from the Medieval.

"Hello. I believe we have not met. I'm Ike."

"Yeah, yeah. I know. I'm Samus, duh."

Oh.

What! Samus Aran! She's such a jerk…. Why fight again? And, he's a she? (Opps. I have it all out of order now.)

"Anyway, I came to say sorry," she continued.

"Someone told you to say that to me, huh?"

"Not at all. I came here, and I decided to come here myself."

Hm. That was a bit suspicious. "Aright. I'll accept." I somewhat ignored whatever else she said, if she decided to say anything else anyway. To show that I obviously wasn't listening, I leaned forward and looked down the whole table. There were some interesting people… things here. Then something felt… odd against my cheek. Without turning my head, I looked at Samus. She was doing the same thing! Embarrassing! That close? I thought it was my fault, but apparently- ugh. Never mind me. The point is that the moment was awkward.

"Hey, looks like someone here likes Ike," Prince Marth jokingly whispered.

"What? Ah, shut it. I couldn't care less." He was making it seem a bit more odd. Jeez, like, thanks a lot.

"I would, if I were you. Samus is quite hardy, you know?"

"Yeah? So? Whatever."

I have no experience in romance, and won't start now. Besides, I have more important jobs to worry about. And, will Prince Marth ever shut it? I can feel my face turning redder of embarrassment. "I need to get back to where I came from. It's all that matters to me."

"Fine then. You do your thing, I'll do mine." With that being said, Prince Marth got up, and moved somewhere else.

I simply sighed, trying to control my anger.

"Dang," Link commented.

"That didn't go as I exactly imagined…," I added on.

After a little bit, all Smashers ate the given food, laughing, talking, doing as friends would do. I tried my best to hold back on the steak, but no one was eating it! I couldn't leave a perfectly nice steak to be wasted!

Once another (softer, of I'm already becoming deaf) bell rang, all Smashers got up, and headed out to the main room. Though, I didn't see Prince Marth as one of them.

"C'mon, Ike. The day has ended."

"Alright."

I got up, and Link marched the same direction as everyone else.

Since Smash Mansion was confusing enough to be called a maze, the outside door would lead to the Main Room, which led to three more doors. On the left, were the females' rooms, while the right would be us males'. On the opposite door from the first door, was where Link and I were (the cafeteria).

The ladies went to the right, and we turned left. It seemed quiet. Everyone was probably tired, although I don't understand what makes Smash Mansion so tiring, though.

My room was the furthest to the right, and Prince Marth's was across mine.

Link and I both walked through the hall in silence, wondering about our own thoughts. I was thinking about… well, I'm not sure about what I was thinking about.

"Ah, g'night," Link yawned, stopping in front of a door. (Which, of course, I inferred that it was his room.)

"Yes, you too…" I replied in a sleepy tone.

After a little bit of walking slowly, I knocked my fist at Prince Marth's door.

"Who is it…?"

"Me," I answered, figuring that he'd remember my voice.

"Ike, go somewhere else for the time."

"Prince Marth, I-"

"I'll make this clear, go away!"

What made him so mad all of a sudden? I was just going to say sorry, about the way I acted and my tone of voice. Well, it's probably a little of a lot. Stress builds up.

Ah, well, I thought to myself, spinning around, I'm going back to Crimea, this night.