"I don't see why we had to wait outside the forest," Luigi said, looking at the grassy fields around them. Directly to his left was a large, thick, mysterious wood that Link had entered a few hours earlier. Before he entered, and left Luigi, Malon, and Samus behind, Link warned them not to follow him: apparently, the Lost Woods could be treacherous and dangerous to those that have never been inside.

Without taking her eyes, or hand, off Epona's snout, Malon responded softly, "The Lost Woods is a dangerous place, my Lord-Hand. There have been some who entered that wood and never left."

"What's happened to them?" Samus asked, staring at the forest that seemed to stretch as wide as, if not wider than, Castle Town.

"Nobody knows," Malon answered, "My father used to tell me that those people would get lost in the mist among the trees. Those lucky enough to even find the Master Sword couldn't possibly find their way out."

"So, how has Link navigated his way in there before?" Luigi asked, turning to Malon doubtfully.

"He's had help, I assume," she shrugged in response, "Anytime the Demon King returns, he gets a calling from the Sword. At least, somebody will get a calling from the Sword."

"And know that Ganondorf is dead, the Master Sword is to be returned to it's resting place?" Luigi asked again. Just by looking at him, Samus could tell that he was skeptical.

Almost laughing, Malon rubbed the snout of Epona slowly and said, "Ganondorf is never truly dead, my Lord-Hand. If you knew anything about the history of Hyrule, you wouldn't be doubtful of his return."

"I do know my share of history!" snapped Luigi, who became slightly offended. Samus and Malon giggled at Luigi's sudden aggravation, "And I wouldn't say that Ganondorf is never truly dead. Sure, an evil comes about every century, or so, but—!"

"You've seen the Sword's reaction to Ganondorf firsthand, my Lord-Hand," Malon calmly said, still with the majority of her attention on Epona.

"But, he was already dead. Besides, Link and Ganondorf fought many a time before then, and the Sword never glowed like that," Luigi contradicted.

"That was different; Ganondorf had not summoned his power before," she said, "The Sword has only reacted like that a handful of times, my Lord-Hand. Link knew what that meant and went to go fulfill his duty as the bearer of the Triforce of Courage."

"And is any of this backed up by fact? Or is it all simply myth?" Luigi contradicted once more. When Malon stopped petting Epona and turned to Luigi, Samus could tell that this discussion would be a long one.

Surrounding Link was endless sky, and he seemed to be standing in the middle of it. Though it looked like he should be falling into the endless sky, he felt solid ground beneath his feet. In front of a few fluffy white clouds stood his Princess, Zelda, in the same blood-soaked dress she wore at the wedding. Link looked in horror at the back of her dress, which was still that signature white and purple color. When Zelda turned around to face him, Link saw her dress torn at her shoulder, where the first arrow struck her. Her face and neck, however, was untouched and clean.

"Ever since that day, I've been keeping watch over you," Zelda said softly. Her face was filled with regret and, perhaps, some sadness, "Immediately after I fell, I saw your struggles in the Gerudo Valley… How you made it out of there alive, against hundreds of traitors, I do not know… When I was still with you, I knew that you always found a way to survive, even in the face of towering odds… The Triforce chose you for a reason…"

When Link tried to step closer to the Princess, she took a step back. Link stopped in his tracks while the look on Zelda's face became more sorrowful, "Don't… I'm sorry you have to see me like this… I'm sorry that you couldn't be with me in my final moments."

Zelda stopped talking for a second as her voice started to break. Tears began to form in her eyes, making Zelda look away from Link, who muttered, "Princess…"

After a second, Zelda was able to compose herself. She straightened up and turned back to Link, "Now that Ganondorf is dead, the Master Sword must rest. Until another evil arises, it must stay hidden from the world. There are monsters in this world, Link., some have the capability of being as evil as the Demon King himself. When that evil inevitably rises again, the Sword will call for its bearer. You must make sure Hyrule is ready for that time, do you understand?"

Link nodded. Zelda sighed again, and turned away from him, staring at the clouds that danced around the two. "I know that you can lead Hyrule back from the ashes that I left it in. I know that your firstborn will be a great monarch… I… I'm sorry that I cannot be there to help you."

When Zelda felt tears begin to fall down her cheek, she violently wiped them from her eyes. She turned again, trying to compose herself, and saw Link kneeling before her with his head tucked. Now, she could not control herself; the tears just fell from her eyes.

"Lead Hyrule back to glory, Link," Zelda said, her voice breaking completely, "Something I was unable to do."

Link's vision began to fade into white as he heard Zelda's final words, "Goodbye, my Silent Knight."

When Link's vision returned, he saw a pedestal shaped like the Triforce. He heard the movements of bugs and the wind through the trees around him. The sun broke through the thick leaves above him in some spots, but most of the area was covered in light shade, as if the sunlight shone through the same leaves. Link rose from his knee and took the Master Sword out. He swung it around one last time. Gripping the handle with both hands, Link put the Sword back where it belonged.

Seven years after they took the city, Lucina saw an increase in responsibilities. It was difficult to be the Hand of a King that was not on the throne, but it was even harder being the Hand of a King that now sat on the throne of a country broken by war. Daily, it seemed, she was micro-managing: after Marth's coronation, Roy was named to be the Head of the King's Guard, Robin named to the Small Council, and Lucario put as a head of some position that Lucina forgot. However, Lucina seemed to be doing all their jobs for them. After all, the Hand builds what the King dreams.

In the aftermath of the King's wedding to Rosalina, they had a child; a baby boy with Rosalina's bright blue eyes but with Marth's face. Marth elected to name him after Lucina's father, Chrom. When the baby was first born, Lucina had hoped that their northern allies, who were still angry about Lord Kirby's pardon, would warm up to them. However, despite the fact that Marth secured his legacy on the throne with an heir, the north remained unmoved. As the child reached his sixth birthday, the Mushroom Kingdom still would not return their correspondence.

As Lucina walked around the hallway towards her chamber, Robin walked next to her, "The Mushroom Lands still won't talk to us? Have you tried inviting them to the Tourney next weekend?"

"Robin, the Mushroom Kingdom has not sent a raven anywhere south of Hyrule in seven years," Lucina sighed, her voice slightly annoyed, "Your messages are falling on deaf ears."

"We can use Hyrule as a middle man, if you will," Robin suggested, as they turned a corner, "Lord Link can surely get through to Princess Peach, or even her Hand—"

"Robin, our King made a mistake by pardoning Lord Kirby," Lucina interrupted, turning towards him, "After the Little Lord's burned the city down, it took three years to rebuild. Even now, the citizens of this city are bearing the brunt of those consequences; outside the walls of this castle, thousands sit in poverty because Lord Kirby burned their houses and businesses down."

"It has gotten better," Robin contradicted, "Roy's told me that they have no ill-will against us."

"Just because poverty in this city is declining does not mean we should ignore the problem," Lucina argued back, "Look Robin, our King has done great things for the people of this city, and he's been in power for less than a decade. But, we still have a lot work to do."

"My Lady-Hand," somebody called from behind her. Lucina turned around and saw Cloud Strife standing behind her, wearing armor similar to her own except white and gold, "His Grace wishes to see you."

She nodded and followed Cloud through the hallways. They passed a few of the other members of the King's Guard, who slightly bowed upon seeing the Hand of the King. However, before they bowed, they glared at Cloud. When they reached a doorway that lead to one of the great hall's balconies, Lucina stopped.

"Why do your peers look at you with malice?" Lucina asked Cloud quickly.

Sighing, Cloud tugged at his white cape, "They think of me as a man without honor."

"Because you killed an evil king?" Lucina responded, raising an eyebrow with confusion.

Nodding, Cloud continued, "They call me a King Slayer, but it does not bother me: I knew what Ganon was capable of doing, my Lady-Hand. Their insults do not make me lose sleep."

"A King Slayer?" Lucina said, shaking her head, "I'll have to have a word with Roy about this, you know. You saved the Kingdom by putting that mad dog down."

"I broke a vow the moment I put my blade into his back," Cloud reflected, staring into the throne room. He relived that moment for a second; purple embers falling slowly, the Demon King floating in the air as he summoned his ancient power. The panic and hatred returned to Cloud momentarily as he clinched his fist, "There was no honor in the city that day, only suffering… There is no honor in letting an evil king destroy a city and kill thousands…"

After she entered the great hall, Lucina walked down the steps and saw Marth sitting on the Throne of Smash with a golden crown on his head. He slumped into his Throne as Lucina stood at the bottom of the steps that lead up to it. "Your Grace, you wanted to see me?" Lucina asked.

"Yes, my Lady-Hand," Marth said with a nod, "They say that the Steel Fox Brotherhood have began the Smash Brothers again?"

"Yes, Your Grace," Lucina nodded, "They operate out of Green Greens, under Lord Kirby's watch. Only a handful of them returned to that lackadaisical way of life, however. I know for a fact that Pit and Ness have stuck around here. Fox occasionally visits the city, especially for the Tourney."

"I suspect they'll represent their own banner at this year's tourney," Marth nodded. He stood up and said, "The real reason I called you in here today is a personal one."

As the King descended the steps of the Throne of Smash, Lucina looked around the room; besides a few members of the King's Guard, nobody else was in there. "We're having another child," Marth said quietly, "Rosalina found out last night."

"That's fantastic, Your Grace," Lucina smiled happily. The genuine joy on Lucina's face made the King smile as well, "Congratulations."

"I wanted to tell you what we're going to name him," Marth said, still beaming with joy, "Rosalina suggested northern-sounding name, but I convinced her otherwise."

"What's the name you decided on, Your Grace?" Lucina asked.

"Ike."

The sounds of the name made Lucina smile again, and her smile only grew larger. She embraced her King tightly and joyfully. She could not be happier for the King; with two possible heirs, it seemed that the Throne of Smash would never fall into another's hands. As they hugged one-another, a dangerous thought lingered in Lucina's head, a thought that traced back to Pit, the Steel Fox Brotherhood, and the Great Fairy: if you run away from your destiny, there will be a reckoning with consequences you cannot fathom.

Lucina looked brought her head up as Marth still held onto her. In the great hall, she saw Rosalina walk in with a smaller body next to her. The small child, blue of hair with beaming baby blue eyes, ran into the hall ahead of the Queen. Marth let go of Lucina and said something with a smile. However, the Hand of the King did not listen to it; she was stuck in her own head. When her King ran up to the child and picked him up, spinning his laughing son in his arms, Lucina shook her head slightly. Now, she began to fathom the consequences.

Immediately after the Sack of Smashville, Lord Kirby dedicated half of his now infamous Three Thousand to the city's reconstruction. Following his royal pardon, Kirby was named as Lord of Green Greens and Warden of Dreamland, being granted Castle Dedede as his new keep. His first project in his newly acquired castle was to tear down anything of Dedede's colors, replacing the red and gold banners with pink and red ones. Kirby had to admit that, before his death, Dedede was doing a decent job with regards to running Dreamland. All the Little Lord had to do was keep things in check.

He knew that the annual Tourney of Smash was coming up, so Kirby began to pack his bags and assemble his men. He had competed in a few events in the Tourney, which celebrated the King's triumph over Ganondorf, but he only ever won one event: the actual "Smash" event. Fondly, Kirby remembers knocking off Falco Lombardi in the championship round to win the hearts of thousands of spectators in the third annual tournament. The winner of the "Smash" event gets to crown somebody in the crowd as the "Queen of the Roses", apparently an old tradition in Marth's family. Kirby crowned somebody advocating loudly for it as his Queen, but he did not care about that; all he wanted was the glory of winning.

While he and several Waddle Dees loaded a carriage with supplies for the trek over to Smashville from Castle Dedede, he saw Fox and Falco walking up towards the castle. In the courtyard, all the Waddle Dees standing guard straightened up simultaneously as Kirby walked down the courtyard to meet them halfway.

"Fox, Falco," Kirby nodded, "How can I help you?"

"The Smash Brothers wish to use this courtyard as a place to fight," Fox requested quite formally, "We are aware that, technically, this is a keep of the famed Warden of Dreamland, but—"

"My answer is the same as it was last week, Fox McCloud," Kirby responded, disappointed, "Besides, should you not be taking the Steel Foxes—"

"We're called the Smash Brothers again, my Lord," Falco corrected quickly.

"Regardless," Kirby sighed, "shouldn't you be making way for Smashville? The Tourney of Smash begins soon, and I do not know if you want to miss it this year."

"The competition's slim," said Falco, studying the courtyard with a calculating expression, "Two of the former provinces in the realm do not even participate."

"In the era we live in, let's all just be happy to be here and be alive," Kirby suggested, "There's no better way to celebrate that than by going to a tourney that celebrates peace and victory."

"Yes, but how long of a peace, my Lord?" Fox asked, mysteriously.

Sighing, Kirby said, "If this is about Lucina again, I'll save you the time, and the breath, and tell you just to leave my castle. Let's not make it come to that, Fox."

As Kirby walked back to his castle, Fox called out, "So, that's a "no" to the courtyard?"

Laughing, Kirby turned around and said, "You are a persistent little bugger, aren't you?"

Fox shrugged with a grin. The Little Lord gave in, "Okay, just a little Smash; nothing too big."

"Your Majesty, we received another letter from King Marth," an elderly Toad spoke in the middle of Peach's great hall. Even though it was painted like the skies above the Mushroom Kingdom, it was overwhelmingly grey and drained of color partly due to the rainy weather outside. In her throne that sat atop a few steps at the back of the hall, Princess Peach rolled her eyes, "Much like last year, we received an invitation to the annual Tourney of Smash—"

"It does not matter," Peach shook her head, "We are not going to break bread with them."

"But Your Majesty, they are not the enemy," one of the Toads in her court spoke up, "It's been years since—"

"They are not our enemy, but they have proven to be a unreliable ally," the Princess interrupted again, "It has been seven years since the Sack of Smashville, yet Lord Kirby remains unpunished for his crimes. We are not going to a tourney in the south that celebrates a day of slaughter."

After the elderly Toad left the hall, Luigi entered the main hall through one of the doors to the side of the throne. On his chest was the Pin of the Hand, but also a few other pins and medals, as if he were dressed for a formal occasion.

"My Lord-Hand, what's with the medals from the War?" Peach asked, sitting up in her throne, "I don't recall telling you to dress up."

"Well, I am supposed to meet Lord Link of Hyrule today," Luigi said, "He and Lady Malon are coming up to discuss their wedding."

"Wedding?" Peach nodded her head, slightly interested, "If they are to be wed in Hyrule, why are they traveling to Mushroom City?"

"Mushroom City has some of the best wedding planners in the realm," a voice said from behind Luigi. They turned and saw Samus wearing her orange armor. When Samus was next to Luigi, she pecked him on the cheek, "Besides the obvious, I remember our wedding being a joyful occasion, my Lord-Hand."

"Fair enough," Luigi nodded, "Where's your dress, Lady Samus? This is supposed to be a formal event."

From the throne, Peach interjected, "She shouldn't wear a dress; she's not that kind of Lady."

"I was just about to say that, Your Majesty," Samus nodded with a cheeky grin.

A few minutes later, an escort of ten or so Hylian soldiers entered Peach's great hall. Following them were the Lord and Lady of Hyrule. The last time Luigi had seen Link was when he put the Master Sword back to its resting place, so to see Link dressed as a Lord was odd at first; no longer did he wear a green tunic with chain-mail underneath. Instead, he wore a dark green frock coat with beige trousers. He no longer wore his cap neither, so his long blond hair was visible for the first time around Luigi. Malon wore a white dress similar to one that was accustomed to the various Princesses of Hyrule, but she wore no gloves nor crown like those same Princesses. When they entered the hall, Peach walked down from the steps of her throne and hugged Link.

Luigi walked up and shook Link's hand, "Link. You look good as a noble man. This outfit is a far-cry from your usual dirty tunic and cap."

Link shook his head with a smile, even laughing slightly. While Luigi greeted Malon, Peach asked, "I was not expecting you until my Hand informed me of your arrival… Probably ten minutes ago."

"Less than that," Samus whispered still with a cheeky grin.

"It was a spur of the moment kind of thing," Malon nodded with a smile, "It was all Link's idea; he wanted to come up to Mushroom City for a couple of reasons, actually."

"Why so?" Peach asked, "I know you are currently planning your wedding, but I assumed that was the only reason?"

"Actually, I wanted you to meet somebody," Malon said. She turned around, letting Peach see a little boy standing shyly behind her. Half the boy's face was covered with the fabric of Malon's dress; he was trying to hide behind his mother. Luigi and Samus looked at Link, surprised, prompting Link to shrug with a look of pride on his face.

"Princess, my Lord-Hand, Lady Samus, I would like you to meet Talon, the future King of Hyrule," Malon smiled, bending down to a knee and putting her arm around the boy's shoulders. The boy had his mother's looks: long amber hair that fell down to his shoulders, big green eyes, a tanned face. Without his mother acting as a barrier between him and Princess Peach, the boy looked down shyly.

"Talon?" Princess Peach asked.

"Named after my father. He fought in Mario's Rebellion," Malon responded, still trying to get the nervous boy to look up at the others.

"King Talon of the New Hylian Empire…" Luigi nodded, looking at Link, who could not stop grinning. Luigi bent to a knee, getting to be eye-level with the boy. When the anxious boy looked up at Luigi, the Hand of the Princess grinned and stuck out his hand, waiting for the boy to take it, "The future is in good hands."