The characters and all their elements of video game references are properties of Nintendo.

Chapter 3.

Link woke up earlier than usual, the sun's rays spilling across his face, much to his annoyance. He always made sure to close the window before bed, but last night he hadn't bothered. Sitting up in bed, still tired, he realized he hadn't slept well at all. His thoughts had been consumed by the strange encounters with Zelda and Samus from the day before. The way he'd acted around Samus, so flustered and awkward, was completely unlike him. He couldn't shake it.

Meanwhile, Samus had slept soundly. She was now in the shower, preparing to head down for breakfast. Her mind was mostly calm, though she couldn't stop thinking about her uncomfortable conversation with Lucina the previous day. The way she had blushed and stammered—it was so out of character for her. Usually, Samus prided herself on being cold, composed, and detached. Yesterday, though, she had failed to maintain that front.

But what bothered her most wasn't her own reaction—it was Link's. Samus was the kind of woman who noticed everything, every subtle detail. Whether it was her years of intense training or simply a sixth sense, she could always tell when someone was hiding something, and Link had definitely been hiding something. She couldn't shake the feeling that he wasn't telling the whole truth when she spoke to him.

She thought back to after her fight with Lucina, when she saw Link talking with Zelda. Zelda had left laughing, while Link stood there, frozen. It made her wonder if something had happened between them. After all, she had heard whispers about how Link and Zelda were tied together by fate. Was there something more between them?

The thought made her uneasy, though she didn't want to admit it. A strange sadness crept in, something she tried to deny, but couldn't. It lingered, much to her frustration.

It was lunchtime, and as usual, Samus was preparing to eat alone. She had just taken a bite of her food when a familiar voice called out.

"Hello, Samus. How are you?" Lucina greeted her warmly.

Samus simply waved in acknowledgment, not even looking up.

"Always so subtle, huh?" Lucina teased. "Why don't you come sit with us?" She pointed toward a table where Peach, Daisy, Palutena, and Zelda were already seated.

Without much thought, Samus agreed, picking up her tray and following Lucina to the princesses' table. Some company wasn't so bad, she reasoned. Besides, she had a lingering question she wanted to clear up.

Throughout lunch, the princesses swapped stories and shared anecdotes. Lucina recounted her battles, while Palutena regaled everyone with tales of her divine responsibilities and how exhausting it was to be a goddess. Samus mostly listened, offering a few polite remarks, though she had to admit she was genuinely entertained. Their stories were so engaging, she momentarily forgot about the question that had been plaguing her.

Just when she thought she'd let it go, Peach chimed in.

"And that's how Mario saved me from Bowser again!"

"I can't believe Bowser is still up to his old tricks," Daisy remarked.

"The important thing is you have someone to protect you," Zelda added with a gentle smile.

Peach turned toward Zelda. "Hey, Zelda, how do you get along with the Link here?"

Zelda took a thoughtful pause before answering. "Well, despite being from different eras, he's very kind. He's almost identical to the Link from my time. He's a good friend."

Samus's eyes widened, nearly choking on her food. Different eras?

There are other Links?

The more she thought about it, the more questions swirled in her mind, unraveling everything she thought she knew.

But before she could dwell on it further, Lucina's voice pulled her back to the present.

"Just friends?" Lucina asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Yes, just friends," Zelda confirmed calmly.

"I thought there was something more between you two," Peach mused, a playful hint in her tone.

Zelda smiled gently, her voice warm but firm. "He's a great friend, but there's no attraction between us. I'm loyal to the Link from my own time."

"So, you and the Link from your era... you're in a relationship?" Samus asked, her voice cutting through the conversation with an unusual directness.

The table fell silent as all eyes turned toward Samus, surprised by her sudden interest. Zelda chuckled softly, not missing a beat.

"Well, something like that, but it's not exactly formal," Zelda replied with a playful smile.

Samus felt a mix of relief and embarrassment wash over her. She had gotten her answer but at the cost of stepping out of her usual reserved demeanor.

The conversation soon resumed its lighthearted tone, filled with stories and laughter, until lunch came to an end. One by one, the princesses said their goodbyes and left, until only Zelda and Samus remained.

"See you around," Samus said as she prepared to leave.

"Hey, wait a second," Zelda called out, her voice calm but with a hint of knowing.

Samus turned back, unsure of what to expect. She opened her mouth to say something, but Zelda spoke first, a sly smile playing on her lips.

"Don't worry, Link's still available. Just talk to him. No need to be afraid," Zelda teased before walking away, her words lingering in the air.

Samus felt her face flush red, her heart racing as she stood frozen in place. Her legs suddenly felt weak from the unexpected statement. Luckily, no one was around to witness her reaction—anyone seeing her like this would have been far too mortifying.

Link hurried through his meal in the nearly empty dining room, mentally kicking himself for spending the whole morning lost in thought. He had gotten up early but had achieved nothing, aside from working up an appetite. As he settled with a plate of leftover pasta—something he didn't particularly enjoy but would have to suffice—he finally found a moment of peace.

That is, until Zelda appeared out of nowhere.

"You snooze, you lose, Link," she teased, flashing him a knowing smile. "Now you're stuck with pasta."

Caught off guard, Link blinked in confusion before greeting her with a smile. "Hey, Zelda."

Zelda chuckled softly, her laughter laced with a hint of mischief. Before Link could even process her sudden appearance, she leaned in with her next words.

"Don't be afraid to talk to Samus. She might seem a bit cold, but she's actually really sweet once you get to know her."

Link's fork froze midway to his mouth. His eyes widened in surprise as he turned to face Zelda, about to ask what she meant.

But Zelda, always one step ahead, continued without missing a beat.

"And just so you know," she added with a playful grin, "it seems like she's a little interested in you. You owe me for this one, Link."

Before he could form a coherent reply, Zelda walked away, leaving him speechless and utterly flustered. The last thing Link saw was her satisfied smile as she disappeared from the dining room.

Link felt his face flush bright red. He was so stunned by her words that he completely lost his appetite, staring down at his barely-touched plate of pasta, the idea of Samus interested in him swirling in his mind.

His peaceful lunch had just turned into a whirlwind of confusion.

As dinner unfolded peacefully at the Smash Mansion, the air was filled with anticipation. Everyone was eagerly waiting for the announcement of the next match-ups. Conversations buzzed around the dining hall, but one absence caught Lucina's attention.

"Samus didn't come for dinner," Lucina remarked, glancing around curiously. "What happened to her?"

Zelda, who had been unusually playful all day, let out a little laugh. "Maybe she needed to clear her head," she teased.

"Clear her head? What do you mean by that?" Lucina asked, tilting her head in confusion.

"Oh, nothing," Zelda said with a coy smile. "Just a guess."

The chatter at the table shifted back to the matches, as it was a day where the next battles would be revealed. The anticipation was palpable, with everyone knowing that the battles could be singles, pairs, or team-based, and the arenas were always randomly chosen.

Suddenly, Zelda's laughter rang out again, louder this time, catching the attention of everyone at the table.

"What happened, princess?" Palutena, the Goddess of Light, asked, her curiosity piqued.

Zelda simply pointed to the screen that had just flashed with the latest match announcement. Link and Samus were going to face Pit and Bayonetta in the next match.

The table went silent for a brief moment, everyone taking in the news, before Palutena's expression grew more concerned. The goddess knew that Pit had a deep-seated fear of Bayonetta, ever since he learned that the witch hunted and killed angels. Despite Palutena's reassurances, Pit's wariness toward Bayonetta persisted.

To make matters worse, Bayonetta had a habit of teasing Pit, making flirtatious advances that clearly rattled him, though Palutena understood Bayonetta did it more for the amusement of watching Pit squirm. Palutena was always on high alert, prepared to protect her angel from Bayonetta's unpredictable behavior, but she knew Bayonetta's mischievousness didn't necessarily mean harm.

As for Link and Samus, Zelda's grin was impossible to miss. She knew this match-up would be interesting, not just for the combat dynamics, but for the personal tension that had been simmering beneath the surface. It seemed the next battle wasn't just going to be a test of fighting skill, but of composure and hidden feelings.