Crystal Nothings II: My Wings Angle Down - The Fallen Lithium

Disclaimer: Nintendo, Sega, and Konami own Smash Bros.! A/N: In this chapter Link Toon Link

They had always said he looked like a cartoon. Hence hs nickname, 'Toon Link.' At first, he didn't like it. But after a while, he grew used to it and even began to flaunt it. However, he was still simply 'Link' when the Hero of Twilight wasn't around. Link thought his 'toonish' appearance gave him more character than the others in the house. The boy seemed to have a facial expression for everything.

Like right now, his lips were pursed into a confused 'o' shape, and his big, catlike eyes shifted back and forth as Jigglypuff ranted on in her unintelligible Pokemon language.

"Jiggly! Ji Jig Jigglypuff! Jig..."

The only thing Link could gather was that the balloon Pokemon was upset about something. He stroked his chin thoughtfully as the pink fluff stared questioningly up at him.

"Jigglypuff!" she cried in exasperation.

"Oh!" Toon Link cried, delighted he'd figured it out. "You're upset because Pichu left, right?"

At this, Jigglypuff bounced happily, then sank into the seat with a forlorn expression as she realized why she was bouncing.

It was true, after the... upsetting, to say the least... events that occured six months ago. A few of the Smashers in the house couldn't cope with the stress saying that they were leaving and wouldn't be returning. Aside from Pichu, Roy had departed, much to Marth's chargin. Dr. Mario dropped out from fighting, merely filling a medical role backstage. No one knew yet if Mewtwo was coming back.

"Well, hopefully Mewtwo came back," Link said with a small smile, petting the Pokemon affectionately on the head, "because then we would still have a translator for the little guys like you."

His statement earned him an angry glare from her, but she just turned her stare dejectedly out the window.

"Would you two shut up for five minutes?!" an irritable voice growled from behind them.

The thirteen year-old swordsman turned around in his seat and gave the twenty-five year old anthro who had spoken a steely glare.

"What crawled up your butt?"

Wolf O'Donnell lay the book he was reading down in his lap and crossed his arms defiantly.

"The same thing that keeps your voice box running."

Link opened his mouth to interject, but couldn't think of an intelligent response, so he settled for sticking his tongue out at Wolf and returning to his own seat.

The ship they were on had a magnificent view of the lake they were sailing on. The waves rippled serenely and smacked against the side of the ship leisurely, without a care in the world. The trio of Smashers could see the island they were headed towards.

A blur of green was all Wolf and Jigglypuff could see as Toon Link bounded happily into the air. "Yes! We're almost there!"

"Hey! Siddown! Friggin' kids..." Wolf muttered.

"Oh, come on!" The boy said with a sly smile. "You can't tell me you're not the least bit excited?!"

I don't want to talk to this nuisance of a child, Wolf thought miserably. But the cartoonish-looking boy was staring at him with those wide, innocent eyes. Wolf could feel the growl he bit back hiding in his throat. Why does this kid have to have those goddamned eyes?!

"Well," he started gruffly. "I guess I should be more excited than I am."

"Why aren't you more excited?"

"...It's..." he sighed angrily, "It's none of your business kid!"

Link looked taken aback for a moment, then gave up and rolled his eyes and his way back to his own seat.

Wolf propped his chin in his hand and stared out the window at the lake. The house they were staying in was in view now, and that knot of dread that was tying itself in his stomach was getting bigger with each passing centimetre that the ship inched towards his doom.

The ex-mercenary had felt bad for yelling at the little snot, but he couldn't help it.

Talking about Star Fox was a sensitive issue for him.

And goddammit all, they were here. Not one, but two. Fox McCloud AND that cocky bastard, Falco Lombardi. There was no doubt that the two wouldn't like his presence. The lupine has been more compassionate than his avian friend... but then again, they were best friends, right? Suffice to say, Wolf was a bit worried about his reception.

They had been through so much, he and the Star Fox team. Andross, the Sauria invasion, the wars with the Aparoids and the Anglars.

After the latter two, Wolf had decided that maybe being the bad guy wasn't as much fun as he thought. Hell, he didn't even like being the bad guy in the first place, killing people, and stealing. Sure, being a rebel with attitude was always entertaining, but that kind of thing was taking it too far. But of course, Star Wolf had been offered a pretty penny.

What else could he have done?

The young Hero of Winds had been preoccupied with his own thoughts at the time.

He was excited to be back and see everyone, for sure. But there were two people he wouldn't be seeing.

And he didn't know how he (or the others) was going to take it.

The enigmatic 'Master' and his even more mysterious companion 'Crazy' had gone to great lengths to lure everyone back to re-start the tournament. But the boy couldn't help but think it would all be in vain.

Two Smashers were dead, and a third was in a coma.

Gee, no drama there, right?

Right.

He began tracing his finger idly on the steamy window, making non-descript patterns and shapes in order to distract himself from those thoughts.

But Link's mind, always refusing to stop working, brought up a new issue.

This 'Wolf' character. He seemed cranky, irritable, and rude. Just what this mansion needed. Another Bowser, or Ganondorf.

Ganondorf...

Oh Godessess, why the hell does one thought always lead to another?

Poor Link had no idea what to think of that situation. The Gerudo had always been their enemy. Both of them and their princesses had risked everything to take them down, to save their worlds.

One goddamned traumatic event occurs, then suddenly his other self and his arch-foe were best friends.

It was... well, infuriating!

Maybe it was just the overactive mind of a child...

That had to be it.

Wasn't it?

...

Wasn't it?

Aw, Evil Realm, I'm so lost.

"Jiggly jig jig puff!!"

The squeals of the balloon Pokemon signaled their arrival.

Link could feel his bright mood dampen significantly as all he could do was steel himself for another round of drama.

"Hopefully, we can skip the tragedy this time..."

"What?" Wolf asked, with a confused expression on his furry face.

"It's..." he smirked, suddenly. "It's none of your business, dog!"

The ex-Star Wolf leader bared his teeth and snarled at that, but he knew he couldn't attack a young child.

So he settled for glaring at the back of his blonde head as Jigglypuff lead the way into the house.