Okay. Everyone is pretty calm and happy right now. Half way through this chapter that won't be the case, but by the end of is chapter everyone should be satisfied. If you're not... R&R. And all the smashers, especially Roy and Lucina, want you to R&R and include a compliment for them. I recommend it, but your choice.
The next day, Tuesday, Roy got a whiff of Ike's ferocity. He had been seated near Samus and Kirby and Captain Falcon as the three discussed the brawls that day and who would be against who. They were seated around the edge of the giant water fountain and the mist was refreshing on the hot day.
Samus giggled in a response to something Falcon said and Roy chuckled. "Are you guys love birds?"
Falcon chuckled. "Yep. She's my babe."
Samus turned red and leapt up, spinning to face Roy. "How dare you!" She slapped him across the face.
Roy's eyes turned stormy and he stood too, grabbing both her wrists. "Learn to take a joke, girl!"
Samus brought up her knee, but he knocked it away with a quick downward jab of his elbow and stepped forward, pushing her back until she was hanging into the water of the fountain.
Samus was prepared to flip into the water to get out of his grasp and then out again to knock him on the ground when her upper arm was grabbed in a firm grip and she was lifted onto the grass.
She somersaulted to her feet and stared at Ike, who was holding Roy up by his shirt collar, his face inches away from the red head's. Roy's toes were an inch off the ground.
"Stay away from Samus, Roy," he growled, and hurled the swords fighter down.
Roy crumpled, but was on his feet in a moment, sword out and flashing.
"I challenge you now, Ike!" He snapped.
"Roy!" Came Marth's voice, louder than any had heard it before. "Put away your sword! Any brawling outside the portals is against the rules."
"I have a brawl scheduled with you at three," growled Ike. "Prepare yourself!"
Ten minutes past three found Roy panting as he grudgingly watched Ike stab his huge sword into the ground with the words, "You'll get no sympathy from me."
Both exited the portal and Samus instantly grabbed Ike's wrist and jerked him away from the small group of smashers.
He followed her out onto the balcony.
"Ike," she said finally, turning to face him.
He nodded, but stiffened simultaneously. Her tone was filled with self controlled anger.
"I don't need you to be my bodyguard. I know you feel bad and you're trying to make up for slicing me open, but I don't want you to. That's in the past. Forgiven, forgotten; done."
"Do I offend you by helping you?" He asked, folding his arms. He was still sweating from the recent brawl.
"No, Ike," she answered, her voice growing a tad more snappish. "But I can take care of myself, and I want everyone to know it. If you're always there to help me with the smallest provocation, no one will take me seriously."
"That's your big reason? It's not like I can help you during the brawls."
"Ike, I know you want to protect me. I don't know why, but I know you do. And I don't want you to. Please just... Just leave me alone, Kay?"
Ike's eyes sparked for a moment, but then returned to a sort of dullness. "Whatever you say."
He walked off and Samus sighed in relief. It hadn't been as bad as she'd thought. And she couldn't wait to deal with that Roy character...
Roy walked up to her. "Hey, Samus. I just wanted to apologize. I can tease too much sometimes and from teasing I go to being uptight. Attribute it to my red hair, please, and don't hold it against me. I promise you I'm actually pretty nice."
He smiled and walked away.
Samus raised her eyebrows.
"Mario," begged Peach, walking up to him. It was Sunday and all were picnicking outside.
The short Italian turned with a friendly smile. "Yes?"
"Would you do me a favor?"
"What is it?"
Peach should have sensed that Mario, used to her insane requests, was being guarded in his answer. She didn't, and rushed on. "Go talk to Ike. He's all by himself and has been so... Sad lately. He could do with some cheering up."
"As much as I am flattered you think me a good person for cheering depressed souls," laughed Mario, a little hesitantly, "I think Ike's supposed sadness might be anger at something. And I have learned many a times that cheery medicine doesn't mix with grapes of wrath."
Peach looked confused. "Ike's sad. You should talk to him, Mario," she repeated.
"I'm a little busy right now," answered Mario. "I was going to play checkers with Luigi and beat his socks off. But perhaps later." He smiled and hurried off with a backwards call of, "Why don't you go talk to him?"
Peach paled. Talk to Ike? Why she had barely said two words to him and she was still scared of him. She stared at his back and saw him glance over his shoulder, briefly staring for a moment at Marth, Roy, and Link, who were playing a ball game. He turned back away to stare at nothing again and Peach felt her eyes fill. It was so sad to see him be alone.
She straightened and walked over to Zelda, who was talking with Lucina. "Hi," she said cheerfully. "Um, I was wondering if either of you wanted to come with me to ask Ike what was wrong?"
Zelda instantly burst out laughing. "P-p-peach!" She giggled. "You're so funny!"
"I don't get it," Lucina said, looking from the two.
"Peach has been freaked out about Ike since he creamed her mercilessly in her first brawl." She chuckled and controlled herself. "I'd thought you'd gotten over it, Peach."
Peach frowned and folded her arms. "I am not scared of him. I was just wondering. I'l go myself." She whirled around and, her pink skirt swishing over the grass, made her way across the yard and over to Ike.
He didn't look up, even though she was sure he heard her moving along the grass. She sat down next to him. "Hi, Ike. What's wrong? You seem awfully down in the dumps."
Ike grunted. "I'm fine."
"I'm serious. Something upset you. You can tell me."
Ike turned to stare at her and she tried not to shiver under his rather fierce gaze. Her eyes dropped to the ground. She glanced up quickly after a moment and realized he wasn't glaring anymore. He had one eyebrow raised in a curious manner.
"What are you, some sort of princess counselor?"
"I'm not a physiatrist either," she added, loosening up.
"A good listener?"
"Yes," she nodded. "So go ahead."
He snorted. "Nothing's wrong with me, and if it was I wouldn't tell you."
"Why not?" She asked, hurt.
"You're not my friend."
Peach stared up into his face, her own filled with questioning. "I'm not? How do I become your friend?"
As Ike stared back he suddenly realized he had probably made a critical error and hurt her worse than he had thought. "I didn't mean that," he said hastily. "But... You're not an enemy, but... You know."
Peach wrinkled her nose as she thought and stared at her hands. "How do I become a friend, Ike?"
Ike stared at her, her hands twisting and un-twisting in her lap, one golden clad foot poking from beneath her full, pink skirt. Why, she was the sweetest female here.
Peach looked up at Ike when he didn't answer and saw that he actually had a smile on his face and his stormy blue eyes were sparkling.
"I don't know how to answer that, princess Peach. I've never been asked that before."
"Well then this is a start," she said, beaming, and reached up to throw her arms around his neck and give him a hug. She pulled away and giggled, pinker than normal. "See you later, Ike."
She jumped off the bench and trotted off across the grass, back to Zelda and Lucina. Zelda's mouth was opened in shock as she stared at Ike.
His eyebrows were not knit in a perpetual glare and there was a small smile on his face as he stared after the golden haired princess. Then he got up and walked over to join Marth, Link, and Roy in their game.
"Do you have any idea why they're saying you and Peach are together?" Snake was obviously rather baffled. "I mean, Peach and Ike? That's ridiculous!"
Ike shrugged. "Let them say what they want."
"Ike," insisted Roy, "I heard Samus say that Peach was your girlfriend now."
Ike's temper flared briefly. "Samus should mind her own business, or haven't you noticed! And they can say whatever they want about Peach and I as long as she doesn't mind. Peach is my friend and Peach is a girl." He shrugged.
"You want Peach to be your girl?" Asked Marth, his question honest.
"I didn't say that. I already told you I'm not looking for girls here anyway. But I've never had a female friend." He hesitated. "Well, that's not true. Rashida's my friend, but you know I'm not a very good 'friend maker' or likable person in general. So when I can actually get another friend, it's pretty impressive. And if it's a girl... Wow. So I guess I just feel too happy to let anything get to me right now."
Link heard that and decided now was the time to fire his question. "You fought for Samus quite a few times. Isn't she your friend."
Ike did not know that Samus and Zelda were both nearby, behind a corner, looking at pictures together, so he said what he thought. "Samus is not my friend. You know I felt guilty and I wanted to protect her. And now she doesn't want my protection, so I'm free. No, I didn't fight for Samus because she was my friend. She's probably the farthest from that title of all the smashers." He gently touched his arm, which still bore the white scar marks of her plasma whip.
Zelda glanced at Samus in shock. Samus was staring at the screen of Zelda's computer, her blue eyes flaming with shock and anger. She met Zelda's gaze and narrowed her eyes.
"Marth!" Exclaimed Rashida. "Look! I found all these pictures of you and Ike and I when we were training. Look at that's! That's when we first meeting! That's you and Ike! Look at that one!" She burst out laughing.
'That one' happened to be Marth making a disgusted face and Ike sticking out his tongue. The prince snatched the phone from her hands and scrutinized it, swiping down to stare at more pictures. "Oh, wow. Hey, I remember that one."
"It's so fun to relive the past... Hey, Lucina! C'mere!"
Marth turned red. "Rashida," he snapped. "No."
Rashida, sure he wasn't seriously embarrassed to have Lucina see pictures of him as a child, ignored him and beckoned Lucina over. Marth snatched up the phone and took off running.
He dodged Mario and Luigi and leapt right over Bowser, who was looking under a table for something.
Entering the lobby he spotted Miss Sona, gave a quick smile, and winked in order to assure her he was having fun. Rashida's voice could be heard down the hall. "Marth? Marth! What are you doing?"
Marth glanced over his shoulder and slid the phone just under the desk with his foot. Rashida dashed in, Lucina close behind. "Where's my phone?" Asked Rashida.
"Let's see if you can find it," he teased, trying to stay light hearted.
Rashida raised an eyebrow and scanned the room. Marth watched her begin her search by some potted plants. He cast Sona a quick glance, but she was calmly ignoring them, typing something on a computer. He turned to look at Lucina, her eyes were studying his face and he gave a weak grin.
Her eyes sparkled and shot down to the floor by his foot. He knew she had seen the corner of the device sticking out from the desk. Their eyes met again and suddenly she giggled.
"Rashida."
Rashida turned.
"What's say we organize a huge game of hide and seek."
Rashida blinked. "Hey, that's a grand idea! Marth, you can't play unless you give me my phone."
Marth gave her quick look, smirked, and bent to scoop it up in his hands. "There you are, Rashi."
She rolled her eyes, flipped her hair, and nodded excitedly to Lucina. "Hey, Miss Sona, could we use the loudspeaker?"
Sona glanced up, her eyes passing over them all briefly, and then nodded with the tightest of quick smiles. "Here." She handed Rashida a microphone and the swords woman immediately began her introduction to the game, the rules, and invited all to gather outside at the front door.
Ten minutes later, all the smashers gathered, Rashida explained the rules and Lucina explained them a second time. "Ready?" Asked Lucina. "I'm it to start!"
She instantly began counting and the others fled.
Snake won. He was finally found hiding under the floorboards in the lobby.
"Never mess with a spy," he said in his gravely voice, chuckling a little.
"I asked you if anyone was in here!" Protested Lucina to Miss Sona, who glanced up.
"And I said I hadn't seen anyone," she answered. "Which was true. The gentleman told me not to look while he hid."
Lucina blinked and then grinned. "Oh."
Snake's eyes had narrowed. "Hey, babe, if you know my name's Snake, no need to call me 'the gentleman'. You know I'm not anyway."
Her piercing eyes settled on him and he met that icy stare with his own snaky eyes. It lasted for about five seconds. Then Bowser cleared his throat, sending an accidental spurt of flame into the air. Sona's eyes flicked over to it and Snake looked away. He had won.
"Mr. Chi is coming tonight to make an announcement," said Sona, breaking the awkward silence. "It involves a party, I think."
There was a general cheer and everyone raced off to the dining hall. It was just about dinner time anyway.
"I think that lobbyist likes you," said Ike, in a dead even voice, as he sat down beside Snake.
Snake gave him a quick glance. "Where'd your brain go, oaf."
"Don't you call me that."
Snake gave him a sullen look and fell silent as a hesitant Peach came over and sat quietly down beside Ike.
He glanced at her and gave a quick grin before turning to his food.
Pitt flew over and settled next to Snake. "You gotta teach me to hide like that, spy guy!"
"You don't know anything about spies, do you?" Answered Snake evenly. "Spies don't share they're secrets."
"Oh," said the winged boy, disappointedly. "Well then..."
Samus had suddenly arrived. She had almost won and she locked eyes with Snake. "Good job. I was generally surprised you were actually good at something."
"Thanks, babe. Any compliment from you can be lived off for a year."
Ike gave a small chuckle.
Samus tossed him a sharp glance. "And I see you now have a girlfriend?"
"She's just a friend," he answered evenly, not looking at her, taking a drink of water.
"Does she know that?" Asked Samus. "Or maybe you secretly want her to be more than a friend."
"Right now she's a friend," said Ike, keeping his eyes on his plate. "If she'd ever become more than that, we'll have to see. Right now, there shouldn't be any room for girly gossip."
Samus gazed steadily at him, wishing he'd look up so she could read his expression in his eyes. She knew that this was the exact reason he didn't meet her gaze.
Peach got up suddenly and dashed from the room. Lucina saw and ran after her.
"Peach?" She found her hunched form on a bench on the balcony. "What's wrong?"
"Samus is so mean! I think she's jealous or something."
"I'm sure she didn't mean all that. She was just..." Lucina broke off as the tall blonde herself came out on the balcony.
"Peach?" Samus queried softly.
"Go away," answered the princess in a stiff voice, turning away.
"Peach, please," protested Samus. "Listen to me. I'm sorry. That was mean and it wasn't nice to embarrass you. I was just mad at Ike. He'd said that I was the last smasher he would consider as a friend. I was just mad. I shouldn't have included you in that."
Peach sniffed and turned watery blue eyes to look up at Samus. "Really? Ike said that?"
"Yes," answered Samus, snapping. She swallowed and continued in a softer voice. "Please forgive me, Peach."
Peach stood, placing her hands in Samus'. "Of course I do. I can get pretty mad as well."
Samus smiled and Lucina laughed, putting her arms around them. "Come on guys. Let's go back to the dining room before that expected announcement by Mr. Chi is missed."
The special announcement was made and set excitement in everyone's hearts.
"I am totally awesome at setting off fireworks!" Boasted Falcon. "Snake, your missile explosions are nothing compared to fireworks. It rocks!"
Marth raised an eyebrow. "I'm sure you'll dazzle us."
Captain Falcon flashed him a grin. "You bet I will. And all those ladies as well."
"Personally, I think the water balloon fight is going to make me the winner," crowed Pit, leaping up to flap his wing and blow their hair in their faces (except of course Captain Falcon's hair, if he had any, was covered by his helmet). "I'll fly above you guys and drop them down."
"He'll be like a little bombing helicopter," said Snake, leaning back in his chair and folding his arms.
Ike snorted. "Hey, Snake, didn't you say those helicopters were the first to get shot down."
"Hey, yeah," said Snake, nodding as if he had just remembered. He grinned, flashing surprisingly white teeth at Pit, who stuck out his tongue and nodded at Marth. "Wanna be on a team?"
"No way!" Exclaimed Roy. "Marth and I are on a team! Ike can be with Snake. You, Pitt, can be with... Link."
"Who made you in charge?" Snapped Link. He closed his eyes, smiling haughtily. "I'll be with Zelda, thanks very much."
"Oh brother," said Roy, rolling his eyes. "What if we all teamed up on the girls?"
"I don't think they'd appreciate that," said Marth. "I wouldn't appreciate it either," he added, as an afterthought.
Roy's eyebrows rose. "Why? You like someone or something?"
Ike slammed a fist down on the table so suddenly it made everyone jump. "Sorry. My arm got tired. Let's go to bed."
Marth got up. "Good night all. May the best man win tomorrow. In the brawls and in the water fight."
The brawls the next day were named 'terrible'. Ness and Lucas were pitted against each other and Lucas won, causing him to tearfully apologize to Ness, who gave him an incredulous look and patted him on the back comfortingly.
Pit was against Meta knight and they went into sudden death. Both avoided each other until bombs dropped and Pit was the first to fly from the stadium.
Samus fought Snake, and after she knocked him off twice, he finally defeated her, still very red in the face even in the finishing room. She rolled her eyes. "Well you beat me, didn't you?"
"You kicked me so many times in the gut, pain decrease or not I'm going to have a stomach ache tonight!"
She snorted.
Ike versus Marth was painful to watch. Marth's quick jabs brought Ike to rather heavy damage fairly quickly while he hadn't even had any time to charge a blow. When he finally got his chance, Marth flew from the screen to re spawn at the top. In the end Ike, attempting to Aether up and grab the edge of the stage to save himself, ended up just missing his handhold and plummeting to a lose.
"That was close," said Marth, breathing hard. "If I didn't know better, I'd think you broke something."
"My pride is in shatters on the ground," answered Ike, smirking and folding his arms. "You'll get no sympathy from me tonight, Marth."
"Fight for your friends, huh?" He retorted, grinning as he anticipated the party that evening.
"You look great Rashida," said Marth, smiling as he approached her. Lucina was beside her friend and Marth coughed. "You as well, princess."
"Thank you, Marth," both answered cheerily. "Where's Ike?"
"There."
Ike and Peach had found each other and were talking nearby.
"Hey, there are the water balloons!" Exclaimed Rashida. "Lucina, prepared to be creamed!"
"On the contrary, Rashi," retorted Lucina, giggling. "I think I deserve to pay you back for this afternoon."
Marth laughed and beat them both to the balloons, grabbing up two and preparing to throw them. Both skidded to a stop. Then clapped their hands over their mouths. Marth blinked and a moment later Roy, who had snuck up behind him, had clobbered him with a water balloon right over the head.
"Take that, Marthy! Hah!"
Roy ran smack into Ike, stumbled backwards, and Ike stepped back and hurled two water balloons full force at Roy's face. The red haired man bit back a cry of pain and dashed for more ammunition.
"Wait!" Came Miss Sona's piercing voice. "Everyone receives ten balloons. Use them wisely. Gather them and at the sound of the countdown, it's a free for all."
The smashers grabbed their balloons, Pit flew into the air, holding his tightly, a mischievous twinkle in his eyes, and the speaker blared, "3-2-1 Go!"
Link and Marth met up and Link stepped back, his hat, filled with his balloons, in hand. "Look bud, don't get me, I don't get you. I've gotta watch my back or Falcon's gonna kill me for what I did this morning."
Marth shrugged. "I have no enemies as far as I know." He fingered is water balloon and turned to find another target when he was hit full in the face.
He stumbled back, gasping for breath, and saw a blurry person through the water. The person became clearer and he saw it was Lucina, holding her balloons in the provided buckets, a purple one in her hand, prepared to throw again. He ducked and it hit Link. Then he had hurled his own at her with a precision that soaked her shirt around the stomach area.
"I didn't know you were such a brave tease!" He exclaimed, hurling another at her. She sidestepped and it hit her leg.
"Yeah, well, it's not everyday you get to soak a prince." She raced off giggling and Marth stared after her before realizing he had eight more balloons and he wanted to get Ike and Roy and Rashida and Pit, at least.
Ike, after glancing at Peach and seeing she actually had Mario has a semi protector, raced after Snake. The Russian spy dodged and flipped and spun and somersaulted, an amazing feat, but Ike only followed doggedly, finally hurling the balloon which popped with a satisfying splat on Snake's broad back.
"Oh, yeah, Ike? I've got plenty of practice throwing things." So saying, two balloons found their mark on Ike's chest and face.
Ike, spluttering, was creamed from above by Pit. It was a mistake, since Snake spotted him and was instantly in pursuit of the haughty winged boy.
Ike turned to watch Zelda, giggling with glee, pounce on Link and hurl five water balloons at him. Soaked, the elf turned red and began firing is own ammunition. Rashida had hit a few people and was suddenly racing at him. He waited, holding a balloon behind his back. She pulled back her arm, a grin on her face, and he threw his balloon just as she did the same. Both hits.
Roy raced up to them, a balloon in each hand. "My last two for you two!" He exclaimed cheerfully.
Ike turned his back to let his shoulder catch the splash and hurled a balloon that flew past the laughing man's head. His laughter changed to surprise as Marth's balloon creamed the back of his head.
Ike chuckled and gave Marth a quick wink before running off to find Peach and maybe get her as well. Samus found him first, armed with two balloons and a wicked smile. "Yo," she said, shortly, hurling both in succession.
He didn't pause his running and only brought up a hand to swat one ballon from his face. The other splashed onto his chest and as he left her behind he felt a third hit his back.
Peach was screaming with delight and fleeing Bowser, who was laughing a growling laugh. One balloon caught her dress, but she ran on, smack into Ike.
Bowser was slightly deterred by the two balloons that smashed into his face. He hurled his final balloon at Ike, who ducked, the water soaking Zelda, who had come up behind to get Peach.
When all the balloons were gone, the laughing smashers realized it was dark outside.
Captain Falcon instantly called Snake over, to show him a picture of what a firework looked like and how they would look when he set them off.
Zelda, talking with Luigi, suddenly heard someone call her name. Could it be?
"Hey, Zelda, c'mere. You gotta see this."
Snake. Okay. Should she respond in order to encourage him using her name and not his annoying replacement 'babe'? Or should she respond at all?
She realized she had stiffened and tried to relax as she turned and made her way over. Her eyes appraised his kneeling form. He turned to look up at her,those hazel eyes less freaky than normal, his hair scraggly and damp from the recent water fight.
"What?"
"Doesn't this look like that magic you use?"
She studied the image and had to nod. "Actually, yes it does. Is that what fireworks are?" Her voice grew eager in her excitement and Falcon chuckled.
"You bet, princess. You're gonna love this."
Everyone watched in awe and initial terror as Falcon lit the fireworks and they shot into the air, the noise deafening, the sight awe inspiring.
"That's impressive, Falcon," said Rashida, when the last firework sparks died out.
"Ya think?" He quipped, chuckling more. "Yeah, fire and speed. That's my thing. I guess I even like the loud noises."
"Ike?" Came Samus' voice from by his shoulder.
He turned. "Huh?"
"Why aren't you my friend? Is it just because I said I didn't want you guarding me?"
Ike turned back so she couldn't see his eyes grow darker and slightly stormy. "You heard, huh? Then you know the answer."
"Ike, I heard, but I don't think that's a good enough reason." She was glad his back was turned so he couldn't see the sparkling of tears in her eyes.
"No?"
"No. I want to be friends. I want to forget the past and just... Like you and Peach are friends. I can be nice, too. But I think... I think you'd make a good friend and..."
Ike had turned to look at her, no storm in the eyes. He seemed, surprised, shocked... Happy?
"Just like that?"
"Can you forget the past?"
"I..." He hesitated. "I think I can try, Samus." He put out a hand and stared at it, as if waiting to see her hand in his.
She closed her fingers around his palm and shook once. "Thanks, Ike."
She flashed a smile. "Now don't forget, outside of brawls, you fight for your friends."
"That's right." His normal glare, which had been on his face even during the handshake, suddenly lifted as he grinned a little. "I hope you're okay with that."
"You bet."
"Well Sona," said Mr. Chi. "You are doing a wonderful job here. You like it?"
"Yes, sir. Especially the people. They are interesting."
He nodded and then grew slightly grave. "Just remember, Sona. You are here to work, not find a husband."
She flushed. "Excuse me?"
"Reports come that you are rather friendly with Marth and even Snake, though I am more inclined to doubt the latter."
She pursed her lips. "I know why I am here. To work and help. And believe me, I treat all the same. If they are attempting to get a wife here, which I suspect is so, they have many other woman to choose from who are prettier and kinder than I." Her voice was tart as she gave him a sideways glance. Then she appraised all the smashers in the yard, arms folded, her gaze finally coming to rest on one particular smasher, and remaining there for some time before she turned and went inside.
Yes, it was long, but I just want to say that, although I will be posting more chapters, they may take a little more time. And if any of you were thinking I was over sensitive with rating this 'T' then I will add that things will get more intense soon...