So. As I said earlier, here is the first chapter of Part 3. Hope you enjoy.

Love,
CM

PART 3: FIGHTING GRAVITY

CHAPTER 1: THE BROTHER

30th of Quintember, Year 3378, Third Age
Waker, Windfall
Windmill Hill

Kidd waited in silence. He was getting good at waiting. To his right, the stern-looking woman called Ashei Snow stood, rigidly, and eyed him out of the corner of her eye, but she hadn't said a word yet. Kidd pretended he hadn't noticed, but it bothered him. He was young, but not so young that he was a child anymore. They all treated him like he was, though.

Except Link. And Princess Zelda. That was nice.

He glanced for the hundredth time into the window, saw nothing, and tried not to fidget. He didn't want Ashei Snow to think he was nervous. Because he wasn't. Street kids had nothing to worry about when they had something in their belly. He'd overheard Shad― nah, Four-Eyes say it.

Four-Eyes knew a lot, but deep down, he didn't know a thing.

"Kidd, you said your name was?"

That was Ashei Snow's first and poor attempt at conversation. Kidd didn't mind awkward questions. He had a habit of expressing himself badly too.

He nodded in response. She fell into silence again, but Kidd wasn't sure whether that meant she wanted something more or if it was enough.

"No family name?" She pried again, clearing her throat.

Kidd tried not to peer into the window again. "No family," he said, simply. The streets kids from home didn't count, though when the artillery fired overheard and he heard the high whistling of engines in the sky, somewhere unseen but too close for comfort, he found he missed them.

"I heard you followed Forester here to find your brother," Ashei admonished, to call out his lie about family.

So. Link had been up front. Well, fine.

"I did."

"No luck?"

Kidd shook his head. Ashei made a noise, but Kidd couldn't tell if it was sympathy or lack of interest. He didn't care. He shot a look into the window again.

This time, Ashei was exasperated. "They'll come for you when they're done."

Kidd was irked. He knew that. It didn't make the waiting any less unbearable. He tried to appeal to her. "I just need to talk to Link." Link hadn't completely recovered, but he had wanted to be there for the interrogation, and Kidd hadn't been able to tag along.

"He'll be out eventually," Ashei repeated.

Kidd gave up. She was as intractable as the Death Mountains. "Will they kill him?" He wasn't talking about Link, this time.

Ashei Snow pursed her lips, but she said, "We don't kill if we don't have to. The Hylian Alliance always had strict prisoner of war policies, yeah?"

"But you're torturing him, in there."

Ashei shot him a dark look. "Hopefully not. If he knows what's best for him, he'll talk without coercion."

"Well, he won't," Kidd said morosely, sinking further into his seat.

"Don't be so sure."

"You don't be so sure."

Ashei looked annoyed. "We have passive ways of making prisoners talk. It's not all shackles and electric prods in there, you know."

Kidd assumed his best childish look. "So, can I watch?"

She frowned. She had dark circles under her eyes, and dark hair from Snowhead. He didn't know a lot of people from Snowhead. It was the place people went for mountain vacations, in all the advertisements he'd seen in Castleton. He didn't know anyone who could afford to go on vacation, though. Not to Lake Hylia, not to Snowhead Vale, and certainly not to the Death Mountain Springs.

The war had reduced the number of vacationers, too. The newspapers said vacation spots were dying out. Kidd thought that served them right, for being so expensive.

"That sort of curiosity is a bit morbid, yeah?"

"How morbid can it be?" Now, he had her. "You just said you weren't gonna torture him."

Ashei looked at him with a whole new mix of annoyance and suspicion. Well, Kidd played the awkward youth rather well now and again. It served. Maybe now she'll stop thinking I'm just some stupid boy.

She was about to speak when they heard a set of footfalls behind the window. Kidd turned around. The window opened on a hallway, down which Link, Darunia and a gaoler walked, towards them. They passed into a side door, and Kidd got to his feet. A short moment later, Link and Darunia, looking exhausted, came into the waiting room of the prison complex. Link walked slowly and stiffly. His arms were bandaged and his torso looked bruised all the way to his collarbone, and some way up his neck, if the bandages were any indication. But it was the frustration in his gaze that spoke the most.

"No luck?" Ashei asked, to the point.

Darunia shook his head. "He's a stubborn bastard. What's the boy doing here?" The change in subject was as abrupt as his manner. Kidd didn't mind. Darunia was brusque, but he was kind and proud, and had taken a shining to Waker and its directness.

"I need to talk to Link," Kidd said, and shot Link an urgent look, hoping he wouldn't set him aside again.

Link looked tired, but he smiled thinly. "Well, I'm here. We're taking a break, and letting him simmer," he told Ashei. "He knows our terms."

"Link," Kidd insisted. "Come on."

Ashei and Darunia began to talk about the prisoner. Kidd wanted to listen, but this was more important.

"What is it?" Link asked, stiffly walking aside with him, and lowering his voice. Kidd wondered if he was annoying him just by being there. Link's eyes didn't betray anything, though, except polite curiosity. That was good enough.

"The prisoner. He's―."

"A captain of the Guardian Coalition. He's a great pilot, I'll hand him that, but―"

"I know him."

For a moment, Link didn't seem to hear. He stared at Kidd, blinking, while the words sunk in. Kidd worried. He wouldn't believe―

"What?"

"His name. The captain. His name is Damon Fierce."

"Yes…?" Link shot Ashei a confused look, but the woman was too caught up in her conversation with Darunia to pay attention. So Link turned back to Kidd with a frown. "How do you know him?"

Kidd hesitated. Maybe this wasn't the time. Maybe Link wouldn't want to hear. Maybe they'd call him a traitor, or worse.

"He's my brother," Kidd blurted out in a harsh whisper.

That certainly had the effect Kidd expected. Link leaned against the wall, staring at him with disbelief written all over his tired features. He's trying to find the lie in me, Kidd realized. But there is no lie, for once.

Apparently, the same thing occurred to Link. "You're his brother. Why is he on the other side, then?"

He meant the Guardian Coalition. Kidd shrugged. "I dunno. He didn't send news for a long while." Then, Kidd reached out to grab Link's shirt sleeve, to the captain's mild surprise. "Help him, Link. He can't be bad."

Link's gaze hardened. Gently, he disengaged his arm. Then, softly, he said, "Kidd, he killed one of my pilots on the battlefield. He tried to kill me, and he would have succeeded if I hadn't taken such huge, suicidal risks. He's joined the Guardians, and it's not your fault, but maybe your brother isn't what you remember…"

"No," Kidd insisted. "I swear, Link, I'm sure―"

"Hey, Captain Forester. We're going for a quick snack. You coming?" Darunia was a commander now, but he wasn't any less warm and friendly.

"I'll stay here," Link said with a wan smile. "Playing catch up."

"Suit yourself. We'll be back in half an hour."

"Link," Kidd continued, "I know you have your reasons, but can I just talk to him? Please."

Link started to shake his head, but then paused, and eyed him sternly. Kidd could almost see the calculations behind his eyes. Right, let him think this is to his advantage. He'll let me see him if he thinks they can gain from it. Right?

Link's gaze slid to the door, through which Darunia and Ashei had exited.

Then, he exhaled loudly. "Kidd, how can you be sure? When was the last time you saw him?"

Doubts again. Always the doubts. "Link," he hissed, "I know. I just know. You could recognize Aryll after ten years, I know you could. And I know him. He's my brother, my only remaining family."

Link didn't look happy at all. He looked like he had swallowed something sour, and his eyes were stern. Even sterner than Ashei's, and that was saying something.

Before Kidd could add anything, Link had seized his arm ―with a grip that surprised him, it was so firm, despite Link's injuries― and dragged him through the security checkpoint. He dragged him past the guards, and down the hallway, and around a corner, and down a short flight of steps, and through a door into a room with a window, and through the window, Kidd saw his brother, sitting expressionlessly.

"He's hurt!" Kidd exclaimed angrily.

Link shot him a look that commanded silence. Kidd saw the bruises on his collarbone, and regretted his outburst. He wanted to apologize, but the words didn't come fast enough, and the moment was past. Link walked up to the window, and asked Kidd, one last time, "Is this really him?"

His gaze had switched from Damon Fierce to Kidd's, and Kidd saw Link desperately wanted him to be wrong. But Kidd had to be honest. "Yes."

Link looked disappointed, but Kidd didn't understand why.

"Can I talk to him?"

Link hesitated. Maybe this would undo all their work. Kidd wasn't sure he wanted them to succeed, if he were fully honest. He didn't know why his brother had joined the Guardian Coalition, but there had to be a good reason. There just had to be.

Link's jaw tightened, but then he said, "You have five minutes." And he reached for the doorknob on the door next to the window.

Kidd wanted to stare. Five minutes? Five minutes was a ridiculously short time. What would he say? How could he begin?

But Link had no time to lose, and Kidd knew he was constrained by the imminent return of Darunia and Ashei.

He strode through the door.

At first, his brother didn't register his presence. Kidd was sure he knew someone had entered, but didn't seem interested in finding out whom.

Kidd took a second to assess him. He was tall. Very tall. Kidd knew he'd grow too, one day. His own brother was taller than Link. All things considered, now that Kidd observed him, Damon looked a lot like Link. The shape of his face, maybe, or the determination in his eyes. His hair was silvery blond, though, a tone that was a lot more like their mother's, Damon had told him when he had been very young. Kidd's own looks drew from their father. They shared the shape of their eyes, and the set of their chin. That was where any resemblance ended though.

He'd changed his last name. Fierce had never been their name. Now that he thought hard about it, Kidd was sure they'd had a homely name. It was hard to recall. Damon had only ever signed his letters 'Damon'. Kidd had last had heard it over ten years ago.

Woods. Kidd Woods. Damon Woods.

The only reason he'd discovered this Damon Fierce was his brother was because he'd seen him, briefly, while trying to catch a glimpse of a real prisoner of war. Morbid curiosity had finally ended his search.

And then, hours of pleading and begging, all for this moment.

Kidd realized he didn't know what to say.

"Damon?" It was as good a question as any.

Damon's eyes had always been icy blue. It was the kind of cold look that he reserved for enemies. It didn't melt, though, when he saw Kidd. He only frowned.

"Kidd. What are you doing here? How did they find you?"

"So, you know this boy?" Link said, from the door.

Kidd wanted to turn around and hit him. "You said I had five minutes," he growled.

"And you do," Link coolly responded. "But not alone."

Fair enough. Kidd knew he wasn't even supposed to be on this side of the window. He wasn't going to push Link to retract his offer. It was undreamed of, to even see Damon now.

"Is this to make me talk?" Damon growled. Link shrugged, but Kidd was glad that he said nothing.

"Damon, why are you with the Guardians? They're trying to hurt Windfall. Why did you join them?" Kidd felt the questions tumble out of his mouth before he could sort them out. "Why did you stop sending letters? The other boys didn't believe that you even existed anymore. Two years? Is that when you joined them? Two years ago? Why did you?"

Damon set his jaw. Kidd thought that didn't look too good. But Damon's steely gaze wasn't on him. He was looking up at Link.

"You're wretched, to use him like this," he finally rumbled. His voice was like distant thunder.

Kidd was confused, but Link's brows rose high. "Wretched? I didn't even know you were related until just now."

"He didn't know, Damon," Kidd said. "But now, you'll join us, right?" He tried desperately to keep the hope out of his voice. Some distant part of him told him it wouldn't be simple, ever. "Now that I've found you again?"

Damon shot him a look, and Kidd was certain he saw a flicker of doubt, or maybe regret. There was sadness, though, for sure. He opened his mouth to answer, then closed it again. Kidd knew Link's presence would make things difficult.

"You don't owe us anything," Link said, from behind him. "But your brother deserves a few answers, doesn't he?"

Something like dread crawled into Kidd's gut. He had been stupid. Link was using him for leverage. Damon was trapped. They'd make him think that he was at their mercy. For a moment, Link's words hurt. Why would anyone do this? They were just brothers― I should have slipped in and let him out, without telling anyone why, or who he was. They'd be out flying Flits and living alone.

"Go down all the way to the Dark Realm. See if I'm not there already."

Link rolled his eyes. "Come on, Captain Fierce. Your brother wants to know."

"Shut up, Link," Kidd exclaimed. "You said you weren't going to hurt him. Ashei said―"

"I'm not going to hurt him," Link said, ambiguously, but he wasn't looking at Kidd. He was looking at Damon, and they exchanged a hard, threatening stare.

Enough of this. He wasn't just a kid. He would have a say in this.

"You're not going to hurt me, Link," he said with certainty. He wasn't nearly as sure as he sounded, but he needed to be convinced, if only to disarm the situation.

Link said nothing, but he shot Kidd an annoyed look.

"I'll talk," Damon said, but he was still growling. "If you let him go."

"We can let him go, he's not our prisoner." Link leaned against the wall, casually.

"Damon," Kidd said, urgently, "why did you join the Guardians?"

Damon looked at him with an odd look. "For money."

There was an odd silence then. Link stood out of sight, but Kidd was sure he felt him radiating anger. Damon too was stubbornly unforthcoming.

"That's it? Money?"

Damon had the grace to look mildly ashamed, but it was brief and easily dismissed. "I had to get you out of the street. I was going to finish the war, and get you. Dragmire swore we'd seize the city without carnage."

"How could he afford to make that sort of vow?" Link asked, and Kidd was relieved to hear no aggression in that voice.

Damon sat back, looking a little defeated. "We'd topple everything, until Hyrule surrendered. I trusted."

Link sighed, but he spoke no judgement. Kidd was grateful for that.

Damon was back to looking stormy. "What else do you want to know?"

Kidd wanted to speak, but Link cut in. "Why aren't your armies being serious about their assault on Windfall? Where is the brunt of your forces?"

Now, Kidd saw Damon clamp up. The set of his jaw was tense. Kidd realised this was the real reason he was being held. It was true the attacks, even now, were half-hearted, drawn out, and cost the enemy little to nothing.

"I am not at liberty to discuss―"

"Come on," Link interrupted, in a tone Kidd had never heard him use before, "don't you want to leave? Help us out, here. We just want information."

Damon laughed humourlessly. "Where would I go if you release me? I can't go back. They'll know I talked."

"You could join us!" Kidd hastily exclaimed. He shot Link a pleading look. "Right?"

Link was quiet for a while. Neither he nor Damon wanted to negotiate. At length, Link begrudgingly said, "I could ask for a royal pardon on your behalf. But I don't know if the information you have is worth one."

"He's my brother!" Kidd exclaimed, frustrated.

"And a prisoner of war," Link curtly replied. "Be careful, Kidd. This is not your decision."

"I'll speak to Zelda," Kidd said. "She'll talk to me. She said she wanted to repay the favours―"

"You walked her dog and helped her with volunteer work," Link said, dismissively. Kidd felt the punch of that curtness in his gut. He felt Damon tense up, too. Now he understood how Damon had become so cold and blank. It was all he could do not to punch Link.

"I thought―"

"She means well, Kidd, but even she cannot release a prisoner of war without just cause. You want your brother to go free," Kidd heard the exhaustion and pleading in Link's voice, all of a sudden, "so tell him he needs to help us. Or else, he won't die, but he won't go free either. I need to know why my pilots put themselves in danger's way for nothing."

Damon said nothing to that. Kidd turned to look at him, wondering how he could do anything to help. Damon was stubborn, and Kidd had no guarantee things would work out. It was scary, like staring into the dark and not knowing when it would end.

"What is going on here?"

Kidd knew that voice. He turned, and saw Darunia frowning. He filled the doorway, and his anger was quick. Behind him, scowling, stood Ashei.

"What is the boy doing here? Get him out of here! This isn't a zoo!"

"No, wait―"

Ashei grabbed Kidd's arm. He wanted to fight, but then, he saw Damon, his fury roaring in his ice blue eyes, and decided to go meekly. He didn't want Damon to struggle. He didn't want him to risk his release.

"Forester, explain yourself."

But Kidd didn't hear Link explaining himself. Ashei pulled him out of the room, and back down the hallway, and out into the front room, and outside. Then, she held him still and said, "You need to behave, yeah?"

She wasn't angry. It occurred to him suddenly. He wondered why. In those circled eyes, all he saw was fatigue.

"Ashei, can I speak with Princess Zelda?"

She almost rolled her eyes. "Why would you do that?"

"Because," Kidd said, tired too, tired of being treated like a boy, tired of being helpless, tired of being doubted, "I need a favour and she owes me one."

If you've already figured it out, ignore me, but for those who are still wondering: Kidd = Child Link (OoT). Damon = Fierce Deity Link (MM, also the character who may or may not have been my crush when I was, like, 12).

THE PLOT THICKENS.

Love,
CM