Darunia: Disclaimer! Selphie Louise does not own the Legend of Zelda or any of its characters. They are the property of Shigeru Miyamoto and Nintendo.

Tingle: The characters she does own are Selphie, Iggy, and Jiji. The characters of Kage, Yugi, Mable, and Raven belong to Kearra. The character Ravick is the property of Selphie's friend, Patrick.

Chapter 14

Some time later, Iggy and Jiji were en route back to their house in the field. They strode separately- they would usually hold hands, paces working into synchronization. Neither said a word. The only sound was a few crows overhead and in the trees. There wasn't a lot of light. The moonlight as well as that of the stars was greatly diminished by the clouds rolling in overhead.

Jiji glanced at Iggy, who avoided her gaze by looking upwards. "Uh… looks like a storm coming in up there," he said as they came to the top of the hill, by the rock wall.

Jiji shook her head slowly. "Feels like one coming in down here," she said under her breath, frowning with a hint of dejectedness.

"Wha-?"

"Iggy," Jiji stopped walking and turned to face him, he copying the actions. "I want a straight answer," she said resolutely, but with a small hint of nervousness. He waited apprehensively for her to continue. "…Are you okay?"

Iggy was taken aback slightly. "Well, yeah. I'm fine," he answered.

"Are you sure?" Jiji asked. "Because you really don't act the part lately."

"…Is this about me not eating much again-?" Iggy inquired.

"No! No, Iggy, it's not," Jiji responded. "It's about most everything except your eating and sleeping habits. It's about why you don't say much lately, why you don't cuddle, kiss, or hug me, and why you haven't said 'I love you' in weeks."

"I'm sorry," Iggy said. "I love you-."

"It's not the same now!" Jiji exclaimed. "I just mentioned it! It's not as though you actually thought to say it yourself!"

"Then, what? You don't want me to say it?" Iggy asked confusedly.

"No! I want you to say it, but I want you to-… oh, I don't know!" Jiji threw her hands up and pressed them against her forehead frustratedly as she sat upon the wall. Iggy watched uncertainly for a moment, thinking of how to respond as he sat next to her.

"…Jiji… I… I'm sorry… I've just had a lot on my mind lately is all," he said. Jiji lowered her hands, turning her head towards him. There were tears in her eyes.

"And why couldn't you talk to me about it?" she asked.

Iggy stared helplessly. "I… just couldn't-."

"No! I want an answer, Iggy!" Jiji snapped. "You used to be able to tell me anything! Why can't you do that!" More tears were filling her eyes, causing them to overflow down her cheeks.

"Just… something's changed…" Iggy said, softly. He pursed his lips. Maybe this should be the time. "About us, really… about how I feel about you." Jiji's eyes widened and she clenched her fists tightly as she turned her head away.

"No…" she whispered, standing. Iggy copied the move.

"Jiji, just… just know that no matter what happens, I will always love you," Iggy said. "Don't ever forget-."

"Stop! Just stop it right now!" Jiji exclaimed, stepping away from him.

"What?"

"Don't, Iggy, just don't… do it…" she said, squeezing her eyes shut.

"Jiji, this is something I have to tell you-!"

"No, it isn't!" she cried out. Suddenly, she turned around and fled in the direction of the forest, too quickly for him to react.

"Jiji, stop! Wait!" Iggy called after her.

"Don't stop me! Don't try to stop me!" she shouted back. "And don't you dare follow me!" Thunder rumbled overhead, suddenly the clouds glowed with a flash of lightning and split open, crying down on the two as though they had troubles to rival that of their love. 'I knew I shouldn't have confronted him…' Jiji thought as she reached the tree line and entered the forest. 'Yugi was wrong. The risk wasn't worth it!'

About twenty minutes later, she stood outside Kage and Selphie's front door, soaking wet and shivering. She knocked loudly on the door to be heard over the storm. A few seconds later, Kage opened it a crack to see what was outside. When he spotted her his eyes widened slightly. "Jiji?" he asked, opening the door more for her to come in.

She stepped inside and heard Selphie from the couch, "Jiji? What are you doing here?" Jiji shook her head as Kage closed the door. Selphie stood and crossed the room. When she got closer, she saw that Jiji was crying still. "Jiji, what's wrong?" she asked worriedly. Jiji shook her head once more, putting one hand to her face to hide it. Kage placed a tentative hand on her shoulder. "Does it have something to do with Iggy?"

Jiji pulled her hand away from her face. "It has everything to do with him, the dirty bastard!" she cried, ready to fall to the floor. Selphie grabbed her and Jiji threw her arms around her, clutching the back of her shirt and crying onto her shoulder. Selphie put her arms around her, rubbing her back soothingly. Kage watched uncertainly.

"Jiji," Selphie said. "Why would you say that? What did Iggy do?" she asked.

Jiji shook her head. "It's not what he's done, it's what he's going to do!" she said. "What he's done is nothing compared to what he's going to do…!"

"What is he going to do?" Kage asked.

Jiji broke into a new fit of sobs and Selphie led her over to the sofa, where they sat down and Kage sat opposite in an armchair. "Jiji," Selphie said. "What is he going to do?"

"…He's going to break up with me!" Jiji answered.

"What!" Kage and Selphie both blurted out, though it was hard to tell who sounded more incredulous.

"What do you mean he's going to break up with you? That's impossible!" Kage said.

"How do you know he's going to break up with you?" Selphie asked.

Jiji shook her head and wiped her face a bit with the back of her wet sleeve. Kage stood and went to the bathroom, returning quickly with a towel for her. "He… He hasn't been normal the past few weeks," she said, taking the towel and wiping her face. "He doesn't talk to me, kiss me, tell me he loves me, anything." They listened silently. "And then tonight when I confronted him about it, he… well, he came pretty damn close to doing it!"

She set the towel on her lap. "Jiji, what makes you so certain that he was going to break up with you tonight?" Selphie asked.

"What he was saying," Jiji answered. "He said something had changed about us and the way he felt about me. No matter what happens he would always love me. Doesn't that sound like someone trying to break up with someone?" she demanded.

"…Yeah… actually…" Selphie admitted softly after a moment of thought. She pulled her closer, "Oh, Jiji."

Kage thought silently for a moment. "…Are you sure he was really breaking up with you? It could have been an unfortunate mischoosing of words?" he said.

"Coupled with his behavior the last few weeks, I think his meaning was pretty clear," Jiji said somewhat bitterly, shooting him a small glare.

"…Please don't tell me you've turned your back on the whole male gender," he said.

"Kage!" Selphie whispered a bit warningly.

"Would you blame me if I did?" she returned.

"Well, you're not the first person to be dumped by her boyfriend- not that you've even been dumped yet," Kage said.

"As good as," she replied.

"Not necessarily," he said. "I mean, I can't believe that Iggy would actually break up with you."

"Well, I think I know him a bit better than you," Jiji said.

"Apparently not," Kage said without thinking.

"Kage!" Selphie exclaimed. His eyes widened and he closed his mouth immediately. Jiji looked like she was ready to begin bawling again. Selphie glanced between the two of them and made a quick decision. "Jiji, why don't you head up to the guest bedroom and get out of those wet clothes. I'll get you a clean nightgown."

Jiji nodded silently and stood. Selphie followed her upstairs and gave her the clean nightgown, telling her to go to sleep and that everything would look better in the morning. When Jiji was safely in the guest bedroom, Selphie went back downstairs and rounded on Kage. "What were you thinking!"

"I'm sorry! I wasn't!" he said, rising defensively.

"Well, you should have, Kage!" Selphie said, making her way toward him. "Iggy's about to break up with her, and there you are saying she didn't know him?"

"I didn't mean it like that! I was trying to convince her that her relationship wasn't over!" he responded.

"And what good will that do, Kage? If he breaks up with her anyways-!"

"But he's not, Selphie! That's just the thing!" Kage cut her off, grabbing her by the shoulders. "Trust me! The farthest thing from his mind is breaking up with her.

"How do you know?" Selphie demanded.

"Oh, come on, Selphie!" Kage said, throwing his arms up exasperatedly. "Don't you remember what I told you that day me and Iggy went to the Castle Town?" He held up his left hand, drawing particular attention to the ring finger. Selphie stared confusedly for a moment, but then her eyes widened.

"Oh… oh! Oh!" she exclaimed. "He-… he was trying to-!"

"Yes, dear," Kage said, holding a finger to her lips to silence her. "At least I'm fairly certain that's what he was trying to do. He probably tried to do it already… several times probably, but chickened out."

"Why would he chicken out? He's known her his whole life," Selphie said.

"Oh, it's Iggy," Kage said. "You know how insecure he is about Jiji. He wants to make sure she gets what's best for her, even if it means it's not him. So, he probably kept second-guessing himself."

"Aw, that's so sweet!" Selphie gushed. "We have to tell Jiji!" She turned and started back toward the stairs again. Kage's eyes widened and he grabbed her.

"Absolutely not!" he said. "We couldn't do that to Iggy!"

"What do you mean? All that would do is make his whole job easier," Selphie said.

"No, Selphie. Quite the opposite. Iggy needs to tell her this himself or else he'll never be able to live up to it," Kage explained.

"But Jiji needs to know she's not about to lose the love of her life," Selphie countered.

"Selphie… Jiji can live with thinking she's losing Iggy for a few hours," Kage said. "But if she doesn't hear about an engagement from Iggy first, she won't hear it from him at all, and she really will lose him." Selphie remained silent. Kage smiled at her, placing his hand on the top of her head. "Just let her sleep for now. I'm going right now to get Iggy and bring him here."

"In this storm, Kage?" Selphie asked. "It's crazy for you to go out in that. I thought you said she could live a few hours."

"She can, but I'm not so sure about Iggy," Kage said. "And it'll take me at least that long to get there."

"Kage, I'm glad you want to help our friends, but that's dangerous," Selphie said, wrapping her arms around his waist.

"Not in my dragon form," Kage answered, putting his arms around her as well and planting a kiss on her forehead. "I'll be fine, don't worry." Selphie nodded, leaning her head back to place a kiss on his lips. Afterward, Kage let go and went to the door. Before he went out, he turned back to Selphie, "Just one thing, Selphie. Don't go to sleep yourself."

"Why's that?" she asked, crossing to the door too.

"I know you can take care of yourself, but I'd still worry if you were asleep here with no one to protect you," Kage said. "Not to mention the storm, and Jiji in the guest room-."

"Yes, yes, I'll keep my eyes open," Selphie said, smiling as she rolled her eyes playfully. Kage kissed her once more before opening the door and leaving. Selphie heard him roar over the storm before he took off. "I hope Iggy and Jiji appreciate what we're doing for them…" she said to herself as she sat on the couch and took up the book she'd been reading.

Not half an hour later she was asleep upon the cushions, the book open on her chest.