Disclaimer: I do not own SSBM or anything I could be sued for

The next morning, Marth woke up early. Very early. So early, it wasn't even light out. After getting ready, he slowly walked out the door, holding his cape in his hands, not having put it on yet. Walking down the hall, Marth thought about his problem more and more. So deep were his thoughts, he didn't notice his cape drop out of his hand and fall to the floor behind him as he kept walking out.

"Hey."

Marth immediately spun around to the quiet call to see a dark figure standing behind him, holding his cape in her finger cut gloves.

"Johin!"

Marth immediately felt for his sword. If she made a move for her wand… But then he stared at his cape that flowed over Johin's hands like water. "Well, that IS Altea's best silk." he thought as he tried to hide his blush. "So?" Marth thought as silence settled over the two. "Are you going to rip it to shreds? Are you going to laugh at me?" But he never got any farther because then he watched in amazement as Johin threw the cape at him gently, the sunlight shinning off the blue like a dream.

"Here."

This move surprised Marth greatly as he caught it. "Why would she do that?" he asked himself as he stared at the cape in his hands. "Why not just chuck it at my face and call me an idiot? Why would she speak so softly…?" But as he looked up, Johin had already disappeared down the hall. Marth blinked a bit in confusion as he put his cape on his shoulders and attached it to the red stone on his chest. "Weird."

***

"Zelda! Yuriko!" Marth said as he saw them in the breakfast hall. "Hey, over here!" As Zelda turned her head this way and that, she finally spotted Marth sitting by himself at a table. "Marth!" Zelda said as she waved back at him happily. Walking over with her tray and Yuriko, she smiled. "Where are Link and Roy?" she asked. "Usually they sit with you don't they?" Marth frowned and shook his head. "Not today." He said half-hearted. "Roy won't talk to me and Link just glares at me every time I try to talk to him." Zelda and Yuriko smiled and sat down. A wave of murmurs swept the smashers and crew as they kept watch of this interesting action with a corner of their eye. Except one.

"Look at her." Yuriko sneered at Johin as she sat alone in her own booth, everyone far back. Yuriko turned to Marth and lowered her voice. "It's said that she orders a raw steak with her breakfast, but never eats it here. She always takes it to her room and supposedly eats it all there. Blood, bones, and meat."

Marth swallowed hard.

Zelda smiled as she leaned back. "But she should be no problem for you." Marth nodded as he continued staring at Johin and her cereal. "Was it really possible?" he thought. "Was it really possible that the nice girl he met today that returned his cape to him was a bloody raw steak eater?" But as he shook the thought from his mind, he stared back at Zelda. "Ok," he said. "I'm in this game of yours. But you have to tell me everything. Why do you want her so badly?" Zelda gave him an odd look. As he realized his mistake, Marth nodded his head and waved a hand in the air. "You know." He said. Smiling, Zelda responded. "The reason is that she stole the stone is that it's in her wand. You know that red stone in her wand? We think…we know that's the Spiritual stone of fire. That's where she gets her power. After that, she can get the others and then she can have power to open the Sacred Realm in Hyrule. It would be chaos if she walked in. Walking in means the Triforce." Shuddering at the thought, Link had told Marth about the horrors he had seen when he woke up from seven years of imprisonment of the Sacred Realm. It was so bad, Link cried through it.

Link doesn't cry.

"Ok," Marth said as he shifted his head. "Didn't you go to the police?" Zelda sighed and shook her head. "No. There isn't enough evidence. I can't put anything against her." At this, Marth sighed. "All right…for my country…The plan?" Yuriko smiled at her own ingenious. "It's simple really. All you have to do is get Johin close to you. And then, I take over from there. After I get done, you'll be rewarded with three billion." Zelda smiled sweetly at Marth. "You know that rupees are very valuable in Altea. Think of how it would benefit your country." Marth looked down at his soggy flakes of cereal as her words sunk in. "She's right." Marth thought as he thought about his homeland. "Altea could use the money. That's why I'm here isn't it? That's why I joined this stupid tournament, right? I wish I was back home…Altea…my kingdom…Roy joined too, for my sake, because even though he didn't need the money, he said he would give it to me if he won." Shifting his gaze to his spoon, Marth sighed. "I have to think about Altea and my people…this is for them." Marth looked up at Zelda finally, confidence in his face. "You better have three billion Zelda," he said. "Because you've got yourself a deal!" Yuriko smiled confidently and turned to glare at Johin across the room.

This made Marth think two words.

"Aw, crap."

***

"AW CRAP!" Marth mentally screamed in his head. "What have I done?!" Pacing around in his room, Marth gripped his head in his hands and wrestled himself to the bed. Falling down on it, he moaned and clawed through his hair, causing a few blue strands to fall out onto the sheets. "Why did I accept that stupid deal?! This is the end! The END! Johin is never going to fall for a guy like me…chances are a thousand to one!" Getting up and thrusting open his door wide open Marth stumbled out. Not knowing where he was going or what he was doing, Marth began to walk blindly through the hall. Soon, after some rambling and muttering to himself like he was mentally ill, Marth finally groped for a doorknob. Finding one, he twisted it open and threw the door open, moaning loudly. Stepping into the room, he didn't notice which room he was in until he opened his eyes. Looking around, Marth stopped moving completely. All that came out was a little,

"…Eep…"

Inside, it was dark. So dark, the only source of light was a candle on a desk. Everything else was almost too dark to see. Lamps were in the room, but they were off and giving a sign that they haven't been used for long periods of time. A bed was in the corner, a bookcase not far from it. Not to far away were two chairs that looked like the only soft and warming things besides the bed. There was a desk on the other side of the bed, close to the door and on it there were a few more books. Marth slowly looked down at the spines of the book that were shown to him. However, on the spines were titles written in some odd language that Marth couldn't read. He had see it before…

But where?

But just then, a sound of someone walking towards him made him look up. There, a pair of red eyes glared at him with burning anger. Feeling slightly nervous, Marth waved. "Um…hi." The figure said nothing. Trying to struggle with the words to say, Marth coughed a little. "Uh…You're Johin right?" The eyes nodded but said nothing. Marth frowned. "This girl has some serious social problems. But…Altea..." Holding out his hand for her to take, Marth gave the figure shrouded in darkness a smile. "I'm Marth. From Altea." But Johin didn't take it. Instead, the red eyes just stared with their unwavering coldness.

"Why are you here?"

Coughing a bit, Marth looked away. "I…I guess I got…lost." Marth admitted sheepishly. "I'm sorry I intruded." Johin stared at him for a minute and then slowly began to walk away. Without a sound, she silently walked to the chair and picked up a book sitting on it and sat down, crossing her legs, turned on a lamp so it would be bright enough, and began to read it ignoring the lost blue figure in the doorway. Marth smiled as he looked at her. "You can't see her features…even with that light…"

"Why are you still here?"

Surprised Johin said something to him, Marth snapped out of his reality. "Oh…I'm sorry. I can leave…" Turning around, Marth smiled. "So I guess I'll see you tomorrow right? I mean…you're in the tournament too right?" Johin said nothing as she clenched her book a bit tighter. Getting the feeling that he was being a nuisance, he sighed and said, "Good bye." And silently left the room, his cape fluttering behind him. Johin looked up from her book to see the blue fabric wave softly to her and then disappear around the corner. Putting down her book on her lap, Johin sighed. "Why did he want to talk to me?" Johin asked herself. Looking away, Johin shook her head. "No, no…Johin, come on…you don't need him as a friend. He's probably like that Zelda person. You know he watches her all the time. He CAN'T be anything more than another smasher. Go back to your book." Johin sighed again as she turned away. "I'm fine being alone."

***

The next day, Marth was watching Johin eat at breakfast out of the corner of his eye, leaning in the doorway of the breakfast hall. His arms crossed over his chest and his blue hair hanging in front of his eyes, Marth stared Johin down. "Her features are still covered…" he thought. "Because of that helmet she wears."

"Interesting?"

Hearing a voice behind him made Marth jump. "What?" The surprised prince said as he turned around in surprise. There, angry blue eyes met surprised ones. "Oh…Roy…" Marth said grinning. "It's…you." But Roy didn't return the grin. "Marth…don't tell me you're still in this get up. I heard what's going on. Three bill for revenge." Marth frowned. "It's strictly for Altea." Marth said. "All of my reasons." Roy smirked as he stared his friend up and down. "Is it really?" he asked. "Are your reasons really for Altea only? Or is it for Zelda too?" Marth could feel himself blushing red as he listened. "It isn't for Zelda!" Marth retorted. "I am loyal…" but then Roy cut him off. "Loyal?" he laughed. "You're just about as loyal as a wet leaf for a sword. You're going to break Johin in half with false love. Have you thought about what happens to her after you dumped her? That's cold, Marth. That's really cold." Marth glared at his counter part. "I have to do this!" he growled. "For Altea and for my people! You've seen them Roy! They need the money!" Roy's head snapped up. "So you're going to break someone for it?" Roy asked. "I had no idea you could go so low…"

Marth was really ticked. "This is for my country!" he hissed dangerously. "I HAVE to do this!" Roy glared at him for a minute. "Even if it is Johin…" Roy said. "You're worse than dirt." Then, with a swish of his cape, Roy turned down the hall. As he left, Marth sighed and turned back to his job of watching. "I can't worry about him now…" Marth thought. "How am I gonna get close to Johin? Ok, Marth, time to turn on the old charm…" Walking casually over to Johin, Marth then sat down at her table. More murmurs few over the other smashers. "So…" Marth began. "Having a good breakfast?" Marth saw nothing besides a black dragon's head with red eyes and he didn't hear anything. Trying again, Marth cleared his throat and leaned on his arms. "Johin, tell me…why are you here? I mean, are you here for a reason? Or do you just fight for money?" Not getting a response, Marth watched as Johin got up without a word took her tray over to the sink where nervous crew took her plate and began to walk out the door, her tail swishing the ground. "Hey! Hey, wait!" Marth called as he ran after her.

***

In the halls, Johin began to walk swifter as Marth began to catch up. "Johin! Johin, wait!" Marth called. But Johin didn't stop as she waked all the more faster. "Johin!" Marth called as he grabbed her shoulder finally. "Hey…I asked you something." Johin didn't turn around as Marth let go. "I fight…for my reasons." Johin said. And then she began to walk away. Sighing and getting frustrated, Marth finally caught up again and asked, "Pardon me for being nosy, but what reasons?" This time, Johin spun around, but Marth only saw a mouth, a nose, and an angry brown eye. The other eye was covered with dragon fangs. "You know what?" Johin asked angrily. "You're absolutely right." Marth reeled back in surprise at what he heard. "I…I am?" He asked his eyes big. Johin nodded. "You ARE nosy. So back off!" Storming off, Johin walked faster down the hall. Marth was appalled. This no good mentally issued GIRL had called the crowned prince of Altea nosy?! "N-nosy?!" he choked. "Excuse me for saying so, Miss PSYCHO, but you're the one acting like a-…"

***

Back in the breakfast hall, Roy shuddered. "Huh…that was weird…" he thought.

***

Johin's eyes had narrowed to angry slits. Then, she opened her mouth to say something, but then closed it. Silent, Johin quickly turned her back on Marth and walked down the hall to her room, now even angrier than before. Upon reaching her room, Johin turned to Marth one last time. "Come near me again…" she warned with poison in her mouth. "And I'll kill you." Then, slamming the door, Johin left Marth with his thoughts. Just as angrily, Marth sighed. "Good job Marth." The prince thought. "You've probably just blown your chance with Johin. And you're chance at Zelda and you're country." Sighing, Marth walked up to Johin's door and put one ear on it. As he listened, he was heard…

Two voices.

Johin and another person…

Listening harder, Marth hear this…

Italic = Johin's voice

"He's such a jerk! I hope he dies sometime soon!"

"Johin…you know father wouldn't like you saying that…"

"I don't care! Father hasn't met that…that…"

"Johin…I know you haven't been doing too well socially. Believe me, I've seen it. Keeping you away from your true species has obviously taken its toll. Please…as your brother; just give this Marth guy another chance. He tried to be your friend earlier…"

"I don't care!"

"Sister…PLEASE…"

"Please nothing! Marth isn't the guy I thought he was. He's nothing but dirt."

A heavy sigh and then someone getting up and walking to the door…

"…"

"What is it?"

"N…nothing. I guess I must be tired…"

"Johin…please consider…"

"…Redon…I'll think about it. But after calling me that…I don't know…"

Marth sighed as he pulled his ear away from the door. "I guess I did go a bit over board back there…" Marth thought as he began to walk away. "And…" Smiling to himself as he turned the corner to his room, "I am kinda nosy…" But as soon as he turned the corner, he almost ran into someone.

"Zelda!"

"Marth!"

"Oh, sorry…" Marth said as he back away a bit. "I wasn't looking where I was going." Zelda smiled at Marth with one of her princess smiles. "So, any progress?" Zelda asked anxiously. Marth gave a small sigh as he nodded. "Uh…sure…sure." Zelda smiled as she began to walk away. "See you later Marth." Zelda murmured tracing a finger across Marth's chin making him blush. "Zelda is really nice…" Marth thought as he watched her go. "It's just that Yuriko's such an influence…" Watching Zelda walk down the hall, Marth didn't smile after her. Instead, Marth gave a heavy sigh a walked inside his room, closing the door miserably behind him.

"Roy was right…I am dirt."

***

The next morning, Marth watched from the doorway miserable, at the empty booth where Johin sat every other day.

"Interesting?"

Marth was really annoyed by what he had done with his life about now, and wasn't about to take more insults from who he knew was always sneaking up behind and telling him the things he didn't want to hear. "ROY!" Marth practically yelled turning around. "I do NOT want to hear it now!" But instead, something black flew at him and then he saw no more…