A/N- This is NOT a continuation of my first 'Time Collapse'. Bleh. I didn't like way that was going. This story will be more intense, less fluff, and more drama, but I'll still work on that story just for the fun of it.

XXX

The whole mansion was on pins and needles.

The dark counterparts of Link and Zelda had argued against the guests that they should be able to have their own rooms, just like everyone else. The Super Smash Council decided to vote on it.

"After all, there are other evil villains who live here also," Mario reasoned with the sitting characters. "It's only fair that they have a place to stay, just like everyone else."

The group of five were all gathered at the Mushroom Council Chamber, created and named from Mario's favorite world from his favorite galaxy. They all sat around one giant, green mushroom that was spotted with white. Zelda spoke.

"Yes, but… you don't know them, Mario," The queen said. "Dark Zelda and Dark Link… they have a way of getting into your mind, and messing with your morals, making you do things that you otherwise wouldn't do."

"The perfect brother-sister team…" Fox murmured. "It's better than having them appear every place and turning everyone against each other. Maybe if we give 'em residence they'll settle down." He looked to Zelda. "How did you guys beat 'em, anyway?"

"We didn't," Zelda said tiredly. "They're still here."

"And I suppose the only way to have them leave us alone is to give them what they want," Mario said. "Peach? What do you think?"

"I think it's a fantastic idea!" she said with her usual bubbliness. "There's no point in being mean to them if we can't drive them off."

"And it's not right if we leave them to fend for themselves in the real world," Mario said, looking at Zelda for approval.

"You're right," Zelda said. "All in favor—"

"Wait a minute," Marth interrupted, getting a little angry. Everyone turned to him. "Maybe we should just kick them out to the real world. I mean, with all of the trouble and mischief they'll caused, and all the smaller Brawlers they've frightened—"

"Marth, no," Peach said, a scared look in her eyes. "No one wants to sentence anyone to that fate, not even the worst of our enemies."

"Peach is right." Zelda gave Marth a look. "Why would you think of something like that?"

"Because." Marth clutched the edge of the mushroom table in annoyance. "In my kingdom, I'm used to wiping out the threat before it obliterates the order all together. Look at us! Inviting the villains from our worlds like we run an orphanage. If we get this situation out of hand, the peace we've known away from our homes could be… overthrown." Marth was halted by the memory of his own fallen kingdom, and looked around the table at the other Brawlers.

"So what you are saying is that we should be careful," Mario said after an uncomfortably long silence.

"Yes," Marth said. "This should go on without supervision. They need to understand that under the Mansion roof, there are rules."

"Rules, indeed," Zelda said. "And so, with these rules they will come to understand the order we have established here. Or else they will be escorted out of the Mansion and sent out into the Real World." Peach shivered, but didn't say anything.

"They should have to prove their worth," Marth continued. "Something like… an initiation."

"And initiation?" Peach said, sounding horribly betrayed. "But- but none of us had to go through a test to be able to live here!"

"After all the trouble they've put the Mansion through, they don't deserve to be let in freely," Marth justified.

"I have to agree with Peach on this one," Mario said. Peach beamed at him. "If they agree to abide by our rules, they should be able to stay, no test needed. It's simply not fair."

"The law isn't fair," Marth said. "but they choose not to follow it in the beginning, they will find the rules against them."

"All in favor," Zelda began, "of producing a test for Dark Zelda and Dark Link to be able to join the Mansion?" Fox, Marth, and Zelda raised their hands.

"Sorry, Peach," Zelda said at the princesses downcast face. "Majority rules."

"So what'll it be?" Fox asked. "A test of strength, wits, ability to be good…?"

"A test on the ability to be 'good' wouldn't exactly be fair," Mario said. "After all, they were born evil."

"How about we create for them a new course?" Zelda suggested. "If they pass it—"

"—or get out of it alive," Marth muttered.

"—then they'll get to be a part of the mansion."

"After they agree to the Rules, of course," Fox said.

"Yes, of course," Zelda confirmed.

"A new course…" Mario said thoughtfully. "I think Luigi and I can handle that. It can be like one of the Training Rooms we already have saved in the Holodeck Memory—"

"Only much, much harder," Marth put in.

"What is with you, Marth?" Peach exclaimed. "It's like you don't want them to join us in the Mansion at all!"

"I don't. But if this is what it comes down to, then I'm determined to make the course as hard for them as possible," the prince said gravely.

The Council went quiet. All of them could agree, including Zelda, that Marth was the darkest one of them there.

"I'll tell you what," Mario told him, "I'll let you help out on designing it."

"Fine."

"Is this all?" Fox asked them.

"Yes," Mario said. "Meeting adjourned."

The five rose from their seats.

XXX

Ike and Samus were waiting for him outside of the Council Chamber.

"What did you decide?" Samus asked Marth, walking up to him from the waiting area.

"We're going to let them stay," Marth said. Around him, the rest of the Members filed out of the room. "We agreed to make them an initiation stage. If they pass it, they'll be able to stay at the Mansion."

"You're making them a stage? I thought you said you'd try and get them kicked out of the Mansion completely!" Samus fumed.

"I did," Marth said calmly, "but Peach and Mario didn't take to the idea. They didn't think it was fair for them."

"You let them stop you!?" Samus screeched, stepping forward with her fist raised.

"It's a council," Marth said, hands raised up. "Not a monarchy. They'll be tested on an Initiation stage, one that I'll have help making—"

"Why you little—" Marth ducked Samus' blow, and Ike swept up from behind her to grip her shoulders.

"Let me go, Ike," Samus said, elbowing him behind her. "He didn't try hard enough—"

"No point in struggling, Sam," Ike murmured in her ear in the midst of all her kicking and struggling. "Marth said that he did all he could—"

"I'm going to help out on making the stage as hard as possible for them, so difficult they might not even complete it," the prince added, straightening out his clothes. "I'd never let them stay intentionally, only if it was beyond my power."

"It'll be okay," Ike murmured. He trapped her arms in a full body hold, pulling her into his chest. "We—Marth and I—won't let Dark Link touch you again, whether he is allowed in the mansion or not."

In the waiting room where no one stood but them three, Samus finally stopped struggling, turned around and let Ike hold her in his arms while she cried.

XXX

Four weeks later, after much arguing, cussing and councils, Marth, Luigi and Mario opened the new Initiation stage for the Dark Siblings to take. Everyone knew, that if they passed, they would be allowed into the Mansion, have to contend with the rules, and be able to sleep under the same roof. And under all honesty, no one wanted that to happen. Except, perhaps, Ganondorf.

On the day of their test, Samus walked to the Holodeck computer on the sixth floor. She activated it, scrolling through the course options with the up and down buttons before coming across the one that she wanted. The Initiation Stage. Selecting 'Enter' she viewed the preview on the screen, needing to see if Marth's claims were right.

It was all that he had said and more. Suspended platforms, some of them moving over spikes and crazy deep gaps that could kill. Random ladders and conveyor belts that went to nowhere, a dangerous factor if you didn't preview the course first. Samus hoped they be able to. A total of five acrobatic bars that, if the move wasn't executed correctly, could have the performer called out of the test. Samus was glad, despite everything, that the players were unable to die on a computerized stage.

Numbly she watched the moving platforms move side to side, not hearing the footsteps enter the hallway behind her. "Nobody knew where you had gone. I thought you'd be here, though."

She whipped around to find Ike leaning against the wall opposite of her, arms crossed in a blue windbreaker. His hair was sprawled in every possible direction on his head, making it messier than usual.

Samus sighed. "I thought you were someone else."

"I know. I can feel your anxiety." Ike stepped closer to her. "It's been gradually building up since that day, reaching its peak."

She turned back to the small screen, crossing her arms. "I just hope they don't make it."

Ike smirked. "Very ruthless of you, Sam."

"I don't mean to be. I mean, I know they can't die. But…" she trailed off, not wanting to proclaim her fears.

Suddenly Ike was directly behind her, wrapping his arms around her waist and breathing softly in her hair. "You know I would have destroyed them if I had the chance, especially since—"

"I know you would've." There was a time where he almost did. But expulsion from the Mansion completely had held him back, brought him to his senses, and they hadn't spoken a word about it to any one else. "It doesn't help though."

"Would it help if I told you I will protect you no matter what happens?"

Samus closed her eyes. "Yeah. A little." And with that she turned her head slightly to his, and met his waiting lips.

XXX