hello again. this update came quicker than usual. now, i know i said i divided the tournament into 2... well, i decided to divide it into three. This is the intermission. yes. very long chapter. i hope u enjoy it!

XVI. Intermission: Heartbreak Hotel

"Game! Samus wins!" cried Ronald. The bounty hunter and Star-Fox crewmember shook hands. "We will now have a one hour break. Go eat, relax, whatever. Just be back in precisely one hour if you haven't fought yet! Otherwise, you have the rest of the day off!"

"Yes! I really need a break!" Peach said.

"Why? Is watching people fight too exhausting for you?" Roy teased.

Peach gave a hollow laugh "Very funny. Here, let's grab a bite to eat!"

"Link! Zelda! Come on!" Roy called to the Hylians.

"Hey. Where's Marth?" Asked peach.

"I dunno. We thought he was with you" Link replied.

"He said he was waiting for that last battle, and he went off to find a good spot." Zelda said.

"No matter. I'm starving, let's go now!" Peach said. The four marched back to the hotel.

In the dining room, the buffet table was set up. Peach grabbed a plate and dashed to the food.

"Yuck! Fried chicken? Where's the caviar?"

"What's a chicken? Link asked.

"They're like cuccos." Zelda explained

"Ah. Gotcha!"

"What's caviar?" Roy asked.

"It's fish eggs." Peach said.

"EW!" Link and Roy said in unison.

"Oh, you uncultured pigs." Peach said. "Caviar is a fine delicacy."

"Whatever, I'm gonna stick with fried cuccos." Link said. "And perhaps some of those long, crispy potato stick things."

"Link, those are called French fries." Zelda said.

"Right."

"Zellie, what are you getting?"

"Just some spaghetti."

"Ooh! That's sounds great! I'll have some too!"

"I'm going to have some pizza." Said Roy. "Mmmm! Mushrooms!"

"Mushrooms! Good choice!" Peach said. "Did you know mushrooms help you grow? Indeed they do! Ask Mario, he always eats them!" Peach continued to ramble on about mushrooms as they dished up their food and broughtit to a table outside.

"Tag! You're it!" Young Link said.

"Oh I'm gonna get you!" Ness called back

"Come on guys! I'm SOO hungry!" Kirby wailed

"Kirby, you're always hungry."

"That's not my fault! PLEASE! Can we get some food?"

"Fine. Ness, come on!"

"Yay!" On their way in, they passed by Peach, Zelda, Roy and Link.

"Hey Link!" Young Link called.

"Yo mini-me! Hey, have you seen Marth?"

"Blue-head? Yeah. I saw him with Metroid."

"Who?"

"Metroid!"

"Don't you mean Samus?"

"YA! That's it!"

"Kay, thanks kiddo." The three youngsters went inside to get some food.

"YUM! Fried chicken!" Kirby exclaimed.

"What's a chicken?" Young Link said.

"Don't you know?" Ness asked "Those fat white birds that go 'Cluck Cluck'." And Ness did a ridiculous impression of a chicken; clucking and bobbing his head. "Cluck! Cluck!"

"Oh, you mean cuccos."

"Ya… sure…."

"Mmmm. That was delicious!" Peach said, smacking her lips.

"Link, shouldn't you be getting back to the stadium?" Zelda asked.

"Yeah, that sounds like a good idea. Are you guys coming too?"

"Yeah sure!" Roy said.

"Well…" Peach said, giving a big yawn, "Not that I wouldn't like to see you beat the stuffings out of snigglytuff, but, I must say I'm quite bushed. Roy, sweetums, surely you wont leave me alone?"

"Uhh.. Well… no, I guess not." Roy reluctantly gave in, and the two strode off into the hotel.

"Zelda?"

"Don't worry Link. I'll come and watch." At this, Link smiled and the couple walked hand in hand to the stadium.

By the time Link and Zelda reached the stadium, Fox and Ganondorf were already one minute into their battle. It seemed Ganondorf had the upper hand. With sheer brute strength, he tossed the poor fox like a hacky-sack. A Warlock Punch here. A Wizard's Foot there, Ganondorf was clearly the dominant fighter. The seconds ticked by, and Fox could do nothing but wail as Ganondorf juggled him in the air.

"TIME! Ganondorf wins six to two!" Ronald cried. "Next is Link and Jigglypuff.

"Good Luck, Link." Zelda said.

"Yeah, like I'll need it." Link said. He and Jigglypuff stepped into the arena. "Don't worry Jiggs. I'll go easy on you."

"Jiggly JIGGLY!" Jigglypuff screamed, which roughly translates into "You ego-maniac bastard!"

"GO!" Link dashed towards Jigglypuff and swung his Master Sword. She tried to retaliate, but being a weak fighter, she was overcome with another hit from Link's sword. The Hylian went on stabbing the poor pink puff to death, as she screamed and wailed. She managed to punch Link and stun him long enough to whip out her microphone and start singing.

"Uuuggh. Soo. Sleeeepy..." Link collapsed. Jigglypuff fell asleep too. As her eyelids closed, Link shot clear out of the ring."

"What in the name of Nayru?" Zelda exclaimed.

"Good god! Folks, Jigglypuff has just used her Sleep Attack!" Gerald cried. Link was now seething with rage. He let out a fierce battle cry and charged at Jigglypuff. With all his strength (and that's A LOT of strength), Link smashed Jigglypuff out of the arena. No sooner had she crawled back in that Link smashed her out again. Attempting again to make her way into the arena, she was greeted by a barrage of bombs. Out she flew once more. Poor Jigglypuff had another three failed attempts. At the end of two minutes, the score was seven to one.

"Good job Link!" Zelda said, as he walked over to her.

"Thanks." Link said, hugging Zelda.

Now Zelda didn't really know why, but she felt weird hugging Link. She remembered hugging Marth. Yes Marth… There was something special about Marth…

"Uhh, Zelda? Is that a yes or a no?"

"Huh? What?"

Link rolled his eyes "I said, do you want to stick around for the last three matches?"

"Oh, umm… Sure. When is Young Link fighting?"

"He's last with Dr. Mario."

"Oh, okay."

"So Peach, what did you have in mind?" Peach and Roy were sitting outside.

"I dunno, I thought we could just hang out."

"You mean make out."

"Roy!"

"Come on. You know you want it." Roy grinned.

"So charming." Peach leaned in to kiss Roy.

"You know Peach, I think we oughta get a room."

"Nonsense."

Mario had just finished his battle with Marth, to which he had lost miserably. He was heading to the hotel for a snack and a quick nap. Hey? Who's that? Is that Peach and Marth? No wait… I just fought Marth… IT'S ROY! And what are they doing? OH NO!

"MAMA MIA!" Mario cried. Peach and Roy turned their heads and found Mario watching from the top of a hill.

"Uh oh." Peach said.

"…Peach?"

"I gotta go." And Peach ran through the hotel doors. Mario was stomping over to Roy.

"WHAT DO YOU THINK YOU WERE DOING?" Roy was lost for words.

"I, uh-well, I um… I – I thought you knew."

"KNEW WHAT?" Mario was on the verge of strangling Roy.

"Th-that Peach and I are together…"

"WHAT?"

He just found out? Where's he been the last week? "Umm…Peach and I have been together for awhile now." Roy said. Mario's red, angry face melted into a disheartened, crestfallen face.

"Really? Mama mia…"

"Mario. I'm sorry you didn't know."

"No. No, that's okay. I think I'd better go." Head hung low, Mario slowly walked away. Roy stormed off to find Peach.

To think she never told him…

The end of another happy chapter... hope you liked. once again going agaisnt my word, there will be more romance instead of action in the next few chapsters! What will become of Roy now that Mario has found out? Will Link and Zelda finally stop fighting? Why is Marth mysteriously dissappearing? These questions and more will be answered in chapters to come! The Tournament Part Two up soon!