Disclaimer: I do not own SSBM or any of its affiliates, because if I did there would be a story line where you could pick your own path, which would determine who you fought, kind of like Soul Calibur except with Nintendo.

Pairings: Marth x Roy x Link triangle with some one-sided Zelda x Link, Zelda x Marth, and Peach x Marth, maybe some Samus x Roy.

Summary: Marth comes down with a bad fever… or so it seems. Could someone be trying to murder the prince of Altea? Or is it a virus gone out-of-control? It's a race against time for Roy, Link, Samus, Peach, and Zelda/Shiek to get the cure. And if they fail…

Prologue: Just a Fever

Roy focused on his quick-moving target, calculating and weighing the odds of attack. He could charge a Flare Blade, but he wouldn't have much time and it would be ultimately ineffective. He could try to hold a downward slice to get some power, but his enemy was known for leaping into the air and attacking from above, in which case the downward stroke would be futile and even retarded.

Wind rushed past Roy as his opponent dashed behind and past him. The half-dragon hadn't even the time to think of an attack, and now he was wondering what had led the other boy to go past him without striking. He turned and saw that his enemy was bent down beneath the weight of a large wooden crate bearing the symbol of the organization for which they were fighting on it.

With a grunt the box was sent into the air and crashed open on the dirt path that went into the depths of the Hyrule Temple. As it crashed, a metal, green box with an exclamation point, a pair of bunny ears, and a Pokeball were released. With a single, graceful, effortless motion the other boy was in the underground and had picked up the bunny ears. By touching the box he turned himself into cold steel.

Roy was fast enough to snag the Pokeball, but with a quick stroke he was sent back up to the left most edge of the floating stage. He gripped the Pokeball and looked disapprovingly at his opponent. He did not like the steel that hid his enemy's face from him. He did not like the way it sounded as he ran. He did not like the seemingly mechanical way of it, which seemed to rob the user of its soul.

Roy let the Pokeball fly towards his adversary, releasing the ever sought after legendary Pokemon, Entei. While the other fighter was caught up in the flames, Roy stood beside the legendary dog and charged his own Flare Blade. It was nearly done when the now stripped-of-steel teen was freed from the fire. He was not fast enough to escape the explosion that followed. His scream could be heard as he sailed away.

Roy smiled triumphantly as Master Hand announced, "This game's winner is… ROY!"

Still smiling, Roy was transported back to the mansion where he was congratulated by his colleagues and criticized by his enemies. The animals and otherwise made happy or angry noises at him accordingly. He didn't much mind all of them. He wanted to see the swordsman that he had just defeated.

"Oh, dear, are you hurt?" Zelda smothered the defeated fighter, "I have some good remedies for burns and wounds, if you need them and-"

"I-I'm fine, r-really."

"You don't look too fine. You look awful."

"J-just a h-headache. Nothing t-to worry a-about."

Roy stepped into the room. Zelda scowled at him. "You should be easier on him!"

"How would that be fair? We were brought here from all over the world to show what we're made of," Roy shrugged, "I'd be letting down my country if I held anything back."

"Just look at him! He's hurt!" Zelda wailed, "And it's your fault!"

"Hey guys," Link stepped into the room, "Zelda, Roy's right you know. It would be an insult for him to take it easy of Marth."

"Humph!" Zelda left in a huff, storming off.

"Must be a girl thing," Link muttered, "She isn't so protective when she's Sheik."

"W-water…"

"Right away," Link smiled, pouring the liquid from a pitcher into a cup on the nearby bedside table. He gave the glass to Marth, who gulped it down quickly, but just as quickly ended up spilling it all over during a fit of coughs.

"She was right too. You don't look to good, and I don't like that cough," Roy said.

At this, Marth leaned over the side of the bed that he was lying on and threw up into a nearby wastebasket. Five minutes later, Roy said:

"Scratch that. I don't like that illness."

"Marth, you okay?" Link asked, "You just heaved."

"O-only a f-f-fever, m-maybe the flu."

He broke into another fit of coughs. "Maybe you t-two should g-go. I-it c-can't b-be much f-fun around m-me right n-now."

"Do we have to?" Link whined.

"Yes."

Reluctantly, his two best friend left his side and headed for the door, closing it as he erupted into another steady stream of coughs and a few sneezes.

"What's wrong with him?" Roy asked.

"Dunno."

"What do you think is wrong with him?"

"No idea, but it can't be good. I didn't like the way he was coughing, or stuttering. Marth never stutters unless he's on the brink of dying."

"How do you know?"

"He told me once."

"Oh… do you think that we should go check on him?"

"He told us to stay away. He probably knows that it's more than a fever and he just doesn't want us to catch it, too."

"Should we send Dr. Mario to him?"

"Not yet; that'll be our last resort. Maybe just Peach or Zelda."

"Zelda's pretty mad at us right now- you for 'making Marth sick' and me for contradicting her- so let's go get Peach."

"She should be out back, picking vegetables," Roy said, "So let's hurry before she moves somewhere else."

In the span of ten minutes, everyone knew about Marth being sick, partially because of his coughing so loud and partially because Link and Roy blurted it and what they were doing to anyone they walked past.

"How sad," Luigi had frowned.

"What a pity," Falco said.

"I hope he'll be okay," Samus had replied.

"Serves him right," Ganondork… I mean, Ganondorf, had grinned evilly before receiving two punches to the face.

"Does this mean he won't be teaching me new sword tricks?" had asked Young Link.

"Marth never gets sick; something must be up," concluded Ness.

"Pity," Mewtwo had 'said'.

"He was strong, too," the Ice Climbers said, not fully comprehending what had been said because they were more focused on making a list of all the Smashers from strongest to weakest, and of course, being modest and honest, they didn't put themselves first.

"What?" had thundered Master Hand, "But he's one of our best Smashers!"

"Who cares. Not like he's dying," Fox had said lazily after being aroused from his nap. Link had angrily stomped on his tail because of his lack of compassion for the cobalt-haired swordsman.

Finally, after Yoshi, Pikachu, Pichu, Zelda, Captain Falcon, Bowser, Zelda again, Jigglypuff, Crazy Hand, Donkey Kong, Mr. Game and Watch, Shiek, and again Zelda had gotten in their two cents (in Zelda's case, six- eight if you count Shiek), they made it to Peach.

"Peach, Marth is sick," Roy said, "Could you have a look at him?"

"Of course," she replied cheerfully, "Just let me get this last turnip… … … … (POP!) … There, all done. Now let's go see about Marth, then."

"Thanks, Peach," Link smiled.

They walked back through the manor, ran across everyone again (except Dr. Mario, of course), and eventually they were all found gathered at the door to Marth's room. A few people went in with the three, or in other words, Zelda and Samus. They shut the door behind them, leaving the others (excluding Dr. Mario) listening intently at the door as Marth coughed again and barfing noises could be heard, and then more coughing.

"FOR THE LOVE OF DIN, THAT IS NOT A FEVER!" Link shouted.

"No fever has EVER done that!" Zelda shrieked in agreement.

"Hang in there, buddy, help is on the way!" Roy said loudly, trying to remain calm and failing.

Peach burst through the doors with the others and slammed them shut behind her. "Someone get Dr. Mario… NOW!"