Well, looky here. I'm actually back from my six-month hiatus (because that sounds better than the fact that I couldn't get off my lazy butt and write). THIS IS IT. The big chapter. I hope you guys enjoy it, despite the extreme wait. To do our disclaimer, I'm bringing back our stars: Meta and Jiggly! Take it away, puffballs!

Meta Knight: Hmph. UM owns nothing.

Jigglypuff: Through the Fire and Flames belongs to Dragonforce. Read, please! Because I'm assuming that's why you're still here.

Meta Knight: Don't call me a puffball again, UM.

Jigglypuff: Meta, I'm sorry to say it, but that's the whole name of our pairing. (points to PuffballShipping on UM's profile)

Meta Knight: ...Ugh...

"…Do we really have to do this?"

Bowser spat a bit of smoke in the plumber's direction. "Yes, we have to do this," he said. "I need to assure myself that neither of you will turn traitor and try to grab Peach for yourself."

"But do we have to go to such an extreme?" asked Mario.

"Yes," said the Koopa, scratching his claw so that it bled the tiniest bit. "Blood pacts can't be broken."

"You've just assured me that you're a loon," Ganon said. "A blood pact over something like this is pointless." But he scratched his hand all the same. Both looked at Mario.

The Italian bit his lip. "…This is how AIDs is spread, you know?!" he stuttered.

"Well, it's a good thing none of us have AIDs then, right?" said Ganondorf. The other two looked at each other. "Right?"

Bowser snorted. "Just scratch your freakin' hand already!"

"I'm hemophobic!" cried the plumber.

"And I'm Chuck Norris. Just do it, wuss!"

Ganondorf muttered something along the lines of, "Chuck Norris would kick both your backsides with two hands tied behind his back," but he was ignored.

After much arguing, even more pointless cursing, and quite a few threats on the other's life, Bowser finally gave up on the blood pact and settled for whacking Mario upside the head instead. Angry, but satisfied at least with the fact he didn't have to see his own blood, Mario merely glared at the Koopa and said, "Let's get this over with."

Then arose the problem. After a quick glance around the gym, the three now-allies could not find Princess Peach Toadstool anywhere. "Alright, let's split up and ask where she went," said Bowser.

"Who died and made you head of this alliance?" asked Ganon sourly.

"I died and made myself head of this alliance!" the Koopa shouted back, failing to realize what he was saying in his hurry to come up with a comeback.

"But you're not dead," Mario pointed out.

Bowser was getting angry. "Well, someone's going to be dead by the end of this if we don't cooperate, and I'll tell you this: it's not going to be me!"

"Is that supposed to be a threat?" Ganondorf asked, but he went off to start asking. Mario went in the opposite direction, and Bowser, thoroughly satisfied with his leadership skills, turned another way.

The King of All Evil walked up to a small group of dancegoers; more specifically Snake, Mei Ling, Pikachu, Pichu, and Lucario (who had found his true calling and become the night's official photographer). "Guys, did you see where Peach went?" he asked.

Snake opened his mouth to answer, but Mei Ling cut in, "No, we haven't!" before he could speak.

"I didn't see her," said Pichu sweetly (She did everything sweetly. It was how she kept up her cute and cuddly image.).

Pikachu shook his head. "No clue," he said.

"Ooh, did wittle Ganny wose his cwush?" Lucario gushed, trying not to laugh.

"Did wittle Lucario lose his mind?" said Ganondorf. "Or did he never have one in the first place? Oh, that's right."

"Ha ha, funny," muttered the Pokémon. "But I the last time I saw her, she was headed for the ladies' room. By the way, that little scene back there?" He snickered. "Super smooth, Romeo."

Ganon narrowed his eyes. "You're a riot, Lucario," he said, "a real riot."

"I know, I know. Smile for the camera!" Before the King of Evil could do anything, Lucario had snapped a picture. He looked at the digital camera screen and grinned at the Gerudo's awkward face. Then he ran away, narrowly dodging Ganondorf's punch and shouting, "These are so going on Facebook!"

Meanwhile, Mario had gone, coincidently, to outside the bathrooms, asking around. He was met with no positive answers. No one had any idea where she had gone. The plumber had looked every place humanly possible in this area, and he had come up empty.

Of course, humanly possible did not include the girls' bathroom.

Obviously, Mario wasn't going in there. Horrible things happened in there, like…Lord above…Makeup… But he needed to find Peach, and leaving the ladies' room unchecked was like not looking in the cookie jar for a snack. It was just stupid. So Mario glanced around, and the first girl he saw was Katt Monroe. He didn't really know her, but from what he'd heard from Sonic she and Peach had at least talked. Maybe she'd do him a favor.

"For twenty bucks I will."

The Italian plumber was stunned. "Twenty bucks? For looking in the bathroom?"

The cat nodded. "Yep," she said. "My finding skills do not come cheap."

"But twenty bucks?"

"That's half of what anyone else would demand," she said. "I'd take the deal."

Mario sighed. He really didn't feel like asking anyone else to look. "Fine," he muttered, "but you need to go check first."

Katt wasn't taking that. "Fifty percent up front," she demanded, paw out. The plumber unwillingly stuck his hand into his pocket and pulled out a ten. The things I do…Bowser better reimburse me. First examining the bill to make sure it was real, Katt, satisfied, stuck it in her own pocket and walked into the bathroom.

And Mario waited.

And waited.

And waited.

He had just begun the fifteenth round of whistling the Jeopardy theme when the cat finally reemerged. "Not there," she said simply. "Ten bucks."

"Thanks," Mario grumbled, giving her another ten. Well, there went twenty bucks, down the drain and for nothing. As Katt returned to Falco's side, happily pawing her pay, he turned away, defeated.

Then, the plumber felt a tap on his shoulder. Behind him was Pit. "You were looking for Peach?" the angel asked. Mario nodded. "She went over to the buffet table," he said. "Kinda miffed, I think. I'd be careful."

"I'm glad you told me that before I paid the cat," he said. Then, nodding his thanks, he went off in that direction.

In another strange coincidence, Bowser had gone to check at none other than the buffet table. And, though no one would have guessed it, I'm sure, Peach was not there. So, after spending a good ten minutes looking, Bowser decided to reward himself with a break and a plate full of mashed potatoes.

He was leaning against the table (he had heard the stories about the folding chairs), forking huge globs of potato goop into his mouth when he felt a tap on his shoulder. The Koopa turned around.

There was Mario, clearly annoyed. "Eating? At a time like this?"

"Hey!" Bowser said. "I've been looking! And I got kinda hungry…"

The Italian sighed. "Well, I was told Peach was here. I'm assuming you haven't seen her." Bowser shook his head and continued eating. "Where haven't we looked?" he asked. Still chewing, the Koopa shrugged. "You're a big help, Bowser."

"I know you are, but what am I?" He returned to his food.

Ganondorf came up from behind them. "So much for splitting up then," he said. "Glad you guys are looking and not wasting your time sitting around and eating."

Mario's face went red. "Someone who agrees with me!" he muttered. "Come on, guys, we really need to stop fooling around." He glanced back and forth. "Bowser, did you even bother to ask people if they've seen Peach?"

"Yes!" snorted the Koopa indignantly. There was silence. "…Alright, no," he admitted, "but that doesn't mean I didn't look!" Both Mario and Ganon sighed.

"Hey," came a voice from behind them. The three turned to see Samus and Wolf. Samus, who was clutching Wolf's claw like a security blanket, said, "You guys still looking for Peach?"

They all nodded.

"In the bathroom," she said, "freaking out. I think if any one of you went near her she'd probably flip out and kill something, but if you really want to talk to her, I'd suggest going there."

"THAT LITTLE LIAR!" Mario fumed. "I want my twenty back!" He grabbed both Ganondorf and Bowser by the arm and dragged them back in the direction of ladies' room, ready to blow.

Wolf looked to Samus. "Was that such a good idea, telling them where Peach was?"

The bounty hunter smiled slyly. "But of course," she said. "Peach isn't the only one allowed to play matchmaker around here."

Now, Wolf was not an idiot, and he said nothing about how sending three guys to Peach at the same time was more than likely going to cause some kind of explosion. No sir. He was just along for the ride.

This. Was. Incredible.

No. It was beyond incredible. The cool night air rushing against her face; the beautiful, starry sky rising up to meet them; Meta's arms wrapped protectively around her. Jigglypuff had never experienced anything like it, and she doubted that she would again. She glanced toward Meta Knight, who had taken them around two stories above the ground and was just gliding now, probably resting his leathery wings. He looked back at her and smiled behind his mask. No words were exchanged. They didn't have to be.

The two kept flying, slowly but surely gaining altitude. The ball lights became only twinkling dots in the distance. Jiggs looked down, and she instinctively shuddered at the height. They were quite high above Smash Mansion now, maybe five stories in the air?

Meta faltered for a second. "Too high?" he asked her. She shook her head, knowing full well that he would fly right back down if she asked him to. He slowed a bit and stopped climbing, staying at the same altitude. They circled around the mansion twice.

Suddenly, Meta turned to her. "Would you like to go faster?" Jigglypuff caught excitement in his voice. She smiled. No hiding his emotions now.

"Sure," she said. She swore that he was grinning behind his mask as they picked up speed. After a minute, Jiggs felt them beginning to lose altitude at a rapid pace. She looked to Meta, whose wings were pulled back in a streamlined fashion. They were headed for the small lake on the west side of the mansion. He wouldn't, would he? The water drew closer and closer. Crap, I really hope not! They were feet away now. Jiggly wanted to shut her eyes and keep them open at the same time. Five, four, three, two…

Inches from the lake's surface, Meta pulled up and flew straight ahead, hovering just above the lake. Small walls of water flew up on either side of them. Jigglypuff's eyes widen in wonder. Amazing! she thought. Meta seemed to have read her mind, and he looked to her, eyes blue and content. But he wasn't finished yet. Flying upward again, he did a loop-de-loop, went into another dive, and pulled up again.

"Show off," Jiggly said playfully. He laughed, and she did, too. Jiggly tightened her grip on him and snuggled in closer. Meta Knight slowed down a bit and just glided for a while, allowing both of them a rest.

All the while, this was strengthening Kirby's point. Maybe…Maybe he does like me… Jiggs thought. Should I ask him? That would be risking everything…But I feel like I've got a good shot. Maybe he'll say yes. God, I hope so! …But what if he says no? What do I do then? There'd never be moments like this again, that's for sure. She let out a soft sigh, too quiet for Meta to hear. But…He's here, and I'm here…Could there be any better proof? He's too nice to do something like this for me if he didn't feel anything, and he's been so kind…He'd do anything for me…

Another thought entered her mind, shocking her. What if I ask and he says yes only so not to hurt my feelings? He…He wouldn't do that, would he? No! Jiggly couldn't believe she'd think that. Meta's always honest, and he'd know it'd hurt me later. He wouldn't, not if it wasn't true. All this thinking was hurting her brain, and she wanted to enjoy the moment now, while she knew it wouldn't go away.

I will ask him, she finally decided. I'll ask once we land, and whatever happens after that happens. And that's that. And she didn't think about the asking anymore. She only thought of him, of her wonderful knight, as they continued flying into the starry sky.

Crazy Hand nodded his fingers (no head, remember?) to his favorite metal song. Strange, he thought. Princess Tangerine hasn't said anything to me yet. She didn't look too happy when I last saw her. He scanned the makeshift ballroom. Speaking of which, I haven't seen her since Marty-O, Ganondork, and Turtle-Boy confessed their love. Hmm… Crazy Hand floated down from the DJ stand and floated around, looking for the three guys in question. Not seeing them, he decided he'd amuse himself and let the metal CD play for a while. Princess Blackberry wasn't there to yell at him, so it was time for some fun. He snuck up behind the first couple he saw and shouted, "BOO!" Very loudly. Unfortunately, the couple happened to be Mark and Wanda, er, Marth and Zelda. And Marth didn't do well with loud, sudden noises.

"HOLY ALTIA!!"

Seconds later, Marth found himself in Zelda's arms, both of them blushing madly, while Crazy Hand floated away, snickering. Now, who else could he mess with? Ah, there was Fire-Kitty and her date, Spike the Groundhog-Thing. "Hi, Fire-Kitty!" he said, coming up to them.

"Blaze," she corrected him.

"Whatever you say, Fire-Kitty," the leftie said. "Hey, Spike."

Spike waved. "Yo, Crazy," he replied. Fire-Kitty looked at him kinda funny, like, That's not your name… but he ignored her. "What's up with you?"

"Nothing much, just taking a break from my job as Honorary Ball DJ of Awesomeness. You?"

The groundhog-thing shook his head. "Nope, nothing." Then he winced as Fire-Kitty whacked him over the head. "WHAT WAS THAT FOR?!"

"So am I nothing?" asked the cat. Spike shook his head nervously.

"No, no! Don't hit me again, Blaze!"

"Umm…Spike? Fire-Kitty?" said Crazy, jabbing his pinky finger behind them. They turned and saw quite an unwelcome sight: Blue-Dog-Boy with his camera, having just snapped a picture.

He let out a sinister laugh. "Perfect!" he said. "This is amazing! Come look at this, Crazy Hand!" Blue-Dog-Boy dashed over to the disembodied hand and held up the digital camera screen. By some lucky chance, he had gotten the shot just as Fire-Kitty's fist had come down on Spike's head.

Crazy Hand nodded his approval. "Excellent shot," he agreed. Fire-Kitty reached for the camera, but Blue-Dog-Boy yanked it away just in time. He pulled down his eyelid and stuck out his tongue, letting out a mad laugh as he ran away. Fire-Kitty raced after him, pulling Spike with her.

"GET ME THAT PICTURE!" she shouted, ignoring Spike's shouts of discontent and pain as he was dragged across the floor.

"Ah," said Crazy, "mischief managed." Then he moved on to his next victim. He scanned the room, his sights fixing on the particular person he had in mind. Target locked. Marshmallow locked, to be more specific. Crazy Hand shot off like a rocket towards Kirby, the Walking Pink Marshmallow. The puffball had, at the moment, a pile of food on his plate at least three times his size. It was a like a huge bulls-eye, begging Crazy, "Hit me! Make a huge mess! Do it, do it, do it!" And who was he to disobey the almighty food pile? He closed in. Impact in five, four, three two, one, now!

…He missed. How in the name of all that was deranged and mentally unstable did he miss? One look at Kirby's bandaged face and the leftie knew how. The Walking Pink Marshmallow had moved out of the way just in time, and his smirk was huge. Cocky huge. "Oh, bring it, 'Mallow," Crazy Hand growled. He was met with a piece of roast pork to the face…um, fist…

"Oh, it's been brought," said the puff, holding up another piece and biting into it. Fuming, Crazy Hand balanced a plate of spaghetti on his index finger and flung it at Kirby. The marshmallow leapt into the air (But he's got like fifteen different casts on! Crazy thought in disbelief.) and the spaghetti spun inches under his feet, like a scene out of The Matrix. Except I don't think that anyone in The Matrix ever dodged spaghetti. Or carried about two tons of food in their right hand. Kirby immediately retaliated with a bowl of gravy, which landed upside-down on Crazy Hand's ring finger and poured down onto him. Oh. My. God. His glove was stained.

No more Mr. Nice Deranged, Disembodied Left Hand.

Crazy grabbed five large watermelons, one on each finger (though, apparently, the thumb is technically not a finger, but no one was really concerned with scientific details at the moment). He tossed them all at the same time in a fruity barrage.

Ho-ly schnitzel. He dodged them. Every single one. Kirby had dropped his crutch, thrown the plate of food into the air, evaded every watermelon (including doing a flip), and caught the plate again, without a single crumb falling. Pink Marshmallow then picked up one of the watermelons, split it in half by cracking it on his head, and then devoured everything inside one of the halves. Face covered in red watermelon juice, he said, "What now, Hand? What now?!"

Well, now Crazy Hand was certain that Kirby could, in some way, defy the laws of physics. "I see you have mastered the art of Food Fu," he said, bowing as much as a hand could. "I must surrender to your awesome power. Please, feast without further interruption from me."

Marshmallow looked at the food-covered Crazy Hand and bowed back. "Fine. I shall allow you to leave with your honor."

"Thank you, o gracious master."

"Oh, don't mention it, Crazy."

"See you tomorrow for this week's DDR face-off?"

"Of course."

And so the conversation ended. Crazy Hand decided to head for the little hands' room before anyone else could see how completely owned he had just gotten and wash off his fist. He was just outside the bathroom, waving to Mr. Roboto and Watch & Game (who were in the middle of killing each other, but stopped briefly to wave back), when he heard the three people he had been looking for arguing. "Ah, if it isn't Ganondork, Marty-O, and Turtle-Boy," he said floating up to them. "How are things going for you three?"

"Not good," Marty-O sighed, apparently not perturbed that Crazy Hand was covered with gravy and pork. Ganondork and Turtle-Boy nodded in agreement. "It seems," the Italian continued, "that none of us can agree on an idea to get into the girls' bathroom without causing mass humiliation to ourselves or others. Any ideas?"

If Crazy had eyes, they would have widened. "Why in Petey's name (Petey was the leftie's stuffed worm) would you want to go in there?! There's…" He whispered the next word, as if it were too vulgar to be said with little children around. "…Makeup…"

"Exactly what I said!" exclaimed Marty-O.

"We all have to make sacrifices," Ganondork retorted. "You can stand the makeup, Mario. Just steer clear of it and you'll be fine."

"But I forgot my gas mask!"

"I can take care of that," said Crazy, conjuring up a gas mask and handing it to Marty-O. The three of them looked at each other in disbelief.

Turtle-Boy poked Ganondork. "I think Crazy Hand's magic," he whispered.

"Dude, I think you're right," Ganondork whispered back.

Marty-O shouldered the gas mask, wide-eyed. "Al-righty, then, Crazy. Thanks?" he said, looking to the large mask. Then, grinning, he put it on, turned to Ganondork, and in a British accent said, "Are you my mummy?"

"No one likes that show except you," Ganondork muttered, grabbing the gas mask, pulling it forward, and snapping it back onto his face.

"YeeeeOWCH!"

Turtle-Boy ignored the two morons. "Crazy Hand, the gas mask is nice and all, but it still doesn't address the, uh…ethical issue of three men going into the girls' bathroom. Ya know what I'm saying?"

"Oh, of course!" said Crazy. "Then, since you feel morally conflicted about it, the obvious solution is not to go in and get Princess Raspberry, but to bring Raspberry out to you!" He bunched up into a fist, convinced that he was a genius. The blank looks the three suitors gave him stunned the hand. "Come on, guys, it's simple!" he shouted. "What's there not to get?" Still silence from the three of them. Crazy Hand sighed, "Fine, I'll do all the work," and snapped his fingers. There was a huge explosion from the girls' bathroom. Everyone in the vicinity (besides Crazy) jumped. Then, there was the sound of the sprinklers turning on, and a swarm of girls charged out, soaking wet. Princess Orange brought up the rear, not only wet but scorched as well. Crazy Hand gave the guys a thumbs up. "Get it now?" he asked.

Oh, they got it. And they apparently weren't too happy about it. "Are you crazy?!" shouted Marty-O, waving his arms like a chicken who had too much caffeine.

"I don't know, Mario, it's not like that's his name or anything," Turtle-Boy sighed.

Marty-O continued flailing around, cursing Crazy Hand, Turtle-Boy, and life in general in Italian, while Ganondork took charge of the situation. "Look, guys, I know that these aren't the most…" He glared at Crazy. "…favorable of circumstances, but we've got to make due. At least Peach is out of the bathroom now. Bowser, could you go get a towel?" Ganondork glanced over to Princess Huckleberry, whose blonde hair was starting to smoke a bit. "…On second thought, get a fire extinguisher, too," he added. Turtle-Boy facepalmed and went off to grab them.

Well, Crazy Hand was content with what he'd done. He nodded to the two remaining suitors. "Good luck then, lover-boys!" he said. If he had a mouth, he'd be grinning. Crazy floated away.

"I'LL GET YOU, CRAZY! AVRÒ MIA VENDETTA, O QUELLO GLOVED BIANCA!"

"LA VOSTRA MADRE ERA UN CRICETO!" Crazy Hand shouted back to Marty-O in perfect Italian.

Eyes wide, Marty-O opened his mouth to say something, then began crying. "Oh, Mama!" Snickering, Crazy returned to the DJ stand and popped in Through the Fire and Flames.

Life was good, man. Life was good.

Meta Knight flapped his wings to slow them down as the two approached the ground and landed softly on the Smash Mansion pavilion. They'd spent the last forty minutes flying. Meta wished they'd flown more, but it was getting late, and he knew it'd be terrible if he somehow got them lost in the dark. Jigglypuff seemed disappointed that their flight was coming to an end as well, but she smiled that beautiful smile at him and snuggled closer, not wanting to let go. His insides turned to mush, and a blush ran across his face. Before, the thrill of flying, the wind against his face and through his wings, had kept him from realizing how close they were. But now, he fully felt her soft skin against his, and he was having trouble remembering to breathe.

Then she whispered, "Thank you, Meta," in a voice so sweet he really did forget to breathe, and it took him a second to reply.

"Oh, it was nothing, Jigglypuff," he managed to get out. He felt Jiggly's hand entwined with his, and she gave him a longing look that said, Then let's keep flying. Just a while longer. Yes, he wanted it, too. But it was too late, and he would take no chances with her safety at stake. And yet, he wanted more than anything to make her happy. "If…If you'd like," he began, "we…could fly again…maybe…like, during a sunset, or in the rain…" God, he was rambling, hesitating. Why now, of all times, to lose control? Meta had tried to keep his cool, but his emotions were winning yet again.

Jiggly didn't seem to mind. "I'd like that," she said. He smiled. She smiled back. A cool breeze blew by, and she cuddled closer. Meta Knight couldn't tell if it was for warmth or something more. In truth, he didn't care. They were together, alone; it was perfect. He wondered. Should I tell her now? The time was right. She was here, in his arms. Only three little words. But he couldn't do it. He, Meta Knight, brave Star Warrior, who'd faced countless things more terrifying than this, couldn't muster up enough courage to tell a girl how he really felt about her.

Perhaps he was scared of what she would tell him. He was almost certain it'd be no. After all, who could care about him? It had already been pointed out to him by many people, many times over, that he wasn't the most approachable of Smashers. Stand-offish, cold, uncaring… But that was before I met her. She's the reason I changed. She's why I stayed here in the first place. I…I need to tell her. It would be unfair…After all she's done for me…

Finally, the two broke apart. He instantly missed the feel of her skin, wanted her back in his arms again. Jigglypuff gave him a small, regretful smile, as if she had read his mind, then reached her hand out again. He'd have been a fool not to take it.

"It's really beautiful tonight," she said.

"It's not just the night that's beautiful," he whispered. He wasn't sure if she heard. Half of him wished she did. Jiggly motioned towards a bench, and the two sat down. Meta could feel her slowly inching towards him.

"…Meta, have you ever thought—?" She cut herself off, looking away, at the ground.

But now he was interested. "Ever…thought about what, Jigglypuff?"

Jiggs shook her head. "It's nothing. Never mind," she said, far too quickly. Meta Knight squeezed her hand reassuringly. She looked back to him, giving him a sheepish little grin.

"Ever thought about what?" he asked again.

She seemed to hesitate. "…About love?" she finished quietly. It hit him right between the eyes, and he was taken aback. Maybe she really was a mind reader.

Meta recomposed himself, hoping his shock wasn't too obvious. "…Sometimes," he replied, though he knew sometimes was an understatement. It had been on his mind constantly, a strange obsession he couldn't get rid of. Ever since he had asked her to the dance…Or did it start before that, when Kirby asked her? Either way, yes, he had definitely thought about love as of late.

"Do you ever think about what to do, you know, if you find love?"

"…I don't think you find love," he said. "I think…love finds you, whether you're ready or you're not." He didn't ever think these words would come out of his mouth, but he realized the truth in them; he'd never asked for love. It had kinda whacked him in the face, said, "I'm here, and I'm not leaving, so deal with it, pal," and stuck with him ever since, through denials, hesitations, and uncertainties. Jigglypuff nodded, eyes wandering off into the distant space. The stars were beautifully bright tonight; Meta could see their reflection in Jiggly's bright green eyes. Or maybe it was just her eyes sparkling. He couldn't tell. There was silence for a few minutes. Meta Knight knew it was the right time. He wanted, needed to tell her. But he still struggled for the words. Why couldn't he just say it? Meta was so busy trying to gather his wits that he missed Jiggly's next question. "E-excuse me?" he asked.

Jigglypuff whispered the question, so it was no surprise that he missed it the first time. But this time he heard it. "Has…love found you, Meta Knight?"

If Meta Knight had said he was shocked before, he was ten times more shocked now. "W-what?" he stuttered, completely losing any sense of composure he had left. Jigglypuff seemed serious, and her eyes met his. Did she really say what he thought she just said? No. It couldn't be. This was all lining up too strangely, too…perfectly. She didn't ask that. His mind was playing tricks on him. …But it wasn't. Jigglypuff looked right at him, and a small, nervous smile crossed her lips. She gripped his hand tightly.

"Meta Knight," she said, barely a whisper, "do you love me?"

A freight train could have hit him, and Meta Knight would have still been more composed than he was then. "J-Jigglypuff, you…What?" He had no idea what was coming out of his mouth. He shut it, then opened it to try again. "You…You're asking…But, me?" he asked. "I…I don't understand…You…Me…I…" He would have kept on spitting on random nonsense, but Jigglypuff reached over, lightly putting her hand on his mask, over his mouth.

She softly giggled. "It's a yes-or-no question, Meta Knight," she said.

What was he supposed to take that as? A sign? Maybe it was. Maybe it was a sign that those feelings, those dreadful, wonderful feelings, weren't just one-sided, that there was a chance that maybe he, the pathetic freak, could actually…be…loved…And all that tension, anxiety, the questions, the unwanted answers that he really did want, deep down; everything; it had all lead up to this. This was the moment, this was what he had waited for, hoped for, dreaded, wanted. Everything. It all lead up to—

"Yes."

…He had said it. Holy crap. He had said it, and he didn't even realize he had said it until he felt Jigglypuff's arms wrap around him and squeeze him tightly.

"Good," she whispered. "Because I love you, too." Then she hugged him tighter, crept in close. Meta didn't know what hit him harder: relief, or shock. He also didn't care. He hugged her back, taking it in. He had done it. He had told her he loved her. And she loved him, too. Things couldn't get more perfect, couldn't get more right.

Unless…

Meta Knight drew back his arms. At first, Jigglypuff looked at him, thinking something was wrong. But then, he did the one thing that he swore he would never, ever, do. Ever.

He took off his mask.

Slowly, Meta removed the metal and revealed his face. The truth was, he was really nervous. Would Jigglypuff think the same way about him when she saw his true face? But it was a chance he'd have to take. And, finally, when his face was fully visible, he looked to Jigglypuff. She looked back, at first a little shocked, but then she smiled at him. "Geez, Meta," she said, "why'd you hide your face under that mask for so long? You're really cute."

"I look like Kirby," he muttered. For he did. Though his eyes were yellow instead of Kirby's blue, he was, basically, a blue version of Kirby (though, to be technical, Meta Knight is older than Kirby, so Kirby is really a pink version of Meta Knight. Think about that.).

"Oh, don't be silly. You're much cuter than Kirby," said Jiggly.

"Is that supposed to make me feel better?" Meta asked. Jiggly let out a small gasp, thinking she had offended him, but then Meta laughed, and she smiled again. "Jigglypuff," he said, "I love you. More than anything." What had just seconds ago been so hard to say now flowed easily. He knew she loved him back. And then, before she could say anything, Meta Knight leaned in and kissed her. Her lips were initially frozen in shock, but they softened as she realized what was going on. She leaned into it, holding him closer, closing her eyes.

And at that moment, for both of them, nothing could have been better.

So, there you have it! Voila!

There's one more chapter after this, and possibly an epilogue. And they will come SOONER. I promise.

Hey, if you know what the gas mask reference is from, I'll give you more cookies!

Oh, and the Italian translates to this:

Mario says: "I will have my revenge, o white gloved one!"

And Crazy Hand says: "Your mother was a hamster!"

I got that from an online translator, so the wording might not be exactly correct.

PRESS THE GREEN BUTTON. PRESS IT. Please?

Ciao!

-Umbreon Mastah