Dark Pit really wasn't one for enthusiasm. It was always very annoying when other people were overly enthusiastic, so he did his best not to be.

His companion didn't share his sentiments.

"And here, we have the gorgeous Gaur Plains!" the woman gushed, gesturing grandly towards said plains with a wide and eager smile on her face. "This stage was based off of the home realm of Shulk, one of our newcomers! Seeing that majestic view in the background, you can almost hear the sounds of epic battles long past, ringing in the valleys!"

"I thought it was a plain," Dark Pit commented, his total disinterest evident in his voice. "Why are there valleys."

"There can be valleys in plains!" she replied defensively.

The dark angel sighed deeply and repeated what he'd already said at least twenty times; "Look, princess, I don't need a tour of every stage in this stupid tournament. Don't you have better things to do?"

"I told you to call me Peach!" was the blond's reply, assuming a mock pout for a moment. Then her eyes lit up again. "Oh! I'll show you the Living Room next! You'll love the puppies!"

As she happily trotted off towards the next stage, her hand firmly wrapped around Dark Pit's shoulder, he tried to think of a way to weasel out of this. He'd been trying to get away for the past two hours—after seeing his 'home' stages, the one based off locations from his homeworld, Princess Peach's enthusiasm had gotten to be too much.

No matter how he plotted, though, he had the feeling she wasn't going to let him out of this tour until it was over.

This is ridiculous, he groaned mentally as Peach excitedly pointed out the embroidery on the Living Room rug. I don't want to see every stupid stage in this stupid tournament! Why did I let that stupid angel drag me into this...

He vaguely wondered if Pit had been given the same tour by Peach that he was getting. Well, if he did, it's more than likely that he was just as excited by the whole thing as Peach...is...

Dark Pit was temporarily distracted from his thought process when five puppies jumped him.

"Aww, they like you!" Peach cooed. The dark angel was now flat on his back, and the puppies were licking his face and barking happily. "Aren't they just the cutest? They play in the background of the Living Room when there's a battle going on, but they're bigger then!"

"They get bigger?" Dark Pit said incredulously. One was chewing on his tunic. "Hey!"

"Yes! Or, rather, the competing Smashers are shrunk down by Master Hand to be the appropriate size for the stage," Peach elaborated. She knelt down and gently pulled the hungry puppy away from the tunic and into her lap, where she proceeded to pet it. "Sometimes the puppies show up in other stages and play around on the spectator camera!" she giggled.

Dark Pit managed to get a puppy off of his face and sat up. "That sounds annoying," he said roughly.

"No, no, they're just playing," the princess said happily, then scruffed her puppy's head and adopted a motherly voice; "Aren't you, you're just playing around you adowable wittle things! Who's a good boy? Who's a good boy?"

A kitten came seemingly out of nowhere and climbed on Dark Pit's lap. Then it sat down and meowed plaintively at him.

"Now there's a cat?" he said sarcastically. "What next, rabbits?"

Peach's whole face lit up even brighter. "Oh! Do you think we could get those, too!?"

Dark Pit sighed.

...

The first part of the fourth Super Smash Tournament was set to begin in a couple weeks, and the Smash Grounds were in the final stage of preparation. Stage hazards had been decided, platforms added or taken away, move routes programmed and ready. All stages had been properly and thoroughly tested, as well as the various stadium events, Classic and All-Star modes, and the Smash Run. All trophies had been chosen and sorted, the Trophy Rush game tested and completed; all there was left to prepare were the newcomers.

A few of the newcomers had arrived later than others, and even the ones who had been there for months were still training and getting acquainted with the mansion and grounds. So Peach had taken it upon herself to help show the newcomers around more thoroughly, and ensure that they were prepared for the long tournament ahead.

She had recruited several others to help in this endeavor. On that very same day, Captain Falcon was showing Shulk, Villager, and the Robins (plus Chrom) around the stadium events; Princess Zelda was taking Palutena, Little Mac, and the Duck Hunt duo through Smash Run; Marth was guiding Lucina, Rosalina, and Mega Man through All-Star mode; and Mario was explaining Classic mode to Pac Man, Greninja, and the Wii Fit Trainers.

Peach, however, had decided Dark Pit needed special attention because of his 'bad attitude', and so she was showing him around personally. The dark angel himself didn't know about this decision; he just thought everyone else had weaseled out of touring around with her. He very much wished he could figure out how to do that himself.

...

"Let me see now, we've gone through...this one, and this, and this, and...hmm..."

Peach was going through her list of the stages, checking off the ones she'd taken the dark angel to. They were still at the Living Room, and Dark Pit was sitting by the wall, absentmindedly stroking the sleeping kitten on his lap and watching the puppies playing around.

We must've seen a million stages by now, he thought sourly. There can't be many left...

"...and that one, and...huh." Peach glanced up from her list. "I think we've seen all the stages!"

Dark Pit sighed with relief. "Finally. Can you leave me alone now?"

Peach whacked him lightly with her parasol, eliciting an "Ouch!" "Don't be silly! There's lots to cover still! Now, I know Pit took you around a bit already—what did he show you?"

"I don't know," Dark Pit grumbled. "Everything?"

"Please," Peach scoffed, "I know he didn't do that! Have you seen Classic mode?"

"Yes."

"All-Star?"

"Yes."

"Smash Run?"

"Yes."

"Are you just saying 'yes' to everything I ask?"

"Yes. Wait, I-I mean—!"

"I knew it! We're going to have to ask Pit..." The blond frowned thoughtfully. "Where did you last see him?"

Dark Pit shrugged. "Somewhere else?"

"Oh, you are so unhelpful!" Peach grumbled. "I wouldn't have to guide you around if you had a better attitude..."

The dark angel blinked. "...What?"

"I said, I wouldn't have to guide you around if you had a better attitude!" the princess snapped. "I would've let you go around with the others if you were nicer, but as it is you've been sour and snappy since you got to the Mansion! So I'm taking special interest in you! So there!"

Then her ditzy grin returned, and her eyes brightened, as if she hadn't just shouted at him in anger. "Oh! I think Pit said he was going to train with Link! Let's try the Battlefield!"

"Wait, wait, wait," Dark Pit interceded. "...The only reason I've had to put up with your ridiculous enthusiasm all day is because you think I have a bad attitude?"

"It's not ridiculous!" Peach pouted slightly. "...But yes."

"So if I start acting all ditzy like you, you'll leave me alone?" he persisted.

She stared at him blankly.

Dark Pit forced a vivid grin on his face. "Oh! I have such a good attitude! I love sunshine and rainbows and kittens! Especially this kitten!" He picked up the kitten in his lap and cuddled it. "I'm going to call her Mittens! She's just the cutest!"

Despite herself, Peach giggled. "Come on, Pittoo, I know you're faking..."

Inwardly, Dark Pit grimaced. I hate that nickname... But he kept the grin on his face and replied; "No, not at all! I have just the best attitude! So can you leave me alone?"

Still smiling, Peach shook her head.

Dark Pit dropped the grin, but kept up the voice. "Why not? Mittens wants alone time with me."

Peach giggled again. "Then bring her along. Let's go find Pit!"

She gestured for him to get up. The dark angel sighed, defeated, and got to his feet, still holding the kitten—or Mittens, he supposed. It was awake now, blinking at him with its big yellow-green eyes. When he looked at it, it mewled.

...Okay, so maybe kittens aren't so bad, he thought hesitantly, almost smiling. Then he caught himself and scowled. Dammit, it's just a stupid cat! It's not even that cute!

But he still took the kitten with him as he followed Peach out of the Living Room.

...

Pit and Link were indeed at the Battlefield, doing some light sparring. Link seemed to be winning, if the scuffs of dirt all over Pit and the angel's dark expression were any indication.

Peach glanced at the spectator monitor, where the time left in the match was recorded on the screen. "Oh, timing! They've just got half a minute left," she said cheerfully.

Dark Pit sighed and put Mittens down, then stretched his arms and wings. "What do you say we skip the tour and beat each other up a bit instead..." he suggested wearily.

"Beating each other up can come later!" was Peach's cheery retort. Dark Pit sighed again.

The match ended, and Pit and Link disappeared from the stage; a minute later, they appeared again, as the spectator monitor informed them that the Hylian was the victor.

"You really haven't been slacking, Link," Pit said lightly, patting the other boy on the back. "I'm gonna have to work harder to catch up!" Link smiled bashfully.

"Hey, boys!" Peach smiled brightly. "Nice match!"

"Oh, thanks, Princess Peach," Pit replied, also smiling. "Hey, Pittoo!"

"I told you not to call me that," Dark Pit snapped.

Link said "Hyaa!" and picked up Mittens, cuddling the kitten against his shoulder. Mittens mewled happily. Dark Pit felt slightly jealous.

"So Pit, you showed Pittoo around once or twice before, right?" Peach asked, ignoring the dark angel's annoyed scowl at the nickname.

"Yeah!" Pit answered. "I showed him Classic, All-Star, Smash Run..."

"Oh, so he really has seen all those," the princess mumbled to herself. "Well, I've shown him around all the stages. What hasn't he seen yet?"

Pit frowned. "Hmm..."

Link saw Dark Pit's expression and smiled. Then he offered Mittens to the dark-haired boy. Dark Pit took him and cuddled him against his shoulder like Link had been doing, eying the Hylian defensively. Link laughed.

"Oh! I didn't show him Home-Run Smash!" Pit exclaimed. "We should go do that!"

"Definitely!" Peach agreed. "Come on, Pittoo!"

Dark Pit ignored her.

"...Pittoo!"

"I don't answer to that name," Dark Pit growled.

Peach pouted. "It's like he's permanently in a bad mood..."

Pit and Link nodded in agreement. "Yeah, it is like that," Pit said.

"...Why are you talking like I'm not here?" Dark Pit asked.

"Let's go to the Stadium!" the princess said brightly, in lieu of a reply.

...

Peach and Pit started chatting about their last few Classic mode runs as the group walked down to the Stadium, so Dark Pit took the opportunity of their distraction to try and sneak away. He only made it a couple dozen feet before Pit chased him down and dragged him back. Then Peach scolded him.

The angel wasn't a half-bad friend, Dark Pit decided, but he could be really annoying sometimes.

Arriving at the Stadium, the princess decided to have a go at it first, so Dark Pit could see how it was done. She soon discovered, however, that someone had taken all the bats, and the dark angel got a kick out of watching her and Pit run about the Stadium helplessly, trying to figure out where they went.

Ignoring Peach's random and loud attempts at deduction, Dark Pit looked over at Link, who was leaning against the wall. The Hylian had Mittens again, and was nuzzling the top of the kitten's head with his nose. His eyes were closed, and he had a supremely blissful smile on his face.

Dark Pit wanted Mittens back. He was feeling a little crabby about that, and about the fact that he felt crabby about it, so he wasn't in the best of moods.

"Why don't you ever talk?" he suddenly asked.

Link opened his eyes and looked at him blankly.

"Is there something wrong with your voice?" Dark Pit continued. "Or are you just too lazy to go the extra effort and make actual words?"

"...Hai?" Link asked, sounding confused.

"Talking isn't that hard. You should try it sometime."

"Hah...huht." Now Link sounded sad.

Dark Pit sighed, slightly frustrated. "Really. One word. Say something other than...those weird noises you make all the time."

Link frowned. Then, with considerable effort, he stammered "H-h-he-ey."

Dark Pit stared at him for a moment. Link shrugged helplessly.

"Some kind of disorder?" the dark angel queried. "Different language?" The Hylian shrugged again.

Mittens mewled slightly and squirmed out of Link's arms. Dark Pit immediately knelt down to claim her, prompting another meow. He decided against standing up again, and settled himself more comfortably on the ground. Mittens yawned, and he resisted the urge to smile.

Peach and Pit were still running around in search of bats, so Dark Pit looked back to Link. "If it was a speech disorder, then I don't see how other people could understand you," he mused. "But that other princess does."

Link glanced at him and nodded, smiling faintly. "Huh."

"Has she ever said how she understands you?"

"Hyut..." The Hylian shook his head.

"But...I've seen you having conversations..."

Link shrugged helplessly once again.

This was all too complicated. Dark Pit went back to the kitten.

It yawned again, and this time the dark angel couldn't resist a small smile. Then it curled up in his lap and fell asleep.

The Hylian abruptly sat down next to Dark Pit with a slight sigh. He stretched forward, lightly touching his toes for a few seconds.

Dark Pit had almost forgotten Link and Pit had been fighting, but he saw an array of tears and scuffs of dirt all over the hero's body. There was also a slight red scratch across his face, just under the right eye, and a thin smear of blood underneath that.

"Safety need tweaking?" he asked, surprising himself slightly.

Link glanced at him, then smiled bashfully. "Hmm," he admitted.

"Mention it to the princess. She'll probably tell someone who can fix it."

Link nodded in agreement, then leaned over and gently stroked Mittens. "Hai," he said fondly.

Dark Pit actually smiled again. "I never knew I liked cats..." he confessed quietly. "But she's so..."

The Hylian shook his head quickly. "Hyaa!"

"Really?" Dark Pit asked.

"Hyaa!" Link insisted.

"Huh." Dark Pit looked at the sleeping cat again. I really thought it was a girl. Guess I don't know much about this sort of thing. "Whatever you say..."

Link smiled brightly. "Huh."

Then Dark Pit registered the exchange, and blinked. "...Wait a sec. How did I know you were telling me Mittens was a boy...?"

Link's smile just widened. "Huh...hai, hyah."

"I guess that could be it..." Dark Pit said. Then he shook his head slightly, feeling very confused. "You just...you did it again."

"Hai," Link said cheerfully.

Dark Pit looked at him for a moment. Then he looked away, and smiled to himself. "Somehow I doubt Mittens has magical translation powers..."

The Hylian laughed softly and patted the kitten again. It awoke, and mewled sleepily. Dark Pit lay back on the ground, and looked up at the sky, now in a better mood than he'd been all day.

...

Inevitably, Peach and Pit returned to Dark Pit and Link, defeated.

"We couldn't find the bats," Pit said wearily. "Someone must've stolen them."

"Why don't you go and find them, then," the dark angel said, annoyed that his contented doze was interrupted.

"We don't know where to look!" Peach said. "They're definitely not anywhere here!"

"Who would steal bats from the Stadium, anyway?" Pit asked of no one in particular. "There's only so many people here—we'd find the culprit eventually."

"Go root him out, then." Dark Pit really wasn't interested in anything other than making them go away at the moment. "Make it a quest or something."

Peach brightened. "A quest! I haven't gone on one of those in ages!"

"The Quest of the Missing Bats!" Pit said lightly, getting into the idea. "Where should we start?"

"Bowser. It's always Bowser."

Pit eyed her curiously. "...Um...I'm not sure that's—"

"It's always Bowser!" Peach insisted. "...And do you have a better place to start?"

"Well, no..."

"Then let's-a go!" she exclaimed. "Last one to the Mansion gets to directly accuse him of stealing!" Then she started running.

"What—No fair!" Pit shouted, hurriedly racing after her.

Dark Pit sat up and watched them leave incredulously. "...Did they really just leave me alone? At last?" he asked aloud. Then he glanced at Link. "Excepting you, of course."

Link nodded towards Mittens. "And Mittens," Dark Pit conceded. "Still. She's finally gone away, he's a kitten, and you can't talk. Peace and quiet at last..." And he flopped back down on the ground again with a long, contented sigh.

Link laughed faintly, then stretched out on the grass next to the dark angel and claimed Mittens for himself.

"I thought it was still my turn," Dark Pit mumbled.

"Hai," Link said firmly.

"Fine...But I get him again after an hour."

"..Huht."

"Hour fifteen."

"Hyaa!"

"Hour and a half?"

"...Hai, hyut hah."

"Alright, then. Hour and a half, then I get him again." The dark angel closed his eyes and breathed deeply, counting to ten between each inhale and exhale.

...Ahhh...maybe this is why the Trainers are always going on about it...this deep breathing is very...relaxing...

A few minutes later, and Dark Pit was sound asleep. Link gently pet Mittens, who was now kneading his stomach (thank the gods for chain mail), and smiled.

...

Some hours later, and Marth stumbled across the snoozing angel and hero. The kitten was now stretched out in between their heads, enjoying a good nap itself.

Marth smiled. The trio were quite adorable.

Then he knelt down and gently shook Link awake. The Hylian opened his eyes to an upside-down view of Marth's face, and cheerfully said "Hai!"

"Hello," the hero king replied. "It's almost six. You two should probably come in for dinner."

Link thought for a moment, then smiled brightly. "Hai, hyut!"

"Do you want me to return the kitten to the Living Room for you?" Marth asked.

The Hylian nodded, then sat up and stretched with a sigh.

"Alright, then," Marth said, and he gently picked up the kitten. "I'll see you two back at the Mansion."

He left with Mittens in his arms, while Link leaned over and shook Dark Pit awake. The dark angel mumbled to himself drowsily for a minute or two, before finally sitting up and taking in his surroundings.

"...Right...the Stadium..." he muttered. "Where's Mittens..."

"Hyaa," Link answered.

"Oh...okay." Dark Pit yawned sleepily, then got to his feet. "...Huh...I haven't slept that well in ages..."

Link got to his feet and stretched his arms, then gestured his head in the direction of the Smash Mansion. "Hai?"

"Yeah, let's go..."

So Dark Pit followed the Hylian back to the mansion, trailing along sleepily like a lost puppy (and eliciting a couple stares when he almost ran into a wall). He was still drowsy, but let the cool evening air slowly wake him as he walked, and he felt quite good.

...

In the mansion's great dining room, Peach and Pit were regaling the other Smashers with their story of "The Quest for the Missing Bats" and its dramatic conclusion—which, apparently, featured a Gust Bellows, a Starfy, and two of Bowser's kids falling on Ridley and Pikachu. Dark Pit wasn't really paying attention—he just trailed behind Link to the Hylian's table. He didn't really care to go to his usual table and be forced to listen to Pit going on about The Quest, so he sat down at the far end of the table, next to Link, and ignored the strange look Princess Zelda shot him.

Peach paused in her telling of The Quest long enough to bring Dark Pit his dinner—a strange dish he didn't recognize, which just so happened to be shaped like a cat. "Did you have fun today, Pittoo?" she asked brightly.

He grimaced at the nickname, but answered honestly; "Yeah, it was alright. I liked the part when you and Pit left."

She whacked him lightly and laughed. "Well, I'm glad you at least enjoyed yourself! Do you want dessert or no?"

He considered it, then recalled that yesterday's dessert had been floor ice cream—"Pit's specialty"—and decided against it. "No, thanks."

"Alright!" she said brightly. "Enjoy your meal! Link, do you want dessert?"

The Hylian nodded emphatically. "Hai!"

"Great! I'll be right back!" With a whoosh of pink skirts, she was gone.

Link glanced over at Dark Pit. "Hah?"

The dark angel glanced at him, then smiled faintly. "Yeah, you and Mittens were nice, too."

"Hyaa," Link said firmly.

Dark Pit hesitated, then nodded. "Okay..."

Hanging out with Link again tomorrow...that shouldn't be too bad. Maybe we can spar...see if he's as good as Pit says.

"Hai, hyut!" the Hylian said brightly.

"Mm-hmm," Dark Pit agreed, absently taking a bite of his cat-shaped dinner. It wasn't half-bad. Or we can go to the Living Room. That's good, too.

Link leaned forward to get a look at Dark Pit's face, then smiled shyly. "Hai..." he murmured. "P-p-pi...p-pit-t-too. Hai!"

Strangely, Dark Pit didn't scowl at the hated nickname. He just smiled.

Yeah, Link. Being friends isn't so bad at all...

A/N:

I adore Pittoo, and I've wanted to write him for a while now...Yay, now I have! :DAnyway...
Pittoo seems like a cat person to me. I don't know why...He just does. And Link was already a cat person...(I love Twilight Princess~) So, why not have them be friends over a kitten? XD

As unapproachable as Pittoo can be, I don't think he'd be the guy who sits in the corner and has no friends. He just has a hard time making the friends, as he doesn't really know he wants to have friends. I imagine in the Smash world, he's got one or two good friends, and spends his time either doing his job or hanging out with them...(and the cats, of course~)
Just my thoughts on him. xP

Reviews are always very much appreciated! Thanks for reading, and I hope you enjoyed it! :3

~DarkieDucessa