Konichiwa.
YouJustGotRapedInTheTooth: I know you aren't a new reader, but you are just so sweet! - I'm so glad you like this story.
Daikoran the BlackIce Kitsune: Woot. What up? It's always good to here from another kitsune, especially another black one. BlackIce sounds positively dangerous. Mmm...
Sorry for the slow update. Laptop was completely screwed up, and still is now... Internet is sometimes accessible, sometimes not. And the upstairs computer has no Internet, for like, the thirty-hundredth time this month. Also... I've been having problems with the story. Confusion and regret... oh well.
NOTE(S):
- I realized I have screwed up the timeline. I wanted this story to be somewhat into the future, like, four years later. Subtly. Obviously, that didn't really work. Why:
1) Selena was playing Pokemon Fire Red, which is released in September, on the DS, which is released... sometime later. Pokemon Fire Red is actually for the normal GBA, not DS.
2) Dominick was playing Halo. So if this WAS in the future, then he wouldn't be playing Halo, he would be playing Halo 2, which is to be released in November 9th. (SIDE NOTE: "In four year there will probably be another Pokemon and MAYBE another Halo." – XaNgrrR) The day before my birthday! Woot, finally, I'll be fourteen. XD
- Is listening to "Together We Ride" (FE) SSBM Remix -
XXX
Chapter 4: White Stranger
XXX
A strange, cold pain filled Ferah's mind, and her eyes shot open. She rolled over. The feather-down pillow underneath her dark hair had cold sweat soaked in. Fern immediately awoke with her, and mewed softly, purring. It plopped itself on her lap and rolled over. Ferah stroked her rumbling neck.
Sleepily, Ferah stepped into the Emerald main room, a little shaken, even after her cold shower. She was a bathroom singer, for she had always felt the pitter-patter of water had always synched with the melody in her mind, but this morning she could manifest no words. She had had a shadowy nightmare where Roy was trying to kill her with the Sword of Seals... And she couldn't run. Before his sword had made contact with her chest, she had woken up.
The other members of the Emerald Team sat at the square table. The sliding door next to them was open, leading out into the loud New York streets.
Ferah yawned. Why did she always wake up last? "Hey guys. What's up?" She asked, taking a seat on the nearby couch, then leaning back so she could see the others.
"Hi." Said Dominick casually, but didn't continue.
"Good morning Ferah." Said Selena, beaming as usual. "We were just... discussing yesterday's match."
Ferah's good-natured smile left her face. "Oh. Continue then." She said, more of a demand in case they intended to stop talking now that she was there. She bitterly remembered Kaze's glare after their score had been added up after their first match.
"Well..." Selena began, looking at Aaron. He motioned wordlessly towards Ferah. Selena looked back at Ferah, a twitch on her lips.
"Well?" Insisted Ferah softly.
Selena's eyes darted to Kaze, who was leaning back in his chair. He turned his face to Ferah. "Ferah, we decided your not fighting in our next match." He said simply.
Ferah suddenly stood up, her mouth slightly ajar as if she had something to say, but no phrase made itself clear. She shook her head, searching Selena's reluctant face, Dominick's sad stare.
"I already talked to Hirogawa. He said it's a good idea." Kaze continued, rubbing it in. Ferah wasn't sure it was intentional or not.
She swallowed and looked at Kaze. It was... a smart choice. Regardless if she was fighting or not, the team could still win, and therefore continue on in the contest. However, her shoulders still drooped.
There was a knock at the suite door. Ferah was the closest, so she got up to open it. A bellboy came in, pushing a cart of cereal boxes and bowls with him. "Breakfast." He said. Ferah took the cart, and he closed the door behind her with the tip of his oval hat.
Kaze returned his attention to the table. "Other reasons we lost points were because of Dominick's fear of heights. After breakfast, I suggest we all concentrate hard on training today."
Ferah scratched her forehead. Why didn't they keep her in and put Dominick out? Probably because she lost more points than he did.
"Mr. Hirogawa wanted to see you." Reminded Selena as she squeezed chlorine-smelling water from her hair. The Emerald Team had made good use of their time with the pool that Hirogawa had added.
"Yeah, I know." Ferah hadn't bothered to summon Roy. He couldn't help her swim, however badly. She rubbed her hair with an ivory towel, not caring to which direction her hair was flipped.
Selena whiffed her blonde hair. "Meh." She made a face. "I'm taking a shower. I'll put Fern in our room."
"Hurry up then. We've got a match later." Said Aaron as he swooped to put his arm around Ferah. He had been her swimming 'instructor', although mostly all he did was push her into the water and told her to stop flailing. Ferah shrugged his arm off.
"I have water up my nose." She complained in a nauseated voice.
"Payback for torturing me with your cat." Said Aaron as he grabbed his sweater and pulled it over his head, finding short white strands of fur all over the black hood.
Hirogawa waited for her, not looking too pleased. She stood in front of him while the Players rushed behind her, taking a seat on the risers again.
She nodded her head in a short bow. "Hi." She said as Selena rushed by, giving her a pat on the back.
"Hello." He said, nodding to an executive as he walked away. "Your Team Captain and I have had a little discussion, and as I'm sure you already know that you will not be fighting in the next match."
Ferah nodded, her brown-black pigtails swishing lightly.
"As only fair, the other team will have one of their members sit out. Now, you aren't the only one who has had trouble with your Avatar, but there has only been two of you."
Ferah looked up. Cassandra, she remembered. Joy.
"Yes," He said, reading her face, "Cassandra of the Ruby Team. I have talked to her already, and I have a proposition for you." He scratched the unshaven whiskers on is broad chin. "There is a Player on the Sapphire Team who has suggested he help you two." He nodded. "The one called Trent."
"Has Cassandra agreed to do it?" Asked Ferah, looking up so she could properly read the emotions on Hirogawa's face.
"She doesn't know yet. I suspect she is waiting for your answer." He replied.
"I'll do it, then." Said Ferah, thinking strategically of learning of Trent's fighting abilities. She nodded to conclude her thoughts. "Yeah."
"Good. I'm sure the other girl will agree then, too." He called over his Assistant. "The Emerald Team will indeed be fighting today. After it has been announced who they will fight against, please lead Ferah to the audience seats." He said, addressing both of them. He turned to leave.
"Oh." She said, stepping forward. "Hirogawa-Sensei, do you remember when I was late?" She started, her thoughts pulling back to the kid in the computer room.
"Yes?" He asked, turning around.
She paused. "Nevermind." Ferah turned around and joined her team on the risers.
Hirogawa stood on the pitcher's mound. "Welcome, once again, to LilyWaters Park. The same rules and guidelines apply the same as before." He said, watching as an anchorwoman broke through the crowd with her cameraman so she could properly catch Hirogawa.
"Let us skip to today's matches." He said, nodding. "Today we have... The Sapphire Team versus the Ruby Team, and the Emerald Team versus the Topaz Team. Because a Player of the Emerald Team will be sitting out today's match, we would like the captain of the Topaz Team to pull out one of their players."
Once again, the kids rushed to their teams, instantly inspecting their opponents. Ferah got up, waving goodbye to Selena, and hopped off the risers. Good luck! She mouthed, and met up with the executive.
After a few minutes, Alice emerged from the huddled shoulders of the Topaz Team and approached Ferah and executive. "I'll be sitting out today." She said in her quiet, hidden voice.
"Why?" Said Ferah, as the executive nodded and led the girls towards a few chairs by an arena.
Alice turned her gaze to Ferah. "What do you mean?"
They took seats, and the executive went back to attend to the fighting teams and where the were to be led. "You should totally be fighting." Said Ferah.
Alice closed the gap in between her thighs with tiny hands. "It's okay. It's not a big deal."
"But...but I saw you. You were great." Ferah continued, remembering Saria's arrows as they one-by-one struck every root monster.
"Like I said. It's really not that important." Alice said. "The others need more experience than I do. I took archery classes." She looked down, trying to see her Avatar Band from under her chin. She gave it a light tap. "Saria...?" She asked. In a whir of fog, Saria appeared next to her quickly. Ferah smiled at Saria, who smiled back as they all turned to look at the fray.
Behind the wire fences, Ferah could not quite see the Emerald Team as they stood on their platforms. The fray was mostly made of chunky soil plateaus and rocks. It was larger than the first arena, but did not provide much cover other than a few large bushes.
Ferah still felt betrayed. She needed to be more like Alice, calm and collected. Maybe Roy would like Alice better than her. Saria wasn't so bad, actually, she was quite fun. Maybe they could trade... she shrugged the idea off. Regardless of her problems with the prince, she was growing fond of him.
"Aren't you going to summon Roy?" Asked Alice.
"No." Said Ferah, ending the topic before Saria could voice her opinions.
Ferah leaned over. She could see the Topaz Team much better, because they were on a lower plateau than ground level. Standing on their individual starter platforms, there was a large, burly boy she recognized as Bruce from dinner sessions. He summoned next to him Bowser. Next to the captain there was a little girl, barely half his size, sporting overalls and brown hair in pigtails. Next to her was a violet-hooded figure wearing enclosed-finger gloves. A Greek, giggly girl stood next to her, fawning over the younger girl to make sure she was ready for their first match. In her free arm she carried a pink blob, whom Ferah mistook as another Kirby character. And besides the slim girl was a boy name Eric, who hadn't summoned his character yet.
The announcer took his microphone to his mouth, and Ferah watched the light high above the layer plateaus. The members of the Topaz Team turned their gaze to the stoplight-resembling box.
"On my mark... 5...4...3...2..."
The last digit was not heard, as Bruce voiced his power loudly and with vigor, striking surprise into Selena and making her late. Scott was last to step from his platform, but this was his personal tactic.
Seven Players dove into the underbrush, some faster than others. A blur of black fur dashed behind the tree and slunk down. Selena took to the highest platform, pulling out a turnip from the ground. Ferah remembered that during training, Dominick had tried to eat one. At the moment he followed Link.
Bruce did not bother to be sneaky, but bore his claws, thick and steel-resembling, unlike Fox's canines. He took a deep breath, filling his cheeks with fresh air, and released the air in a solid ray. Fire burst from his lips, engulfing the bushes. Bruce laughed mischievously, watching as the dancing flames jumped from bush to bush, waves plummeting through the grass and rapidly climbing trees. Kaze jumped back as the fire swept towards them, grabbing Dominick and jumping high.
Ferah could hear barely hear them yelling. "How do we get rid of this?" Hollered Aaron as he moved away from a small tree. A crisp branch collapsed towards him, but he slashed it away with his the Master Sword.
"I don't know." Said Kaze, landing neatly on his slim feet in a crouch. Dominick pushed Kaze's arm away as he noticed the young girl, Claire, emerge from the bushes. In her gloved-hands she held a large, ice pick, with a gleaming point. She slammed it down near Dominick, and as it hit the earth and buried its point, she struggled to get it out.
Dominick saw his chance and pulled out his whip, a long coiled, rope of black from the palm of his hand. He slapped it around a crumbling tree and hurled it towards her, catching her and slamming her into the fence, hiding her in flames and leaves.
"Ouch." Winced Selena, surprised from his reckless tactics as Aaron congratulated Dominick. The flames had not reached her yet, and they seemed to be slowing. Someone jumped from behind her. It was Stephanie, in a poofy dress of white, shadowed in pink.
Selena twirled. "Bomber!" She said, and swerved her hip around, slamming into Stephanie in a small burst of flame. Stephanie flew into the air, but majestically recoiled and simply floated in the air, the multi-layers of her skirt billowing. She dusted off her brown boot, which had gotten black from the impact.
"Gah!" Murmured Selena in disappointment, chucking the turnip her way. Stephanie caught it, and hurled it back, missing badly. Both of the girls laughed as they moved into martial arts offensive and defensive positions.
Bruce, slow and strong, made his way through the burning underbrush. He was obviously fire proof, unlike most of the Players in action. Kaze put his own speedy advantage to use, dashing through the flames and coming down on Bruce with a direct kick. Bowser rolled backward on and into his shell, shoving deep spikes into the earth, then rolled over again. He bore his claws, and brought them down on Kaze, leaving a trail of white-blue behind in the air.
Ferah shrieked. Alice noticed her apparent shock but was watching another pair duel. Under the flaming tree, ice had begun to grow from underneath, curving around the tree and up the boundary gates. Slowly and steadily the ice was able to stop the flames and crystallize the tree. With a shot of strange, purple lightning-like energy, the tree exploded sending ice crystals at Link. He bore his shield, covering his face, but was slashed along his legs. Scott helped up little Claire, his hands still burning with energy.
Selena struggled to land anything on Stephanie, who floated freely in the air. Daisy opened her white umbrella and jumped off the platform, trying to reach her, but Stephanie moved teasingly out of reach. She opened her mouth slightly, and began to sing. She started softly, then began to increase and speed up. Selena's hand slipped from her umbrella, and she dropped to the ground. The umbrella floated off.
Now on the ground, the fire surrounded Selena, who's rhythmic breathing and lightly closed eyes showed she was slumbering. Ferah stood up, ringing her fingers around the wire. "Selena!" She yelled, but Selena was too far away. Nobody in the fray heard her over the flames.
Aaron looked around nervously for Kaze, who seemed to have disappeared into the deeper part of the flames. They were now outnumbered. Bowser slowly made his way across the arena and Scott helped Claire regain confidence and stability.
Stephanie saw that Claire was hurt, and immediately abandoned Selena, whom she was sure would be soon taken care of by the flames. She swooped over and picked up Claire by the under arms and flew higher so Claire could have a haven from the flames.
Scott and Bruce came forward for Aaron and Dominick. Aaron brought his sword into battle stance, holding over his head, his shield protecting his chest. Dominick pulled out his whip again, and as he lashed it up and over, caught Stephanie by the ankle. It curled around her calf and Dominick yanked her down, slamming her frail body into the earth. Aaron slipped his sword into the sheath on his back and pulled out his bow and arrows, firing them at Claire and Stephanie. Their fallen figures blinked, and paled out.
Ferah cheered, but her cheering disappeared quickly, as Nick rushed in, power glowing along his arms. He looked strange to have such power, with a striped shirt and a cap. But she couldn't watch. If Kaze had only let her in... She looked for Selena, instead and saw a strange, white figure hovering over her body.
"What is that?" Said Ferah out loud, over the roar of fire and the audience.
"What?" Asked Saria.
"Look! There's somebody over by Selena." Said Ferah, trying to get a better perspective. But they were on a high and tree-covered platform, so she could not make out quite was going on.
"I... I don't see anybody." Said the short Saria, straining as she jumped up and down to see what was bothering Ferah.
Ferah thought quickly, retrieving her cellphone from her wristlet-purse. She flipped it open, and quickly cycling through the main menu, adjusted it so she could take a picture. She backed up, trying to keep the white figure in focus. It looked like a formally dressed man, but she wasn't sure. Carefully, she took a backwards step on her seat. Someone in the crowd insisted she sat down, but she still couldn't see.
She narrowed her green eyes, trying to move the frame of her cellphone to see the figure, holding it up above her head. The white figure, she saw, twirled something around, and the flames on Selena's platform flickered and disappeared into the air. By the moving of yellow, Ferah assumed Selena was awakening. She clenched her teeth and strained her arm, knowing that the white figure would probably leave.
An executive moved from his post amongst the audience to silence the crowd that was being angered by Ferah. "Please." He said behind her. "Sit down!" He approached her to pick her off the risers, but Ferah was suddenly sparked with an idea.
"Roy!" She yelled, and immediately, a burst of mist emerged from her neck. It swirled behind her, pushing away the executive. Roy solidified on the ground behind her, but before he could investigate, Ferah spoke first. "Survival!" She yelled, and Roy disappeared into her.
With Roy's seventeen-year-old height and his ability to jump higher than a normal person, Ferah took her picture of the white figure as it dared to glance at the commotion. With what seemed to be a malicious sneer, it disappeared.
Ferah dropped back onto her seat, almost stumbling. She shoved her cellphone into her pocket as the contents of her open purse dropped onto the ground. She sighed. "Survival." She said, as she saw Selena try to help Dominick, the only ones left.
Roy emerged from near her, almost falling on Saria. "Care to explain?" He asked royally as Ferah swooped to the floor, trying to pick up the spilt contents. She grabbed her keys, then a small pack of sewing needles.
"Oh. I just needed the extra height." She said shallowly, then stood up abruptly, rubbing her eye. She heard the announcer exclaim his excitement for the match as it ended. Roy turned to look at the stage on fire.
"We're not..." He began, recognizing that the Emerald Team was in there without them.
"Yes, I know. It was a team choice... because of..." She felt better, knowing that Roy felt the same way too.
He released air and slumped. "It makes sense, I suppose." He said. Somewhere in him it was programmed that he should be out there, fighting, winning. Dismay showed through his eyes.
"It does. Although, it looks like they lost, anyway." Said Ferah sadly. "But more importantly... I'm sorry about lying to you." She began in a rush of words. "I hate the fact I just met you and I've already lied to you. This is going to be a rather short contest if we can't... work things out. Zelda and Cassandra are having problems too. We're supposed to meet a Player to settle things. Be there?"
He nodded. "Alright." It didn't satisfy him, either, that they were fighting each other like their opponents.
Regardless of losing, Ferah felt a little joyous when the team retired to the suite.
Kaze was especially disturbed, and went straight to his room. Ferah knew she would not see Kaze for a little while, as the dark were prone to do.
Ferah shrugged, and poured a glass of water for Selena, Dominick, and Aaron. The two boys slumped into the couch, Dominick instantly beginning to sleep. Aaron chugged down the water and slammed it down on the TV table, but it did not awaken Dominick. "That was horrible." He said, sighing hoarsely.
"Hey, you guys did take out Claire and Stephanie." Said Ferah, trying to uplift the mood of the room.
"Yeah, but they're just chicks." Whined Aaron, falling back onto the couch, landing half-way on Dominick's body, which was curled into a ball around a pillow.
"Oh, well, thanks." Said Selena bitterly. Ferah followed the emotion, but let it pass. She turned to Selena.
"So, like, Selena... I saw this really weird thing happen during the match..." She shifted through her purse, looking for her cellphone. She pulled it out, flipped it open, and began searching through her photos for the one of the white stranger. She smiled, seeing pictures of dresses and blouses she and her friends had made together.
There was a knock at the door. Selena got up to get it. "More room service?" She asked, looking around for a reason.
It was Cassandra. "Hell no." She said, and welcomed herself in. Sporting a look that did, Ferah was forced to realize, work for her, she wore her flattop hat over her short, bristly, blonde hair. Her clothes were a loose brown blouse over a white tanktop, capris, and black-band scandals.
"Oh." Said Ferah, surprised that Cassandra had chosen to partake in their meetings, especially when she knew Ferah was coming. Quickly she pocketed her cellphone and went to slip on her black scandals. "I'll show you later then, Selena. I've got those sessions... or whatever, with Trent." She said.
Selena nodded. "Alright, then. I'll see you later." She winked, trying to remind Ferah to examine Trent carefully. Ferah didn't notice and waved goodbye to Aaron and Selena, then closed the door softly behind her.
Cassandra slid her hands in the back pockets of her pants. "Trent says he wants to meet us at the Library. It's not too far from here." Slung around her elbow was her purse. Reading Ferah's thoughts, she added, "Hirogawa told me I wasn't to leave the hotel unless with at least one other person." She seemed to be sour towards Ferah even more than before, probably for losing their match.
Ferah nodded. She certainly hoped Cassandra didn't end up in her Trinity.
They took the elevator down, and left out through the lobby's glass doors. The air and sound hit them at full force.
Cassandra sighed, and walked out towards the street, onto the sidewalk. Ferah followed after, both of them silent. Walking through graffiti walled buildings, litter, and communities of home-less people, they eventually made their way to the Library. They turned the corner, passing through a small room that was in-between the Library entrance and the doorway.
Trent was waiting for them, leaning on a research table. He had dark, curly locks around his eyes, and wore a blue, crisply ironed shirt over a white, long-sleeve blouse, and loose pants. He looked relaxed, although he was surrounded by people asking him questions, mostly gamers and journalists.
Ferah pushed herself through the crowd, unintentionally pulling some attention towards herself. She looked behind the small gathering, waiting for Cassandra to come through herself.
"Look, they've got the necklaces too!" Said somebody.
Ferah stood next to Trent, pushing someone out of the way to do so. He waved a peaceful hand as Cassandra joined them.
"Ugh. Please tell me we aren't going to be staying here." Said Cassandra, pushing somebody away disgustfully.
"I suppose we could head to Atruia after this... Hirogawa lent me this," He pulled out a small black adapter box from his zipper pockets.
"Atruia?" Asked both Cassandra and Ferah.
"Marth's kingdom." Said Trent matter-of-factly, then led them through the crowd towards a collection of desks and computers. A few Policemen arrived and moved the crowd away from Trent and the girls, so that they could do their work in peace.
"So, what is it you want us to do?" Asked Cassandra quietly, humbled by Trent's easy and carefree attitude.
He took a chair from one of the computer desks and turned it around, sitting down backwards in it. "I want you to research your characters." He said, one of his curls falling over his even darker eyes.
"What?" Asked Cassandra. "Why? I already know all I need to know about Zelda. She's a princess. Gets saved by Link. What else is there to know?"
Trent's eyes sparkled as information spilled from his mouth. "Did you know she's from Hyrule, and holds the Triforce of Wisdom? Or that her main attacks are magic, summoned from the three goddesses of the Triforce; Nayru, Faore, and Din? Or maybe you knew that already. So, did you know that when Link wants to talk to her, he plays Zelda's Lullaby on his ocarina? Or that she gives Link the Golden Arrow, of which to defeat the dark entity Ganondorf, whom holds the Triforce of Power? Whom is the only male Daruda?" He paused. "Have you even played The Legend of Zelda series?"
Cassandra was speechless, but her mouth loosed. "I played the one for Nintendo 64, and another for the Gameboy."
"And for how long? How far did you get?" He seemed saddened that a regal princess such as Zelda would be gifted to this total n00b.
"I got...well, I don't really remember." She said, very quietly.
Ferah hadn't played Fire Emblem even once. She tried to shrink backwards to where Trent couldn't criticize her.
He turned his attention to Ferah as she let out her air. "So." He began. "What do you know about Fire Emblem?"
"Nothing." Ferah said immediately, shaking her head and keeping her mouth tight. She would not buckle under Trent's experience like Cassandra had.
"You don't know anything about your characters, so you can't connect with them or understand who they are," He paused. "As a person. So, then..." He twirled his fingers, and girls turned around to the computers. Ferah took a seat in the sliding chairs, as well as Cassandra.
"Find out as much information about your Avatars as you can. It would be even useful to find information about the other characters in their games and the story lines... history... whatnot. After that we can head to Atruia and talk with your Avatars."
He leaned over to Ferah's seat. "Remember. Marth and Roy are from the same game series, not the same game. Marth is from Thracia 667, and Roy is from Fuuin no Tsurugi." He straightened back up. "I'll be back later. I'm going to find some video game magazines with information on the two games." He left.
Ferah breathed deeply, stretching her fingers over the keyboard. She looked at Cassandra, and Cassandra shrugged.
Ferah shuffled through the papers she had printed out, using her hand to shadow her eyes from the Atruian sun. Unlike Pharae, Atruia was much larger, it's walls a sandy, tannish cream, and filled with more people, most of which weren't soldiers, like Pharae. One such child ran past her, laughing.
She stopped trying to align her papers and plopped them on to her pile of Nintedo Power back-issues, and scooted back on the stone. She rubbed her eyes. This was so confusing... All she could find was information on Rekka no Ken, the first Fire Emblem game to be released in the US, as well as Trail of the Blue Sword, one that was soon to come out on Gamecube. Stuff about the Scourging, about an exiled prince...
Ferah moaned. That wasn't right.
"Oh, you've got it easy." Complained Cassandra, flipping through a small guide-book on her lap. "We both have a timeline, but in all of mine, there is always a Zelda. And there's a bunch of questionable crap in here, too." She threw her print-outs into the air. "Stuff like, maybe Link wasn't even an elf to begin with, and maybe he's had a linage or it's a tradition to name a boy Link." She took off her brown hat and placed it on her knee, wiping sweat from her forehead.
Before their feet was a small, clear pond, and across from them, Trent and Marth were explaining things to Roy and Zelda.
Marth was a lot like Roy, but different as well. They were both princes, for starters, and both had outrageously colored hair. Not that a redhead is rare, but one of Roy's perfectly Macintosh-apple hair was obviously unrealistic, regardless of how real it seemed. Marth's hair was a dark navy, matching the appropriate Sapphire Team blue of his armor. He also seemed to be a little older, and a little more battle-wise than Roy.
On Zelda's pink lap was a laptop, of which she was using to find out information about Cassandra. Roy sighed in boredom, soaking in the setting sun. He wasn't able to find out any personal information from the disks, only information about Van.
Ferah and Cassandra abandoned their articles and ads to join their Avatars. Ferah slipped and sat down next to Roy cheerfully, bringing her knees up to her chest. Cassandra bent over.
"My name's not 'Cassie'. That's incorrect." Said Cassandra, leaning over, hovering over Zelda's elven ears.
"Yes, I like Cassandra better." Said Zelda. She brushed back a lock of hair, a golden bracelet on her wrist glimmering.
"Oh, I like that." Said Cassandra, inspecting further. It was obvious how they were trying to be nicer to each other, in front of Trent and Marth. They watched, nonchalant.
"Here." Said Zelda. She slipped it off and handed to Cassandra.
Cassandra fiddled with it. Zelda helped her. "This is how you get it on..."
Ferah snorted. Cassandra's infatuation with Trent was obvious, and maybe Zelda was trying to act more angelic around Trent. She stood up and moved closer to the shore of the pond, watching the strangely-shaped fish slip through the water.
Roy sat next to her, breathing deeply. "I don't know anything about you." He began, quiet so that the others couldn't hear him.
"I don't know anything about you, either." Said Ferah. She made a face. "Other than... some random junk..." She tried painfully to piece information together.
He smiled, his gaze at the water. "It's okay. You should come back to Pharae some time. Hopefully it will be better than your last visit."
"Yeah... sorry and all that." Ferah said quietly.
"Survival." Said Trent from behind, whispering carefully as Zelda and Cassandra continued their skit. A blur of smoke was followed by the shink of a sword being unsheathed.
Roy rolled and unsheathed his own sword and they clashed loudly and wiftly, inches away from Ferah's shoulder closest to Roy. He released air as Ferah scooted stared at Trent.
"I've gotten rather bored." Said Trent cheerfully.
In a silky maneuver of blue, Trent swung the Falchion through the air in swooping arcs, clattering against Roy's Sword of Seals. No longer trying to understand each other, the three Players had decided to spar.
Ferah twirled and maneuvered her feet to Roy's beating heart, although she could see in her mind that he was sitting peacefully in silence. She had not known until now that they could read each other's thoughts, and they didn't need to yell at each other out loud.
Marth moved in again. Trent in her opinion was attractive, but as a prince, even more so. Cassandra also looked very elegant, in a pink and gold dress. Customized, the dress was no longer a gown but was at knee-length, and her hair was in a half-ponytail, still as short as Cassadra's chin-length.
Trent was using Marth's speed to dangerously decrease their reaction time. Fortunately, without the cape and the armor, Ferah had an easier time moving. However, Roy's thoughts unintentionally reminded her that the armor was very useful.
Holding her left arm outward to balance her on Roy's thick boots, she swung around and dashed forward, air blowing through their stiff tunic. She had unbuttoned it slightly so it was more appealing to a girl's shape.
Her opponent dodged and their blades made contact, a loud clang ringing through the courtyard. They dislodged, moved backwards, and shot forward again, Marth jumping high and Roy holding the blade in both naked-finger hands to block it.
Grounded again, Trent's blade dashed by her side, and Ferah bent over backwards, trying to avoid it. Her foot slid against Trent's, and she fell backwards, her hair drooping and nearing the dark-watered pond. Trent turned around, and one-handedly, caught her. She took a brief moment of recognition, then shot back up, slashing the sword point towards the deep sky.
The sword missed his head just slightly, gracing his ear. "That's the closest anyone's ever gotten to me." He said, smiling and narrowing his eyes. In an awkward silence he held her, while Ferah fondled for something to say. Nothing coming to mind, she stood upright and sheathed the sword as a soft beeping emitted from her cellphone, marking the hour.
"I should probably go now." Said Ferah, separating from Roy and walking over to the stone pillar where Cassandra and Zelda were resting. She picked up her wristlet purse and rattled through some things, then pulled out her cellphone. It was 6 PM. "Dinner is in half an hour." She said. The hotel provided breakfast and dinner.
"Oh, good." Said Cassandra, standing up. "Let's go."
Trent nodded. "I'll see you later, Lord Marth. I'm pulling a team early training session tomorrow morning on the Platform."
Marth nodded. "Alright. Don't forget to tell Mischa to bring more practical shoes." He left to enter the castle.
Ferah snapped incoherently. She had completely forgotten to pay attention to Trent's fighting style, as well as Cassandra's. She tried to remembered that whomever Mischa was, that she was not skilled with her feet.
Ferah waved goodbye as Zelda and Roy disappeared, vanishing in red and green smoke.
"See you at dinner." Said Trent casually, a gentleman in a modern-day way.
Cassandra nodded. "Mmhmm." She said, frowning in a pouty way, her idea of being flirty. She disappeared.
Trent turned to Ferah. "Tomorrow, we should train together more. You being a swordswoman makes you an excellent sparring partner. And you are better than you think."
"Um, yeah... sure, okay." Said Ferah. There were only three swordsman in UberSSBM; Marth, Link, and Roy. "Good thinking. Sayonara."
XXX
Crappy chapter. Er... oops?
And before you ask yourself if this is going to be a Mary Sue, listen here; it's not. And yes, Ferah is a lot like me, but no, I'm not living through her. For starters, I am much more hyper and musically gifted than her. XP
This Fanfict would be a lot better as a Manga, me thinks. I should... nah.
Special thanx to my Editor, XaNGrrR.
- SK