[CAUTION: This chapter contains a bit of bad language. Read at your own risk.]

[tRIPS IM SO SORRY I HAVENT BEEN UPDATING]
[also this has not been checked yet there may he errors and probably terrible story writing but ANYWAY-]

[Villager's POV]

I strayed away from the group, walking by myself. I wanted to be alone and think. My stupid, love-centered thoughts.

What did Toonie see me as? Sure, it would make sense to just ask him, but he isn't very open with his feelings, so he may lie. Should I start experimenting, then see how he reacts? No, that's stupid.

Maybe I should just ask him out? It would be much easier than waiting for him to realize his feelings...that he may not even have.

Maybe I'm just over thinking this? People say speak with your heart, not your brain. Maybe this is the time to do that?

"You okay, Villa?" Toonie asked. I jumped a bit at his voice. Did he lag back just to talk to me?

"Uh, yeah, fine." I answered, still contemplating confessing to him.

"You sure? You're a bit...too quiet."

"I'm surprised you noticed..." I mumbled to myself.

"What was that?"

"I said I've just been thinking."

"About?"

"Nothing that concerns you." I thought for a moment. "A-Actually... I've been wanting to ask you something... What...do you see me as?"

He stared at me, then snorted, "What kind of question is that?"

"Just answer."

"I see you..." He scratched his chin. "As....an ally. I mean, a competitor. Perhaps both? I dunno..."

So much for that idea... I thought. Of course he would give an answer like that... I'm becoming impatient. A month, Villager. Give him a month to find out how he sees you.

Still, it did sting a bit. He didn't even see me as a friend. Simply, a competitor. Not someone he likes. Someone he fights. I don't know why, but the more I thought about it, the more upset I became.

"Why are you asking?" I turned away from him, in fear that I might go off if I spoke. "Hey, don't be like that!" He picked me up, holding me beneath my arms, "Is something bothering the poor baby?"

I began thrashing in his grasp, "H-Hey! Don't talk to me like that! I'm thirteen, I'm practically an adult!"[Yes, that was meant to be a joke]

"You're thirteen? Coulda sworn you were still a toddler." I knew he was only messing with me now.

And yet, I still let it bother me. "Toddler?! This entire time, I have been saving your ass from every obstacle you run into! And you call me a damn toddler?! You're a such a bi-!" He covered my mouth before I could finish. [AN: The angrier Villager gets, the more vulgar his insults get. Imagine if Toon Link let him go on, lol.]

"Whoa, Villa, calm down. Kids could be reading this. And I'm just messing with you. Jeez, you're really defensive. Your cheeks are redder than Fawful's robe." I growled as he pulled me into his chest, holding me like a child.

"I'm not in the mood, okay?"

"Something really must be bothering you then. C'mon, you can tell me-"

"No, I can't." I almost yelled. "You just don't understand, Toon Link. And you never will."

"V-Villa..."

"Don't call me that. In fact, put me down. I strayed from the group for a reason."

"V-Villager... What are you saying..."

"I'm saying I want to be alone! Put me down!" He did so, and I instantly started walking by myself again, not looking back to see if he followed.

[Toonie's POV]

Why did Villager's words...hurt...? Why did it feel as if my heart had been ripped out, simply from his anger towards me...? My eyes burned, and I tried not to blink, knowing a tear would roll down my cheek. Why did it feel like I wanted to cry...?

I didn't care... He was just angry... What could I have done to make him mad at me...? Surely, he was mad at someone else.

....Right?

"You don't understand, Toon Link."

....That was the first time he's ever referred to me by my full name...

Why did I care? So what, he's mad at me... He can be mad all he wants... But why....does it hurt so badly?

I gripped my chest, over where my heart is. Stop that! Stop having feelings for him! He's just another ally! ....Just another kid!

Just....

Another....

Suddenly, I bumped into the back of Villager. We had all stopped again, in front of another Master Core.

"Alright..." Mario said, "Who's breaking it this time?"

"Is it possible for the same character to break one twice?" Villager suggested.

"I am not breaking that thing again!" Ness yelled.

"Link can't break it, his arrows and boomerang have too much range... Same goes for Toon Link... Megaman has too many abilities..."

"Thought about yourself?" Ness mumbled loudly.

"In fact, I did," Mario replied, "And if I break it, I'll burn you harder than Dark Mibus did!"

"Yeah right, what, you're gonna channel your own dark energy into your flame?"

"It doesn't take dark energy to burn an idiot like you!"

"Same goes for you, old man!"

"Oh, we are not having this argument again!"

"Then why don't you just drop it?"

"I would if you wouldn't bring it up!"

"For fucks sake, would both of you just shut up!" Villager yelled, hoisting his ax over the Core, "I'll break it, if it gets you two to shut up!"

"Wait, don't!" Mario yelled, "You're the most dangerous out of all of us!"

"I don't CARE!"  Villager sliced the ball into. The two halves disintegrated into dark energy, except this time, it instantly formed into a clone of Villager. The clone stayed idle, staring at all of us, then it seemed to lock its glare on me.

The next thing I knew, it jumped on me, swinging a randomly spawned ax at my head. Luckily, I backed away, just out of the blade's reach. "Why is it only attacking me?" I asked as it swung again, this time at my legs. I dodged it, but it made a cut.

"Maybe it's drawn to tears?" Ness said.

"Shut up! You know that's not it!" I drew my sword, trying to deflect when it swung its ax, but my sword went through it, resulting in a new cut on my other leg.

[Villager's POV]

As Toon Link fought for his life, everyone looked at me. "Don't look at me. I can't control that thing."

"Something about you could've triggered it to only attack Toon Link..." Mario said.

"Isn't it obvious?" Ness said, "The married couple is having some issues. I say we lock them in a room together, then they'll-" I threw an ax at his head, which he unfortunately dodged. "Hey, watch where you throw that thing!"

I growled as my ax returned to me, "I don't know what could've triggered that thing to only attack Toon Link," I lied, knowing it was my current anger towards him, "and even if I was angry at him, your suggestion would make nothing better."

"D'aww, come on," he bent down to my height. I hated it when people did that. "Just think about it for a moment."

A blush ignited across my face, "D-Don't put thoughts like that into my head!"

"You have a perverted little brain, don't you?" I grabbed him by the shirt, holding my ax close to his throat.

"My first throw was simply a sloppy one. I assure you, the next time I throw this ax, I will not miss."

"A-Aye, sir!"

"Guys!? Help would be nice!" We all looked to Toon Link, pinned to the ground by the shadow clone. It raised its ax, and just as it slashed down, I quickly pushed him out of the way, the ax blade hitting me instead. A huge gash on my back resulted.

[Toon Link's POV]

"Villa!" I yelled, seeing the giant gash on his back. The clone faded away, and I hoped that didn't mean what I thought it did. He stumbled to his feet, then fell to the ground again. I ran to his side, hoping that the dark stain on his back wasn't what I thought it was. "V-Villa! Why did you do that?! Are you okay?"

"It's fine." He coughed, struggling to get up and failing again, "I'm...not that important."

That hit me like an arrow to the heart. That's why he was mad. He thought....I didn't care about him. He fell to his knees, and I held him up, "No, nonononono, you're bleeding, you shouldn't be bleeding. You're hurt. We can't die out here, can we?" I looked at Mario, who shrugged.

"We're on the far part of the Hub world. The further we venture,the further we get from our natural games, the more likely....permanent death is. Last I checked, we don't have extra lives, and we've used all of our healing items."

It took a moment for me to accept what he had just told me. "I'll be fine..." Villager said, coughing up blood, "I won't die.... I can't die..."

"And since he comes from a more passive game, it's more likely that his health runs low easily," Mario added.

"We need to get him back to the Hub!" I yelled, standing up and holding him.

"We're too far out."

I was beginning to run out of options. And hope. "Hey, Toon Link," Villager tugged on my tunic, "In case I don't make it... Which I won't..."

"Yes you will!" Tears stung my eyes.

"I want you to know..." His voice suddenly turned cold, "I died for you. Because I love you. There's just something about you... That makes me do stupid things. I...don't know why... You're just...fun to hang out with... And I find it adorable how you deny your feelings..."

"Villa, no! Please, don't tell me that! Don't tell me you're dying!"

"I died for you." He coughed up more blood, his body starting go limp. "It's...your...fault..."

"Villa!" He stopped responding. "Villager! This better be a joke! A sick, twisted joke! You better not be dead! Have an extra life, a fairy, something! Play Sakurai if you have to! Just please, don't die on me...!" Realization slowly set in. "I... I love you too! I love you too, you hyperactive, optimistic freak! I love you too...." I held him tighter into my chest as he slowly faded into dust.

I cried. More than I have ever cried in my life. I slowly stood -- nothing but dust on my hands -- still quivering from my sobs. "They're gonna pay." I started walking, scraping my sword across the ground. "They're gonna pay!"

I died for you. It's. Your. Fault.

"They're gonna pay!"