Disclaimer: I do not own any of the Legend that is Zelda. I just write about it because I enjoy the series, the characters, and all the awesomeness within the games. So please, don't sue me. I hardly have any money anyways!
Rating T: For the battle that occurs at the end of this story. Probably could be rated K+, but I am too much of a wimp to rate it as such!
Summary: She was the one who annoyed him, she was the one who bewildered him, she was the one who bugged him throughout the never ending days; but in the end, she was the one who gave him the chance that saved the world. A one-shot. Gen.
A/N: Hello there! So, what started as a little short story that was only supposed to be 2k something words turned into a 6k+ one-shot. Yikes! I do apologize for any badly structured sentences or misspelled words. I do my best to edit my work on my own but I'm not perfect, and as such, it never fails that a few parts end up sounding rougher than I would've liked.
Also, I just want to say that all reviews, favorites, etc. are and will be extremely appreciate! Even if it is criticism, I still enjoy getting it as critique is what helps me to grow as an author. So don't be afraid to review! I don't bite...most of the time ;)
Thanks for taking the time to read!
(^_^)
There is a Chance
A One-Shot
Written by: Okami of Shinobi Saru Corp
She was intelligent, she was detailed, she was precise - too precise. And this was the last straw.
Link had finally given up on understanding Fi's lectures about percentages and calculations. To the blonde-headed teen, the humanoid's babbling was akin to the grunts and screeches of the Bokoblins. There's a ninety-seven percent chance of this, there's an eighty-five percent chance of that – it just didn't make any sense.
Now don't get me wrong, Link enjoyed having some precision in his life. During his schooling he'd make sure his sums were nice and accurate and that every swing of his sword was calculated and efficient. He'd even practice throwing pots at a specific target to increase his aim.
He liked accuracy. But this - it was just over the top.
"Master?" Fi questioned in her irksome, mechanical-like voice.
Snapping his attention back to the humanoid, Link curtly replied, "What?"
"Did you hear the information I just relayed to you?"
"Of course I heard you," the teen griped, his face twisted and his fists clenched in extreme irritation, "How could I not when you keep popping up right in front of my face all of the time!"
A bit confused by her Master's response, Fi calculated about what to say for a moment before responding, "Forgive me, Master. Would you like me to pop up in a different place next time?"
Link bit his lip. "No, I...I, just...just tell me what that thing was!"
Without missing a beat, Fi explained, "The creature that just left us was a Kikwi – a peaceful forest creature that lives around this part of Faron Woods. Kikwis are highly intelligent creatures that are capable of speech. Though, contrary to what you previously suggested, they are not Zelda."
"I know that a Kikwi isn't Zelda!" the blonde scowled, turning away from the humanoid and walking off in the direction said Kikwi had gone. When the twosome had first approached the shivering creature, the analytical humanoid stated that the little Kikwi was giving off a very interesting dowsing reading. Since Link's mind was focused on finding Zelda, he replied asking about his lost friend. Now, he hadn't meant that he thought the Kikwi was Zelda, he was just asking if the Kikwi had something to do with Zelda. Big difference. Though, apparently his response of "Zelda?" didn't make that differentiation clear enough.
"You know," Link added, turning around to face the sword spirit, "I'm not as ignorant as you might think."
"Forgive me Master, but your actions speak otherwise."
Link threw his hands up towards the sky. Why couldn't the Goddess have sent him a more agreeable traveling companion? You know, someone with a little more tact and consideration for other people rather than some mechanical machine that spits out percentages every five minutes?
"Master, I suggest that we stop wasting time with this idle chit-chat and continue to follow that Kikwi," Fi advised, her face as expressionless as always. "That creature is still giving off a strong dowsing response attuned to Zelda, and as such, it would be wise of you to follow it."
"Yes, it would be wise seeing as it has a five percent chance of being Zelda," Link scoffed, a strong tone of sarcasm pouring off of every word.
"At first, that Kikwi did possess a five percent chance of being the girl for which you seek," Fi calmly explained, "But, after further calculations were made-"
"No," Link interrupted, holding a hand up to silence the humanoid, "You said that Kikwi had a 'five percent chance' of being Zelda. Therefore, I am going to capture that Kikwi and bring it back to Head Master Gaepora. "
"But Master-"
Link once again shushed the sword spirit. "If there is a small chance that this Kikwi is, indeed, Zelda, then we should act accordingly. So, I am going to take this Kikwi back to Skyloft just on the off chance that it is actually Zelda under some sort of 'magical' spell."
"Well if we are to use that line of reasoning..." Fi began. Link swore that if the sword spirit could speak with emotion, then her voice would've been dripping with satire. "Then I advise you to take that mushroom over there as well."
"And why is that?"
"That mushroom has a microscopic chance of being Zelda."
Link scowled at Fi's response while silently continuing his search for the Kikwi. Fi, however, wasn't about to let the topic slide.
"And I suggest that you take that Deku Baba as well as it is giving off a minute dowsing response that is similar to that of the Kikwi's. In addition, there is that rock over there behind that tree which also has a miniscule chance of being your friend, Zelda. There is also that log to your left. That log has a one raised to the negative tenth power percentage of being the friend which you seek."
The blonde sighed as Fi continued on with her list of things that could be Zelda. Inwardly he prayed that Fi would get bored and return to his sword, leaving him in blessed silence. Though, the probability of that ever happening was extremely low due to the humanoid's love of talking, especially when she was trying to prove herself right.
Much to Link's joy, it didn't take him long to unearth the location of the creature. Though, after he had explained who he was, who Fi was, and what a Zelda was to the little Kikwi, the teen began to realize that taking the overly shy forest creature all the way back to Skyloft would be a difficult endeavor.
Diminishing the possibility of Link's success even further, Fi then proceeded to bluntly point out that it would be impossible for the teen to carry the Kikwi all the way to Skyloft due to his lack of strength.
Therefore, Link reluctantly – and quite angrily – abandoned his plan and set off in search of the Kikwi elder as suggested by Fi. And then, according to said Kikwi elder, he had to search for Lopsa.
And then Erla.
Then Oolo.
But the hero persevered. He somehow managed to conquer the beasts of the forest, find all the obnoxious Kikwi, and survive Fi's precise percentages. By the time he had finished, the teen was feeling pretty good about himself.
That is, until he reached the depths of the forest.
Slowly the blonde scanned the large temple before him. Vines slithered up and down the sides of the structure, making it look like it had grown right up from the ground, and a multitude of smooth, stone blocks decorated its exterior. The setting sun illuminated the edges of the building while casting a long shadow on the ground, creating a strange contrast between the darkened ground and the bright sky above.
Breaking the rather eerie mood, Fi jumped out in front of Link and stated, "Master Link, this is Skyview Temple, and if my calculations are correct, there is a ninety percent change that Zelda is inside."
Link rolled his eyes. Here they go again.
"Fi, what did I tell you about the percentage thing?"
A pause. "Master Link, this is Skyview Temple, and if my calculations are correct, there is such a high chance that Zelda is somewhere in this temple that not going inside to investigate would show great signs of stupidity on your part. That being said, I suggest that you proceed with extreme caution into this structure."
Biting his lip to keep himself under control, Link tightly clenched the straps of his shield and stomped into the temple. He didn't particularly enjoy following Fi's instructions, but he wasn't about to let his petty attitude problems get in the way of saving Zelda. That is, if he could save Zelda. The longer he searched for her, the more he wondered if he really was the right guy for the job.
Ever since he was young he had been somewhat apathetic. It's not that he was heartless or that he didn't value anything, he just didn't feel passionate about much within the world. And, in those rare moments where he did intensely care about something or someone, it never failed that he would get teased for having such feelings. It was this treatment that, throughout the years, continuously knocked Link down into a deeper level of disinterest. Over time, that never ending process gradually molded the teen that Link is today - a guy who struggles to be driven and dedicated in achieving his goals or overcoming any harsh obstacles in his life. Needless to say, this lack of resolve tore at Link's mind and caused him to hate himself even more than he already did.
In fact, now that he thought about it, that was the very reason why he despised Fi so much. Even though she was void all emotion, she had a way of bringing to light all of his faults and pushing him to move forward despite his overwhelming apathy and uncertainty.
To say the least, the humanoid's methods were extremely aggravating to the teen. The last thing Link wanted was to be constantly reminded of his lack of determination and courage, but even he had to admit, in a strange sort of way Fi's "motivation" actually worked. It made him mad, and that anger seemed to fuel himself enough in order to overcome whatever struggle he had to face at the time.
Rubbing the back of his head, Link sighed. All he wanted was to save Zelda and return to his life back in Skyloft. Forget all that saving the world and legend of the Goddess nonsense. He didn't want to change, he didn't want to overcome any mental barriers, and he most definitely didn't want to spend too much longer with Miss Precision.
All he wanted to do was to go home.
Pushing his thoughts aside for the time being, Link entered the temple. Immediately greeted by the screeches of a mob of Keese and Link almost didn't have enough time to defend himself as he held up his shield and grasped his sword. Frantically he swished and swashed his weapon around until a pile motionless wings had formed at his feet.
Relived, the blonde sheathed his sword and made a move to continue deeper into the structure. But something wasn't right - it was his right arm. For some reason, it felt strangely light.
The teen glanced down at his arm and the realization slapped him across the face. His shield had broken!
"No!" The teen exclaimed, sinking down to his knees in sheer agony, "No, no, no, no!"
"Master." Link looked up to see that Fi had come out of the hilt of his sword. "It is possible to obtain another shield at the Bazar back in Skyloft. I highly recommend that you do so or else you will be susceptible to further injuries."
Rolling his eyes, the blonde replied, "I don't have time for that! Surely I can handle whatever is in this temple."
"If you think you can go without a shield, then I will not stop you. Though again, I still highly recommend obtaining some means of protecting yourself."
Link waved off the humanoid's suggestions. "I'll be fine, or as you would say," the teen then changed his voice to more mechanical tone, "I have an eighty-five percent chance of succeeding."
If it was possible for Fi to roll her eyes then she would have done so after Link's comment, but instead, she just softly replied, "To be accurate, you have a thirty percent chance of succeeding..."
Link, of course, didn't hear his companion's comment, and as such, confidently sauntered into the depths of the temple. About five minutes later he could be seen running back out, desperately trying to get free from the enemies chasing him from behind.
"Master!" Fi stated, speaking loud enough to overcome the noise of the many monsters behind them, "I am failing to see how this is conserving our time-"
"I don't want to hear it Fi!" Link shouted while impaling a nearby Keese with his sword. Needless to say, the instant he escaped he headed straight for the Bazar.
Sword? Check. Shield? Check. Lots of health restoring potions? Check, check, and check.
Link set his sights on the door standing before him - he was ready.
Fi on the other hand, wasn't so optimistic.
"Master." Link stopped and groaned at the sound of the humanoid's mechanical-like voice. Couldn't he just have one hour without having to listen to one of Fi's analytical ramblings?
"Please exercise extreme caution while investigating what's behind that door," the sword spirit warned, ignoring the look of irritation on the youth's face, "There is a ninety-five percent chance that whatever is in the room beyond will be much stronger than anything that you have faced so far."
Link couldn't help but roll his eyes a bit. While some of the sprite's information could - at times - be rather useful, the humanoid's never ending stream of "helpful" advice always seemed to cause the teen to grit his teeth in frustration. Don't do this, don't do that; it'd be wise of you not to do this - be cautious, be careful, and above all, be sure to heal yourself when you get injured. He felt like he was being treated like an ignorant five year old, a fact which aggravated him to no end.
"Well," Link mumbled to himself before opening the heavy door and stepping into the room beyond, "I'll just hope on the five percent that there's nothing of evil intent to be found."
Upon entering the ornately designed room, a strange feeling began to pulsate throughout the teen's body. Soft light flickered in from an opening in the domed ceiling, illuminating the flecks of dust that wafted in the air. It was quiet, and if it wasn't for the sense of disturbance in Link's chest he would've considered the place to be rather peaceful.
After giving the room a quick scan, Link turned to Fi, or rather, the sword which housed her. He was about to throw her ninety-five percent chance warning back in her face, when suddenly, a bright light flooded the room, causing Link to shield his eyes with his arm to keep from being blinded.
Once he was certain that the light had dispersed, the teen glanced up from his arm. Immediately he stepped back, his mouth gaping at the sight in front of him.
There before him stood a tall, slim figure on whose frame was draped a silky red cloak. The person's back was facing the teen, but from the rather short haircut and seemingly muscular shoulders Link assumed that he was a man - a man with a very unique taste in clothing.
A tight fitting, creamy white outfit covered the man's body except for a few places where diamond shaped holes had been cut into the fabric, revealing a bit of the man's silvery skin. A belt made out of the same material as the clothes encircled the man's waist and a diamond earring hung from the figure's only visible ear.
But in Link's mind, the most bizarre attribute about this man wasn't his white hair nor his odd sense of fashion, but rather, it was his lack of shoes.
Link blinked a few times before he once again analyzed the figure's feet. What kind of guy didn't wear shoes? To the blonde, walking outside without your shoes on was the equivalent of forgetting to wear your underpants. It just wasn't done.
Breaking Link's concentration on the man's shoeless feet, the teen suddenly caught sight of a long, black object in the man's right hand. A sword. Anxiously, Link tightened his grip on his shield.
"Well, well. Would you look who it is," the man smooth voice greeted, his weapon dispersing into a drizzle of black diamonds at the flick of his hand.
A wave of shivers raced down the teen's back. Something wasn't right about this guy...
"I thought that the storm I stirred up would have torn you to shreds, yet here you are, not in pieces."
'Wait...' Link thought to himself, 'So he's the one responsible for hurting Zelda!'
The figure paused for a moment before he turned around with a flick of his cape. Quickly he scanned the boy before him, licking his lips in what seemed like a sudden sense of pleasure.
Link bit his lip. If the purple skin underneath the figure's eyes was any indication, this man was definately not human. But if not human, then, what was he?
Halting Link's train of thought, the figure spoke, feigning a look of sympathy as he declared, "Ah, forgive me. I seem to have forgotten my manners. Let me do you the honor of introducing myself. I am Ghirahim, or as I'd rather you call me, Lord Ghirahim."
"Lord" Ghirahim then proceeded to bow before the boy, his face never losing the sadistic smile which graced his lips. Continuing his little speech, Ghirahim said, "It's a pity, really. By all rights that girl should be mine. But alas, that loathsome servant of the Goddess stole the maiden right from the palm of my hand." Ghirahim clenched his hands, hunching over as if someone had stabbed him in the chest. "Do you have any idea how that makes me feel?"
Link cautiously took a step back from the overdramatic "man". Tuning out the rest of what Ghirahim was saying, Link whispered out of the corner of his mouth, "Fi, do you have any information about this Ghirahim?"
From within the confines of Link's sword, Fi obediently answered, "Lord Ghirahim is a demon, Master Link, who is far more powerful than anythi-"
"Yeah, I get that much," the teen interrupted, "Can you skip to the part where you tell me how he battles?"
"If that's what you want..." Fi's paused a moment before she began to explain. "As you have already seen, Ghirahim has the ability to summon weapons, hence the black sword that previously disappeared. He also can call upon daggers and throw them at his prey. I suggest dodging these daggers if you end up in battle with Ghirahim."
Link nodded his head. "Anything else?"
"There is," Fi replied, not wasting a moment, "Ghirahim is prone to quick and sudden mood changes. I suggest that you refrain from angering him as that could end in a disastrous result. Though, Ghirahim can also come behave in a very gentlemanly like manner, fooling people of his true personality."
Gentlemanly? Link could think of many words to describe to describe the demon, but "gentle" or "manly" was definitely not one of them.
Meanwhile, Ghirahim was still brooding, clenching his fists as his anger rose to dangerous heights. The sides of his mouth twitched and his dark eyes opened wide while his fingers danced amongst themselves. Shattering the calm aura within the room, the demon wailed, disappearing into a shower of diamonds, "I'm furious! Outraged! Sick with anger!"
Startled, Link almost tripped over himself as he took a few steps back from where Ghirahim had stood. Though the demon was invisible, the blonde could still hear his voice, haunting him with its thirst for fear and insanity.
"This unfortunate turn of events has made me long for bloodshed. But don't worry..." Link nearly jumped out of his skin as Ghirahim came from behind and placed his head upon his shoulder. The demon's lips brushed the exterior of the teen's ear and Link's legs shook beneath him at the touch. Whispering, Ghirahim sadistically informed, "I won't kill you. I'll simply beat you within an inch of your life!"
Lashing out in front of him, the demon stuck out his snake-like tongue, its tip coming dangerously close to Link's face.
Thoroughly freaked out, the blonde leapt away from the crazed demon. In an attempt to cleanse himself, he wiped away the remnants of the Ghirahim's breath upon his ear. He made a mental note to take a scolding hot bath once he made it back to Skyloft. Or rather, if he made it back to Skyloft. Ghirahim seemed rather eager to pick a fight and he didn't appear to be the type to hold back.
Looks like Fi's calculations were right once again.
Now standing in front of the sky child, Ghirahim stretched out his arms, his red cloak fading away in a dramatic shower of diamonds. A sense of longing burned in the demon's eyes; it's flame eager to lick the drops of blood that were soon to stain its master's hand. Casually he sauntered towards the sky child, not even putting forth the small effort to summon his own sword.
Readying himself, Link unsheathed his blade. He was a bit shocked that the demon was walking rather than rushing towards him like an angry Moblin. But Ghirahim wasn't a 'normal' monster. He was theatrical, that much was for certain, and Link supposed that the element of the unexpected was to be anticipated. If he was to have a chance of surviving, he would have to be on his toes at all times.
Link's hand shook as it gripped the hilt of the weapon – the feel of metal in his palm still unfamiliar and nerve-racking. Focusing his attention on the demon before him, the teen noticed that Ghirahim had summoned a couple of daggers. Without pausing the demon launched the weapons at the sky child, leaving Link little to no time to dodge and get out of the way of the flying projectiles.
Clumsily the teen hopped and rolled around the room, acting as if he had been set on fire. Desperately he jumped over and ducked under as many of the daggers as he could. However, despite the teen's valiant efforts, one of the projectiles managed to slice through his right sleeve, a thin line of blood forming on the blonde's skin indicating the exact place where the weapon had sliced.
Scoffing at himself, Link got up on his feet. In one quick movement he swung his weapon, trying to slash through the demon's core. Through his narrowed eyes he could see the sword approaching its target. Triumphantly Link smiled - that is - until his blade abruptly stopped, causing the teen to lose his balance and stumble forward.
Panic throbbed within Link's mind as he glanced back at his sword. To his surprise, his weapon had been stopped by the demon's fingers. No weapon, no armor, no protection against the sharpness of the blade. There wasn't even a trickle of blood running down the demon's hand as he laced his fingers around the sword's blade.
Taking advantage of the teen's shock, Ghirahim flicked the weapon up into the air, easily taking the sword out of the sky child's grasp.
"How...?" Link gaped.
Ghirahim smirked - that devious grin pulling the trigger on Link's anger, bringing the teen out of his shock and pulling into focus the sword that was now nearing his neck. Without hesitation, Link fell to the ground and scooted backwards. It wasn't the most graceful dodge, but it was a dodge none-the-less and it saved him a nice gash in the side of his neck. Or better yet, his whole head entirely.
After getting back up on his feet, Link ran to the other side of the circular room, never taking his eyes off of the demon as he fled.
"Fi!" the teen exclaimed before stumbling over his own two feet as Ghirahim teleported in front of him. "Fi, now really isn't the time to tune me out!" Link landed on his right foot, regaining his balance, and jumped out of the way of the sword being swung at him. "Fi! Answer me!"
"Yes, Master?" The humanoid replied as if everything was right in the world and that nothing about the current situation was even the slightest bit alarming.
"A little advice would be great right about now!"
No response.
"Fi!"
"Master, due to the high levels of irritation in your voice that you previously exhibited, I calculated that there was a ninety-eight percent chance that you did't want my advice anymore."
Link let out a loud, drawn out groan at the humanoid's response and at the dagger than had just penetrated his left thigh. "Please, I'm sorry, forgive me – just hurry the heck up and tell me something that I can use to fight this guy!"
Fi didn't miss a beat. "Master, I suggest using something that you are familiar with. Therefore, due to your bizarre fascination with pottery, I suggest using the pots that surround the perimeter of this room."
"That's..." The teen stopped and smiled as his mind processed Fi's suggestion, "Brilliant!"
Without wasting another moment, Link sprinted towards the nearest pot and grabbed it between his hands. His smile widened as he felt the heaviness of the piece of pottery. The shell was thick, adding to the weight of the pot and increasing the amount of pain that was to be received upon impact.
Link turned and swung the pot in the direction of the demon, but Ghirahim was two steps ahead of him. Almost simultaneously, the Lord of Demons stopped the hand which held the pot and swung his sword at the sky child.
Out of instinct the teen ducked, raising his shield to protect his face. Upon impact the teen's arm buckled, his shield shattering into hundreds of small pieces. Panicking, Link recklessly threw the pot up into the demon's face. Skillfully Ghirahim dodged the blow, though the edge of the pottery scraped his face, leaving a few scratches to decorate the demon's smooth skin.
Furious, Ghirahim thrust his sword into the teen's shoulder and licked his lips as he felt the cold blade rip through the blonde's flesh.
Link yelped and fell back onto the wall behind him. Pain overwhelmed his senses as he slid down the wall and onto the floor below in an attempt to escape the sword's bite. But Ghirahim wasn't about to let his prey escape that easily.
The demon pushed the weapon deeper into the boy's shoulder until he could feel the tip of the blade hit the wall. If it was possible for the demon's grin to widen, it did. No one messed with the Lord of Demons and was left unscathed, and nothing gave the demon more pleasure than scathing the Goddess's little hero.
Desperately Link fingered the floor around him, trying to find something to defend himself with, until suddenly, as if it had been placed there by the Goddess herself, his middle finger brushed up against the exterior of a nearby object. Glancing over, he identified the object to be another pot. Gritting his teeth, he stretched out his arm and reached for the pottery, but just as he managed to grasp the rim of the pot, Ghirahim pulled the sword out from his shoulder.
The demon grinned madly. Inch by inch - millimeter by millimeter - he ejected the weapon from the sky child's body, taking immense pleasure in prolonging the excruciating pain that he was creating for the boy.
Light fell into darkness before Link's eyes as his sight slowly faded away. The new trauma that his body was experiencing caused his stomach to churn in ways that he had not known was possible. It wasn't long before he could taste the metallic flavor of blood that was forming within his mouth.
His senses dull and his consciousness slipping away, the pain drowned him like a tidal wave. In the distance, like someone calling to him from above the water, he could hear a voice.
It was mechanical, it was intelligent, and most importantly, it was one-hundred percent accurate.
"Master, there are strong readings of Zelda's presence from the other side of second door to this room. That being said, there is a ninety-nine percent chance that Ghirahim will reach Zelda if you do not prolong him. I highly recommend that you do not die within the next five minutes so that you can better ensure Zelda's safety."
That was all it took.
In one swift movement, Link reached for the pot once more, grasped it in his fingers, and launched it towards the demon. He didn't see where it hit, but the sound of metal clashing against the floor and the severe curses that came from the Lord of Demon's lips told him all that he needed to know.
Using what little strength he had left, Link picked up the hilt of his sword and got up to his feet. His quick actions triggered an immense pain that shot through his head, causing him to bend over and spit up he blood that had been in his mouth.
During this time Ghirahim had summoned his own blade and was now approaching the teen at a rapid pace.
Recovering himself, Link did his best to block the demon's strikes, but his sight was constantly fading in and out of focus and his sense of balance had all but deserted him, making it difficult to calculate the timing and placement of each of his opponent's strikes. Though he didn't want to dwell on it, inwardly he knew that it wasn't long before he was completely overpowered and sliced to pieces.
His sudden rush of adrenaline now waning, Link collapsed onto his knees. He was exhausted. He was beaten. He was in complete agony. A part of him even began to long for the moment when the Lord of Demons ended his life.
Hazily Link gazed up into the eyes of his soon to be executor. Darkness, evilness, that sadistic lust for bloodshed - Link had witnessed these things within the world before, but never on such a colossal level as Ghirahim exhibited. It was such the opposite of Zelda, the girl who was - is - always so kind and loving to all those around her.
And then there was him - Link, the one who was about to fail in keeping his best friend safe from this insane murderer. But that was just him. He always had given in to oppression and this would be the rightful end to his continuous trend of failure.
Fight him.
The teen narrowed his eyes. What was that? It didn't sound like Fi, and it surely wasn't Ghirahim. But if it wasn't those two then who was it? Was it...was it himself?
Fight him.
"I can't," Link softly pleaded.
Fight!
"It's too hard."
Stop being such a selfish twit and fight!
Something in Link's mind snapped, breaking all the chains that had held him back and allowing a beast of insanity to take over. It was like a switch had been turned on – like a trigger had been pulled that sent an electric shock racing throughout Link's body, numbing his mind to all else save one singular thought: Fight!
Choking the hilt of his sword in his grasp, Link swiftly raised his blade to block Ghirahim's strike, his muscles burning with rage and hatred.
Taken aback by the boy's sudden actions, Ghirahim scoffed and flicked a few strands of silvery-white hair from his face. "Oh please," he drawled, "Don't make this difficult. I immensely despise disobedient children you know."
"You..." Link uttered the word as if he was spitting out a mouthful of poison.
"Hm? What was that?" Ghirahim mocked, "Please, could you speak a bit louder?"
"Let me make this clear..." Link raised his head and looked the demon straight in the eyes. A new fire roared within the teen's chest – a flame that had never before been awoken. His anger and passion flooded up inside him and poured over each word as he spoke, "You. Can't. Have. Zelda!"
Ghirahim rolled his eyes, completely unphased by the sky child's sudden determination. "Isn't that just adorable! Proclaiming your undying loyalty to the little maiden from the sky. It's just so sickenly sweet that I just might puke!"
Ignoring the demon, Link lashed out with his sword, putting all the force that he could muster behind the blow. He grunted as his blade met the steel of Ghirahim's sword while they clashed in midair. Trying to adjust himself for another strike, Link began to reposition his weapon, but Ghirahim kicked the teen in the gut before he could even move his blade.
Link winced at the pain as more blood began to bubble up in his mouth. Taking advantage of the opening, Ghirahim knelt down and crushed the blonde's left hand in his grip, forcing the teen to let go of his weapon and making the blonde's whimpering escalate into shrill screams.
The cracking of bones rang in Link's ears as the demon's grasp continued to tighten. To him, it felt like his hand was shriveling up, bit by bit, as it was crushed into a smaller version of its original self.
"This is what happens to children who do not obey…"
Link shivered at the demon's voice despite the overwhelming agony in his hand. But he was not to be stopped. A newfound madness was filling the void within Link's mind, erasing all thoughts of reason and replacing them with the drive to kill. Bending forward, the teen carelessly bit down on Ghirahim's hand, causing the demon to retract and let go of the teen's now disproportionate hand.
"You piece of-" The demon began, but was cut short by the shattering of pottery against the back of his head.
"Now's your chance, Master. I suggest that you do not waste it."
Link grinned madly. He sure as heck wasn't about to let this opportunity slip by. With his good hand, he reached for Ghirahim's sword, turned it around, and plunged it into the demon's gut, leaning onto the hilt of the blade to plunge the weapon as far as possible into the Lord of Demon's core.
Stumbling backwards, the demon let out a short yell.
"How dare you!" Ghirahim spit up a few blobs of blood before continuing, "How dare you defile me in such a way!"
Link laughed a bit. "Not so fun when you're the one getting stabbed, eh?"
"You imbecile! You wretched, horrendous imbecile!"
"I'm honored, really."
Ghirahim spit the blood in his mouth at the sky child. "You will pay for this! You will experience ten times the pain that you just went through the next time we meet! I guarantee it!"
The demon then teleported out of the room, leaving in his wake a few flickering diamonds and a pool of blood where he had been standing.
For the next few moments Link just sat on the ground and stared out into the room before him. The shock which had released the murderous beast within the teen slowly faded away, leaving the blonde completely exhausted and in great misery.
"Master..."
Link glanced up at the humanoid and replied in between deep breathes, "Yeah?"
"I highly recommend drinking a red potion to stop the bleeding and to heal some of your wounds. If you do not, there is a high chance that you will die within the next few minutes."
Obediently Link took out a bottle filled with the red potion that Fi had mentioned. In one long gulp he drank the healing liquid. Even on its way down he could feel the potion taking its effect. A warming sensation filled him, and before long, his bleeding was reduced and his wounds grew smaller.
After some of the pain had diminished, Link whispered, "Thanks, Fi, for helping me out."
"That is what I am here for, Master. It is my duty to ensure your safety."
"Right." Link paused. He supposed that was about as close to a "you're welcome" that he was going to get from the sword spirit.
"Hey," the teen suddenly continued, breaking the silence, "What are my chances of saving Zelda?"
"Master, I am afraid that you would not like the result of my calculations. Do you still want me to relay the percentages to you?"
Link smiled slightly. "Why not. Bad odds haven't killed me yet."
"Based on your previous battles and actions, there is an eighty percent chance that you will not save Zelda."
"Well," Link laughed dryly but stopped as a rush of nausea hit his stomach, "At least there's a chance, right?"
"Correct, Master."
Link let out a deep breath and rested on the cold floor beneath him. Between the two of them nothing more needed to be said. Link knew that the probability of his ultimate success was small, but for some reason, that truth didn't scare him. He no longer felt depleted of all purpose and resolve, and despite his current exhaustion, he felt strangely yet wonderfully invigorated.
And it was all thanks to Fi – that annoying, obnoxious, irksome humanoid that was little more than a pre-programmed machine. She was the one who, even though Link had already fallen into the depths of apathy and self-loath, gave him a chance and showed him that he had it. It was that chance – that little light of hope – that began to alter the blonde's life by awakening the courage that slept within him and forming him into the hero that he would later become. And even after the day the twosome parted ways, Link always remembered her as the one – the friend – who had given him that blessed chance.
The chance that saved the world.
A/N: As if the entry A/N wasn't long enough...Eh-hem! Did any one else try to throw the pots surrounding the 'boss room' during the first fight with Ghirahim? I know I tried to shower him with mushroom spores. Ha! That didn't really work out well. The moment I tried to dump them on him he hit me across the face. Perhaps he's allergic to them or something...anyways! Thanks again for reading this rather long 'short' story!
Until next time... :)