Chapter 17: The Three-Legged Race
Peach hummed as she skipped down the hall, earning her a nervous glance from Ness who was on his way down for breakfast. She was not aware of his looks or anything else for the matter, being since long lost in the tune and she even managed to walk past her destination. She clasped a hand over her mouth and came to an abrupt halt that made the long skirt of her dress swing around her legs.
It was something ominous about the door, not that Peach was one to pick up on negative things. She observed the plain ceiling as she knocked on the door, repeatedly scolding herself for always starting up on the humming whenever she tried to quit. When she fell silent yet another time she could hear heavy footfalls approaching. Every step increased her enthusiasm.
Ganondorf opened the door, perplexedly watching the excited princess he found outside. The mere sight of him made Peach's skin crawl but she would never, never judge someone on such silly prejudice. People might have said that Ganondorf was evil, but he had made nothing to earn her loathing.
"Good morning," she chirped and rose on the balls of her feet.
"Hello," he replied in his deep voice, pulling his eyebrows together.
"Well, we hardly had the time to talk yesterday, I believe. Since we are partners in today's competition I figured it would be nice if I came to see you. Rise with the sun and you are sure to have a good day is what I always say. Anyway, I don't know if you are the type that likes talking strategy-"
"No, I'm afraid I'm not," he interrupted.
"Oh," Peach said softly, but then gathered her courage again. "That is such a shame. At least you will join me for breakfast now when I have gone through the trouble to come here?"
She felt like she was shrinking when he crossed his arms and raised his eyebrows. He casually leant against the doorframe and appeared to politely consider going with her, if yet it did not feel like that was what he truly was doing. Did he consider her a fool? No. Peach thought about it and quickly decided that such ugly thoughts were the effect of that unwelcome prejudice.
"So? How about joining me for breakfast?" she repeated her question and put on the smile that four times out of five would make Mario tell her how cute she was.
"You mean that you intend to rearrange our seats at the table? It wouldn't be the first time," Ganondorf said and his lips curled into a smirk. Peach felt a shudder run down her spine although the tone of his voice had been smooth like the petal of a rose.
"What do you mean?" Peach said nervously as she drew back. All of a sudden it was very hard to look at him.
"I am a man of principle. I follow the rules."
Somehow she had a feeling that he only followed rules when he felt it to be convenient. However, she quickly told herself that it was the prejudice speaking.
"Rules are important," she agreed and tried a different smile that flashed her perfectly white teeth. A quiet grunt escaped Ganondorf and she quickly closed her mouth.
"Do not bother me until the race, please," he then said nonchalantly and looked past her as if to see if a Smasher would turn up all of a sudden to save him from her. She did not understand what she was doing wrong. The atmosphere was becoming more hostile with each passing reply.
"Of course," she complied and tried one last smile that resulted in a door being closed in her face.
"How rude!" she exclaimed and turned on her heel. She would like to give him a piece of her mind but regarding the delicate situation it would be better to try and calm down. If she could find Mario it would not take that long either.
The first person Peach ran into was not Mario however but Zelda. The Mushroom Kingdom princess was no less delighted by that and hurried to stop her friend at the top of the stairs.
"Good morning, Zelda," she said happily and grasped Zelda's hand. "It's soon time for the three-legged race and you're teamed up with a racer. Lucky you."
Zelda mirrored a slightly subdued reflection of Peach's joyful look. The Hylian princess had never been one for chitchat to Peach's great disappointment and it was therefore no point in waiting for any other reply than the brief smile. They descended the stairs together while Peach tried to think of something that could engage Zelda in conversation.
"You know, I'm starting to believe that you might not be all wrong about Ganondorf. He is pretty hard to have to do with," Peach began but stopped midsentence when she saw the scowl it had brought forth on Zelda's face. With parted lips she let Zelda stop her from walking further. She had expected one of those affectionate smiles or polite responses her friend usually gave. She had a hard time imagining Zelda angry though, so maybe she just needed to change the topic?
"You should avoid any confrontation with him, Peach," Zelda warned as she looked Peach in the eye and Peach nodded obediently, although she did not seem to take the warning seriously.
"Well, I guess, but have you seen Marth today?"
"No, why?"
Peach rolled her eyes and gave a dramatic sigh. "Because you are his found gold among sand. In each other's presence you will discover feelings you have never felt nor before known to exist. How can you do that unless you meet? Despite what people say love can always use a little bit of nurturing."
Peach stopped all of a sudden with a gasp that nearly made Zelda trip, only to then tug at her arm so that she indeed did trip down the last few steps, if yet she remained on her feet. Peach tumbled after her into her back while never letting go of her hand.
"There he is Zelda, all alone. Go and talk to him."
Marth was standing by the window with his hands folded behind his back. He watched the sunlit garden, the blue birds and the multicolored flowers outside as though he was watching a gravel yard a rainy day.
"He seems to be in a good mood too," Peach insisted, jumping at Zelda's side and squeezing her hand. Zelda took a few careful steps forward, her hand sliding out of Peach's before she walked up to Marth and positioned herself beside him. She followed his gaze and they remained like that, neither appearing to pay any notice to the other.
Peach sighed as she ducked behind the sofa.
Zelda could not enjoy his presence like she usually did. Truth to be told, she had wanted to avoid any confrontation with him after their last meeting. She had hardly been in her right senses then and afterwards she could not be certain that he had been either.
Nonetheless, here she was. Her body had acted on its own. Marth's misery was like a part of her, something she had run away from that called her back. Near him everything else faded. Fox's hissing whispers to Falco, the children on the floor in front of the TV and Pikachu's paws moving rapidly over the furniture in his pursuit of Pichu.
Marth's world was empty and cold, yet to her it was beautiful. Its gloom was like purification to her, something she needed to feel. It was like diving into cold water, vast darkness, but at the same time like a safe embrace around her. It was something only they could share.
The touch of something soft against her skin made her pull away. She stared at her own hand, held up in front of her. It felt surreal. She only hoped that he had not noticed her sudden movement, then he must have seen her run her fingertips over the very place his lips had touched less than a day ago.
She dared to steal a glance and was met by his unfeeling blue eyes staring right back at her. His gaze made her blood run cold. Why did her body insist on taking command on its own? Why had she walked up to him? Why had she touched the place he had been as bold as to kiss? How helpless it made her feel when she could not even be in control of herself. And why did he have to notice?
Strangely enough, she did not feel relieved when Marth went back to indifferently watching the garden. All the more appalling was that it looked like he was observing the glass of the window rather than the much more understanding distraction being the vivid outside.
Zelda felt a sinking feeling in her chest. She had not paid it much thought but she had expected him to at least apologize for what he had done. She was sure that he had been recalling the moment when she had looked into his eyes. There was no excuse. He did not care. It hurt.
"Do you want me to?"
The soft sound barely reached her pointy ears. She had problem putting the words into context when she looked up to be faced by his solemn features. That ever present bitter quirk at the corner of his mouth, the cold gaze that wanted to shut people out like a wall of falling snow, the sorrow behind the cold, like a night sky the snowflakes slowly fell down from.
Marth felt his hopes fall when her answer delayed. It did not matter what she answered if she spent time considering the options, then either answer would be dishonest. He just wanted somebody to prove that not everything had to be built on lies. Just a faint streak of truth. Did she want him to apologize?
"I don't know," she replied ruefully. She could not bring herself to look at him. Things did not have to be this hard, did they? Could she order him to apologize? Would she be happy then? It was odd, but his question angered her and she would be forced, like she had always been taught, to suppress it. She tried to swallow her pride but to no avail.
"How can you expect me to decide that?" she exclaimed and her voice sounded whiny and childish even to her ears. This went against all she had been raised to be but, oh, she could not stop herself. "It is not up to me whether an apology is acquired. It rests on whether you can be sincere in your regret or not."
Marth guessed that the outburst had taken her some effort. She had to take three deep breaths before she found her usual composure. The truth was that he had no intention to apologize. He did not feel sorry for the kiss but it would not be courteous to neglect her an apology if she wanted it. That was why he had asked.
What he felt now could not be called happiness but he felt like a glowing candle had been placed within the overpowering darkness he carried in his heart. Zelda had given word to her thoughts in spite of it hurting her. All for him.
"I'm sorry."
There was almost a hint of warmth to his voice. Zelda, who had been steadying herself for a scolding, felt the strength she had tried to upkeep tremble and fall like a house of cards. Was he apologizing for forcing the decision on her or for the kiss? She thought that she knew.
Marth let his fingers entwine with hers. That was when it hit him. Every time their relationship had been at stake some ignoramus had been involved one way or another. If he could get Zelda alone they could explore each other without reserve. Deep down he knew that it would be futile to hope that a private rendezvous could go unnoticed in this accursed mansion, but the idea had settled in him and would not go away.
"Let me take you out to dinner."
She could not turn him down, he knew it. She had no reason to decline. He refused to let her hesitation plant any doubt in him.
"Dinner? This is quite sudden… I… I guess," Zelda said as not to keep him waiting while she tried to sort out her thoughts. He was in no hurry and stroked the back of her hand with his thumb while he waited. Her words had betrayed that her thoughts were swaying in his favor.
Just then, like Marth needed any proof of how badly he needed to take Zelda away, a voice interrupted them. A voice like the sound of dragon claws against a blackboard to the prince.
"Hi, Zelda," young Link chimed and if sunshine could be heard it would have been the sound of his voice. He quickly encircled her waist with his scrawny arms and pulled at her till she was forced to let go of Marth's hands.
The Altean prince did not move a muscle but it felt as though the water vapor in the air was turning into ice around them. Before he could decide what to do about the boy, Princess Peach of all people came to his aid as if from nowhere, unless she had come from behind the sofa which would have been downright odd. She tugged at the boy's arm and did not have to bother about being gentle as she could hardly hurt anyone no matter how much she tried, unless she was in the right mood.
"Link, you really shouldn't cling to Zelda like that. Can't you see that she is busy?" Peach said in a much kinder manner than she would have chosen if his older version was concerned.
"But," Link said with a heartbreaking voice and then directed his big blue eyes at Zelda. "I just wanted to hug you, Zelda."
Zelda had been lost the second the boy had showed up and now Marth could see Peach beginning to cave as well. Were they blind? The little barnacle was obviously doing it all on purpose.
"Boy," he said and his voice took on a new coldness that would make anyone go numb. "Would you mind leaving?"
"That's right. They were in the middle of something here," Peach agreed, getting back to her senses, and tried to gently pull Link away but he only held on tighter.
"I won't leave Zelda alone with him. Ever," he said stubbornly and in slight panic of such a dire scenario.
That little barnacle. Plaster. Glue. Koala. Just like Marth had anticipated he would never be alone with Zelda. Then you had to get rid of the hindrance. After all, that was what everyone else did without concern for those they might step on in the process.
"I can but commend your concern in your sovereign. Perhaps we ought to settle this as adults?"
Marth guessed that the boy had not understood a word. Link put his cheek against Zelda's body and put on a brave face to hide the worry that Marth could distinguish in his eyes. Better go on then.
"If you defeat me in the three-legged race I give you my word that I will keep my distance from your precious princess. If I on the other hand should end up the victor, I will have the honor of taking Zelda out to dinner without your, and that includes your equally gifted counterpart's, interference."
"You just insulted me, didn't you?" Link said. Marth stole a glance at Zelda.
"No."
Being sarcastic was technically not the same as lying.
"Do you accept?" Marth said.
Link could sense a trap. What he could not deny was that he had a lot to win while he could not afford to lose. If winning was a must you should not waste time worrying. The outcome would depend on nothing else than his own ability. Then there could be no danger.
"I accept."
The fire of will had been lit. Marth watched bemused how the short boy met his icy dislike with set determination. Zelda looked petrified and Peach looked for some reason thrilled.
"Do I have your acceptance as well?" Marth asked and tried to approach Zelda when young Link sidestepped in his way. He decided to ignore him and focus on the princess, talking over the boy's head. "I assumed that I would have your approval since you already agreed to have dinner with me."
Well, she had been about to agree.
"That's right Zelda," Peach cut in. "You already said yes. Don't think too much about it."
Zelda's thoughts were not on the dinner but on the race. It was about cooperation. Making agreements like these was not only unfair to their teammates but to the other Smashers and to a small extent her. Marth did have a point though. She had not turned down his offer and all he did was putting a 'perhaps' to it. Did she have the right to change her mind?
Be clear and do not let your answer be clouded by what ifs or maybes. She had often been told that.
"I don't mind."
Zelda did not like the cruel confidence that showed up in Marth's eyes.
Young Link refused to leave her side until he was sure that Marth would not return after gliding up the stairs with the elegance of a swan. When he had been convinced of the prince's absence he could at last give in to his grumbling stomach and headed for the kitchen for a late breakfast.
The kitchen table looked like a mess and hardly any Smashers were left in the room. Half empty bread baskets, knocked over milk packages, spilt juice, used glasses, crumbs and pulled out chairs were only some of the things making up the scene.
Captain Falcon was pouring Link's older self a glass of juice. The teenaged Hylian was lying with his face down on the table, moaning softly.
"Just get yourself some vitamins and pretend it makes you feel better," Captain Falcon said with an unfeeling tone. Link left the glass untouched but looked up through half-closed eyelids. He scratched his head dazedly while he eyed the racer famous for his "don't complain if you so are taking your last breath" attitude.
"It's a just a headache and you haven't heard me complain about it yet, right?" Link said somewhat annoyed. "I'll live through it without orange juice. I just need to lie down for a bit, unless there's any heroic deed that needs to be done."
"Can't-a say I-a heard that there is-a," Mario said lightheartedly before chugging half a sandwich into his mouth. Then he noticed young Link watching them intently, not blinking and with a clenched jaw.
"Haven't-a you eaten yet-a?" Mario asked and moved the milk in front of him closer to the young boy as an invitation. Young Link shook his head, refusing to move an inch.
"You haven't?" Captain Falcon questioned sharply.
"I have."
"Well, your face is white as a sheet. Sit down."
Young Link dragged his feet over to the table and pulled out a chair, dropping down on it with his head hanging. Captain Falcon moved the glass of juice away from Link and put it before the young hero who watched the liquid dance around in its small container. He did not at all feel like drinking it but Falcon did look quite merciless so he forced himself to gulp all of it down in a hurry.
"Why-a so down?" Mario asked, shaking the juice package only to find that there hardly were anything left. Disappointed he put it down and tried to drink up the last few drops at the bottom of his glass.
Young Link's eyes narrowed on the table. "I really, really , really hate Marth," he said and at the same time felt the hatred pulsating through him, stronger and stronger.
"Let's save the hating to a time when he actually dares to show his pretty boy face," the older Link said tiredly and rubbed his temples in an attempt to ease the pain.
"That's unexpected," Captain Falcon commented, leaning on his elbow and scrutinizing the adult Link from behind the dark visor of his red helmet.
"How about we stop speaking about His Holy Mighty Godly Highness or I really will get mad," Link warned an unfazed Captain Falcon.
Meanwhile young Link pondered whether he ought to tell his older self about Marth's challenge, but as things were now he had no choice but to conclude that it would be unnecessary. He knew himself well enough to know that he never in a lifetime would be able to build up enough self-control to leave it any rest. Protecting Zelda from Marth was his duty to his country, the mission obtained from his goddesses and in his own personal interest.
He would win.
Before it was time for the race to begin the Smashers anticipation did cause a few mishaps. In spite of the many obstacles not a single one was missing from the living-room when time drew near the much awaited competition.
Master Hand and Crazy Hand showed up and that alone was enough to stir the excitement in the room. They had not been seen since the first day and not many had paid them a thought since then but it made their entrance all the more majestic.
They glided through the air with an air of importance, over the masses of different creatures. Every eye in the room was on them. They descended on each side of the Noki who had blended in well and now seemed to have appeared as if from nowhere.
"Well, well, glad to see you're all here," the Noki said, the corners of his mouth slowly forming a gentle smile. With the cane in his hand he pushed its tip against something near the bookcase behind him. It was hard to spot unless you knew it was there. No one had the time to take a closer look though, because the wall next to the bookcase opened with a hissing noise. A blinding light forced the Smashers to shield their eyes and a low squeak escaped Pichu.
Everybody watched in wonder the hidden circular room that they had walked past for days. Mario was standing in the front and was the first one to take a careful step forward before confidently following the Noki inside. Luigi was about to follow but Mario had given Peach courage as well and she accidentally bumped into him when following her beloved plumber. The younger Mario brother was unprepared, made a pirouette and ended up in the far back.
The walls were a metallic grey and cold. One would have expected a misty breath from the mouth, if anyone had dared to take such a deep breath. The room was empty except for a pile of white cloths near the wall.
"Go on, go on, don't be shy. Take one and tie your legs together," the Noki urged.
Peach approached Ganondorf, clutching a white scarf and unable to hold still. She could not hold back a smile and her eyes shimmered like the sun reflecting off the ocean's surface during summer. The Gerudo peered at the other Smashers kneeling down to tie their legs together. He would never bend down for anyone without a mighty good reason. He had done enough favors and serving for a lifetime.
His hopes, his dreams and his believes were all represented by one word. Power. For that alone he had been groveling in the mud to obtain the King of Hyrule's trust. He had endured the worst sort of humiliation whilst Zelda had followed him around like a second shadow with her awful bug eyes that had been just as penetrating when she was a child as they were now.
What had he achieved? Nothing at all.
He had been born a King of Sand. He was used to being worshipped like a king by his people and worth about as much as a grain of sand to everyone else. He did not mind that he had not received any attention from the other Smashers nor that Bowser's silly pranks made people think that he was the evil one. It was stupid but stupidity was something you had to accept if you were clever enough to be aware of it.
A high pitched humming from below made him finally notice Peach tying their ankles together. She did not mind bending down because she had never cared for privileges or benefits. She bounced back up and giggled at his stiff features.
Zelda lifted the hem of her skirt to make it somewhat easier for Captain Falcon to tie the scarf. He eyed her high heeled shoes skeptically while he wired it around their ankles and then stood up, brushing off his blue outfit.
"Don't trip," he said.
Zelda gazed up at him. He was kinder than he looked. The square jaw, rough skin and those white lights where his eyes should be, he was intimidating but she felt that she was already taking a liking to him. He was too young to be her father and too old to be her brother but she could imagine him being a wonderful family member. Brutally honest, a bit harsh at times but loving all the same.
"You've got long legs and there are many mismatched couples here. I think we have a pretty good shot at winning," he analyzed in a muttering voice. Zelda nodded, more and more impressed by him. Her cheeks heated due to him commenting on her legs but such a modernized man could not have meant anything suggestive so she ignored it and focused on the many good points she was discovering in him.
"Everybody ready?" the Noki wondered with a hand cupped around his mouth.
"No!" Bowser yelled from somewhere in the crowd.
"Problem," the Noki added with a nod. "No problem. Then if you're all ready, let's go."
The whole room disappeared in a white light. Zelda felt her skirt move as if the wind had grabbed a hold of it. Captain Falcon put a broad arm safely around her waist, easily reaching around her. She put a hand on his back, understanding that they needed to support each other if they were to succeed in running effectively.
"Good." She heard his voice close to her.
When the light at last faded they stood crammed together on a ship. Zelda felt crushed against Falcon's chest, being like a steady wall the surrounding bodies forced her against.
The first thing that struck her was the cold, the second that there past the Smashers heads were clouds at eyelevel with her.
"W-we're flying," Popo's voice squeaked from somewhere near the edge of the deck. The next instant the unease this settled inside the fighters created a domino effect from their unsteady tries to move. Fox pulled Luigi out in front of himself in an attempt to avoid being impaled on Bowser's spikes, something he quickly forgot when he noticed that the person he was pushing himself flat against was Samus.
"I should thank heaven that you haven't yet flown away from this love boat with your angel wings," Fox said and grabbed her well encased arm while he gave her, what he considered, his most seductive look. She angrily flung him away and Bowser who had just turned around had Fox slam right into the front of his shell. The Koopa staggered, surprised by the flying fox's impact, and fell over the edge. Yoshi hollered desperately and nearly choked when he all of a sudden flew in a half circle and ended up upside-down, dangling from Bowser's leg which his own was tied to.
"I'm not going to be the laughingstock of everyone by falling of a dumb ship," Bowser growled. Long trails from his claws travelled along the ship's side to where he still held on for dear life. Yoshi sighed in relief that they had avoided an early death and started swinging in hope of grabbing a hold of something that could help him keep his head up and feet down like it should be.
"S-stop that," Bowser yelled when he felt the wood starting to give in to his sharp claws. Yoshi stuck his tongue out at him and with his free foot he used the ship as a springboard for a leap. Bowser who had a load of nasty words on his tongue, knowing that Yoshi would not be able to pull them both up alone, dragged himself upwards. The wood broke but by then he had already pulled out his claws and mirrored Yoshi's move of jumping up the ship's side.
Out of breath, which might have been a good thing considering what would have come out of his mouth, Bowser stared at Yoshi like he was out of his mind. Just then the ship trembled and tilted over. They both tumbled backwards down the deck when Bowser's spikes got stuck in the floor and they ended up hanging upside-down while the ship began sinking.
"Bowser broke the ship," Nana cried.
"That's out cue," Falcon, who had been slowly progressing towards the fore, said. "Start on your left foot, sugar."
Zelda had no time to object but as she moved she came to the horrible realization that her skirt was not wide enough at the bottom to let her fully extend her leg, which was crucial if she wanted to keep up with Falcon. He was fast, she could tell already on the first step. Luckily, her left leg was the one tied together with his, meaning that he too immediately reacted on her skirt being in the way. Her weight was not near enough to pull him off his feet either way but now he could help her prevent falling out of rhythm.
Captain Falcon gritted his teeth and jumped onto the platform in front of them, carrying her with him.
"We'll have to rely on jumping if we want to win. You fine with that?"
"Yes."
"Use both of your feet when we land and aim for the platform above us."
She hardly had to do a thing. He was strong enough to carry her with ease. In a way, deep down, she was disappointed. She had come here for Link's sake, not for glory, but this feeling of not being able to keep up was unexpected and incomprehensible. She followed Falcon's instructions in a daze, suppressing the rising feeling of hopelessness. Could it really be that she had been priding herself to be forced to hold back against these people? They deserved their hard earned skills and they had come here with an ambition to win and where did that leave her?
"Don't look down at your feet," Falcon mumbled, taking his eyes off the track and frowning at her. "We can take it easy for a bit. We're well matched. Just keep on going like you are now."
Well, things might have begun smoothly for Captain Falcon and Zelda along with a few other well matched pairs, but there were still a few desperately struggling to get off the sinking ship.
Kirby and Jigglypuff rolled down the deck until they hit the rail. Jigglypuff ignored her spinning and aching head and jumped back up on her feet. When faced by her huge azure eyes narrowing on him Kirby grinned in return, his fighting spirit present like always. There was one small problem the otherwise well working team had trouble overcoming though. They had feet but no legs. That they were even trying to get anywhere when their feet were lifted off the ground when standing normally was admirable in itself. Whenever they tried to put their tied feet down their round cheeks was in the way and they ended up tripping.
"Jiggly," Jigglypuff huffed angrily and jumped in an attempt to save them from the impending doom that was last place. She blew up her cheeks to be able to soar further while Kirby was dragged along and tried to figure out what the other puffball was up to.
Jigglypuff's blown up cheeks hit Kirby's and they ricocheted away from each other. Unfortunately, they were still bound together and were flung back, colliding again.
Closer to the fore Link and Nana was making themselves ready to get off the ship.
"I am so sorry, Link," Nana apologized with a faint blush coloring her cheeks. She ran for all she was worth but she did not even reach his waist and he had to take steps as narrow as hers, meaning he walked in a rather silly way putting one foot directly in front of the other.
"Don't sweat about it," he said absentmindedly and seemed to focus on what was going on ahead of them. "We don't stand a chance," Link added under his breath.
Pretty far ahead Doctor Mario and Pikachu had found a rather effective technique to handle their different sizes. Link's eyes got locked on them. He had a faint memory of the doctor being pleased with his given partner and now he could see why. Pikachu clung to Mario's leg, not doing any running but shocking the opponents with electricity.
"Nana, do you see Dr. Mario and Pikachu?" Link asked. They were standing near the edge now. He grabbed the small mitten in his large hand, feeling a squeeze.
"Yes."
"Do like Pikachu does, 'kay? Just hang on to my hand now when we jump and then hold on to my leg."
Marth frowned when he watched Link and Nana fly through the air. He could see that a lot of force had been put behind that leap but he was not as impressed about their tactic. That the advantage of having a small partner was to divide the task between running and taking out rivals he had figured out since the very beginning.
The prince stood with his arms crossed while Ness was getting to his feet after tripping. The ship was tilting dangerously by now, not that it disturbed Marth's balance. He shifted his gaze from the adult Link to the young one who surprisingly was far ahead. He really didn't have time to wait for his dimwitted partner to realize that he should not be running at all, nor did he have the time to wait for anyone who could not even keep on their feet. He had underestimated the young imbecile and he would never ever allow to be defeated by him. The man he hated in the form of a child. If it happened he would commit seppuku.
Marth dashed into a run and Ness was thrown off his feet again with a surprised yelp. He moaned as his big head hit the ground and quickly grabbed it in pain, which was lucky or else he would have lost his red cap. Somewhere among the pain he could feel fury at the unfair treatment. He dug his free foot down into the ground and stumbled to his feet while swinging his arms wildly.
"What's your problem?" Ness yelled and grabbed Marth's boot to hold his balance. Soon he grabbed the prince's leg with both hands because he came to understand that it would be impossible for him to try to run together with Marth. He felt about as significant as a rock. It did not even seem like Marth had heard him insulting him.
Donkey Kong and Popo came up alongside them. The boy in the blue parka waved his arms frantically and barely kept himself from falling. His face was frozen in a terrified grimace with clamped teeth and widened eyes.
"Just hold on and enjoy the ride," Ness shouted to the other boy because it felt like Popo could use the advice. Frankly, he thought that it was quite dumb of Popo to act like such a wimp. He was not the one nearly having his skull crushed by some scary Prince of the Underworld. Yet, who was the one complaining?
Donkey Kong was obviously aiming on catching up to Mewtwo and young Link. Truth to be told he had forgotten about the boy tied to his foot that was now clinging to the big ape like a baby koala would to its mother.
After jumping between a couple of platforms for a while the leading order had changed quite drastically. Link and Nana had been passed by quite a few but that was not the hero's greatest problem. Link was desperately scanning the surroundings for any sight of his princess and Captain Falcon. He jumped onto a flying carpet while Nana smacked away Luigi and Fox with her mallet.
"I know that Falcon will keep an eye on her but…"
Nana timidly looked up at the Hylian. "But I thought that Princess Zelda and Prince Marth were a couple. I mean, I heard that you took her out on a date but I also heard Princess Peach say…"
The little girl felt words failing her. She did not dare to go on when Link's eyes were directed away from the road to her. Being lit on fire would have been more pleasant than having those predator eyes on you but as the mallet was about to slide out of her grasp Link realized what a stupid thing he was being upset over and put a hand over his forehead.
"Sorry," he mumbled. "I think you misunderstood what that Peach said."
"She did not misunderstand a thing," Peach cut in when her trusty frying pan was brought down on Link's skull. The sound made Nana wince and she almost asked if her partner was all right but despite the loud clank she could not even find the smallest bruise on Link.
Ganondorf was subtlety watching the scene with an arm around Peach's slim waist. She had no trouble lashing out at Link and running at the same time and the Gerudo did not seem to have any problems adjusting to her running, nor mind the abuse of Link.
"Well, now when everything's sorted out I should not bother you anymore," Peach said politely as she tucked away the frying pan. She sped up a great deal to put some distance between them, Ganondorf panting while trying his best to keep up, but Link refused to be left in the dust.
The two pairs ran past Donkey Kong and Popo who had not yet found Mewtwo, then Mr. Game & Watch and Pichu. The black 2D man flapped like a piece of paper tied to the speedy rat Pokémon. Being able to run on all four was probably a privilege that would work only for them.
When Marth and Ness came into view on a big pendulum in front of them Link, who had begun to feel the weight of his baggage, ignored the numb feeling in his legs and finally managed to pass Peach and Ganondorf.
In the middle of this scurry a green blur passed them all. Bowser and Yoshi appeared to race each other rather than their opponents when they landed on the pendulum, only a few steps behind Marth and Ness. Link decided not to waste time being surprised that Bowser was running much faster than he should be able to and instead took the opportunity to use his hookshot. He barely had the time to tell Nana to hold on before the claw gripped an unknowing Bowser's shell and the long chain began to rail them in.
Nana cried joyfully as if she had been on a rollercoaster while Link gritted his teeth in concentration, feeling their own weight resisting the chain's strength. Right when they were about to leave the ground Link felt arms lock around his body in an iron grip. When on top of that breasts were pressed against his back there was no doubt about the identity of the hugger. They would not be able to enjoy this joyride for long.
"Flat as a board," Link muttered and Princess Peach's hug turned into a bone crushing one, albeit not the good kind. His comment was not exactly true but Link could not pay any attention to Peach at the moment, because it appeared that the hookshot had trouble railing in four people, even if one happened to be a child. He thought frenetically about whether this was a problem or not while Peach started chanting "pervert".
Up ahead, Bowser had not even noticed that he was pulling the weight of four people.
"And you think that you're so great because Peach says you're cute," Bowser spat, still not noticing the free riders. Yoshi responded by sticking out his long tongue at him with a "Whea".
"Real mature!" Bowser growled indignantly and elbowed his partner who punched him back.
The group was closing in on the people in the lead. Samus and Roy, Captain Falcon and Zelda, Luigi and Fox, Mario and Falco, young Link and Mewtwo and finally Dr. Mario and Pikachu were all fighting for the first place.
However, as they came closer and closer Link realized that there was one big problem he could not overlook. The monarch of Hyrule was right in front of them and he himself, her protector, was approaching with the man who wanted her head on a platter. Ganondorf would have to go, just in case he had any evil intensions.
He gripped Peach's gloved arm and expected to easily thrust her away but of course she had to stubbornly hang on. The stupid woman could never see things from another person's perspective.
"Let go."
"No!"
"I said let go."
"You can't order me around, you…"
"Fine then."
Link aimed a kick at the Gerudo and Ganondorf who had been behaving quite well up till now did not look like he would let it pass. He reached out to grab the hero's arm and Link barely evaded his large hand, his breath getting stuck in his throat. He knew what Ganondorf was capable of and if he had not the lilac flames engulfing his fist would have given a clue.
The Master Sword, Evil's Bane, was one of the few weapons that could match Ganondorf's might and Link did not hesitate to use it, especially considering that every second Zelda was getting closer. He tried his best not to hit Peach who protested wildly against their little brawl while kicks, swings and punches rained around her.
"You should not have picked a fight with me, boy," Ganondorf said, a terrifying blood thirst evident in his voice.
"Better have you dealt with before you're able to make any damage," Link replied fiercely and threw a bomb that flew past Ganondorf's left shoulder and Peach gasped, clinging harder to the Hylian.
"You'll be good riddance," Ganondorf chuckled while Link reached for a few more bombs, which was not the easiest task because he was holding the hookshot with his left hand and had to use only his right one to deal with Ganondorf.
"Enough! If you insist on ignoring the opinion of a lady I will just have to make sure that you stop by myself," Peach exclaimed and picked up her frying pan, raising it high over her head. The bombs Link tried to throw at Ganondorf were one by one hit in a different direction by the princess.
Roy and Samus had not run into any obstacle yet. What Roy lacked in speed was evened out by the heavy suit Samus wore. When the bomb landed in front of them Roy frowned, thinking through whether they would be able to pass it or not while Samus's thoughts went a bit beyond that. She had seen Link take use of the bombs in battle before. She knew basically how long it would take for it to explode and what damage it could cause. She glanced back and approximately calculated the distance the Smashers behind would be able to run before the explosion.
This bomb was a problem.
There was one way Samus could put a stop to this small disaster and give everybody behind a fair chance in the race, but she had taken too long reaching that inference and it meant that she had gotten too close to the bomb herself.
"I hate myself," Samus uttered monotonously when she aimed her cannon at the bomb.
"Samus!" Roy cried, knowing what she was about to do once he noticed where she was aiming.
"What are you doing," someone else suddenly yelled and grabbed her arm tightly, pulling her away from the bomb. Samus came eye to eye with Captain Falcon and she could see that he had not fully realized the risk in turning around to stop her. She who had made sure that Falcon and Zelda had enough time to get out of the way. That stupid Falcon.
A quick glance at Zelda told Samus that the princess knew what would happen, but she seemed rather helpless in Captain Falcon's embrace and when Samus looked at him a second time she could see realization strike him at last. The sad thing was that she had already fired. The red color of the explosion was reflected by his visor. Stupid Falcon.
Captain Falcon made a desperate attempt to shield Zelda from the explosion when they were blasted away in the opposite direction of Samus and Roy. Captain Falcon landed on his back with his arms tightly wrapped like a protecting shell around the princess. Zelda dared not to open her eyes but she heard him moan.
"Captain?"
"I'm fine," he groaned and sat up.
Samus's plan to save everybody would have been successful if Bowser, still dragging four people behind him, had not sped up even more, even been able to rush past the bomb the second she aimed at it. Therefore, while Bowser and Yoshi were launched forward like Captain Falcon and Zelda, Link, Nana, Peach and Ganondorf flew back with Roy and Samus. Link and Nana landed dangerously near the edge but Peach and Ganondorf were not that lucky.
Peach wished she had been able to squeeze out a tear or two. She had known Link's character from the very beginning but Zelda had refused to see it. Now Link had killed her, sent her falling to her death with the help of a bomb of all things. She prayed that Zelda would live on happily, maybe shedding a tear for her dear friend who had sacrificed herself to save her from a life together with a murderer.
Then everything turned white and she landed on her bottom in the very same grey and circular room which they had entered before the race begun.
Link had not killed her. He had caused her to get disqualified. She would kill him.
Marth and Ness arrived in time to see the mess caused by the bomb. Dr. Mario, Mario and Luigi had all turned around to come to Peach's rescue, the rest were on the ground, well, excluding Bowser and Yoshi who ran with a dangling hookshot behind them like a tail and young Link and Mewtwo who were in the lead.
There was no time to lose. Marth spurted past the heap of fallen Smashers, not seeing anything else than the little imbecile he had to beat. But Nana had ended up underneath Link's leg and weakly reached out to Ness.
"Please, help me," she begged and Ness knew better than to leave those who asked for your aide.
"Shouldn't we stop and help?" Ness asked the prince who did not show the slightest sign of even slowing down.
"They need help," the boy exclaimed. "PK… Thunder!"
Marth froze as his own partner electrified him. It shocked him to stillness. The tiniest twitches were the only signs of movement from him. Even his eyes were open wide and refused to blink. With a choking sound he fell to his knees.
This could not be.
Young Link's greatest disadvantage was that he was a child. He did not have as long legs, nor as strong ones, as an adult, neither did he possess the same endurance. The advantage of having Mewtwo as his partner was that it was very similar to having a big purple balloon tied to your foot. Weightless and indifferently floating along.
The boy was blind and deaf to all and everything going on around them. All he could think of was winning and because of that he did not slow down when he noticed that the ground ended in nothingness in front of him. Beyond the ledge was nothing but the blue sky.
Young Link and Mewtwo had almost reached the edge when Bowser and Yoshi showed up to their left.
"I don't give a shit about the number of people showing up on your birthday party," Bowser yelled, wagging a fist, before he and his partner ran out into the empty air alongside Link and Mewtwo.
Bowser made a petty attempt at flying before he clung to Yoshi and both of them screamed worse than Peach would have if she had been forcefully engaged to Link. Thanks to Bowser's weight they fell a whole lot faster than Link and Mewtwo and just when Bowser saw his life flash by before his eyes they landed on the very same ship that they had thought would bring them to their death in the beginning.
In time of Link and Mewtwo's landing a rain of confetti started falling and a huge banner saying "Congratulations" unfolded itself at the top of the mast.
Captain Falcon and Zelda were the next pair to reach the ship and then came the two Marios with their respective partners, followed by Fox and Luigi, who had tripped and made a somersault resulting in them falling behind. Marth, his aura a blizzard of ice-cold rage, landed gracefully with the trembling Ness who had no choice but to hold on to him. Mr. Game & Watch and Pichu were next and then Popo and Donkey Kong.
Popo cried that he wanted to go back to Nana but Donkey Kong was busy rejoicing over his and Mewtwo's happy reunion. Samus and Roy scarcely beat Link and Nana (to whom Popo tried to crawl to in vain). Last came Jigglypuff and Kirby, valiantly fighting until the bitter end.
Alone in the circular room Peach sobbed and cried. Why could not anyone see what a jerk Link was? Marth did, but that was hardly any comfort. Ganondorf squatted in front of her, watching her as she wept. Once she noticed, timidly peering at the evil king through her fingers, she tried to silence herself, sniffling quietly.
With one pull he dragged off the cloth tying their legs together, undoing the knot she had carefully done her best to tie securely. Maybe she had only imagined the look of agreement on his face when hearing her complaints, maybe even that he had looked at her had been a spur of her own imagination.
This chapter has to be an illusion, right? After all this time it can't be a real chapter. Sigh, I really wanted the three-legged race to be done with so after a lot of squirming I got to work and squeezed the whole race into one chapter.
I can barely get over how many things are off in this chapter. All of a sudden Zelda decides that the ritual she was so happy over is a bad thing, Link throws a dozen bombs and one of them does monster damage, I screwed up the order while they were running and got around it with a "later" because I'm lazy, Samus decides to sacrifice herself and Roy. There's no end to it.
The winners were picked the same way as the teams and I am quite pleased with the outcome. Except for poor Marth. I really liked that he challenged Link but then Marth lost D: No date! Well, I did say that it was only maybe and I guess I will have to make it up to the prince somehow. The few zelinkers reading this can rejoice.
I don't purposely try to be mean to Mr. Game & Watch. He just ends up in the way of the insensitive ones. It's the same with Peach that she ends up in the wrong situations. I'll try to show how sweet she can be. Marth and Zelda are hard to write because neither of them likes communication. I will try my best to make them get to know each other better.
Hmm, I've realized that I'm overly fond of arranging sentences so that one word ends up with a comma in the beginning. Thanks for the good critique. I will try to watch out for that. And it is sad but I can hardly write in regular English so I have no idea how to write in an Italian accent. I just randomly add '–a'.
I am also happy to announce that an awesome blossom has found the solution to the LinkZeldaMarth problem. A threesome. What a perfectly obvious answer. The boys can use their aggression to more useful things.
Thank you all for your far too kind words. Anonymous as well as those who let me sneak around on your profile pages. I love rereading everything you write in your reviews.