Chapter two

Hy and low

Wham

Wham

Something was pounding on the door to the throne room of Hyrule Castle. Ganondorf sat on the throne, waiting for whoever it was to break through.

Perhaps 'sat' was too strong a word. 'Slouched' was closer, though it alone couldn't describe the depths of his posture. He was splayed ungracefully over it, with no part of his back touching the back of the throne. Still, he straightened as the pounding increased in force, and the doors began to buckle.

"Is he finally back?" he muttered into his fist. "About time, too."

The doors burst open, and in strode Bowser, with Peach and her entourage close behind.

Ganondorf's body sagged again. "Oh, it's just you," he said dejectedly. "What brings you clowns here? Did one of my underlings clog a toilet and call you?"

"Save it!" Peach shouted, pointing a finger at him. "What are you doing here?"

"Well, I was cleaning my sword," he said, gesturing at a pristine sword leaning against the throne. "After that…not much of anything, really."

Peach wasn't relenting. "Where's Zelda?" she demanded.

Ganondorf sighed. "She's locked in the dungeon," he said.

Zelda entered the room. "Oh, we have guests," she said.

"Never mind," Ganondorf said, little surprise in his voice. "She got out."

Zelda regarded the newly arrived group with surprise. "Oh, Peach, it's wonderful to see you," she said, walking over to her with open arms. She gave Peach a weak hug, then stepped back. "Although…I must confess, I had hoped you wouldn't have to see me like this."

Peach looked around the massive room. Save for the newly destroyed door, there were no signs of a struggle anywhere. In fact, a fine coating of dust covered most of the room and furniture. "What happened here?" she asked. "Where's Link?"

"Gone," Zelda said. "He just left without telling anyone. Then he showed up." She jabbed a thumb in Ganondorf's direction, who was drumming his fingers on the throne's armrest. "We both knew there wasn't much I could do until Link returned, so we…came to an agreement, without a fight."

Peach's eyes widened. "You handed over your kingdom to him?"

Zelda hung her head in shame. "Wouldn't be the first time," she said.

"But you can't just abandon your people!" Peach said. "In Castle Town, everyone was overcome with despair!"

"They were like that when I got here," Ganondorf shouted from the throne. "Nobody even seemed surprised when they saw me."

Zelda nodded. "Sadly, he's telling the truth," she said. "None of my guards even raised a finger against him."

"But," Peach continued, "the fields were all fallow, the farmers too weak to even tend their crops."

"What do you want me to do about that?" he snapped. "Send my troops to beat them until they do their damn jobs?"

"N-no," Peach admitted.

Zelda sighed. "I thought a little solitude might give me time to find a solution for my people's misery," she said. "But…I have no idea what to do."

"Still," Peach said, "that's no reason to let evil triumph!"

Ganondorf let out a bitter chuckle. "Oh, you've got it all wrong, missy. I never triumph." He stared out the open doorway. "Link's still out there, somewhere. As soon as he gets back here, my 'reign of terror' is over – for a few centuries, maybe. Then we do the whole thing over again."

"It's a cycle, you see," Zelda said. "He, Link and I are destined to battle, again and again, good always rising to put down evil." She slumped. "But if we truly are destined to do this forever…does that mean we'll never move on? Never progress, just relive the same fight until the end of time?"

Peach put a hand on her shoulder sympathetically. Zelda looked at it and smiled weakly. "I bear the Triforce of Wisdom, you see. It's my duty to look ahead and see how to best move forward. But the more I look forward, the more I see the same thing, repeating over and over. And I question…is there even a point to it all?"

"Bah!" shouted Ganondorf, throwing his sword. It sailed above everyone's heads, clanging against the wall. Everyone turned to look at him. "Oh, what a pity, little miss perfect is tired of beating me over and over. At least you get to win!"

He hopped down from the throne. "How do you think it feels to be me? To know that no matter how hard I work, or how strong I get, I'll never win? Not because my opponents were better, but because the goddesses decreed it a hundred thousand years ago?"

"It's called being a villain," Bowser growled. "Accept it, or give up."

Peach turned to him, hands on her hips. "And which one of those were you doing when we found you?" she asked scoldingly. Bowser scowled at her, but said nothing.

Zelda composed herself. She put a hand on Peach's shoulder and smiled apologetically. "I'm sorry," she said. "You didn't need to hear any of that. You've got your own problems, I should keep my woes to myself."

She looked at everyone else assembled. "You're putting together a new Smash tournament, aren't you? That's why you all came here." She lowered her eyes. "Well, I'm sorry, but I don't think I can attend this time. I just don't feel up to it."

"Are you sure?" Peach said. "It won't be the same without you."

Zelda attempted another smile. "It'll be fine," she said. "You're a good leader, you'll do well. Better than a princess who lets her own castle be-" She stopped mid-sentence, wiping away a tear. "Say hi to Samus for me, will you?"

Bowser snorted. "I don't see the point. If she's acting anything like you, him, and everyone in my kingdom, it won't cheer her up at all!"

Peach wheeled around. "You're not helping!" she hissed.

But when she turned back to Zelda, it seemed the opposite was true. Her head had perked up, and the look of dull sadness had been replaced with one of curiosity.

"Everyone in your kingdom is suffering from this malaise as well?" she questioned Bowser.

"Ma-laze?" Bowser repeated. " If that means being a lazy layabout who doesn't follow orders, then yes, all my subjects are being ma-lazy."

She turned to Peach. "Is this happening in your kingdom, too?" she asked.

"Yes," Peach said, unsure of where she was going with this. "Daisy's, too." Daisy nodded in assent.

Zelda stroked her chin. "Interesting…four kingdoms, suffering from the same condition…" She looked up. "Change of plans. I will come with you."

"Awesome!" Daisy said, pumping her fist.

"Really?" Peach said. "What made you change your mind?"

"A suspicion," Zelda said. She turned to Ganondorf. "Are you coming, too?"

"No," he said, arms folded. "It's only a matter of time before Link comes back. I might as well savor this castle while I still have it."

As if on cue, the group heard a rustling behind them. Link walked up, hand resting lazily on his sheathed sword.

Ganondorf's bitter scowl turned petulant. "Okay, looks like I am coming after all. Just give me a few minutes to let him beat me."

The group parted. With a wave to Mario and a pat on the head to Yoshi, Link stepped forward. He had barely taken three steps before Ganondorf clutched his heart, writhing half-heartedly.

"Oh no, the power of the Triforce, it's too much for me," he said in a monotone. "Nooooooooo." He did a fake dive off the throne podium, then stood up a second later. "Ready now," he said. "Where's the Halberd?"

"We're not taking the Halberd," Bowser growled. "We're using my airship."

Ganondorf raised an eyebrow. "Really? Why?"

"Because I said so, that's why," Bowser rumbled.

"Did you clean it since last time?" Ganondorf sneered.

"I'll clean your clock, old man," the Koopa snorted, spouting steam from his nostrils.

The two continued to bicker as the Smash fighters, now eleven strong, exited the castle, Peach and Zelda taking the lead with their respective heroes close behind.

Peach leaned over to Zelda. "What're you thinking, Z?" she asked quietly.

"Like I said, P, it's just a hunch," Zelda murmured. "I don't want to get everyone riled up for something that might not even be real. But if it is…then it's a good thing you've come."

Peach smiled. "I think it's a good thing anyway," she said.

Zelda looked back. Link, seeming to have grasped the urgency in her body language, was now walking taller. Mario's posture had straightened as well, and Bowser Jr. walked with a puffed-out chest, if only to imitate the two heroes. Bowser and Ganondorf were still arguing, but their body language was more animated than it had been in a long time.

The corner of Zelda's mouth quirked upwards. "Yes, P," she said. "Maybe it is."