When it came to appearances, the Smash Mall held nothing back Despite its white walls and spotless marble tiles, the light that came in through the glass ceiling always kept everything lit and warm, not to mention that the Hands always made sure every ledge and pillar was dripping with decorations. With Christmas around the corner, the colorful lights bloomed against the pale surroundings, and bright green and red twisted over the walls. The glittering ornaments made the place around the gleam as if snowflakes had been frozen in the air, surrounding them with stars fallen out of the sky.

It was through those halls that Roy and Zelda had been walking through for the past half hour, talking to each other. The residents of the Smash Mall were many, and though Roy had fought many of them before, he would be a little embarrassed to admit that he did not know many of them. With Zelda, he was eager to correct that by getting to know her.

"Is there anyone else from your world here?" he asked her, brushing a string of diamonds out of his face as they rode the escalator up to the second floor.

Zelda gave him that soft, velvety smile of hers and nodded. "Do the names Link and Ganondorf ring any bells for you?"

"Link and Ganondorf?" Roy chuckled. "I have fought them before. They were newcomers in the Melee wave. Did you arrive with them?"

"I did."

"They're certainly a terrifying bunch. They never hold back, do they?"

Zelda giggled. The bells strung around jingled with the sound. "That certainly sounds like them. We're all rather powerful fighters back in our own universe."

"Does that include you, too?"

"Would you like to find out?"

Roy glanced away. "Perhaps some other time."

"I'll hold you to that, then."

Roy gulped. Zelda laughed again. He would have to watch out for her later.

"Well," he said, changing the topic, "I know how they fight–" from personal experience, nonetheless, as a recent bruise on his arm reminded him, "–but how are they when they're not fighting?"

"How are they?" Zelda put a finger to her lip and hummed.

"Yes. Are you all friends or something like that?"

"Calling us all friends would not be the most truthful statement. We tolerate each other, for the moment at least."

Roy opened his mouth and closed it. Understanding dawned on his face. "Ah. Is Ganondorf your enemy? Like how Bowser is to Mario, or how Ridley is to Samus?"

"Yes. It is quite obvious, isn't it?"

Roy hummed in agreement. "The face and the giant sword give it away."

"I'm certain it would."

"And Link, he's the one with the sword, correct?"

"That is also true."

"Is he always that quiet? Of all the times I've fought him, I have never heard him utter a word once."

Shrugging, Zelda stepped off the escalator. "Often, he is. I do not share this often, but it is because he is not prone to sharing his feeling." Zelda sighed. "It can be especially problematic for me. I can never know what is bothering him until it explodes, and I am left to pick up the pieces."

"Is he your sidekick?"

"Partners would be a more apt term."

Roy made a so-so gesture with his hand. "As friends?"

"Perhaps a little more."

"Really?" When Zelda nodded, Roy grinned and put his hand on her shoulder. "Ah, I should have known. Someone as kind and wise as yourself would surely have someone special in your life. You're truly quite amazing, you know?"

Shaking her head, Zelda replied, "Your words are too kind. We've simply been through a lot together. Partners born of adversary, as the saying goes."

"That sounds quite romantic," Roy said. "Do you mind sharing the details?"

Zelda shrugged, and Roy couldn't help but feel a little disappointed at that. Then again, he had asked a lot of her, and perhaps it was to be expected that she'd draw a line somewhere.

"I prefer not to dwell on the past," she replied. "Filled with pretty pink colors and dreamy, but it has little impact on our lives today. I find it better to focus more on the now."

Steering away from one corridor leading into a forest, where the sounds of fighting could faintly be heard, Zelda glid towards another just around the corner. Roy glanced back at the battle, briefly wondering who was fighting right now, before he turned and followed after her.

"That does, however, bring up a problem of mine at the present, one that I have been having trouble solving on my own." When Roy gave her a curious look, Zelda continued, "It has been some time I have brought Link for a romantic outing, and I cannot decide where to take him."

Roy smiled. "Is that it? I'm sure you'll be able to figure that out easily. There are plenty of good places for a date in the mall."

"Which is exactly my problem," Zelda replied, and she gave Roy a frown. "With so many places, how am I to choose the best? I think I would like someone else's input in the matter."

"Oh. Okay." Roy continued past her. When she didn't follow, he stopped and turned around.

Zelda was still staring at him. Why was she still staring at him? There wasn't something on his face, was there? Unless...

Roy blanched. "You want me to help you?"

"It would be better than nothing. Besides, you Fire Emblem fighters have experience with many romantic outings. Robin claimed so last week."

"No we don't! Well, I can't say for Robin, but I don't!"

"Well, I'd also like to take him out tomorrow, and you are the closest person to ask. I would also like this to be a surprise, so I do not think asking any of my other friends for assistance as Link is close with them as well."

Roy paused, and he considered the thought. "Hold on, could you slow down? Does this mean that you consider me a friend?"

"I see no reason not to. You asked for my assistance, and if that means that we are to be seeing each other more often, it would be best to do it as friends, would it not?"

"I..." Roy frowned, and he mulled it over in his head. "I suppose there is no harm in that. But I still do not know how much use I could be of you. Do you mind if I give you my answer later? Perhaps in an hour or so?"

Zelda opened her mouth to say something, but a musical tone cut her off. Roy jumped, and he glanced around for the source of the noise. Zelda did not seem to share his surprise. She reached into a pocket in her dress, and she pulled out a phone and placed it next to her ear. Roy watched as she spoke into it with a hushed voice, then nodded. For only a moment, a wrinkle creased her perfect skin, before she was all smiles again. Her phone came away, and she pressed a finger to the center.

Frowning, Roy angled his head and asked, "Was that..."

Zelda blinked, and when she glanced back at him, her smile grew wider. "Oh, this? It's a telephone."

"I know. I was given one when I came to this mall."

"Would you not agree that it is quite marvelous? With just a press of a button, you can speak to anyone you wish, no matter how far they may be."

"It is, but what I was about to ask was if that was important? Do you need to leave?"

Zelda hummed, but she hesitated to affirm that. "Another friend of mine called. He claims that we need a new mall Santa Claus for the weekend, as our current one has requested a brief vacation. He wanted to know if I could find someone else to take his place."

"Ah. Then I suppose I would wish you good luck in finding someone."

"Actually, I might already have found someone."

"You have?" Roy blinked. Again, Zelda gave him a look, and again, it took him much too long to put the pieces together. "Do you mean me? But I don't know the first thing about being a Santa Claus. Why couldn't you ask Link? He is your boyfriend, after all."

"Link is not an excellent conversationalist, and he handles children poorly."

"Do you believe me to be any better? I'm no better than him! I can't figure out what to say when I talk to the other fighters, let alone children!"

"And here you are conversing with me."

"Yes, well I don't–that is to say, it is not easy for me. Sometimes I pick the wrong words to say and I come across as so clumsy and stupid–"

"Roy," Zelda cut him off. "You still make the effort to speak. No matter how unsure of your words you may be, you still let set them free, and that is enough."

"They are not good words–"

"But they are words nonetheless. It takes courage to spill words that you do not know will land." She put a hand on his shoulder and squeezed. "You can do it. This task calls for you, and a leader does not turn away from his people when he is needed, does he?"

Roy averted his eyes from her glowing face. Whatever resistance he had would melt before her. He didn't want to, but... with the way she looked at him, not pleading, but enticing, drawing him and urging him that yes was the only way he could reply, he couldn't really say no to her.

"I suppose you're right," he said at last. A sigh passed through his lips. "Very well, then. Where must we go?"


Wow, Christmas Break is almost over and I haven't even gotten through Beat 3 yet. That's 4 out of 7 beats of the story that remain, for those not in the know. Yes, I do technically have two extra days from when I missed those two chapters before, but with only four days left, I'm fairly certain that, at most, I won't be able to finish beat 6, and that's assuming I decide to hack into the pacing, which I very well might because of how slow my pacing often is. This is supposed to be a story where I just write, not one where I drag out conflict for days on end.

Originally, this note would have more about apologizing for how short this was; I'd fully intended to just write something small and put it up for the sake of not dropping the momentum while it remains fresh, but then the conversation got too long, and it got longer than I thought it would take.

This story so far has been mostly been two characters talking about things, which is very different from my other fics which usually have chapters involving characters getting into some sort of action. And to be honest, I think it's a nice change of pace. It'll help me exercise my dialogue skills a bit, which is by far what I consider to be one of my biggest weaknesses, and maybe I'll be able to improve it along the way.

To all you lovely folks reading this out there, stop and take a moment to try something that you don't usually do. Lean a little more on your weaker leg so you know how to stand on it later, and stay safe out there!