A/N: And here's chapter four! Thanks for the suggestions in the comments/reviews/emails. I've taken a few of them and tried to put it together. Hopefully the plot will start rolling now and I'll be able to get off a few more updates before the break is over. I'm still working out the characters a bit, so there isn't much action yet-but it's coming soon!

Disclaimer: See first chapter. Enjoy the read!


The unnamed feeling Link hadn't been able to put his finger on, now loomed larger than reality in the foreground of his mind. As they plunged deeper into the mystery forest, he realized that he could not recall having seen it there before.

In all of the exploring he'd done on the strange world and the various adventures he'd been involved in, not one of them had anything to do with a forest—much less an enchanted one. The harder he tried to puzzle it out in his head, the more muddled it became.

As he flipped through the collection of memories in his head for this realm, there were no notes in regards to a forest. He cast a sideways glance at the armored woman keeping pace beside him and Epona. There hadn't been a word between them since they'd been running together.

He hesitated, feeling the speed increasing as Epona surged forward. It was almost as if the horse was feeding off of his urgency and pressing onward with all that it could. Samus didn't seem the least bit fazed as she increased her stride to match.

Apparently, she was there for the time being.

Link filed that away for further notice, his mind now choosing to focus on the sign they'd seen earlier at the mouth of the forest. There was a definite lack of something, apart from the misspelling and the rushed handiwork. It was almost as if the warning had been thrown up at the last minute—while others were running away.

That put a very disturbing mental image in the blond archer's head and for a moment, he closed his eyes, gripping the reins tighter. There were too many things to sort out on horseback now, when he should've been considering what sort of opponents they would come up against.

Pit's report had been as detailed and accurate as the winged boy could make it out to be. He'd known battle and had a critical eye when it was needed. Link had found some stress relief in a few sparring matches he'd agreed to. Pit was good enough to know what to report and it was what wasn't in the report that bothered Link now.

Pit's printed report had been hasty and messy, but his oral version had been a different story.

"...Princess Peach was taken by two creatures with four arms each, clothed from head to toe in black, bearing the appearance of living shadows, they wore white crowns on their foreheads with a cloven hoofmark to the left of each band, an imprint in red. They knew exactly who they had come for and they did not hesitate. Sonic and Squirtle were the two on the scene and the first and only witnesses. Sonic tried to fight them and sent Squirtle for reinforcements, by the time I arrived on the scene, there was nothing I could do. There was a definite struggle and Sonic fought as best as he could, but he was no match for them..."

Link swallowed. Fear wasn't an enemy, it was friend, because if he acknowledged then, it meant that he was ready to conquer it. Sonic had been instrumental in the final battle against Tabu and now the fact that he'd been so easily defeated on what must have been minions was enough to leave his settled feelings—unsettled.

A mental twinge in the corner of his mind brought him back to the present and Link opened his eyes, blinking in the shadowy surroundings.

It registered with more of an impact than he'd first grasped. The sun had been shining brilliantly before and now, it was as if the sunlight was fading away the deeper they advanced. He cast a glance skyward, one hand lightly fisted in Epona's mane to aid with keeping his balance. He couldn't tell directly anything from the flashing treetops that were turning from grey to black.

"Time's the same." Samus spoke, her voice fuzzy from the speakers. She tapped her left wrist, a movement that didn't even interfere with her seamless running.

Link gave a slight nod to show that he understood. She was keeping track, just like he was. Perhaps it was a good thing that she'd come with him—back up was always a welcome addition. He pressed his lips together, now was not the time to be dwelling on petty thoughts. He needed to be focused—and focused, now!

"Samus?"

As if sensing what he was mentally reminding himself of, Samus slowed her stride to match Epona's easing gait. "My sensors aren't picking up anything unusual. Everything seems normal as far as a forest is concerned."

Link took a careful breath through the side of his mouth. He could tell Epona was tiring and the feeling at the back of his head was the only one that refused to be pushed away. That meant he could listen to it—it also usually meant that something bad was about to happen. "Are you sure?" He pulled Epona to a stop and the mare pranced sideways.

An afterthought, he trotted in a small circle around Samus to allow the horse to cool down for the moment. "Are you sure?"

A portion of the power suit receded into itself to reveal Samus's lovely scowling face. "Scanners aren't picking up anything." She held up her arm, showing a display screen.

He stared at the words and blocks and shapes of colored lights. They didn't make any sense at all, but she seemed to trust them. "Don't you feel that?"

Her mouth twitched, an annoyed expression replacing her scowl. "So?"

Link drew Epona to a stop. "Run?" He suggested, wearily. This kind of conversation wasn't going to get them very far. They were at a point where fighting might cost them necessary time. It was a risky call to make.

Samus hesitated. "Headstart. You take it." The suit surged up, covering her head from view once more. "I'll catch up." She turned to face the thick bushes lining their uneven, self-created pathway. She'd felt it, it was too much to ignore. She'd learned to do more than rely on her suit since landing on this world. When she had the chance, she'd enter whatever it was into the system for future reference.

Whatever it was, she braced herself.

The scowl from before was now twisted into a determined grimace as heads began to appear.

First as grayness, then as shadows rising up from the ground before fleshing out into creatures of pure blackness, with a single white band around their skulls with a red imprinted hoofmark stamped of the left of it until the human-like creatures sprouted a second pair of arms. It was about nine of them in all, at first.

With a cacophony of screeches, growls and the creatures doubled in size and numbers before launching themselves out of the greenery and towards the woman in the powersuit. The long, double-jointed fingers sharpened into visible points, stabbing the ground as Samus leapt into the air.

Slashing at the trees and the underbrush, the creatures carved up giant slabs of earth in their pursuit. Two of the creatures dashed off to the side, their intent clear when they thundered down the faint pathway left by Link.

What are these things…?

Samus took a breath and took aim. She'd try the plasma beam first and take it from there. Whatever they were, they wouldn't be standing for long.


Pit swooped down to land lightly on his feet in front of the only domed building in the makeshift town. It was the sort of building he didn't care to enter, but Snake's instructions had been easy to understand and he was counting on him.

Grumbling beneath his breath, Pit entered through the squeaky wooden door to see the unofficial bar. The older ones among the fighters in the strange world had insisted on having one built, running it entirely themselves and surviving on their own efforts.

Ike and Marth were often found hanging around there with the excuse that it was more mature company. Pit didn't care either way. He stepped inside, his gaze sweeping innocently from one end of the room to the other before he strolled over to the low counter.

On the far right, Ike and Marth sat on stools around a high table in a deep conversation with Captain Falcon and the animal fighters Fox and Falco. Pit scowled, annoyed as he hurried over. He really didn't want to get involved with their discussions of weapons and fighting styles, but he figured it was that side of them that Snake was probably counting on.

Hands clenched into fists as he approached the table. He just had to deliver the message quickly and then get out of there, whoever followed, he'd work on tolerating that. Visions of the cheerful pink princess danced merrily before his eyes and Pit shook his head to clear it.

"Oh hey, Pit." Ike held up a mug of fizzy ginger ale. "Rare to see you here." He leaned over to snag a stool from a nearby table.

"Join us." Marth flashed a smile, a hint of laughter in his serious eyes. "It's a great-"

"Princess Peach has been kidnapped and Snake sent me to get you guys to help Link." The words were blurted out in rapid succession and one on top of the other.

The table's occupants stared at him. Then chaos erupted.

"Princess Peach has been kidnapped?" Ike was on his feet.

"What about Princess Zelda?" Marth had to know.

"When? Who saw them?" Fox growled.

"Were there witnesses?" Falco sat up so quickly, his stool was knocked over.

"Link and Snake already left?" Captain Falcon exclaimed. "Who else is-"

"No time for that!" Pit screeched, his wings twitching in agitation. "Go now. Talk later." He turned on his heel and bolted for the door. Building up the necessary speed for an accelerated take-off, he hovered angrily in the air as the men tumbled out of the building after him.

"I don't like taking orders from a snake." Captain Falcon rubbed his chin, thoughtfully. "But if one of those pretty girls are in trouble, then I'm definitely willing to lend my-"

"Is it Tabu?" Fox interrupted. "Gannondorf?"

Pit hesitated, his head bowing forward. "I-I'll tell you on the way." He twisted in mid-air. "Are you coming or what?"

Falco and Fox exchanged a glance, then shrugged. "Might as well."

A faint trickle of relief spread over him as Pit streaked forward in the sky, knowing the others would be able to catch up. It was good to know that there were more coming than just Ike and Marth." A slight quiver passed through him as he realized Meta Knight wasn't anywhere in sight.

Can't stop now. He thought, grimly. Time, it's all about time now…


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