A/N: Okay well, as the summary says, this is story does eventually contain a guy/guy relationship and has language that warrants the rating it gets. Reviews and critiques are appreciated.

Project Dark Link

Chapter One: The Fairy Substitute

The door clicked. Just as every other door previous, the key Link used worked its charm. As he ran inside, Link found the inside to be a little brighter than he expected. He looked toward what he thought would be the dungeon ceiling.

"A sky?" The Hero tentatively wandered into what appeared to be an endless stretch of pure water and grey sky, the liquid not even soaking his boots. "What a strange room…"

Link went forward some more and noticed a lone tree. As he stepped closer he noticed its bareness. It appeared dead even; its branches forebodingly swaying in a non-existent wind. Link couldn't quite put his finger on it, but something about this spot made him nervous. He felt his arms tense up and he wanted to draw his sword just in case.

"Link! Focus!" A bright blue ball fluttered in his face to drag him from his thoughts. "I swear! You need to keep your attention to the road ahead! This place is creepy anyways…" Navi flickered up and down in front of Link's eyes as he seemed mesmerised. "L-Let's just go Link!"

The blue sphere fluttered off into the distance as Link walked slowly toward the other side. It seemed the room wasn't endless. They soon reached a door at the other end. However their hopes for progress were dashed as they realised the door was barred.

"Bars? That means there is an enemy here…" Link gritted his teeth and couldn't shake the feeling that something was watching him from the tree. He didn't want to turn his face, but knew that in order to go on and save Hyrule, he needed to. Link grabbed his sword from its hold and brought it to his side. He gripped his shield in his right and slowly turned to face back where he came. There was nothing.

"L-Link…I'm worried about this…" Navi quivered and got closer to the green-clothed elf as Link tensed up himself. Link gradually took steps forward. That feeling of watchers eyes didn't cease, but now he couldn't sense where they were aiming from. In fact, it seemed every time he tried to discern their origin, they moved again. Link tensed up again when he heard Navi gasp.

"Link! Look!" Navi pointed her body at the tree. Link narrowed his eyes and could just about make out a form. It seemed to be like a person. He squinted his eyes further and now noticed that it was indeed a person. Its complexion seemed dark with beady, blood-red eyes. It was slender, just as he was. It had a Kokiri cap, just as he did. It even had tights, boots and a familiar looking sword…

"Wait…that looks like…me." Link blinked his eyes as Navi flew in front of Links face and looked back to the other.

"But…you're you…" Navi seemed confused herself.

"Hey! Who are you?" Link's voice echoed throughout the entire area but the man did not answer. It merely continued to stand perfectly still. Link felt that uncomfortable gaze again and realised its source, the eyes; the eyes stared at him like a cat on alert status! The eyes that he seemed to now be focusing on made him feel uneasy and it crossed his mind that this may be the enemy's tactic…if it was an enemy. "Are you friend or foe?"

The form either heard his voice that time or it had had enough. It shook its head to the side, allowing Link to see part of the man's dirty black-blonde hair before it rushed toward him at unbelievable speed! Link only had time to raise his shield as the form attempted a vertical strike.

"Tch. Lucky." Link's eyes widened as he heard the man's voice, a raspy, distorted version of his own. In fact, now that he took a close-up look of him, the man seemed black all over…just like a shadow!

"Who are you?" Link, still in shock, tried to push his attacker off, but either he wasn't putting enough strength into it, or the shadow's sword seemed heavier than anticipated.

"Hahahahaha. Do you need to be told?" The shadow loosened his force and stepped back from the emerald green hero. "I am everything you are not. A seething hatred, a carnivorous presence, a cool thinker and an experienced sword wielder."

Link took a greater look at him. Now it was undeniable. The man was exactly the inverse of what he was supposed to be, although Link pondered asking him whether this was correct, he soon recanted that idea as he'd otherwise be viewed as the 12 year old he truly was. "Working for Ganondorf, I assume?"

The mere mention of the King of Evil's name caused the shadow to spit away in disgust. "I don't work for that man anymore. He's nothing but a traitor, a coward. All he did was create me, then he sent me here. Locked me up inside this room. Do you know how long I've been here? I'll tell you: Five stinking years!" The shadow stamped his right boot as the pure water frothed beneath his feet, itself seemingly becoming twisted from his presence.

("Five? But…I've been away for seven years…") Link thought about this for a moment but quickly regained his focus. "So then why are you following his orders?"

The shadow, who for the past couple of minutes seemed to actually show some emotion, suddenly became as cold and stoic as he had before. "…Because I have to."

Before Link could react, the dark form lunged at his, his sword pointed downward and aiming for the Hero's skull! Link gathered his wits and reflexively leapt from out of harm's way as the black mass crashed into the aquatic floor with a crunch. Wait…a crunch? Link raised his brow for a moment before turning to look behind.

Link saw what he swore were petals but quickly remembered that there weren't any flowers when he came through. It only took for him to see a glowing orb of sapphire blue go out that he remembered…Navi had been behind him! Indeed it was the tiny fairy, who's blue and green entrails now mixed with the crystal clear water to form a tiny puddle of turquoise. Link was too in shock to utter anything.

"Lights out, Miss Bluebell." The shadow's snake-like voice drained Link's face. He wasn't just facing his opposite; he was facing a sociopath!

"Now then…" The darkness lifted its blade, not even stained. He turned to face Link with those empty ruby eyes. "Let us play."

His breathing was heavy. His shield, cracked with the insignia of Hyrule smeared with blood. The Master Sword, once exuding with darkness-piercing power, now slumped downward, its once shining blade now dull and weathered. Link glanced at his leggings. They too bore the symbols of use; the rips and tears, the dried mud near the boots, the apple-red stains on the knees.

"How…How is this…happening?" Link lifted his gaze to glare at his opponent. In truth, he had sensed a faint aura before even entering this room, but then again, he had felt a similar aura before when he was at the other temples. This time however, it seemed that he had underestimated his opponent. He fell to the floor, unable to maintain his ability to stand.

The darkness stood but a few metres away. Link had not managed to land a single blow on him. They had gone to a duel with their swords, but for every strike Link attempted, his shadow swayed and delivered three in response and all three hit. Every time. Link thought that he must look like a dog that wants to be put out of its misery.

"Is that all? You disappoint me, Hero." The echo of boots walking forward soon became apparent in the purely silent room. "I wait five years for you, expecting perhaps a challenge. But you…you're no hero. You're a child. A child who naively thought he could topple an evil king. A king with power far surpassing anything anyone could muster, Goddesses notwithstanding." Link didn't see his shadow's face, but a picture of annoyance was plastered on it.

"You're better off not being here." A black hand rose, sword in hand. "You aren't fit to wield a sword…or a life. All of those past trials you undertook will have all been for nothing."

"Past…trials?" Link whispered to nobody in particular but his shadow seemed to hear it as he hesitated for a second, his face full of confusion as to why his colourful opposite would question what he just said. "That's it!"

Link lifted his arm and made a horizontal slice which actually connected! His shadow's hesitation and raised arm prevented a swift dodge. From what Link could make out, he had made a wound in the stomach as his shadow arched over slightly before lifting up to stand again only to be greeted by a swift arrow from Link's bow, studding him in the chest and winding him which caused him to fall back further.

"Damn you! Is that all you-" His cold tone was interrupted as a long hook like object flew forward at him and struck his left shoulder. "Fuck! That hurt dammit!" The dark form screamed in pain as he tried to unhook the weapon. During his confusion and struggle, Link had started to run circles around his dark mirror. Within seconds, Link had run out of chain and the shadow's movements were now severely restricted, blood from the shoulder wound trickling down the chains, giving a rustic colour.

"I will be a hero!" Link triumphantly declared as he rushed toward the struggling figure, sword pointed forward. He took note of his target, a small opening just above the shadow's left breast. It took but a few moments until the sound of fabric tearing and flesh splitting reached Link's ears as he pressed right up to his target, his sword stretching right through to the brisk air behind the dark form it penetrated. His shadow squirmed a little, but eventually resigned himself to having lost as his legs lost their remaining strength and he slumped on Link's shoulder, coughing slightly.

"Wow. Wasn't expecting that." Link became surprised again. The voice…it wasn't raspy now. It sounded…soft. Delicate. Like a quieter version of his own. "Seems like you are strong enough after all."

Link couldn't say anything as his shadow continued to slump on him but suddenly started to feel the weight alleviating and heard chains unravelling. He looked to his left and saw his shadow disappearing from existence!

"W-Where are you going?"

"Hmm? Oh I dunno. Hopefully someplace warm. This room's stayed freezing for the past five years, you know?"

"But…what was all that about? The cold stare, the wispy voice and beating me within an inch of my life!" Link didn't notice it, but he appeared to have a lump in his throat as he said this. He couldn't understand why he was getting so emotional over something he just met, not to mention fought to the death.

"All for you my friend. I needed to toughen you up. Like I said, I don't follow the old geezer anymore so I wasn't trying to kill you but…man you were so bad. I wish I coulda stayed a little longer to teach ya." His shadow's presence was quickly becoming nothing more than a wisp.

"Wait! Before you go…just tell me this…what's your name?" Link felt it was at least proper to know who he had just slain. His question caused the disappearing black reflection to ponder for a second.

"I was never given a name. Like I said, Ganondorf created me, told me my purpose, and thrust me into this room. I'm a nameless soldier I guess…" His voice touched Link's heart much more than it should've done. It sounded remorseful, full of regret at not staying around or to answer his question. He also felt pity for his shadow: forced to be locked away here by someone he didn't even really know, much less look at him like a father figure. Link looked to the ground and quickly looked enlightened.

"Then I'll call you…Dark." Link seemed satisfied with what he had come up with, though in truth he felt slightly embarrassed after announcing it so grandly as he realised a child could probably have thought up as much…but then again, he had that excuse!

"Dark…Dark…DA-rk…Da-RK." Link looked on as his shadow finally disappeared from view, his glowing eyes being the last to leave. "Yeah…I like the sound of that." Link kept looking until Dark disappeared from existence and swore his eyes appeared to show happiness. For a few minutes Link stood like a statue, his Hookshot splaying its chains over the ground, his sword in his left hand pointing toward the watery floor. He watched as the liquid ground melted away to reveal a tiled surface and the sky peeled to uncover the true ceiling as the remnants of clouds seemingly swirled where the barred door was and unlocked it. After collecting his thoughts, Link stowed away his Hookshot and sheathed the Master Sword. He walked toward the door, still a bloody mess of a hero, and was about to open it when he thought back to the events that had just occurred.

"Dark…why…? Why did you have to do that? And…why Navi?" Link couldn't get his darker self out of his mind. "Dark…I'll come back for you!" Link shouted out to the middle of the room before faltering in his voice. The cut near his lungs was stinging, likely from his loud outburst. He'd need to find a Heart Piece and soon. He didn't want to face the big creature at the end of the dungeon like this, though he figured he'd have to find some hearts instead as he noticed heart pieces never seemed present in temples. Link also didn't actually know whether there was a 'big bad' at the end of the dungeon. He was just going on past experience that every time he wandered into some big cave-like place; he usually had to deal with a giant something-or-other. In fact, he often thought that he should really get paid for doing it but he made do with the rupees he found on his dungeon trawls. At the very least, they covered the expenses for arrows and potions. As he entered the next room, he opened the chest Dark was guarding. It was an upgrade for his Hookshot, the Longshot! Whilst Link would normally be pleased about such a valuable tool, he felt not only drained but rather sorrowful at his shadow's unexpected face turn.

It was another half a day before Link reached that oh-so-familiar gold padlocked door. He never liked seeing what was behind these large doors, but to collect all of the medallions and awaken the Sages, he knew he couldn't say no. Besides, he had always been a courageous guy, so he couldn't back down now, especially after what he had gone through just before. He managed to find a fairy in one of the nearby pots and he felt eternally grateful. His bruises soon went pink and his cuts sealed as he made his way to the door. He managed to climb up to the lock and struggle with the key until he heard the clang of the lock falling to the floor. Opening these locks was never easy considering the doors themselves were several times his height.

As Link ventured inside, he noticed the giant pool of water in the middle of the room with four large pillars poking out within the liquid. The room seemed to have an awful stench about it and it actually made Link gag slightly as it smelt a bit too much like Deku Baba barf. He especially took note of the rows of spikes lining the edge of the arena. Link drew his sword and shield and stepped forward. If his hunch was correct, there was something in that water. He hated these moments because he knew he was right, but he never really wanted to prove it. Before he could think further, the water surface rippled in front of him.

From out of the pool came a large tendril-like creature which rose up from the water in an upright pillar. Link took his fighting stance and readied his sword for an assault. He watched the creature sway from side to side, as if pondering its move…or waiting for Link to move first. Regardless the elf stood his ground and soon enough, the creature attacked with its tentacle which Link deftly dodged. Whatever this thing was, it was significantly slower than Dark. Link rushed in with his sword, striking its aquatic arm hoping for a pained squeal but received nothing but his sword swishing. It seemed just slashing it had no effect! The arm soon reformed and quickly lifted up and jumped forward to try and grab Link! Link backflipped and noticed a red and yellow glowing orb travelling up the arm. Maybe this was what he needed to hit?

He rushed forward and struck the orb and got what he wanted to hear: a pained shriek. He smiled as he realised this was what he needed to hit and quickly jumped away from yet another tentacle slam attack. If this was all he had to do, this would be the easiest monster yet! After moving around to confuse the creature into attacking the wrong places and striking its core again, Link was caught off-guard by his target. It not only let out one tentacle, but two! The second grabbed him from behind and wrapped itself around his torso. As Link struggled to free himself, another tentacle rose from the pool and grabbed his legs, preventing them from moving. He was soon lifted into the air slightly and the creature then slowly pushed Link backward as if waiting for Link to notice something and after a couple of seconds, he did. The rows of spikes that dotted the outside of the arena! And Link was heading straight for them. As soon as Link made this realisation, the creature thrust its tentacles forward and pushed Link's stomach back onto the tusk-like protrusions. Link gritted his teeth and snapped his eyes shut. He soon let out a sharp cry however as the creature twisted his body a little in each direction in order to inflict as much pain as possible. Link opened his eyes and desperately looked around for a Hookshot target but the room left him unappeased. The monster let him off the spikes but still kept its grip. Link could sense its intentions; it was going to ram him into them again and one glance at the four mismatched, blood covered spikes made him shudder. He needed an escape and quickly wracked his brain on thinking what he had. He couldn't use his bow in this state and the Megaton Hammer was out of the question too as it would prove ineffective.

"Wait…that's it!" Link had a sudden brain surge. "Even if there's no normal target…" Link grabbed his Longshot and took aim at the glowing orb in the centre and fired. It did as he expected as the orb was now forced to the surface and flopped around like a dying fish. The water that had its wrapping hold also dispersed. It seemed the orb was the only thing holding the pool together! Link grabbed his blade and stabbed into the orb several times, each stab providing a firework explosion of green and blue puss spewing over the platform and the orb popped after said prolonged stabbing frenzy. The water rose up and latched onto the ceiling, draining away and the smell went along with it. Link breathed in his first clean intake of air, though the cold, musky dungeon smell remained. A circle of light appeared in the middle as per usual along with a Heart Container.

Link grew excited and started to run before a throbbing pain brought him back to reality; he still had his stomach wounds. He was going to jump to the bottom but decided against it and climbed down the nearby ladder. He walked forward, his wound still hurting like a beacon and proceeded to drink from the base of the Heart Container. Heart Containers and Pieces of Heart were in reality just super special red potions with a sweet taste. These were red potions that were enchanted from who knows what and allowed Link to withstand more hits the next time he was attacked as well as refilling his strength and sealing wounds. Link didn't know or care how it worked; he just knew that he had to drink from them to feel revitalised.

After slurping the last of the sweetness, Link felt his stomach feel better already and proceeded into the column of light. As before, when he arrived at the Temple of Sages, a familiar face was there to greet him and give him the next medallion, thereby increasing his power with their own. This time it was Ruto, the graceful Zora princess who had become enamoured with Link during their brief time in the belly of Jabu-Jabu.

"Link…I wouldn't have expected any less from the one I chose to be my husband." Ruto glanced at Link longingly before continuing. "Zora's Domain will soon be free of its perpetual winter and as a reward for you, I'll give you my eternal love!" Link's jaw could have hit the floor at that point. "Well…that's what I want to say, but to be honest I don't think I can offer that anymore. I have to guard the Water Temple so…be a good man and rescue the other Sages. You'll always be in my heart Link and to prove it, I'll give you this medallion. Take it respectfully!" Soon enough, the medallion containing Ruto's power fell into Link's hands. "Oh, and if you see Sheik, give him my thanks, okay?" Ruto's voice resounded in Link's mind as he was bathed in a bright white light and he soon found himself on an island in Lake Hylia.

As like before, Link hadn't said anything when he went to the Chamber of Sages. He never felt the need to. They did all the talking anyways and besides, he had just done all their work for them; they should be thanking him! Though this time, Link felt uneasy. He felt as if he should have spoke out about something when it suddenly hit him like a flock of Cuccos.

"Dark! I should have asked what happened to him! Oh…and I guess ask about Navi…" Link rubbed the back of his head. He had felt guilty ever since he basically let his darker side die on his shoulder. He was a good guy all along and yet Link did nothing to save him. Link could even hear his soft and purring voice echoing in his mind though it seemed strangely closer than he anticipated…

"You called?"

Link jumped forward and swiftly launched his head behind him. He stood there mouth agape staring at his shadow once again. The shadow he thought he'd left behind in the Water Temple and without any visible injuries to boot! Dark just stood there completely taking in the sense of accomplishment of making the Hero of Time essentially crap his pants with a playful smirk on his, oddly, glowing face.

"What? But…but…you was…and and I was…" Link looked back between the Water Temple and Dark several times as Dark took a long look over the Hero.

"I thought so. You know Link; ya really need to eat a little more. Your hips stick out." Dark put his hands to his own hips as if to emphasise the point.

"Wh-What? How do you know what's good health?" Link blushed as Dark smirked.

"Well, if you really wanna know how I know. When you brushed up against me, all I felt was hip bone. Buuuut…that's not to say I didn't mind." Dark brought a finger to his lips and smiled as Link let a bead of sweat drop down his face as he realised Dark's innuendo.

"M-Moving on!" Link shied away slightly as Dark chuckled again, "Why are you here exactly?"

"Special orders. New Temple master, new orders, you know." Dark rubbed his head, "Ruto told me to keep an eye out for you. She says she worries about ya. Especially since your floaty blue friend is sorta gone now." Dark put his hands in a butterfly silhouette and shrugged his shoulders as Link turned away, seemingly angry.

"Well…that won't be necessary, so you can go back to Ruto now." Link started to walk along the wooden bridge connecting the island to the shore.

"Whoa whoa whoa, slow down! Can't I go with you? We're friends, right? Can I at least go along for a little while? Just to see you in action without being the one tearing you to pieces?" Dark was practically begging Link now as he rushed in front of the Hero. "Please?" He got down on one knee and grabbed Link's hand.

"Wha-Hey Dark! What are you doing? People could be watching! First things first, how can we be friends when you attacked me as soon as I turned around? Second, we haven't known each other 10 minutes!" Link whipped his hand away from Dark's and made a quick glance around to check if people were watching.

"Well, excuse me princess rescuer! What I did helped you later on right? That's right, I saw you fighting that monster-thing! Ya wouldn't have thought to use your Longshot without a target had you not used that tactic on me! Am I right?" Dark folded his arms in pre-emptive victory.

Now that Link thought about it, he actually wouldn't have thought to do that hadn't he had experience with it earlier. He contemplated for a second what the best answer would be. "B-But that still doesn't mean we're friends!" Link blurted out as Dark sighed.

"Then give me a chance. If everyone was like you, nobody would have any friends. Now come on Link, buddies?" Dark held out his hand in a friendly gesture.

"Now just wait a minute Dark…" Link looked at his shadow but was met by Dark's puppy-like eyes that wavered like the rippling water beneath them. "F-Fine. But if you prove to be a liability, you're going straight back to Ruto!" Link's hand met Dark's as they shook.

"Alright, yeah! I get to go with the Hero! Woo!" Dark jumped up and punched the air.

"…And if you do that again, I'll drag you to the bottom of Lake Hylia personally!" Link crossed his arms as Dark paid no heed to what he said.

"Oh…I, uh, guess I should apologise for killing your fairy, huh? Uh, Sorry…" Dark didn't seem to do well with apologies as he looked away as he said it.

Link's head sank as he suddenly remembered: his fairy friend was now obliterated out of existence. Link stared out over the lake. "…Even though she was annoying sometimes, what with all her 'Hey's and 'Listen's…She was a good friend. She didn't deserve what she got…" Link gripped the ropes of the bridge and gritted his teeth as he remembered the moment painfully clearly.

"I…uh…I didn't mean to kill her. It's just I didn't know she was behind ya and…" Dark rubbed the back of his head. Perhaps Link was right that they weren't quite friends yet…

"Just don't mention it." Link shook his head from side to side, his cap seemingly whipping the air around him. Dark could tell Link was withholding his emotions but took the sharp head shaking as quite a visible anger.

"Well, uh, what do we do from here?" Dark looked around where they stood. He'd never been outside the Water Temple before and his eyes went into sensory overload with all the new things he was seeing. Dark was so busy trying to figure out what everything was around him he started to become giddy and didn't hear Link becoming concerned for his wellbeing.

"Dark? Dark? What's wrong?" Link shook his black counterpart.

"Whoa…it's just…there's so many thing I've never seen before. So much…colour…" Dark's eyes swirled in his head as Link dragged him back to the island to rest under the tree present, a living tree this time. As Link stared down at his new travelling companion he considered just leaving him there, but then decided against it. The Goddesses would not be happy if he tried that and besides, Ruto sent him to at least try and help, so he should honour that thought for a while to see if she was right.

Link slumped up by the tree next to Dark and soon heard sounds of snoring. Great. If Link knew what he thought he knew, then Dark would be a long, heavy sleeper, compared to his own light and short naps. The sunlight beamed across the lake, reflecting its tranquil beauty.

"Wonderful…when the world's in peril, we'll waste an afternoon sleeping (!)" Link made his voice purposefully drip with sarcasm before falling off to sleep himself. He'd need all the strength he could muster to keep his new partner on a leash.

A/N: Phew, first chapter of first story ever on here. Maybe I was a little crazy jumping into such a genre first thing, but we'll see how this goes. Hopefully you guys/girls enjoyed it and now to sleep while the HRA (Helpful Reviewer Academy) pour over it with a fine comb.