Like I said, I teared up writing this chapter. Ten years of writing fanfiction and I've only teared up one other time, in the 43rd Hunger Games. As Ike would say, prepare yourselves!

Chapter 21: Smiles and Tears

The next day, Ness paid a visit to Master Hand, in search of answers he was dreading. The hand was slumped in his chair—the only place he could seem to be found these days.

Ness told him everything he remembered. Nothing came after the night he defeated Giygas and returned home. What happened? Why did it happen? Was it Pokey's promised revenge or something more?

"No, it wasn't Pokey's revenge," Master Hand said wearily. His voice was thin and ragged. "Your soul took a devastating amount of damage in that final fight, Ness. It was a miracle it was even able to return to your body and exist there for as long as it did."

Ness swallowed away the lump forming in his throat. "So there was nothing I could have done?"

"You did everything you could."

There was a long silence. Ness blinked furiously to hold back the tears. "A-And my family? My…friends?"

"They grieved for you dearly. Dr. Andonuts did everything he could to bring you back. He even attempted to utilize the phase distorter, but it only damaged your body further. In the end, they had to give up."

Master Hand sunk in his chair with a sigh. He said nothing more on the subject. He didn't even offer condolences or well wishes for today's match.

Ness took that as a cue to leave. He thanked the hand quickly and ran from the room. He ran outside, across the mansion's lawn, and down the nearest hill. Only when he was completely out of sight, where no one could see him, did he finally sit down and let himself cry.

Link stayed with Zelda day and night.

But she wouldn't wake up. Her injuries had left her in a comatose-like state. Her face was paler than ever and her hands horribly limp in his. Link didn't know what to do without her. He was more in the dark than ever. His past was lost to him, and it felt like his future was too.

There was nothing he could do but stay with her, willing her to wake up. He longed to see those crystal blue eyes once more. With all his heart, he begged his goddesses to show them to him just one more time.

"Link?"

"Zelda?!" Link shot straight up in his chair, roused from the strange half-sleep he'd been in. He looked to the princess, blinking through his cloudy gaze. For a moment, he thought her eyes had opened. But as the world came into focus, the truth dawned on him.

The soft voice had belonged to Greninja. She stood in the doorway, head tucked with embarrassment.

Link cleared his throat, trying to pretend he hadn't said anything. "Yes?"

"Are you coming to the match? It's starting soon…"

Link gazed down at Zelda, at her still form. He shook his head no.

"I'll come," Robin offered, climbing to her feet. "I'm sick of being stuck in here. I could use some excitement."

Greninja watched the tactician carefully as she passed her by. "Will you be okay to fight tomorrow?"

"I think so. I'll just have to rely on my tomes more than my blade."

Their voices faded as they departed for Battle Central. Eventually, Link was left alone with Zelda, his own thoughts, and the unbearable silence of the hospital wing.

"Where is Villager? She's late," King Dedede complained.

The news of Lucas's departure and the Villager's substitution had reached the entire mansion by now. Not that there were too many left to learn about it. Ness looked at the small crowd in the room, counting heads. Ten—Link and Zelda were not here either. There were so few remaining. It made the room look twice as big as normal.

"There she is," Palutena trilled and everyone turned to the entrance.

Ness's breath caught in his throat. He almost didn't recognize the girl standing in the doorway.

The Villager had combed her hair back into a neat ponytail, tied with a ribbon. A rather expensive-looking crown rested daintily atop her head. Instead of her simple flower dress, she now wore a pretty pink party dress that matched her hair. It had all sorts of frills and lace. Her dark eyes shone brighter than ever, the light of the room practically dancing in their depths.

Somehow they lit up even more when she spotted Ness. She skipped across the room in her Mary Jane's and stopped in front of him, grinning widely and expectantly. Despite her delicate appearance, she still moved with that sort of reckless abandonment she always possessed.

Ness couldn't help but blush. "You…uh…you look cute," he stammered, glancing away awkwardly.

"So do you," the Villager said.

A chuckle slipped from his lips. "I look the same as I always do."

"And you always look cute."

Ness cleared his throat loudly, aware that all of the smashers were watching them with wide eyes. He turned to Meta Knight and King Dedede. "Let's pick a stage," he suggested.

As the four of them went to the computers, Ness quickly grabbed Villager by the shoulder and whispered in her ear:

"Thanks again for doing this, Villager."

She flashed him a thumbs-up. Then the four of them turned their attention to selecting an arena to fight in. Their options had become limited. Meta Knight wanted to go to the Halberd, of course, but Ness and Villager were adamant about going somewhere else. One of the few stages they could agree on was Palutena's Temple. Meta Knight and Dedede exchanged a glance, then nodded. It was a large area, but easy for fliers to navigate.

Before stepping into the transporter, there was a voice inside Ness that went, Wait! I have to say goodbye to Lucas! His heart immediately sunk when he reminded himself of the truth. But among this crowd, there was still someone he really cared about.

"C'mere, boy," he said, dropping to one knee.

Duck Hunt Dog bounded forward and rested his head on Ness's leg, looking up at him with doleful eyes. "You're coming back, right?" he whined.

"I'll do my best," Ness promised.

"He always does!" The Villager bounced up to stand beside him and pat Duck Hunt Dog on the head. "Who's a good boy, Copper? Who's a good boy?"

Duck Hunt Dog's ears perked hopefully. "Is it me?"

"It's you!"

Wriggling with glee, he jumped up, planted his paws on Villager's chest, and covered her dimpled face in licks.

Meta Knight and Dedede watched the exchange from the transporter. "I think I'm gonna be sick," Dedede grouched, sticking his tongue out and pulling a face. Meta Knight said nothing.

Finally, Ness and Villager were ready. The four of them went to their places. As soon as they were inside, there was a rush of air. The mansion disappeared and was replaced with Palutena's memory of her temple. It was a grand temple with many platforms and gushing waterfalls that trickled through the heavens—but the inside of it was laden with traps.

The four of them appeared very far from each other. Up here in the clouds, the sun beat down. Ness stood on the bridge and squinted at his surroundings, eyes searching for a target.

There!

Like a dark shadow, Meta Knight stood out against the bright sky. His demonic wings were silhouetted by the sun, sending dread seeping into Ness's veins. He pulled out his bat and focused his PSI powers.

This is it. Do or die!

As soon as Meta Knight was close enough, he swung the bat, but the knight was prepared. He flapped once, clearing the bat, then dropped onto Ness's head, sword at the ready. Ness rolled backwards, the tip of Meta Knight's blade missing his neck by an inch. For good measure, he let out a surge of electricity that zapped them both.

Ness retreated to one end of the bridge, trying to get some distance. But Meta Knight would not let him. He knew if he let Ness get too far away, he would become powerless against his long-ranged attacks.

"P.K. Fire!" Ness shouted, trying to ward him off. Meta Knight leaped off the bridge and soared to safety. The fire scattered over the bridge, burning into its wood and smoldering. Ness ignored it, turning to see where Meta Knight had gone.

As Meta Knight flew, his eyes searched the skies for Dedede. He caught sight of his red robes disappearing inside the temple. He hoped he was fighting the Villager in there. If not, he was a coward.

Meta Knight veered back towards the bridge, coming up underneath Ness for a surprise shuttle loop. Ness cried out as Galaxia's edge left a long gash on his arm. Specks of blood flew through the air, splattering Meta Knight's mask.

"P.K. Thunder!" Ness shouted, as Meta Knight dropped down in front of him.

The knight rolled backwards to dodge it, landing in the nearby fountain with a splash.

Splish…splash…

Footsteps. Meta Knight whirled around, eyes flashing with alarm.

There stood Villager, her face shadowed by the fountain's overhang. Her eyes gleamed in the half-light—so did the axe in her hand.

She grinned widely at Meta Knight and said in the sweetest voice: "I'm going to murder you where you stand."

CLANG!

Villager swung the axe. Meta Knight just barely managed to block the blow with his sword. The Villager shrieked with laughter as her axe scraped pleasingly against her opponent's weapon. She swung it again. And again.

Meta Knight was forced on the defensive. He struggled to block each axe strike; sometimes he failed, and the sharp blade would bounce off of his armor or leave cracks in his masks—blows that rattled him to the bone. And all the while, the Villager laughed and laughed and laughed…

"To hell with that!" Dedede stammered, once he saw the Villager and Meta Knight locked in their deadly dance. He turned to Ness, since he seemed a much easier and saner opponent.

The boy was still standing on the bridge, stunned at the ferocious battle before him. He snapped out of his trance when Dedede landed on the burning bridge, shaking the entire thing. With a huff, he jumped again and dug his hammer into the ground.

Ness uttered a short yelp of surprise as the bridge collapsed beneath him. He leaped to safety just in time. Bits of burning wood disappeared through the clouds and divided the stage in half. The Villager continued her tussle with Meta Knight inside the temple—that left him and Dedede to battle amongst the trees and waterfalls.

Ness would not let the penguin rest. He was a large target, easy to burn and shock with his attacks. Dedede grunted with pain every time he came into contact with one, but otherwise, it didn't seem to affect him much. He had thick skin. He swung his hammer with vigor, each swing coming closer to hitting Ness and sending him falling to his doom.

"Just…give it up!" King Dedede huffed with another swing and a miss. "We're winning this thing! Dreamland needs us."

"Huh?" Ness was so focused, he almost didn't hear what the king said.

Dedede glared him right in the eye. "Our memories told us our home was destroyed by something terrible. With Dreamland resting on my shoulders, there's no way I'll lose!"

Why did you kill Kirby then?! Ness's mind screamed, but there was no time to voice these questions. King Dedede charged him with a roar. His hammer connected and sent Ness hurtling through the air.

There was no bridge to catch him. As he fell, he attempted to gather himself. Jump! Jump! There was a little flash of light as he managed to turn himself upright and leap back towards the platform. He grabbed the edge of the other side of the stage—not far from where the Villager and Meta Knight were battling for their lives.

"Hope you're enjoying the show!" the Villager crowed to no one in particular. CLANG! She unleashed a hit that sent Meta Knight staggering. In the next second, a Gyroid set off a huge explosion. The knight barely escaped it with his life. The Villager watched him scramble for cover, silhouetted by smoke and flame, howling with laughter.

Ness climbed up shakily. Both teams were evenly matched. Perhaps if they double-teamed one opponent, they would have a chance. Ness tried to gather what little energy he had for a psychic attack.

Then the ground shuddered underneath as King Dedede landed behind him. A huge hand closed around his throat. Ness uttered a short scream, but immediately wished he hadn't.

The Villager turned at the sound. Leaving an opening.

Meta Knight leaped. Galaxia slashed the air.

"NO!" Ness shrieked.

The Villager's body jerked and wavered on her feet. Very slowly, she completed her turn and Ness saw the damage with his own eyes.

With a battle cry, Ness seared Dedede with fire and broke free, deaf to the penguin's cries of pain. He ran at Meta Knight full-throttle, hands sparking with power.

Meta Knight easily hopped over him, landed in front of Dedede, and turned around to face his new opponent.

Ness faced them both, eyes burning with hatred. Behind him, Villager kneeled on the ground, hand pressed to her stomach.

Then a change came over Dedede. He looked down at Meta Knight, whom had his back turned to him. The ends of his beak curled. His grip on his hammer tightened. He brought it up, up, quietly as a mouse. Preparing to bring it down onto his partner's head.

Ness's expression changed to one of shock. A warning for Meta Knight died in his throat. But it didn't matter.

Suddenly, Meta Knight whipped around and flung his little body into Dedede's stomach. The penguin gasped as the air was knocked from his lungs and he stumbled backwards. However, there was no solid ground behind him. The bridge was gone.

For a moment, he was weightless, his arms windmilling frantically. Then he fell backwards. With one hand, he managed to grab the edge. The other hand still clutched his hammer.

There he hung, struggling to pull himself up. His muscles burned. Fatigue was seeping into his entire body. He looked up frantically and his eyes met with Meta Knight's cold gaze.

"Meta Knight!" he burst out, chuckling weakly. "I wasn't—I wasn't aiming for you! I was gonna send that kid to kingdom come! We both were!"

Meta Knight's eyes narrowed disbelievingly. He stepped closer to the edge, looming over the penguin.

"Help me up!" King Dedede ordered, attempting to lift his other arm.

Meta Knight made no move to do so. He let Dedede dangle for a long moment. Then—a flash of gold and red.

"AAAAGH!" Dedede screamed as Meta Knight dug his blade into his hand. He lost his grip. The sword tore through his flesh as he plummeted. Clouds dissipated at his touch. The stage rose up around him, getting farther and farther away as he fell through the heavens.

King Dedede gasped for air, trying to fill his lungs and puff himself up. But it was no use. His body was decorated with wounds. His hand was ravaged. And his energy was spent.

Dreamland would just have to do without him.

"VILLAGER!" Ness shouted, racing to her side.

He didn't care if Meta Knight stood less than twenty feet away, watching coldly as King Dedede fell to his death. All that mattered was that little girl lying curled on her side in the fountain, the water blooming red around her like a rose.

Ness took her in his arms and, as gently as he could, turned her on her back. She was terribly limp and her face was pale as snow. The sight of her wound made his eyes swell with tears.

Meta Knight had carved a deep gash, cutting her open all the way from her right shoulder down to her left hip. Blood leaked forth, soaking her pretty dress. His mind raced with what to do. He wished he had healing powers like Paula, but even if he did, the wound was so deep…

A weak giggle brought him out of his thoughts. "So...warm…" the Villager murmured, shifting towards Ness.

"D-Don't move!" Ness gasped, tears breaking free and trickling down his cheeks. "I can still save you. Y-You're gonna be okay…!"

As he spoke, the Villager's eyes opened. Her shiny eyes were dimmer than ever. Still, she smiled weakly. Ness couldn't bear to look at that smile. The mere sight of it made it feel like his heart was tearing. He turned his attention to the wound, still in denial. Still believing that he could save her.

"TayTay," a voice whispered.

"What?" Ness's eyes returned to the Villager's and her smile widened ever so slightly.

"My name." Her voice wavered. The smile vanished for a brief instant and Ness caught a glimpse of the fear and uncertainty the lie beneath. She blinked back tears. "It's…TayTay."

"TayTay," Ness repeated. A smile quivered on his lips.

TayTay's dark eyes lit with joy, the mere sound of her name brightening them to their former glory. Her lips parted in the sweetest smile. A rivulet of blood seeped between them and rolled down her chin. For a moment, it seemed as if there was something more she wanted to say. But no words came. Only a long, sad sigh.

Then the light in her eyes faded. And so did her smile.