Rouge Leaders
The orb pulsated. Such a disgusting sight. A giant bubble of darkness that constantly swirled. Black and purple, white every now and then, but mainly darkness. It was a silent – yet dominating – monstrosity. It could only exist within the thoughts and dreams of a madman. A gateway this bubble was into the mind of insanity itself.
And yet, something appeared at the edge of the bubble. Light burned, as a hand appeared within. Said hand stretched out from the bubble, as an arm flowed out as well. Said arm belonged to a body, a body of a man. A man dressed in black, with a red tie, and a stethoscope hanging from his neck.
Dr. Mario appeared as he pulled himself out of the Subspace bubble, his eyes glaring about. He combed the immediate lands in front of him, seeing nothing but a dusty, worn out field. He nodded at the sight, before light appeared behind him again. This time, the being who pulled out was that of a young girl with pink hair, and large shimmering eyes.
"Well, well, well, would ya look at that," Morta said as she looked left and right, "Looks like our prince and princess aren't here... hm..."
Dr. Mario said nothing as he merely began walking off into the distance, ready to put an end to the troubles they were sure to have. Morta opened her mouth to say something, but in a moment of clarity, decided not to. She merely shrugged her shoulders and followed.
The morning sun was lingering overhead. A sandstorm was brewing.
…
"Ooooohhhohoooo... owie oww... my head..."
Princess Peach pulled up, eyes on the ground before her. Just moments ago she had face-planted into the ground, and it showed. The usual beautiful princess had her face marred with dirt and grass. Her hair was all ruined, pain ran through her body, and her dress was in rags. This is why one does not fly a Warp Star, unless he or she is Kirby. The darn things are nearly impossible to land.
"Marth? Marth?" Peach called as she pulled up, sitting upon her knees, "Marth, where are you? Ah?"
She found Marth, frozen in place and made of marble and stone. The Princess of Toadstools fretted as she saw him in such a position, and scurried over to him quickly. Gazing down upon him in his frozen glory, Peach bit upon her bottom lip. Then her hand struck the base of his trophy, causing a golden shine to appear at the base. Said shine began to cover more and more of Marth's body, changing stone to flesh. When she heard him gasp for breath, a smile took over her.
"Marth, are you alright?" Peach asked as he grunted with pain.
"Y-yes, Lady Toadstool," he replied with a smile and a nod of his head, "Yes, I'm fine, I'm- urgh!"
"Marth!?"
He doubled over in pain, clinching at his chest as he groveled on the floor. Peach watched him curl in slightly, as pain took over his body. She felt fine after their impact, but it looked as if the crash was far worse for him than it was for her. After all, she was merely knocked unconscious; he was turned back into a trophy.
Peach placed her hand upon his chest, slowly guiding him onto his back. He looked up to her with a face of surprise, while the princess merely stroked some blonde hair from her face.
"Just hold still," Peach said, as she placed her hands on his chest, "And give me a second..."
Sparkles began to emanate from Peach's hands as she held them upon Marth's chest, with him staring back with an eyebrow raised. He held his hands upon hers, whilst a calming swath flowed over his body. Peach held her breath as her powers of light refined his body, making the Hero-King groan with a certain kind of pleasure.
"Lady Toadstool," Marth whispered, making Peach smile and wink at him.
"Please, Marth," she replied, "Call me Peach."
He merely nodded, before Peach pulled her hands back. Marth gazed down to his body, the pain he once felt no longer there. Peach pulled back her hands as she took in a deep breath, some loose sparkles shining from her body.
"Better?" she asked sweetly.
"Better..." he replied, with a smile no less.
"Fuuuuu..."
Peach fell back on her butt, then grasped at her own body as she shimmered a bit. Healing Marth took a lot out of her, it would seem, as all she could do was shiver whilst rubbing herself. Until a blue cape flowed over her body like a jacket, giving warmth to the Princess of Toadstools. She looked over to Marth who sat besides her with his cape removed, now sitting in only the basic cloth of his Lord uniform.
"Thank you for your help... Lady Toadstool," he said as he gently rubbed her shoulders, "It seems doing what you did took a bit out of you."
"It always does," she said, before frowning, "Now what, Marth?"
He turned around and looked back, where the orb of Subspace could be seen in the far, far distance. They made quite a bit of space between themselves and what used to be Millennium Court, but the size of that Subspace bubble made it near impossible to not notice the sight.
Marth stood up and placed his hands on his hips, his face one of inquisition. There wasn't much they could do in this situation but stare. Stare and think about the events handed to them. All of their friends and allies now laid within Subspace, confided to their trophy forms. There wasn't much – if anything – they could do. Peach and Marth appeared to be in the same boat as well; unable to do anything about their situation.
Marth turned around so suddenly, walking off in the distance opposite the Millennium Court. Peach was taken off guard by his sudden movements, not sure of where he was going. Standing up, she walked in chase of him, his cape and her dress flowing with her steps.
"M-Marth, where are you going? Where are we going?" she asked as they trailed off for unknown directions.
"I'm taking you back to the Mushroom Kingdom," Marth claimed, making Peach grow wide in the eyes.
"Wh-what? Why?" she asked as she ran to his face, making him stop in place.
"This is not a fight for woman like you, Lady Toadstool," Marth claimed, "You have your own kingdom to look after; I cannot bring you into the affairs that belong to Archanea."
"'Affairs that belong to Archanea'!?" Peach repeated with eyes wide, "What are you talking about!? My friends and some of my subjects were just turned to trophies out there! I think this is more than just the affairs of Archanea!" she grew silent, while her sparkles bounced erratically, "I'm not going back to the Mushroom Kingdom. Not until we get that bubble out of here, and bring everyone back!"
"Lady Toadstool," he said, before brushing blue hair out of his face, "I do believe this may be a bit beyond your pay grade. I wish I could say this was my first time where such a thing happened..." he grew silent briefly, "But it's not..."
"What... what are you talking about?" Peach asked.
"It... it doesn't matter," he replied, "Lady Toadstool, please allow me to bring you back to the Mushroom Kingdom. I cannot have you on my consciousness right now."
"What!? You can't have me on your consciousness? What does that even mean?" Peach asked as she was positively fuming now. Literally. As her rage spiked, flames flowed from her hands and feet, "I don't know what you know about me 'Hero-King' but I think I've already proven more than enough times that I'm not some simple damsel in distress..." she stopped briefly to think about her situation, "Bar in mind those times where I did play damsel in distress. After helping you fight off Morta and..." she couldn't say his name, "I understand your need to be chivalrous – believe me I do – but I'm more than just some princess! I think I've proven myself more than capable enough of helping you out."
"Lady Toadstool..."
"It's Peach! Just Peach!" the pink princess replied before crossing her arms and sulking, "Only... only one person ever called me 'Lady Toadstool'..." she stared back to him, "Marth, I'm not going back to the Mushroom Kingdom. Not until that," she pointed at the Subspace bubble, "Is out, and all of our friends are okay again."
Marth opened his mouth to say something, but simply couldn't. Instead, he just looked at Peach. His blue eyes stared into that puffy face of rage, and the flames that burned within her emotional eyes. As he watched Peach clutch to his cape, he found her looking oddly familiar. There was something about the pink princess that caused memories to stir. He could see someone in his mind but it came back as muddled.
Whatever the case may be – as confusing as it is – Marth just couldn't keep up the argument anymore. He merely nodded, relenting to Peach's wishes.
"You are right, Lady Toastool," he said with nod, "Perhaps... I was being a tad bit too emotional with the situation we've been placed in, and was making foolish decisions..." he shook his head, "It would be downright stupid of me to send away an ally of your status... for that, could you forgive me?"
Peach's flames calmed down as her rage turned into docility. She nodded, then put on a smile. A smile that felt like sunlight to Marth.
"Um... thank you," she said as she calmed down, "Uh... sorry for getting all in your face like I did... I didn't mean to... can you forgive me as well?"
"How could I not forgive you, Lady Toadstool?" he asked, "After all, it was my doing that you acted that way..." he took in a deep breath, "Though we are still – how you say? - up a creak without a paddle? Fortunately, I've been in a position such as this before..."
"Then what do we do, ole great Hero-King?" Peach asked in a slightly sarcastic manner, one that made Marth laugh.
"We amass an army, Lady Toadstool," he replied, "We can't sit around twiddling our thumbs in defeat... I've already done something like that in my life, and I don't plan on doing it again..." he took in a deep breath, "Well then, shall we?"
"Where are we going?" Peach asked.
"Not everyone vital in the downfall of Tabuu was at the meeting," Marth claimed as he began walking off, "The likes of Ike, Lucas, Ness, even Sonic and more weren't at the meeting. If we plan on attacking, well need as many forces to aid us."
"Well, what do you have in mind?" Peach asked.
"Ike was on his way here earlier. Perhaps we'll run into him. On the other hand, let us make way for the King of Evil's domain."
"King of Evil's domain? You... you mean Ganondorf, don't you?"
"Indeed, Lady Toadstool," Marth replied, "While I never counted him among my league of allies, it would be foolish of me to not consider it. Ganondorf is a very powerful man, and would bolster our units if we sway him to our side... as... hard as that sounds."
"I guess we don't have much of a choice," Peach said as she nodded, "Alright... lead the way, Hero-King."
He nodded and took head point, walking now through the dusty deserts with Peach behind him. Having extensive knowledge of the lands around within and including around Archanea, Marth knew a thing or two about making way through the world of Triophium. Peach merely blushed, as she barely knew that much of the lands outside of the Mushroom Kingdom. Good thing she did have Marth here to lead the way.
…
Dr. Mario suddenly came to a halt, his eyes gazing up. Morta ran into his back, immediately letting out loose curses as she did so.
"What the hell, Dr. Mario!" she yelled, "What are you doing?"
As usual, he said nothing, merely glaring towards his partner. Morta didn't utter a word, instead getting a hint through the doctor's body language alone. Their targets were near. Smiling mischievously, Morta's hand slid into her pockets, before procuring another item. It was as sealed container of some sort. Golden at the bottom, glass at the top, and a being of darkness swirling within, with bright glowing eyes.
"I chose this one just for our little couple," Morta claimed, "I'm pretty sure it won't take her long to destroy them. Then we take their trophies and go home, right?" Dr. Mario nodded, "Right! Now then, let's go!" object in hand, Morta lifted it up high, "Go! Dark Samus!"
The glass sealing the container suddenly began to quake, as the entire object shook. Without a moment's hesitation, the glass as a whole snapped open, breaking apart and unleashing the being that laid within.
The Assist Trophy had been activated.
…
"So, your sparkles, Lady Toadstool, where do they come from?"
"Huh? My sparkles?"
Peach rose her skirt daintily and modestly, her blue eyes staring down. The earth had become so muddy and marshy as of late, which only confused the blonde. One moment they were trailing the deserts the next she needed to pay attention to their footing. It didn't bother Marth any; in his Lord garbs, he wore boots. Peach however wore dainty slippers, as becoming of a princess such as herself.
"My sparkles," the pink princess said as she walked along the more solid patches of earth, "I've always had them, really. I... I think they come from my mother, actually. My mother – Queen Toadstool – was the ruler of the Mushroom Kingdom before I was. She took care of all the administrative duties until she died..."
"Oh... I'm sorry to hear that, Lady Toadstool."
"It's alright," Peach said with a shrug, "I... I didn't really know my mother all that well. I was raised mainly by Toadsworth. My mother and my father were always too busy to really tend to me."
"Where is your father?"
"Hm... probably back home. My dad and I don't really talk much and... most people often forget he exists. I'm not called 'Princess Peach' because I want to. My father is still alive and is still technically the king, he just doesn't really do much of anything. I'm the one doing all the work. Perhaps when my father finally passes I'll become Queen Peach, but for now..."
"Queen Peach... ha ha!"
"Hey! What's so funny about that?"
"Nothing, Lady Toadstool," he replied, "It's just that... well... Princess Peach fits you far better than Queen Peach does. Even if your father does pass and leave full power of the kingdom to you," he looked over to her, "I think you should keep the tittle 'Princess' it fits you far too well."
"I don't know if I should take that as an insult or not," Peach replied with a smirk, "But since I do so love to be called 'Princess' I suppose it cannot be helped, hm? What about you, Hero-King? I've done a good job studying extensively on multiple lands in the Mushroom Kingdom and Hyrule, but I'm afraid I don't know much about you or the land of Archanea, for that matter. Like..." she stared down to his waist, "What of your sword? What's it called again?"
"Falchion?" Marth replied as he looked down to his waist, "Hm... The Falchion was formed over a thousand years ago by the Divine Dragon Naga, in order for mankind to protect itself from any rogue evil dragons that may threaten the land. It's been passed down through my people and my family for years and years... it's believed only the blood of my ancestor, Anri, can wield it."
"Doesn't Lucina wield it too?" Peach asked as she raised an eyebrow, "In fact... you and Lucina share a lot of familiar attributes... even your hand gestures are the same."
"Well I wouldn't say that!" Marth claimed as he blushed, "We don't have that much in common! J-just what do you think Lucina is to me, exactly?"
"Well... I was beginning to think Lucina was your sister or perhaps..." she looked off, "I mean, you two are always in the same area as one another. It's nearly impossible to see one without the other. I was beginning to think that you two were together... "
"ACGHK!? TOGETHER!?" Marth shouted as he nearly choked on his own spit, "Please, Lady Toadstool, do not say that in any company ever again! Lucina is not my sister, and we are definitely – in no way – in any sort of relationship at all!"
"Do you have a special someone in your life, Marth?" Peach asked, as he calmed down.
"Do I have a special someone in my life?" he repeated as he looked over his shoulder towards her, "Um..." he looked off, "No, Lady Toadstool, no... I... I do not have anyone in my life that's important to me. Not in that way, anyway."
"Oh... that's uh..." Peach looked away, where a small – almost impossible to notice – smile crept up upon her lips, "That's sad to hear..."
Grrrrrgggggllll...
"What was that?" Marth asked, eyebrow raised.
Grrrrrrrrgggggllll!
"That was even louder this time," Marth said, before Peach walked ahead of him.
"Hold still," she said.
Removing the glove that sat on her hand, Peach caused sparkles to emanate from her limb. From side to side, she Princess waved her limb. A rainbow of sparkles was produced by Peach's actions, and she read it accordingly. Marth had no idea what she was doing, but Peach seemed to. Her face was one of determination, as she sought something Marth could not see.
"Lady Toadstool," Marth said as he approached her, "What are you doing?"
Her eyes went wide.
"Ah-ha!? Marth, look out!"
Before he could react, Peach struck him with her rump. Quite a surprising strike too, as an explosion of hearts echoed out from the impact. He was thrown back, falling onto his back while the earth before them suddenly erupted. Dirt, mud, and gravel were all thrown sky-high, as a dark being covered the void. Peach and Marth gazed to the heavens together, as a demon of death descended to be with them.
It owned the figure of a respected ally, a warrior who had fought besides them in fact. However, this being was more along the lines of a demon in Ganon's army, or from the gates of hell itself. It was a dark color, with shimmering lights of blue running through its body. It's visor held no eyes on the other end, just the visage of a demonic being.
Dark Samus hovered above a shocked and confused Peach and Marth, as neither side knew where this being came from. A torrent of dark energy surrounded the arm cannon belonging to Dark Samus, forming a large orb of dark energy. Said orb aimed directly for Peach herself.
"Peach lookout!" Marth shouted as he threw Falchion directly towards Dark Samus.
The blade slashed through Dark Samus' shoulder, causing her aim to jerk wildly. Instead of blasting Peach full of Phazon, her blast slammed into the ground. A wicked explosion roared out, one that sent debris flying and made Peach flinch. Instead of continuing his assault on the pink princess, Dark Samus shifted her attentions to the now defenseless Marth. He glared back with gritted teeth, only to glance down to the Falchion which laid just below. It was stabbed into the ground after Marth threw it,
Without a word, he dashed for the blade which laid in the ground, his amazing speeds allowed him to clear a large distance in a short amount of time. However, against an opponent who can fly, that ability was made rather mute. Dark Samus flew down in chase towards Marth, firing a spray of blasts towards him as she did so. Marth darted left and right as he dodged her blasts, before finding his movements eerily canceled. He stared to his back, where a beam of energy laid upon him. A beam of energy that connected directly to Dark Samus herself.
With a yank, Marth was pulled into the air, his attempts to grasp the Falchion failing miserably. Dark Samus twirled him about like a yo-yo, Marth failing to keep his ups and downs on his mind. After a few more twirls, Dark Samus was just about ready to throw Marth in to the ground. She wheeled him back, and then-
THONK!
A shimmering object struck the faux-Samus in the side of her head, causing her beam of power to vanish in thin air, and for Marth to drop. Before he could fall however, he felt himself being held up in the air, more specifically around the back of his clothing.
Marth looked up, his eyes falling upon Peach. She was not only holding onto him, but also upon her own umbrella. The umbrella appeared to have a magical property, as it was perfectly capable of holding both of their combine weights with no problem. And, just like Peach herself, the umbrella emitted multiple sparkles.
The blonde looked down to Marth with a smile on her face as they slowly and safely descended to the ground. When they touched down, she laid her umbrella to the side of her body, while her hand rubbed against his face.
"Are you okay?" she asked, to which Marth nodded.
"Yeah, I'm fine," he replied, "Thank you, Lady Toadstool. Without your aid, I'd probably be a trophy right now."
BOOM! BOOM! THOOM! THOOM!
Two shots echoed around their bodies, causing the two to jump. Glancing into the distance, Peach and Marth's eyes befell Dark Samus. She was on ground level now, and was walking towards them. The first two blasts were mere warning shots; now she was aiming to kill. Peach put herself between Dark Samus and Marth, her umbrella still leaning against her shoulder. Dark Samus was walking towards her in a daunting manner, her blaster trained on the ruler of the Mushroom Kingdom.
"Marth," she said, alerting him, "You might want to get your sword."
"Are you sure, Lady Toadstool?" he asked of her, to which she nodded.
"I think I can hold her off just a tiny bit," Peach said with a smirk and a wink, "But, please, hurry."
Marth said nothing, merely nodding as he turned around. Running for the Falchion, Peach folded in her parasol whilst glaring towards Dark Samus. Biting upon her bottom lip, Peach glared towards Dark Samus as she tightened the hold she had around her umbrella's handle. Steam flowing from her arm cannon, Dark Samus suddenly fired a spray of blasts on Peach's position. The pink princess quickly scurried from the deadly shots, before throwing her umbrella straight at Dark Samus. The parasol struck its target dead center in the face, further aggravating her near perfect aim. By the time Dark Samus recoiled, she was being kicked rapidly in the face.
Peach's skilled feet struck Dark Samus in the face four times, the last kick throwing her back. Landing on the ground after the attack, Peach noticed her umbrella laying on the ground in close proximity to where Dark Samus landed. The two opponents glared at one another, before the faux-Samus scurried for Peach's weapon. Before she could grasp it however, a series of ribbons stretched forth from Peach's hand and wrapped around her handle. With a quick yank of the ribbons, the umbrella flowed right into Peach's hands gracefully.
Dark Samus narrowed her glare towards Peach, while the pink princess hardened her eyes into a glare as well. The dust flowed slightly between the two; Peach's mud covered dress bounce, and the blue steam flowing from Dark Samus bent in the wind as well. Things quickly became like one of those old western movies.
Peach twitched; Dark Samus moved. Her arm cannon reached to the heavens, producing three large orbs of power. The three blasts surged with malicious energy, then slowly moved down towards Peach. The pink princess caused her umbrella to open up, creating a makeshift shield of sorts. Her umbrella shook and shined, glowing with life as Peach put as much energy in protecting herself as she could. With nothing but her own guts and willpower, the Princess of Toadstools threw caution to the wind and ran for Dark Samus at full speeds.
However, one orb struck her umbrella – WHAM! – pushing her back. The shine on her umbrella began to die out. Still, Peach pushed on, running again at her foe. But then the second blast hit parasol – WHAM! – pushing her back again. Once more, the damage was shown by how her umbrella grew even dimmer. It's original coloring could not be seen, as Peach's rainbow lights grew weak. But the princess wouldn't give up, as she performed one final thrust. And just like the first two times, Dark Samus' blast struck her umbrella – WHAM!
However this time, the blast was strong enough to knock the umbrella out of Peach's hands. It flew some yards away, before crashing – head first – into the ground. Peach grew weak in the knees, as she put too much power into protecting herself. Falling upon her knees, virtual stars of dizziness began to dance around her head. Her vision was doubled; there appeared to be two Dark Samus walking towards her. Both will the ill intent of killing her. Unfortunately for Peach, she lacked the energy to stop them from doing just that.
Dark Samus aimed directly for Peach, who was at her mercy. However, a stroke of wind echoed around her. A blue blur leaped directly over Peach, the blonde gazing skyward. In a flash, a powerful slash struck across Dark Samus' arm cannon, causing a sudden power backlash. A sudden explosion echoed from Dark Samus' arm, causing her to fly back.
Peach stared up, her eyes falling upon Marth. He stood before her with the Falchion in hand, his blue eyes glaring down upon the faux-Samus murderously.
"Lady Toadstool, are you alright?" he asked, as Peach shook the stars out of her head away.
"Yeah, I'm fine," she replied as she stood up, "Thank you, Marth. I was about to be a goner."
"Don't thank me, Lady Toadstool," Marth said whilst smiling, "You did most of the work... now then," his face grew serious, "Pair up with me! We'll take Dark Samus out together!"
Peach nodded, before brushing blonde hair out of her face. Grasping her umbrella by the handle, she and Marth readied themselves to defeat their opponent. Dark Samus used her own powers to heal the wound she got from Marth's strike, putting her in a defenseless state. When she stared up, her enemies were upon her.
A slash to the chest caused darkness to flail. A strike to the face cracked her blue visor. A sudden, powerful stab jabbed through her shoulder, while a frying pan to the back of her head dazed her eyes. Barely standing, Dark Samus glared ahead one last time to her opponents, who pulled back to finish her.
Both of Peach's hands began to glow like lights, sparkles coating her palms and fingers. They slammed upon Dark Samus' chest, causing an intense burning energy the likes of a wild fire.
Meanwhile – with the grace of a king of his nature – Marth's blade tore down in a vertical slash upon Dark Samus' body. He was sure to use exactly the tip of his blade as well, as the Falchion was at its most powerful – and most deadly – at the very edge. True to its name of 'the tipper', Marth's blade tore straight through the Phazon monster they faced.
Phazon ripped from her body, causing her to shake. Dark Samus could barely keep control of herself, as the power keeping her alive flooded from within her. Peach and Marth slowly moved away from her, as she shook and jerked. With a sudden flash, Dark Samus roared with a mighty explosion, one strong enough to push the two rulers away.
Using Marth's cape, Peach shielded herself from the explosion. When it finally subsided, Dark Samus no longer stood before them. Well, not in any living form, anyway. No, the monster born of Phazon was now a trophy, just like anyone else.
Peach and Marth gave a sigh of relief after the fight, the two gaining big smiles on their faces. Marth sheathed Falchion away, while Peach could only make a heart shape with her hands. Pointing it at the trophy of Dark Samus, she gave a cute little wink that glowed with sparkles and said,
"Peachy!"
Marth gazed at her victory stance without uttering a word, merely watching as the princess stood with sparkles flowing up and down her body. A certain feeling of regret flowed through him as well. When Peach was fighting against Dark Samus – while he was procuring the Falchion – he didn't react as quickly as he should of. A certain part of him – the more warrior part of him – wished to watch the Mushroom Kingdom ruler fight.
In her own, dainty, weird way, Princess Peach was simply mesmerizing.
"We did it, Marth! We did it!" Peach exclaimed proudly as she hugged him close, snapping him from his dreamy trance and bringing him back to reality.
"Yes, Lady Toadstool, yes, we did it," he replied, his hands finding her shoulders, "But, could you please – ack! – let go? You're hugging – urgh!? – too tight!"
"Oh, sorry!" she said as she unleashed him, smiling down on him as she eventually calmed down, "Fewww... I haven't had a work out like that in a long time... haaa," she began to fan herself, as beads of sweat moved down, "I think that just burned off enough calories with that fight to forgive me eating a bucket of ice cream. Few..."
"Calories?" Marth said as he sat down on the ground, laughing at her statement, "You worry about calories?"
"It's not easy keeping this figure," Peach claimed as she sat down besides him, "Why else do you think we keep holding all those sport tournaments at the Mushroom Kingdom? For the fun of it?... Well, yes, it is for the fun of it, but still..."
"Ha ha ha! You are a very interesting woman, Lady Toadstool."
"Marth... please... call me-"
"Peach," he said as he looked at her directly into the eye, "Princess Peach..." he smiled gently, which made Peach merely stare in a trance-like state. She must have looked so goofy when doing so, "Thank you..."
"You don't have to thank me," Peach said as she rested her hand atop his hand, "In a position like this, Fox would say 'it was a team effort'. Wasn't it so?" she patted his hand with her own, "It was a team effort Marth. We both put in equal amounts of work."
"Yeah... a team effort. W-what? Peach what are you-" chu!
He was merely talking when Peach suddenly grabbed his face, framing it with her own. Then her lips pressed upon his cheek in a gentle kiss. When Peach pulled back, Marth could only gaze at her gentle face that radiated with sparkles. It was a heavenly face, akin to those of angels.
They say a kiss from Princess Peach has magical properties. Perhaps that's why the Mario brothers long for them so. Marth on the other hand, wasn't sure exactly what it was he was feeling. He just knew something was in his chest, something that was making his heart beat faster.
"Marth," Peach said sweetly, as concern took over her, "Are you alright?"
"Ahhhhh... yes, Lady Toad... no... Princess Peach," Marth smiled, "I am fine. Thank you for the concern."
"Great... my dress is all ruined," Peach commented laxly to herself, as she stared down to her mud-stained dress, "Give me a second, Marth..."
Standing up, Peach swung Marth's cape about in a way to constrict view from her body. With a graceful twirl on her feet, and some sparkles for good measure, Marth couldn't see what Peach was doing. But when she was done spinning – and his cape fell loose in her hand – he couldn't see one spec of dirt or mud on her entire body. Even his cape was clean of any foreign debris it gained, looking as good as new again.
Marth could only scratch the back of her head at the sight, wondering how Peach could have pulled off such a technique. Walking up to the pink princess, he stared down into her smiling face, as she handed him back his cape.
"Thanks Marth," she said as he took it.
"You can emit sparkles from your body, pull vegetables out of the ground in a matter of seconds, and you can pull umbrellas, frying pans, and god knows what else out of thin air. And now, I've just watched you clean your entire body with nothing more than a spin. Princess Peach, what can't you do? Ya'know, other than stopping yourself from being kidnapped."
"H-hey! I can stop myself from being kidnapped whenever I please," Peach claimed with a laugh as walked up to her, "It's just that... sometimes... it's a little fun to play damsel in distress."
"That doesn't even make... the slightest of sense," Marth stated with a growing chuckle, before calming down, "You know... you're a great fighter, Princess Peach. It was my honor to fight by your side."
"Don't... don't say that," Peach said as she blushed with embarrassment, "Fighting is so... unbecoming of a princess like myself or Zelda... it's why we have people like Mario and Link fight for us. We're simply... too important to tangle ourselves up with battles. I envy your ability to fight on the front lines with your friends. How do you do it?"
"I once felt the same way," Marth claimed "As a prince... I felt as if I was too important to get into fights... more important... than my own citizens..." he sighed in a raspy manner, "You'd be surprise what changes will go on in a person when they have everything taken from them. I guess that's why I fight. I don't want my people – my friends and family – to be taken away from me. Not again..."
"I understand," Peach stated a smile on her face, "More than you could ever know, Marth... more than you could ever know."
The two looked at one another, with a slight smile appearing on his lips. He performed a nod, one copied by Peach shortly after.
"Shall we?" he asked of her.
"Lead the way, Hero-King."
With a low chuckle Marth gazed off to the distance, then started walking away. Parasol in hand, Peach caused it to open up to protect her from the rays of the sun above. She began following behind Marth then, tracing his steps with her own.
…
"What the hell!? I can't believe they did that!" Morta exclaimed with eyes wide, groaning to herself as she did so, "They beat Dark Samus!? How!? No one beats Dark Samus! Erraaaaagggghhh!"
The pink-haired young woman could only groan as she pulled on her hair, almost threatening to pull her own hair out. Her eyes were large, her mouth wailing out loud. Before her laid a trophy, one that bore the image of the being in question. By now, Dark Samus had been covered by some dust and mud, as time had pass since the battle.
Dr. Mario gazed down upon the bust of Dark Samus, then crouched down to be nearer to her. His fingers danced against her chest, where he found a trail of sparkles. Pulling the trail back, he allowed some fading sparkles to sit on his fingertips.
"Great... now I don't even know where they went," Morta claimed as she rubbed her head, tossing up some pink hair as she did so, "Do you have any ideas, Dr. Mario? Heh heh... you're Mario... I still can't let that slide."
The prescriber said nothing, instead looking off far into the distance. By now, the sun was setting, and the sandstorm had subsided. Still, they weren't sure how much distance Peach and Marth had put between them. Glancing back down to his fingers, Dr. Mario rubbed them together and made the tiny bits of sparkles break apart.
He stood up shortly thereafter, glancing away. His eyes cackled with electricity, while his face became one of determination. Hands curled into fists, the doctor began walking off. Morta pouted her lips at the sight, before running off to be at his side.
"You know, you should talk more often," she said, "So at least I know what the hell is going on. I'm just going to assume you know where pretty boy and pink princess are. So... uh... yeah, let's go. I... I guess..." she threw up her hands, "We should've at least driven Samus' ship! Or took Fox's Arwing or something! Jeeze... my legs are killing me..."
…
Lust. That's what he was feeling right now. He was a man, and wasn't afraid to admit it. What was driving his mind right now was nothing but lust. It sickened him, really. He didn't like to think about it, but that's what sat in his mind. In the deep recesses of his mind. Within his dreams.
Indeed, he had a dream that night. It focused on that kiss. A soft touch of hand on his face, gently stroking it. And the pressure of lips upon his cheek. A small noise that represents intersection – that cute little chu! – and a warm wetness that follows.
In his dream, he would look over. He would see her smiling with her puffy lips, those blue eyes, her blonde hair, and the sparkles that flowed from her. He could feel her hand touching upon his skin, gently stroking it. Her hand would guide from his face, down his neck, and rest on his chest. His bare chest. He was naked; they were naked. She was close to him too, her chest pressed to his body. And she was naked.
There is truly something magical within Princess Peach's kisses.
VRRRRMMMM... VRRRRRMMMM... VRRRRRMMMM!
"Huh-wha?"
Marth's eyes opened wide. Just above him were stars that shined brilliantly. The young Hero-King ran his hand up against his face, moving blue blades of hair from his vision. Then he reached out and clenched at one of the stars with his palm. What a weird noise; why did he wake up from it? He closed his eyes to go back to sleep.
VRRRRRMMMM! VRRRRRMMMM! Okay, that was a tad bit harder to ignore.
Marth attempted to pull up, but found himself unable to do so. His eyes moved around the immediate area; there was a small little campsite, a fire burning, and a certain princess in pink. She was sleeping on him. Her head rested on his chest, while the image of pure unconscious bliss sat on her face. She was even drooling a bit, as she used his body for a pillow, and his cape for a blanket. It would be quite cute, if it wasn't so confusing.
VRRRRRMMMM! VRRRRRMMMM!
"Ack! Princess! Princess!" Marth shouted as he shook her gently, making the princess open her eyes.
"Wha? Mmm... no, not now Toadsworth," the blonde replied as her eyes slowly slid back to sleep, "No more... let me sleep."
"Peach!" Marth shouted higher, making her eyes snap open.
"What? Marth? What's wrong?" she asked as she pulled up from him, watching as he grasped his blade.
"Someone's here..."
Sword in hand, Marth withdrew the Falchion from its sheathe. He quickly got onto his feet, while Peach merely tried to wake herself up. He was half asleep himself, but alert to his surroundings. Glaring about in a circles, he searched for the wayward sound that permeated his sleep.
Then he noticed a dust cloud in the distance. Eyes glaring at the sandy haze, Marth's hand sat tightly on his blade. He wasn't sure if this haze represented an ally or a foe, or if it was anything threatening at all. But considering the position they were in – and the fact that Dark Samus randomly attacked them hours ago – he wasn't in the mood to take chances.
He just watched and waited. Watched and waited. Watched and waited. The dust cloud moved further, and further, and further and further. Marth merely gritted his teeth as it grew more and more in view.
Then he noticed what it was. One wheel in the front, one wheel in the back. A motorcycle. On the back of this motorcycle was a young man, though Marth couldn't tell much more. He merely drove up to the Hero-King without a hint of hesitation. Still, Marth was unsure if this man was ally or enemy, and thus retained his strong hold on Falchion's hilt.
Until this man came to a screeching halt. His motorcycle turned to the side with skill and finesse, showing a mastery of the dangerous vehicle. Marth merely watched as the motorcycle skidded to a halt, stopping only a few feet away. The wind brushed against him, as he got a better look at this man.
He was a young man, equal in age to Marth himself, in fact. Perhaps he was older though; it was hard to tell. If anything, he appeared to resemble Ike a great bit. This young man owned visible muscle definition as well, and sharp, jagged, spiky blonde hair. His eyes were blue, quite reminiscent of a certain Hero of Time. And he was tall; if only by just a few inches.
Upon seeing this young man, Marth didn't feel particularly threatened by him. That changed slightly when he noticed the huge blade he had attached at his back. A blade large enough to make Ike and his Ragnell blush with embarrassment. Seeing him caused Marth to ready his blade once again.
"Who are you?" Marth asked in a threatening manner, his glare peering down this young man, "Speak now! I won't hesitate to strike!"
"Tffft... I'm not here for a fight," said the young man before Marth, his demeanor being oddly relaxed despite staring down the tip of the mighty Falchion, "In fact, I've been looking for you."
"That's not really making me feel any better," Marth claimed as he continued to size up his opponent, "Now, I'll ask you again, who are you?"
"Like I said earlier," this mysterious man said as his hand traveled up to the handle of his own blade, "I'm not here for a fight, alright? I'm only here for a talk."
"Relinquish the hold on your sword, knave."
"Who are you calling knave, pretty boy?"
Now it looked as if neither side was ready to be diplomatic in their approaches. Marth was angry with this newcomer, who appeared to hold a malicious intent. Couple that with the prospect of another attack, and you get a dangerous Hero-King on your hands. He watched as this fellow's grip on his own blade increased in hold, and growled lowly at the sight. He took one step forward in preparation to fight.
And the Peach made her way between the two.
"Oh, hello there," she said to the blonde before him, catching Marth off guard, "Were you the one who woke us up?" she looked pass the young man to his motorcycle, and nodded, "Yeah... you're the one who woke us up."
"Princess Peach, please!" Marth said, "You don't know who this guy is!"
"Please mister, would you like some tea?"
That statement caught Marth off guard, and he looked towards Peach's hands. Sitting within them was a small plate, and a cup of hot tea. He could only gaze at it with a face of pure confusion, wondering how Peach was able to get her hands on such a thing. Then he remembered that this was Peach, so she probably just produced it with her sparkles for all he knew.
"Thank you," said the young man, which only confused Marth further.
His hand dropped from the handle of his blade, gently taking the cup of hot tea Peach offered him. Bringing it to his lips, he took a sip, which made the Princess of Toadstools laugh and giggle. And that only made Marth feel slightly angry, really. He rolled his eyes as he sheathed his blade, watching as this young man handed the empty cup back to Peach, who giggled some more.
"Thank you, sir," she said, "Now, do you mind telling me your name?"
"Cloud," he said as he looked at her, "Cloud Strife," he reached a hand out, "Nice to meet you, Princess Peach."
"Please, just call me Peach," she said as she shook his head, "Do you mind telling me why you are here, Mr. Strife."
"I'm looking for your boyfriend here, actually," he replied, which made Marth blush furiously, and Peach merely laugh, "I was sent by his friend, Ike."
"Wait... you know Ike?" Marth asked as he walked up to him, "How do you know Ike? Where is he?"
Cloud crossed his arms as he scoffed at Marth, which only served to exacerbate him further.
"Come on, why don't you come with me?" Cloud asked as he walked back over to his motorcycle, leaving Marth in the dust.
"Hey, I was asking a question!"
"And I'm giving you an answer," Cloud replied as he mounted his bike, "Ike's back this way, I'll give you two a ride there. We need to be caught up on why there's this huge... well, he called it a Subspace bubble. I think it looks like a gateway straight into the heart of the Lifestream if you ask me..."
"Oh, why thank you, Mr. Strife!" Peach said with a laugh, "Um... does your motorcycle have space for all of us?"
"I think we'll be able to make space," Cloud replied as he mounted his vehicle.
"Haaa... we better..." Marth replied lowly as he joined them.
"Oh... well now... this is awkward... who's riding in the middle?" Peach asked.
Both Marth and Cloud looked at her in unison. Neither side said a word.
"Of course..." she mumbled with a sigh.
Maverick Talks!
You know what I like? Star Wars. You know what I also like? Star Wars video games. You know what this chapter is named after? A Star Wars videogame. Specifically, Rouge Leader; the second in the Rogue Squadron games. Those are really good games; I totally recommend it.
So, what's up? This chapter? Well, it's just a big fight between Marth and Peach against Dark Samus! I suppose it doesn't really further the story, but considering everything that happened before, I think it's only fitting. After all, this is a Smash fic; don'tcha just wanna watch people get Smashed? Whoa... sound's weird...
Anyway, I hope Dark Samus and her (her? Should it be it?) summoning, further explains who Morta is. After all, she has the ability to pull objects from her pockets, but from where? Just think about it; who in the entire cast has the ability to pull and store things inside of her pockets? Shouldn't be too hard...
Well, that's the end of that. Peach and Marth have defeated Dark Samus, and have run into Cloud from FFVII at the end. Can you imagine it? Cloud in a Super Smash Bros. game? I swear, that made me scream when I saw his trailer that November. Boy. Cloud in a Super Smash Bros. game. It made me buy FFVII on the PS4 and play the entire game.
But that's the end of that. Next time, Marth and Peach team up with Cloud and Ike, and see if they can make sense out of this nonsense.
So if Cloud's in Smash now, the skies the limit for the next Smash game. Can I get Shantae? Kazuya? Or, ya'know, can I just get Snake back? Please?
Maverick Kay Prime
