Crystal Nothings II: My Wings Angle Down - The Fallen Lithium
Disclaimer: Nintendo, Sega, and Konami own Smash Bros. Brawl! I also don't own 'Juno' or 'Harold & Kumar Go To White Castle'
Link stared long and hard the bracelet, as the sun peeked over the grassy hill in the fields. The dark circles underneath his eyes just staring, nothing else. His eyes hopelessly scanned over the words engraved on each seperate, perfect jewel.
"Why did you do this to me, Pit?" Link asked aloud.
He'd been so sure of himself before. Now it was impossible to know. Pit was in a coma (as he'd been telling himself multiple times), Ganondorf was acting like he had amnesia, and Toon Link was angry with him. About what, he had yet to know.
The poor kid just didn't, no, couldn't comprehend what he was going through. He seemed to be so confident that the way you feel is entirely up to you. Toony didn't get the fact that the heart just doesn't work that way.
The swordsman yearned to tell his friend that he was right, and he was wrong, and things could go back to being simpler (not comepletely simple mind you, one can't ressurect the dead).
"I hate this."
"I know what you mean."
He didn't look up from the bracelet as he felt the weight of Ganondorf sink onto the bed next to him.
"No, you don't, Ganon. You really don't."
"I also hate it when people jump to conclusions."
Still staring at his hand, he replied, "Well, how could you? I'm losing my feelings for someone who committed his life to me. And now I don't even know if he has a life to committ to me anymore."
"You've been saying those words an awful lot lately."
"Seems to be the only words that make sense in my world," the Hero of Twilight muttered dejectedly.
Ganondorf turned and watched the sun as it continued to rise.
"Link," he began. "Have you ever watched the sun rise?"
The other scoffed. "Of course I have. Who hasn't."
"You probably have," Ganondorf agreed. "But what I mean is... have you really watched it? Watched it like it was like the only thing that mattered?"
"... I guess not so much like that."
"It's kind of like a metaphor for my life, the sunrise."
"I tend to think that my life is more like a box full of Kirbys. Disaster at every turn."
Link finally looked at his companion. "Why are you being so cryptic anyway?"
He chuckled. "That's for me to know and you to find out!"
"Did you come in here just to tease me?" Irritation was creeping its way into the Hylian's voice.
His mouth dropped open. He wanted to say, 'no.'
Dammit, he thought. Now I'm getting all jittery.
So, instead of telling the truth, the Gerudo stood and said. "Maybe. Just maybe."
Just as the other shut the door Link was already staring at the bracelet again.
Where was he? All the boy could see was a swriling mess of green and black. A weird combo colour to be sure, but he didn't know what it meant. He seemed to be standing in the green-black mist, wavering slightly. For some reason, he felt exhausted and Toon Link was having trouble not collapsing.
But as each second passed, he could feel an invisible weight pushing down on him. He struggled valiantly, reaching behind his back for the Master Sword, but it was gone.
"What the hell?" Toon Link wanted to say, but his words came out as silence.
The weight was too much for him now. As, he collapsed, a bright flash of light swallowed his vision. When it faded, he found himself staring at the Triforce.
And his sword was stuck inside it.
Not just his sword though. His Master Sword was crossed through the hole in the triangles with the Master Sword weilded by his other self...
and...
Ganondorf's sword. The bright glowing blade he'd been impaled on was crossing paths with the Master Swords.
Like some sickening coat of arms.
"Oh goddesses, what is this?"
Fiercely, Toon Link wriggled helplessly to free himself from the grip of Din, Nayru, and Faeroe.
Alas, there was no avail.
He fell out of bed with the overexerted force carried over from his dream. As he lay there, tangled in the sheets and his 'cat-eyes' wider than the Hyrule itself, one phrase escaped his lips.
"Don't try to change fate... what the crap?" he added with a gasp.
Toon Link's arms flailed widly as he fussed to free his tiny legs from the blanket. Sweat was bouring down his brow like a leaky faucet (gross right), and his undershirt was gone.
A horrible groan escaped him as he finally freed himself from the blanket.
"Oh poo," was the mumble he chose to utter. "I'm not gonna be able to sleep now!"
Grumbling angrily under his breath the entire time, Link reached for a blue tunic and some tights before pulling on his disproportionate boots and strolling casually out of his room.
The carpeted hallways were lit with a fiery pink coming from the fast approaching sunlight.
"I think I'll go watch the sunrise," he announced to no one in particular "Helps me think." Quietly, so as not to alert the others, the Outset Islander padded across the flooring and up several confusing flights of stairs until he reached the glass balcony doors.
Pushing them open, Toon Link squinted against the harsh sunlight. Realization suddenly struck him like a speeding Rito. Ike and Falco were to fight in the tournament today.
Deciding that such things weren't pressing enough to occupy his mind space at that moment, the boy turned his attentions to his dream. His sword... the Master Sword... both of them intersecting with Ganondorf's cursed blade through the "fourth triangle" of the Triforce.
It was a safe assumption that the design simply mate that the fates of the three were crossed. Like duh, he didn't need a dream to figure out that one.
Then there was the factor of the words. Don't try to change fate. It was because of that ominous demand that he knew there was more to the dream.
Toon Link studied the Triforce marking on his hand, as if it would give him the answers. Obviously, it did nothing except glow dully in the morning light.
There was a feeling inside of him that the statement had something to do with the ever growing closesness of Ganondorf and his other self. That... well that just wasn't normal. Things like that aren't supposed to happen.
Speculation can be a frightening weapon, especially in the hands of a child. Speculation leads to assumptions, and assumptions in turn lead to accusations, and accusations end the conflict in fighting, be it on a small or large scale.
Being the small child he was, he didn't bother try to comprehend the side-effects of speculation. All he knew was that he had to convince Link that Ganondorf was up to something and they had to prevent it before it was too late.
The only problem was, of course, he only had circumstantial evidence to prove that Ganondof was, in fact, working out an evil plot. And circumstantial evidence wasn't enough (he watched a lot of courtroom reality shows with Marth).
Where does one get proof that doesn't exist?
After all, before Zelda's death, Ganondorf had been such a bumhole! Now... well he was still a jerk sometimes, but he was plenty nicer to everyone. And it ruffled his feathers (figuratively of course; he wasn't Falco) how close he was moving to Link.
Another colourful facial expression took place as his eyebrows shot up and lips pursed tightly together. What if... what if Ganondorf was trying to steal the Triforce of Courage?!
Don't be ridiculous, his mind told him.
He sighed, pushing the Triforce theft theory aside for two very logical reasons. One, if he was trying to steal the artifact, he wouldn't have waited this long. Ganondorf didn't really have a sense of patience. Two, both Links had the Triforce of Courage. If Ganondorf wanted it, he probably would've gone after Toon Link as he was smaller and considerably weaker than his counterpart.
Than what was it?! There had be something--
Just like that, there was something. Though it may not be evil plot the boy was waiting for, it was the delicious smell of freshly-brewed coffee. He turned to see Wolf strolling onto the balcony with a stotic expression on his face.
"I was going to come out here," he stated flatly. "And I saw you. I figured you'd want one."
Toon Link took a cup from the anthro and smiled gratefully. "Thank you."
The response was a rough grunt as the ex-Star Wolf leader took a place next to the cartoon boy on the balcony railing.
"So," Wolf asked, sipping the coffee slowly. "What brings you out here on this fine morning?"
"Bad dreams and even worse thoughts," Toon Link replied casually, as if discussing the shapes of the clouds. "You?"
"You could say that," was the enigmatic reply. There was silence for a while except the slurprs of coffee-drinkers.
"Do you like it here, Wolf?"
Another unintelligible grunt. "It's okay, I guess. Lots of hostility around the house, though."
He nodded in agreement. "Yeah, when the mash friends and enemies together it gets kind of crazy."
"Know the feeling... so... Link, was it? What's going down with you and that odd-smelling Ganondorf character?"
Toon Link giggled, almost shooting hot coffee out of his nose. "Odd-smelling?"
Wolf shrugged. "Hey, I'm a wolf, remember? I have an excellent sense of smell."
An odd idea suddenly popped into the boy's head. "Wolf... what does his smell say about him to you?"
It was a strange question, but the animal's skills with his nose just might give him the information he needed to convince Link to get away.
His companion was thoughtful for a few moments, staring indirectly at the rising sun before saying, "Well like I said, it's odd. He almost smells like...someone who's really confused."
"Confused people have a smell?"
"Everyone has a scent... Andross... he thought me at a very young age to learn the scents and link them to emotions and personalities. It's been more helpful than you would think."
"You know," Wolf added, without facing the boy. "He smells an awful lot like you."
"What?!" Link cried angrily. "How dare you... oooh, how could you even say something like that?"
Remaining calm, the Wolf simply put a hand on the boy's trembling shoulder. "Relax, you'll fall off the balcony." He faced the eastern sky again. "You're both confused. You have emotions that need to be sorted out."
Link relaxed visibly. "Oh... I guess that makes sense."
Behind them, the duo of sunwatchers heard the noises of people getting ready to face the day. Right next to them, they could hear Nana & Popo arguing about who owned the green parka in the room next door.
"You know, kid you're not so bad sometimes."
For no reason at all, Toon Link found himself blushing. "Thanks... I... I like you too, Wolf."
Wolf just nodded and jumped off of the railing and headed for the doors. "Later... Toony." And he was gone.
His face went even redder, but he convinced himself it was a sunburn.
Ike was staring at Ragnell as he laid it out on the bed. This was a very weird type of ritual he always performed before a major battle. Delicately, he traced a strong finger across the heavy, golden blade.
"Ragnell, be strong. Today, we are to cast away the vile impurities that walk this place. Together, we will take care of this foul bird and prove once and for all that I am the best. The only one here who sees things as they truly are."
Ike kissed the weapon gently, then he stood up and walked to his dresser and began to paw through the different coloured uniforms that were folded neatly into each drawer. Finally deciding upon a forest-green set, he was just about to start changing when he heard a rude knock at the door.
"'Ey! Coming down for some breaky 'for yer big match?" Bowser's voice called.
"Get away! What are you, some kind of faggot? I'll be down when I'm ready."
"Alright! Yeesh," Bowser stomped away.
Occasionally, Ike sometimes wondered if he was taking his severe homophobia too far. However, it always ended with him chiding himself with thinking such stupidness. The gods intended for man and woman to procreate together, not for me to... do that. Ike certainly wasn't one of those average straight men who hated gays but loved lesbians. Hell, lesbians were just as bad as the rest.
With a single hand, he lifted the two-handed blade off of his bed and walked to the dining hall with his back straight and a stiff-upper lip. He had to show people who was boss.
As he arrived in the room, he groaned with resignation as he discovered the only seat remaining at the table was next to Link. For some reason, all six of Olimar's Pikmin each had to have their own seats.
Begrudginly, he sat down next to the Hero of Twilight. It's okay, he told himself. He's just sitting next to you. It's not like you have to talk to--
Noticing him, Link smiled brightly and said, "Good morning, Ike!"
For the sake of not starting any drama prior to his match, he saved graced and shot the Hylian a dirty look rather than pouring out insulting comments, before staring at his plate, which he remembered was still empty.
Naive as he was, the poor Link had no idea what Ike's constant dirty looks and snide comments meant. He turned his ear back to Ganondorf, who at this point was droning on about something irrelavant that had caused his friend to tune him out in the first place.
"...and then he said, 'Ganon, Jack Frost done lost his mind! And I said, 'Cold winter, Bubulin! Cold winter!' Can you believe that?!" the Gerudo laughed uproarously, apparently thinking his story was the definition of hilarity.
"Umm, no, I most certainly can't."
Across the table, the other Link and Zelda were arguing about something equally pointless.
"I'm telling you it's not!" the boy shouted.
"And I'm telling you that it is!" came the female reply.
"No! There is no way that Juno is a better film than Harold & Kumar Go To White Castle!"
Zelda was fuming. "You haven't even seen Juno!"
"Well you havent seen White Castle!" Link retorted.
"Of course not! Who wants to see a film about two loser potheads who travel across the country to go to a damn fast food restaurant?!"
"One, I bet you don't even know what a pothead is! I've been here longer than you! Two, who would want to see a movie about some teenage girl who gets pregnant?! It's so unoriginal!"
"Juno is an Academy-award nominated independent smash hit! White Castle got what? The Stoners' Award for Trippiest Movie of the Month? Give me a break!"
"Oh would you two shut up?!" Captain Falcon yelled angrily while speaking to Gandrayda.
Gandrayda grinned devilishly. "Wait right here. I'll shut them up." Quickly, she morphed and walked up behind Toon Link and tapped him on the shoulder.
The boy in question nearly jumped about fifty feet in the air when he found himself staring into the eyes of his grandmother.
"Grandma?! What are you--?"
"Oh, save it!" the old woman cried. "These nice people are trying to eat and have civilized conversations. So you just sit and chatter about quietly or you'll get a licking so hard you're ancestors will feel it!!" Just like that, the woman was gone.
Gandrayda reappeared beside the captain, still grinning. For the rest of the meal, the Hero of Winds just stared into his bacon with a blank expression on his usually hyperactive face.
Ike walked back from the group as they all filed outside towards the tournament building. He was chanting quietly to himself and gripping his sword tightly with both hands, brow furrowed in intense concentration.
That was until, a certain cartoon-like hero bounded up to him. "Hi, Ike!" He didn't notice the vein that twitched slightly in the soldier's forehead as he stopped and stared down at the boy.
"Can I help you with something?"
"Whatcha doin'? You're match is about to start."
"I know, I'm praying."
"Oh... you're praying to Din, Nayru, and Faeroe, right?"
Ike gave the boy a confused look. "Who?"
Toon Link mirrored Ike's expression as he explained. "You know. The great Goddesses! The one's who cultivated the land?"
The hero looked slightly hurt as the man began to laugh. "Foolish child. My world is not governed by the lesser species. Women are not held in such high esteem!"
Link was now thoroughly baffled. "But why not? They're people too, aren't they? Where I come from, the goddesses are sacred!"
"Ha ha! Oh my, boy. You've much to learn about the world. Why don't you come with me after the match and I'll teach you how its supposed to go? I wouldn't want you ended up like some of the blasphemous people that wander these grounds." as he said this, he placed a hand on the boy's shoulder.
He quickly pulled away. "Uhhh, no thanks. You seem kinda... I dunno... like a jerk. I think I'll just leave now." He scurried away without giving the other the chance to respond.
Ike shook his head. "Poor kid. He's already been corrupted it seems."
As usual, the thirty-three smashers who weren't participating sat up in the box that floated above the arena, which is currently a crowd full of people surrounding a big dark whole that would eventually fill up with a stage.
Link smiled proudly as the Bridge of Eldin Province in Hyrule materialized before them. They watched as an Arwing flew into the arena and Falco jumped out of it gracefully as it took off. Across the bridge, a small circle with some foreign-looking magic markings appeared. Out of nowhere, Ike warped forth from the circle and crossed his arms.
"I've been waiting too long to take you out, you filthy creature."
Falco, who was a bit taken aback, asked. "What the hell is that supposed to mean?"
"I think you know. Dirty sodomists, I'll make sure that faggots like you don't ever show their faces here again!"
The avian's feathers began to bristle angrily. In the V.I.P. box, the Smashers couldn't hear a word that was being said, at the chattered amongts themselves, curiously wondering what the exchange below could be about.
"Hey, who the hell do you think you--"
"WELCOME BACK TO THE NEW & IMPROVED BRAWL TOURNAMENT!!" the loud, obnoxious announcer cut Falco off. Thousands of audience members cheered wildly as the competitors readied their battle stances. Falco pulled out his blaster and Ike drew his blade. Daggers bore into the other's eyes as they faced off, waiting for the signal to attack.
In the V.I.P. box, Toon Link, who had made a point to move away from his other self and close to Wolf, whispered. "I don't like this, Wolf. They look really mad at each other."
Wolf, who was bewildered that the kid had even moved this close to him at all, replied, "Yeah, this one might get messy."
The obnoxious announcer moved forward with his ridiculous introductions. "On the right side is the 'ace pilot' of Team Star Fox! It's a bird, it's a plane! No wait, it's a bird in a plane! Give it up for Falco Lombardi!!"
The 'bird in a plane' in question didn't even acknowledge the announcer or the cheers of the fans, focusing only on Ike.
"And on the left side is the man who led a small band of mercenaries in a revolt that saved his kingdom from evil. It's Ike... something or other! Give 'im a big hand, folks!"
Like Falco before him, the man didn't even nod at his intro, still giving Falco his best attempt at an evil eye.
"Here on the Bridge of Eldin, you have two minutes to K.O. each other as much as you can! Keep an eye out for those Smash Balls!" A mechanical voice emitted from the loudspeakers and the crowds fell silent.
"3"
"2"
"1"
"GO!"
