GCB Fanfics: The Fanfiction Project

August 26th, 2003


"Á Tout le Monde"

2:36 AM
The Arena


Solid Snake couldn't sleep.

Well, technically, he could sleep. He was a special forces operative; he was trained to fall asleep and wake up anywhere at any time. But here, in this dimension, such strict training was unnecessary. Snake didn't feel like sleeping yet, so he didn't sleep.

Instead he wandered the halls of the arena, thinking of what had come from his long stay in this bizarre place. Last year he had just been one of a faceless crowd, like most of the competitors...but this year was different. He had had friends here, this time. He had defeated an old comrade in his first match; he had watched new ones come and go, and even fight each other at times. Among them, only Samus still remained...but he tried not to think about that too much, since this was almost certainly her last night here.

Then, as Snake tried to pull himself from his reverie, the sound of a massive explosion broke him from it in an instant.

For a moment, he was back on the battlefield, flattening himself against the wall and unholstering his Socom. Then he consulted his mental map of the arena...and sighed in relief and disgust. He had stumbled into the North Training Grounds; the only ones being attacked were some poor, unfortunate training dummies.

But then his eyes widened, as he realized who the "attacker" must be.

He rounded the corner, considering whether he should enter the room--but found Mega Man standing with arms crossed at the door, which surprised him all the more.

The robot swung around with an alarmed expression, then let out a brief sigh. "Hello, Snake," he said with a slight smile. Snake nearly shook his head in response, still uneasy around the android. The only robots he knew back home were death-dealing automatons; he'd had a hard time dealing with this one even before his last match.

"Is that Samus in there?" he asked instead, as another massive explosion rang out from the room behind them.

The blue bomber nodded. "She wanted some time to practice without any interruptions," he explained.

Snake listened silently as more explosions rang out, followed by a crackling hiss of electricity and a blinding light from the cracks around the door. "Sounds like she's outfitted some new weapons since her last match...."

"Actually, she's always had those weapons," Mega Man revealed with a smirk. "She just likes to keep them a secret when she can. She says she wants to keep her opponents on their toes...but I think she's kind of shy about them," he finished with a chuckle. An actual chuckle....

"You know a lot about Samus, don't you...?" Snake mused.

Mega Man nodded. "We've told each other a lot about ourselves over the last three months," he said. Then he smiled a bit. "It did take me a while to learn, though. During our first few days here, I actually thought Samus was a robot like me."

The former soldier had to raise an eyebrow at that. Just last week, Samus had wondered if Mega Man understood that she was human. She'd gotten her answer today, of course...but apparently he had understood that fact for quite a while.

"We've talked a whole lot since then, though," the robot went on, somehow sounding almost wistful. "Samus, Zero, Bomber and I learned all about each others' pasts. Now I know that she was given her Power Suit as a gift, not transformed or anything."

Snake just grunted in response, at first. He hadn't known how Samus had gotten her armor. In fact, he didn't know much about her past at all. He had learned how she would act in a game of cards pretty well, but other than that, Mega Man probably knew more about Samus than he did. Somehow, that didn't sit well with the special agent.

"So...who was it that gave her that gift...?" he asked, leaning against the wall.

Soon, Mega Man was telling Snake everything he knew about Samus' past: the pirate attack on her colony that left her an orphan...the war-torn Chozo race that found her and took her in...the fighting spirit she showed them even as a child...the Power Suit they built for her to make her their last hope...the careers she had built trying to reach and fight her enemies...and the wars she finally waged, and won, against them on her own.

With each passing minute, Snake had more respect for Samus. He came from a war-torn background himself, but she'd recovered from hers well...better than he had, in some ways. Between her knack for beating the odds and these new weapons of hers, maybe she'd be extending her stay after all.

After a while, Mega Man stopped and smiled. "I'm a little surprised you didn't know all this already, Snake," he remarked.

Snake grunted. "And why's that...?"

"Well, you've spent a lot of time with Samus these last few weeks. And you usually try to learn as much as you can about everything around you," he pointed out. "Why was Samus different...?"

The agent's eyes narrowed. For a robot, that was a pretty poignant observation. He struggled to find an answer he could safely tell the android...then realized he didn't have an answer, period. Why DIDN'T I ever ask her about her past...?

"Do you...like her?"

He looked up to find a wry grin on Mega Man's face.

Snake sighed, heavily. "...and here I'd just started wondering how mature you really were."

"I'm not hearing a 'No'...."

He moved his hand from his face to give the robot a glare...then stopped. He listened closely to the training room and heard utter silence; slowly it dawned on him that it had been silent for a while now. Scowling, he shoved past Mega Man and stormed into the room. Just as he'd suspected, Samus was waiting for him, standing still next to the door.

Not missing a beat, she took off her helmet and smiled sweetly. "Well, go on...answer his question, Snake," she said, her hand on her hip.

"...let's just get back to the hotel..." he muttered through his palm, suddenly longing for last year.

The three walked back to the mansion in a light-hearted mood. Samus and Mega Man talked and laughed like old friends, and even Snake cracked the occasional joke or smirk. As he watched the pair interact, the Gear hunter started to see how they had become such good friends. The blue bomber acted and thought almost exactly like a normal human--one with a friendly, good-natured personality. And based on Samus' reactions, it was nothing new. Snake still wasn't positive he could trust the android, but he could at least feel a bit more comfortable around him...until they were on the battlefield.

Snake could almost feel the mood change when he and Samus left Mega Man at his room. They barely said a word as they walked down the hall. His mind kept wandering towards things he didn't want to think about...like Mega Man's questions, or Samus' match tomorrow. He could tell from her eyes alone that she was having similar thoughts.

Then, when they reached the intersection at the end of the hall, they started walking in separate directions. They caught themselves at the same time, turning back to each other with a chuckle.

"Guess this is where we say goodbye," said Samus.

"Looks like it," said Snake. They did so, and he started off.

"...Snake?"

He turned back to find she hadn't moved. Her eyes were shifted to the side; she seemed to be struggling for words.

She's facing Link out there tomorrow. She could get killed, or worse. She doesn't need any more distractions.

"Good luck, Samus," Snake interrupted, extending his left hand.

For an instant, her face went blank.

Then she smirked. "Thanks, Snake," she replied, taking off her gauntlet before she shook his hand.

And the two walked away from each other, Snake not realizing he had just given one of the most distracting answers he possibly could.

---

11:43 AM - The Hotel

...crutches.

Link had not taken the loss of the Triforce well.

Since that fateful day, the hero of Hyrule had spent much of his time brooding in his room at the mansion. He could not understand why the Triforce had forsaken him again. He was the hero of Hyrule; why shouldn't he carry its greatest treasure? Now, yet another soul—another stranger to his world, almost as alien as Magus and arguably stronger—had control of its power. For a time, Link had been genuinely afraid of Cloud's possession of the artifact; he had shared some camaraderie with the fellow swordsman, but he would still be fighting him in just two short rounds.

But as the week had gone by, Link had come to see it differently.

They fight their battles armed with crutches, casting the warrior's spirit aside.

Cloud was, after all, only the latest in a long line of formidable fighters that had wielded the Triforce of Power. Up until Magus, each of them had fallen to a superior warrior's strength; without more deceit and cowardice, Magus would have joined them. In the end, the Triforce of Power had become little more than a tool of evil—leaned on by charlatans and passed on to ignorant fools. Link had defeated its bearer twice before; he would do it again.

They swing them futilely at their betters, even as they lean on them to stand.

Of course, before he could hand Cloud his ultimate defeat, Cloud had to defeat Sonic...and he had to defeat Samus. But he considered them minor obstacles at best, particularly Samus. Sonic, at least, knew something of the warrior's spirit. Samus had the Power Suit, but no real strength of her own; she was just another pretender, relying on a crutch. Such a fighter would surely be little more than a waste of his time.

They lean and lean, and bend the crutch beneath their worthless bones...and then they have the gall to claim they still deserve to walk.

Fighters that relied on crutches could never prepare for the consequences of war. His match with Samus was fast approaching; he would show her that this day.

...where are you going, champion of courage?

The knight stopped at his door and scowled. It was the mask again. Ever since that day, it had been a constant annoyance.

"I am going to my match," he told it through clenched teeth. "I'm scheduled to massacre Samus today."

Then why do you leave me behind?

"I don't need the Fierce Diety to dispatch the likes of her," he growled.

These fighters can be treacherous, Link. Consider your last battle....

Link winced in recollection. He hadn't wanted to consider his last battle any more. After a certain point, he could only remember pain and rage...and then, a period of blackness, after which Magus was simply gone. All he knew about that blackness was what the Diety had told him; apparently the wizard had nearly died, then used some sort of trick to stun Oni-Link and flee.

Without the Fierce Diety's help, you would not have won that match, the Fierce Diety assured him. You would not even have survived...

"And why should this Samus be that threatening?" Link retorted. "She's just some fool from another world, with powers that aren't even in my league!"

That's what you thought about Magus. And look how that turned out, the dark god reminded him.

The hero of time scowled...but, he had to admit, the god did have a point.

Slowly, reluctantly, he pocketed the mask. Don't expect to see any action, he told it. This is only a last resort.

Only a last resort, the Fierce Diety agreed, knowing full well he would rise again this day.




"Reckoning Day"

There was a sense of urgency at the arena, today.

For one thing, it was the last week of the competition. The crowds had swelled to ridiculous proportions since the barriers were installed, and the cheers were staggering even before the competitors arrived. Two months of daily battles had weeded out nearly all of the competitors. The sixty-four were now eight, and those eight were the best of the best. The matches to come promised to be very entertaining.

The competitors themselves, however, were on edge for entirely different reasons.

They were the best of the best, after all. By now all of them could tell this year's tournament was different from the last. Last year, it had been harmless fun and games...relatively speaking, at least. But this year, there was clearly something bigger going on.

Up in the stands, Cloud was more grim than ever, focused on the trials ahead. Mega Man, meanwhile, looked surprisingly worried about the match; he didn't emulate the emotion often, but he was pretty convincing at it. Even Sonic and Mario were subdued for once. Only Snake looked as stoic as usual...and he was actually more troubled than any of them. All at once, he was preoccupied with this match, his own trials to come...and Sephiroth, who was missing even now.

And of course, after his display last round, they were all concerned about the champion.

Link heard the roar of the crowd reach deafening levels as he took the field, but it didn't have the same effect on him that it used to. The only ones in the stands that mattered to him now were the competitors. He could feel their eyes on him without even looking at them—especially Cloud's. He knew he had made a name for himself in his last battle, and for all the wrong reasons...but somehow, he just didn't care at the moment. He wasn't here to make friends; he was here to prove himself. He was here to set right the balance of the Triforce. He was here to win.

Several minutes passed before Samus joined him. Her ovation was right on par with Link's, or maybe stronger—his actions thus far had lost him some of his fans (though they'd never boo him). She was a bit more gracious to her fans than he had been, but her thoughts were also centered on her own goals. She kept seeing images of Mega Man brutalizing Vercetti...of Link slashing at Magus again and again...of Snake shaking her hand, to wish her "good luck". But she knew she had to put all that aside. If she wanted to set things right here, she'd have to keep her head in the game.

The two met in the center of the field, nodding once at each other out of respect. "Well, Link...we meet at last," Samus said, casually. "Been looking forward—"

"You're afraid," Link said, just as casually.

Samus smirked. Not one for small talk, I suppose. ...then again, neither am I, usually.

"Since you asked...a little bit, yes," she admitted, putting her hand on her hip. "Are you?"

Link shook his head. "I don't have that problem too often," he remarked with a weak smile. "Just let me know when...." He trailed off, then closed his eyes and chuckled.

"...well?" Samus asked.

"I was going to say, 'just let me know when you're ready to give up'...but you've got too much pride for that, I suppose."

This time Samus chuckled awkwardly. That pompous.... "I guess you know me better than I thought," she replied, somehow managing to keep her voice even.

Link didn't respond, but he nearly shook his head. No, Samus...I don't know you. I just know no one left in this tournament knows when to quit...no matter how doomed they are.

Abruptly, he moved back from her. He was ready to end this fight.

"Good luck..." he called.

"And to you," she called back, jumping back to her own position as the announcer started the match.

Cautiously, the pair circled each other, neither quite willing to make the first move. Around them, the audience gave its loudest ovation yet, drowning out all other noise in the arena. Link was about to tell the crowd to quiet down himself when Samus broke the silence, firing three quick, uncharged rifle shots. The knight raised his Mirror Shield instinctively, but then rolled aside at the last second. Might as well let that trick surprise her when it counts, he decided.

Samus—who, in fact, already knew about the shield, and had been trying to gauge its effectiveness—scowled and fired another volley. Not noticing her intentions, Link ran to the side, holding his shield aloft just in case. After a few more shots flew past him, he grabbed his boomerang with his free hand, then tossed it around his shield.

The bounty hunter paused and crouched, but stood up when she got a good look at the slow-moving projectile. Link ran forward to take advantage of her distraction, but stopped short when he saw her catch his weapon a foot in front of her face. The magical boomerang seemed to squirm in her hand, but she felt no pain; the Power Suit didn't even lose any energy. Abruptly, she flung the weapon high into the air, then shot it with the Ice Beam. It clattered to the ground, frozen in a solid, jagged block.

"...don't toy with me, Link," she said sweetly. "And I won't toy with you."

Growling, Link rushed her, but she promptly dashed away, leaving a pair of Ice Beam shots in her wake. He dodged them easily and started to give chase, but thought better of it and pulled out his bow instead. "No more games, then," he shouted, launching a lightning-fast arrow at her. Samus dived away and switched to the quicker Wave Beam, and the match quickly became a running firefight.

After less than a minute of traded blows, Samus was starting to see how Link had beaten Sephiroth last year. He had either dodged or deflected almost all of her shots, though he still hadn't reflected one back at her. And for a swordsman, he's an excellent shot. If he learned to use an energy rifle.... Link had already hit her twice, in fact; the first arrow had winged her, but the second had thunked solidly into her arm. The Power Suit had taken the brunt of the blow, but it had lost a good chunk of energy in the process, and her arm still stung quite a bit.

Link, however, was clearly worse off, and he was getting frustrated. His arrows were coming close, but they took too long to fire—Samus had interrupted at least half of his shots. And even when I hit it barely hurts her, thanks to that damned Suit.... The three miniature lightning bolts she'd hit him with, on the other hand, were entirely too painful...and he knew she had stronger weapons in store. Distance attacks would get him nowhere; he had to get in close.

So when Samus fired her next shot in a run, Link stood stock still—and angled it back at her.

The reflected bolt of electricity caught a surprised Samus squarely on her cheek. Her head snapped to the side as she stumbled backwards and fell to the ground. Half the crowd roared; Link gave them a smirk.

Groaning, Samus rose to a kneel...then started tapping her helmet. Her suit had saved her from the pain of the blast, but the sheer force had nearly given her whiplash. More importantly, the sudden shock to her helmet had overloaded its optic sensors. She was fighting blind.

Link couldn't know this, of course, so he approached her with his shield still raised. Once he'd narrowed the gap, he drew the Master Sword and charged. Samus heard the tell-tale metallic ring and immediately rolled to the side, avoiding his slash by an inch. She jerked away awkwardly from another slice, then jumped back, rising high into the air and firing rifle shots downwards. The move put some distance between them, but the random arcs of her shots clued Link in to her plight.

She realized that when she landed and heard nothing but the crowd.

Link crept around Samus silently as she turned in a slow circle. Abruptly, she adjusted a dial on her helmet, then stopped moving at all. Link puzzled over this at first, but quickly realized she had used the suit to improve her hearing. Grinning, he turned to the crowd and waved his hands in the air, beckoning for applause. Being the hero of Hyrule, he got it in waves—waves that nearly knocked Samus to her knees.

As she frantically turned the volume back down, Link fired his hookshot in a curve. The next thing she knew, she was on the ground, her arms chained to her sides.

She could hear Link sighing loudly as the hookshot reeled her in, dragging her across the arena floor. He must have been hoping for a challenge, she thought bitterly. Should've just taken the damn helmet OFF.... She could break ordinary chains with simple brute force, but she was having no luck with this one. The hunter was preparing for some serious damage when her optic sensors finally came back online—just in time to show Link setting up his strike.

Holding the hookshot with one hand, Link raised his sword high overhead with the other. When Samus got to him, he struck straight down--but hit the arena floor, as she somersaulted over him and kicked him in the back of the head. The knight staggered forward and lost his grip on the hookshot, which slammed harmlessly against Samus' hip as she dashed out of his range. Once he'd recovered, Link turned around to find Samus a good ten yards away, staring straight at him.

"Heh...guess you've got your eyes back, then. Thanks for letting me know before you did any damage," Link chuckled. Samus didn't reply, but scowled inside her helmet. "Of course, I guess you can't really do any, now that your arms are—"

"Oh, please." Samus leaped into the air at an angle, twisting her somersaulting body to the side. Caught up in the spin, the hookshot quickly unwound, then flew off with a snap as the chain sprang back into the base. The instant her arms were free, Samus raised her gun and fired off one quick blast.

She landed on one knee; a second later, the frozen hookshot landed in front of her.

"...stop...freezing...my...equipment!!" Link cried, drawing the Fire Rod in rage. Samus jumped aside in disbelief as a fireball streaked towards her. I never even knew he had that weapon. You'd think he'd use it more... She turned back towards Link to find him running and firing—at the hookshot, not at her. Smirking, she fired another Ice Beam shot at the weapon, then cringed as Link got there first and promptly raised his shield. The reflected shot missed her by a hair's breadth, leaving her shivering.

Link noticed her reaction as he picked up his grappling hook, which looked wet but usable. Is she that scared of her own weapons? I wonder.... He then put both the hookshot and the Fire Rod away, exchanging them for the Ice Rod. He couldn't help but smile as Samus flinched for an instant. So it's just ice, then. Have to remember that... he thought, throwing a chilling beam of magic her way.

Samus jumped away from the beam, disgusted with herself. This has gone far enough.... Before Link could get another shot off, she unleashed a salvo of missiles, scattering them in his general direction. The knight raised his shield and ran, avoiding all but one of the small rockets. Instead of reflecting away, however, the projectile exploded on impact with Link's shield.

Samus smiled at the discovery as she fired another series of missiles. Link tried to circle towards her, but had to skip back as she adjusted her aim on the fly. Gritting his teeth, the knight held his shield in front of him and ran straight at Samus. Her next few missiles crashed headlong into his shield, but the small explosions couldn't touch him. They almost didn't slow him down.

Link started to grin as she ceased firing and backed away... ...then stopped as she shot a stream of lightning at him instead.

The missile-charged Wavebuster poured onto Link's shield before he could react. As Samus had predicted, the lightning didn't reflect back, but it didn't get through either, dispersing to the sides of the shield in crackling waves. The sheer force of the attack was taking its toll, however, and Link soon fell to a kneel as his grip on the shield loosened.

When all else fails.... Gritting his teeth, Link retrieved a lonely Bombchu from its bag. It looked up at him affectionately, but he just scowled in response, then sent the volatile creature scurrying under his shield. As he'd hoped, it skittered just underneath the lightning, obscured from Samus' view. She finally noticed the creature half a second before it exploded, scorching her suit and knocking her to the ground.

Link was clearly shocked that the bomb hadn't cracked the armor—those things can shatter solid walls!—but that didn't stop him from dashing in while he had the chance. Samus sat up and tried to fire, but had to roll away from a sword slash before she could. Link pressed the attack with a cut to her far side, then bowled her over with his shield when she skipped backwards to dodge. With a scream of triumph, Link slashed down at her head...

...then gaped in disbelief as Samus blocked him with her forearms.

"...no," he mumbled, not believing what he was seeing. Of course, he couldn't see the suit's power levels plummeting...the warning klaxons that told Samus her arm cannon was critically damaged...the panicked look on her face. All he saw was the Master Sword, shaking as he strained to break her block...and being held back.

"Fall...damn you," Link growled, pushing down with all his strength. The sword cut through another millimeter or two, but no more. The knight's face twisted with so much rage that Samus couldn't help but gasp. "...FALL...!"

Desperately, Samus kicked up at Link's stomach. The sword wrenched out to the side as he doubled over. Quickly, the bounty hunter morphed into the maru mari, dropped a bomb and rolled away. He didn't even notice the bomb as he recovered from the kick, still staring down at his defeated blade.

The explosion did a good job of snapping him out of the trance, though.

Both fighters took a bit of time to recover, then, as the crowd approached mass hysteria. Link got to his feet slowly, trembling with pain and rage. The suit was more durable than anything he'd faced before; if the Master Sword couldn't hurt it, he wasn't sure what could. Of course, he found one answer immediately...but he wasn't ready to resort to that.

Meanwhile, Samus ran a quick diagnostic, then grimaced at the results. Her power was down to 31%; once it ran out, Link would have a much easier time breaking through her guard. The Master Sword had also cut deep into her arm cannon, taking most of her Beams out of commission. She did still have one weapon she hadn't used before, however...along with a few others she hoped she wouldn't have to.

"How dare you defy the Master Sword with your pitiful crutch!" Link shouted, the hatred still in his eyes.

"'Crutch'...?" Samus mumbled, having no idea what he was talking about.

"Shut up and die!!" the knight screamed, as he drew and fired the Ice Rod.

"You first," the hunter growled, as she stepped aside and launched a super missile.

Link raised his shield confidently, but it was sorely overmatched. The explosion sent Link flying ten feet through the air, shaking the arena floor around the two competitors. As he crashed to the ground, he lost his grip on his shield; it clattered across the floor and stopped several yards away from him. He scrambled for it as soon as he saw it, but Samus beat him to it, racing across the field at top speed and scooping it up.

But before she could turn around, Link hit her with the Ice Rod, freezing her solid in two seconds flat.

Half the crowd cheered as the other half gasped. Even the competitors chimed in for this one, as Mega Man cried out Samus' name. Link grinned triumphantly as he walked up to his frozen foe, then plucked his shield out of her hand. "Thank you," he told the statue as he slung the shield over his back. It did not reply.

With that done, Link summoned up his stores of magic, calling on the goddess Din with everything he had. The Power Suit was strong, but it was also frozen; a blast of heat to it now would surely crack it like an egg.

"DIN'S FIRE!" Link cried, and the now-familiar fireburst filled the air around him... ...as Samus jumped out of the ice, then shot a super missile from midair.

In the end, the spell saved Link, as its intense heat detonated the rocket prematurely. But the explosion still engulfed him, sending him flying head over heels. This time the shield fell away from him while he was in midair; Samus walked up to it casually as he landed with a dull thud. When he rose to his feet a moment later, he turned to find her holding his shield in her hand—and pointing her gun at his head.

"I...do not...like being frozen," Samus snarled.

As he spent the next minute trying to dodge rockets with five-foot blast radii, Link considered his options. Magic was no good, of course, and he couldn't use much more without passing out anyway. Bombs, Bombchus and the hookshot were all too slow, and he couldn't risk closing in without disabling her somehow. He had tried his bow again right away, but he'd only gotten one shot off—and it was rendered harmless, thanks to his own shield....

And then it hit him.

Link drew the bow again, then pulled a type of arrow he hadn't used in a long while from his quiver. He didn't like using the rare ones...but it was better than trying to outlast the walking tank he faced now. He stepped aside to let the latest super missile fly past, then lined up his shot as she lined up hers. Without moving, Samus fired at the same time as Link, counting on the missile or the shield to intercept his shot...just as he'd hoped she would.

Instead, the silver arrow streaked through the missile, detonating it in midair...then streaked through Samus, piercing her breast and tearing out of her back.

Samus dropped the shield in shock, as an incredible pain coursed through her upper body. She peered down, shaking, to inspect the damage, then closed her eyes. The problem was obvious: the arrow had gone through her lung. Feeling it filling with blood, she tried to sink to one knee—but she couldn't move. Her muscles wouldn't respond. And then Link was upon her.

With one spinning stroke, the master swordsman cut Samus' cannon from her arm.

She was thrown away from him an instant later, thanks to the magical circle of flame created by the spinning slash. She crashed to the ground, then tumbled another few yards, landing face-down and coughing blood onto her visor. She started to get to her hands and knees, then realized it was futile—her suit's power levels were in the warning zone, and she was even worse. There was only one thing she could do...not to win the match, but just to stay alive.

Slowly, Samus curled into the maru mari. Link fired the Ice Rod again, but she boosted out of its path, leaving a crimson trail in her wake—along with a power bomb. The knight stepped back a bit, thinking it was a regular bomb, but realized it wasn't just before it detonated. The massive explosion tore through the arena floor, and nearly tore through Link as well; he managed to jump aside just in time to escape the worst of it. Coughing as he rose to his feet, he looked around to find Samus on the other side of the arena—perched on top of another power bomb.

What is she doing? Is she immune to her own blasts...? Link started to aim another arrow at her just in case, but the bomb exploded before he could line up the shot. He had to shield his eyes from the blinding light, but he could have sworn he saw the suit disintegrate....

Then most of the light faded...save for a large sphere, hanging in midair. It was made of solid white light, but pulsed regularly with flashing rings of orange. Visible in the center was the silhouette of a woman, hugging her knees close to her chest. Her long hair wafted freely behind her as she floated in the sphere, seeming to absorb the white light into herself.

Link gawked open-mouthed at the spectacle, along with most of the audience. Is this...healing magic? Samus knows magic?? Awkwardly, he raised his bow again and fired an arrow at the woman, but it never got close, splintering against the sphere of light. He was reaching for another silver arrow when the sphere abruptly shrank, obscuring the woman from view. Then he dropped his bow in shock, as the light reshaped itself—into the Power Suit's form.

Its brightness faded into the suit's familiar red-orange colors as Samus fell into a kneel. She then stood and turned to Link, who stared at her in disbelief. The hole in her chest was gone; the gun was back on her arm. Even the scorch marks were erased. There wasn't a scratch on her.

And then Link began to laugh.

The Crystal Flash—a technique Samus had learned from the Chozo that took her suit's regenerative powers one step further—was supposed to leave her with a sense of calm. But the only other time she had used it was after the hatchling attacked her on Zebes; she hadn't felt very calm after that. She felt just as unnerved this time, but now it was the technique itself that left her anxious. She had seen the rage in Link's eyes when she'd managed to block the Master Sword. Now she'd "magically" saved herself from death...and, in the process, nullified everything he'd done to her so far.

She'd actually considered forfeiting the match when she'd recovered. Resurrecting herself in Tourian had left her with no guilt, but this was a match in a tournament—a match that Link had won, and fairly. But even if she'd given in to that impulse, she knew, as she watched the fallen hero laughing hysterically from across the field, that it wouldn't have mattered. He would never accept her surrender now.

Now, the true battle begins.... she thought, closing her eyes.

It took Link a moment to get over his bout of hysteria. When he did, he looked up at Samus, still grinning like a madman. "Samus Aran...how have you possibly survived this long?" he cried, shaking his head. "How have you built your reputation...your career...your life around nothing but a crutch??"

There's that word again. "What are you talking about?" Samus asked, calmly.

Link scowled. "Your armor, idiot!" he snapped.

Samus frowned, as the full meaning of his words sank in. "The Power Suit is not a 'crutch,'" she denied. "It's an extension of my power."

"An extension??" He laughed again, sounding more insane than amused. "That suit is your power, you pathetic fraud! You would have just died without its help!"

"I still would have died if not for my own techniques...the teachings of my guardians," she retorted, getting defensive in spite of herself. "I succeed because I've learned how to use my weapons—just the same as you."

The hero of Hyrule growled. "Don't compare yourself to me, Samus Aran," he barked. "We are nothing alike."

"Not anymore," Samus muttered.

"...and I am so sick of fighting a living crutch," Link went on, as if she hadn't spoken. "So...let's end this."

And he reached for the mask.

Samus instantly lanced the grappling beam towards it, but Link easily dodged. Then he remembered where he'd seen the weapon before, and blocked the next shot with his right arm. The beam latched on and started tugging him towards her—but his other arm stayed free. She scowled, retracted the beam and moved to fire again...but by then it was too late.

She felt a chill run down her spine as he slipped the mask over his face.

Immediately—much faster than before—Link's body started to change. He had taken on this form recently, and he knew what to expect; he was ready for it now. What he wasn't ready for, however, was the pain. His muscles ripped and popped as they grew into the dark god's; his light green tunic boiled on his skin as it melted into dark blue samurai armor. Lightning poured through his blood as his body's stature increased.

And yet it all felt natural, somehow...like slipping on a suit of armor. There was no pain; there was no fear. There was only...Oni-Link.

But, as Oni-Link looked down on his foe and raised his twisting sword to the skies, some small part of Link broke through...and wondered what had happened to him.

----

She thought she knew what to expect from the Fierce Diety from his previous battle with Magus. But he was a wizard; she was not. Magus had spent his entire existance attuned to magic, and he knew how to open up to it or shut it out. To him, Oni-Link had a powerful, but tolerable aura that spoke volumes of his strength. Samus, on the other hand, had all but abandoned her spiritual training, and she knew nothing about magic.

To her, even Oni-Link's aura was painful.

----

You are beginning to accept our destiny, the Fierce Diety told him. Your power is strong, but mine is stronger...and OURS is limitless. You realize that now, and you have chosen to embrace it. This is good.

The armored woman in front of them started to slowly back away. The dark god laughed coldly in response. Even this unenlightened creature feels our power....

But...all these people, Link thought back to the god. All my friends...Zelda....

Irrelevant, the god replied with a wave of indifference.

---

It was like some kind of radiation...and the closer she was, the stronger it got. It felt like a headache, but worse; the aura seeped into her senses, clouded her thoughts. With some careful adjustments to her shields, she managed to filter most of it out, but she could still feel it faintly even from far away. Just another reason to keep my distance....

The bounty hunter checked her weapons systems one last time, then stopped at one of her newer acquisitions: the Spazer. Ordinarily, she used one Beam at a time, switching between them on the fly. But the Spazer could combine their powers, letting her use two, three, or even all four at once. It was slow and hard to manage, but it increased her power exponentially.

And I'll need all the power I can get, she thought grimly as she activated the weapon.

She switched on all four Beams and started to charge....

----

How can you say that? Link asked, in a small sort of voice. Zelda is my Princess. I am sworn to protect her, and to follow her rule....

The Fierce Diety ignored him, as he sensed his enemy gathering strength. Oni-Link swung his sword through the air, launching a disc of electric blue flame from the blade. But instead of incinerating, the metal woman struck back, launching two massive, twisting snarls of fiery blue lightning from her hand. Her attack collided with his, and they exploded on impact, nullifying each other.

Your Princess does not want your protection, the dark god finally replied, as Oni-Link growled and launched another disc of flame. Your Princess fears you.

She fears what I have become, retorted Link, as Samus fired back. And so do I....

---

Samus was relieved to see her beams could stop Oni-Link's firebolts, but she knew she couldn't let up. She fired again without charging, sending a smaller pair of energy bolts at her opponent, then started circling him and charging again. The dark warrior simply slashed through the beams, then retorted with another energy disc...but Samus outran it easily, returning fire with a charged shot as she picked up speed.

This time her opponent didn't stand still, but instead seemed to blur out of the way, like he was slowly teleporting. Then he started running towards her, having no trouble keeping up with her sprint. She tried to intercept him, but her shot sailed embarrassingly wide. He was at her side before she could fully recharge, matching her stride for stride as he drew back his blade.

She fired as he swung; neither could dodge.

----

What are you afraid of, Link?

The twin swaths of energy swarmed over Oni-Link. He had stopped and braced himself against them, not fighting them off so much as letting them pass. He felt a bit of a tickle, but nothing vaguely related to pain.

With powers like these, what can you possibly have to fear...?

When the energy subsided, Oni-Link looked back at his foe. His sword had struck her in the abdomen, tearing through her armor and biting into her flesh. The force of the blow had thrown her off course, sending her crashing into the barrier around the arena. She was rising slowly to a kneel, still overwhelmed by his attack.

Zelda feared that I would use this power to harm the innocent, Link told the diety.

You do not harm the innocent. You harm the obstacles in your path, the diety countered. They cannot recognize true power, and choose to fight when they should yield. None of them are innocents. They are all stubborn fools.

Link fell silent as the Fierce Diety closed in on his foe.

----

Not even a scratch, Samus lamented as she leaped away from her opponent's latest charge. She turned to fire down at him, but was shocked to see him floating up after her, his movement blurred again. The hunter jumped again immediately, the boosters in her boots springing her just above a brutal slash. Without landing, Oni-Link dashed after her again, then twice more, chasing her to the top of the domed force field.

The tear in her suit had lowered her protection from the dark warrior's aura. She started getting dizzy as she spun through the air; she needed to push him back quickly. So instead of dodging his next slash, she countered with a fully-charged energy blast, hitting him squarely in the chin. The impact threw him upwards, and the two fell to the ground in opposite directions.

Samus landed in a kneel, then sucked air through her teeth as her wound exploded in agony. A few seconds later, Oni-Link landed behind her with a crash. Slowly, she turned towards him, hoping for any sign of damage....

----

Is this our limitless power?

His foe's latest attack had been surprisingly effective. She had launched her energy beams from underneath him, driving him into the magical barrier as they froze, boiled and electrocuted him at once. The resulting pain was superficial, but it was pain nonetheless. Surprised to be hurt, Oni-Link had plummeted to the earth without breaking his fall, which only renewed his newfound suffering.

We suffer now because you are not focused, the Fierce Diety retorted, as the metal woman turned around. She saw the dark god struggling to his feet; he felt her waves of relief from across the arena. Stop fighting your destiny, Link. Only then can we know true power.

Only then...? You're holding back, aren't you!? Link accused.

I am being held back—because of you, the dark god rumbled ominously, as Oni-Link charged his foe once more.

---

Samus' ecstatic relief was quickly replaced with desperation, as her foe ran at her with a newfound fury. The hunter skipped away from a monstrous leaping slash, then had to duck another swing before she could counter. A third strike grazed her back as she rolled out from under him. Wincing, she leaped away, then jumped again, hoping to bait him into following her...but instead of giving chase, he launched a firebolt at her. It tore through her left shoulder pad, making a light, almost gentle nudge against her skin as it flew by.

She barely kept herself from screaming.

...this can't go on, she panicked, as her spasming shoulder went blissfully numb. She could not take a direct hit from one of those. She managed to recover before she hit the ground, but the samurai was waiting for her with another brutal series of strikes. The hunter stood her ground this time, narrowly dodging each hit—and charging up one of the weapons she hadn't wanted to use.

With a feral cry, Oni-Link flew at Samus in a downward chop. It carved into the arena floor as she jumped away...and fired the fully-charged Ice Missile.

The missile crashed against his armor, releasing a sub-zero diffusion field into the air around him. Ice seemed to form from thin air as the explosion spread, creating a solid crystalline sphere more than two yards across. At its center was Oni-Link, frozen in midair and completely immobilized.

For an instant, Samus just gaped at him. The firebolt had shaken her badly; she'd seemingly forgotten he could be defeated. Then she frantically accessed her weapons systems, turning off the Spazer and switching to her Power Beam. Her energy rifle wouldn't finish this job, and neither would her missiles...but the two of them together might have a chance....

----

Inside the wall of ice, the true battle reached its peak.

You have betrayed me, evil spawn! Link raged, forgetting his place in the midst of his fury. You promised me power, and you only bring me death!

It was YOUR decision to put on the mask,
the Fierce Diety shot back. It was YOUR decision to rebel against it; it was YOUR decision to undermine its power. And it is those decisions that will see to your end...unless you join me now.

Even now, Link hesitated. Could he somehow escape this? Did he want to, if it meant joining with a dark god he could not trust? Could he trust him?

Your destiny diverges into two roads now, Link. At the end of one is power, fame, glory, and long life. At the end of the other is humiliating defeat and a swift, meaningless death. Make your choice.

In the end, he walked the path that all things must.

Oni-Link's eyes opened.

----

The next series of events happened all at once.

Samus finished charging the Power Beam, then armed her missiles and fired.
Inside his crystalline cage, Oni-Link's pupilless eyes suddenly flashed crimson.
Five rockets flew from Samus' arm cannon at once, surrounded by an energy blast half as large as the ice sphere.
The cage exploded from within, sending chunks of ice flying in all directions as Oni-Link fell from his jump.
All five of the missiles met him in midair.

The explosion blasted a crater deep into the arena floor, hurling Samus to the ground and superheated steam clouds into the air. The hunter quickly sat up and searched for her opponent, switching to her scanners when she couldn't see through the smoke.

Then a blue disc flew out of it and hit her in the stomach

She still didn't scream. This went far beyond screaming. The electric blue fire coursed through her entire body, flash-boiling her bloodstream and shocking her muscles into submission. The soul-rending agony of the Metroids' bleed was like a distant echo in comparison...and this wasn't even the disc's full effects. Her suit had protected her from a good deal of the attack—and it had the catastrophic energy losses to prove it.

Get up, Samus. Get UP, she ordered, as she saw her foe rushing in for the kill. Willing her muscles to stop twitching, she staggered into a kneel, then fell back to dodge his attack...then flew forward as he blurred past her and slashed her from behind. She rolled with the blow and started to flee, but he caught her in an instant, shredding her suit with lightning-fast strikes from all sides.

She would have died right there if he had known his own strength: a simple punch to her chest flung her fifteen feet away from him. Her breastplate crushed, but not her torso, she sprinted away before he could close back in.

As a string of blue discs dogged at her heels, Samus considered her options. Her suit's power was at 7%, almost in the red already. Even if she had the time or strength for another Crystal Flash, she didn't have the ammunition—her missiles helped power it, and she was almost out. She didn't think the rest would do much good against her foe, either, whether he blurred past them or simply ran through them....

And then it hit her.

Samus sprinted to the outside edge of the arena, hugging the force field as she picked up speed. Oni-Link threw a few more firebolts, then got frustrated and gave chase...but then Samus' boosters maxed out, sending her streaking away from him in a light blue blur. Abruptly, he turned and ran the other way, holding his sword at neck level to decapitate her...just as she'd hoped he would.

Instead, she kneeled under it, freezing the energy in her boosters...then flung herself at Oni-Link, slamming into him shoulder-first.

The energy stored in her boosters exploded from her feet, propelling both fighters across the arena at supersonic speeds. The energy powering her armor flared out around her, protecting her from sudden impacts—and fighting to destroy Oni-Link. He let out a strangled gasp as it ground against his armor and tore at his flesh. The two slammed into the force barrier almost immediately, bending it back a bit as the dark god's body refused to give.

Finally, the last of the suit's power gave out, and the barrier sprang back into place...with Oni-Link embedded in it. Samus fell to the ground in a heap; two seconds later, Oni-Link followed her.

The bounty hunter groaned as she rose to her hands and knees. The Shinespark hadn't slain her foe outright, but it had at least seemed to actually damage him. If it hadn't, she'd have to get away fast...not that she had any idea what she'd do afterwards. Cautiously, she looked up at her opponent, ready to roll aside at the first sign of movement.

Before she could blink, he had his hand around her throat.

----

Even now...after his greatest triumph...she had caused him pain.

The Fierce Diety grabbed the armored woman by the neck and squeezed. Her helmet twisted from its latches, then fell away as he lifted her into the air. The dark god's aura assaulted her with renewed strength, further dulling her senses as she gasped for air. She fired a rocket in desperation, but it sailed far to the left; then her struggles stopped entirely, her thoughts succumbing to confusion and fear.

He could kill her easily...but this was not enough.
He would expose her for the fraud she was.

Oni-Link gripped the side of the suit with his free hand. His gauntleted fingers punched through the weakened metal easily. His left hand moved to the other side, clawing through that as well as the woman slumped backward. Tightening his hold, he gave a fierce cry and pulled.

With one massive burst of strength, Oni-Link ripped the Power Suit in two.

For once, the crowd was utterly silent.

Mario stared at the field with his mouth hanging open. Sonic cringed and shuddered, feeling sick at the idea of fighting that thing next round. Cloud shook his head sadly, closing his eyes; it was the first time he had taken them off of the champion. Snake kept a tight grimace on his face...but he was unconsciously gripping the chair in front of him with white knuckles.

Ironically, it was the robot that seemed to be taking it the hardest.

"How could you do that!?" Mega Man cried, standing at the outside edge of the barrier. "Don't you know what that suit means to her??" Naturally, Oni-Link did not reply.

"And how can they be cheering him!?" he added with a look to Snake, as Link's fanbase gradually got over its initial shock. Snake felt an odd impulse to tell the robot to calm down...but then he lost some composure himself, as a few spectators started whistling at Samus (who was wearing a form-fitting leotard under her suit, as usual). Some people....

The bounty hunter had slowly started to move, rolling over and rubbing her eyes. It didn't look like she knew where she was. But Oni-Link wasn't pressing the attack; in fact, he was taking off his mask. His body and equipment quickly shrank back into Link's more familiar features. The crowd cheered, thinking the match was over...then quieted quickly, as Link approached Samus with the Master Sword in hand.

"Do you yield?" he asked her.

Samus hadn't recovered yet; her thoughts were still unclear. She stared at the Power Suit, then herself in shock. After a moment, Link reached down and pulled her up by the collar of her swimsuit. He was surprised to see she was still taller than he was, but he didn't show it.

"Do you yield??" he asked again, staring into her eyes.

She tried to answer, but the words wouldn't come. She couldn't speak; her voice had simply stopped working. Her eyes widened as she tried again, but all she got out was a faint choking noise. She was too stunned to respond in any other way.

The fallen hero smiled. "No? Then fight me, Samus Aran," he spat, throwing her to the ground. He then sheathed his sword, shifting into a martial arts stance. "Fight me without your precious crutch, and see how far you get!"

As Link charged at Samus with his fist reared back, Snake narrowed his eyes. He had heard that tone of voice in this arena once before...and it had been from Sephiroth.

It quickly became clear to the veteran warrior that Samus had no chance. She was surprisingly proficient in hand-to-hand combat, but she had too many wounds...and not enough morale. Link finished one series of strikes with a sweeping backhand that Snake could've countered in his sleep—but Samus only blocked, not even trying to take advantage. When she did fight back, however, her foe seemed almost clairvoyant, anticipating her moves and counterattacks with ease. The knight whiffed with one right cross on purpose, then sidestepped her counter and scored with a left hook, connecting with the first slash wound Oni-Link had given her. As she cringed in pain, he turned around and mule-kicked her, catching her on the chin and throwing her to the ground.

"...he's just toying with her," Snake growled in disgust.

"That's what it looks like," Mega Man agreed, turning back to Snake with a sad-looking nod. He just scowled in return; he hadn't meant to say anything out loud. "Samus has to know Link won't let her win. Why doesn't she surrender, before he..."

"I don't know," Snake interrupted, shaking his head. Is this really simple pride? Or is it...something else...?

He was still thinking about it when a shot rang out on the field. The two turned quickly to see both Link and Samus on the ground—with Samus sitting up, holding a tiny blaster in her hand.

Snake allowed himself a grin as the crowd went wild, with Mega Man's voice among the loudest of the cheers. But then the robot switched gears completely, turning around with a curious frown. "Uhm, where did she get the blaster...?"

"She had it hidden in her swimsuit," Sonic answered from two rows up, smirking and shaking his head.

Link turned the crowd around quickly, however, as he groaned and started to rise. He rubbed the scorch mark on his chest and laughed. Samus fired another blast, but the knight rolled aside, slinging his shield off of his back. He had it ready in time to catch the bounty hunter's next shot, reflecting it a foot away from her head.

The fallen hero sneered at Samus as she started backing away. "Already, you resort to a weapon!" he shouted. "This is pathetic, even for you!"

Samus couldn't help but wince at Link's words, but still fired another shot and took off running. She tried a few more as he gave chase, then gave up after the fourth sizzled an inch past her own weapon. But when he realized she wouldn't be firing anymore, Link stopped and exchanged his shield for his bow; he reached for an arrow, drew a bead on her and fired. It hit her just above the foot, piercing through the front of her leg and pinning her to the ground.

The bounty hunter gasped sharply as she stumbled to the floor, twisting her already wounded ankle. But when she looked up less than a second later, she smiled. She hadn't been running blindly—she'd been trying to reach something, and she had: not two feet away from her lay the arm cannon Link had cut off of her suit. Ages ago, it seemed now.

She reached over and grabbed it as Link stalked towards her, oblivious. Snake—who had joined Mega Man at the edge of the field by now—whispered to him, "Is she doing what I think she's doing?"

The robot nodded. "Her gun arm's standard beam is still functioning, but it needs power to fire," he answered quietly, picking up on Snake's tone. "It looks like she can substitute the blaster's power for the suit's...but it won't last long. She'll probably only have one charged shot."

Snake narrowed his eyes, focusing on the two fighters. Then it all comes down to this....

Samus wired the weapons together furiously as Link approached her, still holding his shield. He was practically strolling towards her; it was almost as if he was letting her work. "See where your reliance on these 'guns' has gotten you," he muttered, speaking to her directly instead of both she and the crowd. "You call yourself a warrior...but you know nothing of battle. You are an insult to the title. Now, you will pay for your deceit."

Link pulled back his sword.
Samus finished charging her gun.
Link's sword arm flew forward in a massive strike.
Samus' gun arm swung high in a preemptive counter.

...but he hadn't been aiming downwards. He'd expected her counter; he'd slashed from side to side.

Once again, Link cut Samus' cannon from her arm...and this time, he took her hand with it.

The audience gasped. Mega Man cried out. Snake bowed his head and closed his eyes.

For her part, Samus could only stare at her arm, her eyes blank. Then they widened in panic, as the wounded limb was suddenly frozen to the ground. She looked up to find Link holding the Ice Rod again, his lips curled in a cruel smirk. She tried to tear herself away, but he shot her waist before she could; he went on to encase her entire body in one jagged block of ice, leaving only her chest and head exposed. She struggled to break free, using all the strength she had left...then fell back to the ground, utterly defeated.

He put a boot up on her stomach and leaned over his knee. "Thought I'd see how you like it," he sneered, staring into quivering eyes.

Some of the crowd started booing the champion; a greater portion simply murmured to itself. But more than anything else, the throngs were cheering Link on, a few calling for him to finish the job. Snake could barely keep control of himself, clenching and unclenching his fists in rage. Is this the kind of audience this tournament brings? Why even have the damn thing??

Still standing on Samus' frozen form, Link looked up at the crowd with a smile...then turned to the competitor's section. "Let today's battle be a reminder for all of you," he shouted, looking over each of the five remaining fighters in turn. "True strength does not come from a suit of armor. It does not come from a weapon; it does not come from a trinket," he went on, looking squarely at Cloud. "The only true strength comes from within! Rely on a crutch, and you can never prepare for the consequences of war!"

As a fresh chorus of boos rained down on him, Link drew the Master Sword one more time. "And you shall find your place in history and become a legend...a legend that will never die," he intoned, raising his sword over his head as Samus closed her eyes.

"Stop!!"

All eyes turned to the source of the protest...and all were surprised to find Solid Snake.

Link recovered before anyone else, smirking at the former soldier. "You've never cared who's lived or died here before, Snake. Why should you now...?"

"I'm not asking you to save Samus. ...I'm telling you to save yourself," Snake muttered. "You've made some dangerous choices today, Link. Keep walking this road and you'll put us all at risk...and yourself, if that doesn't bother you. Show some mercy now, and you might be able to turn back. But if you kill her like this...then no matter what you do, you'll never be the same again."

But as the fallen hero mulled over the words, Snake risked a quick glance at Samus...and immediately wished he hadn't. The anger and pain on her face were gone now, replaced by a smile...the same sweet smile he'd seen so rarely before, but more genuine now. He wasn't trying to save them all; he was trying to save Samus, no matter how unnecessary it was. He smiled a tiny bit himself as the two locked eyes, calling themselves idiots and wondering what they had missed.

"So," Link barked, snapping them back into reality. "You're saying that if I kill Samus, I'll...change my destiny? Become someone else? ...'never be the same again?'"

An arena held its breath as Link stared at Snake uncertainly.

"...good."

He plunged the sword into her heart, staring at him all the while.

And as Samus let out a heart-wrenching scream, the only smile in the arena came from a black-clad figure watching from on high, as it quickly swooped away.




"Victory"

Link left the battlefield in short order that day, ignoring the cries and murmurs of distress from the audience. The match's results spread quickly throughout the arena, and most of the people he passed gave him a wide berth. A brave few dared to try to stop him, each asking him the same stupid, futile questions. He ignored every one of them; he had better things to do with the rest of his day.

And when he reached the back exit and found Mega Man waiting for him, he fully intended to ignore him as well.

The robot called his name quietly, his voice carrying none of the blue bomber's normal happy tones. Link didn't bother to respond, didn't even look his way. When the android tried again more forcefully, Link just passed him by, reaching for the exit. His hand was an inch from the door when an energy blast crashed into the handlebar, snapping it in two and throwing it from its hinges.

The hero of Hyrule growled.

"I don't have time for this, robot," he snarled, whirling around in a rage. "I've already wasted too much of my energy on you and your useless Emerald."

"You think this is about the Emerald?" the robot snarled back, still pointing his blaster at the man. "Do you even realize what you just did out there??"

Link put his hand to his head and gave a frustrated groan. "...so I killed Samus. Why do you, of all things, care?" he demanded, throwing his arms out wide. "At the very least, you should know that when she goes home—"

"She'll come back to life?" the android snapped. Link scowled at the interruption, but nodded; Mega Man was already shaking his head. "But you didn't stop at just killing her, did you? You had to humiliate her as much as you possibly could. So you took more from Samus than a few hours of her life—you took her livelihood, permanently! The portals can't make another Power Suit, Link! And neither can anything else!!"

The Hylian knight blinked in surprise. "So she can't replace it, then...?"

"No, she can't!"

"Perfect," Link replied, grinning in satisfaction.

In a flash, Mega Man's arm cannon was an inch from Link's head. The android almost fired right then...but he held back, determined to give the man a chance to redeem himself. "Link...you are on trial right now. Do you understand this? Of course it's clear that you committed murder out there...but if you can't prove that there's at least a shred of humanity left in you, I'll—"

"Oh, shut up," Link snapped, batting the blaster away. "This is exactly what I was talking about, robot. If you could think these things through, you might not be putting on this show of so-called emotion. You might have already realized that in the end, I've done Samus a favor."

"...what??"

"Samus was nothing without that armor. Do you hear me, robot? Nothing. But now...now, I've taken that crutch away from her. If she's really worth a damn, she'll learn to walk on her own, and earn the reputation she's been so proud of for so long. And should the time come when our paths cross again, then she will thank me, for helping her finally see the light.

" ...and if she can't walk on her own...then she deserves what she gets."

Mega Man shook his head, even backed away two steps. "You really have gone insane, haven't you...?" he mumbled, not wanting to accept what his own logic circuits were telling him. Slowly, reluctantly, he raised his arm cannon once more. "I didn't want to do this, Link..." he went on, as he trained the blaster on Link's head and started to charge.

"Heh. Going to kill me...?" Link sneered. "Wouldn't that be against the rules, robot?"

"I am more than just a robot, Link," the android stated coldly. "And when I have no other choice—"

"Wait. Are you telling me...that this anger, this bloodlust isn't just some farce—that it's something you're actually feeling?" The Hylian knight grinned. "You know, you wouldn't care this much if you thought she had a chance. You obviously know as well as I do that she's doomed. She was a peasant among warriors...an insect among gods. And when her enemies finally drag her from her hole and slowly torture her to death, it will only serve her—"

And Mega Man fired.

But Link's dismantling of Samus was no fluke. In the time it took for the energy blast to travel between the two foes, he flipped his Mirror Shield off of his back and in front of his head. The shot reflected back to hit Mega Man squarely in the jaw, sending him flying. Then a lightning-fast boomerang added to his momentum, throwing him into the back wall.

"You disgust me, Mega Man. You're not some soulless automata; you're not even that advanced. You're just a mad machine...cursed with ignorant logic, flawed emotions, and codes of honor you can't possibly uphold. You aren't even a robot...you're a defect. And your failure clearly wasn't caused by the Chaos Emerald: it was caused by who you are."

With that, the fallen knight kicked the exit door from its hinges and left the arena, leaving the robot to his thoughts.

What Link didn't realize, though, was that Mega Man wasn't down. In fact, the android had taken far stronger blows from robots he had destroyed two seconds later. But no amount of shields or training could have prepared him for Link's words. Even as he raised his arm cannon to fire at Link's back, to end the threat once and for all...he had to lower it in shame.

Of course, Link had utterly failed his trial. But were his actions really all that radical in this place? Bowser, Ganondorf, Kefka...they had all killed over the course of this tournament, and would have done more if they could. And where was the blue bomber then? Where were his accusations, his threats at those thefts of innocent lives?

And yet he had attacked the Hero of Hyrule...because he had "killed" a friend.

Am I...a defect? Mega Man found himself wondering. He couldn't detect any anomalies in his systems...but the simple fact that he was questioning himself told him something was wrong. Dr. Light had supposedly given him a strong sense of justice—something no normal robot could have—and for the last two months, he'd been acting like he was on vacation. But this was a place where the most evil beings in the multiverse gathered to plot and scheme, a place where even the mightiest bastions of good could fall to the will to win. There was a war going on here, he realized, and he had missed it completely. It was only sheer dumb luck that had kept things under control until now...until the day Samus died.

Suddenly Dr. Wily seemed distant and frail...and Mega Man knew his greatest challenges still lie ahead.

---

I couldn't save her.

It took over half an hour for the stands to empty completely. When that was done, the two cleaning crews made their way onto the field and set about their separate tasks. One, all robots, started repairing the shattered battlefield. The other, all humans, started taking Samus from the arena—first extracting her corpse from the block of ice, then putting it in a body bag and onto a stretcher. In a rare show of insight, they also gathered the remains of the Power Suit into a large crate. The trip home wouldn't automatically reassemble the suit...but Samus might be able to salvage something from the wreckage.

Through it all, Solid Snake stood watching silently, his expression blank.

I couldn't save her, he thought again, for perhaps the hundredth time. It was all so familiar to him, so much like before. She had backed him up, and he had vowed to do the same. Eventually he had realized there was more between them than that...but by then it was too late. He had already failed her.

His mind kept going back to that fateful moment...the moment when Link gave Samus a chance to surrender, and she didn't. She'd looked like she wanted to say something, but she still hadn't recovered; after that Link didn't give her a chance to try again. Had she really been counting on that desperate last-ditch effort? Or had she tried to surrender, and been unable to do it?

If he had realized it sooner...tried to tell someone, or set up a signal she could use...he might stopped it from happening. He might have lived up to his word. He might not have had to watch her die.

Once the cleaners were finished, they picked up the stretcher and the crate and started off for the portals home. Snake followed them every step of the way, not even bothering to drop out of sight. The crew briefly considered telling him that he couldn't follow them, that it was illegal to interfere with a deceased fighter's return. But Snake wasn't technically getting in their way...and they weren't heartless.

Soon enough, they reached their destination, then quickly found Samus' portal. They decided to put the suit through first, setting the stretcher on the floor. As he stared down at the covered body and the crate-bearers beside it, Snake couldn't help thinking how much like a funeral it all seemed.

Of course, Samus wasn't really dead. Even in the face of death, this tournament had its own rules, and Snake knew them well enough. When Samus went through that portal, she'd come out of it alive and well, good as new...or at least as good as she could be with her suit destroyed. But, suit or no, she'd be alive, and she would pick up the pieces and move on.

But he would never see it. As much as Snake knew that Samus would recover...he wouldn't be there to see it happen. All he'd see would be a body bag...a woman trapped under a sheet of ice and screaming, as a sword sliced through her heart...

...or a woman trapped under a sheet of ice and smiling, from a million miles away.

"...Samus..." he said suddenly, his voice low and uneven.

The cleaning crew jumped at the sound and turned towards him, but he didn't notice. He found he had knelt next to her at some point; he decided it was appropriate.

"...I think...I want to say...I'm sorry," Snake staggered on. "Even if you'll never hear it. I should have...I don't know. ...I should have seen it coming....

"...no. I did see it coming. All of it. That's the whole problem," he muttered. "I saw you trying to save yourself, when Link gave you the chance. I saw it...but I couldn't do anything about it. ...I couldn't live up to my word.

"...and, I saw you...reaching out for me, last night. I saw myself reaching out for you, in that damn turtle's airship. Even after our first poker game together, I started to wonder.

"And what did I do? I ran. I ran away from it," he snarled. "For a soldier, emotions are a liability. I saw myself getting too close...a-again...and I tried to cut it off. I tried to keep the same damn thing from happening again...and it all happened anyway. I didn't wake up until your life was in danger...and then it was over, five seconds later."

He looked down and breathed a heavy sigh. "None of it was your fault. I'm the one that didn't back you up, I'm the one that ran away. And both of us got hurt. We could have had something...the kind of thing soldiers are supposed to be fighting for...and I wasn't strong enough to let it happen.

"...I wish I...I... ... ...I'm sorry," he fell back on, closing his eyes.

He wanted to say more, but he couldn't find the words. He couldn't even say he loved her; he hadn't had time to.

"Uhm...Mr. Snake?" one of the cleaners said timidly, after a moment of silence. When Snake looked up, but didn't reply, the cleaner said, "We've got to send her home..."

"I'll handle it," Snake said instantly. "...it's the least I can do."

The cleaners looked at each other, shrugged, and stood back. Snake bent forward and gathered Samus in his arms, supporting her steadily as he stood up. With the gentlest throw he could manage, he sent Samus home, hoping it treated her better than this place had.

---

As usual, a SOLDIER stood atop the stadium walls that night, looking down on the arena.

But on this night, a mercenary stood at the other end, looking straight at him.

"I suppose I should applaud you, failure. For you, coming up here at all is an admirable feat."

"It was you, wasn't it?"

"You'll have to be more specific than that...."

"I saw you leaving the arena at the end of today's match. I also saw Link commit an atrocity right before you did."

"You believe I was controlling him."

"No, I don't. I've seen the darkness forming around his soul...and it's something that not even you could hope to control. No...I think you Silenced Samus."

Silence.

"Ahhhh...I see. The moment after Link reverted. When he offered her a chance to yield, to save her pitiful life. You believe I denied her that surrender...just to watch her die."

"Don't tell me what I 'believe,' murderer. I've heard about your encounter with Samus and Snake at the portals. And if anyone knows how to hold a grudge...."

Slow applause.

"Bravo, puppet. You're beginning to think. I never thought I'd see the day. ...but, naturally, you're still wrong."

"Am I??"

"Of course, no matter what I tell you, you won't believe a word of it. So...I suppose I'll have to show you."

----

...the bounty hunter groaned as she rose to her hands and knees. The Shinespark hadn't slain her foe outright, but it had at least seemed to actually damage him. If it hadn't, she'd have to get away fast...not that she had any idea what she'd do afterwards. Cautiously, she looked up at her opponent, ready to roll aside at the first sign of movement.

Before she could blink, he had his hand around her throat. The Fierce Diety grabbed the armored woman by the neck and squeezed. Her helmet twisted from its latches, then fell away as he lifted her into the air....


----

"...no..."

"Do you see it, failure? Can you see what truly silenced Samus?"

"He...crushed her vocal cords."

"Bruised them, actually. They recovered just in time to give that lovely scream when Link destroyed her."

"...shut up."

"Bitter, aren't you? But you can't deny it. I've done no tampering with your mind this time, puppet. What you saw was exactly what happened, and you know it."

A sword unsheathed.

"Yet, you were right about one thing: I do know how to hold a grudge. Almost as well as you, perhaps. Remember that for the rest of your stay here, puppet. For this insult is just a fraction of a point in the score we have to settle."

With that, the SOLDIER swooped away, leaving the mercenary to his thoughts.

~Fin~


Today's Authors: Jjukil
Next Entry
Back