Story Title: The History of Us
Disclaimer: Still do not own Twilight Princess.
Author's Notes: And in my never-ending quest of providing as many Shad/Link fics as I can, we now have a Modern AU. I've had this first chapter written for a while but held it back for some time. I'm posting it now just to see if there is interest and just because there needs to be more Shad/Link.
As a note, I don't know much about baseball. I tried to do research so I could get a few basic terms I wanted right but I don't think I absorbed anything properly. But it's not exactly the focus of the story (no, not at all) but I do admit to any wrong information.
Thanks for reading.
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Chapter One: Those Who Do Not Learn History Are Sidelined
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He was an all-star. Destined for the Majors, the Hyrulean Royals no doubt. Classmates and rival schools alike said his time at bat was truly impressive, terrifying, and outstanding to watch. Link had heard it all and more. His athletic prowess was a part of the regular talk in the halls. He was Castle Town High's greatest hitter since the school's inception. And he was only a sophomore. His fellow teammates stared in awe and the other schools trembled at the prospect he still had a few years on the team and that he could actually improve in that time.
Well, not anymore. He could kiss his remaining years on the baseball team or even just being able to play in the next game goodbye if he didn't raise his history grade to the bare minimum. Fast and soon.
In the teachers' offices, Link sat slumped forward, his head lying on his History teacher's desk, and stared at his most recent test results. There was more red on his paper than on the Din Dynamites' uniforms. Unable to bear the sight of it a moment longer, Link closed his eyes. The words of a student announcer at his last (and it was his last) game echoed in his ears, the guy's words asking the world if there was anything that could stop Link. Indeed, there was only one thing that could stop him.
And here we have it, Link made a soft groan into the mahogany. My greatest, darkest enemy, destined to be locked in mortal battle with for all eternity…History.
Goddesses, he sucked at history.
His teacher, Mr. Auru, stood facing the window, without a doubt in one of his deep in thought poses as he tried to come up with a plan that would accomplish the impossible—allow Link to stay on the team and miraculously transform him into a student of bare average understanding of Hyrule's long and complex history. Link figured it would be easier for the old but spry man to climb an erupting Death Mountain than to succeed at saving his meager GPA.
Link hated cheating but a small part of him wished Mr. Auru just gave him a pass. It certainly would have been easier for them both (and the team) if he did. But Mr. Auru was a stern but fair man. While a good many of his teachers would have immediately offered the pass (especially if Link's grades were as awful as this in their classes), there was no way Mr. Auru was about to resort to such lows. One thing Link knew for certain—the only way his grade was going to meet requirement was if he worked really, really, really hard to raise it.
Link lifted his forehead just slightly up and a bit back and then sharply slammed his head against the desk.
He hated history.
"Mister Link, I have considered several ways of correcting our problem but truthfully they all come down to effort," Mr. Auru said, his words sounding grim, no matter how nice he tried to be. "There is no special treatment that can benefit you better than the reward of hard work so I have asked and been allowed to give you a test. Your grade and your future on the team will be determined by how well you perform on this test."
If a history test was all that stood between him and ever playing in another game, Link started rehearsing his goodbyes to his team and the world of baseball.
"So you know, this test will not be like anything I have given you before. It will be harder, longer, and cover everything we have so far—"
Great. And we both know how wonderful I am on regular tests, Link thought, trying to avoid the glaring seven percent grade headlining his test paper. Gee, I can't wait to fail the Super Final Boss Mega Ultra Sparkle-tastic history test as well…
"Since the test will take longer to complete than my class time permits, you will be taking the test after school. You have two weeks from today to study."
"Thank you, sir," Link said unenthusiastically, forcing himself to sit up correctly and to give a small proper bow in his seat. "I promise to do my best." He knew Mr. Auru was giving him a favor but it still felt like a punishment. Or a death sentence, at least where it pertained to his baseball career.
"I'm seeing to it that you do just that," Mr. Auru said.
Confused by what he meant, Link watched the old man walk to the door. Fairly confident that nothing could ever help him and was just waiting for Mr. Auru to dismiss him, Link turned back around in his seat and tried not to look down at the gruesome murder scene of red across his test.
Auru spoke to someone outside briefly—at least Link thought he had heard a second voice, albeit a very quiet one—and then led the other person inside and directed that person to stand by Link. Shooting a quick look over, Link saw Auru's guest was a student, a strangely dressed nerdy young man with glasses, to be exact.
"Link, this is Shad. You might recognize him from class," Mr. Auru said, as the young man smiled at him and gave him a small polite bow.
"Nope," Link said frankly.
"Well, perhaps that is not to be unexpected…" Shad said, faintly laughing out of nervousness, Link guessed. "On account we do sit more than a few seats behind and several rows to the right of one another. I say, we practically sit on opposite ends of the classroom."
"Are you a foreign exchange student?" Link asked, his stare flattening.
"Heavens no, I am not. I have lived in Castle Town all my life," Shad said and then blinked in curiosity. "Umm, pardon me, but why ever do you ask?"
"Because you talk funny."
Shad stared back in surprise, mouth open. "I-I say, I-I do not!"
Link's disbelief did not go away. In fact, adding to his unconvinced stare, he raised his eyebrow at a questioning slant. And that seemed to annoy the peculiarly-accented boy more and forced him to explain himself at first before swiftly switching to reprimanding Link for being quite rude toward him and at their first true introduction to one another nonetheless.
"Boys, please," Mr. Auru called, lowering his hands in a definitive please-settle-down gesture. "Link, much as I'm positive you're not thrilled by our arrangements, it might be wise of you to show some civility. After all, Shad will be your tutor for the next two weeks."
Link immediately scooted his chair back and shot up from it. "You really think he's going to help me at all? Why don't you make it easy and not waste anyone's time and just fail me already? I get it! I'm an idiot at history. So long baseball. I'll get over it," Link said, his voice steadily raising with anger and promising that he wasn't about to get over anything anytime soon.
"Link..." Mr. Auru was calm. "I do not value taking the easy road. I do not care what is convenient, for myself or for you. I do what is right. I know you can do this. You have the determination and I know that when you're motivated you'll succeed. You just have to want it hard enough to work for it. And Shad will be there to help you in your studies."
"I say, it would be my pleasure to assist you. We will have your grade up to standard in tip-top time, I promise you," Shad chimed in.
Shooting a hard, level stare at the boy, Link snatched his test paper off Mr. Auru's desk and held it to Shad's face. "This is my last test score. And honestly, it's one of my better."
"Oh dear…" And then realizing what he had said, Shad quickly apologized. "I-I mean…uh…please forgive me. Terribly rude of me, that was."
"Nah, you're just seeing what a waste of time I really am," Link said as he crinkled his paper into a ball, stuffed his hands in his jean pockets, and headed for the door. "Thanks Mr. Auru, sir, for trying but what you're trying to do is fantasy and I want to live in reality."
"Pardon me, Link—" Shad said, no doubt trying to convince him otherwise but Link wanted to hear none of it.
"Not gonna happen!" Link said as he swung the teachers' offices door closed behind him. Why was he the only one who could see how stupid this was? And shouldn't he be the expert on how well he could learn history? Sure, Mr. Auru thought he could do more because he was a teacher—he was paid to believe kids could learn.
But that Shad boy, he didn't know him. What gave him the right to think Link could do better? What made that nerd think he could teach him? Link knew he sucked at history. Period. He didn't need to torture himself and waste both their time trying to learn what just would not stick in Link's head.
"Useless," Link grumbled to himself as he headed off to his last practice and to deliver the grim news to his coach and teammates.