A/N: I rushed it...? Oopsie... I guess I was writing kinda quickly to reach Link and Sayu's part. My bad. XD Ah well. Sorry, no boulevard of broken dreams, so sorry. Maybe next time. Next chappie time! I hope this won't be confusing...

"A prism with an intellect, you throw your light selectively.

You stole my glow, a seasoned thief,

The blacks of my eyes are turning into opals.

Today, I walk! There's nothing here left for me

But empty promises and the thought of all the things I'm never getting back!

You came, you saw, you conquered... everything!

Now I'm left here bleeding, oh what went wrong?

Yeah, I'm down, but not out! And far from done.

Hey all! Beware! Criminal..." -Beware! Criminal, Incubus

Brother Squadron: Chapter 17: Escape from Earth

In a quiet hallway, all the Nintendians managed to squeeze themselves in a hidden nook, evading the sight of a few Frames that walked down the hall. They waited for Sayu patiently, gagging any Frames that spotted them and stuffing them deep in the nook.

Fox stood against the wall in the slit of their hiding place, acting as the guard of their concealment. His sharp ears caught the sound of hurried footsteps, unusual for most passing Frames, but he still waited, just in case. When they got close enough, his fellow Nintendians watched as he peered out into the hallway, then immediately stopped.

There she was. Sayu was running towards them, knowing of their urgency. And in her arms she clutched their weak Squadron Leader. He looked really bad, bruised and cut, clothes torn apart, but though he looked awfully weary, he was alive, and that was really all that mattered.

"What's going on?" Ness unwisely poked his head out into the hallway, and seeing the two approach, a big grin spread across his face. "Hey, guys, they're here! Link's okay!"

To Fox's dismay, they all cheered and rushed out into the open to see for themselves. They all gathered around and voiced their happiness in voices without bitterness.

"Dude, Link, you're alright!"

"We were so worried!"

"What'd they do to you, man?"

"It's good to have you back, Link."

With much strain, Link turned his head to look at his long-time companions on this wild and endless journey on Earth. And seeing their fresh faces, full of gladness and relief, he realized that he never quite was alone. His followers were always there in support, and Link felt like an idiot again for thinking those thoughts.

"Link!" One voice pierced through the excited buzz, and he witnessed as his precious little sister burst through the crowd and embraced him around the shoulders, sobbing. "Oh, Link, I'm so glad you're okay!" she cried out, hugging him tightly.

Link weakly smiled. "You too."

Sayu was a little annoyed by Zelda's hurried approach and the extra weight she pressed into her arms, but didn't say anything, not wanting to break this special moment. At last, Fox whispered directly at Sayu, "Give him to her." With relief, she tried to stand the Hylian up, but his legs buckled beneath him, and he fell to his knees, in Zelda's arms as she knelt down with him. At first, it seemed like just a warm sibling embrace, her hands spread across his back, but they stayed like that for an unnaturally long time, and magic pulsed through the air. Link's weak face went soft as he sighed in content, succumbing to his sister's care.

"Is she healing him...?" Sayu asked in a whisper. A nod from Fox was her answer. The rest watched with only a few quiet mumbles, never breaking her concentration.

At last, the healing was done. Slowly, Link drew away, his skin repaired, bones knit, and weakness gone, face lifted in a smile as he gazed into Zelda's damp eyes. It opened in a wispy chuckle, his hand reaching up and caressing the side of her face affectionately. He then spoke one line of Hylian to her, which was something he rarely did anymore, in a soft and comforting voice.

"Nemo kiddey meega no."

I knew I could trust you, that's what he told her. Zelda smiled brightly, embracing him once more. No matter what could happen, no matter the circumstance, she knew that love form her brother would always be there.

Withdrawing from each other at last, Link glanced up at the quiet, yet satisfied faces of the Squadron, staring at him with eyes that were as warm and soft as most of them could manage, no regret or any sense of betrayal behind them. They followed him as he silently got to his feet, staring back with sapphire eyes of uncertainty. They looked as if they forgave him already, but there was still that small pain of guilt...

"Listen, you guys..." he sighed. "...I-I'm really sorry... about all this..."

But they all just waved it off like some minority, mumbling along the lines of "nah, it's alright" and "it's no big deal." Then Fox moved in front of Link, flexing that smirk the elf knew all too well.

"Don't worry about it," he spoke in a cool voice. "Just 'cause you're our leader doesn't mean you gotta be perfect. We're just glad to see you're still alive."

At last, Link smiled in return, nodding. "Same to you."

Fox crossed his arms, looking him up and down. "So... what the hell'd they do to you, anyway?"

"You don't wanna know..." Link answered ruefully, remembering his torn attire. In bitter annoyance, he tore off the detached part of his sleeves, leaving his jacket sleeveless and exposing his less-than-sinewy-looking arms. He then ripped through the slits in his tank top until he could remove it, ascot and dog tags drooping over his bare chest. Fox stared at him oddly as he held all the torn black cloth in his hands.

"...What?" Link spoke, grinning wily. "They'd be distracting."

Both of them chuckled, then the sound of a screeching alarm echoed through the halls, red lights flashing as a warning. The Nintendians all covered their ears and shouted in protest, though most voices were lost in the blaring bellow.

"What the hell's going on?" Link's voice managed to pierce through the noise.

"Shit!" Sayu cursed. "They know! I have to get you all to the Portal as quickly as possible!"

"No need!" Fox wouldn't have shouted, but he needed to in order to be heard. "Ness' got his handheld!"

"Since you're the only one of us with a weapon, you'll have to cover us!" Link added. "The Portal's at the North end, so we'll take the perimeter halls so you only have to worry about one side!"

"Fine!" Sayu agreed, taking out her Magnum. She really didn't wish to take the long way around, but knew that the survival of the Nintendians was priority number one to them, and she respected that.

Link moved to the front of the group, Fox and Ness standing right beside him. "This is it, you guys! Let's go!"

And the Brother Squadron embarked on their final foot mission, whether they reached their goal or not. Fully restored health and morale, they moved as one unit down the so far empty corridors. Taking the long, perimeter halls prevented the Frames from trapping them, as Sayu gunned down any and all who tried to intercept their path from branched-off halls. She had to reload her Magnum after every onslaught.

And she did so with no pity towards them, no emotion. It was a little unnerving to the rest, and Luigi finally shouted to her over the ongoing noise.

"I thought you said you don't like death!"

"I don't like the death of innocent people!"

They kept on running, ever persistent to reach their destination. They turned a corner and left the southernmost hall, sprinting down the westernmost wall now. But then, without reason or warning, Link stopped in his tracks, and the others who could see him stopped as well, causing collusions in the back and mass confusion.

"What? What is it?" Fox asked quietly.

"Shh!" Link strained his ears to hear the faintest of noises. By now, the alarm had been thankfully shut off, with only the blinking red lights still indicating their search. There was silence, until they all could hear a sadistic laugh in the far distance, towards the center of the fortress.

"That Crazy Hand...?" someone asked, a question that went unanswered as they already knew.

After much thought and deliberation to himself, Link faced his Squadron and spoke with deep determination. "I'm going to get back at Master Hand."

"WHAT?" Fox, among several others, shouted. "Are you fucking crazy?"

"I'm not gonna let him get away with what he did to me," Link explained heavily. "I swear, the bastard's gonna pay."

"Well, then what're we supposed to do?" Fox exclaimed, getting ticked off.

"You go on. I'll catch up."

Fox would've continued on arguing, but gave up, and the rest seemed to accept his decision as well. They knew Link wouldn't want to leave this world until he settled his score with the evil warlord.

At last, Ness stepped up, offering his handheld. "Here, take it." Link slowly took it from his grasp. "We don't need it; we've got a guide. Just don't lose it, k?"

Link nodded and pocketed it for now. "I'll meet you at the Portal."

"Be careful, Link." The elf nodded and embraced Zelda tightly before departing for the laughter's source. He snaked through the twisting hallways, tuning his ears solely on the Crazy Hand's maniacal laughter. Every so often, he ducked behind walls as Frame troops searching for Nintendian hide ran passed, armed to the teeth. He wished selflessly for his comrades' safety, then continued on.

At last, he found the room in which the sound was the strongest. Peering cautiously past the open doorway, Link could see Crazy Hand settled on a bed of some sorts, giggling in his delusional little world. In fact, the giant hand reminded Link of a certain person, and it was then he knew what to do and how to approach him. He had done this same thing before, and Crazy Hand would be no different.

Link then did something his comrades would describe as suicide, if they were there. He stepped into the room and calmly addressed the insane hand.

"Your Lordship...?"

Crazy Hand's laughter stopped abruptly, and he turned to the Nintendian, yet seeing someone else, a follower, if anything.

"Yes, what is it?" he asked in an unstable voice.

"Your brother sent me in," Link responded, feeling slightly awkward, but staying calm. "I'm your counselor, sir."

Crazy Hand paused a bit too long, as if attempting an actual thought, but the delusional barrier blocked all deep consideration, and finally he responded, "Oh, yes, of course, how could I forget the appointment? Please, sit down."

All others would be disturbed and suspicious of this welcoming offer, but Link knew better. He obliged and took a seat on a crude couch, and in a comforting yet humble voice, he continued.

"You sounded awfully content before I came in, sir. Something happen?"

Crazy Hand's giggling continued as he answered, "You've heard, haven't you? The rest of the Nintendian scum is in our custody!"

Link nodded, knowing those were not his own words. "Do tell."

"Hee, hee... And Big Brother promised I could watch them get executed!" he said in glee like child who had won a free scooter. "And better yet, I get to help torture their leader! (Link grimaced at that, but it went unnoticed) Big Brother promised!"

"But will he keep that promise?"

...Absolute silence.

"He... He said he would..." Crazy Hand was defensive.

"You've seen what he's done to the Nintendian's leader and many before him. Did he keep his promises to them?"

"Well... They deserved... it..." Crazy Hand became hesitant.

"But after all those lies, how do you know he will keep his promises with you much longer?"

"But... Big Brother... He's..." Crazy Hand felt distraught.

"...your brother, and you've known him for years now. Has he ever seemed satisfied with sharing his power?"

"I... don't know..." Crazy Hand became lost.

"He wants absolute power over Planet Earth, sir, and he's willing to do anything to rid the opposition. The Nintendians are first. You will be next."

"... N-n-no..." Crazy Hand felt defenseless.

"And you can't let that happen, can you?"

"..." Crazy Hand was at a loss for words.

"Your brother has been spoiling you, only to crush you in the long run. He is manipulating you. You have to stop him, now, before it's too late."

"...But how...?" Crazy Hand was now in Link's hands.

"You need to tell him, no more. You must destroy him, beat him to the punch before he gets you. Then you could rule Planet Earth. You will be in charge."

"Yesss... I shall be in charge..." Crazy Hand was intrigued.

"Everything will be under your control: the Frames, the prison camps... All in this world will exist for you."

"All for me..." Crazy Hand was entranced by desire.

"Then you know what you must do."

Crazy Hand gave out a maniacal laugh and swiftly darted out of the room. Link watched him race down the hall, smiling to himself before following. He was using Master Hand's own strategy of manipulation against him, and it would be the sweetest revenge a commoner could give to a warlord.

There was a silence of awe as the Nintendians basked in the warm, welcoming, sky blue glow of the Portal. It stood in its pure stone form, multicolored gems lining the outside, obviously the source of the Portal's power. Tears glistened in the Nintendians' eyes as they looked upon their one-way road to home.

"Incredible..."

"We've made it... We've finally made it..."

"It's... beautiful..."

Sayu stood in respect. Though they were in a rush, she understood that this would be it. This would be the time they would find salvation. Of course they were going to be choked up.

But then they all heard far away shouts, and it was then they decided that now would be the best time to get moving. Sayu stood by the side, drawing her Magnum as they prepared to embark on the dimension shift.

"NO! STOP THOSE NINTENDIANS!" A deep, familiar, and strangely panicking voice approached with many pairs of feet following it. They all turned as Master Hand and many of his Frame followers, armed and dangerous, entered. They took up aggressive positions and awaited the orders to let lead fly, but that never came. Slightly confused, they looked up at their master, who was silent as he found a certain someone among the group.

"...Sayu... What are you doing here?" he spoke at last, trying to sound threatening, but his panic from before made it impossible. And thanks to this, Sayu remained strong against her former master.

"I can't let you bring anymore harm to them," she answered firmly, believing everything she said. "Haven't you brought them enough hurt, blaming them for your crimes when the idiot Humans became outraged?" There was a silence as the warlord was at a loss for words. "Yes, I know. I'm not as oblivious as the rest of your followers. These people have been hunted down by Frames and Humans alike. And all they want is to go home!"

The Nintendians looked at Sayu, surprised, to say the least. Never, ever before had a Wire Frame defended their position, more so against their own leader. Sayu was risking her own neck doing this, and they couldn't help but admire her for that.

She continued, angry now. "Why are you so determined to take that right away from them as well? Why?"

"Because they deserve every bit of it," Master Hand spoke at last, hiding his sense of defeat and rage behind a familiar smooth voice.

Sayu's eyes narrowed into slits as she tightened her grip on her Magnum. "Don't even try that mesmic shit. I'm sick and tired of killing for you."

"How DARE you, you disobedient little..."

There then was a giggle. A sift, demented giggle that sent shivers down their spines. "Oh, Big Brother..."

Master Hand's weak attempt at mesmar ended as he vented out his frustrations at last. "What in blazes do you want now, Brother?"

In response, a powerful blast slammed into him with unspeakable force, knocking him to the far wall. He let out a shout of rage, then glanced up as Crazy Hand floated above him like a luminous shadow. He was now the feared one, and Master Hand was the weaker being. The only differences were the twitching and convulsions.

"No more, Big Brother," he spoke, a mix of his demented voice and the exact words he was told. "No more lies. I shall be in charge now."

"WHAT? ARE YOU CR...?" And Master Hand froze in dread as he realized that his brother was indeed crazy.

"I am in charge!" Crazy Hand bellowed, releasing another blast out of thin air, to which Master Hand dodged, and it left a dark charred print on the wall. "All in this world exists for me!"

"FOOLISH LITTLE BASTARD!" Master Hand willingly returned his own blast without restriction. And then it was clear that this would be considered the first and final battle between the warlords of Planet Earth. A battle to the death.

The Hands collided in the air several times, rebounding off each other with extreme amounts of power, radiating strange vibes through the air. Nintendians and Frames alike just stood and watched, entranced by fear. It was not until the Hands met again and created a new kind of power- a wave of destructive energy- did the Nintendians snap from their spell.

"Duck!" someone shouted, and the whole group shrank as one to the floor. The Wire Frames, sans Sayu, were less fortunate, as the point energy burned their bodies, bones, flesh, and all. The Nintendians gawked in awe at the massive amounts of power released from the Hands' deepest realms of hatred.

As the Hands continued, there rolled a figure across the floor, dodging their attacks by mere inches. As the figure came into the light, the Nintendians reveled in the sight of a familiar face.

"Link!" most of them shouted, and he looked up and grinned smugly at his Squadron, standing up to meet them, only to end up in Zelda's arms once more.

"Hey, Link, you made it!" Fox grinned once Zelda had let go. "Didya get back at him?"

Link only grinned up at the confronting Hand warlords, and they instantly understood. So, the elf was the one who had sparked Crazy Hand's revolution, knowing the two Hands would only kill each other in the end. Ingenious.

He then suddenly turned back to them. "Well, what the fuck are you people waiting for? Go! Go before they take us with them! MOVE!"

The Nintendians hastily obliged, leaping into the Portal, two at a time. The Portal's surface rippled like calm waters disturbed by only the falling leaves of the trees above. Link stood by Sayu, who kept up her guard in case the Hands came near, allowing the rest of his race to go before him and be led to safety. When the last couple made their way through, Link turned back to a stern Sayu, and without so much as a word, raised a foot a kicked Magnum out of her hands. It evaporated when it came in contact with the Hands' whirling dervish of destruction.

"Hey, what the hell's your probl...?" Before Sayu could protest, he clamped a hand over her mouth and an arm around her waist. And before she knew it, he had leaped into the Portal at last, taking her with him.

"Another day goes without any change.

The feeling we live with still remains.

We're stuck in a hole and we're searching for anything to hold on to.

There has to be somewhere that we can be safe

From the lives we live each day.

There has to be somewhere that we can be far away...

We have to escape..." -Escape, Hoobastank

A/N: Ooh, I left you in the most EVIL cliffhanger! MWAHAHAHAAAA! Ahem... Well, one more true chappie after this, and then a surprise afterwards! People who have read my old stuff should be elated by this surprise. Those who already know, DON'T TELL! Review, please! 8)