I'm Still Here…
Chapter 2: The Arrival
White light.
That's all he could see.
Pure, eye-tingling white light.
It seemed to pour from every corner of his eyes into his sockets, making him rub them immediately. He gave out a soft groan as he felt his back feel a rough surface and a harsh breeze blew his face. His vision was fuzzed at first but eventually cleared as he opened his mouth and took a deep breath. He frowned at what he thought he saw.
He was in a field, filled with deep green pastures and shrubbery dotted here and there. The sky was a pastel blue with puffs of white clouds and he could see some sort of settlement not far in the distance. He covered his eyes as sunlight greeted him softly. Small hills rolled far away, reaching up to the peaceful sky, only interrupted with a few birds. As he surveyed the scene he began to recognize the place more and more.
The conclusion hit him hard.
He was in Lycia*, his home-country. Roy frowned. Was this a dream? He looked down and saw he was wearing what he just slept in: his half-unbuttoned white shirt (now crumpled and dirty) and his suit trousers. He looked further down and saw he only had his socks on. He sighed; it was a dream, great.
He stood there, unsure of what to do. If he began traveling then the chances were it was all an illusion but if he didn't and just waited for himself to wake up, he'd be standing there a long time. Roy breathed heavily through his mouth, blowing a soft raspberry. He kicked the dusty ground with his socked feet in boredom, waiting. He had dreams like this before, himself back home. But this time, it was a lot…quieter.
Too quiet.
Suddenly, the sky gave a weak grumble as the clouds swirled into a deep grey shade. The wind picked up quickly as trees in the distance swished about. Soon, the wind was howling at his ears and blowing up through his shirt and into his skin. He swore he could hear the sharp, hissing of whispers as the dark clouds swirled faster and turned darker.
He felt his chest clench in fear. He glanced all around, looking for life.
The wind screamed and thrashed. Roy could see trees being flung across the field. He didn't understand how he was still standing firmly on the ground…it was as if he wasn't really there.
Roy began turning in a circle panicking, wishing to wake up. The whispers became louder,
"Lycia depends on you, help me."
"Roy…can you hear me?"
"Please help me, Roy"
"No!" Roy bellowed, squeezed his eye shut. Suddenly voices he recognized spiraled in his head. And the sound of wind and yelling were bursting through his ears, like a symphony of frightening sounds spun together in a blender.
"Roy."
"I need you Roy"
"NO! Please no!"
"I'm begging you please!"
"Please, Roy…."
A flash of light suddenly filled his sight, stunning him. He felt the ground greet his back roughly. The whispered turned into screams and laughs. He could hear smashes, crunches and the rush of wind in his ears. The light eventually dispersed but what was left terrified Roy.
It was as if his heart stopped beating.
The ground was stained with a charcoal colour. A large amount of trees had disappeared, the rest bare. The sky was still a betraying black and the wind laughed crazily in his ear. The whispers were now quite sobs and the laughing had dispersed. Roy looked around his breath becoming deeper and heavier. He looked over at the settlement.
But it was gone.
Everything was gone. He could only see the distance specks of rubble on the land. The whispering ceased. Roy grunted as his heart was pierced with shock.
A question had been circling his head mechanically.
What happened?
He gritted his teeth at the rough wind and took a deep shaking breath as he shook his head in turmoil,
"Hello!" he yelled, his voice shaking,
"Anyone!" he shouted to the now misty air, covering most of his site of Lycia.
His home was gone.
This place was now empty, unknown to him.
He fell to his knees as confused tears pricked his clouded eyes. He let his knuckles clench in fury and despair at the ground. A sudden memory whispered into his empty ear.
'Please help me….'
"Why me!" Roy growled furiously at her, his throat dry and coarse like the ground.
'Roy….I need you. Please help me and I will help you…You're my only hope.'
'Roy?"
"How…?" he whispered, his sight blurring ever-so-slightly,
"Roy!"
Black clouds swarmed his eyesight as the vision of his ruined homeland dispersed,
"Fine…." He breathed out as blackness swallowed him.
"Hey, Link? You okay?" a voice asked from behind. Link flinched from his position and glanced behind his seat. He gave a weak smile,
"Yeah…just a bit tired, that's all." He said, shrugging. Marth gave him a nod and smile while returning to a discussion with (strangely) Captain Falcon.
They were supposed to have left Toad Town half an hour ago but due to Roy's sudden laziness, the journey had to wait for now. Link didn't mind too much though. Despite the fact that everywhere you looked, a toad was dressed in black or their usually cheerful round faces was covered in a dark veil. It was as if the whole town was covered in a black veil, mourning the lost of their dearest monarch.
The true reason why he didn't want to leave was returning to the Tournament. All the Smashers knew that it wouldn't be the same. There won't be as much participants and the police and other authorities will be waiting for them and inspecting the stadium and manor from top till bottom.
Link let his head flop against the cold glass, his mouth squashed against the cool surface. He let a sigh sneak out, the glass steaming up around his mouth. As he let his face mould onto the glass he averted his eyes to the figure in the front seat, just behind the driver. Zelda sat lifelessly in the brightly patterned bus seat, he couldn't see her face but he remembered her terrible state from the night before. He felt his heart soften painfully at the sight. Suddenly, his squashed eyes (and heart) narrowed as Ike returned to his seat next to the princess.
His princess, how many times did he have to repeat that!
Link grumbled grouchily as he looked away, an ember of anger continuing to flicker inside him.
He casually looked around the bus. Nana, Popo, Yoshi, Toon Link, Ness, Mr. Game and Watch and Lucas were quietly playing eye-spy, despite the fact that the bus wasn't moving and that Mr. G&W didn't actually speak English.
Ganondorf and Wario were sitting up the back. Ganon with his arms firmly folded, eyes to the floor while Wario was 'slyly' picking his large nose. Link looked away in disgust. He noticed that Bowser wasn't there. Or the Mario Bros. Link figured that they must have been staying in Toad Town for now. (Bowser was staying there with them? …Link decided not to pry) Meanwhile Donkey and Diddy Kong were traveling their own way (in other words, there was no room for Donkey Kong).
Link surveyed the bus more. Olimar (and lots of Pikmin), Red and all the pokemon out of the smashers were sitting near the front, the pokemon quieter than usual. In fact, the whole bus was quieter.
'No wonder…' Link thought.
Kirby was fast asleep in front, soft breaths emitting from the puffballs' mouth. Meta-Knight was behind Link, next to Marth. His eyes seemed to be closed. Link assumed he was meditating or something.
Meanwhile, Marth was deep in conversation not only with Captain Falcon but with Fox and Falco, all with grim looks on their faces. Link frowned. He had seen the prince talk with Fox before but hardly with Falco and Falcon.
He glanced to the side. Samus was sitting across from him, her icy blue eyes staring at the chair in front. Link expected her to suddenly bore a hole in the thing. The Hylian leaned forward and opened his mouth to wake Samus from her frightening state,
"Leave me alone." She sharply grumbled, her eyes not straying from the seat. Link simply blinked and looked away, deciding not to pry,
"Where the hell have you been?" was the clear voice from Ike. Link gave him a quick 'The Evils' then glanced at whom the mercenary was snapping at. A disheveled looking Roy slumped onto the bus, rubbing his dull, blue eyes. Link raised a brow as the redhead grumbled past. Samus glanced ahead too, raising a sharp eyebrow before returning to her stare battle with the seat, shaking her head while mumbling 'drunken idiot'.
Snake stepped onto the bus, passing instructions to the bus driver. He threw his cigarette** out the closing doors and walked down the alley. Unfortunately, Roy was moving slower today, his booted feet shuffling against the carpet floor, eyes set on the floor below. Link frowned deeper as the general shuffled past to the seat near the back, behind Samus, at the window. Link tried to get his attention but Samus sent him a hot glare towards his truly, which sent the Hylian turning around immediately.
The bus eventually coughed to a start and began rumbling down the paved roads of Toad Town.
Roy groaned as something jabbed repeatedly on his shoulder,
"Roy?" a young, soft voice mumbled. The general's eyes cracked open. A pair of big, brown eyes stared into his, watching him attentively. Roy fully opened his eyes, cracking a smile at Nana,
"Sorry…resting my eyes." Roy smiled. He scoffed mentally, he wished. Nana gave a hesitant smile,
"Everyone's just off for a pit stop. Marth says you can stay here if you like but we'll be a while."
Another creasing smile feathered across his lips,
"I think I'll stay here, no need to worry 'bout me, Nana." The pink-clad ice climber gave a quick nod and hurried off, jumping out of the bus with the usual 'boing!' sound.
Roy sighed as he watched Nana join the others, all patting her head.
He sunk deeper into his chair. That dream…was nothing like he'd had before. All those other dreams he had off Lycia were, peaceful and calm, just like his homeland. But last night…. it was different. He stared out the window. They appeared to be in, well, the middle of nowhere. Long, dusty plains were the landscape, white clouds slowly rolling by in the cyan sky. Roy sighed, sinking further down his chair; he didn't want to return the tournament, no way,
"Y'know, if you slouch any more you'll be on the floor." A feminine voice suddenly stated, giggling. Roy felt his heart lurch so hard he could of puked. It was Peach, or the 'ghost' of her, sitting in the empty chair next to him. He suddenly threw his back at the window edging away from her,
"P-peach…. w-what are you doing here?" he shouted. The princess threw him an indignant look,
"Your still not used to me, are you?" she said, folding her arms. She suddenly smirked, leaning forward, "Are you afraid of me?"
Roy's eyes widened, what kind of question was that? Of course he was! The dead princess of the Mushroom Kingdom was sitting right next to him, and he had seen her corpse just the day before.
Roy moved further away, his back pressing firmly against the bus window.
Peach seemed to be glowing as sunlight poured through the bus window, little sparks of light radiating from her. Roy tried to scramble even more away, dodging the miniscule orbs of light that floated towards him.
The blonde princess sighed softly, bending over to reach down to the floor, under the bus chair. Roy sat perfectly still, cautiously glancing at the princess. She then sat up breathing out, beaming a pleased smile. A small china cup and saucer sat between her gloved, translucent fingers. Roy look simply bewildered,
"W-where did you get that from…?" he mumbled, pointing accusingly as the innocent teacup. Peach blinked, tilting her head,
"What, this?" she said raising her cup. Roy nodded furiously. The princess gave sweet smile, giggling softly, "Oh, I always have this with me. I love my tea!"
Roy gave a bewildered look. Her voice still echoed, holding that mysterious aura. It was as if she was speaking from somewhere else.
But this is her sitting in front of me…if a ghost counts that is…
Roy continued to stare at her. Her hair blew about slowly, slightly translucent and pale in colour. She still wore the dress she wore the night before…. or at her funeral to be exact. A sudden gut feeling stirred inside as he remembered the night before.
'I was …murdered."
"U-uh…Peach?" he shuffled away from the window a few inches closer to the princess. He could feel the cool energy radiate from the ghost, cooling his shoulders. She stopped mid-sip of her tea and gave him a soft smile,
"Mhmm?"
"What did you mean…w-when you said you were…murdered?" he kicked himself for sounding so pathetically weak. It sounded far more clearly in his head, but that word…murdered, was a word he despised deeply. The princess glanced downwards to her teacup; her eyes glazed with an emotion Roy had never seen the princess show,
"It is the truth…I was murdered. I know I was." She gazed at him, her light, blue eyes holding such sincerity and seriousness; Roy almost cowered in her stare.
Murdered? The word hung in the air, swinging back and forward in his in his head. Who would kill the innocent Princess Peach? He gulped, fear creeping further up his spine.
Distant voices suddenly entered Roy's ears. Roy let out a sharp gasp and sat up, glancing out the windows on the other side.
The Smashers were walking towards the bus, carrying bags and what looked like takeaway food. The general panicked clutching at his head,
"B-but if they see you!" he glanced at Peach, eyes wide and strained. The princess' eyes widened realizing what Roy meant. Slowly, the teacup slipped out of her clear, pale fingers, smashing onto the floor,
"Oh dear…" She gasped, glancing down to her hands. A sudden whimper escaped her lips, "That was my favorite cup…."
Meanwhile Roy was running around as if the bus carpet was on fire,
"Oh dear, oh dear, oh dear, oh dear –",
"Roy?"
Roy froze. He turned slowly round to the voice of Marth.
Sure enough, the blue-clad prince was standing in the aisle holding a plastic bag accompanied by the rest of the smashers behind him. Roy's eyes clicked to the side and watched as Peach stared at Marth, like he was a giant tea cup or something,
"What are you doing?" Marth inquired slowly, his eyes narrowing. Roy jumped to a halt, arms glues to his sides,
"N-nothing! Nothing at all!"
Marth shook his head slightly lifting the bag,
"We brought some food and stuff for the journey back, you hungry?"
Roy smiled, despite the fact he was dying with nerves inside,
"Yup, starving!"
He watched as the rest of the smashers found their seats, and silently tucked into their food,
"Roy, sit down!" Ike shouted from the front, glowering at the redhead,
"'Kay," Roy shouted back, slowing perching back into his seat.
He slowly turned around expecting to see the glowing stature of an amazed Peach. But instead saw the disappearing stature of the princess. Roy's eyes widened as he saw Peach slowly disappear, the small spores of light absorbing into the air.
Roy stared at the empty seat,
"Roy, what's wrong. You look like you've seen a ghost?" Fox asked. Roy's head spun around,
"Oh, i-it's nothing!" he gave a faltered smile.
Not anymore anyway…
He turned back to the deserted seat.
What just happened? Does this mean she's gone for good? Then again he could feel the cool air of before linger. He sat back and stared through the window, although couldn't relax. An image of Peach in her coffin sat in his mind as the bus rumbling down the dusty road.
AU
Yay, two updates in one day, a new record!
Okay, I've said this already but everything will come together in the next few chapters. More ghostly Peach, ill Zelda, crazy Link ect.
* Is this his home country? Just checking
Thanks muchly for reading!
-Ellie