Sanctus Espiritus, redeem us from our solemn hour,
Sanctus Espiritus, insanity is all around us.
Sanctus Espiritus, is this what we deserve?
Can we break free?
Our Solemn Hour by Within Temptation.
Zelda.
I love my sister, I really do. I mean Sheik has always been there for me, she has never not been there fore me. I would be lost without her, she doesn't say much to me and barely talks in front of anyone but me, yet still, sometimes I wish she was just a little more social. Not just so that I wouldn't have that bad guilty feeling in my stomach, but so that she could have friends, maybe even a boyfriend! Sometimes I get the feeling that I do all the protecting, even though it comes with being older (by an hour 32 minutes and 59 seconds), Sheik needs to grow up…and get a life.
School Counselor
I have watched Zelda and Sheik ever since they were freshman. I give them special attention because of their horrible childhood. I only know what the news that night had announced: their parents were brutally murdered by a group unknown to the cops. They were taken in by their grandparents. I have no worries about Zelda, who is in student council, was elected Homecoming queen two years in a row, and an active member in clubs and sports. Her grades are decent, and comments from the teachers are satisfactory. It is Sheik that I am slightly unnerved about.
I remember the first day I saw that kid. Zelda walked in with a pretty outfit on, feminine and regal. And next to her, was Sheik, looking like a dark guardian angel, if you will. Her jeans were a dark blue—almost black—and her jean vest was frayed, covering a black turtleneck, the entire dark thing I found cliché, and apparently so did she, because around her waist was a dark red sash, the only feminine thing about her (her hair she kept in a graceful shag). Although Sheik is nowhere near as popular as Zelda, each time I have had a chance encounter, the air around her is both regal and dominating. Her walk is poised and lethal looking even, sometimes I feel she is a jungle cat, elegantly walking but ready to pounce on a seconds notice. She commands a presence that has been felt by peers and staff, the principal declared it "almost deadly" in a rare fit of stress.
Sheik is not involved in clubs or student council, I have never seen her at dances and only once in sophomore year she tried out for football. She was placed in varsity, second string because she was female. The coach told me in complete awe that she was incredibly fit and an excellent tackler. Before the season started she dropped the sport. I have never received word as to why. Sheik's grades are excellent. She is a mysterious character that I intend to keep a close eye on.
Sheik.
I love my sister, I really do. I love her enough that every night I feel guilty and horrible about being what I am. I feel nothing for anyone; I wasn't born and raised to feel anything but disgust for anyone. Anyone except Zelda, of course, I would kill for my sister, so feeling guilt is something that I both despise and admire for Zelda holding it over me, even though she does not know it.
I understand that my sister would prefer for me to have a more sociable life, even though she is older, I doubt she knows that I do the protecting. All of it. Only my grandfather and I know why my parents were murdered that night. I am the one who chose to be this monster so that Zelda can live a normal life. I get so fucking angry whenever she makes it a point to berate me for not 'taking advantage of life' when I have been robbed of my innocence at the tender age of six, but I can't stay angry because she doesn't know. I socialize with no one, because even though I wouldn't bat an eyelash at killing others, I hate to admit that I would despise having the blood of my boorish peers on my hands. The hands that brush the hair out of my eyes only when talking to Zelda and my grandparents, hands that I see swinging from my arms every day. Hands that work for my parents murderers, hands that could disable a bomb in the dark blindfolded, hands that crack bones like toothpicks, hands that fit into dark red boxing gloves perfectly, hands that are long and pale, hands that play the violin in the dark. Hands that belong to me, Sheik. Hands of an underground boxer, because that's all I ever will be, and all I'll ever want to be.
Monday morning, 7:00 am, destination Hyrule High School.
"Zelda! Sheik!" Grandma Ignis shouted, "Rise and shine sleeping beauty! Up and at 'em warrior girl!"
Zelda smiled at her nickname and rolled out of her sensible neat room, complete with green and blue swirls, cute but not eccentric like Peach. Her second best friend, Sheik was and always would be her first.
Grinning at the mirror she put on blue jeans, a white peasant blouse and olive green flats. Today would be good.
Sheik, slipped in through the window just in time to hear her grandmother call, she was extremely tired, last nights opponents were much more…lively than usual. Sighing softly she looked into the mirror and slipped out of her nightly all black façade and put on her daily dark façade.
Walking into the hallway Sheik nodded at herself in the mirror.
Wipe off that frown she told herself tiredly. Glaring at herself she stretched her mouth into a smile.
"That's better." A soft voice said from behind her. Sheik had to fight the instinct to attack Zelda, showing your back to someone you cannot see is death in her line of work.
"Thanks." Sheik responded in her beautiful husky tenor, Zelda smiled she loved Sheik's voice, mysterious compared to her own innocent high soprano.
"You've been looking so tired lately…" Zelda stated, sensing the atmosphere grow a little tenser.
"It's Monday." Sheik responded back, careful to not put in emotion. Zelda never knew about her nightly life, never suspected, and never would know. Just her and Grandpa. Zelda would die in her grave innocent. Sheik would make sure of that.
Zelda nodded slowly as a grin spread across her face, "Guess what's starting today?" She asked her sister. Sheik eyed the impish smile wearily, "What…"
"Sadie Hawkins is going to be announced today! Girls get to ask boys!" Zelda shrieked as Sheik lead them towards the kitchen. Grandma Ignis turned around slightly annoyed, but it was quickly vanquished at the sight of her happy granddaughter. Zelda looked the most like her late son. She would never admit it but Zelda may have been her favorite, just by a little. In all honesty Sheik scared her sometimes. She loved her granddaughter, truly she did, but she felt as if Sheik was affected most by her parent's death, she just didn't show it to anyone. Unlike the rest of them who had bawled like babies.
"Sadie Hawkins eh?" Grandma Ignis asked, smiling at her two grandchildren.
"Yup!" Zelda said happily, plopping herself down she pulled a chair up next to her for Sheik who was getting plates. Zelda smiled happily, as her grandmother slid pancakes on her plate.
"So you're not going to be quiet and just let the boys fawn over you this year huh?" Grandpa asked winking at Zelda as he walked into the kitchen, "You're gonna go get your man, huh?"
Zelda giggled softly before spreading butter on Sheik's pancakes. Said girl was leaning back in her chair, watching Zelda move the knife over the brown flaps in slight amusement.
Grandpa Ignis watched Sheik.
Feeling eyes on her, Sheiks eyes went up, covered in a cool gaze that would have stopped anybody, finding her grandfathers prodding gaze, she nodded. Her grandfather nodded back at her, the sorrow evident on his face. He was ripped apart when they came for Sheik and Zelda.
*Flashback*
Jacob Ignis was on the floor, crying his eyes out over his son's and daughter-in-law's dead bodies. He had woken up at nine pm to the sound of the phone ringing. Angry and tired he answered it grumpily, only to be reduced to panic by the urgent talking of a small Sheik and the anguished screams of a terrified Zelda in the background.
He and his wife had called the cops and made it over to his son's house in record timing. Zelda had flung the door open and rushed out to her grandparents, screaming and crying, in hysterics over the sight of her parents dead at the kitchen table. Lifeless mannequins, she hadn't looked long enough to notice the note impaled to her father's chest, she had only seen the blood and flew into a panic.
It was Sheik, sweet innocent, impish Sheik who had found the note; it was Sheik who had stared at the bodies, not terrified, but disappointed. Disappointed in whatever good forces that were out there, that had let this happen to her parents, people who were so good.
By the time the cops had come, the grandparents had held onto their grandchildren, through the whole thing. The warning tape placed around the perimeter, the news cars, and the respectful actions of the cops who had consoled the remaining family members.
It was ruled a homicide, by a group, the motives remained unknown, and would remain so for the next fourteen years. The only person who had a slightest inkling of what might have happened at that precise moment was Jacob.
The inkling was reinforced into truth by the knock that came at exactly midnight. Cliché, but effective for the late night callers.
His wife was asleep with Zelda and Sheik upstairs, the bodies were removed for an autopsy, and only he was awake dreading this very moment.
Slowly opening the door he wanted to scream out to his family to run, but he was elderly, he couldn't do what he had done years ago. Yes, he was a legend, but even legends fade.
"Legend" a deep voice cut through the night.
Legend.
Despite the moment, he savored the name, his old name. His fighting name. He was a legend in every sense, every underground rink had heard of him from the city of Altea to here in Hyrule. He was the best of his time all around the globe, it was his life, and then he left the rink for love. He married his wife and left the rink behind forever. But it caught up to him. After all, his ancestors had been legendary fighters.
The bosses of the underground arena in Hyrule weren't too thrilled that the best fighter around had left their rink for a family. That night he had promised that his son would not fight for them, the rink was dangerous. The underground was dangerous filled with drug dealers, forced workers, it was dangerous. The boss that had come to visit him promised that he would come back to the rink eventually, weather it was Jacob or a descendant.
"Come in." Jacob responded curtly.
"Sorry about the mess." The man in the right said.
"No you're not." Jacob hissed through clenched teeth, "Fuck you all! You couldn't ask! You had to kill them!"
"You know the rules Legend." The deep voiced one said, respectfully addressing him with a bowed head, retired or not, Jacob was a monumental figure in the underground, "You son refused to carry on the line, you and your fathers before you had created it, the Boss is sad to see that he wouldn't do it, he could have squealed, so he had to go, the wife saw us, so out she went to."
"God damn you all!" Jacob growled furiously.
"Legend, when a family line like yours comes through the rink, a new member must come when the first one goes. Your son was to come after you, because he didn't honor the code he died, your grandson will have to carry on the line, if you don't want to be shamed by your son's decision…and killed…."
"Well you're fucked, because I don't have a grandson!" Jacobs said, triumphantly.
The three men were silent for a moment, then the one on the right broke in with a snide voice, "No, but you have granddaughters. We take the oldest from family lines. I believe its Zelda."
Jacob stared on in helpless shock….they were going to steal his sweet granddaughter and turn her into a monster. A blood lusting rink robot of a monster—his sweet Zelda.
And that was the moment when Jacob Ignis received the surprise of a thousand lifetimes.
A tiny thin Sheik thrust open the door, dressed in her green teddy bear footie pajamas and holding her plush wolf pup toy. Jacob wished that he could have magicked her away somewhere, kill all three men in a miraculous miracle, but he couldn't. He could only watch in horrified fascination as she walked timid steps towards her grandfather.
The three men watched in mild interest, as the little Sheik tugged on her grandfather's pants. Leaning down to her level he heard her whisperer into his ears, "Grampa? I'll go for Zelda…she doesn't hafta fight. I'll do it for her. You…you can help me, grampa I'll fight so we don't hafta be dead O.K.?" Jacob could have cried, his beautiful granddaughter Sheik was the most amazing person in the world at that moment.
The deep voiced male, who or course heard Sheiks loud whisper, stepped forward and kneeled down to Sheik's height, "You'll fight for your family?" his voice held no sympathy, this was a job.
"Y…Yes." Sheik nodded.
"Very well, you and your family will remain alive, Jacob, thanks to your granddaughter. Training will start next week." And with that they walked out of the house.
Jacob collapsed into a chair, sobbing, holding Sheiks hands in his own. Staring into her innocent blood stained eyes he whispered, "Why would you do that Sheik? I could have fought them off."
Sheik shook her head with something close to pity in her eyes, "No you couldn't grampa, because your back is too old. But that's okay, because we get to live." She nodded her head like that solved everything. And she led her grandfather back to her room and he cried until she fell asleep.
That night, he knew he loved Zelda, but he knew that he loved and respected Sheik. His descendant. The next Ignis fighter. The next Legend.
*Flashback Ends*
Jacob Ignis had immense respect and love for Sheik. He always would. Sheik noticed the change in expressions that flashed over her grandfather's face.
He's probably thinking about that night she mused lightly. Ignoring her sister's questions about who she would ask to the dance she leant forward and patted her grandfather's hand. He smiled in gratitude and Zelda dismissed the odd exchange as normal that had been happening for years now.
"Off to schools chickadees." Their grandmother scolded smacking Zelda's bottom and swatting at Sheik's who danced gracefully out range.
"Always so light on you feet, Sheik." Zelda said smiling as she opened the doors to her respectable mini cooper. Sheik opened the passenger seat.
"You're not gonna ride your bike today?" Zelda asked curiously, indicating towards the sleek black motorcycle that was parked in the corner.
"Nah…I rode for a long time yesterday." Sheik responded.
Yesterday meaning last night coming back from the ring. The fighter inside whispered.
Shut up Sheik responded easily. Fighting with herself in her head, Sheik berated herself.
"Personally I think that bike is a rolling death trap. It scares me and grandma so much when we see you speed away on that thing." Zelda said smacking the dashboard for emphasis, "All the time weaving through traffic it freaks me out! Now if you had a Harley, well people would give you some space for being a Harley rider…"
Sheik fell into the comfortable hum of her sister's babbling. Closing her eyes she went on autopilot murmuring "Mmmhmms" or "yeah" or "you're right" at intervals. You could survive with any woman with those three phrases, you'd be the best boyfriend or husband ever. Smiling slightly Sheik slept for the twenty minutes it took to get to school.
In the parking lot of Hyrule High Zelda turned to her sister, "Sheik…?" she asked softly.
Sheik snapped up, narrowing her eyes, "Yes?" she was suspicious of Zelda's timid tone.
"I…I…" Zelda whispered, Sheik's fists clenched, someone was gonna get pounded.
"I think I'm gonna ask Link to the dance!" Zelda said clenching her jaw in determination.
Sheik thumped back in her seat, scowling at her sister, "So?"
"What if he says no?" Zelda cried.
"He won't" Sheik reassured, he wouldn't. Not unless he wanted to die in the next 24 hours.
"Okay, I'm gonna ask him today at lunch!" she pumped her fist and got out of the car. Sheik sighed and followed suit. Thrusting her hands in her pockets, she walked up to the school. Sheik talked to no one, yet she was undoubtedly popular. Not by association to Zelda, the queen of the school along with Peach and Samus, but because she was Sheik.
Her silent way of being known was admired, and her presence whenever present was monumental. There was the rumor that she was bi, and the murmurs of her gentlemen like manner were a point of arousal and excitement. But they were just murmurings, rumors, Sheik made sure of that.
Yet despite all of it, Sheik made sure that she had no friends, just acquaintances, and the only ones were the friends of Zelda. While Zelda was outright popular, Sheik was more of the undertone type of popularity. Zelda would be spotted first at a party and Sheik would be found only after she made herself known. Not that she went to any parties.
Walking a ways behind her sister, she let her thoughts wander to last nights fight.
She could still smell the rustic scent of the blood; the bruises on her ribs were a painful blue. But the feeling of triumph and euphoria when she won stayed with her. Even though being an underground boxer was a plague to her and her grandfather….it was also her passion. It had grown on her, the taste of blood in her mouth, the sweat of a hard won fight, the feeling of winning. Knocking an opponent down over and over again, it was disgustingly addictive.
She stopped short, narrowly avoiding running into Zelda. She chided herself for not paying attention and nodded at her sisters closest friends. There was Marth who offered her a smile, Roy who grinned at her—always oblivious to the cold front, Peach who waved at her Samus nodded back, Pit smiled innocently, Link hesitantly waved and Ike…. Ike was sitting next to Dark Link. Ike and Dark Link were in Sheik's opinion, Zelda's most interesting friends. Dark was sarcastic and evil, which intrigued Sheik, but she was smart enough to keep her distance, and Ike was nearly as silent as she was, disappearing from time to time only to come back later refusing to tell where he had been.
Sheik was suspicious of him, but she tolerated Ike. She was only here for her sister, and to make sure no one backstabbed her in the dirty high school way of life.
The bell rang and everyone went off to class.
~ After School~
Sheik headed to the third floor of the main school building. The library took up that entire landing; it was her favorite place to go. After school she was usually the only one there. Slipping in through the doors and past the librarian who was still staring at the door, trying to see who was there, she headed towards the far back. A table sat in the far left corner, illuminated by a shaft of sunlight. It was blocked by bookcases, provided an excellent vantage point of the library, and was always a comfortable temperature.
Sliding into the seat by the window she opened up a book she had bought from a used book store. It was titled: 'Fighting, Ancient Techniques of Boxing' . She was just opening it up to her doggy eared page when someone slid into the chair in front of her.
Her first instinct was to attack the body across from her, but she was at school…she barely stopped herself in time. Angry at herself for not hearing the person approach sooner she glanced up and was incredibly surprised to find herself staring at Ike.
"That is a good book." He stated quietly.
Sheik nodded, glancing at him once more she returned to her book, listening to Ike's movement.
She could see through her bangs that he had a book to, labeled: Assassin's guide.
"Interesting." Sheik murmured. Ike looked up surprised that she spoke. Sheik never talked to anyone; very rarely did she ever get called on by a teacher. He used to think that she was mute until Link told him that she usually only talked to Zelda.
"Oh, this?" Ike asked holding up the manual. Sheik eyed him coolly with something close to bemusement. She nodded once more, "It's nothing," he said, "Just something I like to read about."
"Assassination?" Sheik asked. Ike grinned.
"Well…I prefer 'The art of Murder' but that works to." Sheik matched his grin with a faint smile of her own. Ike was ecstatic that he had gotten a reaction out of her, he half expected to be murdered in this secluded part of the library.
Sheik had returned to her book and Ike almost felt sorry fro interrupting her, "But I came here to tell you something."
Sheik looked up, her expression only mildly interested, "Hmm?"
"It's about Sadie Hawkins." Ike mumbled. Sheik sat up straighter.
"Er…" Ike began, "Well, I just thought it fair to warn you that Zelda was planning on setting you up today, she was talking about it in health. And well, you seem like the type of person whose time shouldn't be wasted on things like this…" Ike blurted out, going red, this was much more than he was used to saying.
Sheik raised her eyebrows at the rushed words. Ike almost never spoke. Checking her watch she rose to leave. She had a match in three hours, she needed to go home, let her grandfather know, create an excuse for her grandma and Zelda, and get to the underground and warm up. Still Ike's outburst gained him a small amount of respect from Sheik. She knew it took a lot to come up to her, even if Ike was nearly just as stoic.
"Thank you." Sheik said politely, slipping easily into the air of a gentleman. She grabbed her backpack and book, walking away from Ike, against her better judgment she turned around, "I would like to talk some more…sometime…about that book." She called out.
Ike turned in his seat and smiled slightly, "I usually come here after you leave…tomorrow sounds good…."
"Bring your brain." Sheik replied, she desired intelligent conversation not a flirtatious testosterone high teenage male.
"Will do."
~ After Sheik has gone home, told her grandfather of her match, made an excuse and is now warming up~
Sheik finished her stretching, she was running late so she hadn't stopped in the arena around the ring, instead slipping past everyone unnoticed and warming up for her match. She had switched into her boxing gear.
Black basketball shorts with black leggings underneath, a dark shirt made of flexible thin but strong material and her red sash that was passed down from her line of fighting ancestors. She wrapped it around her lower face, covering her nose and lower jaw.
Cracking her knuckles she swayed on the balls of her feet and put on her prized deep red boxing gloves. Her life line, her pride and joy, these gloves had seen the blood and pain and hardship that it had taken her to get here, the best boxer in the underground. They had started out as rookies together and had climbed their way to the top together.
Finally she could hear the announcer shout her opponents name to the crowd, a mixture of boos and cheers replied. And then everything was silent, until the announcer spoke again.
"And now…what every sane person here was waiting for," he started of low, gradually rising in volume, "The one…the greatest, the descendant of the best fighter of all time…the only female boxer alive….Legend."
A shiver ran up Sheik's back.
No she was not Sheik anymore, she was Legend now. The best underground boxer in the world, and it was her time right now.
Not Zelda's not her grandma's not even her grandfather's. This was her domain, her world, the ring was hers. And you could bet your life she ran it like the Dragon Lady.
She stepped onto the ring silently and Legend entered into the light.
Yeah…well I have two stories like this for completely different categories but they all have different plots…like one is an assassin the other is an Underground Fighter…
If you like anime, specifically Hetalia you can check out my Underground Fighter fic for Hungary and Prussia.
But still! Did you like? Did you hate? This is my first story for this category and I kinda like it…I really like Sheik and Dark Link as characters. And sometimes I feel like Sheik doesn't get enough attention. I mean I think she is AWESOME! But yea (:
So review if you liked or didn't but leave something please?
~pw