Chapter 4 - Making things clear

"Fuck!"

A deafening crash rang out across the training rooms as Mr Sandbag was punted into the wall; stitches splitting open and disgorging sand across the floor. The distressed shine in its eyes was enough to gather sympathy from many – but not from a trigger-happy marauder. The helmet to her suit lay half in her discarded bag, water bottle and bandages strewn across the ground around it, and Samus herself stood in the zero suit in the centre of a currently empty gym. It wasn't technically open for a good hour or so, but Samus had pulled some string to get herself some alone time. She wouldn't train out of suit if it were busy, in fact she probably wouldn't train at all, so the late hours of noon whilst everyone was off busying themselves with lunch were a perfect time.

Raw knuckled and sweat struck, Samus shook her wrist and grimaced. That would leave a mark. She glanced down at her hand with a twinge of dissatisfaction; torn skin and smeared blood were a sorry sight for some, but to her it was just another reminder that she could always be stronger.
Frustrated azure eyes cast up to the windows of the gym and out into the hallway; met with the sight of Lucina and Lady Palutena passing by. They looked lost in absent minded conversation, and the way Lucina seemed so enthralled by whatever Palutena was gossiping about brought a wry smile to the huntress' lips. She didn't understand how people could just talk without reason; without aim; without some sort of expectation to get out of it. Zelda coming to find her had put enough spin on her already busy mind, and she had soon found herself questioning. What if she was the one with warped views, and not those who found satisfaction out of talking about nothing?
She shook the thoughts from her head and ran a hand through flaxen strands as if to brush away the memories. She just couldn't shake it no matter how hard she tried; did Zelda not realise that she was poking a bear, or was she consciously walking on thin ice?

Another low growl and Samus impulsively threw another punch – her fist sinking into the half emptied bag that stared up at her as if it were begging for forgiveness.

"...Stupid." She said bitterly, reeling back her hand and delivering another blow with the other,
"God fucking damn it, Aran." Another punch, then another, and the more she threw the more she grew lost in the contorted thoughts curled about her mind; constricting her rationality like a snake. Anger pumped through her veins and churned her gut, winding her up like a toy, and as the rattling chains of a fresh sandbag spawned behind her, Samus felt the fire hose of resentment erupt.
Whirring on her heels, she pounced like a jaguar; a savage fire simmering beneath darkened blazing eyes.
"You're a fucking weapon." She spat, her body shuttering at the rebound of a particularly harsh roundhouse kick. Her heel ruptured the stitches, and once again sand began to slip between the cracks.
"You're not even fucking human!" Her voice trembled under the stress of such an outburst; strained with shout and scorn, and a disgusted snarl pulled at sullen lips as sand exploded across the room.

"Fucking-! Shit!" She barked again, scrubbing at her eyes with balled fists to rub away the grit. It scattered across the floors and stuck in the carpets – not to mention covering her suit – and Samus wondered what universal force she must have pissed off to get such luck.

That was enough fighting for now, she decided, brushing the loose sand from her suit. There was an open treadmill just begging to be occupied.

Zelda, meanwhile, had decided on a more light-hearted pass time; the newcomer Wii Fit Trainer had mentioned yoga taking place in the gardens, but when the two found themselves the only ones arriving, it became a less of a chore.
Zelda exhaled shakily, trying to maintain her balance. How the trainer kept herself so motionless whilst holding her leg that far was beyond the princess, and she soon found herself wobbling.

A warm smile graced the trainer's lips, and she opened one eye.
"Keep steady while you hold this pose. You need to clear your mind."
Zelda's arms dropped to her sides, and she knelt down onto the mat. Dismay thick in her voice, she looked blankly up at the sky.

"Easier said than done."

Grass-muffled shuffling indicated that the trainer had settled down on her mat nearby, and with crossed legs she nodded for Zelda to continue.

"Well then, tell me what's on your mind."

Zelda sighed again, "I am just rather conflicted on whether I should pursue something."

The trainer nodded knowingly, and her smile remained.
"Samus, am I correct?"
Zelda yelped, wide eyed like a deer in headlights.
"How did you?!"
The trainer simply laughed, waving her hand dismissively.
"On the day we first arrived, you were talking to everybody. I was speaking to Pikachu when he hurried off to see you, and ever since you and Samus had that staring match I haven't seen either of you."

Zelda flushed. Staring match? How long had she really been staring at Samus for? And goddesses, people had seen that! Embarrassment flared up in her cheeks, and she gave an uneasy smile,
"I was not subtle then?" She said, laughing weakly as the trainer shook her head.
"I think you better go find her. You aren't going to clear your head by thinking about her, Zelda." She raised a brow and smirked as Zelda's eyes widened. She really did look like a child caught with their hand caught in the cookie jar.

"You make it sound as though-"

"As though you've been staring into space with a funny look on your face the entire time we've been here? Because that's exactly what happened." She said playfully, but her tenor was deliberate – it reminded Zelda much of a mother coaxing her teenage daughter to just tell her what's wrong. The heat rushed to her cheeks, and she realised just how much she had been dwelling in her thoughts.

"I do not even understand it myself." She admitted with a sigh, directing her line of gaze to the flower beds. "She is such an elusive woman; I cannot help but let my curiosity get the better of me. Even from our fleeting encounters I just feel this unbearable need to see her one more time! She is the only person that I am yet to know, and-"

"And it bothers you that somebody doesn't return that friendliness. That something's different about her and you want to know what. The fact that she's out of reach just makes you want to try even more, doesn't it?"

Zelda closed her mouth and nodded in defeat. She'd been read like a book.

"I don't know what to tell you, Zelda." The trainer continued, shuffling to move and sit beside her instead. "We're talking about a woman who lives to fight and fights to live, couldn't be paid to take off her armour, and would rather visit Pokémon than people. But if you really believe that you can bring something out of her, don't give up. She's going to put up a fight, but if you're this invested, I believe you can shed some light."

The two sat in silence for a long while before Zelda finally stirred; rising to her feet.
"Thank you." It was barely more than a whisper, but the way that it made the trainer's expression melt into a proud smile proved that it spoke volumes.

The halls were surprisingly empty as Zelda made her way through; vacant greetings and small talk passed with brief associates; and she only really stopped to speak with Lucina and Palutena as they crossed paths.

"Zel!" Palutena chimed, waving to the princess with a grin. "I haven't seen you since yesterday, where have you been sneaking off to?"
Zelda giggled at her enthusiasm, waving to the two. "Good morning, Palutena. And it is wonderful to see you again too, Lucina!" Lucina gave a silent nod, but her calm expression indicated enough for the princess to continue.
"Oh, I have been... around. I am off to look for somebody right now, actually, so if I may excuse myself-"

"Ooh, need a search party? Spill those details to me, Zel!" Her eyes lit up, and Zelda swallowed nervously.

"It is really not that big of an issue, I assure you. I just need to find Samus and-"

"Ohh, the big bad bounty hunter?" Palutena cut her off once again, practically radiating excitement. Lucina looked up at her with an unimpressed stare, but the fondness in her mocking smile suggested that this was her usual behaviour.

"You are scaring her, Lady Palutena." She said, fiddling absent mindedly with the handle of her sword.
"Nonsense, Zel knows what's up! I saw her head off into the training rooms earlier. Go get 'em, tiger!" Palutena winked, and Zelda felt embarrassment flare up in her cheeks again. Why was everybody making such a big thing of this?

She was surprised to find that the door to the training rooms was still open upon arrival; of course nobody would dare break the rules and enter it, but Samus seemed to have a thing with barricading herself away.
Rhythmic thuds drew her attention through into the gym, and she was met with Samus facing away from her. She appeared lost in her training – the treadmill already whirring fast enough for her to be forced into a run that even Zelda questioned. It was only now that she realised she would have to explain to Samus why she was here, and do so without scaring the life out of her with surprise. She held her breath and shut the door hard; relieved to see Samus jolt and slam her hand on the treadmill as she approached.

A low growl rumbled in her throat, and she kept her eyes in front of her.

"3."

Zelda blinked. Three? What did she mean three?

"2."

Oh dear. This wasn't a greeting. This was a warning, and Samus' fingers were already wrapped around the whip packed neatly into her belt.

"Samus, wait, please!"

"Zelda?"

"Y-Yes... Zelda..."

Zelda's breath hitched, and Samus gave a mild grunt before starting up the treadmill again.
Hylian eyes roamed Samus body like a map; every curve and contour so defined – and she was quite a sight. Strands of sunbeams tied back tightly into a ponytail, and her well toned body was more than clear through the tight fabric. Muscles pulled at latex fibres, and willpower smouldered in azure eyes.
Zelda sighed heavily in relief, closing the distance between them as she moved up alongside the machine.

"How long have you been in here?"

Samus shot her a hard stare between heavy breaths, clearly not in a position to make small talk. The break had messed up her rhythm, and getting back into a stride this fast was never convenient.

"I will assume a long time."

Samus nodded, giving a strained grunt of approval, and Zelda noted the grit of her teeth.
"Would you perhaps take a break sometime? You seem tired."
Samus merely growled in response, slamming her fist on the dashboard to knock up the speed.

"I-I see..."

Samus inhaled sharply, straightening out her back for a longer stride before casting a side glance to catch Zelda's eye.
"No breaks in business." She answered messily, feeling the burning ache in her thighs spread down her legs,
"Enemies don't wait-" another puff and sharper gasp, "-for you to rest."
Zelda's troubled expression softened slightly, and she nodded.
"That is true, but would you take a break if it were optional? For example, like it is now?" There was a certain element of cheek in Zelda's voice, and Samus sighed. She brought a hand to the dash and fiddled with the speed, bringing it down to a jog. Zelda watched contently, rather proud that she'd convinced Samus to stop training and make small talk. Her smile faded, however, once she was met with Samus' cold and somewhat dreading stare.

"What d'you want from me? Were you dared to talk to me? Did you want a trainer? Are you just messing with me?" To her Samus almost looked disappointed, and it hurt somewhat knowing that these things must have happened for her to question them. It also felt strange hearing Samus speak more than a few words, but a new and exciting kind of strange. Maybe, just maybe, she could gauge something more.

"I want to get to know you, remember?" A small smile was enough for Samus to drop her harsh tone, and she sighed heavily.
"Why?"

Zelda was momentarily lost for words. Why? Why ever not? Samus' mind was wired so differently that it would seem she needed to take a different approach.

"Why did you stick with Pikachu after you rescued him?"

Samus choked on her breath and stumbled, grabbing onto the sides of the treadmill to steady herself.
"-?!" She stared at Zelda uneasily, but the princess didn't waver.
"I... Enjoyed his company." She finished carefully, observing Zelda's lips as they quirked into a smile.
"So you made friends with him, am I correct?"
Samus groaned.
"Don't tell me you came here to lecture me on friendship and socialising."
Zelda giggled faintly, hopping effortlessly up to sit on the long sidebar of the treadmill. Her legs swung ever so slightly to the beat of Samus' stride, and she tilted her head to the side.
"Am I not allowed to enjoy your company?"
Samus mumbled to herself for a moment, and Zelda's smile faltered as their eyes broke apart. Samus' attention was back on the machine, and she was reminded of the night before when she had ignored her.
"I'm not the adventure you're looking for."
She was a little taken aback at first, but Zelda was not one to be easily put off. Ruling a kingdom needed unwavering determination – something that she did not take lightly. She was not weak; she was a successful ruler, and a respectable one at that.
"You underestimate me."

Samus rolled her eyes; but an odd feeling turned her stomach over. She should put an end to this right now, but she was in no place to judge a stranger's judgement. Zelda was a princess after all, and that surely came with its fair share of obstacles. Despite this, Samus Aran was not one to back down either. If it was a battle of wits she wanted, it was a battle of wits she'd get.
"Stop fucking around with outlaws if you want heroes."

This time Zelda pursed her lips.
"You hardly sound like an outlaw. From what I have heard, you have saved countless lives!"

"Killed countless." Samus responded without hesitation; her voice mechanical.

"Countless... monsters, that wanted to hurt people!"

"Countless sentient creatures doing what they were taught to do."

Samus was putting up quite the fight, her expression blank and unphased, but Zelda wasn't one to crack under pressure.

"You cannot shake me so easy, Samus. I know there is a person inside your suit, and I will not give up on her so easily."

Samus was silent for a long time, and Zelda worried that she'd struck a nerve, but as the treadmill slowed to a stop and Samus turned to face her, the tables seemed to turn.

"Then she'll give you a run for your money."

Zelda swallowed, a thick mix of worry and excitement overwhelming her. She was one for over thinking, this much were true, but to her this felt like much more than Samus was giving off.

Passing comments rebounded, lurching from short-lived memories to flashes in her mind;

'A woman who lives to fight and fights to live'
'Couldn't be paid to take off her armour'
'Would rather visit Pokémon than people'
'Big bad bounty hunter'
'She isn't very approachable or open to closeness'
'Bad dogs bite'

Samus stood here without her suit on, making conversation even if it were reluctant and harsh, and had just challenged her - challenged her to keep trying. And keep trying she would.