Author's Disclaimer: I do not own Super Smash Bros or any of the characters involved in it. I am earning no profit from this story, other than the enjoyment of writing it and sharing it with others! I hope you all enjoy reading it!
The rest of the evening flew by. Link did his best to introduce his queen to everyone in the mansion, including the people he didn't get along with. By the time the duo went to bed, Queen Zelda's head was filled with so many names, she doubted she'd ever learn them all.
The next morning, Link patiently waited for Queen Zelda to get herself ready before they both went down to breakfast. Young Link impatiently gestured for Link to sit down when they arrived. "Zelda's getting out today," he stated.
"How do you know?" Link asked.
"I had a vision," Shulk said quietly.
Link narrowed his eyes. "I see."
"Link, come on," Pit began, "Shulk told us what happened. He was trying to do what was right for everyone here."
"He could've told me," Link muttered.
"I understand your anger," Robin began. "But-"
"I don't want to hear it," Link interrupted. "You were part of that decision as well."
"So was Zelda," Young Link stated. "You going to be mad at her too?"
Link hesitated. "I...I…" he shook his head.
"Then why be mad at Shulk and Robin?" Pit asked. "That's not fair!"
"Zelda will need support after getting out of the torture room," Link said. "That is all."
"And if she didn't?" Cloud questioned. "Could you be mad at her then?"
Link didn't reply.
"Look, I get why you're mad," Pit said gently. "But you need to let it go at some point, alright?"
"Am I missing something here?" Queen Zelda asked.
"It is of no concern to you, my queen," Link muttered.
"Well, I want to know," Queen Zelda insisted.
"...Very well," Link sighed.
"Here, I'll explain," Shulk offered.
Link scowled, but didn't object.
"Okay, so first thing's first, I can...see the future sometimes," Shulk began. "Or, the future that will come to pass if I don't do anything about it."
"Woah," Queen Zelda breathed.
Shulk nodded. "Yeah. So, anyways, I call these futures my 'visions.' I had a vision of you arriving at the mansion. I also had a vision of us carrying out our plan of attack before you got here, to save you from having to come here, and watched us fail. I didn't tell Link, or anyone except Robin and Zelda, about either of those visions. I knew we had to wait for you, because if we didn't we'd be doomed to fail. So, after your fight yesterday, I told Link about it because I thought he deserved to know."
"Which was clearly a terrible mistake," Cloud added.
"No, it wasn't," Shulk objected. "I'd do it again. He deserved to know. And, I get why he's so angry."
"It's just a shame he's so good at holding grudges," Young Link quipped.
Link rolled his eyes in annoyance.
"He's just overprotective," Queen Zelda said with a smile.
Suddenly, the dreaded alarm bells began ringing. As usual, everyone bowed. "It must be Zelda getting released," Young Link whispered excitedly. "It's too early for a fight."
Shulk nodded. "The clock in my vision read 9:02."
"What does that clock say?" Toon Link asked, staring at the clock face. He still didn't understand how to read it, even though Zelda had explained it to him at least thirty times.
"9:02," Palutena confirmed.
Toon Link smiled.
Master Hand appeared in a flash, effectively ending any further conversation. "Zelda's conditioning has been completed. You may visit her in her room. Dismissed." He snapped away.
Link stood. "Come, my queen. We must make sure Zelda is alright."
Queen Zelda shook her head. "I think I'll stay here."
Link was taken aback. That was very unlike the Zelda he knew. She always wanted to help everyone. "Well...if that is what you want, my queen. But unless you command me otherwise, I'm going."
Queen Zelda didn't say anything further. She pursed her lips and turned away from her knight.
"Link, you coming or not?" Young Link demanded, already waiting at the bottom of the stairwell with the rest of his friends.
"I'm coming," Link decided, hurrying to the stairwell.
Zelda's room was on the second floor, which meant she'd been in the mansion for a long time. It didn't take long to make it to her room. Young Link stood in front of the doorway when they arrived.
"Alright. Link, Cloud. You've been in there before. You know what they do. Everyone else, you've got no idea," Young Link began. "She's not going to trust us right away. You just have to stay calm, and don't get frustrated. Help her realize we're not going to hurt her. She's only been in for a day, so she shouldn't be hurt that bad. If she doesn't want to do something, don't make her do it. Got all that?"
Everyone nodded.
"Good. Follow my lead." The young Hylian opened the door gently.
Zelda was sitting up in her bed, a haunted expression on her face. Terror filled her eyes when the door opened and everyone walked in. She held up her hands, flames weakly sputtering between her fingertips. "I'm warning you!" she exclaimed. "Don't come any closer!"
Toon Link looked like he wanted to cry. He took a step forward. Link grabbed his shirt and pulled him back.
"It's us, Zelda," Young Link whispered. "It's us. For real. It's done. It's over."
Zelda's eyes flickered with emotion. She looked like she wanted to believe the young hero. Like she wanted to believe she was safe. But that something was telling her not to. "Don't come any closer," she whispered again.
"Zelda," Link began. "I-"
"No!" she snapped, locking eyes with him and flinching. "Don't you start in on me! Not after what you did!"
Link was stunned. He knew it wasn't real, whatever she thought he'd done. But that didn't keep the words from hurting any less.
"Put your hands down," Cloud said gently. "We're not here to hurt you. Everything's just fine. You're out of there."
Zelda hesitated. She slowly lowered her hands, but the fear did not leave her eyes. "Prove it," she whispered so quietly Link wasn't certain she had actually spoken.
"What?" Cloud asked.
"Prove it," she said again, louder this time. "Tell me something only you would know."
"Well, that's easy," Pit shrugged. "Just think of some random fact from her adventure she told us."
Young Link shook his head. "No, it has to be more than that. Master Hand knows us better than we know each other. It has to be some conversation you had with her. Something you've never told anyone. Something only you and her would know."
All the fighters in the room stared at the ground, desperately trying to think of something like that. Some special moment they had shared with Zelda.
"We could tell her about the orbs again," Shulk suggested quietly, so she couldn't hear. "Only we'd know that."
"That'd only alarm her," Cloud objected. "It'd make her think Master Hand knows."
Shulk sighed.
"Have hope," Link whispered to himself.
"Well, yeah," Young Link agreed. "But what does that have to do with this?"
"Zelda, listen to me," Link begged, ignoring the question. "I don't know what crime you think I've committed. But you asked us to prove it was really you."
Zelda glared at Link, the fear in her eyes completely gone, replaced instead with a primal kind of rage. But she didn't interrupt.
Link continued, reminding himself the look in her eyes was not really meant for him. Whatever she thought he did, he hadn't done. "Remember when you and I talked a few months ago? You explained to me that I didn't always have to be strong."
The anger began fading from Zelda's eyes. Her lips parted in surprise. "Yes. Yes, I do remember that."
"And the next conversation we had? A few nights later?"
"Yes. I explained hope to you."
Link nodded. "I need you to have hope now. You're done with your punishment. You're out of that room."
Zelda smiled. "Thank you, Link."
"Well, aren't you two sappy?" Cloud laughed.
"I didn't know you had so many secret conversations," Young Link sneered.
Zelda rolled her eyes. "Oh, get over it."
"Can we come in now?" Toon Link asked quietly.
"Oh, yes!" Zelda agreed. She spread her arms out. "Come get in here!"
Toon Link laughed and raced into the princess's embrace.
"I am glad you're alright, Zelda," Link sighed contentedly.
"I am too," Zelda agreed.
Pit pushed Link towards her. "Don't just stand here! Go hug her or something!"
Link needed no further persuasion. Ignoring Young Link and Cloud's teasing, he almost ran to Zelda's side. He grasped her hand tightly. "I missed you," he whispered.
"I missed you too," Zelda replied.
The pair spent a few more seconds staring into each other's eyes before Young Link coughed loudly. "Link's not the only one who came to see you, you know."
"Yes. Yes, of course," Zelda agreed quickly. She let go of Link's hand, albeit reluctantly, and beckoned everyone else into her room. They spent several more minutes crowded around Zelda's bed before she decided she was rather hungry.
"I haven't eaten in…" she trailed off.
"A day," Shulk finished for her. "It's been a day."
"Has it?" the princess questioned. "It felt like it was so much longer…"
"It always does," Young Link sighed.
"What are we all waiting for?" Pit demanded. "Zelda's hungry! Let's go!"
Zelda laughed. "Wouldn't want to keep you waiting, Pit." Everyone filed out of her room and headed downstairs. Zelda and Pit grabbed food from the refrigerator, but no one else felt like eating. Even so, they all sat around the princess and talked amongst themselves, happy to have her back.
After several minutes of petty smalltalk, Link decided he needed to know something. "Zelda?"
"Yes, Link?" she replied.
"What did I do to you in there?" Link asked. "You seemed more angry at me than any of the others."
Zelda bit her lip. "Oh. Well." Her eyes scanned everyone who was listening to her, then dropped to her lap. "I'd rather not say. At least, not in front of everyone else."
"It can't be that bad," Pit insisted.
"And whatever it was, it wasn't real," Cloud added.
"I know," Zelda sighed. "But it's not what Link did that I don't want to say. It's what I did."
"Whatever you did, it won't change what I think of you," Link promised.
Zelda laughed. "I'm not worried about your forgiveness! It's...it's...never mind. I'd really rather not say."
"Oh, come on-" Young Link began.
"If she doesn't want to, she doesn't have to," Link interrupted.
"Fine," Young Link decided.
"Link!" someone called.
Link turned around. Queen Zelda gestured for him to come to her. She was seated next to Peach and Daisy.
"I must be going, I'm afraid," Link sighed. "My queen commands me to join her."
"See you later, Link," Zelda replied with a smile. "Will you be joining us for dinner?"
"If my queen allows it," Link answered. With that, he got up and went to Queen Zelda. He bowed before her, nodding to the other two princesses present.
"Rise," Queen Zelda commanded.
Link stood up.
The queen looked at Zelda. "How is she?"
"She will be fine, my queen," Link answered.
"Good, I was worried," Queen Zelda sighed. "You were up there a long time."
"What do they do in that room?" Princess Daisy asked curiously. "I know you've been in, Link."
"You have?" Queen Zelda questioned.
"I have indeed, my queen," Link confirmed. "But I'm afraid I cannot tell you what goes on in that cursed place. Telling you would only get all four of us put in there."
"Shame," Daisy sighed.
"It must be truly terrible," Peach said. "I've seen the way Young Link acts when he gets out. If it can shake even him, I know I don't want to ever go anywhere near that room."
"You're telling me," Daisy agreed.
The princesses and the queen continued their friendly conversation for several more minutes. Link quickly grew bored, his eyes constantly wandering back to where his friends were seated. "My queen," he interrupted after a while. "Is there a reason you brought me over here? Is there anything I can do for you?"
Queen Zelda looked taken aback. "No, there isn't, Link. I simply wanted you here. Before you came to this mansion, that was reason enough. Has that changed?"
"N-no, of course not, my queen," Link stammered.
"Good," Queen Zelda said. "Now, may I continue my conversation?"
"Of course, my queen," Link replied. He stared at the floor, ashamed of himself.
Daisy and Peach looked slightly disturbed by the queen's answer, but they didn't press the matter. Link spent the rest of the day by his queen's side. He listened to countless ridiculous conversations about fashion or plants or other things that Queen Zelda liked, but he couldn't care less about. He grew frustrated the longer he was forced to listen. Frustrated with her for keeping him, and frustrated with himself for caring. He shouldn't care. He'd never cared before. But before, he'd never had any place he'd rather be.
When dinner came, Zelda approached Link and his queen with a friendly smile. "Link, would you like to come eat with us?"
"May I, my queen?" Link asked hopefully.
Queen Zelda considered the request. "Is that what you want, my knight?"
"It is, my queen," Link replied. "But if it is not what you want, I will not go."
"...No, it's alright," Queen Zelda decided. "Go with your friends. But come find me when the meal is over, alright?"
"As you wish, my queen," Link promised. Then he turned to Zelda and allowed the princess to lead him back to where the rest of the gang was waiting.
"She let the dog off its leash," Young Link snickered. "How nice."
"That's enough, Young Link," Zelda scolded.
"Just saying," Young Link shrugged. "You seem ridiculously eager to do whatever she says."
"Of course I am," Link scoffed. "She is my queen."
"And we're stuck in this mansion where that means absolutely nothing!" Young Link reminded him.
"But it will," Link retorted. "Once we get out of here and return to our worlds, it will mean something."
"But it doesn't right now," Young Link pointed out. "If you don't want to do what she says, don't do it."
"I can't just ignore orders!" Link exclaimed. "No matter what I want, I can't disobey my queen. I'd lose my position as her knight. Then what? I couldn't get a job anywhere else. I don't know how to read, how to farm, how to do anything else except fight. If I lose this job, my life would be over."
"So, you admit that you don't want to do what she says?" Cloud concluded.
"I said nothing of the sort!" Link objected.
"But that's what you meant, isn't it?" Shulk asked.
"It is not," Link said with finality. "I didn't come here to argue with you all."
"Yes, you're here to enjoy your limited amount of freedom," Young Link laughed.
"Enough about this," Zelda ordered. "Link's made his decision. We don't need to bother him about it."
Young Link rolled his eyes.
The rest of dinner passed as usual. Much talk was made about their impending escape and what they'd do after they got out. Most of this conversation was a repeat at this point. They'd been through it so many times, but no one ever got bored of talking about it. It always felt like saying it out loud would make it come faster.
But for the first time, Link wasn't quite as excited for leaving this place behind. Yes, he wouldn't miss the fights. Of course he wouldn't miss the torture room. He certainly wasn't going to be missing the stupid outfits he had to wear. But tonight he made a realization. Once they all got out and returned to their respective worlds, that would be it. They'd never see each other again. Perhaps Palutena could visit, since she was a goddess. But maybe not. She hadn't ever visited other worlds before. Maybe she just couldn't.
Link's imagination didn't take long to figure out the next obvious conclusion. Once he got out of here, he'd never see Zelda again. His life would become what it had been before, which wasn't much to look forward to. Following the Queen of Hyrule around all day, never giving his opinions on anything that was said. Never being addressed, except for in private. Link wasn't quite sure how he had ever enjoyed that. Well, 'enjoyed' wasn't the right word. More like 'tolerated.'
Perhaps it was because of his memories. Without any recollection of anything besides his time as a silent knight, Link wasn't sure what else he even was. He'd always assumed that was who he was meant to be. Who he'd been before. But what if he was wrong? What if following his princess around all day wasn't what he enjoyed doing? The only triggers he'd had access to where the pictures taken on the Sheikah Slate, which Queen Zelda had always had with her. As such, the memories he'd recovered all had something to do with her. But what if that wasn't all that had mattered to him? What if he had had other friends, like the Champions?
Link shook his head quickly. What had been didn't matter. For right now, the best thing he could do was focus on getting out of this mansion. After this mess was behind him, maybe he could figure out his life and his memories.
"...Link? Are you alright?" Zelda was saying.
"What? I mean, yes. I'm fine," Link answered quickly.
"Doesn't look fine," Young Link noted.
"I was just...thinking," Link replied. That wasn't a lie.
"Leave that to Robin, Shulk, and Zelda," Cloud suggested.
"I think I shall," Link sighed.
"You're sure you're alright?" Zelda asked.
"More than alright," Link said. He offered her a small smile.
"I didn't know he could do that, did you?" Young Link whispered to Cloud.
"What? Smile?" Cloud whispered back. "Me either."
"Shut up," Pit hissed.
"I do hope you know we can hear you," Link stated.
"I was counting on it," Young Link replied.
Zelda rolled her eyes.
"Are you done eating, Link?" Queen Zelda asked, walking up behind her knight. As she approached, not one of the people seated smiled.
"Yes, my queen," Link replied. "I was...just leaving now."
"Let him stay!" Toon Link begged. "Why does he need to go?"
"It's his job," Queen Zelda answered easily. "And he likes following me around. Don't you, Link?"
Link hesitated.
"Do you want his opinion? Or simply the word 'yes?'" Young Link spat.
"Young Link!" Zelda gasped. "Don't talk like that!"
"I can do whatever I want, thank you very much!" Young Link exclaimed. "Now you listen to me, 'Your Highness.' Do you know who I am?"
"A stubborn child?" Queen Zelda guessed.
Young Link smiled. "The Hero of Time. I'm sure you've heard of me."
The queen took a step back, quite obviously stunned. "You? The Hero of Time?"
"That's me alright," Young Link confirmed. "Which is why you're going to listen to me. I never got anywhere doing things because people told me to. I did things I thought were right. So, maybe you should offer your knight the same courtesy. Maybe you should give him a chance to do what he wants. And, unless you want me saying this real loud, bend over. I know something you don't want shared."
Queen Zelda knelt down so Young Link could whisper into her ear. He whispered something, her expression becoming more and more stunned. Then he pulled away from her. "That is something you cannot force. Take it from me. I knew someone who tried, and it did not end well."
The queen stood up again, looking rather shaken. She turned to Link. "You can do whatever you like. But...but if you want to see me, I'll be in my room."
"Are you certain, my queen?" Link questioned.
"No, but...that's alright," Queen Zelda decided. She smiled sadly. Then she turned and walked away.
Young Link smirked.
"What did you do to her?" Cloud asked.
"What did you say?" Pit questioned.
"Secrets I promised not to share, I'm afraid," the young hero replied. "But you're off your leash, Link. Feel free to thank me."
"Thank you," Link complied.
"Well, it's time for Toon Link to go to bed," Zelda announced.
"But I'm not tired!" Toon Link argued.
"We go through this every night," Zelda sighed. "Come on. You're welcome to argue with me on our way to your bed." She got up and left the table. Completely annoyed by the thought of going to bed, Toon Link jumped up after her and rushed to her side, giving explicit reasons as to why he shouldn't have to sleep. Zelda nodded along as she walked.
"He falls for this every night," Young Link snickered. "It's kind of sad, honestly."
No one else felt like staying up much longer. After dinner, there wasn't really anything else to do. They all said good night and headed up to their respective rooms.