Kage no Hime
On the day they were leaving for the Twilight Realm, Link was looking at all the stuff he'd gathered during his trips through Hyrule. He doubted he'd need all of those things. He picked up the bow and quiver; they could always come in handy. Bombs and the Dominion rod, but apart form those things, he doubted that he would need anything else weapon wise. He put the weapons down in one of his pouches. "One for weapons and one for food," he mumbled. He would have to make a detour to the Hyrule to get some food before they went to kill Zant. He would have considered going to the Human Realm if he had any money that would work there.
"We're leaving soon," Grimmjow said. He looked down at the stuff cluttering his bed. "Where does all this stuff come from anyway?" he asked
"Inside temples and from friends I guess," Link said as he ran a hand through his hair. "Most of it is quite useless I just haven't had the energy to get rid off it."
The bluenet snorted. "Midona is getting impatient," he informed the blond.
Link rolled his eyes. "Of course she is. She wants to go home and kill that idiot," he said. He packed down the last of his bottles and turned to face his mate. "Well I'm ready to go now, but we have to deal with Xanto today because I'm out of food."
Grimmjow's brows furrowed. "That could become problematic once we separate this world from the others. We can't grow things in Hueco Mundo and we don't really do animals. How are you going to survive that?" he asked.
Link shrugged. "I'm hoping that once we've separated the worlds whatever it is that's making it constant night around here will fix itself," he said as he walked up to the bluenet. He reached up and kissed the man gently. "If that doesn't work out, Szayel and I are working on a different solution." He smiled at Grimmjow as he pulled away. "We have thought about it already, you know. I'm not going to die on you," he said, his fingers running through the bluenet's hair.
"You better not," Grimmjow said possessively.
Link laughed.
The two of them walked out of the room. Down a set of stairs and through a hallway, they walked.
Midna was standing in the bright light filling the dome of Las Noches tapping her left foot impatiently. She turned as Lilynette came walking up to her. "We're coming too," the girl stated. Starrk walked up behind her and smiled lazily at the orangette.
Midna smiled back. Her insides were fluttering happily. She reached out and placed a hand against the celadon-haired girl's cheek "That's nice Riri. You guys will be way better company than those two lazy ass idiots I've been travelling with so far," she said.
"Cause that is a nice way of thanking the ones that made it possible for you to go now and help your people," Link said. He didn't look the least bit angry. It was more like he was questioning her sanity in talking the way she was.
Midna just rolled her eyes playfully at him.
"So, Zaeru will join up with us later. He had some stuff he needed to do. I've made certain he can find us when he's ready so we can leave now," Link said.
"Tsuni," Midna whined. "I want to go home."
"Is this Kage no Sekai?" Lilynette asked in disgust. The place looked like it was bathed in poisonous gas. It was all dark, and in the distance they could hear distorted moans. "Hueco Mundo is way nicer than this place. It just looks sick."
Midna sighed. "Most of that is Zanto's fault. This place really is beautiful," she said. Her fists closed tightly. She'd make that monster pay for what he'd done to her people.
They walked through the streets slowly. Once in a while they could see the wrapped form of Twilis living there. It made the orangette sad to see them like that. They weren't supposed to look like monsters.
"We'll fix it Midona," Link said softly. He reached out and grabbed her hand. "We won't let them stay like that."
Midna smiled a small smile. She knew they would fix it, but that didn't make it any less saddening to see.
Lilynette was jumping from one building to another in front of them. She thought that it was fun to go see a new place even if the new place was all dreary looking. She jumped again and landed right next to a strange being. It wore a flat mask over its face almost like a black Hollow mask. At least that was what she'd thought while the being was looking straight at her, but then the being turned its head and she moved back a step. The mask looked to be attached directly to the being's neck. There was no head. The jade makings on the beast's body had her going back to the others rather than pulling her sword. Both Link and Midna had jade markings.
The girl joined up with the group as they ascended a fight of stairs. They led up to a floating piece of land that held three buildings all made of rough granite. Darkness flowed down the walls and red marks decorated thick archways.
"We're going straight for the main palace," Midna said while pointing.
Link pulled his staff out of his weapon's pouch. He might as well be prepared.
They walked up a steep bridge that went between the main island and the island that the palace stood on. A shriek tore through the air and a shadow kargarok launched itself off the path before them swiftly flowed by another.
The first one didn't even reach them. Link had sent off a fiery ball at it and it had caught fire falling, burning to its doom. The second one reached them but as it went to attack the smallest of the group the girl pulled a scimitar from the broken horn in her Hollow mask. She swung the blade through the air and the bird-like creature fell dead to the ground before turning to smoke. A Cero tore through the air at a third kargarok unexpectedly. None of the others in the group had even seen the monster coming towards them.
Starrk yawned and scratched his goatee absentmindedly.
The Cero had been blue but way to dark to be one of Grimmjow's it was obvious that the brunet had sent it off.
Link chuckled and shook his head. "Come on we're almost inside," he said as he walked up to the dark flowing waterfall of shadows that flowed towards the land below slowly. He stepped out on a glowing red circle on the bridge. "Who's idea was it to have a hole in the path leading up to the palace?" he asked. It was so stupid. Why would anyone build something like that? Not to even mention just how dumb it was to have a shadowfall just outside your front door.
"It wasn't there when I ruled," Midna said. "It must be something Zanto has done since then."
Link snorted. "He's got no style what-so-ever," he said before jumping through the darkness. He slammed his staff down at another kargarok killing the beast instantly. "Lily come over here," he called in French.
The girl jumped through and was caught by the blond. She was let down on the ground, and a light-pink eye scanned the area. She noticed a bird-monster and ran off to kill the beast. The monsters around there were so weak.
Grimmjow and Starrk stepped through the dark curtain and then the brunet turned and caught Midna as she jumped through. He smiled down at her softly. Being down, he whispered something in her ear. The orangette's eyes widened a bit before a wide smile spread over her lips. She reached up with a pale hand and placed it against the brunet's cheek before reaching up to kiss the man softly.
"Finally," Link breathed. He smiled as he walked up to the front door. He pushed the door open. "Hellooooo Zanto we're here. Come out come out wherever you are. We're gonna come find you and turn you into confetti," he called loudly his voice echoing through the hall.
"You really think he'll stay around if you say stuff like that?" Grimmjow asked.
The blond shrugged. "There is no way he's getting away from us so why not let him sweat a bit," he said nonchalantly. He walked forward and killed off the shadow keese flying around in the room. A hoard of shadow vermin came crawling from the shadow that lay like thick clouds on the floor. Fire spread out around Link's feet killing them off. His eyes scanned the room swiftly. "We need to go up to get were we're supposed to go," he said.
"There is supposed to be a set of stairs here," Midna said in annoyance. "I know we don't need them but my people will." She was just getting more and more irritated with the so called king.
"We can fix all that after we've removed the annoyance from your throne Midona-chan," Starrk said warmly.
The orangette nodded. "Arigatou Koyōte," she said.
…
They were walking outside once more. Lilynette was jumping from kargarok to kargarok killing them as she went. She disappeared behind a curtain of thick smoke for a moment before coming back out. "Eh, can I kill this one too?" they heard her ask suddenly. It looked almost like the people down in the town they had travelled through so she was a bit apprehensive.
"Please don't Riri-chan," Midna answered softly. "There is a possibility that it is one of my people that has been twisted by Zanto's evil magic and I'd prefer if you didn't harm it."
The celadon haired girl shrugged and jumped over to another bird-like monster cutting its head off as she went.
"This one is locked as well," Grimmjow said as he pointed at the next door.
Link hummed as he walked up to the big iron lock. 'Now how come these locks look the same as the ones attached to every locked door in Hyrule?' he wondered. 'One would think that they'd be different around here.' He backed up as the big chunk of metal fell to the ground. "Come on Lily honey we're leaving," he called over his shoulder to the pink-eyed girl. He pushed the door open.
Midna followed the blond through the door. The room they entered had been ruined. Where once a set of fenced lifts had allowed for her people to travel up to her throne room there now was a broken pattern of stupid platforms that couldn't possibly be functional. Of course Zant didn't want visitors, but still this was just stupid. 'Why did you change this?' she wondered.
Glad that they didn't need to bother with the stupid mechanics in the room, the company proceeded to the next door.
Smoke flowed over the floor. As their group walked forward, shadow beasts came running from within the cloudy blackness.
Link stopped. "You guys move over to the door. It'll be easier for me to bind these beasts down if you're not standing in the way," he said with a shooing motion. He waited until the others had left him alone in the cloud of darkness before binding the particles together and creating a net that would serve to bind the beasts until they'd left the room. He joined the others and looked up at the gigantic lock. He reached up and placed a hand on the oversized thing unlocking it quickly.
"Just remember that I want to deal with this moron," Midna said as Link placed his hand on the door.
The three men nodded.
"Can I help please Midona-san," Lilynette said her visible eye big and pleading.
The orangette chuckled warmly. "Oh, O.K. you can help," she said as she placed an arm around the girl's shoulders.
The door opened slowly.
They walked up the few steps that lay before them and into a big throne room. Zant was sitting on the high backed throne leisurely. He watched as the intruders walked into his throne room. The three men in the group stopped by the stairs. They were calmly watching the two females that continued walking.
"Zanto," Midna said. "Isn't this ironic? Here we are, all thanks to the dark magic curse that you placed on Rinku!"
"You speak of magic?" Zant said as he stood up.
It occurred to Link that the man might not actually be able to see through the stupid chameleon mask he was wearing. The man hadn't reacted at all to Midna's recovered form after all. "Midona catch," he said quietly.
The woman turned and caught Kage no Genzume, Link's staff. She could feel power flowing through it.
"You haven't recovered fully yet so you should use that," Link said.
The orangette smiled back at him before turning back to the so-called-king in front f her.
"Still you tongue for a moment, whelp, and I will tell you of both magic and the oppression of ages… The people of our tribe… a tribe that mastered the arts of magic…" He walked forward and his mask moved away from his face.
Midna didn't wait for the man to finish. She'd learned from how the blond fought and had started moving forward just as he had. The staff slammed into the man with enough force to send him flying. He landed in a heap on the cold granite floor. His yellow eyes turned to look at the woman. 'What happened?' he wondered. 'She can't possibly be strong enough to…' he seen the three men that had entered with the Princes still standing in place. "No," he hissed as he saw Midna. "How did you return to that form?"
Midna snorted. "I have powerful friends, Zanto. They decided to help me and now we have come to undo the disgusting things you've done to my people," she said determinedly. She moved forward quickly and slammed the butt of the staff straight down at the man.
Clank!
Zant had teleported away right at the last moment.
Midna turned towards the man.
"My God has given me access to magic far greater than anything…"
"Just shut up creep," Minda interrupted him. She connected to the magic within the staff and sent off a fireball at him. She didn't stand still and wait for the man to recover. No, she moved forward teleporting out of sight and hit him over the back of the head.
…
As the men watched the fight going on before them they could hear the door open. Link turned around and smiled as a pink-haired man joined them. "Welcome to Midona's king bashing Zaeru-san," he greeted the scientist. He could hear a roar as Lilynette joined the fight.
The celadon-haired girl raised her scimitar and slashed at the usurper king's ankles. He shrieked in pain.
Midna slashed out with her staff once more. A wisp of snowflakes followed the metal. It hit Zant and the entire left side of his face bloomed out in frozen flowers. He stumbled back only to get a heavy blade slashing over his back.
The two females wouldn't give him a chance to move away from them as they continued to rain hits and slashes over his body.
"I hope she remembers that I would get him," Szayel said.
Link shrugged. "If she goes overboard we can just stop her," he said.
"Aaaaaargh, you piss me off so much Zant," Midna exclaimed. She hit the man one more time before grabbing Lilynette and pulling the girl away from him.
"Y-You…TRAITORS! I was supposed to be named king but…" Zant cried out.
Midna turned around slightly. "Traitors…" she said calmly. "Do you know why no one would call you king? It was your eyes, Zant. All saw it, a lust for power burning in your pupils… Did you think we couldn't see that? Did you think we'd allow some power-hungry idiot to take power? You know what I can't decide if I like your looks or your personality better. It's like comparing mud to sewage," she told him. She turned to Szayel. "You can have him now Zaeruaporo-san. I'm done with him I never want to see the bastard again."
"You cannot best me. As long as my master, Ganon, survives, he will resurrect me without cease!" Zant cried desperately.
"Resurrect you," Szayel said. "For him to resurrect you, you would have to be dead Twili-san. And I'm not planning on killing you anytime soon… Oh, no you need to hold for so many little interesting experiments."
"Besides," Link said. "I'm familiar with your so-called-God, and I can't say I'm impressed. We've already killed one man who thought he was a God. Killing another shouldn't be too hard."
Midna reached out towards the former usurper king. The three Fused Shadows he'd taken from her came sailing towards her. "I'll be taking theses with me," she said. She walked up to Link. "We should save Zeruda-hime now. I wish to return that which she gave me," she told the blond.
"Don't worry Midona," Link said. He held out his hand and took his staff back from her. He closed his eyes and the staff started glowing a soft yellow and Midna could feel Zelda's presence in the power. "You can stay here and deal with your people and what Zant has done to this place. Grimmjow and I will go and deal with Ganondorofu."
"But last time we were there you couldn't even get through the shield that enclosed the…"
Link held a hand up to silence her. "We were unbalanced last time we tried that. There is a big difference between then and now. Don't you worry about us. We'll deal with that man and destroy the Mirror. I know how to deal with rifts. We'll be fine," he said calmingly.
Midna nodded slowly. "Good luck, Rinku," she said before wrapping her arms around the blond and hugging him tightly.
"See you later Starrk…" Link called over to the man and then he picked Lilynette up. "You better make certain that things actually get done around here while we're gone," he whispered to her.
The pink-eyed girl giggled and nodded her head.
The two lovers left the throne room.
…
Link and Grimmjow walked up towards the swirling yellow portal that would take them back to Hyrule. They were going to deal with Ganondorf for good now. They stopped on top of the Triforce equipped circle on the gray dirt that made up most of the land in the Twilight Realm. He tilted his head and connected to the magic that would take them back to Hyrule when a voice stopped him.
"And where do you two think you're going?"