Zelda, District 7

I couldn't stand here any longer. I needed to move, to run for my life. My legs didn't seem to understand my plight, however, and kept me rooted to the same spot I had been standing in when I first saw the avalanche.

"AAAHH!" A scream rang through the air, and I spun around quickly, finally able to move. Toon Link was fighting off Bowser on his own, Popo was on the ground, and Ness and Lucas were nowhere to be found.

"TOON LINK!" I screamed my young ally's name and ran towards him, gripping my boomerang tightly.

I flung my boomerang at Bowser just as he raised his giant, clawed hand to bring it down on Toon Link. My weapon sliced open his hand and flew back to me, causing the giant to roar in pain while I joined my ally.

"Where's your dagger?" I asked him quickly, watching Bowser should he try anything.

"I- I don't know." Toon Link began slightly hyperventilating. "Bowser knocked it out of my hands."

"Where are Ness and Lucas?"

"I don't know! One second they were with me, next I couldn't find them anywhere!"

I continued watching our opponent while I talked to Toon Link. "Go check on Popo, I'll take care of this thing."

I watched out of the corner of my eye as Toon Link ran and knelt by Popo's limp form, then focused my attention on Bowser just as one of his clawed hands came at my face. I barely managed to duck before his hand could connect with my head, and decided that at such close range I should use my boomerang as a dagger instead. Gripping my weapon as tightly as I could without cutting myself, I lunged to the side, avoiding another swing at my chest, and dashed forward, makeshift dagger swinging.

The roar of pain that followed almost deafened me. I had managed to create a deep gash in the monster's side, and he grasped wildly at the wound, red liquid quickly spilling over his sharp claws. Bowser looked up at me, a deadly look in his eyes.

"This isn't over." He growled roughly before turning and running to Captain Falcon, who was still staring at the avalanche.

The avalanche. I quickly remembered what had frozen me earlier and turned to the mountainside. The ground was shaking violently, and the rocks and snow had almost reached the bottom.

Realizing how little time we had, I turned to Toon Link, who had left Popo and was running back to me.

"He won't wake up!" the blonde boy gasped between sobs. "He won't wake up!"

I knew Popo was most likely dead, so I grabbed Toon Link's hand, the avalanche so close if we stayed still one more second we'd have no chance of survival. "We have to go." I began running, Toon Link dragging behind me at first but eventually running alongside me.

"What about the others?" he had to shout to be heard over the cacophony that was raging. "Where are they?"

"I don't know!" I yelled, leading my small ally to the edge of the island. "We'll find them later! We need to get off of this island NOW!" With that, my ally and I waded into the ice cold water at the edge of the island.

Earlier, when we traveled between islands for the first time, we discovered that the water wasn't as deep as it looked in some parts. I could traverse between islands and only wet halfway up my calves. The water was deeper for Toon Link and the other children, since they were shorter, so me, Link, and Pit had all decided to carry our children allies across, Link taking two of them while me and Pit carried only one.

Since the water was deeper for Toon Link, he was walking slower than I, so I quickly scooped him up to pick up the pace. Running and clutching the blonde boy tightly, I bolted for the island right in front of me, not caring where we ended up, as long as it was safe from the avalanche.


Link, District 7

"Where do you think they are?" Ness was talking to Lucas nervously as they walked next to me. We had made it off of the mountain island, but were separated from our allies in the process. Now we were traversing a strange island, if you could even call it an island. We were inside a maze of caves. Dark, stuffy, cold. The light that we saw by was so dim you'd think there was none, but just enough to see where we were going. Huge, rough stalactites and stalagmites towered around us as we plunged deeper into the maze.

"Link?" I turned to face Lucas, who had a nervous look on his face. "Sh- Shouldn't we get out of here now? I me- mean, it's kind of d- dark in here, and we don't know where the others a- are…" I knew the blonde boy's constant stuttering was caused by fear, though I didn't know what he was currently afraid of. Was it the dark? The tight quarters?

"...Yeah, we're gonna get going soon…" I lied to Lucas and Ness, not wanting them to panic if I told them the truth, that we were lost in this gigantic maze.

"Ok," Lucas nodded, still looking around us nervously.

I didn't blame him. The light was so dim, I could barely see a few yards in front of me. "Stay close." I beckoned them closer to me so I wouldn't lose them. I would try backtracking to find where we had entered the caves, but I wasn't entirely sure we weren't followed off of the mountain island. By who, I didn't know, I didn't even know if we were actually being followed.

All was quiet as me and the two children trekked silently through the dank caves. I would continue looking behind me, trying to make sure that no one was there, and Ness noticed.

"Link? Why do you keep looking behind us?" The black haired child looked behind us and then back to me.

What was I going to say to get myself out of this one? "Um, I'm just trying to figure out where we are.."

Ness nodded. "Ok." I could tell from his tone of voice he was unsure, though.

"Yes, because the children believe THAT excuse."

I whipped around at the new voice, unsure of who I would see behind us.

But I knew I wasn't expecting to see him.


Zelda, District 7

This forest is bugging me… I inwardly sighed at the problem I'd gotten me and Toon Link into when I ran as far into the first island we came upon as I could. It was a gigantic forest, and as much as I loved the towering trees and the crisp smells, I couldn't shake the feeling that something was… Off.

As me and Toon Link trekked through the forest, unsure if we were going towards our allies or away, my thoughts turned to the first night of the games, in the cave…


My ally was coughing up blood.

"P- Pit?" I stuttered, rubbing the warm liquid in between my fingers. "Wh- what?"

"What do you mean 'what'?" Pit whispered softly. "It is what it is. I'm not going to last long, I can already tell. I'm just glad it's me."

"What do you mean you're glad it's you?!" I was angry now. "You're glad you're dying?!"

"Yeah, I'm glad it's me dying instead of Link." He looked to the entrance of the cave, where we could see my brother and Toon Link standing in the snow, laughing and smiling. "You two are…" He paused for a moment, almost as if the words eluded him. "...Close. I've never seen two siblings closer. I'd hate for that to end." He smiled gently in the dim light, but his eyes were filled with sadness. "I'd rather it be me than him. I'd rather it be me over any of you."

Silence filled the small cave as his words sank ever deeper into my mind. I wanted to remember them, remember his willingness.

"But, I don't want you to die either." I stared at Pit, wanting my words to have as much effect as his did on me. "We need you. You're great with the bow, you're great with the kids. You're a great person, Pit. And to take you from the world before your time, to take any of us from the world before our time, is an injustice and a crime and should be treated as such!"

At my words, which came out much more angry than I thought, Pit fell silent for a moment, staring back at me in the dark cave. Before either of us could break the silence, though, Link and Toon Link re entered the cave, causing me and Pit to silently agree that the conversation was over. For now, anyways.


The memory almost hurt to think about, but I couldn't stop myself. He was almost too willing to die back in the caves, I couldn't help but wonder what his life back in District 11 was like. Who were his parents? Did he have any siblings? Why was he so ready to die for us and to never see his District, his family again?

I didn't know, and I almost didn't want to know.

Shaking my head to clear my mind, I focused back on the direction me and Toon Link were walking.

"Are we lost?" Toon Link broke the silence, and I gave him a small nod.

"Yeah, but don't worry. We'll get out of here soon." I didn't tell him that if we didn't find the others soon, we would most likely die of starvation or dehydration. Link had all the supplies in his bag.


Pit, District 11

There was a light. I don't know why it was there, or how, but there it was. It glimmered softly in the darkness, calling out to me. For what, I didn't know. All I knew was the light looked so peaceful and brilliant, it would be wrong to not go towards it. Yet, it would also be wrong to approach, so I sat in the darkness, watching from afar, not knowing what I should do.

Mom would know. If she were there, she would tell me if the light is a safe haven or a forbidden thing, untouchable and unattainable. She would tell me what to do. And then, all of a sudden, she was there.

"Mom?" I questioned, watching as the lady with long, flowing green hair and emerald eyes smiled gently at me.

"Of course I'm your mother, Pit! Has a few days away from me really completely erased the memory of me from your mind?" She laughed cheerily, immediately bringing my spirits up. Her laugh was so bright, she could clear the storm clouds on a rainy day. Everything about her was bright, her laugh, her smile, her eyes. Even her name was bright, Palutena.

"What should I do?" I asked, looking from my mom to the light and back again.

"Oh, Pit!" My mother laughed again. "The light is a precious thing. It is both reachable and unattainable. It wouldn't be wrong to approach, but it also wouldn't be wrong to stay here. For, you see, the light is here as a choice. Stay? Or go?" She gestured with her hands back at the light, asking what I'd choose.

"What's the difference?" I was getting more and more confused with each second that passed.

My mother smiled again, but this time, it was filled with sorrow. "In the light, there is peace. But there is no one there who is still alive. You are being given the choice, because, well, you're dying. Do you go back to the Hunger Games? Or escape now?"

Now I was almost ready. I almost knew what each entailed and which choice was the better. All I needed to clear up the rest was one question, the answer to which would decide my fate.

"What about you?"

My mother laughed quietly. "I am alive. I am not in the light, so if you go, I will not be there." She slowly started backing away from me. "Choose."

I didn't need anything else. Even though I'd probably die, and the Games were nothing but a huge torture chamber, if my mother knew I just gave up, it would crush her heart.

"I choose to go back."

And a smile, the warmest, saddest smile ever, graced my mother's lips.

"As you wish."


AN - Shortest chapter yet? I think so XD Sorry to all who wanted more, you'll just have to wait! And sorry for the long wait, school is the most horrible thing ever XP

And to those who don't understand the whole Pit scene at the end, all will be explained soon! And I know, Palutena is Pit's mother?! Well, I wanted her to be. Besides, Link and Zelda are siblings, Ike and Marth are brothers, and Mario and Peach are married! You should know by now I like doing stuff like that XD

Speaking of Peach, the whole Marth situation should be explained next chapter (hopefully!)

I just realized, we're still only on day two of the games! All that happened in two days! O.o

And congrats to all who saw that reference in the very last line! The Princess Bride is one of my most favorite movies EVER! If you didn't catch it, then sorry for referencing stuff you don't care about! XD

Review responses:

OrangeStreakedStar- Yeah, sorry about the cliffhanger! And yeah, it's an avalanche! Uh ohhhh XD

Zelda Charm- And it shall be the death of me as well. And yay! I was hoping the chapter would be emotional, that's what I was going for! :D And yesss, everything I write, there's at least two or three things I wasn't planning on putting in originally but they worked their way in somehow XD And the whole Peach/Marth thing will (hopefully) be continued on next chapter! And I know, I'm so upset that she's cheating on Mario! He's been nothing but kind to her (I assume? Never really went in depth on that XD)