Okay, here's the FINAL chappy of my Christmas fic. I hope it's been a fun ride and you have all learned exactly WHY it is SO INCREDIBLY dangerous to wake up Samus at one o'clock. XD Now, comes the moment of truth... the time when I can finally figure out if... I can obtain cookies. It's completely LEGIT!! XD Cookies are wanted by all beings, deep inside. XD I need a better hobby... (Current hobby consists of getting hyper and doing random things.) The reason for Tabuu... is well... it's a shameless declaration that I have no villains who would readily challenge the Smashers that aren't OCs. As far as the bridge crew goes... they were primids. The ones that Meta subdued just had a longer dissipation fuse.
Chapter 3 'Tis the Season
The return trip was, thankfully, much less exciting than the journey out. "So, Link, I assume you took one of the fallen enemies' headsets in order to give that message."
"Yeah." The corner of the Hylian's mouth twitched and stretched upward. "I figured he didn't need it anymore."
Meta Knight smiled underneath his mask. "So Kirby used the access codes he'd obtained. I've been meaning to change those for a while-"
"DON'T!" the other Smashers yelled, cutting him off.
Meta chuckled, "Then again, maybe I should leave them as they are... Just in case something like this happens again."
"Let's just hope it doesn't happen again," Link said, smiling gently, then a thought wiped the expression from his face. "We're gonna hafta tell Master Hand about this, aren't we?"
"Not 'we'. You, 'Fairy Boy'," Bowser said, smirking as Link's cheeks flushed. The Hylian wished he had Meta's mask to hide behind.
"You heard that? I thought Samus and I were on a private channel."
If Meta had had eyebrows, he would have raised one. "What happened?"
"I'll tell you later, bud."
"I suppose I will go with you to tell Master Hand about Tabuu," Meta said, taking a second to look back at his fellow swordsman.
"Thanks, Meta," Link said, feeling the warm fuzzies that claimed him whenever someone did something kind for him.
"No problem."
*
In Link's opinion, the one thing more intimidating than taking on giant monsters was dealing with the Hands. Even a normal talk could turn into a torture session in a matter of minutes. But the bearer of the Triforce of Courage never felt anything more than a dim hint of fear. "Master Hand, while we did find Meta Knight and confirmed that Captain Falcon was involved, we found something very disturbing. Tabuu is alive."
"WHAT?!?" Master Hand yelled.
"You see, Sir, Captain Falcon was brainwashed into kidnapping me by none other than Tabuu. The proof lies in the fact that his associates vanished in a puff of purple haze, exactly like the Subspace invaders."
"So Falcon's dummy crew was made of primids."
"Yes," Link said. "We don't know what Tabuu is planning. All we can do now is wait. Wait and enjoy our Christmas."
"And keep our guard up. I'm summoning more alloys as we speak. They will help protect you."
"If you think it necessary, Sir," Link said, echoing Meta's sentiments.
"Alright, you guys need to head off to sleep. I'm sure you're both wiped out." Since Master Hand brought it to mind, Link and Meta suddenly realized that the adrenaline had worn off, leaving them both quite tired.
"That's alright with me," Link said, looking over at Meta in a futile attempt to read his facial expression. At times he wished his friend had not chosen to wear a mask that concealed his face so well, but that was the purpose of masks to begin with.
"I will see you both in the morning."
"G'night, you two. May peace find you as you rest," Master Hand said.
Crazy Hand floated up next to his brother. "Have chocolate! It always helps me go to sleep! WHEE!!!"
"Remind me not to give you any sugar."
"Aw, but that's no fun."
*
The next morning, all of the Smashers and both Hands gathered at the Christmas tree for the yearly present opening. The kid Smashers had already found their presents and were tearing into them viciously and yelling their thanks to those who gave them the gifts. The older Smashers had decided to draw names out of a hat in order to decide who to buy a gift for. It wasn't so much an issue caused by the economy, but rather by the lack of inventive thought that went into buying gifts the past few years. Master Hand figured that if it were too much to ask to be civil to everyone else, the Smashers would have to be kind to one person at the absolute least.
Link was happy nonetheless. Just seeing the excitement on the faces of his comrades was enough. He didn't need a gift from anyone to make him feel special. He was just grateful that everyone was safe and happy. He held a gift for a friend dear to him, and soon enough, found him in the crowd. As if it had been planned, the two walked towards each other and exchanged gifts. The odds against it happening were astronomical, but Link and Meta Knight had received each others' names.
"Thanks, Meta. What're the chances of us picking each other?"
ROB popped up out of seemingly nowhere, he had probably just rolled up behind them without them noticing, "Approximately five hundred sixty-five thousand and thirty-six to one that it would happen."
"I'm sure Link wasn't serious in his wonderings," Meta said, joking with the robot. "He was just surprised that it had happened. Go ahead, Link, I didn't put a bomb in there."
"And neither did I," Link said, smiling as he opened his package. "A new bow! Meta, where did you get this?!? This is great quality!" Link pulled the bow from the wooden box that Meta had wrapped it in and inspected the string, lifting the bow close to his face and inhaling the scent of the wood. "Smells like... like home."
"Yes. It should. I made it from Hylian wood... under the watchful eye of a master bow designer."
"It's beautiful. Open yours. It's not anything NEARLY as good as this, but you might like it."
Meta opened the present, finding a metal box inside which was a finely shaped dagger with his name engraved on the blade. "Link, how did you know?"
"I saw you eying the Kokiri Sword when I used it a coupla times. It seemed like you wanted one, so I got the best I could. I'm afraid I messed up the decorative handle though."
"Stars of Dreamland, Link, you didn't BUY this did you? It must have cost a fortune."
Link rubbed the toe of his boot on the floor. "Well, I paid for part of it... I forged it from the materials I bought... and I rented the forging pit. All and all, it wasn't terribly expensive." Meta could tell by the way his friend was acting that it had indeed cost him a great deal to make the dagger and he didn't want Meta to think that his gift was unworthy. "I love the bow, Meta, it's really awesome!" Link flashed Meta a huge grin. "I think I wanna go do some target practice. Do you wanna go to the hologram generation room with me. You can try out that dagger."
"Sure, Link. Isn't this the best part about Christmas?"
"Spending time with friends?"
"Yes."
"Definitely the best part."
Meta smiled and chatted with Link about the intricacies of the carvings on the hilt of the dagger as Link complimented Meta's handiwork as they went to the hologram generation room. Zelda, by chance, looked back at the duo and smiled to herself, knowing that Link had found a lasting friend he could relate to in an unexpected place. She decided to leave them to their peace.
All in all, it was a fun journey, right? (Feel free to say it wasn't, I won't be offended... 'cauz I've got chocolate!!!! XD) I hope it's a warm-fuzzy-inducing story and... yeah... I really do have chocolate. XD
Link: I want chocolate!!! *steals and eats some of my chocolate*
Me: *sighs* He's ALWAYS stealing my crap. XD
Link: *mumbling around a mouthful of chocolate* It'sz nmot crap!
Me: Figuratively.
Link: *swallows* Now you're insulting my looks?!? I thought you wuved me!
Me: *sighs* I WASN'T talking about your figure! If I was, you'd KNOW it. I'd be using words like "hot" and stuff... not "crap".
Link: Hee hee.... *blushes* Me? Hot? Nah.
Me: You. Hot. Yes.
Link: *blushes more* Stop it! *grabs more chocolate and eats it*
Me: Okay, if you insist. XD
Link: I insist.
Me: Fine.