Welcome readers to my first fanfic. The Hylian Streets is an AU Zelda fic set in modern day, where Link is a rising star of a sort of Hylian mafia. The story revolves around his life in the mafia, and how he balances his life as a mobster with his personal life, more specifically his relationship with Zelda.
Warning: This story contains graphic depictions of violence, as well as sexual situations. Use discretion.
With that said, I present to you the first chapter. Enjoy.
*Disclaimer: All characters from The Legend of Zelda are trademark of Nintendo.
Chapter 1
Makin' Your Bones
Gunshots erupted from the two men standing at the door of a small neighborhood restaurant. Searing hot bullets filled the chests of the four unlucky victims. Blood flowed out of all the holes, soaking their lavish suits; the scarlet liquid in stark contrast to the pearly white shirts the now-deceased had on. Customers, employees and the like watched in horror as the bullets kept flying, unable to tear their eyes off the horrible sight, but too afraid to look directly at the two men who disrupted their quiet lunch. Shock silenced any chance of screaming. They could only pray the cops showed up before any of them became victims.
But the assassins had no intention of killing anyone else. It was all just business, nothing personal. It's not like the lousy bastards didn't have it coming their way. The pair dressed exactly alike. Black hats, suits, gloves, shoes and shades. Even their guns were alike. They stood there, squeezing off every single shot to assure the death of their victims. The consequences of their survival were too great to take the risk. The sparks reflected off the frames of their dark glasses, eyes fixed on their targets, not looking all of the people staring at them in fear.
The guns clicked, signaling empty clips. The assassins brought their arms down, and slowly let the guns slip out of their hands. Without hesitation, second thought or doubt, they turned around, and pushed open the door. A black Cadillac screeched up to the curb, windows tinted, and a phony license plate on the back. Every step was taken to make sure the cops had no idea who was involved. Not like they cared anyway. Mob violence was commonplace in Hyrule's Castle Town. Everybody that's lived in CT a decade or more has seen a killing. Hits didn't even faze people who've lived there for more than 20 years or so. The only thing they were worried about was blood or brains getting splattered all over their clothes and a .52 cap to the head will send that shit flying all over the place. The two opened the door and stepped inside, and the car drove off. No trace of the guilty was left behind.
Tommy Gambino sat at the wheel of the Cadillac. His father made him an Underboss five years ago, and ever since he's had several captains, soldiers, and other associates reporting to him. He had a soft spot for the two men in his car. He'd known them since they were little kids, and watched them grow up to be loyal and competent young men.
Link, the taller one, ran a hand through his messy blonde hair. "Fuck, that was a rush," he breathed. His heart pounded from all the adrenaline coursing through his veins. "It was a helluva lot easier than I thought it would be."
Link stood at a little over six feet, and had lightly tanned skin, characteristic of an Ordonian male. His physical fitness, good looks, and charming smile made him very attractive to the opposite sex. His sarcastic sense of humor and magnetic personality drew people to him. Women found him irresistible. Quick witted and tough as nails, Link felt as though he was born to be a Mafioso. He wanted to be part of a family all his life, and now he had a chance to be inducted into the most powerful one around.
"I've never had this much fun in my entire fucking life!" Mido, Link's best friend, exclaimed as he wiped a bead of sweat from his nose. "My ears are still ringing from all the gunshots. Those motherfuckers are loud."
Mido was a little short, around five-eight, and had an even shorter temper. He was very well built, had chiseled features, and a gaze that could intimidate even the largest body-builder. He had a bigger Napoleonic complex than the general himself, and could back up his talk. Link always saw Mido as a loudmouth, but loved him for it. The sting of his words were enough to get fists flying, and Mido always came out on top, usually without a scratch, despite his small stature.
"You guys sure they're all dead?" Tommy asked from the front seat. "I don't wanna read in the newspaper tomorrow that they revived one of those cocksuckers."
"I saw their brains, Tommy," Link assured. "There's no way their still alive."
"If any of those fucks are still alive," Mido stated, "I'll put a bullet in my own head."
"Good, that's what I like to hear," Tommy replied. "If you ain't confident in yourself, how can anyone else be confident in you?" The boys nodded at this sentiment as Tommy pulled into a driveway. He turned around to address the boys again. "Listen guys, it's good that you two were so ready to do this thing, but it's not all fun and games anymore."
"It may not be a game, but it's a lot of fuckin' fun. I can tell you that," Link said.
"You said it," Mido replied. "I mean, as long as we're careful, what could happen to us?"
"Neither of you know what the fuck you're talking about," Tommy scolded, his voice raised. "You got brains, and you got balls, but that's not enough to keep your asses in the fuckin' black. Right now you're on the fast track to the life you want, but you gotta wisen the fuck up first." He paused to let the words sink in. "You have no idea what it means to be a Gambino, cuz if you two, just a couple of fuckin' kids, had any idea about how we work, we wouldn't have survived this long.
"You guys are still just seventeen. That's pretty damn young; it's like handing a gun to a fuckin' baby. There are guys working for the Family almost twice your age who are nowhere near your position, so you gotta understand how fuckin' lucky you are before you start doin' real work for us."
"Whatever you say, Tommy," Mido said with a nod. "You've got our loyalty."
Link nodded as well. "Tell us what to do, and we'll do it."
"Having your loyalty is a given at this point," Tommy said. "Right now, I need you two to get your heads in the fucking game. You did the killing part right, but you walked outa there like a pair of fuckin' amateurs. All it takes is one fuck-up, and you're on your ass." Tommy sighed as his lecture ended. He cleared his throat, and said to the boys, "Now, I want you two to go inside and have a good time. This whole thing is for you. After today, you two start learnin' how shit works in the real world." The three men stepped out of the car, and walked towards the mansion of Don Vinnie Gambino. The Boss, though still skeptical about the boys' increased involvement in Tommy's affairs, respected the two for what they were. For them to even be considered for a hit at such a young age, by his own son nonetheless, meant the boys were unique.
They were born gangsters.
When the cops showed up, they knew the deal. This wasn't your average gangland violence. The location was too public, the risk was too high, and to top it all off, there wasn't a shred of useful evidence anywhere. Only organized crime could work with such precision, fury, and apathy. Captain Jay Walsh of the Castle Town Police Department knew right off the bat that this was a Gambino job. No other crew could get a military issue Desert Eagle to work with. The cops went through the whole procedure, yellow tape, chalk lines, and interrogation, but they knew it wouldn't help in any way. The hit went down in an Ordonian neighborhood, which meant the witnesses would rather spend a night in jail than talk to the cops.
"No prints off the guns cap," one of the officers informed.
"Didn't think there would be," Captain Walsh replied. With no fingerprints, no reliable witnesses, and no sure-shot way to pin a Gambino higher-up to the hit, the captain decided to call it quits.
"Is there any way to pin this on the Gambino's cap?" an officer inquired.
"Not even close," the captain groaned. "One of these days, there will be though, and when that day comes, I'll be right there smiling at those sons-of-bitches."
"To Link and Mido!" the boss yelled.
"To Link and Mido!" the crowd repeated.
Glasses clinked together as people gave their cheers and praise. There was food and drink all over the place. Everyone from the crew was invited to celebrate. There must have been 70-80 people in that house, and two 17-year-olds were the stars of the show. A guy making his bones was a big deal in the mafia. It signified your entrance into the life and showed you'd do anything to benefit the family. It showed you had balls. That was most important. Link couldn't remember the last time he was this happy; the last time he felt so accomplished. Link, along with Mido, was finally a part of the family. Nobody could fuck around with him anymore, and he could fuck around with anybody because he had the backup. The most feared guys in the city were all standing around him patting his back. This moment was everything to him; the only thing better would be getting made.
"You've done good kid," Vinnie praised. "The only way from here is up, and you're goin' up really fuckin' fast."
Link just kept smiling; he didn't know what to say. He's been waiting to hear this from the big guy for five years. Five years of working in the shop, and earning everyone's trust and respect. He really had it now; all he needed to do was keep it going. He was learning every day. Learning how the city runs, how to make a real living. He didn't want to be a robot like the kids in his school. Working 8-hour days to scratch your way into the upper-middle class, a wife, a shitty house, and 2-and-a-half kids just didn't appeal to him. Not like this. Not like what this life had to offer. He didn't see himself as a criminal. He saw himself as a regular guy who didn't want to be run like a machine.
The Boss clinked a spoon against his glass of whiskey to gather everyone's attention.
"Here it comes," Tommy whispered to a nearby guest.
"Alright, you all know why we're here," the Don started. "We're here to welcome these two young men into our family." He gestured to Link and Mido, and everyone clapped. "As young as they are, both have proved their loyalty and competence. I have no doubt in my mind that they will help bring this family into the future." Everyone cheered as Vinnie's speech went on. "They came to us as kids looking for jobs, and have grown to be valuable assets, and now, they will be rewarded for their hard work and never-ending loyalty. Both of you deserve the highest praise, and you are now mature enough to see that what we do isn't easy.
"Everybody and their mother points at us and calls us the bad guys, and who can blame them? They've all been raised like sheep, thinking that if they keep their head down, and take all the shit that people give them, everything will turn out alright in the end. People like to be told exactly what to do, and exactly how to do it, but not us; we're unique. Someone from the outside, someone who doesn't deserve an ounce of respect, tries to tell us what to do, we tell 'em to shove it up their ass. The harder they try, the harder we fight, and eventually, we put a bullet in their heads. What we do in life isn't all that important, after all, we're all gonna end up in fuckin' boxes with worms eating our insides. What matters is that we leave a legacy; a legacy that our descendants can be proud of. That's what this is all about. We take care of our own kind. And now you two are one of us."
Link decided to leave after the party winded down and all the guests had gone home. Before he could get out the door however, Tommy pulled him aside.
"One last thing I gotta mention, kid," he said.
"Yeah?" Link enquired. He hoped the conversation would be short. He had made plans for tonight he couldn't afford to miss.
Tommy began, "You're at the point now where you gotta know, this life comes with its risks."
"Tommy, I know-" Link started, but Tommy interrupted him immediately.
"No, you don't fucking know kid, if you did you wouldn't be so damn excited right now." Tommy lit up a cigarette before he continued. "Murder is too commonplace in this life for anyone living it to think they're immune. You ain't death-proof, and this is the stage in your life where you have to keep your head low, and fly straight, cuz if you don't, that's it for you." Tommy took a long drag off his cigarette. "Now I brought you into this life, and I don't wanna hafta be the one to take you out of it. You got me?"
Link simply nodded. He didn't expect Tommy's sudden change of attitude. Before the hit, before he joined the crew, it was always laughs and smiles. He had never seen the business side of Tommy before until today, and it shocked Link to see how serious Tommy could be. Once the conversation was over, Tommy patted Link on the back and let him head out to his car. He checked his watch, and saw he had just enough time. He hopped in his car, and made his way over to Zelda's house. Link's relationship with his year-long girlfriend became much more serious in the past couple months. He spent more time with her than with Mido, something that never happened with his previous girlfriends, and he had started to put her above almost every other aspect of his life. Only the Family took precedence over Zelda.
Ever since he started dating her, his life seemed to be a lot easier. Everything started going well for him. He felt more confident, more in control; felt like he was worth something, especially if he could keep a girl as good as Zelda. He couldn't quite tell if he was in love with her yet, he'd be scared to admit it either way, but after dating for a year, Link realized Zelda held a special place in his life. It felt easy talking to her and being around her. She was headstrong, quick witted, and highly intelligent. He found soothing comfort in her presence, and at the same time he had a constant urge to please her; to make her happy. He continued to ponder over his growing feelings for Zelda as he made the turn onto her driveway.
"Hi sweetie," Zelda greeted as she opened the door, and pecked Link on the lips. She looked stunning as always. Zelda's face alone could make a man stare, mouth agape, completely unaware of the drool running down his face. Her voluptuous body, accented by her blue tank top and matching shorts, and sparkling smile could drive a man insane. Link always thought of her as a siren.
"Anyone else home?" Link asked, and kissed her again.
Zelda smiled. "Nope," she cooed suggestively. "It's just you and me." Link smiled, and pulled her in for another kiss, but she put a finger on his lips and said, "But not right now." A mischievous look donned her face as she slowly turned around and walked inside. She loved using her sexuality to entice Link. She could control his every whim with just the sultry sound of her voice and a little body language. "I can't perform as well on an empty stomach," the siren teased.
"Gimme a fuckin' break," Link sighed while following Zelda inside. "You're such a tease." He closed the door behind him and went to sit at the table.
"Why thank you," mocked Zelda as she made her way to the stove. "Stop being such a lazy bum," she commanded after seeing Link sitting down, "and set the table. I made ravioli so get the marinara out of the fridge."
"Ravioli," Link stated, rubbing his hands together in delight, "my favorite." Link quickly set the table, then walked over to the fridge. "What do you want to drink?" he asked; marinara in hand.
"Lemonade," Zelda responded, which prompted Link to grab the lemonade off the top shelf then scan the fridge for his own beverage. "You're all out of soda?" he asked.
"There should be some in the garage," she answered.
After Link got his soda, and Zelda finished straining the ravioli, the couple sat down to eat. Link piled his plate high and smothered it in marinara, which made Zelda shake her head. She couldn't understand how she'd endured Link's eating habits for so long. He eats like a pig, and has horrible table manners on top of that.
"This is fucking good," Link complimented with a mouthful of ravioli.
"Swallow before you talk, honey," Zelda ordered. "And thank you. I made sure not to undercook it this time."
Link laughed. "I'd never had crunchy ravioli before. It's a whole different experience."
"Well you should be thanking me for opening you up to a new experience," Zelda joked.
"I could say the same for you, and the experience I opened you up to is a helluva lot better than crunchy ravioli." Link said, shoving more ravioli in his mouth. "But you 'can't perform on an empty stomach,' so I gotta sit here with blue balls."
Zelda scoffed at Link's remark. "To tell you the truth, I can perform whenever I damn well please," she assured, pointing her fork at her boyfriend. "I just like to remind you who's in charge here; keep you on a leash."
Link shook his head, and murmured something under his breath in annoyance. Zelda smiled. Link had certainly opened her up to her own sexuality in the past several months. Link, the experienced one of the two, had waited diligently until Zelda was ready to give up her virginity, and Zelda was glad she did. Not only did she slowly start to gain more control over her boyfriend, but the romance in their relationship started to blossom like she never would have imagine. She found herself falling for Link even more as time passed, and now, just a few days after the couple celebrated their first anniversary, Zelda knew she was in love with Link. At first, she figured her growing feelings were simply a product of losing her virginity, but she soon realized it had little to do with that. Their personalities meshed in a way she couldn't describe, especially since they were almost exact opposites. Link was short tempered, messy, and careless at times. Zelda, on the other hand, was calm, neat, and had great attention to detail. She felt like he needed to be taken care of, and she could take care of him. She felt safe in his arms. She felt that while she was with him, nothing could touch her. Zelda found it difficult, however, to admit her love for Link, partly due to her personality. She liked to be in charge, in control, traits which Link admired. She also hated being hurt, and wanted to be sure he loved her before dropping that "bomb." Zelda's previous relationship had ended due to her boyfriend's inability to say those three magic words back to her, and ending her relationship with Link on that kind of note was out of the question.
After Link had sufficiently gorged himself, the pair decided to move into the living room and watch a movie.
"What're you up for?" Zelda asked, sifting through the cabinet full of DVDs.
"You decide, I'm up for anything really," Link answered. He didn't plan on watching the movie anyway.
"How 'bout this?" Zelda asked. She walked up to her boyfriend and presented the sappy chick-flick he knew she'd pick out.
"You just had to go with the mushiest thing on the shelf," Link complained.
"Hey, you said it was my choice, so I chose," Zelda reminded. "And this is one of my favorites, so I don't wanna hear your damn griping during the movie." Zelda sat on the couch next to Link after she put the DVD in the player.
Link put an arm around his girlfriend, and pulled her close. "Well don't be surprised if I fall asleep." He had no intention of staying asleep, however, and hoped the movie would get Zelda in the mood.
Zelda cuddled up closer to her boyfriend. "If you start snoring I'm waking you up," she said.
"That's fair," Link replied as the opening credits rolled.
The movie was one of Zelda's favorites, but it bored Link to death within the first 20 minutes. An average and predictable plot combined with mediocre acting makes for a lousy movie experience according to Link. The movie stopped to matter, however, when the couple paid started to pay more attention to each other. About half-way through they were deep in a kiss as the movie droned on in the background. Sex had become commonplace in Link and Zelda's relationship, especially now that Zelda was completely comfortable. Though Zelda teased Link constantly, she always followed up; after all, she enjoyed it as much as he did. The make-out session escalated as Zelda slid Link's shirt off his body, while he did the same with her tank top and eased his girlfriend onto the couch, his hands roaming all the while.
The mafia had been a large presence in the criminal world since the mass migration to Hyrule's main cities. Discrimination towards foreigners ran high, and among those discriminated against were Ordonians. Back in the old country, Ordonians were forced to deal with ineffective governments, corrupt cops, and belligerent crime. To counteract this plague of disorder, the Ordonians created La Cosa Nostra, or Our Thing. Better known as the mafia, these organizations were led by the heads of powerful and highly respected families. The Dons, as they were called, brought order to crime in Ordon, and ruled with a strict code and sense of honor. As the Ordonian masses emigrated, so did the mafia.
They quickly established themselves as a presence in major Hylian cities. Through their superior organization and intellect, the powerful mafia families slowly took over the vast majority of racketeering and other illegal enterprises. Thanks to the influence the highly respected Dons had over the Ordonian community, which at the time increased exponentially in size on a yearly basis, the various families gained control of workers unions throughout the cities, which allowed them to control many business enterprises. Slowly, members of the community began going to their Dons for voting advice, and the politicians, constant slaves to the whims of voters, trickled into the pockets of the mob. The mafia soon controlled the inner workings of most major Hylian city.
After the politicians came the police, and after the police, the citizens. More and more businesses, small and large, started paying the mafia for "protection." The mob preyed on dying businesses, gambling addicts along with various other degenerates, and petty crime to fuel their enterprise. Desperate businessmen would go to them for loans, only to have their business taken over. Gamblers who fell into deep debt met with the same fate. Everyone knew of their power, so no outside criminal would ever dare lift a store backed by a family. Of course, whoever owned such a store had to pay the family backing them every week no matter what. It didn't matter if business was slow, if the mortgage was around the corner, or if lightning struck the place, they had to pay, and if they didn't, the store no longer belonged to them. The victims of such extortion couldn't even go to the police, as not only did the mafia control the police, but those who tattled were known to disappear.
At one point, several families had controlling interest in the criminal activities of Hyrule's cities. It was believed by the collective of Dons that order is best kept through active cooperation between families. Wars only happened every decade or so, and though they were widely considered bad for business, most bosses considered them a necessary evil in order to get rid of bad blood. Everything changed, however, when the Gambinos came to power. The Gambino family was already one of great power and prominence, but when Giuseppi Gambino passed, and Vinnie Gambino took over, they became a monopoly. Vinnie refused to share the fruits of his labor with the other families. In the world of crime, he felt order came best through rule by one, not many. He gathered all the muscle he could, and waged war on all the opposing families, a war which ended in the assassinations of every rival Don and their possible heirs, and the assimilation of all remaining pieces of the mafia into the Gambino family. In one fell swoop, with the ruthless and efficient precision he gained infamy for, Vinnie went from being a boss to the Boss of the Hylian mafia.
Now that he had made his bones, Link would soon realize the sheer power of the organization he was a part of.
Well, there's the first chapter. If you have any suggestions, criticisms, praise, or saw any grammar errors you'd like to report on, please leave a review. If you just enjoy reading, that's fine too. Hold tight and I'll get to work on the second chapter.