Chapter 10: Intergalactic Relations

Samus Aran's POV

"Did you see what I saw?" I said thinking painfully about my haunting memories.

"Yes," She said cautiously.

"How much?"

"Everything, it kept playing over and over."

"You had no right to see any of that." I said bristling.

"I only wanted to see what you were up against so I could decided whether to leave or not."

"I am not the destroyer of my colony."

"I understand."

"You don't and you never will."

"Well, good to see you're back at least." She said sighing.

"And you too." I said grabbing her by the wrists. She struggle briefly, before rolling her eyes.

"Are you really going to take me prisoner again?" She said lazily.

"You did leave me with that pack of zombies."

"Zombies?"

"Re-dead or whatever you call them." I said shaking my head.

"I was merely trying to escape. Wouldn't you have done the same?" She said slyly and giving me a look with those exotic blue eyes. That strange urge to dominate came over me again. I felt... hot.

"That doesn't mean I'm not going to punish you." I said breathing hard.

Princess Zelda's POV

The knight had that strange look in her eyes again. Some mysterious desire lay behind them that I couldn't identify. She pushed me back against a tree. Pinned by her, she pressed her body close to mine. I felt her uncertainty of what to do next. I tried to free one of my wrists as to help but she held firm.

"So what are you going to do with me then?" I asked smugly. She had no idea what she was doing. She suddenly grabbed the back of my head and drew my face close to hers. Our foreheads were touching and her breathing was shallow and uneven. I felt her hot breath across my lips. She drew the rest of my body close to hers so that we were pressing rather closely to one another. She suddenly pulled away, confused. I looked at her and grinned.

"You don't even know what you're feeling," I smirked and slowly walked in front of her and letting a single finger glide along the underside of her chin. She became red.

"What? And do you?" She said in frustration grabbing my hand and pulling me close to her again.

"I might tell you." I said playfully, "But you have to let me go for the time being." She tore part of the rag clothes the moblins had given me to wear so that one of my breasts were exposed. There was a hungry expression in her gaze.

"And what if I make you tell me?" She said desperately as she tried to touch my exposed skin. I teleported away and reappeared a few feet behind her.

"You're clever. Why don't you try and figure it out?" I smirked as she spun around in the direction of my voice. As she rushed me I realized she was without her enchanted armor. After regaining my full power from the sacred realm I took aim and fired a weak spell at her. It struck her square in the chest and she flew back, landing quickly on her feet though. She crouched low. "I've regained my power while you lack yours. Such an unfair duel this would be, however, I feel it necessary so that you know your place." I said with the full knowledge I was striking a nerve. She frowned and I saw that fire dance between her eyes.

"I'll prove my superiority even without my powersuit." She growled and charged recklessly. I lazily cast a fire spell that encircled her in a ring of purple flames. She took a running leap and managed to escape them. No matter. I teleported again, causing a cloud of dirt to rise into the air as I did so. Blinded, she was unprepared for my next attack. I sent a concentrated snap of fire in her direction. She rolled out of the way, thinking she had dodged my attack, when suddenly I aimed a swift kick to her legs. She fell face first but landed on her hands and forward flipped away. I saw her take a hand full of dirt as I advanced. The next second I was gone. Predicting my moves she flung the dirt behind herself and appeared to blind me. She was so foolish as to fall for my doppelganger. While her back was turned to the real me I sent a powerful spell at her back.

Before she even had time to recover I reappeared in front of her and sent her flying backwards once again with a weaker spell. Just as she was about to hit the ground I appeared again, this time striking her from the sky with a powerful kick to the stomach. Determined as ever she managed to pull herself up, only to receive a kick to the side of the head and a ball of fire shoot at her legs. Pillars of fire erupted all around her while the earth shook violently and cracked. I summoned hail in the shapes of fangs and spears. I sent them flying at her as she lay sprawled on the ground. She lifted her arm to cover her face from the deadly shards. After a moment she lowered her arm to see strange sight of the shards hanging in mid-air, inches from her. I was standing over her now.

"Before I leave you to your next temple quests," I said in a commanding voice, "I might take some revenge I deserve."

"Revenge? For what?" She spat but I pressed my foot to her chest and pushed her back down. I brushed a strand of hair from my face as well as pull up the rag outfit to cover my exposed skin.

"You have kidnapped the royal crown of Hyrule, treated it with great dishonor and.. and-" I said as I tried to find words to describe the way she had poked and probed me in her fortress. Her eyes seemed to narrow in an understanding of sorts.

"Are you referring to when I took your DNA samples? That was for purely scientific reasons." She said exasperatedly.

"Perhaps where you come from, but I will not stand for such humiliation and... violation." I said and drew my arms close around myself. I turned my back on her, "However, to exact revenge and lawful punishment unto you would be quite unbecoming of a princess. I shall wait till an appropriate time to act."

"Why don't you just do it right now?" She said without thinking. How could she blurt such blunt close minded ideas. She didn't even bother to pause to consider the constant politics of the matter.

"There are too many witnesses." I said dryly turning back to her.

"Yeah? Who? It's just me and you out here." She gestured with her hands as she slowly sat up.

"Exactly, we are witnesses." I continued. Arguing with her was like arguing with a stubborn emotional child.

"For frak's sake! Do you always have to over analyze everything?" She growled, her face starting to become red with frustration.

"Are you so horribly incapable of seeing outside your narrow view you spew whatever's on you mind? Or perhaps are you unable to think properly before speaking?" I said in a voice dangerously close to a yell. She was on her feet now and we were but feet from each other.

"Maybe you wouldn't be in such a mess all the time if you didn't waste all of your time thinking instead of acting!"

"If you had bothered to think more perhaps you'd be more successful at killing Ridley!"

"If I hadn't hurried, thousands would have been dead. You could learn a lesson or two from me!" She took a step closer, pointing at her chest.

"What? Do you mean to act rashly without any thought for the consequences?" I took another step closer.

"Yes!" She shouted. I closed the gap between us.

Samus Aran's POV

I don't know what happened. In one moment we went from fighting to - this. Her lips were like rose petals melting into mine. I felt strange, it was like a feeling of connection yet disconnection at the same time. My heart was strangely calm, steady and even. My eyes darted around her face, exploring it, as if it could some how provide an explanation. Before I could wrap my mind around the current situation it started to go numb. Thought was becoming extremely difficult as my eyes slowly began to close. Shivers went up and down my spine. My whole body was going numb now. I felt the strong desire to be closer. Before I could wrap my arms around her however, she pulled away.

"I must be on my way now." She said slightly pink in the face.

"W-wait!" I said reaching out to her, "I'll go with, and -and keep you safe." I finished lamely. She obviously didn't need my protection. She had proven that just a few minutes ago. I just wanted to stay close to her. I wanted to understand the feelings I was having.

"A noble offer coming from one who has proven she isn't." She replied coldly but smiled anyway, "I have duties as princess to attend to that can't wait a moment longer. Who knows what could be happening to my people as we speak."

"Your people are safe, they're on the move." I said quickly, "I ran into them when they were camped around my ship. They were the ones that gave me this-" I looked at the ridiculous outfit I was wearing, "this, uh, traditional armor."

"That would explain a lot."

"They can take care of themselves, but if you don't believe so, then let me accompany you back."

"No, no, you must go to the next temples. It is the only way you can receive the Goddess's blessing. As for my people, I've experienced first hand what Ridley is capable of."

"What do you mean? Are you talking about when you saw my memories?" I said quickly.

"No. I mean I was temporarily a prisoner of his. He attempted to kill me when I could not lead him to you. I'm afraid he did quite a bit of damage to your flying fortress."

"What do you mean he attempted killed you?" I said as I push the brief thought of what would happen if my ship was completely destroyed, "Ridley doesn't usually play around with his victims unless he's in a really good mood, which I doubt he is."

"He slashed open my torso region, chest, stomach and all." She said and motioned to the various places on her body. I stared at her.

"That's impossible. How could you have survived?"

"Along with the Triforce giving me the power of wisdom and magic, I am also linked to the Sacred Realm."

"What the hell does that mean?"

"It means, if I get mortally wounded to the verge of death the Triforce will transport me to the Sacred Realm to heal me."

"Are you saying you're immortal?"

"By no means. Going to the Sacred Realm is a dangerous business. Though it keeps me from certain death it drains the time of life away. I'd say I've lost about five or maybe ten years of my life. Anyway, I can see you're getting confused now and I really don't have the time to explain."

"Fine, I'll let you go but-" I started but she gave me a look.

"You'll let me go?" She said with her eyebrows raised, "I think you are confused. I am the one letting you go." She stated and began walking away.

"I don't know where the next temple is." I said quickly. She stopped and slowly turned around.

"It's towards the mountains. I'm sure you'll find it." She said with a hint of uncertainty.

"Hey, I know you want me to get some blessing from your goddesses, so why not help me get it faster?"

Princess Zelda's POV

She was speaking the truth. I did want her to get Farore's blessing as soon as possible, in the hopes she could assist myself and my armies against Ridley. However I didn't want to appear as if I was abandoning my people out of fear. If their princess was too afraid to come out of hiding to lead them, what chance did they really stand? I looked Samus up and down. She was wearing the Hero's tunic. Obviously my people had some faith in her. As I pondered this I felt slightly unnerved. My people were putting their trust in a complete stranger instead of their princess. I scowled. I had to admit though, I wasn't there for them, and I wasn't there right now. It was a difficult decision but if my people trusted her to save them all I might as well put my trust in her too.

"You know, I don't ask for help often,.. or ever, so this is a big deal for me." She said as she glanced between myself and the trees lazily.

"It seems only logical that I should help you," I said pacing around her, "After all you probably could use my protection." I said playing with her. I saw her eye twitch slightly, "Well, even though it is against my better judgement, I will help you." Looking pissed but pleased at the same time Samus nodded and gave a smile.