Author's Note: Chapter four^^! I'm not sure what to say other than the plot WILL get more exciting…in about three more chapters.

Audience: (Groans)

Dokeshisan: Hmm…oh, and if you're wondering what song Marx is humming, it's Strawberry Avalanche by Owl City. Listen to it on YouTube!3 It's one of the most random songs ever!

4

The First One to Love

"I need to get a job…"

I turned to Marx. He was eating toast again. In fact, he refused to eat anything else so, for his health; I made it for him every morning. "Why? You're still getting better."

He nodded. "Yeah, I know, but I don't want you to have to work all day and then worry that you aren't making enough money. I want to help you." He bit into the toast and chewed it with his eyes closed.

"What are you doing?" I asked. If there was anything I learned about Marx during the time we spent living together so far it was that he just did these weird meaningless things sometimes. Like chewing toast with his eyes closed.

"Hmm? What do you mean?" Marx opened his eyes and stared at me.

I shook my head. "You were that kid, weren't you? The one who does weird stuff that the other kids want to laugh at but aren't sure what would happen if they did."

"And whenever he says something in class they look at him like he's speaking another language? Yeah, that would be me," he whispered. I felt bad because, in a way, I just made fun of him.

"Sorry, I didn't mean it in a bad way. You're my friend—I wouldn't want to hurt you," I placed a paw on his head and we both stayed there in that pose for a while.

He grinned. "Yeah, I know! I really do need a job though. Hey, does Kawasaki need anyone to help around the kitchen?"

I shook my head. "I don't think so. I'll have to check, okay?" I stepped away, "I'm not sure if you're trying or anything, but you act really differently around me."

"Huh?" He looked at me endearingly, "what do you mean?"

"You act…gentle. You're nicer."

"Oh," he shrugged it off, "Can you really ask Kawasaki for me? That'd be cool."

I grabbed my purse. "Yes, I am cool, aren't I?" I giggled, "Make lunch for yourself and take a shower. I'll be home around five. Don't do anything stupid."

"I won't," he laughed, "You be safe too."

That day on lunch break I sat at a table in Kawasaki's restaurant with Kirby and Simirror. Kirby was eating, as usual, and Simirror was talking about the local gossip.

"Hey, I heard people are disappearing." Simirror said suddenly, glaring at me for some reason.

Kirby dropped his food. "Oh no! Do I have to kill someone?"

"Um, you make it sound normal, Kirby," I laughed. He smiled.

"Hmm, I wonder who it is making them disappear?" Simirror kept glaring at me, "Maybe it's someone we know we can't trust but we let them into our community anyway, right Dee?"

I gawked at her, horrified. "Are you blaming Marx? That isn't right! He wouldn't kill people or whatever it is you think is happening!"

"Oh really? So you can tell me where he was yesterday?" She asked.

I blushed. "He was in my house…sleeping, like every day. What else?" I found myself laughing about it.

"I wasn't blaming him I guess," Simirror sighed, "he did seem pretty harmless at the party the other night."

"He is…you could even call him childish," I couldn't stop laughing for some odd reason, "nah, he's a nice person."

Kirby giggled next to me. "Unless he gets ticked."

I stopped laughing. Marx had never been angry at me yet. "What's it like when he's mad at you?"

"Oh, he's like 'GRAIMGONNAKILLYUZ' and then you fear for your life!" Kirby threw his arms up in the air to emphasize.

I stared at him blankly. "Uh, yeah, I'll take your word for it."

"Hey, hey, hey!" We all turned to the door. Marx was standing there, looking all innocent and happy. I waved and got a fourth chair for him to sit down on. He sat and grinned up at me.

"What?" I asked, "I thought you were looking for a job or watching TV or whatever it is you do without me."

He blinked. "Huh? Oh yeah, I got a job. It was with Dedede…again." I sighed in relief since Kawasaki told me there was no need for Marx to work here.

"Are you his jester?" Simirror asked, "Then you can move out of Dee's house and into the castle."

Marx turned to me. "Do you want me to?" He was studying me so closely that it made me uncomfortable, "I will if you do."

"Uh, but," I looked down sadly at the table, "It would be lonely without you. I want you to stay with me!"

"Yay! You guys are good friends!" Kirby clapped, "I like seeing people getting along!"

"Yeah, alright," Marx smiled at Kirby, showing his teeth, "Oh crap. I almost forgot. I need to do…something."

Simirror appeared as if she was frowning. "'Something?' Like what?"

"I need to buy something. For someone. For some occasion."

I nudged his side so that he turned to me. "You mean like a present for me for my birthday next week?"

"Oh," He blushed, "Kinda, yeah. I need money though. The bank kicked me out of my account and I can't use it anymore."

Kirby seemed confused. "Why'd they do that?"

"Duh! They thought I was dead!" Marx hissed, suddenly angry, "Besides that, they just hate me."

"Woah, you get mad easily. Just chill." Kirby smiled joyfully, "We gotta live life to its fullest!"

"Uh-huh. Yeah. Riiiiiight. Dee, can I borrow some money?"

"Um," I started, "that'd just be like I bought my own present."

He frowned. "Oh, how about I get some from Kirby then? Or Simirror? Please?"

"NO!" They both told him in unison. I laughed at it which just made Marx glare at me. After that, he became sad. Or, he was acting sad to get his own way.

"But, I really want to get Dee a present…please, please, please, please, please, please, please, please, please, pleeeeeeeaaaaase…"

"AARGH!" Simirror yelled, "Okay, but only because you're annoying!" She took some money out of her purse, "Twenty Deden. Don't spend it on yourself you goddamn, crazy, annoying, selfish, little…guy."

Marx cackled. "Is that all you can come up with? Well, thanks anyway…where do I put it?"

I got up, "Well, I need to get back to working. I'll see you!"

Marx picked the money up with his mouth and began to walk away. "'Kay, shee you? Yesh, of courshe…hmm, hm, hm, hm, hm, hmmm!"

As soon as he left Kirby looked up at me. "We'll wait here for a while."

"Okay!" I waved and headed for the kitchen.

LineLineLine

I was walking home in the extreme darkness with my parasol. It probably looked weird, but it was only for self defence. I rounded a corner and was about to keep walking when someone jumped in front of me.

"Give me your money!" He yelled. He looked kind of like a cat in a bandit costume.

"Why would I do that? It's not like I have much anyway…"

"Hand it over! NOW!"

I scowled at him. "You don't know who you're messing with, do you?" I opened my parasol. I guess you could call it a magical item since it never broke no matter how many people I hit with it…that sounded sadistic.

"Oh right, a little girl with an umbrella. Cute. Give me your stupid money!" He tried to grab my purse so I hit him with my parasol—hard. He stepped back and held his head in pain.

"I told you not to—Oh!" His hand suddenly flew from his body and nearly hit me. It seemed like we both had our own good powers.

"Hey! Don't hurt her, get away!" Someone came running in our direction. As they came closer I could see who it was—Marx.

He stood in front of me defensively, breathing heavily. He probably wasn't used to exercising much. "What are you doing?" I asked him, almost sounding relieved.

"Oh, so she has a boyfriend, does she?" The bandit laughed, "Fine, you don't look very strong."

Marx threw his head back and cackled. "We'll see who's weak," A cloud of darkness surrounded his body and I could hear a cracking sound. As the cloud disappeared Marx spread out a new pair of bat-like, red wings. I noticed that most of his clothes had changed and his tongue was too long to stay in his mouth anymore. His face looked like a deformed version of what it originally was. I backed away in disgust.

"Wow, okay, I'm going to have nightmares just by looking at you!" The bandit began to walk away, "I think the freak show is missing someone!" He yelled before darting off.

"Are you…Oh, crap," Marx's right eye twitched, "Just a second," this time light engulfed him and he transformed back to his original form, "I'm sorry you had to see that."

I shook my head. "I don't know what you mean. Let's just go home."

It was another quiet walk home together. I couldn't seem to bring myself to think about Marx, even though he was next to me. The fact that he could change into something so grotesque scared the heck out of me. If that…thing was inside of him, then how does it reflect his real personality?

"Okay, time for bed," I yawned as soon as we got home. For no apparent reason Marx began to cry. "What's wrong?"

"You hate me! I can tell!" he sniffled, "Just because I turned into THAT! You hate me..."

I wanted to say something, but I couldn't find anything besides "No, that'd be stupid."

"Then I guess you're stupid, aren't you?" He fell onto the floor and started to sob hysterically, "I just want someone to love me for who I really am…Is that too much to ask for?"

"Maybe it would help if you could actually give that person a chance to speak!"

The crying stopped after a while and Marx turned to me, his face and eyes red. "Why should I listen to you? You hate—"

"Shut up!" He stopped, so I continued, "I'm sorry if I'm not being as nice as you want me to be, but that…you scared me! That thing you turned into is horrible and disgusting!"

"Then you hate me…"

"No," I sat down in front of him, "I love you. You're an amazing person and you've come so far! I mean, you're my best friend, of course I love you!"

He was very quiet for a long time. "You…love me?"

"That's what I said!" I paused, "Oh, I forgot to thank you for saving me. That was sweet!"

"Love…I don't think anyone has ever loved me before." Marx closed his eyes, "I love you too. That's why I act so different when I'm with you. 'Cuz with you I can be who I really am." When his eyes opened again they were wet with tears.

I grabbed him and gave him a giant hug. "You aren't just my best friend. You're the best friend I've ever had in my whole life."

"You too."

I let go. "Hey, did you get me my present?"

"Uh-huh! I hope you like it!" He smiled, "You can sleep in the bed tonight. I'll sleep on the floor from now on.

I stared at him blankly. "Huh? Why? How'd you make that decision?"

"It seems like the gentlemanly thing to do. Y'know, like, Meta Knight would do that. You would too."

I shook my head. "Since when are you a gentleman? I would never choose that word to describe you!"

Marx was quiet as he thought about this. "Mmmm, true. The bed is mine!" He dived for the bed and I shoved him off again. After that I threw my pillow at him and he started to have a laughing fit.

"It isn't that funny, is it?"

"Ahh, no, I guess not," He grabbed a cushion from one of the kitchen chairs and hit me with it, "But that was!"

"Hey!" I picked up my pillow again and smacked him on the head. We kept hitting each other a few times until we tired ourselves out and fell asleep on the bed next to each other once again.

Author's note: The longest chapter yet! Yay! I enjoyed writing this, despite the fact that it was painfully boring…Oooh! Gotta love Maruku-Kun!

Marx: Huh, who's that?T_T

Dokeshisan: You, dummie! Don't forget your original name! :P

Marx:…I knew that! Please review!^^

Dokeshisan: You stole my line! Foo! But yeah, review!^^