Chapter 8: Persistence

Captain Falcon put a hand on Link's shoulder as the young hero was about to burst the door open and rush into the house.

"Now, you want to look good when you enter, right?"

"You have to take your audience by surprise", Link responded and brushed off his hand. "Besides, how can I think of how I look at a time like this?"

"Just try to do this while keeping your dignity", Captain Falcon answered with a sigh. Sadly dignity wasn't something that even once in Link's whole lifetime had crossed his mind (even though he did have a pretty good sense about it). Fortunately enough he could, despite that, take a deep breath and enter without any, visible, hurry.

"Zelda?" he called out, casually, just as if to check if she was at home.

The sound of light footsteps could be heard and Zelda showed up in the opening to the kitchen, the room which the two men had entered through the second main entrance.

"Oh, are you home already?" she asked.

"I'm going to my room, have to get something", Falcon excused himself instead of answering her and made a thumbs up to Link behind her back before he disappeared into the living room.

"I-eh…" Link began and scratched the back of his head. He was feeling even sillier now when he could see that she was perfectly fine and no Marth was in sight.

"Did something happen?"

"No, no, I just wondered why you didn't tell me you were staying at home."

She raised her eyebrows at him. "I didn't want to worry you. Don't say that you came back just to check on me."

He flinched.

"Of course not! It's just that… it wasn't that fun when you weren't there."

She smiled as she shook her head.

"I am fine, thank you, but I didn't want to bother you and now I ended up doing exactly that."

"I'd feel a lot better if you could have a little more faith in me", he muttered.

Suddenly Link felt that they weren't alone anymore and looked away from the princess's pretty face. Leaning against the doorway, with such an arrogant expression that you could be sure it had taken years of practice to get just the right amount of arrogance, stood Marth.

The prince had, after Captain Falcon had rushed through the living room without noticing him, quickly gotten very tired of overhearing Link and Zelda's conversation and had decided to ruin it. He had the right to do it, because it bothered him.

"What?" Link asked, as usual making his frustration clear. Marth shrugged and remained where he was.

Now, the best thing would probably have been to ignore Marth, but Link wasn't that kind of person. Self-control had never been a part of his strong sides, and so he couldn't possibly continue his conversation with Zelda if Marth stayed, and this of course was very irritating since it mattered greatly to him.

"We're trying to have a private conversation."

Marth snorted as if this was the most pitiful Link could have ever come up with to make him leave.

"I'm talking to you", Link said as he realized that Marth wasn't going to answer him. Marth merely strutted past them, around the counter in the kitchen, still present, visible and within earshot.

Zelda rather didn't want to get involved but for a prince to behave like this. Marth who seemed, except for being very quiet, to be such a polite person was acting just as childish as Link at his worst, just in a different way. Link at least had an excuse for his ways to act in different situations.

"Now, how come you're acting like this? A prince should know better!" she exclaimed, deciding not just to stand by after all, and the disappointment was clear in her voice. She couldn't help it. She was disappointed, now when she finally seemed to get along well with the prince it hurt her that he acted badly.

To Link's great surprise Marth's cheeks flushed as Zelda voice rang like a spoon colliding with glass throughout the silent room. Her words seemed to hang in the air as a distant echo.

The prince, who had opened the refrigerator to really show Link that he wasn't going anywhere, slammed the door shut and walked away, giving Link an icy stare as he passed him.

"He didn't bother you Zelda, did he?" Link asked as he watchfully followed Marth with his gaze until he was sure that the prince was gone.

"Not until now", Zelda answered, also gazing after the prince, but with worry.

"So he has been around you?"

"It would be strange if he hadn't. We were the only ones left after all."

Link grimaced at this but thought of Captain Falcon's words and stopped it immediately.

"I thought Mr Blues hardly ever left his room", he said. Zelda frowned at the Mr Blues part but didn't say anything.

Link cleared his throat. "So… maybe we could, you know, perhaps go back to the swimming pool? You could come."

"I don't know. It feels a bit too late now."

Link looked like an abandoned puppy when she didn't want to come and Zelda couldn't stand this, partly the reason to why she was in this competition to begin with.

"The two of us could explore the city tomorrow? I mean, so that I can make it up to you", she said as she evaded his pleading gaze.

"Like a date?"

His pointed ears perked up attentively but Zelda didn't, even though Link's feelings were written all over his face as if he was an open book before her eyes, realize how thrilled he was over this suggestion.

"Oh, no, of course not", Zelda ensured him, thinking she had freed him from the uneasiness of having to turn her down, since they had no romantic feelings for each other.

"Yeah, of course not", Link repeated after her and looked as if an arrow had struck his heart, with his mouth twisted into a stern smile. Zelda was miraculously enough completely oblivious to this and smiled warmly at her friend, glad that they were on the clear with their feelings.

"Hi, kids, how's it going down here?" Captain Falcon asked as he re-entered the kitchen, searching Link's gaze for a report on if all had gone well or the opposite. Link still had the unnatural smile plastered onto his heartbroken face, which made Falcon anxiously turn his gaze towards Zelda instead. The princess smiled warmly at him, which made the racer a bit more at ease and he walked up to them.

"So, are we heading back to the others?" he asked.

"I'm staying here. I really didn't want to bother you", Zelda said and made sure to look really guilty for bothering them to come back for her.

"It was nothing. Actually, it was my pleasure."

"Well, you two better go back so that you don't miss all the fun. Oh, and me and Link will be going out for dinner tomorrow, so please make sure he doesn't eat too much when you're away", Zelda said jokingly.

"You're going on a date?" Captain Falcon asked, hardly being able to keep a straight face.

"It's not a date", Zelda answered, smiling brilliantly as ever, and Falcon finally understood Link's distressed face.

"Yeah… then we are going back. You enjoy yourself, Princess."

"I will."

Captain Falcon shoved Link forwards and made him take a seat in the bus.

"Poor guy", he said with a shook of his head. "You should have been a bit more stubborn. That's just the way it is with women that doesn't throw their arm around you at first sight."

Falcon noticed a coke on the floor by the driver's seat and put it in Link's hand.

"You who are so aggressive usually, can't you use that a little?"

"It's not that easy", Link mumbled and took a gulp from the bottle.

"That's just what you think now. A few years from now you'll moan every time you think of how cowardly you acted now, trust me, I know! Persistence is the key…"

"Old man", Link muttered.

"Tiny coward", Falcon countered with a grin. "Tomorrow you have to make sure that you are the one to pay, and buy her something nice too. Then it will turn into a date."

Captain Falcon had expected Link's mood to change in an instant at this, which it usually did if you could add a small hint of sunshine to the darkness clouding his mind, and was surprised when Link looked even more depressed.

"I'm broke", the Hylian hero replied weakly.

Now it was Link's turn to be surprised as Falcon started to laugh.

"Well, I guess you can borrow some from me then, guess you won't accept any charity?"

"Straight on. But do you really have any money to lend me?"

"Sure, when you're winning as many races as I do you get so much money you drown in it. I don't know what to do with all the money I earn."

"I'm happy for you", Link said sarcastically.

"Don't be like that. You have to change them though, they're space credits and not coins. Mario is lucky who already has the right currency."

Link nodded, feeling a bit cheered up.

"Hey, thanks man", he said and Falcon gave him a nod before he started the bus.

Peach stood staring at the empty space where the bus had stood after the crash quite a while ago.

"D-did you see the dent? M-my baby!" she stammered while twitching in a most odd way.

"The butterfly I painted on it was ruined!" Nana cried.

Popo had just been about to prove to Ness and young Link that he also could jump from the middle diving-board when he heard Nana's sobs. So fast that he almost stumbled and almost fell down the little boy hurried down the ladder and jumped down the last four steps.

"Aren't you going to jump?" Ness yelled after him.

"Nana's crying!"

"You're just scared."

"Are not!"

"Are too!"

As Popo ignored the other boys and tried to comfort Nana Donkey Kong was meanwhile, without any success, trying to make Mewtwo go for a swim.

The big primate jumped impatiently up and down as Mewtwo stared indifferently at the grey tiles covering the pool area.

"It's pointless", he answered Donkey Kong, the same thing he'd been saying for the last two hours.

Donkey Kong wasn't one to accept such a negative answer and picked up the Pokémon, holding him over his head. Then he tossed him into the pool. At least it was a nice try because Mewtwo simply hovered over to the other side of the pool and sat down, far enough from the edge to avoid the water being splashed on him.

Luigi hadn't taken that into consideration as he strolled along the edge of the swimming pool and was soaked as Bowser jumped into the clear water, emptying the pool by probably three fourths.

"Oh-a!" Luigi exclaimed as the water splashed over him, and the before so wonderful breeze made him shudder. "What's-a your problem!"

Bowser didn't hear him. He was busy glowering at the Ness, young Link and Kirby that were staring openly at him as he trotted, because he had emptied the pool enough to being able to walk on the bottom, across the pool.

"What're you looking at?" he bellowed and made sure to flash his sharp teeth at them. Kirby and young Link both took a step to the side so that they stood behind a very anxious Ness.

"Well…" the small boy began, his gaze shifting. "It's just that you're so… big…"

With a furious roar, they had hit a soft spot, Bowser leapt at them but, due to his own body mass he wasn't able to reach the edge and was left scraping the wall. The boys, excited the way only children could be, leant over the edge to look down at the snarling monster that was foaming at the mouth with rage, desperately trying to reach them. It was something fascinating with being able to stare down at something that would rip you apart if it got the chance.

Mario had bought Peach a new strawberry ice-cream.

"I don't think I can eat now", Peach said on the verge of tears as she still stared at the empty space where the bus had stood. "How will I ever be able to tell… that out baby…"

"You'll see-a that your baby will come back just fine-a", Mario comforted, knowing Peach's way of seeing things and not having any problems to adjust to that. "He'll look just as good as new-a. The worst thing-a that can happen is a small examination and nothing else."

"Oh, Mario!" Peach exclaimed and bent down so that she could wrap her arms tightly around his neck. If it weren't for the two cones of ice-cream he would have hugged her back.

"There, there, just eat-a your ice-cream", Mario said and she pulled away, beaming at him. He knew her far to well, that she couldn't resist anything sweet. That strawberry was her favorite.

"Thank you", she said softly as she contently let her tongue take in the taste of the pink, creamy deliciousness. Just then the bus, still with its eye-catching dent, rolled up at the parking lot and came to a halt with a screech. The strawberry ice-cream fell out of the cone in Peach's hand as she started twitching at the sight of it. Not did the situation get any better when Link stepped out of the bus with a silly smile on his face and the cone in Peach's hand was crushed to tiny pieces. What was left of the ice-cream in the cone smeared over her hand and dripped from her wrist.

"Peach, sugar, think this-a through", Mario said, fearing for Link's life.

Link was in a bliss for the future date and even considered enjoying himself, having a real chat with his old friends before it was time to head back, when something cold and soft was crushed into his face along with something like smashed crispbread.

Peach took her time to really rub in what was left of her ice-cream in Link's face. She was fully ignoring his spluttering and desperate twisting to get away.

"Child assaulter!" she accused through clenched teeth and finally stopped turning Link's face into what looked like a tasty pastry.

"What have I done now?" Link asked as he spit some pink strawberry ice-cream away.

"What… you… have… done?" Peach parroted as if every word in the sentence had some specific meaning that Link obviously was expected to understand.

"Link-a, did you have-a to destroy the bus?" Mario asked as he shook his head, not being able to put on a believing plaintive look on his face.

"Siding with your girl?" Link asked, not being able to hide the scornful smile.

Mario merely shrugged, and Link was okay with it. He knew he'd done the same if it was Zelda.

"You… you… you…" Peach repeated over and over while pointing at the strawberry faced Link who just stood there waiting for his punishment.

"Peach, should-a we take a look at the bus?" Mario offered and Peach nodded and gave Link one last accusing stare, like the one of a mourning mother blaming someone for her child's funeral, before she let Mario lead her over to the bus.

It was then Captain Falcon jumped out of the bus, not being able to leave the feeling of belongingness he felt behind the wheel until now. It was the last straw for Peach when the racer jumped out and waved at her. She fainted on the spot, Mario catching her in his arms before she hit the ground.

"I don't get why I'm so bad at socializing", Captain Falcon said to Link with a slight shook of his head. "First Samus and now Peach, what did I do wrong?"

"You tell me", Link said as he wiped some more ice-cream off his face.

Samus was walking around aimlessly, staring at the ground and looking very down as she kicked a rock and made it fly across the whole pool area.

"Perhaps I should try to melt the ice again?" Falcon said to Link and pointed at Samus.

"Falcon I think there's something you should know about Samus…"

"Don't go telling people's secrets", Captain Falcon stated and walked over to Samus.

Samus felt his presence behind her and her eyes narrowed underneath her helmet as she saw who it was.

"Hello, how come you're not swimming?" Falcon asked.

"…"

"I don't like it much either."

"…"

"Not that there's anything wrong about swimming."

"…"

"You can swim, can't you?"

Samus turned around to get away from him and behind her back Falcon furrowed his brow in both annoyance and confusion.

"What's your problem?" he asked as he caught up with her and started walking next to the fellow bounty hunter. She twisted her head away from him, not that he could see her face anyway.

"Fine then", Captain Falcon said, deciding that the whole situation was silly, not to mention childish. He let Samus walk away. She acted as though she hadn't noticed him at all to begin with.

Samus didn't understand that man at all. As much as she enjoyed the company of people that were a bit older, when she actually felt like socializing, that was not the case with Captain Falcon. Perhaps that was because she didn't find anything coming out of his mouth very engaging, or intellectual for the matter.

She wasn't as simple minded that she would judge him because he, like the rest of the world, assumed her to be as cold and rock hard as the metal she was carrying, and a man. No, she wasn't the type that wanted to be admired like all those pretty ladies, although it would be nice to be acknowledged as a woman.

She caught sight of Bowser's large frame and raised her eyebrows slightly.

"They got him out of the pool?" she thought aloud, then noticed how Yoshi, Mario, Luigi and Bowser all were gathered around an unconscious Peach. With a loud crash her gun crushed the pillar next to her. There was always such a fuss over princesses!

Hello, first off I'd like to thank everyone who has reviewed (I forgot last chapter and I'm very sorry! I really can't thank any of you enough for taking the time to review). If there's anything you reviewers have made me realize (and it's hard to make me do that) it's that I have made Marth way too easy to sympathize with and poor Link portrayed as… well, far more dreadful than this nice (yet overprotective) guy really is! I guess I too easily forget what's in my head and what's not. We also have a problem because Link already has his situation with the princess set while we have to go through the processing of making Marth fall in love with her (although I'm trying to speed it up). Well, Marth will have to take a break from Zelda because now I want to make things up to Link.

And I can easily picture Link on a horse, but driving a car… I nearly start laughing at the thought alone.