IV

Fox woke up in the morning, unsure of just what had happened last night. He got up and checked on Krystal.

He opened her door a bit, and looked in. She was not there. He looked around the rest of the suite, checking the kitchen, dining room, living room, and the rest. Huh. Not there either. He got dressed, had something to eat, and started off into the hallways, into the places Krystal had indicated she'd liked. Not in the gym, not in the dining hall, not in the flower garden…

Fox finally checked the pool, and found her there. Clad in what looked like the clothes she'd been wearing the first time they'd met – except for swimming, not battle – she was going off the diving board when he'd walked in. He blushed a bit, but after he'd seen her like this before, it didn't phase him – well, at least not as much as before.

After she had surfaced – looking stunning, he noted – he went up to her.

"Wow, Krystal, I didn't know you could swim," he said to her as she walked out of the pool on the shallow end stairs. Fox saw she had a bikini top/bottom on, not a loincloth and other battle gear. She shook water from her hair.

"I like it. It's a good chance for a workout," she told him, "while washing your troubles away." She frowned, and looked a bit worried.

"I guess it didn't wash away all of your troubles. Something wrong?" he asked. She seemingly perked up a bit.

"No, no, I'm fine. Just a bit troubled about the dream I had last night. It was very frightening, but I'm ok now," she told him. He nodded.

"Ok then. Uh, you still want to walk through the courtyard?" he asked. She smiled, which made Fox heat up a bit, a fuzzy feeling.

"Sure, I'd love to. Meet you out their in ten?" asked Krystal. He nodded, and said, "Ten minutes it is then." She walked toward the locker rooms/ladies changing rooms, and said as she walked off, looking over her shoulder, "See you in ten."

Fox was never more eager to go walking.

Krystal sighed. She was looking forward to go on a walk with Fox, because… Well, we should take the time in this time of peace to, well… be at peace with one another. She nodded to herself.

She got changed, and hurried off to the courtyard. As she checked her clock, (which she noted that she had time to spare – which was good, of course) she felt a familiar pressure in her head, and frowned. Oh no. Why do I have to get a headache now... she thought to herself. As she got to the courtyard, she felt a bit lightheaded, but saw Fox, standing their. She waved over to him, and walked over.

"Hello again, Fox," she said to him. He smiled, and she felt a little more lightheaded. It's the headache, she thought, but wasn't too sure of it.

"Good to see you again," he said. Krystal waved a hand toward the courtyard, with its wooden arches with vines growing on them. They started walking in it, parallel to each other.

"How's your stay been here so far?" he asked her. He looked over at her.

"Good, so far. I enjoyed my dip in the pool," she said, as a twinge of pain went through her head. Stop it, she ordered her head. But it went on hurting, as they chatted. They got to a stone bench in the middle of the courtyard, and sat down next to each other. Krystal winced in pain as she sat down. Fox looked over.

"Are you sure you're ok?" he asked. Krystal nodded twice, quickly, but another twinge of pain went through her head. She slowly shook her head.

"No. I've been getting these dreadful headaches recently. I think I've been getting a local virus or something, but I'm not sure." More pain entered her head, and she winced harder. Fox hesitated for a moment.

"Maybe we should take you to the doctor at the hotel's office. They'll probably be able to-" She got up, and protested.

"No, I'm fine. I'm just going to go to my room, that's all. Sorry," she said with a slight edge in her voice. She walked off in a hurry, her shoes clicking on the ground as she went.

Fox watched as she left, and sighed in worry. I hope she's ok… Thoughts flashed through his head, of doubt. Did Krystal really like him? Did she really have a headache? Did she just come because she was being polite? He brooded about this for a second, and then dispelled these thoughts with a shake of the head. No, Krystal wouldn't lie about having a headache. I don't know if she was being polite or not, but… Then he remembered. She had originally invited him, not vice versa. His thoughts clear, or at least clearer, he stood up. He knew that Krystal wouldn't have invited him and then left without a good reason.

Still, doubt lingered at the back of his mind, a feeling that, though he hadn't felt it much before, he couldn't shake…

That's chapter IV. Review, please. Also, any characters/things I haven't made up are © of Nintendo. That means Fox, Krystal, and the rest.

Black Footman342

Note: (Writers Notes: --- ---- ----- --) are the only notes I'll put in. If it doesn't have "Writers Notes" before it, it's just another part of the story.