CHAPTER FIFTEEN

Ike stepped into the elevator, his hands gripped around Ragnell. The roar of the crowd steadily grew louder, and Ike thought through his plan. Surprise, hit-and-run, finish strong. It was his trusted battle plan, and his father's before him.

As he strange red mist floated down to cover him, his heart rate started pumping, adrenaline coursing through his veins. He had been looking forward to this match between Marth and him. Finally, after all these years, Ike could show the world how serious he was about the world of fighting.

The elevator door slid open, and the announcer called his name to the cheering crowds. Marth had already arrived on the stage, and was eyeing his opponent warily. He had evidently spent a sleepless night thinking (worrying, in Ike's mind) about the match. He looked at the stage. The Floating Stadium, with the crowds visible and the Booth glinting. He could see the outline of the Smashers watching him.

Ike and Marth stepped towards each other, acting like cautious animals, taking in every move. Link and Zelda were standing in the balcony of the Booth, enjoying the sun and air. Everyone else was inside, snacking and talking.

Zelda leaned on Link, tucking her hair behind her ear. "This will be an intense match for each."

"Yeah, no kidding. Especially since Ike punched Marth in the face." He put his arm around her waist and pulled her close.

The horn trumpeted, announcing the beginning of the match. Neither of the Brawlers moved. The crowd started tittering, some booing at the delay, but Ike and Marth's concentration would not be broken. They started circling around the stage. A small puff of smoke, and a Capsule appeared in between them. Two pairs of eyes flashed to the small item, and then back to each other.

Marth got there first.

He launched it into Ike's chest, who flew backward. Marth quickly charged and attacked with Dancing Blade. Ike, his blue eyes flashing, retaliated with Aether, slamming Marth to the ground. As Ike leaped in the air to finish him off, Marth shook himself and rolled out of the way, and kicked Ike in the chest, launching him over his head. Marth jumped up and preformed Dolphin Slash in midair. Ike used the momentum from the attack to slide backward. He grabbed up a Poke ball as he moved. He chucked it at Marth's head. Marth saw the incoming projectile and quickly blocked, only to look up and see Deoxys looking down at him.

Marth gaped as the Legendary flew up and launched a Hyper Beam at the prince. White light filled Marth's vision as the attack landed dead on. He could feel the charge flowing across his skin. His limbs turned numb, and he didn't even try to stop Ike as his opponent unleashed an Eruption on him. Marth went flying off and the crowd roared praises and some insults.

Zelda and Link stared open-mouthed as the battle raged on at this intensity for the next five minutes. The crowd, however ate it up. At the end of the match, they were tied. One to one, and so it would end in a sudden death.

The crowd hushed, and the announcer stalled his play-by-play to watch the two teens calculate their final moves. They were so intense on each other, they didn't notice a Bomb appear. The crowd offered up hints, but to no avail. Zelda and Link gasped as the Bomb exploded, hitting them both and then sending them off the stage. As they disappeared, the crowd rose as one to their feet as they anxiously looked to the Scoreboard for the winning point.

Marth and Ike reappeared on the stage before the score had come on. They faced the screen, trying not to appear anxious or overwhelmed, but failing for the most part. The screen showed the referees watching the end again and again, debating. Ike stuck his sword in the ground and knelt, counting the seconds. It all depended on who managed to stay in the air longer.

Zelda leaned over the railing, with Link holding her belt so she wouldn't fall. Since she had better eyesight and reaction time then most of the humans, she saw the flicker of the score before anyone else. She leaned back and when Link asked her who won, she shook her head with a secretive smile and pointed.

The crowd screamed with delight, louder than they ever had. Zelda couldn't hear Link say with relief, "Ike! Thank the Gods." She saw his mouth move, but didn't hear any words. She inclined a pointed ear to him, and shrugged when he motioned, "Never mind." They watched as Ike stood and plucked his sword from the ground. He extended his hand to a disappointed looking Marth, who stood with his arms crossed and eyes lowered.

Ike cleared his throat, and the crowd held its breath as one. Marth looked up, his legs tensing and biting his lip. Finally, he took Ike's hand, smiling, and everyone breathed. The crowd then started up many chants, consisting of "IKE!", "MARTH!", "FIRE EMBLEM!", and "ENCORE!". Even as Ike and Marth both disappeared beneath the Stadium, the crowd's excitement did not die, and a few either extremely ecstatic or very enraged fans tried to storm the stage, to be stopped by the multitude of guards in their bright neon jackets.

Zelda and Link took hands and walked back into the Booth. What they saw surprised them. In every corner of the Booth, bets were being resolved. Fox handed Falco twenty dollars, and Snake was counting out rolls of five to give to Ganondorf. Even Mario, Luigi, and Wario were handing each other coins. Samus grudgingly gave Peach a fifty dollar gift certificate to Off Broadway Shoes and Nordstrom's.

Zelda went over to her friends, sitting quietly as Peach tried to tug the certificate out of Samus's unwilling hands. Samus finally relented, and Peach flew backwards, her crown askew. Zelda and Samus laughed as Peach regained her composure and lightly smacked Samus in the back of the head.

Samus spoke first, "That was probably the most intense match I have ever seen. Well fought on both sides," she said approvingly as she sipped at a Coke.

"Agreed. And that end- whew! My heart was pounding," Zelda pounded her chest. "Hey, where did you get that?"

Samus gestured behind her at a bar where Nana and Popo both grabbed at Sprites. Zelda looked, and stood to get something. She looked at Peach, "Do you want anything?"

"Hmhm. No, I'll stay off the sugar for now."

"Your loss," Zelda smiled.

Peach rolled her eyes before facing the window. She sighed. "It's so gorgeous out."

"No kidding."

"Let's eat outside today!"

"Ooh, that's a good idea!" Zelda had come back with a virgin strawberry daiquiri in her gloved hand. "Let's do it."

Samus sighed, leaning back in her seat and resting her feet on Peach's lap. Peach looked at them, then extended her own legs and rested them on Samus's. Zelda looked between them, and then sat on the bridge Peach and Samus had created. They groaned jokingly as her weight settled down on their legs.

Falco looked over at the girls. He raised his eyebrows and said, "Wow, you guys are cool."

Zelda glanced up from her drink to look at him. "You are just jealous of our amazing-ess, Flaco. Here," she patted the space next to her. "Come and stay awhile!"

Peach and Samus giggled as he shook his head and turned away from them. And then simultaneously groaned as Nana and Popo and climbed onto their legs.

"Hello, you two! How are you?" Zelda, who ignored Peach and Samus and hugged the little children.

"Good, good. We have Sprite," Popo said seriously, holding up his bottle.

"Hm. Is it good?" Zelda replied with as much seriousness, sipping her drink.

"No." Nana made a face and put hers on the ground, and climbed onto Zelda's lap, reaching for the drink. "I want to try yours."

"Ha, no let's not do that." Zelda extended her arm, putting her daiquiri out of Nana's reach.

"Can we please find some other seating arrangement? Please?" Samus practically begged, somewhere in between laughing and crying.

Zelda, still ignoring her friends, asked the Ice Climbers, "Since it's so pretty outside, we are going to eat outside for lunch. Do you want to, too?"

"Yes!" Nana cried. She slid off of Samus's legs, who breathed a sigh of relief. She then turned her attention to the pink shoes that were burying themselves in her stomach.

"Peach, your heels are hurting me!"

"Well, I'm sorry. I would move them, except I can't."

Zelda looked around, as if noticing them for the first time. "Well, I think you two have suffered enough. Come on, Popo," she said, picking up the little boy. "Let's get off."

Peach and Samus cried victoriously, letting their legs fall. Zelda quickly swooped down and picked up the Sprite before it could spill. She set all the drinks on a nearby table.

"Where are Marth and Ike?"

Zelda looked around, and motioned towards the elevator. "Coming up right now."

It was Ike and Marth, but to their surprise, they both looked extremely worried. Marth looked around the room, frantic. Wolf was sitting on a couch, flipping through the channels on a big screen TV, extremely bored. Marth and Ike ran to the couch, and Marth grabbed the remote out of his paw.

"Hey!"

Marth looked to Ike, and said, "What channel was it on?"

"Twenty three."

Marth gestured for everyone to gather around the TV. As he punched in the numbers, they all stood and walked over.

It was a conference of some sorts. It was taking place in the Throne Room of Sarasaland, and the Queen was present. She was sitting on her throne, and she looked pale and exhausted. She was speaking to the multitudes.

"-have been thrown in jail for the time being," she was saying, her voice rising over the reporters' as they scrambled for answers. "The treason of these three hurts me deeply, and my country. Since the assassination of my father, the Count, Ambassador and advisor have been installed in my services, as well as my trust. As far as I am concerned, they deserve nothing short of death. Unless they show me that they have renounced the ways of this 'Brotherhood', the punishment will be left in the hands of the General of the Sarasaland Army, be it service or death. As for me," here, she drew a shaky breath and closed her eyes, "I am sick, and so, I am traveling to my palaces in Chai. The court will move in three days, and I will follow. Court adjourned."

The reporters pushed forward with microphones and cameras. Queen Daisy waved a hand, and soldiers appeared from the sides of the room and started to push them out. Questions were thrown at them, but they were taught well, not a flicker of emotion passed over their faces.

Ike turned the TV off, and looked at Peach. "How is she going to manage that?"

"Handmaidens. Her personal maids, guards, whatever they need to be. All fifteen were chosen upon her sixth birthday based on their looks, weight and height. In other words, all of these girls look exactly like Daisy and can pass off as her for a while. They all swore loyalty to the Queen or die. She'll leave them at court in her place."

"How will everyone not figure that out? They can't actually rule, can they?" Marth asked, an incredulous look on his face.

"They were sent to Daisy on her birthday to be taught the same lessons as her. In essence, they are her clones."

"That's kind of freaky."

"It is tradition in Sarasaland. I was freaked out about it, too, when I visited."

They all looked at each other, until Popo yanked on Meta Knight's cloak. He looked down, and when Popo said he was hungry, they all trudged to the elevator, talking resuming to a normal level and Peach, Zelda, and Samus invited everyone to lunch on the lawn.