Smash: Emissary

Chapter 5: Take a Breath

Mario sat in a chair beside Peach's bed, where she was resting peacefully, still not having awoken after being freed from her dark possession. Mario was concerned greatly, and had rarely left her side since they returned from Hyrule. The Minister had assured it would only be a matter of time before Peach came to, and that it would be best to let her rest, but Mario couldn't pull himself away. He watched over her, always her protecting hero.

Link saw movement in the corner of his eye, then turned to spot Link in the doorway, seemingly coming in to check up on both him and Peach. "Hey, Link," Mario said with a faint smile. Link fully entered and went to Mario's side, then glanced at the resting Peach.

"How is she?" He asked.

"She's alright. She just needs to rest. I'm sure she'll be up and around soon enough," Mario said, half-trying to convince himself. He was sure Peach would recover fine, but he had a lingering, aching concern gnawing at him from within.

"So… she's your princess?" Link asked.

Mario nodded. "Yeah… and I'm glad to have her back. Sorry that we couldn't save yours," He said.

Link glanced away, trying to hide any emotion on his face, though inside he was feeling a similar desperate worry to what Mario was. "It isn't your fault. Ganondorf is…powerful. I'm left to wonder how he's alive, but what matters more is stopping him as well as the others and ending this madness."

"And don't worry, we will. We're the best heroes around, and we've all beaten these chumps before," Mario said confidently. "We'll do it again."

"Hm." Link glanced up at the resting Peach, studying her sleeping features for a moment. He couldn't get Zelda off the forefront of his mind. Seeing Peach really didn't help. "Could I… confide something in you?"

"Sure, pal," Mario replied.

Link was slow to respond at first. How was he going to phrase this? "I… can't help but wonder… if perhaps we both could have saved our royalty had Sonic not rushed in like that *(1). We might have had an element of surprise to ensure we got everyone out. But he just… rushed in."

"Yeah, he tends to do that. That's his style. Run in fast, beat the bad guys fast, save the day fast. He's just gotta go fast," Mario chuckled.

Link wasn't amused, though again, he kept a neutral outer expression. "Therein lies the issue. He doesn't stop to think about what could possibly go wrong by running straight into the problem."

"It's worked out for him so far," Mario pointed out.

"And it's not just him with something to lose now. His actions cost us a possible chance at saving Princess Zelda. No matter how his world works, it isn't that simple anymore. We are dealing with a force incomprehensible to us with impossibly high stakes. I worry his headstrong approach will do us all more harm than good."

"Look, I get it. Trust me, I do. I know Sonic's not the easiest to get used to or deal with. I get he might not think or act how you'd want him to, but hedoesunderstand what's at stake. He's a hero like us, and he wants to do everything in his power to help. He just has his own way of doing it."

Link quietly sighed. Then he looked at Peach once more. Images of Zelda flashed in his head, particularly of her possessed form back in the scrapyard, aiming to drive that dagger through his chest, and suddenly he didn't want to stay in the room anymore. He went to leave the room. "I'll leave you with her." Link closed the door behind him and kept walking for nowhere in particular. Perhaps he was being too harsh to Sonic, but there was this anxiety growing in Link's stomach he couldn't explain. He had saved Zelda from impossible odds before, but that was when it was in his hands, in his own world. What he found himself in the middle of now was so far removed from that, it might as well be foreign to him. He kept a neutral, almost stoic expression before the others, but deep within, he was confronting his own doubts and fears.

If all of this was so far taken out of his own hands, what really could he do? And what does that mean for himself and the people he is responsible for? His resolve, for the first time in years, felt shaken. Link suddenly decided he didn't want to be within the walls of the castle, and stepped faster to find the quickest way outside.

Samus sat in the pilot's chair of her gunship, running diagnostics to ensure her spacecraft was still in peak condition. She barely had a chance to fully inspect it between her capture at the Isle of the Ancients, then getting free only to go straight to Abel City to ward off the invasion there. She was finally given the chance to breathe and anchor herself into something more calming. Calming to her at least. Pichu lay curled up at the far side of the console, resting peacefully with his eyes closed. Samus glanced over at him from time to time. She still wasn't used to having the small creature at her heel all the time, but she really didn't mind too much by now.

She reached over and gently pet his tiny furred head with two of her fingers. Pichu leaned his head into her touch. He let out a small happy squeak when she did, causing her to chuckle lightly.

"Seems like he's settling in well." Samus turned her chair around to see Falcon leaning against the doorway, arms crossed. "But you still seem wound tight. Didn't the Minister tell us to relax?"

"I am relaxing," Samus said neutrally before turning her chair back around and going back to work on her ship. "And forgive me if I don't heed the Minister."

"You don't trust him?"

"I don't trust anybody… but no."

"I think he means well… just maybe could let on a little more," Falcon said.

"Is there a reason you're on my ship, Captain?" Samus asked bluntly.

"Yeah… you doing alright?" Falcon asked.

"I'm doing just fine." Samus was still working as she spoke, giving few words in response to the Captain's. "Why?"

"Well, first of all, it's common kindness, you're welcome," Falcon said snarkily. "And second, you didn't seem so okay back in Abel City, especially once that dragon guy showed up*(2)."

"That's not your business," Samus said quickly.

"Look, I'm not looking to pry into your history. We all have a history. I'm just checking to make sure you've got your head on straight. When that thing came down, you lost your cool. You would've gotten yourself killed if I hadn't stepped in."

Samus frowned under her helmet, but couldn't say anything. Falcon was right. Ridley would have killed her, all because she lost her cool when she saw him. She hadn't expected to ever see that scaly face again. As far as she was concerned, that was a demon long buried, now coming back to haunt her. She sighed. "Alright, fine. I lost it. I admit it. But I won't let it happen again."

"I'm not coming after you for it. Like I said, everyone has a history. Just don't let yourself become history too," Falcon said.

"I'll keep it in mind."

"If you're looking for a way to burn that stress up, how about a friendly sparring match? Take the edge off a little?"

"You consider that relaxation?" Samus questioned.

Falcon scoffed. "Not really. But it'll help us sharpen our edges, maybe even learn a thing or two about each other. We're teammates for the time being, after all. So, what do you say?"

Pichu glanced lazily between Pichu and Falcon and yawned before dozing back asleep.

Samus, meanwhile, hid a small smirk under her helmet.

Purah let out a frustrated sigh at her temporary working space. The Minister and the Toads had attempted to set Purah up with as much of a makeshift lab/workspace they could, but given how limited their offering was, the Sheikah scientist wasn't left with much to work with.

"Ugh, this is almost nothing!" She whined.

"Not to worry. I can personally hop back over to Hyrule for a few of your belongings if you like," The Minister offered. "To help you stay comfortable while you stay in the Mushroom Kingdom."

Purah shook her head. "Nah, I'll make due. I wouldn't want to have to move it all back to my lab afterwards anyways."

X and Alia were also present alongside the Minister as they tried to help Purah settle in. "So, you're a scientist back home?" X asked.

"Something like it. I lean more on the inventing side of things, but I know lots more. I'm the closest thing to a scientist Zelda and Linky have at least," Purah said with a sense of pride.

"So do you think you could come up with a way to help fight Tabuu?" Alia asked.

"Probably not with what we have on hand. I wouldn't even know where to start. I would like to get my hands on one of those shiny robots, though. Figure out what makes them tick," Purah said.

Alia thought for a moment. "Minister, the ROB's are an entirely mechanical race, correct?"

The Minister nods. "Indeed. Every ROB is a machine through and through, not unlike you Reploids."

"Well, if they're an advanced cyber-race, wouldn't there be a connected communication network between them all?" She asked.

"True. However, that network has been empty and dormant for trillions of years. Any way of accessing the network has been long lost to time, even to me."

"Even if that's true, every ROB unit should still have a receiver built-in connected to that shared network. If we can get our hands on one, we can patch in and intercept any orders that are given across that network. We could keep up with them every step of the way."

"Hmm… a sound plan," The Minister said. "However, a receiver would have to be extracted from an intact ROB. We cannot simply lift it from any destroyed unit. On the next mission, we'll need to recover an entire ROB for the receiver."

Alia nodded. "I'll be sure to let the team know."

"No need. I will inform the others before the next mission begins. For now, I suggest you all take rest while you can. Opportunities for that may be scarce before long. Now, I must go check up on the others. Get comfortable, you three." The Minister then floated out of the room and out of sight. X's gaze followed him until he was all the way out of the doorway. He was left with a lingering feeling that didn't sit well with him.

"X? Is something wrong?" Alia asked.

"I'm not sure… just, a strange feeling," X replied.

"Good or bad?"

X shook his head and turned back. "I'm not sure. It's probably nothing…" Alia nodded slightly and turned back to Purah, but X's concern still lingered.

Alia continued the conversation with Purah. "So, you're from Hyrule as well. Are you a friend of Link's?"

Purah chuckled. "Oh yeah. Linky and Zelda and I go way back. Back before they were how they are now. I still remember, over a hundred years ago, when Link was first assigned as Zelda's knight. She did not like him at all."

"Why not?" Alia asked.

"She didn't like the idea of having some protector around her at all times, following her wherever she went. She was very unhappy, and she didn't make things easy on ol' Linky at the start."

"What changed her mind?" Alia asked.

"A day when having him around was a gift. He saved her from monsters out in the Gerudo desert, monsters she ran into while running away from him. She didn't understand why he would do such a thing after she treated him so poorly. I think after that day, she finally understood him a bit better. From there, there was no going back for them. They were joined at the hip from that point on. Inseparable." Purah giggled a little. "Adorable."

"Sounds like it," Alia said. "Well, I believe we'll be leaving you to it. Just call if you ever decide you want some help. I'm something of a scientist myself."

"I may just take you up on that," Purah said with a smile. "Be seeing you around."

Alia and X both left Purah's temporary workspace out into the hall and continued on. As they walked, Alia noticed X's attention seemed elsewhere, as if he was pondering something. "X? Are you alright?" She asked.

"Just still thinking… you?" X replied.

Alia sighed deeply. "The same… I can't stop thinking about Abel City…."

"If what the Minister said is true, they should be alright. Those Subspace bombs just transport whatever they take into Subspace. That should mean everyone is safe, just…trapped."

"Right…" Alia muttered, still clearly dealing with the weight of their entire home being taken from them. X stopped and firmly held her shoulder.

"Hey, we'll get Abel City back where it belongs. We always find a way to put things right," X assured her.

"This doesn't feel the same, X. It feels so much…bigger. So much worse."

X shook his head. "Doesn't matter. We can do it, especially with all of the others fighting with us now. We'll stop Tabuu and save Abel City. I promise."

Alia's expression didn't lighten. She just looked up at him downtrodden, before sighing. "Promise me something else."

"What is it?"

"Promise…" She hesitates a moment, as if she's having difficulty getting the words out. "Promise that after everything, you won't be gone too."

"What?" X was surprised by the request. Alia never asked for promises or wishes or anything of the like. She was a realist and objectivist, not banking on abstract ideas or beliefs to see them through the day, which X imagined was why she felt so overwhelmed with the multiversal scale of the threat ahead of them. It was objectively more dangerous and more threatening than anything they had faced before. It spoke volumes that Alia was resorting to asking for empty promises now.

"It's just us, X… Zero is god-knows-where half the time, and everyone else is gone. For once, I'm having trouble seeing the logic, the facts in every part of what's going on. The only thing I'm banking on is your history of overcoming overwhelming odds, and I can only assume that our new allies have done the same. So please, promise me…" She grips his wrist gently. "... that you'll keep your record consistent."

X understood. It was Alia's way of asking him to make sure he returns to their home after it's saved. She was scared, even if she wouldn't admit it. X smiles and gently holds her wrist as well.

"I promise."

Mario had left Peach's room for a short time just to get his thoughts straight, and just let Peach keep resting for a short while. He felt distracted since he got his princess back, wound tight. He hadn't really stopped to relax since they'd returned from Hyrule, or even eat. His rumbling stomach had told him he should take care of himself as much as he should Peach, and so he was on his way for food when Sonic suddenly appeared next to him in his usual blue blur fashion, holding a chili dog in each of his gloved hands.

"Heya, pal!" he greeted. Mario was startled by the Mobian's sudden appearance, but quickly recovered.

"Heya, Sonic. Where've you been? I haven't seen ya since we got back," Mario asked.

"Felt the ol' cravings kicking in, and I had to go a couple kingdoms over to get a good chili dog without mushrooms in it," He answered. "I do not have taste for 'em."

"Hey, I didn't at first either, but you get used to it," Mario chuckled.

Sonic waved him off. "No thank you. I'll settle for my regular chili dogs. Speaking of which, it looks like you could use one." Sonic held one of them towards Mario as he chomped into the other. It wasn't quite what Mario had in mind, but he wasn't going to refuse. He gratefully took it and quickly bit into it himself, feeling a kick of spice as he swallowed.

"Oh, that is good. Got a bit of a kick, though."

"If it ain't at least a little spicy, it ain't a good chili dog," Sonic smirked. "So, how's Peach doing?"

"Still out of it, but she seems like she's alright. I'm just glad she's safe. Thanks for helping me bring her home," Mario said.

"Anytime, pal. What else are friends for?"

"Here's just hoping once this all blows over, she and I can talk out our other issues," Mario said.

"What's the matter? You guys seemed perfectly fine last time I was around," Sonic said with chili still in his mouth.

"Eh, just a misunderstanding. It's a long story," Mario said nervously.

"Hey, we got nothing but time right now. C'mon, lay it on me."

Mario sighed. "Alright. So, last time Bowser and I went at it, we both tried to propose to Peach-"

"You popped the question? Awesome, man!"

"Yeah, but it didn't go so well. Peach didn't take kindly to me trying to one-up Bowser like that. I guess it upset her, and we've been kinda on the outs since. I wanted to give her some distance, y'know, not seem pushy or anything. I thought I'd finally given enough time to try and talk to her, figure this out, but before I ever got a good opportunity, this all happened."

"Hey, nothing brings people closer together like world-ending threats!" Sonic smirked.

Mario chuckled a bit. "Yeah, here's hoping. Just… I can't help but feel so dumb about what happened. Like they say, hindsight's twenty/twenty."

"Don't feel guilty for following your heart in the moment," Sonic said. "Following your heart means you're just being the real you. You can't kick yourself for doing what you think is right at the time."

"Y'know, impulse decisions aren't exactly the best decisions," Mario countered.

"Maybe not," Sonic admitted, "But they're stillyourdecisions, and the most honest ones you can make. It's not always about doing the smart things. That's life. If you worry about every step you take, you'll be going nowhere fast. If you have time to worry, thenrun."

"Easy for you to say, Sonic. That's your whole deal."

"And I'm living my best life because of it. At the end of the day, you can say you still had the guts to propose at all. That's more than a lot of people can say."

"Is that why you haven't been real with Amy yet?" Mario smirked.

Sonic glanced away with a twitch in his brow. "No comment…"

The plumber laughed and playfully slugged Sonic's shoulder. "I get what ya mean though. If she's up and around soon enough, maybe I'll take the chance to talk with her soon."

"See? Now that's the kinda spirit I'm talking about!" Sonic quickly finishes his chili dog and wipes gloves clean. "I'm gonna go burn this off. Back in a flash!" Sonic then quickly zoomed away, gone before Mario could even say a single word. He smiled and chuckled.

Some things never change,he thought. He then took another bite of his own chili dog, coughing a bit as the chili hit his tongue. "Agh, still spicy…"

Pichu and Kirby sat silently along the sideline next to each other, watching in an entertained fashion as Samus and Captain Falcon met each other blow for blow in their hand-to-hand sparring session in the middle of a separated courtyard outside the castle. A handful of Toads had even stood by as spectators of the practice fight

The two had been at it for the better part of a half-hour, testing each other's skill. Samus had opted to fight out of her armor, stripped down to her essential zero-suit.

They had surprised each other. Neither honestly expected the other to be as skilled as they were. It almost made it fun for the two of them. They were currently trading and blocking fast jabs and strikes. Their speed was just as comparable as their skill. Their precise and fast attacks were blocked and countered by the other, trading who was being offensive or defensive every few moments.

This dance was broken as Falcon dashed backwards to avoid a downward strike from Samus. The attack whiffed through the air, but Samus wasn't going to let up.

"C'mon! Show me your moves!" Falcon taunted.

She grimaced, then acrobatically flipped forward and kicked downwards towards Falcon again. He crossed his arms into a guard to stop the strike, then forced Samus backwards onto the ground. As soon as she hit the dirt, Samus sent her other leg sweeping out to take Falcon's feet from under him, but the Captain leapt up to avoid it entirely, only for her first leg to connect with his stomach in the same instant. He grunted and dropped his guard, giving Samus the briefest window to jab his jaw with that same heel, which pushed his body higher into the air. He was stunned momentarily, but then grinned.

He put his right palm out behind him, and a jet of flame burst out from his hand that blasted him back downward. Samus rolled out of the way just before his fire-propelled fist was driven into the ground, cracking the earth where she had just been laying. She flipped back onto her feet into a crouched position and met Falcon's gaze. He kept that same cocky smirk as their eyes met. They were both feeling the rush of adrenaline pumping through their bodies. This had reached farther than a simple spar. They were gauging each other's true ability. Neither had shown the other what they were fully capable of, and neither wanted to. It was as much a learning experience as it was a battle.

There was a momentary pause, and then they both launched forward at each other, spinning around as their arms winded up for backhanded attacks. Their forearms met in a harsh clash that sent jolts of strain into their nerves. Their bodies froze as their arms shook violently against one another, their strength surged into their clashing arms. They stared intently at one another, then Samus finally smirked as well. Their arms pulled away from one another, their clash, as well as their sparring session, now over. Sweat dripped down their faces profusely, but that bothered neither of them.

"You've got some nice moves," Falcon complimented.

"So do you," Samus replied in kind. "Maybe you really are a good bounty hunter after all."

"You doubted me?" Falcon questioned.

"Actions speak louder than words," Samus said. Two Toads approached, offering small towels to the two hunters. Each took them gratefully. Samus wiped the sweat that drenched her forehead and dripped from her golden hair quickly, while Falcon threw his towel over his shoulder, keeping his helmet on as he eyed the falling sun and the golden hue of the sky. Samus noted his reluctance to remove his helmet, but said nothing.

"Seems like it's getting late. Think we should turn in before too long, considering first thing tomorrow we could be thrown right back into the thick of it," Falcon suggested.

"Not a bad idea," Samus replied. She quickly tilted her head, gesturing for Pichu to come to her. She kneeled down so the electric mouse creature could scurry up to her shoulder.

"Pichu!" He happily squeaked from his new perch. Samus giggled a little and patted his head. She then started for her gunship parked out front of the castle.

"See you tomorrow, Cap," She said as she left.

Falcon looked after her moment before finally using the towel to wipe sweat from the lower part of his face. He then noticed Kirby at his feet, reaching upwards for him. He was confused at first. "What is it, little guy?" Kirby then pointed to the leaving Samus and Pichu, then at himself and his own shoulder. "Oh, you want to ride on my shoulder too?" Falcon chuckled, but obliged, picking up Kirby and holding him in place, though Kirby was larger than Pichu would've been, so he didn't exactly fit comfortably. Falcon didn't mind too much, though, and started for the entrance to the castle. "C'mon, let's go get some chow."

"Chow!" Kirby repeated gleefully.

Link stood alone under the starry night sky atop the roof of the castle, silently watching the stars shine in the dark. He'd mostly stayed alone the past day. Ever since his conversation with Mario, he just kept to himself. He had nothing against his new allies, he just kept his focus on what he saw as important: ending the threat, saving Zelda. He was sure he would sound like a broken record to any of the others, but that's just what mattered to him right now. It was his duty. He can't help it if that was his mindset.

It was… frustrating. And he didn't know why. Even in the worst situations before, he had kept composed and strong to see his mission through. He didn't let himself falter. And yet… he felt himself cracking. He felt doubt and fear in a way he hadn't felt in a long time. He hid it well from the others, but he couldn't lie to himself. Losing Zelda again was the first thing. Seeing Ganondorf again was what sent him teetering near that edge now.

His mind flashed to the mere moments before the Upheaval.

Zelda falling into the abyss below the castle. The Master Sword shattering.

The slit eyes of the near-corpse that would be Ganondorf.

You, who carries that fragile sword… are Link…

A flash of red takes Link's vision and he winces, reality coming back to him. He shudders a moment, before taking a quick breath.

It's not over… until he's gone for good…Link thought to himself.

"Couldn't sleep?" Link turns around to see the Minister exiting onto the roof behind him. "Not to worry. I don't either."

Link nodded. "Though I think I'll be heading in to try again. Good night, Minister," Link said as he walked by the floating mystery man towards the door. As he reached for it's handle, the Minister spoke again.

"I can understand what you feel right now." Link hesitated, and glanced back over his shoulder. "The return of the evil king Ganondorf is a sign of grimm tidings. Though I understand your inner conflict, I do not envy your struggle. I have seen many lose their way in my long life. But if it's any consolation, Link… I believe you have the strength to win, despite your own doubts."

"Hm…" Link didn't say anything beyond that as he re-entered the castle.

The Minister sighed and looked up at the stars as well. And I'd rather not see you fall in vain again.

Most of them were up bright and early the next morning, getting active and around without complaint. Mario was quick to make his way towards Peach's bedroom first thing to check on her. He slowly opened the door to her chamber, to find his princess sitting up in bed with her slightly messing hair being brushed and combed by one of her loyal Toad subjects, while another set a tray of food before her and another was in her closet digging for a fresh dress.

Mario's eyes rounded and he rushed in. "Peach!" Peach looks up and gives him a small smile, then holds her head woozily. He rushed to her bedside quickly. "Peach, are you alright?"

She winces and while she pats his arm, she also pushes him away a bit. "I-I'm fine, just… need some space for a moment…" She replied. Mario nodded and backed away. "What happened…?"

"It's, uh, kind of a long story. To keep it short, you were under some sorta mind control, but we got ya free from it."

"Bowser, I take it?" Peach asked.

Mario shook his head. "Something bigger. And it's not just Bowser."

"But I believe that can wait until you are back on your feet," The Minister said as he entered. "Greetings, Princess. I am the Ancient Minister, and I hope you pardon our intrusion. Your castle has served as a home for our little group of do-gooders for the time being in our time of need."

Peach looked blankly at the Minister before turning to Mario. "I have a few questions…"

Mario chuckled nervously. "Let's get you up and around. I think you have some people to meet."

*(1): See last chapter

*(2): See Chapter 3: Ready and Abel