Just so Perfect: chapter 8
The billowing mass of smoky tendrils pulsated out the girl, heaving upwards. The girl, Tyron's little sister Miriya, now stood upright, eyes glazed with a red fiery depth to them that showed she was not in control of her actions. Vaati spread out above them like a dark poisonous cloud, barely any sunlight managing to pierce the smothering evil, the wind that had been rustling through the nearby trees stilling in silence.
Vaati's one giant eye looked down upon the heroes with an amused expression, watching as they gazed up at him with an air of doubt, of shock, their faces gaping at the creature they thought they had vanquished many years ago. Zelda was gripped tightly far above them and out of reach, vainly trying her best to pull apart the tendrils that imprisoned her there.
"This is a joke right?" Blue said looking upwards, tightly holding Red's hand just as he felt it slide into his.
"Hold on Zelda!" Green shouted up at her.
"Vaati!" Vio yelled up at the creature, "How is this possible? We destroyed you! Shadow sacrificed his life to enable us to kill you, how can you be here?"
Miriya laughed, the heroes gazes falling upon her, her innocent girlish giggle inlayed with a deep, low chuckle, a laugh that bounced off the surrounding walls.
"Because you did not complete your destiny." She said, Vaati's voice embedded in her own, "You never returned the Four Sword to its pedestal. You may have destroyed me, but you never sealed me away. I am aware of Ganon's defeat, but you have sealed him away inside the Four Sword, never to be arisen again…unlike me."
Vaati paused, his eye seeming to smirk, before falling upon Vio's shadow.
"When that traitorous Shadow destroyed the dark mirror and severed the link to my power, I faded away into nothing, seeping through the Tower of Winds and falling to the grasslands below, melting away into the darkness between strands of grass, barely alive, but hidden. When you never returned the Four Sword to this place, there was no light protecting Hyrule. Had you returned it, its power would have destroyed any evil left in the lands, you know this, that's why you all travelled around destroying what was left of my brethren. With the Four Sword still split in four, there was no light to stop me from regaining my strength. I stayed hidden in shadows, moving as the sun did, finding larger shadows in flowers, rock, trees, gradually growing, moving across the land in hidden darkness, and waiting for the day where I would be strong enough to find you all once again, and finish what I started."
"You intend to destroy us." Vio said, glaring violently up at the eye.
For some reason this made Vaati laugh, a bellowing laugh that sent chills down Red's spine, who moved closer against Blue. Miriya's eyes quickly darted towards Red, still laughing, but otherwise didn't move, "I'm not going to destroy you. I'm going to watch as you destroy yourselves."
The heroes didn't have time for any confused expressions, as suddenly Zelda's piercing scream shot through the darkness as the tendrils around her squeezed hard.
"ZELDA!" Without a moments thought Green ran forward, his Four Sword raised and slicing through some of the tendrils that….melted away into smoke, only to reform afterwards. Green stared at his sword, Zelda panting in pain above him.
"What the…?"
Vio's eyes narrowed. This Vaati wasn't the same as the Vaati they fought before, the only physical part of him appeared to be his eye and the tendrils gripping the Princess, the rest of him twirled in vines of smoke.
"You can't destroy us can you?" Vio stated slowly, "You're still too weak. That's why you're possessing the girl, you need a body because you're not strong enough to sustain your own."
Vaati's eye twitched, and below Miriya reached behind her, picking up a familiar object.
"My Fire Rod!" Red exclaimed, the girl stroking it casually as if a loving pet.
"It is true," Miriya said, "That my powers are not what they once were. My body is still but shadow, smoke in the air, but this girl gave me the needed darkness to regain some physical form. When I arrived in Hyrule two days ago I came across this girl. She had left the castle, crying. The jealously radiating from inside her was a dark emotion I could feed on, so I took possession of her. "
"That's why she set fire to Red's shop." Green said quietly, "Her first crush jealously over Blue was made a million times worse with Vaati's darkness influencing her."
Blue gaped. So this was his fault? Oh great. He made a mental note to be nicer to children in the future.
"I think there's been enough talking now wouldn't you agree?" Miriya stated, before suddenly for no reason she pointed the Fire Rod at Red, who had a split second to widen his eyes in surprise before a flash of fire lunged towards him, Blue pushing him out the way as the fire caught the edge of his tunic, sizzling the fabric before fading.
"Red are you alright?" he asked, knelling protectively in front of Red who was on the floor behind him, eyes on the girl as he raised his Four Sword in defence.
"I'm fine." Red said, pulse racing at the sudden attack.
Suddenly again Zelda screamed, "GREEN! PLEASE! HURRY! Eurggh…."
"As you may have noticed," Miriya said, "You cannot get to the girl, or the Princess, and you cannot touch me. The only parts of me that have a physical form are out of reach to you."
"Dammit. Anyone happen to have the bow and arrow and or boomerang?" Green growled, silence from his companions as his answer.
Vio watched Miriya, her eyes continuously looking back at Red with a venomous glare. This made him frown curiously. Something wasn't right here.
"There is only one way you can rescue the Princess." Miriya continued, a sickening smile gracing her lips, Vaati's eye darkening in a sadistic pleasure, "You must return your Four Swords to the pedestal. Become Link once again."
A silence gripped the sanctuary.
"…what?" came Red's small voice, the only one to make any sound as the others simply stared up at Vaati, their breathing shallow.
"I cannot destroy you all as I am, but I can easily manage just one of you. If you don't return the swords, then I'll simply kill the Princess instead." Vaati smiled, and to make his point clear he once again tightened the tendrils around Zelda, the Princess gasping in pain, peering down at the heroes through one eye, teeth clenched trying not to scream again.
"No…" Blue breathed, an angry but…scared tone to his voice. He looked across at Vio, a pleading look in his eyes that out of all of them Vio had a plan, something to get them out of this, some way of getting Zelda down, because there was no chance that Blue was going to return his Four Sword. Out of everything that has happened, out of the years they've spent growing up…of Red… no, there was just no way this was going to happen!
Feeling his gaze Vio turned to look at him, and the hopelessness in his eyes just made Blue clench his teeth, brows furrowing in a boiling anger.
"NO!"
Raising his sword Blue lunged towards any and all of Vaati's vines, slashing away but accomplishing nothing, the tendrils just fading into smoke before re-forming. Green joined him, both trying to hack away at thin air, Vaati's echoing laugh taunting them. In a split moment, a moment that he probably would have regretted had it worked, Blue spun on his heel and turned, swinging his sword towards Miriya. If Vaati couldn't be defeated, then once again the only way was to destroy his power source.
But Miriya just placed the Fire Rod out in front of her, the gushing flames spouting towards him making Blue continuously jump out of the way, unable to get anywhere near the girl. But still he tried, slashing at the tendrils, trying to get to Miriya, anything, anything to try and stop the truth that was creeping up on him like a stranger with a dagger in the dark.
They were not going to become one again, he was not going to lose Red! He wasn't going to lose the life he'd built, that they'd all built. All these years Red had always said to everyone how they weren't Link anymore, how they were all their own person, and he'd believed it was true! They even all looked different to each other now, they weren't Link, it's just….it couldn't be possible could it? Were all these years just going to disappear? Was all this time spent as an individual, as a separate life, just going to come to an end?
What about Red?
As he continued to fruitlessly battle away, a part of him noticing Green finally giving up and backing away, he felt tears prickle at the corners of his eyes. They were tears of a furious anger…at least that's what he told himself. He wasn't going to lose Red, he couldn't, he loved him! He was the only thing in the entire world he truly cared about, he was not going to lose him!
"Blue."
It was Vio's voice, a calm surrendering voice, trying to prise Blue out of rage he'd built himself into, trying to make him see they now had no other choice.
"SHUT UP!" Blue yelled at him, trying to get to Miriya again, and again darting out the way of the searing flames.
"Blue, stop."
Blue ignored him, and looked upwards as he fought. If only he could cut the tendrils around Zelda, if only he could get up there! In a vain attempt Blue ran towards the wall, jumping onto it and using it to propel himself upwards, desperately trying to reach Zelda, but it was still nowhere near close enough and he fell back to the ground.
But he tried again.
And again.
Despite her pain Zeldas eye were full of sorrow. She could see Blue's own pain in his eyes. He wasn't going to accept this.
"Blue."
This time it was Red's quiet voice, and Blue, having just landed from trying to jump again, turned to him, panting out of breath.
The other three stood watching him, a tremendous sadness in their eyes.
"What?" Blue shouted, his mind still refusing to think about why all three of them stood with their four sword ready by their sides.
Red's big blue eyes were quivering, tears collecting like liquid crystals on his bottom eyelids., "Please stop Blue." He said, taking a few slow steps towards him. "We can't do anything…we…" he held out his hand, "Please come back here."
Blue stared at him, stared at the others, before glaring at all of them, and especially glaring at Red.
"What you're just going to accept this? Why are you all just standing there?"
"If you have any ideas then feel free to share them." Vio stated bluntly.
"There's nothing we can do Blue." Green said, "And the longer we refuse to put the swords back the longer Zelda will be squeezed to death."
"Oh fuck off!" Blue swore at him, turning his fierce glare on Green, "Why the hell should you even care if we all return to Link? Link was always with Zelda anyway so you'll get what you want, what about me and Red?"
An agonising cry emitted from Zelda above them, before one of the tendrils finally wrapped itself around her neck.
Blue dipped his head, his bangs of hair covering his eyes, "I don't care about Zelda!" he cried out, the hand holding his sword shaking, "I don't care!"
"You don't mean that Blue." Red whispered, his tears finally falling as he stepped closer to him.
"I do!" Blue shouted, but it was a shout strained through a sob, his shoulders now shaking too.
As silent and as gentle as a whisper Red stepped in front of him, gently wrapping his arms around him tightly. Blue dropped his sword and held Red back, one hand clinging to his clothing, the other pressed to his own eyes in a vain attempt at shielding the tears that now fell from them.
"We can't let Zelda die." Red said quietly, his own voice strained through crying, "Maybe as Link he'll have all our knowledge as one and will be able to think of something to save her. I…" Red buried his face against Blues chest for a moment, eyes closed in a heartache at the shudders coursing through Blues body, "I love you Blue. No matter what form we take, even the same form, it'll never change the fact that I love you. I always will."
Forgetting trying to shield his tears Blue wrapped his other arm back around Red and just held him, so tightly. His warmth, his scent, his voice still so sweet even through tears, he just wanted to hold him until time stopped, then maybe that way they wouldn't have to return to Link again.
"Red…" Blue whispered, barely audible, opening his eyes and…
He saw Vio, just ahead of them.
He was kneeling on one knee on the ground, his right hand placed on the grass, his fingertips touching the darkened fingertips of his own shadow. Shadow looked as though he was trying with every inch of his soul to reach out of the ground, to reach for Vio, and Blue knew that if it had been possible to see Shadows eyes, they would probably have been holding an expression that he'd never seen on Shadow's face before. Of worry, of fear…of losing someone he loved.
Blue swallowed back the lump in his throat, and tried to regain a little composure. It wasn't just himself losing someone, Vio and Shadow were losing each other too.
Blue watched them for a moment as his tears finally stopped, the overwhelming sense of loss and sadness that had been consuming him gradually fading into a stillness of heart. Pulling back from Red's embrace, Blue cupped Red's tear stained cheeks and leant down to kiss him. He ran his lips over Reds, memorising their feel, their softness, memorising how wonderful it made him feel as he slipped his tongue between them, savouring the taste and the heat, savouring everything about Red that he could. He had no idea if Link would remember four separate lives, five if Shadows counted. He didn't know if the memories would all blend into one, or if Link would wake up a new person, remembering nothing for the past 6 years. He didn't know what would happen, but Blue was going to make sure that no matter how deep inside Link his memories would sit, no matter how hidden or forgotten, he'd make sure that the memory of his love for Red would be there somewhere.
He didn't want to do this, but Green was right. There was nothing else they could do, they were stranded in a stalemate with Vaati holding the only card. If only the demon hadn't grabbed Zelda.
Memorising that one last perfect little groan of pleasure from Red as they kissed, Blue slowly pulled away, smiling weakly at him, "I guess this means I won't be able to keep my promise tonight." He smiled, attempting a bit of humour to lighten the dire atmosphere.
Red smiled sadly, giggled ever so slightly, before holding Blue again, "Never mind, at least we got to stay together." He said, a few more tears falling despite the smile on his lips.
"And I love you too." Blue said, nuzzling his hair, "I dunno what I would have done with myself without you Red. You gave me everything." He smiled wistfully, closing his eyes:
"Thank you for loving me."
At those words Red suddenly choked back a sob, and he clung to Blue as if to never let go.
Rising from the ground Vio looked at them, gripping his Four Sword, "No one will force you to do this Blue," he said, his voice calm, but then Vio had a very good way of hiding his true feelings. This time however the façade didn't quite reach his eyes, and for once Vio looked as though he was close to tears too.
"No, it's alright." Blue said, as he and Red finally separated, Blue gently wiping away the tears from Reds cheeks that had flown with that sob, Red placing his hand on top of Blues as he cleared the tears. "We've got no other choice right?"
Behind Blue Miriya stepped backwards away from the pedestal towards the wall, allowing a clear tendril-free path to the resting place of the Four Sword.
Picking up his sword with his right hand, Blue turned around to face her, Red standing by his side gripping his left hand tightly. Vio and Green walked up next to him, and all four them walked to the pedestal, surrounding it in a circle. They all looked at each other, Blue throwing an apologetic smile at Green.
"Sorry for yelling at you just then." He said, and Green smiled back at him.
"No problem."
"Guys…" Red started, but then looked at the ground, unable to say anything, tears prickling at his eyes again.
"It's okay Red." Vio said kindly, "There's nothing you need to say."
Red looked up at him, looking at him for the last time as Blue suddenly let go of his hand and instead wrapped his arm around Reds shoulders, holding him close to himself.
"Let's get this over with." He said, voice void of emotion, because he knew if he started thinking about this again he'd run, just take Red and run and screw the consequences.
He knew they couldn't let Zelda die, he knew they all had a responsibility, and maybe their memories would survive, and they'd live somewhere deep inside Link out of reach of the Hylians life, where they couldn't all still interact with other.
Who knew, no one did.
The four of them raised their swords as one, pointed downwards holding them close together over the hole in the pedestal.
"See ya around guys." Green said sadly, Red wrapping his spare arm around Blue and holding on to him.
As they moved their swords towards each other, the swords and their hands began to fade into one, passing through each other, and Reds eyes went wide.
"Blue…" he whimpered, scared of what was going to happen. Blue simply kissed him on the head, "I love you Red." He whispered, "Don't ever forget that."
"I love you Shadow."
Blue glanced across at Vio as their hands melded into one, could feel the building magic from the sword flowing through himself, and watched as those tears that had been threatening to fall from Vio earlier finally fall, just as he and the others began to fade.
Any other time Blue would have found it almost comical to see the cool and calm Vio crying, but there wasn't anything comical about this. Instead Blue just closed his eyes, resting his cheek against Red's soft hair. He would hold on to Red until the very last second, would keep that warmth and that love right here with him until there was nothing left to hold on to.
After all these years, this was really it. They'd lived their lives as separate beings, now it was time to…go home, he guessed. He could feel himself fading, and as if watching the rundown of a movie Blue quickly replayed all the important moments in his life before they faded too. It was funny how all of them involved Red. Red saving him from being frozen, setting fire to all the lamps saving him from the poe, then Blue saving Red, catching him as he fell from Vaati's grasp. Their first kiss of course, a kiss that Blue would never have been able to guess would have been the start to something so utterly wonderful it would change him as a person. Red showed him what it was to love someone, to be loved by someone.
Their second kiss on the Ferris Wheel. Heh, Blue almost felt like laughing at himself for how childish he'd been back then. It had been one kiss, so what if the other had seen it. He'd made such a stupid fuss over it, acted like such a brat, almost cost him his budding relationship with Red. But Red being Red was just too loving for his own good. He never gave up on Blue, and Blue had been so grateful for that. He'd needed someone like Red to break through the hot-headed barriers he'd put up around himself.
And then of course, all the times they'd kissed since. All the springs, summers, autumns and winters, all the laughs and the blushes shared between them, all the touches that screamed for more, but now would never have that chance.
Blue loved Red so much, he'd wanted to spend the rest of his life by his side, he never wanted to imagine his life without Red, he…
Wait a minute, this "returning to Link" deal was taking an awfully long time.
Blue opened one eye and looked around.
The four of them were still there. Their hands and swords were still faded together, but the rest of their bodies were solid again. Suddenly a massive surge of power shot through the sword into their hands, a shot of pain running up their arms as they all yelped and staggered back dropping their swords, which cluttered to the ground still as four separate items.
Above them Vaati's eyes went wide in shock, Miriya below him shaking with anger.
"Wha….what just happened?" Blue said, Red still cradled in his arm, Red staring at his own hand and then up at Blue, as if to double check he was actually still there.
Vio stared at his hand too, before suddenly picking up his sword, striding back to the pedestal and shoving it back in.
"VIO WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING?" Both Green and Blue screamed at him simultaneously, Red looking as though he was about to faint from shock.
"You could have disappeared you idiot!" Blue shouted at him.
"I know. I should have." Vio said, removing the sword and looking at it, "But I didn't. And neither did we all join together."
"Well…what does that mean?" Red asked, totally confused, and still clinging to Blue.
Vio was silent for a moment, before he suddenly smiled, that smirky all-knowing smile that told the others he'd just come to the realisation of some very good news.
"It means Red was right."
Red blinked at him, and Vio looked up at all of them.
"Red was insistent to all of us all these years that we weren't Link anymore, and he's right. We've all changed too much, both physically and mentally. We are not the same people we were when we first obtained the Four Swords, we're no longer a part of that original person who removed the sword, we're no longer a part of Link!"
As the information sank in, Red's confused eyes turned bright, and a matching bright smile lit up his face, "Y-you mean, we really are all separate people? The Four Sword doesn't recognise us anymore?"
"Well how does that help Zelda?" Green asked, happy of course yet down right scared for Zelda, who was still gripped up high in Vaati's grasp, though due to the shock of seeing the Four Swords reject the heroes that the tendrils had at least loosened a little so they weren't crushing her.
"It doesn't. However," Vio said, turning to look up at Vaati, that satisfied smirk still planted firmly on his lips, "It means Vaati doesn't hold that one card over us anymore. It means it's given us time to think up of a way to get Zelda back." Vio raised his sword pointing it straight up at Vaati's eye, the eye that now matched the anger on Miriya's face:
"It means Vaati is about to see what four very different and very pissed off Hylian heroes can do."
To be continued…
