CHAPTER 9

A Certain Magical Artifact

Raven looked around as they emerged from the other side of the portal. She sighed in an almost happy manner. Why it felt so familiar she had no idea, but she liked the feeling of being in Hyrule… and she had only been there for all of ten seconds!

Shadow Link looked around as if wary of some huge monster that would jump at them.

"What's wrong? We're in the middle of a field. There's nothing here." Raven said, quirking an eyebrow. Shadow frowned, "That's the problem. We need to get out of Hyrule Field before nightfall. Skultulas, Wolfos and Stalfos tend to lurk at night, preying on anyone who stays out of towns."

"Well if you wanna die, that's a good idea!" Link said, having been standing near the two of them. "You do realize you are still a wanted man Shadow, right?"

Shadow Link snapped his fingers and his clothing was immediately all red, his skin the same as Link in tone, and his hair was blonde. You could barely tell that there was any difference in the two except for color scheme and the fact that shadow's eyes were red whilst Link's were sky blue. Link cursed. "Why am I not surprised?" he muttered. "Okay… I will help you get into town and get you a room at an inn. ONE WORD about my involvement and I will slice you in half should we encounter each other again."

the now red-garbed Shadow leaned on the hilt of his sword, the tip of which was firmly planted in the ground. "Is that a threat or should I assume that's as close to "not my problem" as we're gonna get from you?" he asked lazily.

Link scowled, "Don't push your luck. You may look like me, but Zelda isn't a fool. Triforce of Wisdom, remember."

"I'm just itching to know what happens when she sees the daughter of Scath has returned to Hyrule." Shadow laughed as he pulled his sword out of the ground and the three of them walked towards Hyrule Castle town.

They made it into the town with an hour to spare, and Link led them to an inn. Resigning himself to his ill fate of having to explain why the four sword apparently was now in his possession again, he turned to Shadow Link. "We need to fake-"

"The old four sword charade? Got it!" Shadow Link split into three of himself, one red, one blue, and one purple. They all sported red eyes, however, so it wasn't a foolproof trick if you knew what to look for. Raven pulled the group of them back. "Hold on… I want to try something," she smirked and uttered her mantra, casting a spell on the three Shadow Links, their eyes all changing to a sky blue hue. Shadow Link didn't notice anything and asked, "Ummm… what were you trying to-"

"Holy Cuckoo crap! Shadow! Your eyes! they're blue!" Link blurted out. Shadow smirked. "So you have more than dark magic going for you here Raven! Good to know!"

Raven shook her head. "It's still the same magic. The best way to describe it is probably... pulled from a different emoticlone."

"A what?" Link asked, puzzled. The Shadow masquerading as Vio sighed, "That falls under private stuff I assume? She wouldn't even tell me, Green. Now hurry up and let's get a room and some food. I'm starving."

Link, or as the others said, Green, frowned. "You're milking this for all it's worth aren't you?"

"Every time." the Shadow clothed as Red smirked back at him. Raven smiled and pulled out a mirror. "This isn't something I usually do… but my emoticlones are... well... acting oddly quiet. Azarath Metrion ZINTHOS!""

The mirror began to spin in place and lights of green, red, and purple shot out as the white cloaked Raven reverted to blue. The lights formed crystals, which then expelled identical Ravens in those three colors. "Don't make me regret this." the original Raven said to Bravery, Passion, and ESPECIALLY Rage.

Bravery saluted, "You got it, boss!"

Passion smiled and went over to Shadow-Vio and kissed his cheek, "Sure! As long as I get the man here!"

Shadow smirked. "So that's the mirror of Nevermore? I thought it didn't exist!"

Rage scowled, "And I thought you weren't an IDIOT!" she shouted. Directing her hate towards the original Raven, she spat, "Why am I not allowed to hate him?"

Raven sighed. "I repeat. Don't make me regret this."

Rage sighed in frustration and took a deep breath. "How long do I need to be 'polite'?" she muttered. The Blue-cloaked Raven smiled, "We'll go kill some of the monsters around here later as long as you behave." She said. Link raised an eyebrow as Bravery walked over to him. "So are we playing the girlfriends to these four who like… have a color coordination disorder?" She smirked.

Link sighed and went to the door. "Just don't get me thrown out!" he said as they walked inside.

"Link! What the… there are four of you? Please tell me you didn't free Vaati! That particular bit of history doesn't need to repeat itself." A lady at the counter said loudly. Bravery smiled as the four Ravens got an idea.

"Sorry… that was my fault… he ran into me while I was using the Mirror of Nevermore and it split us both. I hope that's not a problem?" Bravery said. The woman at the counter asked, "The mirror of what-now?"

A young man who had been reading a book in a corner of the bar suddenly looked up shocked. "I'm sorry… did you say Nevermore? The mirror that can multiply the user based on differing dominant emotions?"

Link sighed, "Shad, Telma, this is Raven. Can we get a couple of rooms?"

"Sure hun!" Telma said smiling. Shad stopped them. "Where did you get that mirror? I thought it was a myth!" He seemed a little too interested in it. Raven smiled and said, "Had it since I was a young girl. Now if you'll excuse us-"

"Oh… of course… you must be tired..." Shad seemed to realize he had overstepped his bounds, though his curiosity was still present. He went back to his studies as the eight differing colorful figures were led to a few rooms. Telma smiled at the original Link. "You must be the luckiest guy on earth, hun. Four girls? I'm impressed, even if she is the same person!"

Link smiled a fake smile. Raven could immediately tell, being an empath. He was showing the opposite of that smile. He was, in a word, spiteful. Something about this rubbed her the wrong way…

Shadow Red, Shadow Blue, and Shadow Vio thanked Telma and the three corresponding Ravens followed them into their respective rooms, while the original Link excused himself, claiming he had to meet with the captain of the guard about his enlistment as a Hylian knight.