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!
After about fifteen minutes, Robin got the first portal open with Ganondorf's help. It led to the Mushroom Kingdom. The Mario brothers laughed out loud, their time to go home finally upon them. After a few minutes of heartfelt goodbyes to almost everyone in the mansion, they walked through. Peach and Daisy went through next, following after their heroes. Bowser collected his children hurriedly and went through as well. Robin left the portal open. It'd require time to close it, and time was not something they had. The portal would close itself once this world collapsed, since it wouldn't lead anywhere anymore.
Zelda looked at Link sadly. Their time together was coming to a close. Link clutched her hand tightly, lifting his head off the table and staring into his princess's eyes. Zelda squeezed Link's hand tightly, dreading the moment she'd have to let go.
One by one, each fighter entered their own portal. But Zelda and Link remained oblivious to the goodbyes that were whispered to them quietly. Neither wanted to leave the other, but they both knew that staying together was impossible. Zelda had a kingdom to run, and Link had a queen to protect.
Eventually, staying strong grew to be too much for Zelda. Tears leaked from her eyes, and she looked away, ashamed of herself.
"Don't cry," Link whispered gently. "It'll be alright."
"Will it?" Zelda sniffled. "I don't think it'll be alright."
"You're going home," Link reminded her. "After years of being stuck in this mansion. Certainly that's worth celebrating?"
"Not without you," Zelda answered quietly. She looked back at Link. Tears streamed down her cheeks.
Link pulled her close. He wrapped his arm around her, still holding her hand with his other one, and leaned his head on her neck. "I don't want to leave you either."
Zelda nodded. She relaxed slightly, relishing the feeling of being in Link's strong hold for the last time. She leaned into him, holding his head up gently with her finger since he couldn't do it himself. She pressed her lips into his. He returned the gesture. For several seconds, time seemed to stop. The world faded into nothingness around the two of them. The knight and the princess who could never be together. They were, quite literally, from different worlds.
For as long as they could, they held onto each other, not daring to let go. If they pulled apart, they knew they'd never be able to experience this blessed feeling ever again. Link's lips were cracked and bloodied from the laser that had been fired upon them. But Zelda's were wet enough to make up for it, due to all the tears that had run across them.
Finally, someone forced them apart. All their friends were waiting to say goodbye. Behind them, all the necessary portals were open.
"If you two are done, maybe we could get on with this," Young Link quipped. But the joke was half hearted, and he wasn't smiling. He and Toon Link were holding hands the way brothers would. Toon Link's lip was quivering, and he was trying not to cry. Pit clung to Palutena, staring sadly at all his companions. Shulk stood by Robin and Cloud. All three of them looked sorrowful. Queen Zelda stood off by herself, staring at Link and Zelda together with poorly hidden envy.
Zelda stood up. Link leaned on her for support, but followed suit.
"This is goodbye, I guess," Pit sighed.
"I guess it is," Cloud agreed.
"It's been an honor knowing you all," Robin added. "Shulk, Zelda, and Queen Zelda. It's been an absolute pleasure working with you."
"And you as well," Shulk agreed.
"It's a shame we have to leave," Palutena sighed. "Going home isn't as happy as I thought it'd be."
"I didn't think world hopping would be so impossible," Young Link sighed. "With all the crazy stuff I've done, I didn't think it'd be so hard!"
"Me either," Cloud nodded. "But it is."
"And now we'll never see each other again," Toon Link finished.
No one really knew what to say to that.
After a few moments of awkward silence, Shulk checked the clock. He cleared his throat. "It's 8:05. We need to get going."
"It'd be terrible if we worked this hard to open the portals and then wasted them!" Cloud joked. But he didn't find it particularly funny. He didn't laugh. Neither did anyone else.
"Goodbye, I guess," Pit said finally. "You all have been great friends."
Palutena nodded. "You have. We could've never gotten out of here if it wasn't for all our combined efforts."
"I almost wish we hadn't," Zelda mumbled.
Palutena smiled ruefully. "I understand. But think about how many people we saved. How many people we sent home."
Zelda nodded sadly.
Palutena sighed. "Well, it's about time we get going, Pit. Dark Pit's already gone through and who knows what kind of chaos he's causing. We better hurry."
"Of course, Lady Palutena," Pit agreed numbly. He waved a sad goodbye to everyone else. He walked backwards into the portal, keeping his eyes trained on everyone else for as long as he could. He kept waving until he had faded away into the portal.
"I can't believe we're really doing this," Shulk sighed. "I better get on it as well. I'm sure my other friends will be happy to see me."
"I'm sure they will," Cloud agreed. "Same for me."
The two turned and entered their own portals.
Robin closed his spellbook. "I must be going. I'm sure Lucina and Chrom are awaiting my arrival. Farewell, everyone."
A hollow echo of various forms of 'goodbye' rang out from everyone remaining. The tactician entered his portal.
"I guess I'll head out now," Young Link sighed. "Not that anyone back home misses me."
"I'm sure Malon does," Zelda reminded him. "You better get back to her."
Young Link barely hid his childish grin. "Yeah. I guess so." He cleared his throat. "Anyways. I'm going to miss you all. Seriously."
"I'm going to miss you too!" Toon Link exclaimed, crushing Young Link with a massive hug.
Young Link hugged him back, not even bothering to pretend to be annoyed, the way he usually did. For several moments, the two heroes embraced each other. Then Young Link pulled Toon Link off of himself, waved goodbye, and headed into his portal.
Toon Link turned to the three remaining Hylians. He gave each of them a back-breaking hug before turning and running through his portal, desperately trying not to cry.
Zelda and Link looked at each other. Then Link pushed himself off of the princess, and stumbled over to his queen. "Shall we be going now, my queen?" he asked, not even bothering to look at her.
"Goodbye, Link," Zelda sobbed. "I love you!"
"I...love you, too," Link replied. His calm composure was cracking. Tears threatened to fall from his eyes.
Queen Zelda sighed deeply. She looked at the floor. "Link...go with her."
"W-what?" Link stammered, his eyes widening.
Zelda froze, holding a hand over her mouth in surprise.
"Go with her," Queen Zelda repeated.
"But, my queen," Link protested, "it's my job to protect you. I can't just leave."
Queen Zelda laughed. "Actually...it isn't. Not anymore. I pronounced you dead, Link."
"You...what?" Link breathed.
Queen Zelda looked ashamed of herself. "I should've waited longer. I know you're a survivor. But after two weeks, the people were asking questions I just didn't have the answer to! They wanted to know what happened to the Hero of Hyrule! I had to tell them something. And it had been a while since anyone had seen you. I assumed the worst, and pronounced you dead. Therefore, you don't have to come home with me."
"My queen...are you sure about this?" Link questioned. He wanted it more than he'd ever wanted anything, but he wasn't going to leave without Queen Zelda's explicit permission.
Queen Zelda shook her head. "No, I'm not sure. I...I don't want to lose you, Link. But, I want you to be happy. If this is what you want...do it."
"Link...what will you do?" Zelda asked him.
"My queen...I don't know what to say," Link mumbled.
"You never said much," the queen reminded him. "Go. Please. I want this for you."
"You have my deepest gratitude, my queen," Link sighed. He turned to Zelda. "I'm coming with you."
Zelda smiled the brightest smile Link had ever seen. She rushed to Link and Queen Zelda, embracing them both in a group hug. "Thank you, Queen Zelda," she whispered to the queen. Then she grabbed Link's hands and gently guided him to her portal. For a moment, the three Hylians simply stood in silence.
"I'm going to miss you, Link," Queen Zelda sighed, staring at the floor.
"And I will miss you," Link replied sadly.
"I will never forget you," the queen promised her knight. "Everything you've done for me, and for Hyrule, will not go unremembered."
"You have my most sincere gratitude," Link answered. "I swear on my honor I shall always remember you. I'll never forget you again."
Queen Zelda smiled softly. She nodded respectfully to Zelda, then turned and entered her portal. Link and Zelda smiled at each other, then entered their portal.