Marth knocked on the door of Link and Zelda's castle for the second time in as many days. Except for this time, he didn't pray it would be Link. He hoped it would be Link, of course, but this time, he didn't mind if it was Zelda, because he didn't care what she thought of him. Marth told himself that over and over again. It was a good thing he did, because a moment later, Princess Zelda opened the door.

Zelda scowled and rolled her eyes. "Ugh. Deja vu!"

"Is Link here?" Marth asked, ignoring Zelda's reaction.

"Yeah, but he's sick."

"Sick?" Marth was skeptical. Link never got sick.

"Yeah."

"Well... this is pretty important."

"I guess you can see him."

"Thank you."

Zelda led Marth up the long, winding staircase. Marth thought that the sleek, polished cherry wood railings and white-gold rugs were beautiful, but he still preferred his old, dark, stony fortress to this stained-glass-light-filled castle.

"I didn't know Link even got sick," Marth muttered, almost to himself.

"Oh, it's this crazy story." Zelda turned back and actually half-smiled at Marth. "So, you know King Zant?" Marth nodded. "So, after Link beat Ganondorf in TP, Zant's ghost comes back, and he's all, 'Ooooh, I'm gonna curse you', blah blah blah. So he says to Link, 'Every full moon, you will be cursed to remain a wild wolf', or whatever? And Link's all, like, 'Wow, I really don't care, 'cause I can turn into a wolf anyway', and—"

"Whoa, whoa, whoa, back up. Already turn into a wolf? What?"

"Oh, wow, you didn't know? Zant had cursed Link so that every time he entered Twilight, he would turn into a wolf and couldn't turn human again 'til he rescued a Light Spirit or something. But he broke the curse, so now he can turn into a wolf and back whenever he wants."

Marth's head was reeling. "Yeah. Sure. Okay."

Zelda went on: "So Zant goes, 'Fine. You will suffer on the day of the full moon!' So now he gets sick by day, but the other curse is still retroactive, so he has to be a wolf all night. Ah, here we go."

They had reached Link's room. Link was lying on his back in his bed. He looked like he had the day that his, Marth's, and Ike's swords had been stolen—terrible.

"Link, Marth's here, I'm leaving."

"Hey, Marth," Link said weakly as Zelda left. "What's up?"

Marth looked around. He had never been in Link's room before. It was unremarkable, and very green. Green bed, light green desk, light green walls...

"Hi, Link," Marth said softly. "So, Ike and Pia and I were talking about what the enemies were up to..." Marth proceeded to explain their conversation and findings to Link.

Link was quiet for a minute. "So... you guys think they're gonna try to kidnap us again?"

Marth shrugged. "I don't know. Now we know their plans, at least—hopefully—and they hopefully don't know that."

"Hope, hope, hope," Link sighed. He leaned back.

"I didn't know that you could turn into a wolf," Marth blurted out. He blushed.

Link blinked. "Really? Does anyone else not know? I'd just expect you to know, 'cause you're so smart and all..."

"I didn't know. I don't know if anyone else knows," Marth said slowly.

Link coughed. "Damn that Zant. I don't even mind the wolf thing that much... it's this sick that gets to me. I can't help anyone, can't do anything..."

"Yeah, we were talking about how you're, like, a parental figure to everyone. Like, you're a bit older than Ike, and you're not as reckless, so... you're basically our fallback guy. Like... if all of us failed, you could take over and pretty much win no matter what."

"What exactly do you mean by 'everyone' and 'all of us'?"

"Well... I guess all the younger kids, especially Toon Link. But now that you mention it... I guess Ike and Pit and Pia and I also."

"Yeah... I've got a feeling that the five of us are bonding." Link sat up a bit, wincing. "I guess I never really noticed you or Ike or Pit before... as acquaintances, I guess, but not really... friends."

Marth was quiet for a while. Then, he asked: "What's it like to turn into a wolf?"

Link laughed once. "You're really intrigued by that, aren't you?"

Marth shrugged. "It's intriguing."

"Well... it's kind of cool. I mean, you look down at yourself and... you're just not yourself. And I can't talk. That gets a little irritating."

Marth half-smiled. "Well... I have to go talk to Samus."

"Responsible, aren't you?"

Marth shrugged. "I don't like to let people down."

...

"So, Pit, what do you think they're gonna do?" Pia asked. The two of them were sitting in Pit's small main room. Pia had just told Pit their enemy findings.

Pit brooded. "I guess make another plan. I mean, we definitely know that they're up to something, right?"

Pia nodded.

"Well, I guess we should just be on our guard."

"Pit... you don't think that all this has to do with, like, me coming here, right?"

"Well... Pia, don't feel bad, but I think it might. Then again... Ness was captured before you came... I think Falco said two nights before?"

"Yeah, but I was planning to come beforehand, and they might have found out."

"Hmmm..."

"Thanks for being honest, Pit."

"Huh?"

"You didn't try to downplay it, that it was my fault. I like that. You're honest."

"Oh... thanks."

"Listen, can you call Marth and see if he warned Samus and Link yet?"

"Sure." Pit pulled out his phone and dialed Marth's number.

"Put him on speaker."

Pit looked at her oddly, but pressed the speaker button.

Hello?

"Hey, Marth, it's Pit."

Oh, hi, Pit. Has Pia talked to you yet?

"Yeah, I was calling to see if you've talked to Link and Samus."

Yeah, I just got back from Samus's place. Man, she already wants to stomp back there and find out what they're up to!

Pit and Marth both laughed. "I'd go with her. I love adventures like that—that involve traveling."

Yeah, I just called Ike—he called Lyn and told her. He's on his way to go tell Fox and Falco now.

"Okay, good. Hey—you wanna tell him and Link to come meet Pia and I at Sweet Cream's Ice Cream Parlor?"

Link can't go, he's sick. But I'll tell Ike. By the way... did you know that Link could turn into a wolf?

"Yeah, why?"

Oh... I didn't. Well, bye!

"See ya." Pit hung up and looked at Pia oddly again.

"What?" Pia asked, exasperated.

"I was wondering... Pia, do you have a crush on Marth?"

"Wh-wh... what?"

"I mean... you really like hanging out with him, and you always listen really intently when he's speaking, and..."

Pia felt her cheeks grow hot and tears brim in her eyes. She turned away.

"N-no! Pit, of... of course not! No! Pit, really, I swear on the River Styx, I don't have a crush on Marth." She tried to keep the quaver out of her voice.

I love YOU! She screamed in her mind, making sure Pit couldn't hear.

Pit looked taken aback. "Oh... oh, Pia, I'm sorry. I... I jumped to conclusions. I'm sorry."

Pia inhaled sharply. "It's fine," she said, almost trying to convince herself. "It's fine. I'm okay."

"Would ice cream cheer you up?" Pit grinned. "It would for me."

Pia smiled. "Yeah, you bet.

Pit is so clueless. Anyway, not sure if I mentioned it before, but Pia has a HUGE crush on Pit. Like I do. Please review!