I intended to upload this the day after the first chapter, but my computer crashed when I was editing and wouldn't start again until a few days later. Just a little note about this story, it's kind of like a crack!fic so if things are a bit weird and not serious then that's the reason.

Summary: Ike learns that he might be wrong about dragons.

Ike's trembling hand points towards the 'princess' lying in the bed looking very frustrated. "Who are you!?" he manages to get out from his shock.

This isn't happening, this is not happening, Ike chants in his head as he watches a young boy with fire red hair rise into a sitting position, and pushing the covers from off his body to reveal a simple dark blue tunic with a pair of cream coloured trousers. On his forehead, stopping his red hair from spreading across his face is a matching blue headband with a red tear drop-shaped jewel.

"I'd rather you not try that again," he says, wiping his lips with his sleeve even though Ike never even touched them.

"Where's the princess?!" Ike almost shouts, dropping the sword in his hand to the floor, the metal clattering loudly on the floor.

The boy's light blue eyes sparkle with amusement at Ike's expression. He swings his legs over to the edge of the bed."This won't hurt," says the boy suddenly.

"What won't hur-" Ike doesn't get to finish his sentence as he's hit over the head with a candle stick. He falls to the ground in pain, his head throbbing with pain. His vision begins to black out and he sees a pair of brown leather boots near him.

"Sorry..." he hears a voice say, but it sounds so far away that he's not sure if it was real or not.

Ike groans as he slowly opens his eyes. Immediately the pain in his head resurfaces and he instinctively brings up a hand to massage his head when he realises his hands are behind his back, tied up.

"What the-?" he exclaims, looking about the room where he found the imposter. The bed is made up and one of the large windows is now open, the curtains around it flapping in the wind. He struggles violently in the chair he has been tied to, but it's no use. Whoever tied the knots knew perfectly what they were doing.

The door that Ike came in through flies open and the young boy steps in, carrying a tray with a plate of bread and a cup of water. He kicks the door closed behind him, smiling that Ike's awake. He wordlessly moves around the room, dragging a small table to Ike and placing the tray on it.

"I'm Roy, nice to meet you and welcome to my room!" He opens his arms wide like an eagle and twirls around the room, ignoring Ike's disbelieving stares.

"What the hell do you think you're doing?! Let me go this instant!" Ike growls, making Roy stop abruptly and frown. "Where's the princess? What have you done with her?" Ike asks, hoping the princess is alright and wasn't harmed by the psycho in front of him.

The redhead locks eyes with Ike. "Princesses are girls," he points out to Ike as though he's an idiot, "I'm a boy."

Ike glares at Roy like he's the idiot, which in Ike's mind, he must be. "Tell me where she is and untie me so I can get out of here!" demands Ike, struggling about in the wooden chair and the rope bounding his wrists.

Roy approaches Ike slowly; hesitating like someone would towards a madman. "I've never heard of boys being princesses," he says, tapping his chin in deep thought.

"Did you hit your head or something? I'm looking for the princess! I don't care if-"

Roy stops and blinks. "Wait!" he shrills unexpectedly, pointing an accusing finger at Ike, "Who are you!?" he asks, as though he's only just remembered that he has no idea who he's tied to his chair.

Ike sighs and slouches in the chair. "I just asked you that a few minutes ago."

"And I answered."

"Yeah, but you haven't told me who you really are," counters Ike, raising his eyebrows.

Roy watches him for a moment before settling down. "I have you tied up, so you do what I say," he says, trying to be menacing but failing terribly as he bursts into laughter and rolls backwards onto his back, whether on purpose or not, Ike's unsure.

Good point, thinks Ike. "I'm Ike and I was sent by King Dedede to rescue the princess of this tower but all I find is you. Why's that?"

Roy gets up, muttering something about 'good impressions' and bites his lip and Ike knows he's thinking. "So, you're just like the rest, though you're lucky, not many get this far."

"What d'you mean?" He remembered King Dedede's words about no one returning, but he never explained why.

Roy leans back and supports himself with his arms. "They normally get baked by the dragon." His tone of voice plain, almost as though it's a common occurrence and he's gotten quite bored of it.

Ike splutters. "There's no such thing of dragons," he says plainly.

"Yes, there are," argues Roy, straightening back up and rising to his feet.

"No, there is not," Ike insists, putting on his best glare.

Roy walks over casually to the window and Ike turns his gaze to the bread and water in front of him. He hadn't realised he was so hungry. "That's weird." Ike hears Roy say. "Maybe... Maybe it's... time!" he shrills, spinning around and rushing back to Ike. He kneels next to Ike, expectance flashing his blue eyes.

"Time for what?" Ike questions, knowing he'll probably regret it.

"Time for my knight in shining armor to save me!"

Ike frowns. "Kid, you sure you're not insane?"

Roy pouts in return. "This is coming from the guy who wanted to kiss me," he counters.

"What?!" Ike shouts, looking away, scandalised. "I-did-not!" he says through gritted teeth.

"I don't know why every guy who comes here thinks he's gotta kiss me. It's so eughr." The boy highlights his words with a shudder.

"I wasn't going to kiss you," he hisses back in a rush.

The boy's lips curve upwards into a knowing grin. "Yeah, right."

"Well, it's your fault!" argues Ike, wishing his hands were untied so he could press an accusing index finger into his chest, "Maybe, if you didn't lie on a bed with a veil over your face and a note saying 'kiss me', no one would."

"I was told to do that by my wet nurse," the red head explains.

Ike raises his eyebrows in question. "She told me to do that before she left, so," the boy shrugged, "that's why I do it."

"Where is your wet nurse? Aren't wet nurses meant for toddlers?" Ike asks, confused. He notices the boy's forehead crease, as though he's trying desperately to remember.

"I don't know," he starts in a pathetic way, "I've been here for so long. . . I've lost count of the years." He shows Ike a wall where there are lots of vertical scratches dug into the wall. He's seen some people do that in the King's dungeons. They do it to count the days passing. Looking from the amount of scratches, this boy has been here for quite some time, maybe even years.

Ike finds himself staring at the scratches as though the answers to this weird situation are all there. He tries to remember all the tales and stories he's ever heard about the princess in the tower on the volcano and none of them, according to his memory, include a confused red head. "I don't understand," he says out loud, turning back to face the boy. "I grew up hearing tales about a princess imprisoned here and I finally arrive here and find you?" Ike says but then gently adds with a sympathetic look, "What happened?"

"My name is Roy and I am - was - prince of Pharae," the boy explains slowly, looking away towards another wall where there is a painting of a boy, dressed in a prince's clothing, flying over what looks like a magical city. On his head, between red strands of hair is a crown that's shining so bright it's like the sun. The boy's face is pure contentment, much different to the boy before him, who looks plainly confused.

Ike's eyes widen at the painting. "I've never heard of Pharae," he admits truthfully. The only city he knows like in the picture is Hyrule, but it's quite a distance from where they are, and plus, it's been standing for centuries so it can't have changed its name.

Roy looks confused and shakes his head. "But you must've. Pharae is famous. It's..." he cuts himself off and Ike can see the fear in his eyes. "How long have I been here," he adds, mostly to himself.

So, the tales and stories about a princess were fake, Ike thinks, but, then, why tell lies? Who is he? Is someone trying to protect him?

Roy snaps out of his distant-staring and grabs Ike's shoulders, giving him an urgent shake. "You have to help me escape!"

"Could you untie me first?" asks Ike hopefully but Roy ignores him. He looks around the room as if in worry and tightens his hold.

"You have to take me away from here before Father returns!" he explains further.

"Your father? Why does he keep you here?" Ike queries.

Roy whips around behind Ike and begins fidgeting with the rope around Ike's wrists. "I'll explain later. Right now, you have to help me out of here and get me past the dragon!"

"That's why I'm here, kid. To bring you back to King Dedede and save my sister and-" Ike pauses and blinks, "Wait, what?!" He twists in his chair to look at Roy over shoulder.

He's kidding right?

Apparently, no.

A loud roar erupts as if on cue, shaking the castle. Roy finishes untying Ike and Ike grabs his sword. Another furious roar sounds, causing them both to topple over. "Oh no! The dragon heard us!," he explains, getting up and Ike gives him a disbelieving look.

"What?!" he shrieks, rising up on all fours, over the constant roaring and growling that's coming from below them. "What d'you mean the dragon heard us?!"

Roy rushes over to his bed, kneeling down and grabs a bag from underneath it. "You have to slay the dragon," he says, pulling out a way better looking sword than the one Ike's holding. "It's quite heavy. A knight brought it up here before he got... Well, y'know."

Ike drops his old sword, knowing it'll be useless against a dragon and inspects the other sword. "It's a two handed sword," says Ike, picking it up with ease, much to the surprise of Roy.

"Wow, you're strong," he compliments, making Ike smile. "Well, the rest were too and it didn't stop them from getting incinerated but I think you'll do fine." Ike's expression shatters. Incinerated?!

"How can you say that?" yells Ike over the roaring that obviously getting closer. "How do I slay a dragon?!" He'd never faced a dragon before! Heck, he didn't even think they existed until now.

"Defeat it, obviously," the prince answers simply.

"That's not an answer!" snaps Ike angrily.

Roy ignores him and grabs him by the arm, dragging him over to the door. He takes one last look at his room and Ike can see his sorrow clearly in his features.

"You're going to kill us both!" shouts Ike as they jog dangerously down the curving stairs down to the ground floor. The tower is shaking more wildly now and Ike almost trips on the stairs. By the time they reach the bottom stair, the shaking stops and Ike halts abruptly. He listens intently for anymore sounds but all he can hear is his own heart hammering in his chest and the huffs and puffs of Roy beside him.

"That's weird," he whispers, chancing a look around before stepping slowly into the main hall. "Where'd it go?" he asks Roy, who merely shrugs and glances around too.

Silence. Complete and utter silence is all they can hear. Ike spins around on the spot, checking every corner for a single sign, but nothing. There's no dragon. A fairly loud squeal makes Ike spin violently over to one side of the room, where the main doors are. At the foot of the double doors is a tiny red dragon, about the size of a dog, peering with snake-like eyes around the door at them both.

"That's the dragon?" asks Ike, not sure whether he should laugh or be bewildered. "It's tiny!" exclaims Ike, edging nearer to it as it crawls away from the door and towards them. Ike would almost go as far as to say it was quite cute.

"Um, Ike?" pipes up Roy, his voice uncertain but Ike ignores him as he's busy reaching out for the dragon.

The dragon stops in front of him and sits down quietly to allow him to stroke its head. Ike complies and feels the cold scaly touch of dragon skin on his warm hand. "Wow, I can't believe this was making that loud roar," exclaims Ike as he kneels down on the floor to get a better angle at stroking the dragon's head.

"Errrr, maybe 'cause that's not the dragon," Ike hears Roy say behind him.

"What are you on about-" Ike says as he notices an amber eye as big as him peers through the door in front of him. "Oh, great, just my luck."

This chapter has a bit of Tangled plot in it at the start, whereas the last chapter had some Shrek plot in it. I actually got the idea for this fic after watching Shrek, Tangled and Snow White and the Huntsman (that plot will come soon). I was just wondering what it would be like if the damsel in distress wasn't a damsel at all. Thanks for reading btw.