Deny

- Two -

Samus wandered the corridors that led to various places on the 'block'. She walked up the metal grated stairs and towards the sunlight, knowing the path she took was the one to the backyard of the Manse. After being in a practise match with Falcon for a little over two hours, her muscles were just a bit aching, still taut as her feet touched soft green grass. The sun was in full view now, the rays beaming down from overhead, bathing everything in its light. Various people were enjoying the un-February-like temperatures, either playing with their friends, soaking up the sun, or even having sparring matches (to the dismay of Peach). Falco and Fox were even having a picnic, which Samus thought was a bit odd.

This cheery-deary atmosphere is making me gag, Samus thought, moving back towards the Manse. The back door was wide open, and she thought that to be a security risk. Though Master Hand made sure there was security all around the perimeter of the Manse, they were only R., useless creatures in Samus's mind. She could easily kick one over, and they usually ran when they saw her (or anyone else) coming. She entered the kitchen where Peach was baking a strawberry cake and crossed the room to the fridge.
As usual, someone drank all the good crap. She wouldn't have minded a nice beer, but one of the other Smashers (Probably Falcon, thought Samus as she frowned slightly) seemed to have gotten there first.

Guess I'll just have more coffee, then. She closed the fridge door and walked back to rear entrance. Next to it was a row of cupboards, a long counter, and an 'express' coffee machine. From what she heard from Roy (who only consumed coffee during exam week), it didn't take any longer than a normal coffee maker, and she wondered sometimes why Master Hand spent his money on useless and extremely expensive stuff. Especially since the old coffee maker was perfectly fine, albeit a little dirty. Grabbing a nearby mug, she poured some steaming hot coffee and set the pot back down.

"Hey Peach," Samus said, "who made this last batch of coffee here?"
Peach turned her head away from frosting the cake and answered, "Either Ganon or Luigi. I'm pretty sure it was Ganon, though... Why?"
Samus fanned her hot beverage and took a sip. "'S a little strong, that's why."
Peach put the frosting tube down and made her way over to where Samus was.
"Then it was definitely Ganondorf. He likes it really...zangy."
Samus drank it anyway, getting used to the punch it packed. She would have to ask Ganondorf how many scoops he put in later.

"Oh, by the way, Sam," Peach said, reaching into one of the bottom cabinets for a cake server, "there's a note posted on the bulletin board. It says 'Urgent' on the top, but I haven't had a chance to look at it yet."
Samus turned towards the entrance hall. "Really."
Peach went back to her station by the stove. "Yeah. It's probably nothing important or major, but Master Hand likes to sound more important than he really is."
"Kinda like Ganondorf," Ike said as he entered through the back door. Before anyone asked him what he was doing there, he continued, "Zelda invited me over for tea in the library. She found something about Crimean history she thought I'd like."

Too much info, no one cares, Ike. "Last floor, can't miss it, has a huge sign on the front," Samus directed. "Use the stairwell in the hall there."
Ike nodded his thanks and left the kitchen, his footsteps reverberating off the walls as he ascended the steps.
"There must be something about evil men that makes them have huge egos," Peach breathed, carefully adding strawberries around the cake surface.
"I don't think anyone could have a bigger ego than Ganon, personally," Samus said as she edged out of the kitchen. "Except maybe Master Hand."
"Possibly," Peach answered. "But they could be about equal."

Samus was examining the bulletin board directly outside of the kitchen. Various notes of different colours were pinned up on its cork board surface, each colour representing what it was and how important it might be. Blue stood for anything tournament related, red for Manse stuff, and so on. There was even a key posted at the top for anyone who forgot. Not like many even read the stupid thing in the first place. There, in the middle of the board on red paper was the notice Peach was talking about before.

She took a sip of coffee as she read over the notice, which read:
Attention Smashers young, old, evil, good, human or otherwise,
This week is, as you know, Valentine's Day. And as per usual tradition, all this week you can give the gift of love through cards, candies, chocolates, or even weapons if that's your thing. But choose your Valentine carefully - they are to be your date for the dance held on February 14th, the day of love itself. Anyone without a date by this time will be assigned one as dictated by Princesses Peach and Zelda. More details about the dance will be revealed as the day comes closer. As always, if you have any questions, please go see them, as I can't be bothered with stupidity.

Have fun, and spread the gift of love! (Oh geez, I can't believe I just wrote that! Hanging out with my insane brother has gotten to me, I think.)
- THE MASTER HAND (and Crazy Hand's here, too, unfortunately)

Samus nearly spit her coffee out onto the floor, just as Nana came marching down the stairs. She saw the flabbergasted look on the bounty hunter's face and came to the conclusion that something was not right.
"They have the Tier Lists up already?" Nana asked when she was a good six feet away from the blonde. Nana was very uncomfortable standing next to Samus since she was a good three feet taller than the female Ice Climber, and so she stood away.
"Hmm?" Samus hadn't even heard Nana come down the stairs. "Tier Lists?"
That must not be what Samus is shocked over, then. "Never mind. What're you so horrified over?"

Peach, who could clearly hear the conversation from her place in the kitchen, poked her head out, dish towel in hand, drying a dish.
"What's it say, Sammy?"
Samus honestly thought the coffee was making her hallucinate. "...Read it for yourself - reading it once it more than enough, in my opinion."
So Peach and Nana read the note. Peach's eyes lit up and Nana made a face similar to Samus's.
"Oh right, the Week of Love thing," Peach commented, as if it were old hat by now. "I hope you find someone to give gifts to, Sammy. Otherwise someone will definitely find you!" The very pink princess giggled and went back into the kitchen.

"What's wrong with you?" Samus asked Nana. "Don't you usually go for this sort of thing?"
Nana sighed. "You remember last year. Ness, Popo, and Young Link were all fighting for me. It was a nightmare."
Samus refused to participate last year in the 'gift of love' crap. Unfortunately, the dance was mandatory, and since she got her date last minute, she ended up taking Ganondorf.
"Right. Well this year you'd better act fast. Go with Popo - he's your boyfriend, isn't he?"
Nana shrugged. "I was thinking of taking Young Link this year, but he might freak on me or something, so who knows."

Samus began calculating a list of men she could have as candidates.
"Hey Peach," she called into the kitchen, "is this male-female or does anything go?"
Peach had just finished covering the cake for later and wiped her hands on her apron.
"Well, I think it's anything goes, because there are only four of us and thirty six or so of them, plus not everyone is straight here and we don't want to discriminate."
Samus's list shrunk just a little. "Thanks, Peach. I'll keep that in mind."
That means Marth, Roy, Ike, Fox, and even Falco are off my list. This isn't a promising start.

Samus didn't really care who she ended up with, just as long as it wasn't Ganondorf again. She took a gulp of coffee and grimaced.
"Goddammit, I really have to start drinking this stuff quick."

-x-

Samus went up to the library to find some books on power suit repairs and upgrades. She rarely visited the third floor because she didn't really read much. Anything she was interested in reading, she got through magazines, and those were dropped in her mailbox on her door.
Pushing the heavy double doors with equally heavy stain glass windows on them (what was it with Master Hand and stain glass?) open, the entire expanse of the gigantic library was completely open to her. A fire crackled in the fire place in the centre of the room, with three chairs gathered around it. Tables with book piles, dictionaries, and school work were all over. And then there was the computer area in the very back, with some tables in the front; and lastly, the main attraction: the books themselves. The Manse library had every book on every subject by every author. Everything was sorted by topic, then by subtopic, and then finally, by author.

Samus consulted the map posted on the wall directly next to the doors so she knew where she had to go. Naturally everything she wanted was way in the back, next to all the history crap. Sighing heavily, she made her way to the back, passed Zelda and Ike discussing the war between Daein and Crimea by, passed the computers where Ness and Lucas were looking up information on the Internet. And at last, she reached her destination. Noiselessly, someone crept up to the section directly behind her with the intent to grab something without disturbing her. Samus, her senses more honed than an average person's, heard the whooshing of fabric and turned on her heel quickly.

"You know, Tiara Boy, you could easily give someone a heart attack doing that," Samus mused, startling the Altean prince. He scowled at the nickname and grabbed the book he came here for, saying nothing at first.
"As could you," Marth replied at last, his voice just above a whisper.
"But you'd fail as a ninja."
"I have no plans to be a ninja." Marth had a very vague idea of what a ninja actually was. "What brings you here, anyway? You usually avoid this place like a deadly disease."

Samus skimmed the titles, fingering each and every book spine in search of the right one. Samus was terrible with book titles, but remembered the book she always used was leathery, coarse like overtly calloused hands.
"I need to fix something on my suit, if it's anything to you." Samus avoided staring directly at Marth. Though she hated to admit it, he was extremely good looking, though taken by someone else. She wouldn't have even minded going with him to the dance, but someone probably asked him first.
"That's what I figured," was all Marth said.

If it was one thing Samus couldn't figure out, it was whether Marth just talked to her to be polite or if he was really interested in talking to her. Perhaps he was even intimidated by her, for she towered over him a bit as well. Then again, Samus wasn't exactly the best at reading people, and she wasn't exactly best friends with him.
"And you're probably here reading another boring book on something or other."
Marth chuckled softly. "Boring to most people, anyway."
Samus sighed in frustration at being unable to find the book she wanted. It could have been in her room still, as she was bad about remembering to return things, but she swore she returned it...

"So have you heard about the dance?" It was someone else's voice now, too feminine to be Marth's. They both turned at the same time and saw it was Zelda, close by, returning a book to its proper place.
"Uh... No," Ike admitted, also close by. "I wasn't aware there was one."
"I could have sworn I sent the memo to Tabuu... In any case, there's a dance we do every year here. Basically, this is the Week of Love, and you give gifts to your Valentine. The person you give gifts to is your date for the dance. It's simple, really."
"That guy in green isn't going to try to steal you away from me, is he?" Ike joked, embracing her from behind.
"He might, but I'll just tell him I already have a date."

Samus turned back around and continued her search for Your Power Suit and You and Marth sighed.
"So, do you have anyone for this stupid dance?" Samus grinned when she spotted the book and plucked it from its resting place. Just as she thought, it felt coarse and leathery - she was thinking she might have mistook the texture for something else.
"I haven't been given anything yet, so no," Marth answered as they both emerged from the shadowy back, nearly scaring the Hylian princess and her beau.
"Have you given anything yet, then?"
"I haven't," Marth admitted. "I think there's a bet going around, though, so I don't know what I want to do yet."

Samus smirked. "Would your boyfriend care at all if you went with someone else?"
Marth sat down at the table he was at previously, right next to the mountain of books he was going to read.
"It's not a serious dance or anything, so probably not. But he might get just a little jealous." Marth smiled a little then. "You remember what happened in June. Why? Were you thinking of asking me?"
Samus rested her head against her palm. "Yeah, but after hearing that, I don't wanna rain on Roy's parade. 'Specially since I know he'd probably stab me with that beauty of a sword."

Marth shrugged. "If that's what you'd rather do."
And if by some sort of summon, Roy burst through the library doors, something in his hand. It was wrapped in blue paper with a red bow on top. Samus snorted, earning a look of confusion from the prince sitting next to her.
"Oh crap, Samus didn't ask you already, did she?" Roy's face looked just a bit crushed at the scene before him.
"No, she didn't."
Roy nodded, then presented Marth with the gift. "Will you be my Valentine, Marth and speak of this to no one?" He glanced in Samus's direction.

Marth accepted the gift and gestured for Roy to lean down just a bit.
"What?"
Marth gave him a kiss on the cheek. "Of course."
Roy looked a little disappointed. "That's all I get? A kiss on the cheek?"
Marth's eyes shifted to the blonde next to him. "With people around, yes."

And that was Samus's cue to leave the two lovebirds alone.
"Well, I guess I'll be leaving now," she said, excusing herself. "Power suit upgrades and all that shit."
Marth nodded and stood, as manners dictated. "See you later, then."
Curses, she said as she exited out the back door of the library. Why are all the good looking guys taken? I'll probably end up with Ganondorf again.
Captain Falcon didn't even cross her mind.

-x-

Author's Notes: Ooh, it keeps getting more and more interesting!
And yes, this takes place in the same universe as Melee Academy of Higher Learning for Boys, in case you saw any similarities between this and my other fic.

Until the next chapter!