AN: Please remember to read and review. Constructive criticism is something I love, because I can improve my story slightly and you can enjoy it more.
Excuse any spelling mistakes and bad grammar.
I do not own Zelda yet. Nintendo keep foiling my plans.
Chapter 10: Doom is Depressing
Link couldn't have looked any smaller huddled next to the window, cheeks a beautiful red and eyes averted from everyone in the bus. I sat next to him, smirking with utter delight. Oh yes, this for me really topped the icing on the cake. Sheer bliss. And Link knows I will never let him live this down either.
Since we were going to buy him clothes today and Link had refused Timmy's wardrobe three times in succession, I finally succumbed to the Hero's will and allowed him to go in his tunic.
Waiting at the bus stop had been more embarrassing for me than him. I was shamed to stand next to him when teenage guys passed and looked at me like I was insane. Worse, was that fifty percent of them all went to my school.
But then I had got my share of amusement when a group of five girls passed Link, stopped, stared at him, and then whispered together. They pointed and chuckled and threw Link smiles and smirks like anyone making fun of another might.
One even went so far as to pinch the end of Link's hat just to see if it was real. Link had shooed her away very quickly.
Then the bus came. And as me and Link stepped on, several lads starting jeering. "Nice dress!" Most yelled. One guy, who really wanted to show off, yelled "Dude looks like a lady!" proudly, before sitting down and pointing. Link look flustered already.
Some girls found it highly amusing too. A couple just seemed utterly shocked, some seemed terribly pissed off. But thankfully, no-one recognised him as anything. Not yet anyway. God is either on my side today, or has bigger plans for when we're in town.
I prod Link as we near our stop, and he turns to look at me. His look says it all, half of him is hurt from all these insults, and the fact that no-one believed him when he argued it was a tunic, not a dress, and half of him wanted to draw the Master Sword and slay them all. I might have let him had I not known it was murder, and would be more trouble than it's worth.
"You ready to get off?" I ask quietly.
The blonde-haired boy gives a dreadful sigh, that somehow makes me feel guilty, and looks hopefully at me. "Will everyone else be like that?" He asks with all the uncertainty of a five year old boy who's just been asked to go to sleep without his light tonight, and he's afraid of the dark.
"Some will, yeah." I reply morosely, before slapping myself and glaring at Link. "Now don't you make me feel bad." I add in a low voice, before standing up and making my way to the front of the bus with everyone else.
Why do I feel bad? I mean what have I done? Doing this is necessary, because I don't know how long Link's gonna be here. Better for him if he looks more normal. Better for me too. In other words, it's necessary because it means everybody's happy, not tormented and not driven to the edge of sanity and beyond. And as I stand at the front of the bus, contemplating all this, the driver pokes me.
"Hey, hey. No poking." I say, turning around and raising a brow at him.
The driver raises his own brow, and looks to the back of the bus. Link remains sitting there, huddled against the window, legs pressed against his chest and heels resting on the seat. Right now, he is the epitome of pitiful. And he knows it. "Is he okay?" The driver asks.
"Course. Why?" I ask, just as quietly as the driver so Link might not hear. I note his ears twitch and the Hero leans forward. So he's trying to listen in. Nosy sod.
"He's wearing a dress. And isn't off my bus yet."
"It's a tunic. And we're going, alright?" I say, before narrowing my eyes when the driver can't see my face, and then turn and stare at Link. "Down here now."
"But do I have toooo?"
"Now, Link!"
Sheez, I must look like a mother talking to her kid. I wouldn't mind, but Link's my age, with a sword, bow and quiver on his back. And although he doesn't know it, it should be me sitting there looking all sorry for myself. After all, it's me who's going to have to put up with this at school.
Slowly, with all the speed of a dead sloth buried underground, Link stands up and makes his way down the bus. I hear the driver grunt, and take two steps forward, taking hold of Link's left hand in my right, and pulling him off the bus.
"Wow mister!"
"I love your style, mate!"
"Are you going to the prom in that?"
"Green really suits you!"
"Ewwww."
"Tights! Like, tights!"
"Oh… my… god."
"Were you dropped on the head when you were little?"
"Are you planning on changing sex or something?"
"Dude, that's a dress! Only women wear dresses!"
And those are some of the numerous taunts we hear from other teenagers. Thankfully it's only teenagers, because they I can argue with. I would have to ignore adults, and ignoring isn't my style.
"Ah, fuck off you stupid twats!" I snarl as we pass them, or as they knock into Link purposefully. "He doesn't care."
Truth is, he does. I don't think his face shows it, but I can't get a good look at his face right now or I'll lose track of where we're meant to be going. But I know he cares, because for each insult I feel him flinch slightly, or inch closer towards me. Not to mention the fact this place is packed, as town always is. And if it isn't noisy teens, it's glaring adults and laughing little kids.
I stop in the centre of a crossroads of pavements to try and find the nearest clothes shop, when I feel Link poke me, and a little kid talk to Link. "Mister, are you a new clown?"
I can't help but giggle. "Hey, shouldn't you be with your mom?" Link asks in a desperate bid for freedom from this little… I dunno, Link probably thinks it's a Kokiri or something. Has he ever had to deal with kids this small before?
I open my mouth to add my own comment, when I hear a familiar shriek.
Oh no. Please no. If God exists he will show me mercy.
"RHIIIIIAAAAAN!"
Please, anything but HER! ANYTHING!
"Like Rhian HI!"
I am tackled to the floor, and Link lets out a yelp as this happens and jumps back slightly. The person who tackled me beams down at me. "What'cha doin down there, silly?"
"Stupid wench." I mutter, along with a few oaths and incoherent insults. I hate this women. I hate her guts, her face, her voice… her. I hate her altogether. Link offers me a hand which I quickly and gratefully accept.
"Wow…" The female says, looking at Link.
Ew… is she drooling? "Lauren!"
"Oh, yeah?" Lauren replies, wiping the spit from her chin and blushing slightly. "Who's this?" She adds in a dreamy voice. Meet the girl-who-would-love-anyone-provided-they-are-a-man, Lauren.
"Never you mind." I say hurriedly, before pushing her away from Link, taking Link's hand again and attempting to flee the scene.
"Oh wait!" She cries suddenly, leaping up and pointing to the sky. "He looks just like that guy from the Legend of Zelda games."
Nearly everybody stops and looks. I let out a quiet sob, stopping my running and tightening my grip on Link's hand. I think the entire world just heard that.
"He is kinda." Says another unfamiliar voice.
"He's a cosplayer isn't he?"
The muttering continues, before people start moving on. A large number of girls however, remain. I can feel them glaring at Link, who is looking at them and me in turn. I begin to set off again, when I hear a sentence that makes me cringe. To the point where I nearly burst out crying.
"He looks like Link, and I'm like a huge fangirl! And he's SO sexy! I want him!"
"Er, Rhian?" Link asks, shaking me by the shoulders gently. His voice has already broken with his worry.
For a second I do nothing, and I hear a few other girls join in as they approach and attempt to grab a part of Link. Wait… what's this? I feel a really weird burning sensation inside my chest, and I flex my right hand. Link's left hand isn't there anymore. Link!
I whip around, and snarl inhumanly as I see several girls grabbing at him. The feeling inside is growing, and yells at me to rip Link away from them. He didn't land in their bedroom. He didn't spend his first few days on earth with them. He's mine.
I leap into the fray without thinking and beat the girls away, landing a right hook neatly in one of the girl's face, before grabbing Link's hands myself (yup, both of them) and pulling him away. "Back off you lot! I found him first!" I snap at them, pushing Link behind me protectively and staring them down.
"Awww." They say in unison, before looking morosely at Link and then turning away. Soon enough, they're all gone. And we're being left alone now, somewhat.
Wait… did I just fight for possession over Link? Worse than that… did I just get jealous? Oh God no.. it's all coming back to me… this alien feeling, some part of me thinks Link is mine. I let out a sob as I turn and trudge away towards a store. My life is not a fanfiction…
"Rhian?" Link asks, holding the pile of clothes we've collected throughout venturing through the store. "Are you feeling okay?"
"I'm fine, why?" I say firmly and quickly, grabbing another pair of jeans and throwing them at Link, hopefully somewhere near the pile.
"It's just, since those girls… what were they anyway?"
"Fangirls. And you have a lot of them." I reply shortly, analysing a white shirt carefully.
Link shudders, his legs tremble slightly. "That was horrible. They've even ripped my tunic."
"They would've ripped it off if they weren't fighting amongst themselves, and hadn't been in a public place."
The white shirt lands on the pile, and as I turn to make sure it has, I notice Link's face is the same colour as the shirt. I grin, turning back around and pointing towards the changing room. "Make sure they fit you."
"Will there be any more?"
"Ha, probably. Just go, the faster you're out of your tunic the better and more invisible to them you'll be."
That got him going. He's already in the changing rooms before I can walk up to the counter and lean against it. It was almost funny up until the fangirl point. I look at my feet sadly and angrily, thinking of how I can get over my… little problem. Link isn't mine, I don't want him to be mine, I don't care about him. I shouldn't have to care about him anyway even if I did, he is a hero after all.
In the end, I only find myself repeating "My life is not a fanfiction. Is not, is not, is not a fanfiction."
Dark Link kept to the shadows. In fact, never mind keeping to the shadows, he was one with the shadows. He had watched what had happened to his opposite and his target, and had not liked what he had seen.
These… humans, though weak, had strength in numbers. And while it had been amusing to watch Link suffer terribly at the hands of the females, it had been all too worrying for Dark Link. After all, despite the difference of colour in their appearance and the opposite natures they had, he and Link were really one and the same. A difference of nature would not be realised by those girls. Or, at least that is what Dark Link figured.
For a second the shadows disappeared around him, and he materialised in an alley quickly so as to avoid drawing attention to himself. Curses. He hated the sun.
Dark Link. He hissed at his name, and gnashed his teeth as he so commonly did nowadays. He hated sharing Link's name. But for his wits and cunning, he couldn't think of a name to call himself. The young Shadow thought and thought as he waited for the sun to hopefully disappear behind a shroud of clouds, or a new shadow to pass him. Dark! That was it. He would not change his name, but shorten it. Dark was better, it didn't say Link in the same sentence.
Chuckling, Dark looked about him. The store that the Rhian girl and the hero had entered was right beside him. The entrance just around a corner. No-one would notice him rushing into there. They were all too stupid to see that much; these humans only cared about themselves. And with that, the Shadows darted out into the open street, and speedily ran into the store.
Dark grinned no sooner did he enter. This place was covered with shadows. No sunlight reached into the shop, and the lights were not on. It was perfect for him anyway. He made his way casually to the nearest isle, and then melted away into the faint shadow on the floor. For as faint as it was, a shadow is a shadow and even mother nature could not deny Dark Link his ability to merge with any shadow, however faint it may be.
With a quick sweep of the shop Dark found one of his targets. The girl, who leant against a counter and looked at the floor. She looked bored, but as Dark Link neared her he could sense she was more troubled than anything. He would smirk if his present shadowy form allowed him too, this made it all too easy for him. And yet at the very same time, it made it hard too. How to get the girl away from the hero, wherever he might be, without anybody noticing.
It was all but impossible. Dark would have growled, but he stopped himself from doing anything other than 'watch' as Rhian turned on her heel and looked into the changing rooms. "You nearly done?" She snapped impatiently, tapping her foot.
"No! You've given me… er… loads of stuff to try." The hero replied. Dark followed the sound of the hero's voice, and halted within Link's changing room.
He was putting a shirt on, and it seemed he had one shirt left after that. He had already tried all the trousers, and must be wearing those which he found the comfiest. His bottomless pocket and weapons and tunic were sprawled about on the bench… endless pocket.
Dark could have laughed as he materialised, punched Link in the face before the hero knew what was happening, and dived into the pocket. Quickly and quietly he withdrew his hand, holding two Deku nuts as he did so, and then he merged again with shadows, Deku nuts in a small pocket of his own.
The only flaw of his plan would be the light. But at the same time, it would be that light which helped him escape. Without second thoughts Dark fled to where Rhian stood, and materialised just as quickly as he had done before in the changing room.
"Link?!" Rhian yelled, turning and stepping away from Dark.
"No." Dark replied, narrowing his eyes, and throwing down his first Deku nut. There was a clunk as it hit the floor, followed by a bright light. Dark hissed in pain, but forced himself to keep his eyes open, and grip the girl's arm as she attempted to shield her own eyes.
He ran. Fast as he could, Dark ran, and managed to make it to the entrance before the light faded. Deku nut number two came out, and hit the floor. People screamed and yelled, Dark was sure he could even hear the hero scream for the girl. It made him laugh at his triumph as he disappeared with the female.
Dark and Rhian were both missing by the time the second Deku nut's flash faded. The Deku nuts had done their job, and Dark had just completed half of his.
"Rhian!" Yelled Link, carrying his endless pocket. In it was everything he had taken with him and now couldn't wear, Master Sword and other weapons, his tunic. Even his beloved hat had been donned into the pocket. But none of that was important right now.
Link would know a Deku nut 'clunk' anywhere. Never mind the flash that followed. Someone had broken into his room while he was changing, punched him in the face and momentarily knocking him out, and Link could only assume during this time he used the Deku nuts, and took off.
But even that didn't worry him. The fact someone who knew how to use Deku nuts had gotten past him really didn't matter. What riled Link, and what worried him beyond even his own comprehension, was the fact Rhian was missing. She was gone. She hadn't just wandered off on her own accord either. She had been kidnapped.
"Rhian?! Where are you?!"
Holy fucking shit on earth. What in god's name happened? In fact, no, let me rephrase. What's happening?
I don't dare open my eyes. They sting like a bitch at the moment, and I only assume it's because of that light. Stupid, stupid Deku nuts and their flashy light! Argh! The pain! And it's not just my eyes, it's my left side too.
I'll kill him. I'll do worse than that. I'll mortally wound him, and then leave him for the fangirls. No, fanboys. Ha, that'll have him begging for mercy. I'll kill him, if it's the last god damned thing on earth I ever do, I will kill that son-of-a-bitch.
"You seem murderous."
The hell? I look around, and suddenly realise I'm missing the really important things: where am I? Why am I wherever I am? Who took me here? In answer to the first question, all I really know is I'm in someplace dark. And damp too, the smell is kinda awful. I'm also in a house of some kind. Or maybe a warehouse. Somewhere I shouldn't be at any rate.
"Who are you?" I ask hotly, looking around the darkness to try and find the culprit. "Show yourself."
"Why?"
Er… that's a good question really. "Because it's what a man would do!"
"I'm no man."
"Coward." I sneer, resorting to my only remaining option in getting this person to reveal himself. It's definitely a he.
There's a hiss, and something shoots past my head and embeds itself into the wall directly behind me. A strand of my hair drifts to the floor lazily. Heh, that's a rather pretty sword. Like the Master Sword in fact, but darker. And it's missing the Triforce, instead replaced by a single triangle. It looks almost like Dark Link's weapon.
I smile smugly at my cleverness, and then come to terms with what I've pieced together. Why am I smiling?… maybe it's a Dark Link wannabe.
"Why are you smiling? Is there something funny about your current predicament?"
"Big words for a guy who can't step out and show his face." I spit.
There's a laugh, the kind of laugh that you know is evil because it's hollow and echoes around the room. A chill shoots up my spine, and for once I can't condemn it as some random shiver. There is a good reason I feel all tense and nervous. A very good reason.
The laugh ends, and is followed with footsteps. Finally I can make out the outline of the person who spirited me away from my shopping spree. And it looks just like the guy I was earlier threatening to kill. "Link?" I ask, bewildered.
"No! I am not him, I will never be him!" The figure screams, as if in some kind of agony. "I am DARK Link. The complete opposite of what he stands for."
"Oh goodie." I say, little enthusiasm and a lot of fear in my voice. Dark Link is the person you don't want to meet down a dark alley by accident. So I'm dreading to think what I'm doing in a dark room with him, Master Sword embedded into the wall next to my head. "You, er… have good aim." I say, trying to compliment the shadow.
"What are you on?" Dark replies, stepping forward so I can see all of him. Black hair, black hat, black tunic, crimson eyes that are kinda shiny. He has the same skin tone as Link though. I shiver once again.
"Nothing. Why?"
"I missed."
Silence, and I gulp as I try and stand up. Dark Link is staring at me so hard it's like I'm being stabbed with needles. It's irritating actually, I wish he'd quit it. Now then, how to escape an evil Shadow? I smirk, maybe I can use the fact that he's on earth, and the character of a game, to help me.
"Can I have your autograph, Mr. Dark Link?"
The Shadow looks confused. It's a start. "Come again?"
"You don't know? You are a really cool bad guy in Ocarina of Time, and if it wasn't for the fact Link beats the shit out of you with" I wonder if I'm allowed to tell him the next bit "a giant hammer the size of a fucking chainsaw, then you might've beaten Link! Everyone loves you, because black is the new green, and Link is sexy. So like you are double sexy!" I run my words and sentences together where I need to.
This is disgusting. Making myself seem like a rabid fangirl. I mean, it's just wrong. But hey, I guess if it saves my life. Ha, I can't wait to tell Link if this works. At least it'll give him a laugh or two. As it is, Dark takes two or three steps back.
"S-sexy? What's that mean?" He asks, apparently shocked. I can only help but grin. I love inflicting mental scars on people.
"It means I want to have your babies!" I scream, running forward wildly.
"For the love of - SHIT!"
He might have finished up his last sentence, which was probably going to end in Nayru since Dark is practically Link's twin, but then I threatened to jump and tackle him. Without a following word after 'Shit' Dark Link merges into the shadows, and I don't waste any time in making a break for it.
I run into a wall, realise it's a wall not a door, rub my shoulder, charge into another wall, find out it's a wall too, rub my shoulder again, and then throw all my weight into a wall. No wait, a door. It bursts open, and off the hinges, proving my theory I'm in an old building of some description.
I manage a cry as I realise I can't stop myself from falling, and twist to spare my head from the worst of the fall, but twisting isn't a smart thing to do really. There's a horrible snap as I hit the ground, and I manage a loud yelp of pain. I wince, and try to pick myself up.
"Ouch." I mutter, after a sharp intake of breath. My left arm is broken, probably in one or two places. But that doesn't change the fact it's broken.
There's a hiss from behind me. Ah fuck, I forgot about Dark Link. I stand, using my right arm for support only, and then run off in the direction I think safest. And I don't need to turn around to know Dark is giving chase, because I can sense him from here. And boy, is he pissed off.
As I skid around a corner and am met with the a street leading into town, I smile happily. But no sooner have I caught sight of said street, Dark Link uses his magical-abilities-beyond-comprehension-unless-you-read-fanfics to materialise from the shadows before me. In my way.
"Have we met?" I ask, pulling a fake smile before turning and rushing back the way I came. My heart pounds as Dark pulls off the same trick. I turn without halting. Rinse, lather, repeat. Twice. And then finally, I skitter to a stop and catch my breathe, holding my broken arm against my chest with my good one.
Sheez, the impending doom thing sounds so depressing I'm not even going to say it. All I know right now is that my heart is threatening to beat right out of my god-damned body and flee to safety, and for the first time since he came here, I really wish Link was with me.
Sorry for the recent lack of updates. Sadly, school has been getting in the way, and making other plans. Even more sadly, I've had to follow them. BUT that has made way for a long chapter.
Bits of this I don't like, bits of it I do. All I can say is that my usual desire-to-write-a-good-fanfic is still high, but I've not been able to write as nicely recently. Still, this chapters crucial, possibly one of the most crucial yet. And only because Dark and Rhian meet, that's really the only reason. That and Link now has other more modern outfits. x)
Shadou Wolf