fleets: GaaaAAAAH what am I doing I should be sleeping! (but I can't sleep unless I submit this so PAH. I'll handle all the comments and things I have to handle *coughcovercough* later. And I'm serious about getting the cover done as I'm 80 percent finished with it - so it'll be out within a week or so I reckon). You guys don't mind, right, as long as you get the chapter? ;)

Arargh I really want to talk to you guys on deviantart (and also review stories I've been meaning to review...*insertextremelyguiltylookhere*) and I always feel so guilty when I just see numbers continuing to pile my inbox, yet I refuse to look at any of them because I won't until I am comfortable with my time (i.e. no school work/writing/drawing to distract me). Soon, though. Soon!

Chapter 38: Return to Dark

Vaati walked up the pathway like a ghost to catch up with Link. He was lost in his own world, paying little attention to reality except to put his right foot ahead of his left foot, and his left foot ahead of his right foot. He hardly noticed that he was still clutching a feather, and that the white down had been smeared a dirty red from the scratches across his palms.

It was just a bird. It wasn't a big deal. It wasn't like he'd felt remorse when he had learned how Link had defeated it the first time at the Tower of Flames. In fact, all he remembered feeling back then was fury at Helmaroc's failure.

Furious. That was it. He had been furious at Helmaroc's incompetence and failure to stop Link. Tonight, however, guilt, shame, and a whole mixture of confusing emotions had accompanied anger.

It was different tonight, he thought as he continued to walk mechanically up the path. He'd let Helmaroc down by not being the great sorcerer the monster had come to respect. It wasn't his fault he had lost his sorcery, but it wasn't like diplomacy ever worked with monsters – that just wasn't in their vocabulary. An excuse would have just added to the disgust the bird felt for him. Even though he knew the Helmaroc King wouldn't have forgiven him for an explanation, he still regretted not being able to explain. Just to get it off of his chest…

But so what? Why should he care what the Helmaroc thought of him? Back then he wouldn't have given a second thought and would have punished his followers severely for showing even the slightest contempt. Back then he would have thought Helmaroc had gotten what he'd deserved.

… But back then he'd never had to choose between Link and the Helmaroc. There would have been no question on where he would stand, but the situation tonight had forced him to take a good look at what he had been reduced to. He was a pathetic creature depending pitifully on his enemy for goddesses' sake, to help him. He'd chosen the enemy he was bound to destroy over one of his most loyal friends.

You were never truly with the Dark.

Vaati involuntarily turned his head away, even though the Helmaroc King was long gone, and it was only a phantom of his voice that still echoed from the grave. It was true, wasn't it? If he really were one of them, and not some Minish deviant who had simply wished to be one of them, would he still have acted as he had done?

What am I doing?

His eyes finally stirred, and they lifted towards the silhouette of the green-clad boy sitting along the edge of a cabin at the end of the walkway. Link's shoulders were drooped morosely, and he was kicking his feet at a pebble on the ground. A mean glint appeared in Vaati's eyes that had been missing for a while, and they glowed with a somewhat chilling determination. Something had dawned on him as though he had remembered an important fact he'd forgotten.

It was Link after all. Link was the one he needed to be after, not Ganondorf. In his rage to exact revenge on the Gerudo and to regain his power, he had forgotten his ultimate goal: to erase the hero. The incongruity between his sense of self and his actions, his sense of being "Vaati" and his actions of working with his eternal enemy, was the root of his problems. His self-worth and his purpose in life had been shattered the moment he had taken it upon himself to work with Link: why hadn't he realized that before? He'd been so blinded by his need to defeat Ganondorf that he had lost touch with what he had been doing.

It had been a mistake to act as though he and Link were actually friendly. Talking of "teamwork" and "working together" had been the poison he had unintentionally taken with Link's stupidly upbeat outlook on life. It was the hero's way of seeing things, and Vaati refused to be one.

Thank you, Helmaroc, for putting me back on the right path. Your death will not have been in vain.

Link turned his head towards Vaati a little nervously when the mage approached the cabin at the top of the fortress. The cabin appeared to have suffered a strong fire, and no one had bothered to fix it. Its charred frames were the only things that remained of the place, and there didn't appear to be anything left of value. Link wiped away the black soot that had gotten on his clothes. "Are you all right?" he asked tentatively. He had left Vaati to himself where he had defeated Helmaroc, and now that the mage had returned there was something a little… sinister about him in the way he stood, the way he walked, and the way his eyes had a glimmer of disregard. Or maybe it was just the fact that the monsters had all gone after they had seen the Helmaroc King's death, and the creepy way the searchlights were abandoned, still pointing to the sky, were influencing his thoughts.

"Why wouldn't I be?" Vaati snapped.

Link looked away, not sure of how to act. He'd never seen Vaati so upset before – he'd appeared almost sad. Link wondered if he'd imagined the slightly red tinge of Vaati's eyes. "I'm sorry about your bird…"

"It wasn't mine."

There was silence again, and Link fidgeted uncomfortably. He stole a few curious and worried glances towards the Wind Waker in Vaati's hand, and then he also noticed that Vaati was still holding one of the Helmaroc King's feathers and that his palms were bleeding. Something was definitely wrong, but he couldn't really do anything about it if Vaati didn't want to talk.

And… he had the feeling that Vaati was angry at him for some reason. He almost flinched when Vaati whirled around fiercely in a sudden movement.

"We're leaving. We have no business here."

"But then that means – "

"We're back to square one," Vaati interrupted, laughing harshly.

Link paled. He wasn't used to gaining nothing out of an excursion, and the meaningless of what they had just gone through gave him a bit of a shock. No treasure at the end of the fight, no helpful tips, no clues.

Not even a single fairy to at least soothe their wounds.

Vaati laughed even more when he saw Link's expression, and he continued his near insane laughter for a full minute. Not even the Poes could cackle in the likes of the sad, tormented laughter that rang from the top of the Forsaken Fortress.

XXXXXXXXXXXX

The next morning, the pirate crew was headed back to Windfall Island to see if the locals had heard anything peculiar. It was the only sailor's port for miles, and it was the most developed island; it was their best shot to gather any information regarding the whereabouts of Ganondorf or Hyrule. Link watched Vaati issuing orders at the crew who had gained a new respect for their captain after he had returned alive from the Forsaken Fortress. If the mage hadn't recovered from the loss of the Helmaroc King, he didn't show it. A good leader never wavered or demonstrated weakness in front of his followers, and Vaati had years of experience with underlings to know how to successfully lead.

And boy, was Vaati good at it. Link was sure the mage didn't have a clue about how to run a ship, but he someone managed to fit in perfectly into the role of captain. Of course, no one dared question him; that might have had something to do with the obedience.

Vaati's demeanor had completely changed since their return from the Forsaken Fortress, surprising Link. A veil of calm surrounded Vaati instead of that insane, broken mess he had been after Helmaroc's death. He walked again with confidence, and his eyes somehow managing to look down on everyone even though he was a good head shorter than most of the pirates. Most surprising of all was the fact that Vaati rarely used threats to get his demands across, and his words were less shouty and more civil. He was the walking image of a haughty, privileged bourgeoisie – similar to how he had behaved back when he had reigned supreme. This calmness, however, was a mask: Link was sure of it. He knew that one little thing would set Vaati off back to murderous insanity – he very much doubted that the Vaati laughing manically last night was completely gone. No, he was just hiding behind that deceitfully smooth mask…

He watched Vaati discussing something with Nudge by the front of the ship. He appeared to be explaining their next course of action in a stern, yet unusually friendly manner. Vaati casually waved the Wind Waker around as he talked animatedly, while Nudge nodded once in a while to agree.

Ah, the Wind Waker. Link wished he'd kept that artifact hidden away from Vaati if only he'd known what it could do. Before, the sorcerer had been all bark and no bite, and Link was assured that he could control Vaati if he got out of hand. Now, with the Wind Waker, Vaati didn't have to bark. He could just choose to bite the head off of whoever displeased him. The mage didn't have to be scary to prove he was powerful because he knew he was powerful.

This scared Link more.

"Staring isn't polite. Do you have something you want to ask me, boy?"

Link woke up from his train of thought, as Vaati was suddenly standing in front of him, exuding confidence. There was a mischievous and rather nasty glint in the sorcerer's eyes that hinted he was out to trap Link with that question. "Go on," it said. It dared.

Link frowned. He wasn't going to let Vaati's new arrogance get to him now. "Why do you wear purple?" he asked unblinkingly, daring right back.

Vaati arched an eyebrow, and then sneered. "Because I like it. Surely that can't be the question you wanted to ask. Anything, ask me anything." Vaati swung his legs over the railings of the ship, sitting precariously on the edge as though he was already the emperor of the world and could care less if he fell.

Link scowled. "If I buy five apples a day for six rupees each and sold them for eight rupees each, and for every two I sold I had to sell one for half-price, how many days will it take me to gain one hundred rupees if one additional person bought apples each day?"

Vaati's sneer twitched downwards. "Ask it, Link. That wasn't the question."

"It was. Now answer."

"You gain negative rupees because you're not a sharp salesperson to be able to sell anything," Vaati growled, clearly not amused. However, it only took a few seconds for his frown to flip back up to a grin. "I'll tell you what's bothering you. It's this, am I correct?" He brought the Wind Waker close to Link's face, waving it in front of him.

Link became quiet. Vaati was right – it was the Wind Waker. Back at the Forsaken Fortress, Vaati had stunned him by holding so much control over the wind. It was almost as though the Wind Mage was back at full power, or at least eighty percent. The Helmaroc's attacks hadn't been able to touch the sorcerer once he'd had free reign in open air. When Link had seen the wind mage standing cool and composed with the air raging around him, the hero had caught a glimpse of how deadly Vaati could be if he regained his magical abilities. Link had nearly forgotten, and the experience had been a grim reminder of who he was dealing with. Further more, he was still uncomfortable by the way something seemed to have snapped in the sorcerer's head after Helmaroc had died.

Vaati's grin widened when he saw Link's discomfort. "The Wind Waker," he chuckled, twirling the silver baton between his fingers. "I made an interesting discovery at the fortress. Care to listen?" He jumped up, balancing on his toes as he hopped along the ship's railing. He whisked the baton across his chest with a smug look on his face.

Link felt a change in air pressure as dark clouds formed overhead. Thunder rolled, muting Vaati's giddy laughter.

"You see, Link, this baton has the ability to partially disable my binding curse. I believe its strong affinity to wind combined with my own can slightly negate the curse. As long as I limit my magic to something wind-based, I can do whatever I want." Vaati slowly brought the baton closer to his face, and the blue runes swirling slowly around his wrist and the Wind Waker cast a faint glow on his self-assured grin. "Quite a discover, wouldn't you agree? Our efforts at the Forsaken Fortress were well rewarded," he added with a sneer, "at least for me."

Link took a small step back when Vaati jumped down without warning and flicked him on the forehead.

"Don't worry, pitiful fool, I won't kill you yet. I still have use for you."

Link had had enough. He swatted Vaati away. "Well I never had any use for you! I can get rid of you right now," he lashed out angrily.

Vaati merely tutted with scorn. "You amuse me, hero. You should have done so when you had the chance."

"You think I won't do it now? You think I can't? I can… I just won't."

"Coward."

It was a ridiculous statement directed to someone who was the chosen for the Triforce of Courage, and it left Link momentarily speechless. Taking Link's hesitation as defeat, Vaati turned his heel with a light huff and waved the Wind Waker, causing the storm clouds to disappear. The sky was clear and blue again with no signs of the black, menacing clouds from earlier.

Link sighed. He was as confused as ever on Vaati's actions. Should he consider him a friend or a foe? He desperately wanted to consider him a friend, but it seemed Vaati was dead set on being otherwise. Sometimes, Link thought the mage was as unsure about the fact as he. Why couldn't they get along, anyway? It wasn't like Link had done anything particularly annoying while they had been together so far. What was there to gain from keeping the rift between them? He didn't get it. It wasn't like he could completely forgive the wind sorcerer for all of his crimes, but at the same time wasn't there a better solution than trying to cut each other's heads off?

Link glanced back at Vaati who was standing alone on the other end of the ship. He had managed to coax a seagull to land on his hand, and he was petting it softly, lost in thought. A white and purple feather with hints of gold was stuck on one of the seagull's wings.

The white was stained the rusty red of dried blood.

Link tilted his head sadly.

Maybe there really was only one road for them to take.

XXXXXXXXXXXXX

Linebeck had been afraid of the wizzrobe who called himself 'Thistle,' but now he'd gotten used to the monster's presence and was simply annoyed by his antics. Though the wizzrobe didn't present any immediate threat to the captain's safety, Thistle proved to be rather bossy even though he claimed no knowledge whatsoever about seafaring. They were currently heading arbitrarily towards the North because, as it turned out, Thistle had no leads on where to go next. This was probably going to take forever… and unless a miracle happened he was going to have to put up with the wizzrobe's enthusiastic blathering about the islands they passed for months. Maybe years. Just my luck.

At first he thought he'd been lucky the wizzrobe was at least conversational, and not interested in immediately killing him like all the other normal wizzrobes, but now he regretted being the monster's new point of interest.

"So once we find the people you're looking for, I can leave, right?" Linebeck made sure for the umpteenth time, calling out from behind the wheel. Thistle was sitting on the rails at the front of the ship, and Linebeck wished a Gyorg shark would jump out of the water and eat him. Thistle waved casually in a way that didn't seem too sincere.

"Sure, sure. Do whatever you like."

"And you're sure you don't have a better idea than wandering around the ocean aimlessly?" Linebeck asked cautiously. Last time he outright refused to drift around the sea looking for two people, who could be goddesses ANYWHERE, Thistle had summoned a Like Like on the ship. Since then, Linebeck was careful not to encourage a similar experience. The Like Like was regrettably still wandering around the ship, jiggling back and forth, as a constant reminder of what would happen if Linebeck questioned the wizzrobe again.

"Nope! Besides, I'm not in a big hurry. We'll probably run into them eventually, considering they tend to do things that catch a lot of attention."

Linebeck gripped the wheel tightly. "Well I'm in a hurry," he said gruffly. Then, he inched a little farther behind the steering wheel when the Like Like appeared to jiggle closer towards him. He was pretty sure the fat cylindrical monster wouldn't be able to go through the door that led to the steering quarters of his steamship, the S.S. Linebeck, but it still made him nervous when it decided to hang out near him.

"By the way, Captain Linebeck, what are those things that have been following us for the past half hour?" Thistle's voice seemed to call the Like Like back towards the front of the ship, and Linebeck let out a sigh of relief. Then, he cautiously took a look outside the side of the ship where Thistle was pointing. Riding the wake his steamship made, a pack of Gyorg was trailing them.

Maybe they really would jump out of the water and eat Thistle.

"Just a couple of friendly Gyorgs. Sailors consider them to be good luck on voyages," Linebeck lied.

"Look at them jump! They seem excited."

"Yeah, people like dangling their feet by the water when there's Gyorg around because they're so playful."

Thistle turned back towards Linebeck with a friendly, yet at the same time chilling, grin. "I think they can jump high enough to bite you, Captain Linebeck."

Linebeck ducked a little lower behind the steering wheel as though it could protect him from the wizzrobe and flying Gyorgs. He didn't inch too far back, however, as the Like Like was patrolling a little too close for his liking just behind him through the doorframe.

There was a surprised gasp from Thistle. Linebeck called out harshly. "What?! What is it?!" his voice was half scared, half hopeful. Scared that something awful had happened, and hopeful that something awful had happened to that cursed wizzrobe.

"The Gyrogs! They're gone."

The scruffy brown hair of Linebeck poked out from behind the wheel. Two dark-rimmed eyes cautiously followed after. "Gone? Are you sure?"

Thistle was hanging off the edge of the ship excitedly, straining his neck to look for the vicious sharks that had been following them earlier. They had completely vanished. "I wonder if something had spooked them."

"They probably figured you didn't look too tasty," muttered Linebeck.

"But why would friendly Gyorg want to eat me, Captain?" Thistle scratched his head innocently. There was something in his voice, however, that directed the Like Like to press up against the doorframe that kept it separated from Linebeck.

Captain Linebeck was never more thankful of his small captain's quarters: he would never complain about the narrow doorframe ever again.

There was another, awe-filled gasp from Thistle, which made Linebeck roll his eyes irritably. "What is it this time?" he called with some impatience.

"Seagulls! A great many seagulls. Whatever could they possibly be gathering there for?" Thistle pointed at a small white swirl of seagulls hovering above a patch of ocean. The wizzrobe shook his head with puzzlement in his voice. "Why not gather over there instead? Or over there? What makes that part of the sea more interesting than the rest?" He turned with a broad smile towards Linebeck who had grown a few shades paler than before. "Aren't seagulls strange, Captain?"

At the mention of his title, Linebeck snapped out of it and immediately sprung towards the blocked doorway, no longer caring that there was a Like Like that wanted to eat him just outside. "Move it, Likey!" he cried, pushing the jiggling monster out of the way and hurrying over towards the renegade wizzrobe. He fumbled for his telescope, which he dropped into the ocean in his panic. Thistle warped it back towards him and put the device to his eye.

"What am I supposed to be looking at, Captain Linebeck?"

"The water! Look at the water below!" Linebeck stammered, cold sweat rolling down his forehead. He instinctively hid behind the carefree wizzrobe, and he prayed that Thistle wouldn't be able to see what he feared was under the seagulls.

When Thistle didn't say anything for a whole minute, Linebeck asked nervously, "So, do you see anything?"

Thistle looked up, startled. "Yes! Why, was I supposed to let you know? It's pretty fascinating."

"Yes you were, you useless robe!" Linebeck shouted. He snatched the telescope away from Thistle, and pointed at the Like Like that had jiggled its way over to join them. "And tell Likey to stay away from me!"

"I don't think you'll be needing a telescope anymore, Captain Linebeck," Thistle sighed, shaking his head slowly. "I mean, you can see what was under the seagulls right there. Oh! I mean it's just beneath us. That enormous, ominous black shadow that has settled beneath our ship." Thistle pointed absentmindedly at the shadow of the leviathan that was keeping pace with the ship right below them.

"Likey" was the least of Linebeck's worries now. The telescope dropped to his feet where it rolled along the deck, finally meeting its end when the Like Like gobbled it up.

Linebeck knew what was beneath his ship. It was something he had only heard of in sailors' tales, and it was something he had hoped he would never be unlucky enough to encounter. Luck, however, was something he seemed to be lacking these past couple of days.

"The seagulls have gone," Thistle stated calmly as though he were talking of the weather. Beside him, Captain Linebeck was a shivering mess.

"It-it-it's a… it's a…" he gulped, "It's a Big Octo."

fleets: Bad Vaati is baaaack! Sort of. He came to the unfortunate conclusion - after Helmaroc's death - that it was all Link's fault. Leave it to Vaati to blame someone else (pouts). But yeah, this is kind of a different direction I'm taking: in the original Vaati did snap a little after the Helmaroc scene but not to the extent that he starts seeing Link as the source of his misery. I think it's more realistic considering the beginning of Rend wasn't as nearly as friendly as it was in BC.

I also enjoyed writing the comic relief trio (yes I am including Likey the Like Like) especially after all that heavy stuff from the last chapter and a little in this chapter. Actually, even though Likey's appearance wasn't that long he/she/it (O_O) had some of my favorite parts to write. All it wants to do is nom poor Linebeck XD (evil Thistle you, summoning a Like Like on a ship). They are important though! I didn't just include them arbitrarily: they'll play into the plot nicely I think/hope.

Darkening White: So far, he's not managing that well is he... he seems to have come to the wrong conclusion about the whole ordeal...

SubZeroChimera: Hurray! But... noooo don't sniffle-cry! D:

Reily96: We need happy to come back. Thistle and Linebeck do something silly!

Blue-Fire-Kitty: I find it weird to say "thank you for feeling sad" so I'll just say "I'm happy you liked it" :)

Purplegc: I never anticipated Rend to deviate so much from BC, to be honest (i.e. adding characters, adding scenes, changing relationships entirely, etc). I'll just say that I don't want Rend to be predictable anymore, so I'll be trying to throw in some shocking things ;)

Bishieluver01: I don't think the ending will be exactly the same (I don't think it can be at this rate). It could be similar, it could be vastly different, etc. XD I do want to try to keep it semi-connectable with The Unresolved though (with the exception of the non-existence of Thistle, Linebeck, and Argorok from the original). I'm a sucker for trying to connect everything, no matter how impossible it may seem XD

henslight: Yeah he kind of did go crazy... He was unstable to begin with like you said, but the incident with Helmaroc pushed him over the edge. And yeah, Helmaroc wouldn't have taken an explanation - he would've been angry if Vaati tried to explain because it would have seemed pathetic to him. Happy you liked it! :D

torakoh: Desperate definitely! And now he's kind of lost it... Drama indeed! I do like to make him suffer so...

msfcatlover: Thistle hugging Vaati would definitely make Vaati irritable... and Thistle (if he were around) would probably go and give a hug just so he could get on Vaati's nerves. Too bad he's distracted with his adventuring with Linebeck and Likey at the moment haha.