"Marth?"
The blue- er…Pink haired 'prince' looked straight up at me. If he didn't look mad before I was probably just looking at the wrong angle…
"I'm sorry." I weakly attempted. They say that you should go and apologize when you do something wrong…but, this was totally different. Dad probably doesn't understand- apologizing to Marth isn't apologizing…you have to like…grovel, or something.
"What made you do it Pike?" Marth snapped at me. I flinched and took a quick glance around the room. Where was Roy?
"I dunno, I just kind of thought…it would be fun." I started, but seeing the cobalt eyes grow cold I felt my heart speed up and broke out into a stutter, "B-b-but of c-course it wasn't! It was a stupid idea! I didn't know th-that this would h-happen, truly-"
Marth sighed and I shut up. "Pike…" There it was again, that same tone dad tried to use.
"I really am sorry." I murmured, looking at my feet.
Another sigh and then movement. Marth had walked over to me and pulled me into a hug, albeit a little tighter than what was needed…
"I forgive you." It was an honest response, even if it wounded a little forced. "But Pike, please behave."
"I am behaving." I reply silently. "It wasn't my idea to do that-" Marth cleared his throat and I shut up again.
Marth pulled out and lowered himself to stare right into my eyes. I shifted uncomfortably. "I know it was Roy's idea, and that he can make terrible things seem so fun, but you know now that it isn't the case?"
I nodded mutely.
"Now, when Roy asks again for you to join in on one of his escapades, what will you say?" I hated when everyone used that kind of tone with me. I looked down at my feet again and kicked one dully.
"No." I reply, rehearsed.
"Good boy." Marth sighed, straightening up and patting my head. "Now, if you see Roy anywhere, tell him I wish to see him immediately. After I assured that his ring wasn't on the line, he kind of took off." Marth had a strange-looking agitated face.
I nod again. "Yeah, if I see him."
As I left that room I felt like I could breathe again. I paused after I was well away from there and took a deep breath, slumping as I felt my wings shudder a little.
"They always make me feel so guilty." I murmur, looking behind me. "I hate that feeling."
"Well, I guess I have a kind of mission now. I have to find Roy. I've had my share of scolding, now he needs his." I mutter to myself as I casually walk into the kitchen.
I let out a little eep before a hand was smothered over my mouth and suddenly my feet weren't on the ground anymore and everything was moving really fast-
I considered screaming but then I noticed the snickering and the red locks of hair dangling down into my vision.
"Roy!" I exclaimed, the sound muffled into his hand as he dodged a corner and pulled open a door.
I remember this room. This was the pantry. It was really spacious because Peach liked to keep many different foods in here…It was also the room Roy deemed suitable for talking strategy on most days.
He had let me go and was sliding the doors shut, holding a finger on top of his lips as things grew darker.
Blinking in the gloom I swung at Roy's general direction. I felt my hand slap against his arm and he muttered a mute 'ow!'
"What was that for?" He asked, sounding hurt, but I could tell from experience he was grinning his head off.
"No, what was that for?!" I replied quickly, hushing my voice. At least part of me liked to pretend this was a secret place.
"Well, if I just walked up to you, you probably wouldn't come with me." Roy replied, also hushing down his voice. "And I have a new plan!"
I groaned in dismay.
"No, no! listen! Hear me out, please!" Roy pleaded, "This one isn't like the last one!"
"But it'll still get me in trouble!" I complain. "And all your plans involve me doing all the work! So they're all the same to me!"
"Look, I'm sorry that the last one turned out like that." He didn't sound so sorry. "But if Marth gives his hair a few washes, it should come out. In about a week he'll cool down about it, and then it'll only become something of the past."
Despite my better judgement telling me to hit Roy again and storm out, alerting Marth of his whereabouts- I was curious. "…Fine, what's this plan?" I sigh, trying not to sound excited.
I heard Roy giggle and could faintly see his outline as he sat down on one of the crates of vegetables. "Well, I heard something interesting just now…"
"What?" I asked. Roy always seems to hear something interesting; interesting for him anyway, horrible for the person who had said it in the first place.
"Well, Zelda and Samus were talking in the garden. I happened to be strolling past-"
"Strolling past or avoiding Marth? He wants to see you by the way." I cut in. He lets out a little whimper.
"You're evil Pike." Was his lame reply. I blame it on my Dad's genes. But it was fun to imagine him and Roy pulling the same pranks on Marth.
"Anyway. I heard them talking about a certain green robed elf," I could hear his smile. "And a little tale of some photos he may or may not have."
"Photos?" This was going to be another break in and steal things plan, wasn't it?
Roy chuckled lightly. "Yup. You know his secret crush? I hear he has some photos of him. Samus has said that it was from that huge gathering for your first birthday, Ike invited a lot of people from his home though, so I can't be sure which one Link has a fancy for…"
"That sounds a little creepy." I mutter. It really did. "But, you know, I don't remember my first birthday." I layered on the sarcasm to prove my point.
"You never would have figured the little fairy boy to be a stalker, eh?" Roy agreed. "And you don't have to remember it, the point is he has photos, I'm curious, you're curious, and no one is gonna tell us who his crush is so we have to find out ourselves!"
I was still a little wary about the idea. "But targeting Link about this…It's a little bit cruel." Plus I would feel really, REALLY bad if Link ever found out.
"I'll take the blame for this." What?
"You only have to stand guard while I rifle through his things. If anyone asks, I'll say I was looking for something that I thought Link had, and you can say you were looking for me, just like Marth asked you to." He sounded much too confident about this.
His confidence was unnerving. "You say that, but it's always more difficult then you make it sound." I reply dully.
"Look, come on Pike!" Roy whined, "It's not going to backfire like the last few times!"
"You mean every time." I quickly cut off, "And you look Roy! If I get in trouble again, Marth's going to lose it! Then Dad will start punishing me again!" Punish, as in, locking me in my room so Roy can't get to me. It's only happened twice before, but he can do it again.
Roy stayed silent for a few minutes. "…Fine. Well, I'm doing this if you're coming or not." He stood up and brushed imaginary dirt off of his top as he opened the pantry doors, turning back ever so slightly,
"Then, when I figure out who his crush is, I won't tell you and you'll be the only one. Let me know if you change your mind. I'll be in the kitchen in an hour."
-------------
I hated Roy so much.
"Oh, hello Pike." The short redhead beamed as he pushed himself off of the counter, "Weren't expecting you."
I just huffed and looked off. No matter what Ike or Marth or Link said about Roy, about making things seem better than they were, it was just in my nature to trust him every single time.
"Well then, we should be heading off," Roy further rubbed in my face, pulling me along as we dashed through the corridors towards the Elf's room.
"But what if he's inside?" I hiss, Roy just smiled and brushed it off as if it were the most absurd thing he'd ever heard.
"We trick him, duh." To further accentuate his point, he boldly reached forth with his hand and knocked on the door loudly, "Yo Link! Open up!"
I felt my stomach drop, what was he doing?!
After a few seconds, the door opened to reveal a weary hyrulian. "Roy...Pike? What do you guys want?"
Roy beat me to the reply, "It's not what we want but what Peach wants. She asked us to come get you, something about picking a colour for a new dress, or something, wasn't really paying attention."
The lie sounded so calm, too calm. Link narrowed his eyes suspiciously. "…Alright, hold on a second."
The door was closed in our face and Roy flashed me a wide grin and a thumbs-up. I didn't share his enthusiasm.
When the door opened again, Link turned and locked it before giving us a wave and making his way towards Peach's room.
As soon as Link had rounded the corner, Roy lunged at the lock and attacked it with a hair pin. Where he got it, I didn't know, but I couldn't put it past Marth not to have any.
"Isn't this breaking and entering?" I ask, my voice wavering.
"Don't go chicken on me now Pike! We've got this far," He replied as a soft click dragged a triumphant smirk from him.
He opened the door casually and walked inside, looking around simply for good hiding places. I followed silently. I'd only been in Link's room a few times, but it would always shock me how it changes.
"Hmmm…" Roy hummed, looking past the canopy and pillows and the bed, surveying the bookshelves and the chest of drawers. "Pike, where do you usually hide things?"
"Um, usually…in a small box. I hide it in my drawer or desk-hey, wait." I pause in shock, "Don't you dare go looking for it!" I add threateningly.
Roy laughed before motioning to keep our voices down. "I was just asking, because Link seems like the kind of guy to hide stuff just like you." He snickered before moving off to the chest of drawers and attacking it with as much vigour as he had the lock.
"You go look in the bookcase." He idly murmured, waving his hand dismissively as he rummaged through Link's clothes. I sighed and did as I was told.
Link had lots of books. That's was all I allowed myself to think as I stared gravely at the three bookcases, completely full with some books in a cardboard box put to the side.
"Hey Roy," I ask quietly, "Link doesn't seem like the kind of person to hide pictures in his books, right? I mean, Ike does, but he doesn't have that many books to make it a good hiding place."
Roy looks over before smirking, "I wouldn't put it past him." In other words, 'you'd better get looking, have fun.'
I just stare at the mass of books. How could Link even have this many. I doubt he'd read them all, but then again…
I hear the groaning of springs and Roy's casual huffing and as I turned around curiously, I was met with the view of his lower half sticking out from beneath the mattress. I panic for a second before Roy calls out.
"Hey Pike! I think I found something!"
He pulls out with a small book, inspecting it dully before breaking into a fit of giggles. "Oh my god."
"What?" I ask, slightly regretting coming along. Roy just smothers his laughter and turns the book towards me.
"It's his freakin' diary!" He snorted, shaking visibly from controlled laughter. I take a few steps forward and reach out to take the green velvet covered book before he snaps it back.
"Uh-uh-uhhh," He tuts, "Finders keepers."
I was about to whine something along the lines of 'why can't I read it?' when a strange sound caught me off guard. It sounded like Roy had cleared his throat, or something. My face blanks as does his.
"Hey Pike, you didn't just…?" He asked, before the realisation dawned on us and we both whipped our heads to the door.
I wish I could slink back into the shadows right now. Marth was right there in the doorway, hands on his hips and his face was trying to feign indifference, but it just turned out scary!
"Pike! What did you promise me?!" He immediately started yelling. I dropped my head quickly and shrunk back into myself.
"This is the last straw! Absolutely final!" He continued, voice raising in pitch, "I'm going to have to have another work with Ike about this, try and see if we can separate you from Roy for good!"
I swallowed thickly. It wasn't a threat I hadn't heard before, but it was just the way Marth had said it…This really was it. I'm sure of it. Even if Ike might not be as definite, Marth always would be.
"How the hell did you know we were in here?!" Roy yelled in shock, and as if on cue, Link popped up from behind the prince.
Roy gaped for a few seconds before dropping the diary and launching to his feet, instantly relying on petty tactics. "It was Pike's idea!!"
My head shot up. Apart from the uncomfortable embarrassment which ran through me, anger began to bubble up. "Why are you always blaming me?!" I shot back, just as childishly as the other.
Link quickly stepped in before Roy could start an argument, pulling a white envelope out of his tunic and pushing Marth back lightly.
We both stopped glaring at each other and turned questioningly to the silent boy. He smiled lightly, sneakily, "You were looking for these, weren't you?"
A few seconds later we both came to the same conclusion.
"You see Roy, you slipped up." Link started, smile ever in place. At Roy's blank stare, he continued. "Peach and Zelda went out on a shopping trip little over an hour ago, they haven't been seen since."
He crossed the room to pick up his diary and put a slight hand on the short redhead's shoulder. "I hope Marth does go lightly on you. You should have just asked to see these," After the taunt, he replaced the envelope inside the green book and smiled.
Marth however, was not smiling.
I felt my stomach churn as he grabbed my ear and began pulling me down the corridor. Apart from my yelps of pain, I could hear Roy running after us, yelling at Marth to ease up.
I wish he'd listened.