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

Marth, Link and Roy flew down the halls, hearing louder and louder screams as they ran. "It sounds like…" Link panted as he struggled to keep up. "Someone's really dying!"

"Link!"

The trio stopped to see Zelda in a corner of another hall, a worried look on her face. "Link…I…I…!" Marth, slightly annoyed, turned to Link. "Link, I have NO time for playing Oprah! Hurry up!"

Link nodded to Marth, and rushed over to Zelda. "Listen," Link said as he turned around to face the others. "You guys go ahead, I'll…"

"NO!" Zelda interrupted.

All six eyes turned to two. "What?" Marth asked.

Zelda held her hands together as she trembled. "No…" she said. "You need to know." Roy, Marth, and Link turned to each other confused.

"Know?" Link said. "About what?"

Zelda looked down, blushing with shame. "About the Spiritual Stone's power…and the Triforce within it."

Link's eyes widened at Zelda. "You mean…" he gasped. "You…the Triforce…in…Spiritual STONE?!"

Zelda nodded remorsefully. "I put the Triforce of power into the stone…thinking it would be safe. And then…someone stole it…and now…" Zelda gave a small sniff as she buried her head in her hands. "Now it's gone!"

"AARRGGGHHH!"

Marth, Roy, and Link turned to the sound. "JOHIN!" Marth screamed as he began to run down the hall. Turning to Zelda, Marth drew his sword. "I have no time for this…" he growled and then without another word, sped away.

"No Marth, wait!" Roy cried.

But it was too late.

***

Johin reeled with pain as she fell back from yet another attack. Bloody wounds were gaping all over her and a very deep one was in her left arm. "Yuriko!" Johin growled. "I won't let you get away with this!" Picking her wand up, Johin slowly got to her feet. Pointing her wand at Yuriko, Johin shouted magic words the red stone began to glow with a small blaze of fire.

"Dragon Flame!"

Instantly, a jet of fire shot out of Johin's wand and flew towards Yuriko who smiled. Then, at the last second, Yuriko waved her hand containing the Spiritual Stone and redirected the attack up and out of her way. Grinning at Johin, Yuriko smiled. "It's no use Princess Johin!" Yuriko said. "Nothing will stop me!" Then, pointing the Stone at Johin, Yuriko laughed. "Look at you princess!" she crowed. "Helpless, bleeding, and Marth…your FORMER 'friend' no where in sight!" Then, looking up, Yuriko sneered at Redon who was furiously pacing and vainly trying to claw his way out of his imprisonment. "Redon! Oh, Redon!" Yuriko called. Redon responded with a blast of fire at the cage. But after seeing no damage was done, Yuriko grinned. "I think this game has gone on long enough…I think I'll finish this right now…" Then looking at Johin, Yuriko pointed the Spiritual Stone at Johin. "Well princess," Yuriko smiled as the stone began to glow. "I guess I did get what I want. I get to kill you and your brother in one day! It won't take me long to remove dragons from this earth shortly thereafter…"

"NO!"

Both Yuriko and Johin were taken by surprise at the sound of a new voice. Yuriko was so surprised; she broke her concentration releasing her almost fully charged attack too soon. Instantly, a blue blur ran up and stopped in front of Johin at the last second before the attack would have hit her. When the smoke cleared, Marth was there, standing over Johin, his cape covering the real amount of damage, but one could see the blood already running down his shoulder. "Johin…" Marth winced as he fell to his knees in front of her gripping his arms. "Are you all right?"

Shocked, Johin looked up at Marth. "Marth!" she cried. "Get back! This is between me and Yuriko!"

Grinning at Johin, Marth held one hand to his shoulder as he winced, "But Johin…I CARE about what happens to the dragons. I CARE about what happens to our friends…and…" Putting his other hand to hers, Marth forced a smile. "I CARE about what happens you…" and with that, he fell to the ground in pain.

"Marth!" Johin screamed as he pitched forward and didn't move.

"Marth…!" Johin cried as she grabbed him and turned him over to look at his face. "Marth wake up!"

Yuriko laughed as she watched happily as Johin shake Marth. "Fool!" Yuriko giggled as Roy, Link, and Zelda made an appearance. "He's gone now and you'll be next!"

"Marth!" Roy cried as he appeared. Running up to Johin, Roy quickly slammed into the floor next to Johin. "Come on Marth…" Roy said as he quickly ripped off his cape and made a bandage. "Marth wake up!" Next to him, Link quickly gave up a piece of his tunic and Zelda a piece of her dress. Roy nodded in thanks as he started to tie up Marth.

"Roy…" Link began as he spotted Yuriko, fire dancing in her fingers. Quickly Roy's head snapped up and as soon as he saw Yuriko he glared.

"You…!" he hissed as he drew his sword and charged. "You'll pay for what you did to Marth!"

Seeing what was going to happen, Link quickly grabbed for him. "NO! Roy, don't!" but Roy's tatters of a cape only slipped through his fingers. But it was too late. Roy flew back, smoke rising from his chest.

"Roy!" Link called as Roy struggled to stand. "Roy, are you alright?"

Gasping for air, and a burn on his chest, Roy slowly got to his feet, his hand over his wound. "Not really!" Roy groaned back. "She has too much power for any of us!"

Yuriko laughed as fire exploded from her. "You're right little boy!" she crowed. "The Triforce of power gives me enough strength to kill all of you! And that is what I shall do…" Then pointing to Johin, Yuriko grinned. "Starting with you…" As a spark of fire began to spark again form her finger. Meanwhile, Johin looked down at Marth, his face looking like he had only fallen asleep.

"How could I have hit him…?"

"I CARE about what happens to the dragons…"

"Marth…"

"I CARE about what happens to our friends…"

"Marth…no!"

"And I CARE about what happens…"

"MAAAAARRTHH!!!"

"…To you…"

Angrily, Johin got up, her wand twitching in her hand. "Yuriko!" Johin growled as she pointed her wand at Yuriko. "You…and me…let's go!" Charging to her, Johin slammed her wand down at Yuriko.

"What?!" Yuriko cried surprised, as she dodged backwards. "Get back here!" John cried as she flew at her again.

"Johin!" Zelda cried as she flew at Yuriko again and again.

Link, also watching the fight, quickly snapped out of his senses and ran over to the wounded Marth. "Marth!" Link cried as he shook him. "Marth, you've got to wake up!"

"Arrgh!"

Quickly, Link looked up just in time to see Johin fly past him and skid the ground. "N…not yet!" Johin growled as she struggled to get up. "I'm not done with you!"

Link sighed heavily as Johin flew back at Yuriko. "Girls…" he groaned. Turning his attention back to Marth, Link continued to shake him. "Roy!" Link called as Roy slowly made his way over to him. "Give me a hand!" As Roy slowly made his way over, Link kept shaking Marth. "We've got to wake him up!" Link cried. "If he doesn't, he could bleed to death!"

Roy sighed as he felt his burn smoldering. "I'm not sure…" he whispered through his burns. "If we had a doctor…"

Link shook his head. "There's no time!" he cried and with that, he slapped Marth across the face on his other cheek. "WAKE UP YOU DOLT!" he screamed. Slowly, very slowly, Marth began to open his eyes.

"Wha…Johin?"

Link and Roy grinned as Marth slowly looked around. "Guys…" Marth said a little weak. "Where…Johin…Yuriko?" But his question was answered as Johin fell back into his arms. "Rrrgh…!" she growled as she held an arm that was ripped to shreds. "Johin!" Marth exclaimed as he held her. "Johin, are you alright?"

With only one eye open, the other shut with pain, Johin cringed as her wound smoked. "Does it LOOK like I'm alright?" she demanded. "Marth, don't get in this, this is my fight!" Then, pushing Marth off, Johin spread her wings and jumped into the air. "Yuriko I won't let you get away!" Johin screamed as she brought her wand down. Just as fast, Yuriko brought the Triforce up to block and the two were soon locked in a stalemate of power.

Snarling as she pushed the Triforce upwards, Yuriko yelled, "Johin, I WILL kill you and then the other smashers here! I will be avenged!"

But Johin only grinned as she pushed down, her wings quivering with strain. "I won't let you hurt anyone." She said quietly so the others couldn't hear. "Not the one's I love."

"Johin!" Marth called as he watched fire from both circle each other and combine together. "Johin, get out! The fire's going to explode!" Even though he was wounded, Marth slowly got up and began to race to her. "Johin, no!" he cried.

But he was too late.

Quickly, the two incompatible fires exploded around Johin and Yuriko, sending them both flying in the air. Redon, who had been furiously growling and scratching in his cage, suddenly broke free now that Yuriko was too weak to maintain the spell and fell to the ground. "Johin!" he called as he watched his sister and Yuriko begin to fall off the stage. "Johin, wake up!" But they continued to fall, farther and farther, until,

"Gotcha!"

Marth quickly dived, catching the unconscious Johin by the wrist and watched as Yuriko fell down, down, down…until,

"GAME!"

Instantly, Marth pulled upward, and in turn, Johin gently fell into his arms. "Johin!" he cried as he held her, shaking her a bit. "Johin, wake up! Please wake up!" As she didn't move, Marth felt a sinking sensation as he held Johin. "No!" he thought. "No, don't leave me! I…" Slowly, but surely, Johin's eyes fluttered open and slowly looked around. "Johin…" Marth whispered happily. "You're alive!"

Johin gave a small grin as she felt Marth gently hug her. "I'm going to sleep…Marth…I…" but she never finished.

***

"Johin…" Marth gently said as she stirred in her bed. "Johin…wake up…"

Slowly, Johin opened her eyes. "Ma…Marth?" Johin said as she opened her eyes. "Where…?" but as she tried to get up, a pain that hit her in the side made her fall back on the bed.

"No, Johin, be still!" Marth demanded. "You have a lot of wounds and you need to rest! Lie back down!"

Reluctantly, Johin agreed and sighed. "Redon…" she suddenly whispered trying to get up again. "Where's Redon?!"

Struggling to get up again, Marth quickly grabbed Johin's shoulders to keep from opening her wounds. "Johin!" Marth pleaded as he began to push her down. "Stay still! Redon is fine! He's…"

"Right here."

Both Marth and Johin looked up to see Redon smiling back at them. "Johin…" Redon said as grinned at Marth and Johin. "Maybe you better make yourself presentable. Father is here and he's here to take you home."

Johin glared at her brother. "Redon, why?" she asked. Slowly, Marth got up off of Johin.

Going home?

Redon sighed as he continued. "Father needs us back home. He says that we need to treat your wounds…"

Immediately, Johin growled as she tried to get up, resulting in Marth trying to pin her down again. "I don't want to go." She hissed dangerously, her eyes glowing a bit red. "Tell father he can…"

"Ahem."

Johin immediately turned to see a much larger black dragon behind Redon. As Marth stared down the dragon, he gasped. It was the biggest dragon Marth had ever seen, even bigger than Medeus. Feeling a gulp go down his throat, the big dragon stepped in. His leather wings were folded across his chest and four big horns sprouted from his head. Coughing slightly, the big dragon said to Marth, "Excuse me you, but do you belong on my daughter?" Instantly, Marth looked down and Johin looked up. Both were extremely close. Just as fast as they looked down, Johin and Marth pulled away.

Then turning to her father, Johin said, "Father, I don't want to go! I have friends here and the doctor here is fine, and…"

But the big dragon cut her off. "Johin…" he said in a deep thunderous voice. "My decision is final. You are needed at home. We are leaving tonight." Then, as he turned, Marth watched as Johin let her head fall in defeat.

"Johin…" Marth said as he watched Johin sadly lean back on the bed. "It's going to be alright. You're going back home and away from this stupid tournament."

Staring ahead, Johin said nothing for a minute. "But…" she said. "I want to stay."

Breathing a sigh, Marth reached for Johin's hand. Then, pressing on it so they were palm to palm, Marth smiled sadly. "Johin…I know you want to stay. But you have to do what your father says. Even if it means leaving me."

***

Marth watched as Redon slowly climbed on another winged dragon's back. "Redon…" he asked as he watched. "Redon…will Johin ever be back?"

Redon sighed as the dragon secured him. "I…I don't know Marth." He said sadly as the dragon prepared to fly. "You'll have to ask father."

As Marth watched the dragon take off, he sighed. Looking to his left, Marth sadly watched as Johin picked up Johin gently in his claws and flapped his wings. Johin was in a simple black tunic with high gray boots and black lipstick with her hair down, heart sunk. Catching the others eye, Marth watched in horror as Johin mouthed sadly, "Good bye." And then the big dragon opened his great wings to take off. Quickly as if he meant to do it, Marth ran over to the big dragon and landed on his knees in front of the dragon king.

"Your majesty!" Marth cried as he held out his hands wide. "Your majesty please! Please you can't take Johin away! It's because I…I…" not finding the words, Marth stared down at the ground. "I…" he muttered. However, in his head, his mind was screaming. "No! Don't take her! Don't take her!" he cried mentally. "I…!" The king looked Marth down and said nothing. And then, covering Johin with his claw began to fly away. "No, Johin!" Marth called as he looked up. "Don't go…!" As he watched the black figure disappear from sight, Marth kept his eyes to the sky. "Please…" he whispered. "Don't go…" Then, to his amazement, a black figure fell down to him.

"Johin!" he cried as she fluttered down to him.

"Marth…" she cried as she fell into his arms happily. As the two hugged each other for a minute, A roar echoed in the sky. As Johin looked up, she sighed and looked back down. "I…I have to go." She finally said. "Good bye Marth. I came down here to tell you…" As Johin smiled at Marth, she said quietly, "I care too."

Marth said nothing as a tear fell down his face. "Will…will I ever see you again?" he asked quietly as he gripped Johin a bit tighter. But Johin stared into him and said, "I'll always be with you…no matter where you go, I'll be there." As a single tear streaked down her face, Marth gently brushed it away and hugged Johin again.

"And I with you." He whispered. "You'll always be human to me."

Johin smiled as she hugged Marth. "But I hate you and your human emotions…" Marth smiled and nodded as he breathed in Johin's hair, her smoky smell wavering over him. "Johin, I'm sorry I hurt you…I love...you…"

Gasping, Johin pulled away and stared at Marth, her hands to her chest. "M…M-Marth…" Johin stuttered. "I…I don't know what that is or what to say…"

Smiling gently, Marth stared at Johin as she struggled with her words. "It means that I'll care about you forever." Marth said as he held out a hand for her. "It mean that, if you'll care about me forever, then we'll be lovers."

Johin smiled as she took Marth's hand. "I may not understand entirely." She said. "But I trust you." Then, walking up to Marth, Johin gently opened her wings and wrapped them around Marth, putting her head on his heart. "I…love…you…Marth Lowell…"

Marth smiled as he looked down at Johin, who was blushing a bit. "Thank you Johin." He said. "Is there anything you want before you go?"

Johin thought for a minute and then looked back up at him, her eyes showing a hint of worry. "My mother…before she died, she told me something that humans do that I didn't understand." Johin said as she stared at Marth, his blue eyes showing some confusion. "She said that when two people give their love to each other, they 'kiss'. I never figured out what that is. Is it a food?"

Marth grinned as he put a hand on Johin's face. "No." Marth explained leaning into Johin. "This is a kiss…"

***

As another roar echoed the sky, Johin gently smiled and pulled away, flapping her wings making her rise from the ground. "I'll find you sometime…" she called as she flew higher watching Marth smile with a sad happiness. "I'll know the way…you're with me…I love you Marth."

And then she disappeared.

"Johin…"

***

Marth sighed as the carriage disappeared behind him. "Well Marth old buddy," he said to himself. "How are you going to carry all of this?" Indeed, bags and luggage of all sorts were lined up in front of him.

Along with a briefcase full of money.

"Prince Marth!"

Marth turned to see a servant run up to him. "Prince Marth!" the exasperated man called. "Welcome back home! Let us get your bags. And, by the way, you have a visitor."

Marth raised an eyebrow. "From where?" he asked. "And why was I not informed of this before?"

The servant made an odd noise. "I'm sorry sir." He apologized. "But I can't really tell where the visitor is from. But she's royalty that's for sure."

***

"Alright!" Marth exclaimed as he burst into the room. "I…" but what he saw was a girl in a long black tunic with designs of flying dragons and an even brighter silk thread of sky blue outlined the fancy dragons. On her back, two black wings and a tail lined her spine. As Marth stared at the girl, his eyes wide, she smiled and brushed her long black hair with her hand. "I told you I would find you." The girl said. As she held out a package she had in her hands, she smiled as Marth hugged her.

"I came to give you a cape."

The End

Thank you to all of my fellow readers, writers, and so forth, for I do not know what to call you. Ha, ha, ha…don't hurt me! Please R&R and tell me what you think for I enjoy your opinions about my stories. Thank you! Remember that life is just a Dark Secret.

Thanks again