KT – DA: Well, here we are. Another chapter.
Roy: Wow, Link, you finally got the Christmas lights up.
Link: Yes, well, it wasn't that hard.
Marth: Link, you were cursing at them. You never curse.
Link: Er… that is…
Karanos: Roy!
Roy: /silently hold out arm, which is then hugged/
KT – DA: Wow, you have him trained.
Karanos: Why, yes I do.
Roy: I figure I go through less pain this way.
Marth: That's probably wise.
KT – DA: Roy, do the stuff.
Roy: Kuroi Tenshi – Dark Angel does not own SSBM or any of its characters. She still owns Sarah.
Link: Thanks to everyone for all your reviews. They are fawned over every night, I can assure you.
KT – DA: ahem… yes… well… Here's the chapter!
Getting Over Our Troubles - Achilles
Sarah Holly felt warm. When she opened her eyes, she saw Marth's concerned face staring down at her. He was holding her, and his arms tightened around her when he saw her awake.
"My lady, are you alright?"
Sarah was aware of Roy standing over her as well. Link had his back to her, bent over the sleeping form of Zelda.
"Marth," she said, swallowing against sudden tears.
"Yes?"
"I really want to find my cell phone. Right now."
Marth bit his lip. "But are you okay?"
Sarah pushed herself up into a sitting position. "Yes, I'm fine. I was just overwhelmed when Zelda…"
Marth nodded and helped her up.
"Sarah," Roy said, looking confused. "You let him touch you. I thought you didn't…"
Sarah gave him an apologetic smile. "I know it's strange. Marth just doesn't make me remember."
Roy looked even more confused. "Remember what?"
"I'll tell you someday, Roy, but not now. I've got to find my phone. Why don't you go back up to Peach and let Link stay here?" Sarah started out the door, and Marth followed.
Roy nodded. "Okay, I'll do that. You be careful now!" He shouted the last part after her as she left.
Sarah took Marth to the common room and stopped in front of the single telephone. Anyone was allowed to use it whenever he wanted. Sarah grabbed a piece of paper and a pen and jotted down her phone number. "Here. Use the phone and keep calling this number. I'll wander around until I find it."
"How will we communicate until then?" Marth asked.
"Oh, right!" Sarah turned and started for the door. "I'll be right back. Stay here!"
When she returned, she had two walkie talkies.
"Take this," she said, handing one to Marth. "I borrowed them from Master Hand. He wasn't in his office, so I left him a note."
They tested the little communicators a few times before Marth dialed the number and Sarah set out. She wandered around aimlessly at first, chatting with Marth to pass the time. She looked around the kitchen first, but didn't really expect to find anything there. She made her way to the Stadium and listened for the ringing there, but heard nothing beyond the sounds of the Smashers training, making preparations for their battles tomorrow. She peeked into the training room and waved at them, then moved on.
Finally, after nearly two hours, Sarah heard the faint sound of her phone coming from the dorms. She looked in her room first, thinking that someone might have put it there for her. She heard the ring when she stepped out again, and walked slowly over to the door she heard it from. Turning away from the door, she called Marth again.
"I found it. Thanks for bearing with me."
The prince's voice crackled over the speaker. "A pleasure, as always, my lady."
Sarah smiled, though she knew he couldn't see her. "I'm going to start dinner. It's about that time. If you want to meet me there, that would be great."
"I'll be there."
True to his word, Marth was in the kitchen when she arrived. She walked over to him with a smile, and then kissed him impulsively. They talked while she set about making dinner, the conversation often returning to Zelda's awakening and cryptic speech.
"What do you think she meant by 'cold metal?' I was thinking about it while you searched." Marth asked.
Sarah shrugged. "I have no idea." She reached up and opened a cabinet, needing one of the bowls she kept there. "Huh? What's this?"
She pulled down not a bowl, but a white envelope. Her name was written on it in black ink. She didn't recognize the handwriting.
Marth looked at it over her shoulder. "It looks like it's for you. Open it."
Sarah did so. A single piece of paper fell out and fluttered to the floor. Sarah caught it and turned it over. There was only one word written there, in the same handwriting as was on the envelope.
"Achilles," Sarah read.
Marth looked confused. "Is there anything else in there?"
Sarah checked and shook her head when she found nothing.
"That's strange. I wonder what it means," Marth said.
Sarah set the paper and envelope on the counter and finished making dinner. She was already making a plan in the back of her mind as she worked, a plan that she did not intend to tell Marth about.
Link came rushing into the dining hall halfway through dinner. "She's awake again!"
Marth and Sarah smiled in amazement. "Has she said anything else about… whatever it was?" Marth asked.
"No. I asked her about it, but she doesn't even remember it happening," Link said.
Sarah pointed at a chair across from her. "Sit down and have something to eat, Link."
The Hero of Time shook his head. "I'm going back to the hospital wing. I told Zelda that I would be right back."
"Oh, okay. I guess we'll see you later, then," Sarah said. Link nodded and left the dining hall at a jog.
Sarah and Marth finished their dinners and decided to go straight to bed. It had been a long day, after all. They stood outside Sarah's bedroom and talked for a while.
"Thank you again for helping me find my phone," Sarah thanked Marth.
The prince bowed. "Not at all, my lady. As I said earlier, I am at your disposal."
Sarah smiled. "Well, I still thank you, just the same."
Marth took her in his arms and held her close. "I haven't had the chance to say this properly. I believe I was cut off the last time I tried." He rested his chin on her head. "I love you, Sarah."
Sarah smiled against his chest. Pulling away slightly, she put her arms around his neck. "I think I knew that. I love you, too."
The prince kissed her once, and they said goodnight. Sarah watched Marth until he'd disappeared around the corner before going into her room and shutting the door.
The next morning, Sarah ran through the preparations of breakfast in a blur, shouting out last minute orders as she cooked. Smashers were running around, making sure that everything was done correctly for the start of the battles. They came in to get breakfast in ones and twos, and nobody seemed to have the time to sit down to eat. Sarah ran errands for the Smashers who were going to battle today. She fetched forgotten weapons, checked to see that gear was fitted on correctly, and other such odds and ends jobs.
Finally, she ushered all the battlers into the wait area and started for her post on the catwalk. She heard Master Hand announce the start of the first battle. She changed direction and left the Stadium completely. They didn't need her there to stand on the catwalk.
Sarah's first stop was Master Hand's office. She searched through the many drawers of his desk until she found what she was looking for. She tucked the object in her pocket, and then hurried out the door and down the hall.
Sarah stood outside Samus' door. She fitted the master key she had taken from her employer's office into the lock and turned it. The door opened, and Sarah held her breath. She stepped inside.
It was dark, the shades all pulled down on the windows. The bed was neatly made, and everything was put away where it belonged. Looking around, Sarah found a calendar on the back wall. She could see that something was written on some of the days. She walked forward slowly, curious about what it said.
Three days were circled in red. The first one read 'Link vs. Zelda, Fountain of Dreams.' The second said 'Peach, mushrooms.' Both of them were days already crossed off. The third was two days away. It read 'Sarah, cooking at 2:00. Back to window.'
Sarah stumbled back, shocked at what this clearly meant. She turned away, not wanting to see any more of it, and saw her phone sitting on a desk next to a single mushroom. It looked just like the ones she had cooked into Peach's omelette. Sarah walked over and picked up both the phone and the mushroom and put them in her pocket. She moved over to the computer and, after searching for a moment, found the on switch. She hit it and waited for it to boot up.
A text box popped up and asked for a password. Sarah thought for a moment, then carefully typed in the word Achilles. The text box disappeared in a blink, and Sarah had access to everything.
She went first into what was labeled quite plainly as 'Smash log.' It turned out to be a journal, describing Samus' days at Smash Mansion. Sarah read the first few passages, finding only one short entry of interest.
'Feb. 18,
I met the one they call the Hero of Time today. He has golden hair, and blue eyes, just a hero should, or at least according to the songs. I could see myself with him.'
Sarah moved past the earlier ones, stopping to read the more recent entries.
'Aug. 28,
I can't believe it! Zelda is still alive! After all I've done to assure otherwise… I made that bomb special to destroy those spheres. I made sure to detonate it right as Link's sword hit her heart… I must have miscalculated somewhere. If that dratted Peach weren't so intent on staying right by her night and day, I could get in there and finish it. I 'borrowed' some of Ganon's special mushrooms to get her out of the way. That stupid Sarah fell for my concerned act right away and put the things in the princess's food this morning.'
'Aug. 30,
I've got a battle today, but I managed to set up my knife-trap outside the kitchen window for Sarah this morning. I conveniently borrowed one of Ganon's knives for it. Once she's out of the way, I can finally move in on Link. He will be mine. I have known it since the first moment I saw him. I will finally finish off that prissy princess of his, no one the wiser, and I will be there to comfort him in his grief.'
Sarah swallowed the lump of fear that had lodged itself in her throat. She quickly told the computer to print some of the entries. While she waited, she went back to the calendar and ripped off the page, folding it up carefully.
When the journal finished printing, she snatched it all up and ran from the room, heading for the Stadium. She would talk to the Smashketeers first. She knew they would support her in this.
Roy: Cool title. I like how it was the password.
Karanos: That was my idea!
Roy: /in wonder/ really?
KT – DA: Yes, it was her idea. She persuaded me to use it.
Karanos: /beams/ Bo-ha-ha-ha! I am brilliant!
Roy: uh-huh...
Marth: Looks like we should leave those two alone, Milady. /leads KT – DA out of room/
KT – DA: Oh… I see… /laughs/
Link: Please review for us!