KT – DA: Aaaaaand…. We're back!
Roy: Yay! More of my story!
Karanos: That's MY story, you mean.
Link: You know, I never would have imagined Roy was so afraid of water.
KT – DA: Ah, yes. I thought it made sense. He's got all these fire powers and stuff, I thought, 'why not? Make him afraid of water.'
Karanos: It was one of her own ideas, for once.
Marth/cocks head, confused/ I thought you came up with a lot of ideas?
KT – DA: Oh, I do. Captain Karanos just comes up with more.
Marth: oh.
KT- DA: Link! Do the stuff!
Link/monotonously/ Kuroi Tenshi – Dark Angel does not own SSBM or any of its characters. She does own Sarah Holly and Jasmine Miles.
Roy: Captain Karanos is doing the reviews this time, right?
KT – DA: Yep! Let's just hope our readers aren't scared away…
Karanos: Alrightie then. Now, I warn you all, I'm functioning on very little sleep, so that might affect… my… comebacks.
KT – DA: Basically, she's gonna be mean.
Karanos: You could say that too. Ok, the reviews!
Max Fuchs – First off, your pen name scares me, a lot. I don't even want to look at it. You can't feed KT – DA anything, because you'll have to go through me first, and get some spelling lessons. Plus, stop ripping KT – DA's ideas. Thanks. By the way, KT – DA would like to thank you for giving her credit on her description of Master Hand. However, she never had a description of Master Hand. So… she would like to thank you for the present.
Daikonran – It's not just you. Roy's a wussie. And he cries too much. Hah! Plus, I really loathe Falcon, both in stories and the actual game. I crown you one of my evil minions. Congratulations, peon.
Rain4life – KT – DA never stops talking about how she loves you for reviewing. Roy's going to be fine, unless I want him to get some character development. (Remember Karanos' guide to character development! Human suffering/death character development! Yay!) He's just upset. And needs to take some man lessons.
Karanos: HOLY PU! This is the most fantastic review I've ever read, ever! It has all the good things a review needs: Threats, violence, and obscure references! Well done my friend! (or myself, as the case may be…)
Hylian Dragoness /Karanos looks over to rock/ Really, you can move now…she's updated! You should eat or something… don't die on us. We have no need of a lawsuit. :p
Tymaporer – Although hyper is good, KT – DA did not use your version of Link, so she need not credit you for his usage in her epics. Thanks kindly for the review, as she appreciates it, and I do hope you continue to read and review in the future.
Blood angle – um… angle? Are you acute or obtuse, and do you have a supplementary partner? My disdain for you spreads even over cyber space, so please, don't call her 'little one', as her name is KT – DA, not Quatre. And it's from a bloody right angle (I'm assuming that you're 90 degrees), not Trowa, because I'm betting Trowa can spell for two cents.
KT – DA/twitches/ How… um… lovely, Karanos.
Marth: Oh my… I hope readers haven't been offended…
Karanos: Get on with the story already!
In Midwinter's Stillness – Today Can't Get Any Worse
Roy shivered. The stage was so cold, and he was soaked through from his fall into the pool. Nevertheless, the redhead wasn't sure if his shivers were more from cold or the shrieking fear in his head. He hadn't had a single coherent thought since he'd first realized he was going to hit the water.
A moment after he noticed Jasmine and Captain Falcon sitting over him, a small voice started chanting at him.
Too close to the water. Too close to the water. Too close to the water.
Jasmine had her hands on his shoulders. "Roy, I'm sorry. I'm so sorry. I didn't know, Roy…"
Too close to the water. Too close to the water. Too close to the water.
"Falcon, go get some towels. He's freezing!" Jazz said. Captain Falcon nodded curtly and left.
Too close to the water! Too close to the water! Too close to the water!
The small chanting had become a frenzied scream. Roy couldn't hear anything of what Jazz was saying over it. Groaning and whimpering through his tears, he started to crawl away from the pool. Jazz followed him.
"Roy?" she asked meekly once he'd stopped.
Roy pushed himself up slowly, pushing his dripping hair out of his face. Wiping his eyes, he turned to face her.
Captain Falcon returned at that moment, carrying two towels. Jazz took one and wrapped it around Roy's shoulders. Roy was surprised at how nice she was being to him. This treatment from her is almost worth a fall in the pool, he thought humorlessly. Of course, the fact that it was the result of seeing him crying made him feel even worse.
Jasmine lead him to the teleporter and sent them back to the mansion, Captain Falcon trailing behind. Roy noticed eventually that she was taking him to the common room. She settled him in one of the large armchairs before the fireplace.
"You'll be okay. Just sit here for a while and get warm. I'll go make you something to eat," she said, a hint of her smirk returning. "Be tough, Roy-Boy."
Roy couldn't help smiling a little. He never thought he'd actually like to hear her call him that ridiculous nick-name, but this was different. She seemed to be telling him that she wasn't going to treat him like a lesser man for seeing him in such a state, and it made him feel better.
Captain Falcon snickered, breaking into Roy's thoughts. "Roy-Boy…"
Jazz turned on the racer abruptly, anger flashing in her eyes. "Don't call him that!"
"Wh- why not? You do!"
"I came up with that name. I'm the only one who gets to call him that." Jazz said, arms crossed firmly over her chest. Falcon shrugged and turned away.
Jasmine smiled at Roy one last time before striding out into the hallway. Thankfully, Captain Falcon followed after her, leaving Roy alone in the common room. The redhead pulled his towel a little tighter around his shoulders and concentrated on stopping the flow of tears down his cheeks. He got himself under control in a matter of minutes.
As he sat, the warmth of the fire dried him. Eventually, he let the towel slip from his shoulders. Once he'd stopped shaking enough to really trust his legs to hold him up, he moved over to lie on the hearth. He always felt much more comfortable near fire. The flames seemed to… bend his way. He knew it wouldn't make any sense to anyone else, so he never bothered to try explaining it. Only Marth, his closest friend, really had any semblance of understanding. Roy had often wondered if his fear of water was a side-effect of his pyro-philic nature. It was what made sense to him, at least.
He'd just started to drift off into sleep when someone entered the room. Opening his eyes and rolling over, Roy saw Link and Zelda only a moment before they saw him.
"Hey," he said, moving away from the comforting warmth of the hearth.
Zelda smiled at him. "You're done with your chores, too?"
Roy felt his insides squirm a little with what he supposed was guilt. "Er… yeah. We're finished." For today, he added silently.
"I'm getting ready to help Zelda with her physical therapy. Doctor Mario said I should be here, just to make sure nothing happens, you know," Link said. Roy could tell the thought himself the only one capable of such an important job. He smiled.
"I see. I'll help you move the furniture."
The boys moved two of the armchairs and a table to make room for Zelda's stretches.
The princess leaned against a wall, watching them. "I have to do well at this therapy. I want to be back in the running for next season's tournament."
Roy nodded. "I know you do. Is there anything I can do to help? Can I get you anything?"
"Hey!" Link cried. Roy and Zelda turned to him, surprised. "That's MY Job! Find someone else to dote on."
Roy bit his lip.
Zelda frowned. "Link, he just wants to help…"
The Hero crossed his arms. "Yeah, well, it's my turn to help. I'm your sworn protector, not him. Remember?"
Zelda gave Roy and apologetic smile. Roy waved it off. Link had no idea how much he'd just hurt him.
"I'll just go to the library."
I just can't see how this day can get any worse, he thought as he walked down the hallway. He just about slapped himself for that. Everyone knew that just thinking things like that would hand you about five more things to prove you wrong. Roy's own imagination may not be enough to think of sufficient tortures, but Fate certainly had no such handicap.
Roy heard voices coming from the kitchen as he passed the dining hall. He paused long enough to remember that Jasmine had said she would bring him something to eat. He started toward the kitchen, but stopped when he heard his name.
"It's not Roy's fault that he's afraid of water. Don't be spreading it around, okay Falcon? Please?"
"Well, I wouldn't want to soil your pretty face with tears. Certainly not tears over that little bastard."
"Don't be sour. It's unbecoming."
Roy pulled back into the hallway as Captain Falcon and Jazz appeared from the kitchen.
"Why are you sticking up for him? You don't even like him. He's a little twerp," the racer said.
Jazz sighed. "Maybe I feel bad for pushing him into the pool."
"You didn't push. He fell. Not your fault." Captain Falcon shrugged.
"Whatever," Jasmine said, rolling her eyes.
Roy left, feeling sick. He didn't want Jasmine's sympathy. Suddenly, he didn't feel very hungry. He went up to his room, shutting the door behind him. He let himself fall onto his bed, half way hoping that he might hit his head and black out. At least he would have to think about anything until he woke up.
He didn't hit his head, but he didn't move again until he heard Link coming up much later. Moving quickly, he climbed under the covers and pretended to be asleep. He knew it was dinnertime, and he figured Link was coming to bring him down, but he didn't feel like seeing anyone, or eating anything for that matter.
Link knocked on the door a few times, and then poked his head in for a look after receiving no answer. "Roy?"
Roy said nothing.
Link left.
Roy just lay there.
KT – DA: Well, that's it for chapter 4.
Link: Are we moving on to chapter 5 soon?
Roy: Please, no more long waits like before…
KT – DA: Yes, yes, as soon as I've written it, it will go up.
Karanos: I'll be standing over her with a whip.
KT – DA: Link! You forgot to say that Marth is mine!
Link/rolls eyes/
Marth: Well, before she grabs me again, Please review!
KT – DA/grabs Marth/