Chapter 25: Appetizer
"That place I was talking about is not all that far from here," Peach said excitedly, already pulling Roy in the right direction. Her index finger pointed at the harbor further up ahead where the restaurant was located. The building did not look too inviting with its flaked off color and the letters on the sign barely readable but the princess was not discouraged.
The place was actually rather cozy, but a bit darker than you would have expected of something of Peach's choice. There were few windows that were not large enough for Pichu to squeeze his head through and they were all covered by thick curtains. No money had been spent on lamps, instead there were lanterns hanging from the ceiling, radiating an ominous yellow light that colored golden streaks along the silhouettes of the guest and the black shadows seemed to dance with the flicker of the lights.
"Is that ebony," Roy said breathlessly when they seated themselves at a round table by the wall.
There were a handful of tables like their own, the seats separated back to back into square booths. The red couch was shaped like a new moon where the dark wood was taking up the space created between the two shapes.
"It is simple hardwood and some black paint," Marth snorted and waited for Peach and Roy to sit down next to Samus and Link before he let Zelda take a seat before him.
"It's nothing too fancy," Peach said shyly and glanced uncertainly at Marth.
"I sure hope so," Samus said. She had already inspected the other customers to get an idea of the price class of the place. There were no sign of bugs or cracks in the wood, no rotten or moldy smell or broken glass.
"Let's wait until we've seen the menu, all right?" Roy said, still being the only one really making an effort for everyone to get along.
"Menu, huh?" a raspy voice grunted and a couple of leather-covered menus were thrown down on the table. The hard landing caused the pile to decompose and the menus flew across the wooden surface. Marth looked quite unimpressed.
A large man, tanned and weather-beaten, scratched his white beard while chewing on his own saliva. His unnaturally pale blue eyes moved from one to the next, sneering when his gaze moved over the two princesses in their summer dresses.
"Thank you," Link said darkly and leant across the table for one of the menus. The old sailor, one would have to assume that he was, made a grunting noise when catching the Hylian's stare and grudgingly drew back to leave them alone to settle their order.
"My, how charming," Peach broke the silence and giggled just a bit too loud.
Samus and Link each took a menu, Samus shaking her head when she noticed that Link from behind it was watching Marth hand one to Zelda.
"What are you having?" she asked.
Link stared at her and then at the menu. "Oh, ah, I don't really know."
He skimmed through the list of main dishes, finding that the prices were not outrageous but an expense he could surely be without. "You know, Samus," he said. "Pick whatever you want and I think I'll be fine with a glass of water."
Samus turned around in her seat so that her whole body faced him. He really could not miss the arched eyebrow that way.
"I can pay for myself."
"I know. I just want to. Anything else wouldn't feel right when…" Link trailed off and threw a glance in the direction of Marth and Roy. "You shouldn't have to settle for less than the other girls."
"That's sweet but I really don't mind paying. I think I'll be happier with a date that can move rather than one dying of starvation."
"No offense, but I can handle a couple of days without food."
"No offense, but so can I."
Link sighed and Samus put an elbow on the table and dared to smile. "I pay."
"I can pay," Zelda suddenly cut in. She lowered her menu and for a brief moment looked quite baffled herself for her words. It passed so quickly it could just have been one's imagination and then she stretched out an offering hand for her two friends.
It had come quite out of the blue. Neither Samus nor Link would have thought that any of the others were actually listening to a word they were saying to each other. What was quite clear from this turn of event was that it was not welcomed. The red color that Link's face took on traveled up his long ears and he could not even bare to look at Zelda after his pride had taken such a blow.
"Really, Princess Zelda," Marth said and pressed down her outstretched hand. "When obliging to be mine for an evening, I would be ashamed to have you spend a nickel. If you feel that you absolutely must look after your associates, I can pay."
Samus did not for a millisecond believe that Marth expected Link to even consider his offer. It was obvious to everyone, perhaps even to Zelda, that the Hylian hero was truly embarrassed that the princess felt it necessary to handle his expenses. To be indebted to the man he hated more than anyone else in the world was even more unthinkable and the mere thought of it a grave insult.
"No, thank you," Link said though gritted teeth.
"He is polite," Marth said to Zelda.
"Truly," Zelda agreed wile worryingly watching Link across from her. "I am so sorry, Link. I if anyone should know that a girl can always count on you. You have always made sure by your own efforts not to disappoint and I have always admired you for that."
Her praise did not seem able to pierce his dark feelings, something that Samus found remarkable. It was not often Zelda would use such sugarcoated words. She might be polite and careful not to insult but never one to actually flatter. She would have expected Link to be ecstatic over such a rare occurrence.
"Let's drop this whole conversation," Samus said and put a hand on Link's shoulder.
The silence fell like a curtain and just then their waiter limped over to them, making a whole lot of noise when dragging his big body over to their table.
"What're ye havn'?" he slurred and observed a fly that buzzed around one of the lanterns.
"Pardon?" Marth said with a tone that would suggest that this man was just behind Link on his black list.
The old sailor made a chewing sound and it did not seem very likely that he would repeat himself which would have been the least he could do if he did not plan on improving his manners.
"We'll have the steak," Roy said. He could feel Marth's icy aura crawling over his back and did not want to give this waiter any more room to give an even worse impression.
"Steak," the waiter parroted like a caveman.
"Right, two steaks," Roy repeated since he could not claim to trust that this man could singlehandedly figure out the number of steaks that had just been ordered. He did not even write anything down. "You did want the steak, didn't you, Peach?"
"Yes, the steak will be fine. Rare, please."
"Oh, and I want mine well done."
"No sauce for me, please."
"I would not mind some extra sauce."
The waiter rolled his eyes.
Next up to order were Marth and Zelda but it looked like Marth needed a minute or two to overcome the sheer dislike for this person. That the waiter could not stop chewing did not seem to improve the situation. Marth looked over at Zelda and then had to accept that he would have to ignore his desire to make sure that this place closed down within the next hour.
"Two sirloins cooked en brochette, please, but remove the garlic and add onion and mushroom. Make sure that there are only red peppers, absolutely no green ones. The pieces of meat may not be too big or hard to chew either."
The waiter made a sound and a nod while staring at the wall.
"Beef… on skewers," Marth explained despairingly.
He got the same response.
"And fer ye?" the waiter grunted and cliqued his tongue when he turned to Link and Samus.
"Water for me."
"Same here."
"Yer drinks after yer meal," the waiter said, his eyes blackened out by the shadows below his thick eyebrows.
"That's all we're ordering," Link told him.
"Drink at 'eh bar or leave."
"We just want water," Samus persisted.
"If ye ain't eatin', Missy, I'll throw ye out," he said. His raspy voice was so low and mumbling that one could hardly make out the words. "We don't serrrve water."
"Just order something," Roy whispered.
"Cucumber sounds good."
"I could die for some watermelon."
The waiter did not move. His giant form towered over them while the shadows moved over him from the left to the right and back again. The squelchy sound of him chewing on nothing started over again and the anxiety rose within them.
"Drinks?" the waiter said.
"Sparkling water for the two of us, please."
"One cider and one soda, please."
"Water."
"What about dessert?" Peach suddenly said and all eyes fell on her.
Supporting his weight on his right leg the old waiter moaned when he turned his bulky body around and limped away with their menus. Every time his weight fell back on his good leg it sounded like somebody had dropped a sack of potatoes. A page fell from one of the menus but he did not bother to pick it up. No one could feel truly at peace until the sounds had stopped and the waiter had disappeared into the kitchen.
"Real smooth, Peach" Samus said and crossed her arms.
"I'm not the one who thought that it would be all right to only order water," Peach countered and tossed with her ponytail that was so long it smacked Link in the face. Peach did not notice, and regarding who it was, it was unlikely that she would feel very sorry. When performing her little dismissal however, she had ended up awkwardly close to Roy which had not been her intension.
Link inhaled and gazed at the ceiling with narrowed eyes when Peach leapt away from Roy and knocked into his shoulder. While the two nobles began to apologize over and over to each other he glanced over at Zelda and Marth that did not seem to be aware of each other.
"I can't believe he just ordered for her like that," Link muttered to himself.
"What's so bad about it? I'd be surprised if you haven't done the same thing at least once," Samus replied to his private little comment. He frowned at her so she added: "You old-fashioned people or whatever I should call you just seem to be like that. Like it's some huge important deed of goodness."
"It's common courtesy."
Samus smirked.
"Well, not the way he did it. I watched them –don't look so smug- and he did not say a word to her."
"She did not complain either."
"Because she is too kind."
"Stop raising her to the skies like that," Samus hissed. It came out a bit harsher than she had thought it would but she was getting sick of Link always having to be miserable because innocent Zelda was unable to fathom the intensions of her suitors.
Samus thought that she yet another time saw Zelda's eyes dart to them and back and she made sure that no one was paying attention to them before she spoke again.
"Say, Link," she whispered in his ear. "Have you ever tried to make Zelda jealous?"
"No," Link said in horror and pulled back like she had some kind of disease.
"I doubt it would be difficult for you to find some girl to use."
"Do you hear what you're saying? Use? Like I could ever do that," Link whispered back, and then scowled. "And, no, why would you think that it would be easy to just pick up some girl?"
Samus would not answer that. It was all according to her deductions. Link attracted attention but was probably about as aware of it as Zelda. A probable cause for such ignorance would then be simple human biology but the root to the problem was in this case not significant to the consequences which meant that she did not have to take it into account. She had already thought it through before as well and knew that she could neglect it.
"If you're not up to it you could just ask someone to pose as your girlfriend."
"No."
"I can do it."
Anyone would be affected if someone suddenly cared less about them. Zelda had grown up with Link always putting her first and always returning to her side no matter what. After being spoilt with such devotion and admiration it would be very strange if she did not react when Link suddenly went off snuggling with some other girl. In addition, Samus had already begun to notice that Zelda was worried. The princess was hard to read but due to her perfected demeanor the details stuck out if you had a good enough eye to catch them.
"No, sorry, but no."
"I'm hurt." Samus was not disheartened, nor hurt, and Link would probably not think so either. The thing here was that if something held Link back from a trying new path to Zelda's heart it could only mean that something was at risk, since he was so overly cautious when it came to her and their relationship.
"It's not that you're not…" Link said and looked her over like he hoped that she would be wearing the word he was searching for. He did not think that she was ugly, Samus knew that, but it was inevitable that she would be compared. It was not a matter of how beautiful she was, but a matter of how alike Zelda she was.
Samus brushed off his feeble excuse. "You don't have to compliment me."
As soon as she had finished the sentence the couples' conversations were interrupted when they heard the noise of the limping waiter. The way he walked revealed him long before one would normally have noticed somebody making their way over to their table. Partly veiled by the lack of light he looked like a troll heading for them. No more talkative than before, he put down the food in front of them. The remarkable thing was that he did not need to ask them who should be served what and instead remembered it perfectly. Albeit he was slow he proved to be effective in his work.
Once he was gone, Roy and Peach were the only one who had the energy to talk. Marth and Zelda ate methodically while Samus impatiently waited for Link to cheer up. It was fortunate that the sweet taste of the water melon was watery and vague because she was not hungry.
In the end her pity could not defeat her desire to end Link's miseries once and for all. He looked so awfully gloomy in this darkness, like each shadow on his face made him older. She could sense that he would never be fully ready to talk about this and then what point was there in mercifully letting him be?
Samus turned to Link again. At first, the only thing she did was stare stubbornly at him, which had no other effect than Link drawing a sigh and dispassionately looking back into her eyes.
"Just try making her a little jealous."
"I can't," Link whispered as low as he dared and grabbed her upper arms. She felt her biceps resisting his fingertips pressing on her skin. The one who was hurting, though, was not she. "Samus, she was the one who suggested that you and I should go out together. If we were to pretend I can promise you that she would ask you to let her be your maid of honor. I will not be able to go through with it. Anything but to see her rejoice over me choosing another woman over her."
"Link, as much as I like your little goddess she needs a wakeup call, got it? I don't care how painful you think it is."
Samus broke free from Link's grip and grabbed his white sweater. In this tight space he could not struggle free when she pulled him closer and never avoid her determined gaze that had caught a flicker of gold from the fire trapped in the lantern dangling above them.
"I don't want to talk about this anymore, Samus. I won't do it."
It was probably like he said. He would not talk any longer. What would then be the best way to proceed from here? With everything she knew about Link and Zelda taken into account, what could be used to her advantage?
Link filled his mouth with water and swallowed it all in one gulp when he felt something smooth on his thighs. Samus elegantly crossed her legs over his and effortlessly pulled herself onto him. What his countenance showed was an image of terror. There was a faint sound when he drew breath and put down his glass. Her arm slipped around his shoulders and one corner of her mouth hinted at a smile, a devilish and wicked picture consisting only of fiery colors and black in this faint glow of a locked away flame. If Zelda refused to let appearances fall and Link rejected every thought of other women existing, then would it not be right to go over the line until they could ignore it no more?
Samus had to tell herself not to drop the act when she felt his body stiffen. As much as she felt sorry for him she knew that she could not back down. She might have guessed Link's reaction correctly, immobile underneath her and unable to make a sound, but what about the others? Her gaze, unashamed, swept over them. Marth and Roy were quickly disregarded, the former lowering his fork without putting the food into his mouth and the latter staring openly. Zelda eyes darted to the side when they met Samus's and with a steady pace she ate her dinner. It would appear that she had succeeded but to affirm her progress Samus paid Peach some extra notice. Even though the princess's motive had been for Link and Samus to get together she looked near to as horrified as Link. Then she ought to have gone far enough.
Marth's gaze strayed to Zelda who was still with awful correctness repeating the steps it took to bring the last food from her plate to her mouth. Himself, he had lost his appetite but was thankfully nearly done.
"I am trying to eat," the prince spat.
"Be my guest," Samus replied and took advantage of Link's gaping mouth to feed him some cucumber from his plate. The Hylian appeared present in body but not in soul when he obediently chewed the food.
Marth glanced first at Zelda and then at Zelda's plate, noticing that she was almost done and he was quite satisfied himself.
"I have had quite enough of this dreadful place that dares to call itself a restaurant," Marth said crossly when he dramatically stood up and his head snapped in Peach's direction. The princess pulled back at the sight of the prince, stumbling with words that would not have made much sense if they were spoken. She shuddered, overcome by the feeling that every flame would be quenched and die in his presence, leaving them all in darkness.
"I should probably have checked out the place beforehand. I made a mistake," Peach squeaked with blushing cheeks and tried to make herself as small as possible.
"You most certainly did," Marth said and carefully pulled an apathetic Zelda to her feet. "If you will excuse us, Princess Zelda and I will take out leave now."
Link almost came to life again but Roy was the one who got in the way this time around. Before Marth could make his escape, his friend also rose. The silver chain on his jeans chinked when it jumped against his leg and the sound made Marth turn around.
"Marth, don't you think you are coming down a bit hard on Peach?"
The prince looked like he would rather not waste his time answering something of such minor importance, especially when his lady looked like a walking dead.
"It's fine, Roy. I don't really mind it or anything," Peach cut in. She was still convinced that Marth was a refined gentleman, just a bit misunderstood and she would not succumb that easily to prejudice. If she turned out to be that weak it could also have dire effects on Zelda's future. She really wanted to hold on to the thought that he was everything she wished for Zelda.
"Princess Peach," Marth spoke to her directly and the air got thin and hard to breathe, like she was on an alp peak with the cool wind wrapping itself around her. "You are a nuisance."
He would have said more. He would have told her how he despised the way she glanced his way and meddled in his affairs. Her constant sweet words were like disgusting syrup, thick and sticky, trapping you. Words spoken by people like her were merely tools and no more truthful than their smiles. There were few things he disliked as much as such people, putting up a front, pretending to care, because if they managed to change you it would mean nothing else than a victory to them. They could easily move on when they made no progress and leave you behind the walls they had not been able scratch.
"Marth," Roy exclaimed.
"I did not come here because she invited me. In fact, I have no desire to see her at all and the least she can do is to no longer obtrude her charming ideas upon those who does not wish for it."
"Don't you dare accuse Peach. If you did not like the place you should have said so to begin with and not complain after you've eaten and assume you can leave her with the bill."
"Your point?" Marth said with a silky voice.
"You're being rude. Apologize to her this instant."
Marth looked at Samus who was still sitting in Link's lap with her arms wrapped around his neck, then at Zelda before he finally let his gaze land on Roy again.
"Sorry, but no."
The prince put his hands on Zelda's shoulders and turned her around. She followed like a puppet and the pair moved towards the exit, both of them disappearing amongst the guests that were crowding the restaurant and their footsteps too light to pierce the chatter and laughter that were filling up the place.
Samus removed an arm from around Link's shoulder and took the opportunity to lean away from him. It was too fuggy inside with the covered windows and big crowd of people. She could definitely do without the shared warmth from his body and Link's slow recovery included some deep breathing that awkwardly tickled her neck.
"Did he just apologize for not apologizing?" she asked and put her free hand on her hip.
Roy mumbled something, not a single word coherent, while counting the money in his wallet. He would gladly pay for his friend because he knew that Marth would give the money back before the sun had disappeared behind the hills this very same day. In return, he would have him apologize properly to a woman who had always put in her best efforts for his sake and never received the smallest words of thanks.
"Take care of the payment, please," Roy said, staring into the darkness when he put down the money on the table as close to Samus and Link as he reached. He made his way around the table and hurried after the two royalties.
Samus was watching the young lord disappear when she felt something touch her waist. Link had regained enough control to try and remove her from his lap but the second his fingers brushed her he pulled his hands away. Not even he could misunderstand the insinuation of her action and it had made him far too aware of her. She spared him the inconvenience of holding her waist and jumped down from his lap. Her movement had him slam his palms down on the seat and sit absolutely still until she had put enough distance between them. Boy, was he green.
Peach was watching the two of them. Samus would not have cared because Peach was in many ways like Mario in the sense that nothing was ever serious. What could she possibly have to say on the matter? What could she guess? She was like summer, her hair a sunny blonde, her eyes like the brightest blue sky and always wearing dresses that made you think of flowers.
A short lock of her hair curled around her cheek, ending very close to the corner of her mouth that, for once, was not smiling. The hard-set expression seemed to say "distasteful" but Samus knew that Peach would not utter such a word. Peach was the kind that fought you on the surface, harsh but with the intention to change you, never to blame you or look down on you.
"I better hurry after Roy," Peach said and broke the gaze. She looked quite alone and abandoned next to Samus and Link with her new hairstyle and pretty dress but no man beside her. She got up and fled, choosing to evade the look Samus tried to give her and made her way towards the exit. A man came up to hit on her but she slipped past the two strangers blocking her way and disappeared, away from the man and out of Samus's view.
"Let's just leave the money on the table and go."
"Samus."
His hand grabbed a hold of her wrist. She could feel his fingers twitch with uncertainty, as if he was fighting himself whether he ought to touch her at all. Even such an innocent thing was in this moment a thousand times more significant. He cursed with his head down before he fiercely raised it and stared into her eyes.
"What do you think you're doing?" he said, his voice trembling and his chest vibrating with anger. His grip tightened and she judged it to be because of his will to let go. She could recognize it as a quality she herself possessed, to overdo things due to overpowering yourself.
"I guess that I can't say that it does not concern you."
He released her.
"Do what you like, but know this," Samus added. Her lips felt dry because of the lipstick Peach had smeared on them and before she readied herself to finish what she had begun to say she let her tongue moisten them. She ignored ruining the makeup but regretted the awful taste. "I will not stop."
Link tore his gaze away from her mouth, clearly bothered, and she knew him well enough to know that he would not let this go if they so were left behind by their friends.
"Link, I'll be truthful and admit that I would be bored if I had to go through this with you again, especially when the other four are waiting for us. Well, Marth will probably not care but the other three-"
"Fine. We'll go," Link said, his mind already weaving up tales of what Marth might do to Zelda while they were gone.
A blast of sunlight struck them when they came outside. Because the restaurant had been so very dark, the feeling that night had fallen had crept upon them without being noticed. Samus tried to blink away the momentary blindness and the whiteness faded to reveal the nobles waiting for them by the landing of the harbor.
"Oh, Samus, your lipstick," Peach exclaimed upon first seeing her and ripped out a lipstick and a combined compact mirror and powder box from her tiny pink purse. Samus tried to resist her small hands going for her face but in situations like this one Peach was like a mutated octopus with a few extra arms.
"Didn't you just eat a steak?" Samus said and pretended not to notice Peach giving her an annoyed glare because of her moving lips that made it quite troublesome to apply the lipstick. The princess's own lips were shimmering with the light pink color of a Queen Elizabeth rose, hence Samus's question.
"Good quality lipstick can take a dinner, but if you must know I did put some on just before you came."
"If you are ready, my lovely ladies, may I ask where you wish to be taken?" Roy interrupted and approached them with open arms. Peach was quick to abandon Samus and the important task of fixing her looks to discuss this very important subject with Roy. It was too bad that Samus had distracted her during the dinner with her outrageous behavior and caused them to be trapped here with the seagulls until they could decide where to go next.
Marth and Zelda were keeping to themselves, standing just by the edge. There were few boats docked so they were free to observe the fish swimming in the greenish water. Zelda solemnly watched the cracked tires that were supposed to act as protection for the boats that came to moor. The ground was dirty and there was a distinct smell traveling with the brisk air. The sound of the seagulls was like a cackling laugh, cruel and scornful. It really was a depressing place and she did not feel too well either. Yet she loved it.
Link knew that he should not speak a word with Zelda. He should not go near her or intrude in any way. If he got too close it could all end in disaster, but this forbid him from explaining to her that there was nothing between him and Samus.
Samus caught sight of Link's pale face and followed his gaze to Marth and Zelda. He was completely unable to tear his eyes away from the two of them standing with their backs towards them. The wind, traveling unhindered across the water, played with Zelda's blue dress. It was like a painting.
"We're not going anywhere yet," Samus said promptly. "You might have had a good meal but I need a soda or something to last.
Of course she did not need anything but Link looked completely exhausted. It tore on him to endure this and Samus felt that the least she could do was to get him something to keep the energy up. It was all she could offer because it was impossible for her to give up her plan just because she felt sympathy for him.
"I saw a kiosk on the way. I'll just get something for me and Link. It won't take long."
"W-well, okay," Peach said, quite puzzled with why she would have to interrupt her planning with Roy. "I guess we'll just wait here."
The princess gestured at the line of green benches facing the water close to them and Samus took the opportunity to push Link down on the one they were standing next to. He needed to sit down and she gave him a warning look before she spurted off in her tight black dress.
Believe the bounty hunter's disappointment when she found a long line outside the kiosk. After irritably thinking to herself that people really should have bought themselves their morning paper before noon she considered looking for another place. The problem was that even if it should not be too hard to find an energy drink or something to buy she could just as well end up being delayed if she went on a hunt for it, so she took her place at the back of the line.
What made this place so special that people had to get their hot dogs or whatever here and nowhere else? Samus leant to the side to catch a glimpse of today's headlines. She could not remember that the paper had said anything revolutionary when she read it this morning but what else could attract this many people to this kind of place? No, she quickly noted, the front page had big black letters attack her with the information that a new dieting method had been discovered.
It was when she laid eyes on the back of the person in front of her that she first noticed that it was something familiar about it. Bright blue spandex and the picture of a red, white and blue falcon together with a big number seven printed on it blocked her entire field of vision. She tried to take a step back and felt that she should have realized that somebody was already standing in line behind her. With slight annoyance she tried to avoid brushing against the stranger's chest and looked at the muscular back of the man in front of her once more. That red helmet rising over the upturned collar could only belong to one person.
Samus Aran subconsciously checked the neckline of her dress, making sure that no cleavage was showing because it sure was on the verge of it. Before her stood a man who had believed her to be male for as long as they had known each other but if he just turned around now that would irrevocably have to change.
It had always rubbed her the wrong way that no matter how angry she was with him or how many hints had been dropped Captain Falcon had never realized that she was a woman. It made the whole idea of them being friends seem like nothing else but a petty lie and she had always tried to avoid him because of that. Yet she now found that she was clinging to it. She could not bring herself to tap his shoulder because, could it really be? Because she was afraid of how things might change.
The truth could be what put an end to her misery, but it could also put an end to their delicate acquaintance.
"Fancy meeting you here," she said, loud and clear because she had been forced to overcome her own desire to remain unnoticed.
Captain Falcon looked over his shoulder, a short glance like he was uncertain whether he had been spoken to but then he turned around. She was conscious of his gaze moving up her body until it reached her face. The shape of his mouth made his expression quite severe while he studied her features and she wished that he would at least say something after she had manned up and addressed him.
"Don't you have anything to say?" she said, putting her hands on her hips and putting most of her weight on her left foot. Her legs were as far apart as the dress would allow, the tiny slits on the sides of it threatening to tear.
"Uuhm," Falcon said, stroking his chin and the corner of his mouth pulled down to create a grimace of uncertainty.
Maybe it spared her feelings to have him speechless rather than saying something stupid but right know she needed some kind of clue in order to guess where things were to go from here. The way he was ogling her was very unnerving because she could never allow herself to be around him if he suddenly made a move on her. How could she forgive something like that after the way he had made her feel during that car ride when they were following Marth and Zelda? She could still remember how she had dropped her guard and sunken back in the warm seat, listening to his voice.
He could ruin all of that.
"What do you think?" Samus asked and swept with her arm over her body. She disliked asking him because his answer could be just the kind of thing that could make things awkward between them and why should she even want his opinion? Could he not just admit his mistake? Tell her that she without a doubt was a woman? Was it too much to ask for? And then they could go on like before, without secrets.
"You look okay," Falcon said. He was still giving her weird looks and then, as if he realized that he might not have come across as very truthful, gave her a thumbs-up before he noticed that he was first in line and turned around to buy a hot dog with mashed potatoes. "Sorry, Miss," he said before she once again was faced by his back.
Samus stared at the seven on the back of his outfit while he asked to have both mustard and ketchup on his order. Sorry, Miss? Sorry, Miss?
Then it hit her, like thunder from a clear sky. He had not recognized her. He had not stared at her because he thought that she was beautiful and he had not been anxious to speak because of it either. He had just found some strange woman posing in a dress behind him in a queue. A woman who had randomly asked him what he thought about her and whom he had not been more impressed with than to offer a satisfying answer and then quickly escape.
Samus watched him go without looking back at her a single time. Her face felt hot all of a sudden. So she was the stupid one? Why did she always have to feel like a fool when he was the idiot? She must have looked like complete moron to him and she hated it. The shame consumed her. The man handling the kiosk whistled for her to step up and buy something and she did with murder in her eyes.
Peach was very impatient for Samus to return. Roy did not make things any easier because he was not very patient either and all they could do was thus to be impatient together. If she began tapping her foot he mimicked her and if he crossed his arms and blew out some air in annoyance she did as well.
"Samus," Link greeted the bounty hunter and rose from the bench when Samus came marching around the corner with one can of soda in each hand. He had stayed seated the whole time according to her wishes but it had not been enjoyable to watch Zelda and Marth remaining at each other's side the whole time, even if they had not said a word or touched.
Samus thrust a can into his chest and he lost his breath but still managed to grab the drink before she let go of it.
"What's wrong, Samus?" he asked the fuming woman before him and she glared at him in a way that made him surprised that he was not lit on fire. Then she raised her thumb and held it up in front of him like she was going to use it to drill a hole through his body.
"He gave me a thumbs-up," she said darkly and had to take a breath between every word.
"Oh, Samus," Peach called out when she skipped over to her and Link, putting herself in front of the Hylian who had to take a step back. Link did not argue because truthfully he did not know how to handle an angry Samus. "You have no idea how glad I am that you're finally back."
"I was only gone for a few minutes."
"Yes, yes, well, we've decided where to go."
"Where," Samus asked. It was the only way to shorten this conversation.
Peach triumphantly pointed at an outcropping of land further up ahead where the water in-between gave you a clear view of the city extending itself to its shores. Rising towards the sky was a multicolored Ferris wheel and a rollercoaster.
"A funfair," Peach said eagerly.
Having Captain Falcon fall for Samus the second he sees her without the suit is a really funny idea. No, I really do love it but I can never help but to think of the female F-Zero racers when imagining it. They make Samus's Zero Suit look quite modest if I may say so and I guess it just gives me the impression that Falcon ought to be a little… immune to drop dead gorgeous girls. I try to keep in mind that it does not rule out that Samus could be the one that he instantly falls in love with but in this story it would be rather awkward. I think.
Heh, I can't get over how pathetic this chapter actually is. "Oh my! Samus is sitting on me!" and where's the sense in having lanterns hanging from the ceiling? In any case, I needed Samus to take action and then finally have her meet Falcon, eye to eye so to speak.
God, I don't really know what to say about the reviews. I doubt I can be any happier. Everybody who left one wrote a great deal of things. I do not think that I can even begin to express how happy it made me and how much fun I had reading them. I am sorry but whether Samus has a thing for Link or not will have to remain my little secret for now.
Uhm, I might exaggerate Link's size a bit but I hope that you do not mind. Link can be a midget in the games where he is supposed to be a midget. If they make him an adult they should not make him an object to reassure men with a height complex. I want something similar to the jock-nerd dynamic between Link and Marth (well, not exactly like that. Marth is well-built enough to handle a fight and I would rather not have Link with the personality of the stereotypical jock etc.).
Thanks for reading.