I'm posting this a day early because I have testing for the next couple days and won't have the time to be online. There's probably a few mistakes in this, so just let me know if you see any please! Also, the last couple chapters have been pretty boring in my opinion, so I tried to spiff this one up and put a lot of good things in it. I hope you guys like it!
Disclaimer: Legend of Zelda and it's characters do NOT belong to me. The little plot devices and the writing itself do.
Warnings: Moderate Yaoi; general weird.
A Wandering Soul Precedes All Darkness
Chapter – VI
Title - Cured
"I must say, I knew I'd be seeing a pair of great warriors sometime soon, but you two aren't exactly what I had in mind. You're... not human, for one."
The Great Fairy of Magic hovered in the air like liquid, her hair fanning out behind her in a gravity-defying fan of tendrils and braids. It shone like fairy dust, sparkling in the shimmer of the fountain and the constellations on the wall. She wore a scandalously skimpy outfit for someone of her position, but perhaps it was just the fact that so few ever came to see her that she cared little for how much she covered. Nonetheless, Link knew without looking that Dark would be completely entranced by this fairy and her appearance, so he didn't even bother himself with looking. Instead, he said, tentatively, "We're warriors of Hyrule, on an adventure to tie up loose ends and to find new possibilities. On our way here though, we were attacked by an evil imp who transformed us into, well, what we are now. At the moment we're trying to find him, and to reclaim an item he stole. If we can do that, someone has promised to change us back to our original forms."
"And then we can get moving again, back on the road. Preferably, the road straight out of Termina."
Link glared hotly at Dark who only shrugged. "You know me, I can't resist putting in my two cents."
"Anway," Link continued, biting back an exasperated sigh. "Dark found your fountain in ill condition and took it upon himself to go find the fragment you were missing."
"I see... so you did hear me. I was beginning to wonder..."
"Well if would have helped if you didn't speak in riddles." Dark grumbled, turning his head to glare at the wall in heated embarrassment. The Great Fairy chuckled at him and hovered closer, reaching out with wide, feminine hands to stroke his ears.
"I apologize, Keaton child. I wasn't in the best of mind at that time. You see, I too was attacked by the evil imp of which you spoke."
"What? No way! How could someone like him, well, you know, destroy a fountain like this?"
The fairy scowled, leaning back to sit aloft in the air. "I wasn't expecting him or his power. And what power he did have... I do believe you two have underestimated him, though, just as I had, and that is why you are in the shape you are now. That is why my fountain was destroyed, and that is why I must thank you from the bottom of my heart for restoring my home."
"Do we get a reward?" Dark asked eagerly. Link popped him hard on the head.
"You don't just ask the Great Fairy for a gift, you moron! Have some manners, would you?"
The two began to bicker about Dark's lack of respect, and the Great Fairy watched them fondly. These two, they were the ones. She knew it, and she didn't even have to see their true forms to know. But in the back of her mind a nagging began to grow, and she wondered just whom the one that had promised their cure had been.
Not just anyone had that kind of power, after all.
"I will bite, don't you tempt me, Link!" Dark suddenly growled, and the Great Fairy was broken from her thoughts to find the Deku Scrub and the Keaton fighting a very awkward battle. Neither seemed very accustomed to their bodies, and even less so when it came to fighting in them.
They were clumsy as kittens the way they toddled about, nipping and smacking at one another. The sword Link had carried into the fountain lay forgotten on the tile, and when Dark began to howl in pain (the fairy noted that Link was tugging his ears viciously), the Great Fairy made a noise of irritation and clapped her hands together, gaining the two warriors' attention once again. They growled at one another a final time, then guiltily stepped apart like children awaiting a firm reprimanding.
"As I was saying, I thank you. Silly children that you are, however, I don't think a reward is what you need right now. Perhaps... a bit of advice?"
"Advice?" Dark repeated, sounding just the slightest bit dejected. "You can't just change us back to our original forms or anything?"
"I suppose I could." The Great Fairy said with a nod, sounding thoughtful. She folded her hands neatly under her chin and leaned forward, billowing in the air until she lay parallel to the ground. "But wouldn't advice be better? I've always had a knack for that sort of thing, if I may say so. I could tell you where the imp is, and then you could retrieve whatever it was he stole and could get your cure. It would be a waste if I cured you myself right now."
"But how are we supposed to fight him when he's so powerful? I mean, we can hardly fight each other! We'll be destroyed, and we don't have time for training. It's hopeless."
"Dark, don't be so pessimistic."
Dark rounded on Link, his ruby eyes glittering angrily in their sockets. His ears were folded down and a growl began to gurgle in his throat. "Look, you. We can't fight Skullkid right now. Not in these... these... feeble bodies. I won't let us charge into his midst only to die. I won't let him hurt you."
Link, silenced, sighed. He seemed to consider what had been said, and then shook his head in defeat. Turning his eyes to the fairy, who was smiling faintly at the two of them, he said, "I know it's a lot to ask, but it really would be a great help to us if you turned us back. I'm a lot more capable with a sword as a human, and so is Dark. And the imp, whose name is Skullkid, by the way, will never be expecting it. We'll have an immediate advantage, and then we'll be able to put him back in his place with little trouble. So please, if you could... would you turn us back?"
"Pretty please?" Dark added, trying to sound sweet. He'd never been very good at such a tone, though, and instead it only made the fairy chuckle.
"I am more than capable, you should know that. And you two did return my fountain to it's living state, we can't forget that." She paused, enjoying the worried expressions of the two warriors. "I will turn you back, and I will also try to pinpoint 'Skullkids' location. I believe I owe you two that. You won't let me down, if I do these things will you? Will you drag Skullkid from his rising pedestal before it soars too high?"
"We will." Dark and Link breathed in one singly, simple uttering. In unison they sighed, looking at the fairy with eyes of desperation and determination.
She really didn't have a choice, not when faced with such circumstances as these. Dark and Link were probably the only ones capable of taking on this evil, and if she didn't help them here...
'The fall of Termina, should it happen, would be all my fault...'
"Come closer warriors of Hyrule, let me heal you."
They did so, shuffling into the water as she directed. The Great Fairy of Magic rose in the air, spreading her arms wide. Her hair began to shift behind her, rising and falling in a very lifelike manner. The fairy began to murmer words in a strange language, one neither Hero knew, and all around them the water in the fountain began to bubble and hiccup, rising and sloshing in waves around their ankles.
The fairies pitch rose and so did the water, surging in a great wave that seemed quite impossible to engulf them all, sharpening into a diamond-like prism that began to sparkle in earnest.
The bottom of the fountain reflected a forest green light, and as it did so, Link's Deku body began to shimmer. Dark watched as what was left in the bottom of the fountain rose to swallow the blond up, surrounding him and blocking him from sight. It twisted and turned, coiling over itself like a nest of snakes until it shattered like ice, revealing the still shining form of the Link Dark remembered and loved.
Against the tile of the fountain, the sound of wood resonated.
Link blinked against the harsh light around them, then stared down at his hands. They were human, and he flexed them briefly before his face lit up. Dark's heart wavered when Link directed that smile at him, and he couldn't stop himself from wagging a tail or two.
"You have no idea how good I feel right now." Link laughed, flexing all the muscles he'd forgotten he'd had. He stroked his cheeks, patted his arms, and prodded thoughtfully at his hat. Inside the hat lay the forgotten Tatl, and she napped soundly away, unaware of the actions and happenings around her.
But perhaps that was for the best.
Dark tried to edge closer to the blond Hero, even though he knew at that moment in time there was no way he could take him in his arms and hold him. That realization alone froze his heart, but before he could dwell on it the water beneath them shifted into a murky ebony, snatching him from the fountain as it rose.
He strained to breath, then found that he already could, that the water itself was feeding him air. He heaved a grateful breath, then clenched his eyes shut as the light around him began to grow. It illuminated the dark water and pierced his body, the light coming to life within him. In a way, he felt like a plant of sorts as he shed the Keaton's form, once again becoming the man he'd been just a day or so ago. The water lowered him back into the fountain and the Great Fairies chant died away. With it the water returned to it's position in the fountain, quieting beneath them.
Dark heard the noise he'd heard before once again, the clatter of wood against cold tile. He wondered at himself for a moment, relishing in his body, and then stared at the wooden face at his feet.
A mask, a Keaton mask. It lay at the toe of his right boot, and he stooped to pick it up.
It pulsed against his palm, and as much as he wanted to throw it as hard as he could against a very hard wall, he found himself tucking it into the side of his tunic.
He turned, satisfied, and stopped still.
Link was standing there staring at him, eyes open and innocent and just... just... so welcoming.
Dark couldn't have stopped himself even if he'd wanted to. It didn't matter that the Great Fairy herself was standing her their midst, a bemused look upon her face as she descended.
Dark threw himself at Link, circling the man with arms he'd missed so much.
He hadn't meant to, he really hadn't, but before he could help himself he was kissing the poor blond Hero, his arms thrown tightly about the mans neck as he claimed lips he hadn't felt in what felt like an eternity.
Link's arms circled his waist, but it wasn't to hold him tighter, to bring him closer. He was grasping at the back of his tunic and yanking, trying to pull him off. Dark pulled away, nipping once or twice to make his mark.
Link pouted at him. Dark ignored it. The Great Fairy let out an awkward cough and scratched idly at her neck.
"Well, I'm glad to see you have such... fervor. I take it that means you are quite grateful."
"Thank you, Great Fairy." Link said, and his smile, for the first time in awhile, reached his eyes. Dark thanked her as well, blowing a kiss.
Link scowled.
The Great Fairy looked amused as she sunk closer to the fountain. Her billowing form had stilled quite a considerable amount, and Link wondered how much energy and magic it had taken to restore them. He took a step towards the paling fairy and nearly tripped over something. He bent to look and found a very sad face staring back at him.
Tenderly, he picked up the Deku Scrub mask and held it in his hands, running deft fingers over the mourning eyes.
'Why does it look so sad?'
He sighed, tucked it away, and walked to the fairies side. "Are you okay?" He asked her, wanting to, but not quite placing his hand on her shoulder. She nodded weakly and said, "I am fine. But I am still weak from Skullkids attack. That spell took a lot out of me." She into Link's sapphire eyes and smile faintly. "I can't use any more magic right now, but if you come see me first thing tomorrow morning, I'll be happy to tell you exactly where Skullkid is."
"Thank you." Link whispered, and he meant it.
A few minutes later, with their goodbyes and final thank you's, Dark and Link left the fairy fountain in favor of Anju's inn. Their hands were coyly entwined, the result of so much time without touch or affection. They hadn't been able to back in Kokiri Forest, back when they'd been mere children amongst children. It had felt wrong to do more so than hug, so they'd waited and waited.
And now that Dark could finally touch his Hero once more, however shyly, he relished in it.
Anju's Inn, according to a sign nailed firmly by the door, closed it's doors at eight 'o clock sharp. It was easily nine-thirty by the time the arrived, and the two warriors stood before the door with weary, exasperated faces.
"Does this mean we have to sleep outside again?" Dark said sleepily, rubbing his eyes. He wouldn't have minded if they did, but he'd really been looking forward to sleeping in a real bed.
"Let's look for another way in first. Maybe someone left a window open, we can sneak in through there and be out before anyone else wakes up. They'll never know we were there."
So they found themselves scaling the side of the building, using loose boards and each others shoulders to reach the roof. There they found, not an open window, but a door. Link approached it cynically, "Don't expect it to be unlocked, that would be too good to be-"
The door eased open as he turned the knob, and the words Link had been about to speak died on his tongue.
"Looks pretty unlocked to me." Dark snickered, ambling in first. It was dark inside, the hall they entered leading to a dead end and a staircase. They didn't really know what to look for, or which rooms were empty or not. It would have been a bit of trouble if they'd chose one at random only to find it occupied by, say, a sleeping couple.
"I say we just go for it." Dark grumbled. He was tired and itching to get his boots off. Not to mention that the sooner they were asleep, the sooner they would wake.
And the sooner they would be able to track down Skullkid.
"We can't just barge into someones room, Dark. If we upset someone Anju will have to kick us out."
"You don't know that."
Link rolled his eyes, "I think it's safe to say that she would."
Regardless, Link squared his shoulders and chose a door a little away from all the others. Pressing his ear against it to listen for signs of life, he set his hand on the knob and twisted slightly, opening it just a crack.
'What's the deal with all these unlocked doors? Is burglary not an issue here in Termina?'
At first, Link saw nothing. To him, the room looked pretty empty. But after taking about two steps inside, there was a snort from the corner of the room, and Link felt his stomach fall to his feet. He froze, holding up a hand to stop Dark from following him into the room, and then he waited, holding his breath.
Had the person heard? Were they going to scream for help, scream a cry of bloody murder?
Instead of anything of the sort, there was another snort, and Link interpreted it as a raspy snore this time. He cocked his head, straining his eyes, and found that the person in the corner, a man, held a bottle in a very loose grip, his head thrown back against the wall. He was slumped backwards in sleep, the moonlight from a port overhead casting him in a few small rays. Even from here, Link could see the drool running down his chin.
But he was asleep and that was all that mattered.
"C'mon," He said, leaving the room and it's drunken inhabitant hastily. "We'll try another."
Two locked doors later (Link and Dark alike had breathed a sigh of relief at the final show of security) they found an empty room embellished with a single bed and a small table. They weren't looking for luxury, so it suited them well.
Dark tottered towards the bed in a very zombie-like nature, curling into the covers like a kitten. He was asleep before Link could even remove his boots.
The bed was soft and cool to the touch, and it welcomed Link heartily as he stumbled into it. There was only one pillow and Dark had it tucked beneath him, so Link pulled the shadow close, using his chest as a resting place instead. The man sighed in his sleep, pulling the blond closer and nuzzling his hair.
It was the warmest he'd been all day, and Link fell into sleep much quicker than he'd thought possible.
The next morning, at precise turn of six-fifteen, the two Heroes left the Inn, making the bed they'd ruffled up and closing the door firmly behind them. It was as if no one had ever been there in the first place.
By seven they'd made their way back to the Fairy Fountain, and once there the fairy told them that she'd already tried to pinpoint Skullkid's location, but it had been a tad foggy. But after a few minutes and a couple more spells, she managed to find something.
"You'll need the help of this towns children." She said, and while Dark had no clue why they would need the aid of kids, to Link, it made perfect sense. He nodded eagerly while the fairy continued to mutter to herself, nodding in thought. She was trying her best to pinpoint where the target was, and finally she said, "There's an observatory to the south, watched over by an old man whose name I do not know. He has a mechanism there that I think shall aid you greatly. Your search should start there. On another note," Her tone became serious, less whimsical. "I advise you two not to dally. Something tells me that this entire matter should end as quickly as possible. I've got a very bad feeling about this imp."
So as quickly as possible they left the fountain, thanking the Great Fairy and bidding her a good day.
"Off with you, off with you." Were her final words, and with that she returned to the peaceful flow of her fountain.
Link led them through the tall grass towards the field he'd spoken to The Bombers in. He hadn't expected them to be there so early in the morning, but when they emerged from the grass he could see Zio and Jim arguing over who got to use Links sword first. It wasn't until he'd nearly called out to the tiny Zio did he remember that the boy would not recognize him.
"Uh-oh." He mumbled, scratching his chin. He had no clue what to do, and he really didn't want to go through another round of hide and seek. Dark raised an eyebrow at him.
"What are you worried about all of a sudden?"
"Those are the children we need to speak with." He said, pointing at The Bombers. "That's where I was all day yesterday, with the children. They have an organization called The Bombers, and they let me join. They're pretty much a peace-aiding society of children. Pretty funny, huh?"
"Hilarious." Dark mumbled. Link thought he caught a hint of jealousy.
"I'm sure they'd let you join, too. But anyway, they won't recognize me as a human. And I can't just walk over them and say, 'Hey, I was the Deku Scrub you played with yesterday. Say, could you tell me where to find a guy named Skullkid?' They'd think I was crazy!"
"Not if you turned back into a Deku Scrub." Dark said, and Link could see in his eyes that there was something the shadow knew that he did not.
"What are you talking about?" He asked him. "You're not suggesting I go find Skullkid and ask him to turn me back into one, are you?"
"No." Dark shook his hands, chuckling to himself. He pointed at the Mask tucked into the side of Links tunic. "That mask came off when the fairy changed you back. What if... when you put it back on, you change back?"
"And whose to say it'll come back off afterwords?" Link grumbled. He certainly wasn't looking forward to returning to the fairy that way, asking for yet another cure. Dark shrugged.
"I'm not saying anything. Just try it. I mean, it's just a theory. It probably won't even work. And if it does and you can't get it back off, then I'll put mine on too and we'll be even, okay?"
Pausing, weighing the costs of being trapped again in a body that wasn't his, Link sighed and said, "Fine. But if it doesn't come off, you're also going to be the one to tell that Great Fairy that it was your idea to put them back on in the first place."
"Deal." Dark said. "Seal it with a kiss?"
Link blushed. "There are children here."
"Oh, don't worry. All they'll see is your back. Besides, you could pass for a girl."
Flustered, Link went to punch Dark in the face but found his hand pulled to the side, trapped to the shadows waist. "It was only a joke." The shadow amended, and before Link could say anything further, Dark was mumbling something about deals against his lips, and he had no choice but to kiss him.
It wasn't supposed to be anything more than a simple deal maker, but now that he had the opportunity, Dark couldn't help but want more. He pressed forward, nipping Links bottom lip and then sucking it into his mouth, humming in satisfaction when Link pressed tighter against him. He threw an arm around the blonds neck, using his free hand to cup Links jaw, to smooth a strong thumb over his cheek. Link reciprocated by wrapping his arms loosely around Dark waist, holding them together and the shadow continued to ravage his mouth, running his tongue over tongue, teeth, and gums.
When at last they broke apart, both their faces were flushed and Dark gave a satisfied groan.
"I missed that." He said with a wink. Link would have elbowed him if he hadn't missed it as well.
"It's a deal then, good sir. Now, put on that mask of yours and see what happens."
Link grimaced, pulling the Deku mask free of his waist. As he held it in his hands, staring into empty caverns that somehow made his heart resonate in a pang of sadness, he decided to just get it over with and quickly brought it up to his face.
He prayed that nothing would happen, prayed that when he pulled it away that it would come away, and that it wouldn't be stuck there. A terrible image of himself in human form with the silly mask on nearly made him wrench it away, but a sudden flash of light had him pulling it closer instead. For the briefest of seconds he could see Dark staring at him, wide-eyed, through the large eye holes in the mask. But then the world was exploding in a flash of light, and the next thing he knew, he was back in the form of a Deku Scrub, staring up, up, up at Dark's tall figure.
He blinked. Dark stared back at him, perplexed. "I gotta tell you, Link. I really wasn't expecting that to work." And the shadow only laughed as Link kicked him in the shin.
Link left his sword with Dark, heading off in the direction of The Bombers. When they caught sight of him, their faces lit up and they swarmed him madly, inquiring about the sword and when their lessons would start. Link chuckled and shook his hands, "Later, guys, I'm still a bit tired. But I will teach you, don't worry."
"Are you sure you really know how to use one?" Jim asked him, looking just a bit suspicious. Link assumed he was only disappointed that the lessons wouldn't be started at that time, and he tried to smile as best he could in his form.
"I'm an esteemed warrior, so yes, I have pretty good skills when it comes to swordsmanship."
"Alright." Jim sighed, walking away with his hands in his pockets. "Everyone just go back to what you were doing then." And with that he retrieved a blow gun from his shorts pocket, aiming it at a balloon Link had only just noticed.
"So, Link," Zio began, stepping up to him. "What did you come here for?"
"I need your help." Link replied, deciding to cut right to the chase. Zio raised an eyebrow.
"My help? What could I possibly do?"
"I'm looking for the imp you guys were talking about. He's, ah, stolen something really important from a an acquaintance of mine. I have to get it back at all costs, and I thought maybe you guys would know where he was."
"Well..." Zio said, cupping his chin in his hand. "I don't know an exact place, but when I talked to him yesterday morning, he said something about the Clocktower. I think it was along the lines of, 'My favorite place here in Clocktown is the Clocktower.' So maybe you should look there?"
Link nodded, but inside he was disappointed. He somehow knew that Skullkid wouldn't be ambling about the Clocktower. Instead, he asked, "Say, do you know about an observatory in the south?"
Zio's face lit up. "The old observatory? Man, that place is the coolest! The old guy running it has this huuuge telescope, and if you look through it, you can see all of Termina! And it's so powerful, why, I bet if I stood right here and waved, you could see me from all the way over there!" The boy paused, considering something, then said eagerly, "Hey, if you wanna find that imp guy really quick, just go to the old observatory and look through the telescope! You'll be able to see everything from there, and you're sure to see him, too!"
"Can just anyone go there?"
"No," Zio said. "It's only accessible through an old passageway beneath Clocktown, which is guarded by Tin." At the look of confusion he got, Zio added quickly, "Tin in a Bomber. He'll ask for a code if you go there; he's in . But since you're a part-time Bomber now," He winked. "I can tell you the code! It's five-one-three-four-two. Don't forget it okay?"
"I won't." Link said, committing the code to memory. Zio nodded at him, and a little ways off, Honta and Lex were calling for him.
"I've gotta go, so good luck, Link. I hope you find him, and give him a good punch for me, too, would 'ya? He disgraced the Bomber name!"
"I'll be sure to do that." Link smiled, then turned and ran back to the tall grass where Dark was laying. The shadow had his arms behind his head, his eyes closed. Link wasn't sure if he was awake or not, but he didn't want to rouse him if he was. He wanted the mask off, though...
Reaching for it, he put his hands where the mask would have ended had it not been connected to his face. The effect was immediate, and in a flash of color and a surge of power, he felt himself rising.
He was human again, the Deku mask balanced in his hands. He smiled at it, wondering at the new ability he had, and placed it tenderly inside his tunic.
He then reached for Dark, stroking the loose hair in his face away from his eyes. The shadow grumbled something, and then his eyes parted.
"Did you get what you needed?"
"Yeah. Let's go."
"Go where?"
"To East Clocktown."
Upon their arrival, no one questioned them, no one even looked at them. They were just another odd pair walking through this already odd town, and even though they could have passed off as twins or even brothers, Dark kept their hands entwined in a gesture of a more-than platonic relationship. He didn't care if they did take notice, and he cared even less of what they thought. Link was less sure, but he went with it. It's not like he didn't like the affection, after all. It was just a bit... troubling, at times. But in a good way.
When they found the boy named Tin, a shy, stuttering child that asked for their names and their affiliation with The Bombers, he took only a little convincing, and the short code, before stepping aside.
"Anyone that knows the code can get it. I hope you two got it the right way, though." He sighed, and as the two Heroes left him, Dark said, "Poor kid. All his friends are out playing around town and he has to guard this dinky little passage? That hardly seems fair."
"Maybe they switch?" Link suggested, leading the way through the corridor. Dark shrugged.
"Doesn't matter. He's still all alone."
The passage was tall but tight, and the two Heroes had to walk one behind the other to maneuver it. Link in front, Dark behind. The floor was flooded, making their boots damp as they trouped on. Dark could hear rats and other creatures scuttling in the darkness, and he pressed as close to the blond before him as he could.
In some places the floor fell away and the water was waist level, and Link wondered how children like Zio and Jim could walk through this hidden passageway. It made him worry.
Soon they came to a wall that led no further, and after walking around in the darkness, feeling for secret doors or switches, Dark tripped over a ladder and grumbled as he threw it against the wall. They didn't know if there would be anywhere to go once they reached the top of said ladder, but they climbed it regardless and found, to their relief, a ledge and a door. Light seeped between the cracks of the wooden obstacle, and Link reached for it tentatively. He didn't know what was on the other side, but he assumed that since it was light, that surely it couldn't be all that bad.
The knob twisted easily in his hands, Dark's hands fell upon his shoulder, and Link opened the door.
Reviews Are Love!~
