A/N Yay for being able to work on this more than usual. :)

Also, the first chapter was massively edited in part due to the advice of a certain...tfvlci. I never get the letter order right; I just address her by her name. :P You may want to reread.

Chapter 4
The Cadence of Home and Love

~Peach's Perspective (With Samus)~

Peach didn't bother to look up much when she saw Zelda walk into her room without knocking. She remained engrossed in her book, a habit that always brightened her up when she was feeling down. She always reserved the happiest, sappiest, most romantic books for those blue days; they always did the trick even if they were as gooey as a peanut butter and jelly sandwich. She probably wouldn't have the stomach for them any other day; even she could only handle so much sweetness at a time.

Zelda cleared her throat.

Peach reluctantly sat up and folded the book over her knee. "Hello," she smiled welcomingly.

Zelda's gaze averted to the book on Peach's knee. "The Prince's Concubine?" she smirked knowingly.

Peach blushed. "Yeah, I know, these books are like so awful, but so sweet. They're like candy; they'll rot my brains but they're so damn tasty!"

"Still in a post-breakup mood?" Zelda inquired.

Peach began to ramble nervously. "Yeah, no, not really, like, I'm over it. Like don't worry because it's been a few weeks and the emotion is out of my system and I'm not even really mad at Mario, 'cause it's just the way it is and we drifted apart all that wise stuff but I'm still you know kinda sad and maybe a little heartachy and I am pretty sure I never told you about any of this, Miss Hyrule." At the end of her ramble, she looked up at Zelda, expecting an explanation.

"Oh, shit!" Zelda snapped her fingers.

Peach snickered in response. "I can't wait to hear what this is, hon."

"I'm Samus," Zelda/apparently Samus blurted out. Peach stood up abruptly, surprised, and dropped the book spine-up on the floor.

"Oh my dear Lord," she giggled, causing the figure in front of her to growl. "Samus, you're... Zelda? How does that exactly work?"

"Hell if I know," Samus sighed, looking at Zelda's slippered feet.

Peach snickered as if she was hiding a secret. Samus growled again. "You better not be involved in this, I swear to God I will dissect you and see if you're made up of bubblegum after all."

"Peach-flavored, of course," Peach could only reply, not bothering to take her threat seriously. That was just how Samus was. "But yep, you're definitely Samus. Don't worry, I wouldn't lie to you about anything. You know that. Even if I wanted to lie to you for your own good I couldn't do it because I have too much love and respect for you." She ended her statement with a genuine smile that read you-can-trust-me.

Samus smirked. "That and because you're a horrible liar."

Peach giggled again and reached out to hug Samus, who returned it with a small amount of hesitation. When Peach released her, she gestured to her bed. "Come on, take a seat!" To punctuate this, she leapt onto her bed, enjoying the reverberation as she bounced. She patted the seat next to her and smiled. Samus cautiously returned it and took her seat.

"So, hon!" Peach started the conversation. "How can I help you out? I'm not that good with the tada and the magical stuff but you got your bestie here and she's willing to do anything for you. Got that?"

Samus smiled, holding her hand gently. Peach felt a little flutter in her chest because she knew it was very hard for a girl like Samus to trust herself to anyone, and Peach was one of those lucky few. Samus certainly could use that spark of happiness in her life, and Peach was more than happy to train her in the ways of the satisfied.

That particular trainee spoke up. "So, erm, Link's going to handle all the effects of the magical business. We're going to find Zelda... in my body, of course... and drink one of her potions and then we'll switch back, hopefully."

"Alrighty, sounds like the master plan," Peach nodded vigorously, her emotions expressed to amplified levels as usual. "You're going to have to make room for me because I'm going with the both of you. God knows Link can't drive," she added with a giggle.

Samus smiled. "That's good. I'm glad to hear it."

"Excellent!" After that, Peach hesitated for a moment, stuck in thought, something she let Samus know by slumping over, chin in her left hand and her right batting at a piece of hair. Samus knew what she meant.

"Okay!" Peach shouted. "What else did you want to tell me?"

"I didn't say anything else," Samus pointed out.

"And yet there's something else you want to say. It's practically radiating from you-slash-Zelda. You have a real habit of radiating your feelings, you know that?"

Samus smirked. "Oh, is that so?"

"Damn straight it is. I bet you drive poor Lucario insane."

"I have feelings for someone," Samus announced abruptly. Peach didn't mind; Samus wasn't very well trained in conversation etiquette. That's just not how she was. She wasn't a princess who had people to speak for and meetings to attend and appearances to keep (and of course adversaries to kidnap her; another story for another time.) Samus was a loner, and it showed, and it was okay. Friends help friends adjust to having friends and, as it would apparently turn out, lovers.

Peach smiled again. "Aw, is that what you're worried about, darlin'? Isn't that a good thing?"

Even then, she could feel the bed shake as Samus clenched her fists, shaking. "I don't know, Peach, okay? This has never happened for me before, and it's, it's a really big change for me."

"You've never loved someone?" The idea surprised Peach.

"No, not like... I mean, this isn't the same. You know that. I mean, I loved my parents for the short time I... I had them. I didn't... have something like this for Malkovich or anyone that I worked with, but I respected them. I respected him. And I love you, Peach, because you're my friend, and you've done for me what no one else ever has." Peach beamed upon hearing those words.

"But... this... this is different. Because I really want this person, too. I mean, she's beautiful and she's creative and she's confident and she's powerful and she, she just has this incredible being that I've never seen before, and I really wish I could, I could mean something to her. And..." she blushed as she went on. Peach noticed and squeezed her hand. "I admit, I wouldn't mind being... affectionate with her, because she really... okay, she is attractive; that's what I'll say about that. But..." she took one last deep breath. "that's kind of just what it is, I guess. That's it."

Peach looked at Samus and just smiled for a few moments. Suddenly, she felt a sob shake through her, just one, just a tiny one, and a few tears hit her eyes. Samus looked at her, surprised, until Peach reached around Zelda's neck and hugged her. "Oh my God, Sam," she whispered. "I'm so happy for you. I think you're really in love, and that's really incredible."

Samus lay against her awkwardly. "Huh," she replied hesitantly. "Is that so?"

Not quite attentive to her tone, Peach continued comfortingly."I really, really do. I mean, you really have just moved me right now. I've never ever had an experience like that, just to be hit with love for someone you don't know that well."

Samus chuckled, reluctantly returning the hug. "If you say so."

Peach let her go. "You don't seem quite convinced."

Samus shrugged. "It's not that easy for me, Peach," she countered. "I'm twenty-eight and this has never happened. Frankly I'm not as thrilled as you think I should be."

"Why not?" Peach asked, not at all understanding why someone wouldn't be happy to be in love. "It seems grand to me."

"You like love," Samus replied, kicking her feet against the bed frame. "It's something you enjoy. Hell, you'll even poison your mind just to get another dose. It's like your drug."

Peach didn't reply. Truthfully, she was a little hurt, even if Samus was kind of right.

"What I need, Peach, is to feel as though I'm okay and I'm together. Ever since I've met Zelda-"

"I knew it," Peach interrupted. Samus looked at her, annoyed yet amused.

"Just saying," She finished. Samus closed her eyes and continued.

"Ever since I met Zelda, she's thrown me off. And that's the part I don't like. That's why I try and separate myself from people, because if I end up close to them they make me weak. It happened with Malkovich; I tried to impress him and it really screwed me up. I've learned from that and I don't want to do that again."

Samus took a breath and reached for Peach's arm.

"It's not that simple, though, is it?" Peach deduced. "Otherwise you wouldn't feel this strongly about her."

Samus swallowed. Peach squeezed her hand. "Sometimes, it's as simple as it gets. I want to just walk up to her and, you know, go for it. Tell her. Other times, I fear that she'll say no, or even that she'll say yes. I mean, I'd love for her to say yes, but then what does that mean for me? I want to make her happy, I really do, but I fear that I will lose myself, because I can't do that. I'm so used to things being the way they are that I can't fathom to shake that up."

Peach's response was quick. "Samus, are you happy with the way things are?"

Samus didn't respond for at least a minute, clearly not expecting that question. Peach waited patiently before asking "maybe you could use a bit of shaking things up?"

"I..." she didn't respond any further.

"Samus, I can't really talk much farther into that because this is your life. I'm not in control of that. I'm your best friend, and that's as far as I go. What you need to remember is that if you're not happy, your life is pretty much a moot point. Even if you live it for others, you can't let yourself die out or you bring everything with you. I want you to do something that would bring you happiness, okay? Think you can do that?"

Samus thought it over for another minute. Her response was "Can you tell me what it's like to be..." a few seconds passed and Peach knew she was picking her words carefully. "...romantically involved?"

Peach grinned. This was her element for sure, Samus was right about that. "Of course I can, Samus. I'd be damned if I let you go it alone. Okay, so try and remember all this."

"Oh man," Samus gave a lopsided grin as she knew she was in for a long haul."

"Alright. The number one rule is honesty. When you confess, you let go of fear for just a moment but not of logic. You prepare yourself for rejection but rejoice for acceptance. You mean everything you say, good or bad. A painful truth is more than a pleasurable lie. You keep in mind, though, that words hurt far more than sticks and stones.

The first few weeks are heaven- fresh, new, just a bit scary but incredible. They make you feel like everything is going to be perfect, but nothing is. Once you become comfortable with each other, you're going to screw up but you're going to mean more to each other than before. You have to accept that you're human and you'll screw up, but make up for that by loving her like no one else."

She giggled as she saw Samus blush just a bit when hearing the feminine pronoun.

"You find out what she likes and capitalize the hell off of it. Of course, you give her the same courtesy and let her give to you as well. You're free to be intimate without fear; you got this far after all. It doesn't even have to be sex, you just hold her and kiss her and comfort her without having to feel awkward about it; she wouldn't have fallen for you if she didn't want that. You grow constantly and you won't be quite the same as before you knew her. It might become so incredible you'll be glad you took the chance.

"Of course, on the other end of the spectrum, you have to acknowledge that there may be an end to the relationship but if she's worth it you work to make sure it never happens. If it seems inevitable, though, don't delay it. Better to end it sooner than suffer through hardship. That's what Mario and I did, and honestly it was like ripping off a band-aid. I mean, I still miss him but we're okay with each other; we didn't let things rot away until we couldn't stand each other. Thank God, because I'm pretty much intertwined with him." She laughed self consciously, blushing.

She continued. "Of course, that leads to the most important thing of advice; every couple is different. You won't be like Mario and I were, if everything works out, which I strongly believe it will. You'll be like Samus and Zelda, and these are just touchstones for you so you know the basics. From there, paint your own picture and tell your own tale together, and write it so that you both are happy."

She smiled. "And, of course, be sure to see your best friend Peach if you ever need someone to talk to."

Peach took a deep breath and then bowed over as if she were expecting applause. Samus wasn't the type of person to applaud, though, and just said "That's... a lot."

"It is, isn't it?" Peach admitted. "The strange thing about romance is that there is never anything as simple or as complicated as it. It's the most volatile element there is, but the world wouldn't exist without it."

Samus shrugged. "You have a point there."

"I have a habit of that. Are you okay, Samus?"

"I think I'll be fine." That familiar touch of bristle returned, but Samus was still comfortable enough to grab Peach's arm and nearly whisper "thanks."

"Anytime," Peach responded. "Anyway, we should probably get going. I bet Link's waiting for us. Where is he, anyway?"

"I left him on the patio," was Samus' succinct explanation.

"Uhh!" Peach tutted in playful disapproval as she led the huntress out of her room. "Now that's not very nice, is it? Play nice, Samus. You go find him and apologize and I'll get my stuff together and join the two of you. Love you!" With that, she gave a playful shove and her best friend was out of the room, not resisting as Peach closed the door on her.

Feeling just a little hyped up, Peach let out an invigorated giggle and began to prepare. She changed out of her dress and into a nice flannel v-neck shirt and a pair of skinny jeans, because the good Lord knows woman could not live by dresses alone. She put on a pair of ivory heels, because the good Lord also knew that woman needed at least a touch of fancy somewhere. She put her hair up in a ponytail, grabbed her purse and began to look for her book on the floor, in case of a long ride.

She found it, just below the bed frame. She went to reach for it, but then suddenly felt unfulfilled by it. It was so... fake. And she, Princess Peach of the Toadstool lineage, ruler of the Mushroom Kingdom, was witness to the beautiful unfolding of a true, real, star-crossed romance.

Bah. Who needed a book like that anyways? She shoved it under her bed, planning to completely forget of its existence until another moment of weakness. Besides, she couldn't get distracted now. She had a friend to help.

~Zelda's Perspective~

Unsurprisingly, given the driver, Zelda and Falcon reached the outskirts of Cadence in exactly eleven minutes and twelve seconds. They reached the center of the town in eleven minutes thirty-three seconds. Falcon pressed the brake and had them parked on a street on the main street of the town in exactly eleven minutes, thirty-eight seconds.

Zelda had to keep herself from throwing up as she staggered out of the car, nearly mashing her feet into the sidewalk, allowing them to kiss the land. She was about to bend down and kiss it herself. Falcon noticed and laughed. "Oh dear me, ma'am. Sorry I've taken such a toll on you. You can take a racer out of the car, and you can take the car from the racer. But if you get the two together, then I can't be entirely responsible for what happens."

Zelda would have responded with an annoyed retort if she weren't trying to keep from vomiting.

"Anyway! I have to run by the hardware store, so I'll leave you to your own devices," Falcon began to walk away, nodding when Zelda looked up to wave him off. Suddenly, he stopped. "Oh! If you need anything to eat there's a lovely diner just up Dahlia Court right there." He gestured in the direction, and Zelda could see a small building just a short ways south. "The woman in there is just lovely. Why don't you drum up some business for her?" He dashed back, placing a handful of paper bills in her hand.

"Falcon, you don't-" Zelda began.

"Nope! Noooope! Don't even!" Falcon insisted. "I'm sure she'll appreciate it. Tell her Falcon recommended you! She'll love you!" Before Zelda could argue any further, Falcon was running off down the road, giving a last quick wave as he worked his way to the hardware store. Zelda shook her head, not at all surprised that Falcon was the type to run everywhere he went.

She steadied herself and began to walk down the sidewalk, shaking off the carsickness. Cadence was a small, quaint little hamlet. Very clean, surprisingly modern, but for being a unusually small town for one so close to the largest metropolis in the universe, she couldn't be so surprised. What did surprise her, however, was that despite all her diplomatic journeys to Junction City even before the tournament started, she had never even so much as heard of Cadence.

Perhaps Samus liked that about the town. It was hidden in plain sight, just as she was. Out of all the people in the tournament, she was the one seen the least in person. She got a lot of attention, of course, but almost entirely behind the orange suit of armor that seemed to define her as a warrior. Zelda wouldn't be surprised if she could walk down the streets of this town without being recognized as Samus Aran, fabled bounty huntress.

Zelda liked Cadence, she decided. It just seemed peaceful and welcoming. The downtown area lay just in front of her, consisting of a few single-story businesses clumped together at an intersection that had a stop sign on each side. Before that area, there were buildings scattered around alongside the road surrounded by endless fields of grass that one could walk through for days as they turned into the dense forests that Zelda knew Samus hid inside her ship, away from the rest of the world.

Just to her right, she noticed that she was passing the diner on Dahlia Court, appropriately named "Dahlia's Diner!" Seeing the red exclamation point painted on the end of the sign made Zelda smile and deduce that this place couldn't possibly be bad. Cautiously, she crossed the arterial separating her from the restaurant and walked towards it. The place looked cheerful; a place twice as long as it was tall, painted bright blue with green stripes separated only by wide windows that easily let in the sunshine. Zelda found herself surprisingly excited to enter this place, bounding across the parking lot and into the front door.

As soon as she entered, a welcoming jingle sounded off and she could see a young woman bound out of the kitchen and into sight, waving. She had dark skin and long dark hair pulled into a hairnet. She was dressed in a pair of jeans and a brown t-shirt obscured by a white apron. Zelda noticed her and waved back.

"Hello there, ma'am!" the woman welcomed her warmly.

"Hello yourself," Zelda replied before looking over at the place. For the most part, it was surprisingly empty, especially for a lunch hour. She noticed a few diners in there dotting the booths and tables around the sides, but she was the only one in the front. She was probably indistinguishable from the other diners, which was fine for her. She was honestly a bit fed up of people falling over themselves to serve her only because she was the leader of one of the most influential kingdoms in the universe. Maybe a bit of being hidden in plain sight was a good thing.

Zelda found herself taking a seat on a wooden stool just before the diner's countertop. As soon as she sat, she noticed a menu sliding towards her. It was a single sheet, a long blue piece of paper with its offerings in tidy handwriting on both sides. She grinned wider as she browsed around for something that looked appetizing.

She watched the lady from before walk up to her. Zelda looked up as she spoke. "I don't believe I've seen you around here before. Are you new to town?"

Zelda's reply caught in her throat. Now, she was truly acting on behalf of Samus. Anything she said would impact Samus from here on out, not Zelda. She had to be careful.

She settled with, "Somewhat. I'm just finding my place around here."

Her conversant nodded understandingly. "I gotcha. I'm Dahlia. I own this nice little place here. Thanks for dropping by!"

"I had a feeling," Zelda admitted. She took another look around the diner. "I imagine it must be nice having a corner of the world to yourself."

"It really is, you know," Dahlia mused. "Of course, I like to share it with others as well. Out of curiosity, do you have a name?"

Zelda hesitated again, making sure not to use her own name. "Uhm, I'm Samus Aran," she told her rather quietly.

A flash of recognition shot through Dahlia's brown eyes. "Ah, yes! I've heard of you every now and again. Nice to meet you." With that, she placed her arm on the table in front of Zelda, extending her hand towards her. Zelda noticed and shook it. Dahlia had a firm handshake and a respectful smile. When she let Zelda go, she said, "Anyway, don't let me keep you. Go ahead and pick out something to eat, and I promise you it'll taste delicious."

Zelda peered down her menu. "Well, honestly, I'm not entirely sure what to have. Sort of jittery, to be honest." She looked up at Dahlia, who was dusting off her apron and preparing to walk into the adjacent kitchen, which was barely separated from the dining room by a median wall. "A Douglas Falcon sent me in here. Perhaps he would know better than I?"

Dahlia whirled around and faced Zelda again. "Oh my. Douglas Jay Falcon," she repeated his name distantly, warmly. "What a guy, I'll say. A real sweetheart. I'm glad he sent you over here. Any friend of his is a friend of mine."

Zelda laughed. "I imagine you must like him a fair deal."

"You'd imagine correctly," Dahlia replied, her voice almost dreamy. "Anyway, come to think of it, I set him up with my surprise special for first-timers. That's been just about the only thing he's ever eaten since. Would you like to try it out?"

Zelda mused it over. She felt like taking a chance. "Sure I would."

"Great!" Dahlia responded. "I'll be right back unless you have anything for me to note."

Zelda shook her head. "Good luck!"

"Darling, I make my own luck, but thanks anyways!" was the reply as the young proprietor ran into the kitchen eagerly. Zelda closed her eyes and relaxed, trying to let all her thoughts drift away and leave her in a scene of calm. Meditation came easy to her if she focused just right, and it always left her prepared and relaxed. Sure enough, she led herself into such peace of mind that she was only jarred out of it when, some time later, Dahlia set the plate down in front of her and declared, "Miss Aran, your lunch is served."

Zelda snapped awake and looked down at her plate. She saw a chicken sandwich that she could easily tell to be homemade, from the bun to the garden-grown lettuce to the chicken slices. Next to it was a batch of fries and a thimble of sauce, also homemade. Next to everything was a cup of iced tea.

Zelda was honestly impressed. With a quick thank-you, she began to eat. The food was just as great as it looked. Dahlia giggled just a bit when she saw just how much Zelda enjoyed it. "Well, I'm very glad you approve!" she stated.

A few minutes transpired before Zelda finished, pushing the plate away in satisfaction and dabbing the sides of Samus' mouth with a napkin. "This… was delicious," Zelda told her with a content sigh.

"It gets them every time," Dahlia winked.

"I'd imagine!" Zelda laughed. "I mean, I always thought of Falcon as a meat and potatoes sort of guy, so if he's a fan..."

"You never know with people these days." That familiar wistfulness returned to her voice.

"Certainly not," Zelda agreed. "But this was certainly worth every penny it pays. How much do I owe you?"

Dahlia shook her head. "Oh goodness, no. The first time's always free."

"Oh my! Well, thank you!"

"No problem!" With a devious smile, she leaned in close to Zelda and whispered, "that's what brings them back, hon." With a light "shhh!" she backed away.

Zelda laughed again before thinking something over. She was surprised Samus had never been to this place. Zelda had never known of it an hour before, and now she loved it. Dahlia was not only a good chef but a kind person and a shrewd businesswoman. She would definitely be back.

With that in mind, she figured that Samus should be as well.

"Do you, perchance, have any gift cards?" she asked.

Dahlia laughed abruptly. "It really does work every time. Of course I do."

"That's great, because there is someone I need to bring here," Zelda told her.

Dahlia raised an eyebrow. "Oh? How sweet of you. I always love it when someone gives me a home-cooked meal."

"Agreed," Zelda nodded. "I believe my companion will be as well."

Dahlia smiled. "All right, well, I'll get that for you. You sit tight."

Zelda smiled. "Thank you!"

"Nope," Dahlia called as she dashed to the cash register. "Thank you!"

Zelda laughed, happy to find a place where she felt like home. It wasn't often one found a place like that, and Zelda was surprised it was right in front of both her and Samus this whole time.

Soon enough, Zelda had exited the diner, having exchanged her farewells with Dahlia and obtained her gift card. She would be sure to thank Falcon for it later, if she could find-

"Hey, princess!" she could hear his voice from here, which surprised her to a point. He was waving from across the street at her. "Over here!"

Zelda waved back, waiting until traffic was clear before crossing the road. When she reached the other side, she looked up at Falcon and said, "Thanks for the lunch."

He laughed heartily. "Ah! Not a problem! I knew you'd love it. That Dahlia," he scratched the back of his neck. "she is quite a woman, isn't she?"

"Indeed," Zelda replied slyly, feeling a warmth in her chest seeing the barely contained affections between the famous race car driver and the woman behind the diner. "I hear she enjoys a home-cooked meal as well. I imagine that was the premise behind her diner."

"Interesting," Falcon seemed to be talking to himself out loud. "Home cooked meals. Have to remember that." Turning back to Zelda, he addressed her again. "But anyway! I just got a call from Link again. Peach is driving Samus and him over to Cadence. They should be here any minute."

"Oh!" Zelda gasped. She wasn't expecting them here that early. "I… okay! Excellent!"

Falcon noticed her become jittery. "Uh-huh. So, why don't we wait here for them? They should be able to find us easily."

Zelda looked at the Blue Falcon. "I'd imagine."

Falcon laughed and clapped her on the shoulder. Zelda relaxed just a smidge. She tried to close her eyes and grasp for peace of mind, standing on the streets of Cadence and awaiting the moments that lay ahead.

A/N Whew. I'm getting really nervous. There's a lot riding on this; not only because of the contest but just because this is still kind of uncharted territory for me. I'm not just taking risks with this pairing, though, but with my narrative styles, my views on romance, friendship and the people around you. All of them echo my own beliefs. Also, I may be a touch effeminate but I'm certainly not a female, so speaking so intimately from the point of view of three of them is pretty challenging for me.

I'll try and pare this down to one more chapter. I reckon I have around 5,500 words left. I have a habit for dragging things along, as you may have been able to tell.

At the end you can expect a short commentary from me. It'll be an extra chapter exempt from the contest which will be just me talking about the process. If you prefer ambiguity then you can avoid it. BUT! That's a ways away!

Wish me luck and let me know if you like it. :P

~MoD