KT: Okay, okay, I know you all hate me. I promised to update something like two weeks ago, right? Well, I'm sorry for the breaking of the promise, and for the long wait. I have been extremely busy with schoolwork of late.

Roy: Ha! That's what you SAY.

Link: Right, we've seen you sitting down here playing Ocarina of Time all this past week!

Karanos: You broke contract twice to play Zelda!

KT: Well… yes. Sort of. I mean, no! No, not at all.

Roy: You know, Marth hasn't spoken to any of us since you posted your last chapter. He's still in the corner sulking.

Marth/sulks in the corner/

KT: Ah, right. Okay then, um… well, Marth, I need you to do the stuff.

Marth/glares at KT/ Kuroi Tenshi – Dark Angel does not own SSBM or any of its characters. Especially not me. She does own Sarah Holly and Jasmine Miles.

KT: o…kay, that'll do, I guess. Um… Karanos, why don't you introduce the chapter?

Karanos: Chapter. Woo.

"Lo! Darkness bends down like a mother of grief on the limitless plain, and the fall of her hair it has mantled a world." – Joaquin Miller

Roy sat in his room, attempting to read. His own thoughts were keeping him from actually doing so. It's funny how one person can be so distracting to you, he thought as he gave up and put his book to the side. Jasmine had that effect on him. He wouldn't be surprised if he ended up spacing out in the middle of a battle because some stray thought reminded him of the blond girl.

The thing was, Jazz was so shy about their relationship that she insisted on keeping it a secret from everyone, including their group of friends. Only Sarah had been told of it, and that was only because she would have found out anyway. It bothered Roy that he couldn't show his feelings for her to others, but he didn't really mind it as much as he pretended to.

"It's just not fair. I mean, Marth's practically living with Sarah now, so why can't we even hold hands in front of our friends? They'd be accepting of us! It's not like we're some weird kind of couple… damn woman…" Roy mumbled to himself, flopping back on the bed and staring at the ceiling.

The sound of running feet came from the hallway, muffled slightly by the closed door. Roy sighed and closed his eyes. It was probably Young Link or Ness messing around. They were always weird if they woke up too early in the mornings.

The door flew open with a bang. Roy jumped up, surprised, and looked to see who had invaded his peaceful morning. His annoyance turned to concern when he registered Jasmine standing before him, white with fear.

"Jasmine? What's wrong?"

Jasmine stepped forward, bursting into tears and sobbing against his chest. Roy hastily put his arms around her. He let her cry for a moment before pushing her away and looking into her eyes.

"Jasmine, what happened? Why are you crying?" he asked quietly, holding her shoulders.

Jazz swallowed a couple times before she was able to say anything coherent. "I… I saw… Sarah's… she's gone… dead…"

Roy unconsciously tightened his grip on her shoulders. It couldn't be. Jazz must have been mistaken. "She's what?"

"Dead! I couldn't… I just found her…" Jasmine let out a terrified, strangled wail. "What will they think? I… I just found her… I didn't do it!"

Roy stared at her. "Jasmine, there's no way that anyone will think that you did this, if this is really what's happened. Calm down, love, you're not helping anything by being hysterical."

Jazz turned away from him, but took his hand and pulled him out into the hall. "I can't say it… I can't. You have to see…" She pulled him again, leading him to Sarah's office.

Roy stared at the destruction of the office before him. He looked over his shoulder at Jasmine questioningly, and she pointed one finger at the far corner of the room. Roy stepped gingerly around the broken furniture and papers until he could see Sarah. The manager was lying motionless on the floor.

"She's in exactly the same position as when I left…" he heard Jazz whisper over his shoulder. Roy crouched down and touched Sarah tentatively.

"Sarah?" He called softly, already knowing that there would be no answer. He took hold of her shoulder, intending to lift her into a sitting position. His fingers ran into something odd, however. When he took a closer look, it appeared to be a large needle. Silently, he pulled it out. It was a needle, long and cruel-looking. Roy held it up so Jasmine could see it, too.

"I think we'd better take her to the hospital wing. I mean, she can't stay here…" Roy trailed off. He felt numb all over. It was like walking through a dream. He didn't feel like this was really happening. He couldn't really feel it as he picked up his friend and carried her through the halls, couldn't feel any real emotions, couldn't think straight.

When they reached the hospital wing, no one was there. Jazz called for Doctor Mario while Roy put Sarah on one of the beds, but there was no answer. Jazz began to cry again, and Roy pulled her into a hug, feeling like he might cry as well. He held it back for her sake.

At that moment, the door opened, revealing Link and Doctor Mario. Both of them looked surprised to see Roy and Jazz there.

"Roy? What's going on?" Link asked. Doctor Mario noticed Sarah on the bed and stepped over to her.

Roy turned to look at Link. "It's Sarah. She's-"

"Oh my goodness! She's dead!" Doctor Mario cried out. Link snapped his attention over to the little doctor instantly.

"What?"

Jazz looked up. "It's true… I found her in… in her office."

Link stared at her, and then turned back to Sarah. "Oh, Goddesses…"

Doctor Mario turned to Roy and Jazz. "What happened? Tell me everything."

Jazz sniffed. "I… her office is a mess… I went in there this morning to start work, and… I just found her there."

"This was stuck in her shoulder," Roy spoke up, holding out the needle he had removed from Sarah's shoulder. The doctor took it from him delicately and examined it.

"Strange markings. I wonder… it may have been poisoned. I'll have to run some tests to see. Leave for a little while. I can't do such research with people around."
He bustled off into the back room, carrying the needle as though it might explode. The three friends were left alone in the silent hospital wing. No one spoke for a long time. Everyone simply stared from one face to the other, always returning to Sarah's.

Finally, Jasmine spoke up. It was barely more than a whisper, but the words made Roy shiver with an uncontrollable fear.

"How are we going to tell Marth?"

Marth: You really killed her…

Link: That's interesting. At least it wasn't Zelda this time.

Roy: Look, just don't make me be the one to tell Marth in the story, okay?

KT: Yes, Sarah is dead. I'm sorry if you all really liked her. I mean, I really liked her, but… it just felt right.

Karanos/snickers/ It's all part of my character development plan…

Marth: Please review… I want to know what happens next.