Chapter no. : 47
Chapter title: Old Ends, New Beginnings?
Story rating: T (for now...)
BETAed: Purr-fectly Betaed (mahoakitti) (I don't know about this... but I really needed to get this up cos I doubt I'll get onto the computer for a loooong time)
Disclaimer: Me no own Zelda. I mean, come on - how stupid are you? If I did own Zelda , it would contain much swearing, blood, sex and rock'n'roll. And Yaoi. Don't forget the luffly yaoi. But since I don't own it, I have to settle for entertaining you guys with my stories and OCs - which is fine by me.
Warnings: Would put some, but (one) I can't be arsed, and (two) I doubt I could traumatise you further... or could I...?
Thanks for the reviews...
Lil Miss Spookiness
OneDayDreamer
JtheChosen1
Daciamian101
Goddess of All Knowing-ness
Ryukai-MJ
CrimsonLuna
stalwart vagabond
Riks
Notes: Ho, shit - another rant. Hold on tight, guys.
Right, a message to sakurahanaalice – I didn't want to put this here, but I can't send PMs (ha, lol... PMs...) or review replies cos my computer is a homosexual – much like this pairing.
Listen, sweetie, I know you're only saying you don't like the pairing, but once is enough, yeah? I understand you're stubborn and being honest, but I really don't want to be told in every single review, okay? It gets very tedious and annoying after a while. So please, please, stop it. If you don't like the pairing, don't read the story. Or if you like the story that much, don't comment on the pairing. It's not as if I'm going to turn around a go, "Shit, someone doesn't like the pairing! –changes it to Link/Zelda-". I don't mean to be harsh, I really don't. I appreciate all reviews, including yours. But really – would you like it if someone kept telling you "I don't like this or that"?
As for my portrayal of Zelda – it has a reason. I'm not going to say what it is because that would ruin the story, but it does have a reason. I don't bash characters; there's no point. If I don't like a character, I'll just not include them (or kill them asap – either or). I know my Zelda is "un-Zelda-like" but, to be honest – do we really know what Zelda's like? Do we even know what Link is really like? He could be an utter goofball or a serious I-have-no-time-for-little-people guy (little people... Kokiri? Gettit? No? Only trying to lighten this...).
I always thought Farore was Link's goddess, as Nayru was that of wisdom, and that is the piece of Triforce that Zelda has. Din is power, so that is Ganon, and that leaves Farore and Link.Yes, I have read Twilight, as well as the other two sequels. I have also read a proof-book of Stephenie's new book, Host, as it was sent to me by the publisher, as I work at Waterstones. (P.S. the new Twilight book, New Dawn, is coming out the middle of this year.)
No, I am not Japanese, I am a full-blooded Welsh girl, living in England; I am just learning the language and culture of Japan, ready for Uni.
"Tsukiko" is a rather common Japanese name, as it means "moon child" or something along those lines and it's a pretty name. Tsukiko is also the name of my Japanese pen-friend, who is a major Zelda fan, and I promised I would name a character after her.
And finally, a reminder: Please to the highest God above do not comment on the pairing – this applies to everyone. I am getting annoyed. No jokes. Please comment on the story or the characters, not the pairings. This is fiction. I am a writer. I can do the fuck I want. Grr! –dies–
(P.S. It hasn't happened yet, but I swear to God that if anyone criticises yaoi, I will boil their arse. I cannot tolerate homophobia. Leave it for your poxy anti-yaoi forums to bitch it up with your fellow yaoi-haters)
I'm giving myself a bad rep now, but I don't care, because you do not understand how frustrated I am at the moment. Not just with Shadow, but with various other things I'm not going to comment on here because I'm not that much of a ranter.
I apologise for this long note, and I apologise to sakurahanaalice for posting this here, but not only is it to do with my computer being ghey, but I need to get a warning out to others; and so, then I can be safe in the knowledge that I won't have to post another rant.
-huff- enjoy t'chapter, people.
Totally irrelevant quote of the update - or is it (Kudos to the person who knows where this is from):

Are you possessed... by a twat?


Slowly, as Imp gained control of the shadow magic, dreams came to him, despite that fact he did not sleep. They were visions, in essence, but some were from the past and some from the future; they varied.

Truth was that these visions from the past were my memories, and that the apparitions of the future were caused by the magic left over from my deity. The boy did not know this; but every day, when Lyall awoke from his sleep, he described the vivid images with childish glee, acting out the stories with his shadow puppets – it eased their souls knowing that the boy still had his childlike nature, hidden beneath the dark shadow of his sardonic and cynical personality.

But there was one hallucination that caused him to go silent. It recurred – ironically, six times before the episode happened – and every time, Imp shrank deeper into his mind, his thoughts blocked from me by his own willpower, something I thought had been squashed.

This episode I mentioned… it is the reason why he only shows his left eye and hides the other behind a curtain of starlight hair…

Lyall was gone. He had been taken away for an unknown reason; something that occurred occasionally – he always came back, and Imp was calm and silent whilst he waited for his return. However, this time, as soon as Lyall was gone, the boy went into hysterics, sobbing without a sound at first before he broke down, grabbing his eyes.

I tried to intervene, to take over his body and stop him hurting himself, but – using residue poison that remained in his body from earlier – he caged me, forcing me to watch as his nails ripped at his skin around his eyes. Blood poured down his face and he collapsed against the cold stone wall. Even I could feel the pain soaring through his body, and knew that he would be feeling a lot worse; and then, I noticed that his vision was off, every time he opened his eyes – like he had one shut.

He cried for hours, huddled in the corner of the dank cell, watching blood drip onto the floor with morbid fascination; I could still feel the hum of pain flashing through his body, but he was acting as though this was not the case.

Part of me was alarmed by the amount of blood, though I quickly corrected myself – the boy, because of his mergence with a demon, had tears of crimson, and so… he was merely crying…

But why the adverse reaction?

When Lyall reappeared, bruised and battered, Imp shifted further into the corner. The werewolf paused, stepping closer hesitantly.

"Cub?" he asked, brow furrowed, blue eyes twinkling. "Cub, what…?" He saw the blood. "Why are you crying? I'm nay hurt – I'm okay. You did nay need worry."

My little Imp did not reply, staying pressed against the soothingly cold wall.

"Cub…" Lyall threw caution to the wind and marched up to the boy, kneeling down in front of him and cupping the small, blood-stained jaw tenderly with his large hands. His eyes grew wide. "C-Cub…"

He had blinded himself in one eye, because of the hysterical attack on his eyes with his sharp nails. The other was bloodied, yet alright; however, his right eye was cut vertically with four main scratches, which cut through from just above his eyebrow to his cheekbone, the lines jagged and already bruising.

Lyall acted quickly, tearing off his ragged shirt and dabbing the blood away, holding it over his damaged eye gently.

"Why…? What happened, Cub?" he asked, voice shaken but mostly sturdy. "Who did this?"

"I… the vision… you were dead…"

"You saw me dead?" Lyall asked. "But why-?"

Imp whimpered. "I want the last thing my eyes see to be you."

"Cub…" The werewolf drew the tiny boy into his arms, the child burying his blood-soaked face into his warm shoulder. "You should nay have done that… talk to me next time…" He paused. "Perhaps you can go halfway…"

"H-Halfway?" the boy hiccoughed.

Lyall nodded; he was trying to calm the boy - he dearly hoped this would work. "Yeah… the last thing your right eye saw was me… but the last thing your left eye will see will be freedom – trees, green land, birds in a big blue sky..."

"The stuff you told me about?"

The elder nodded. "All that stuff."

"But how will I see it?"

"I'll show you – we'll get out of here – I promise."


"As much as I think I despise the werewolf for a reason I can't seem to fathom, he kept that promise. No, he wasn't the one to get them out of there – ultimately, Imp rescued Lyall – but the promise of showing him freedom was kept."


It was then that the stars reappeared.

Before me was Senka, midnight hair seeming to blend in with the night sky behind her, a grey kimono wrapped about her body and white eyes staring at me with an unreadable expression.

"How clichéd…" she muttered. "But so true. I am not the enemy here, Sheik; the Xiomaran are, along with another. Yet I promise you – I will escape from this boy and resume my place with my sisters once more, and nothing will stand in my way - no one will stand in the way of the Sheikah and we will take our place in glory. I will need your help, however."

"And what help would that entail?" I asked; I was still reeling from all the information I had been given.

"Protecting the boy."

"But-"

"Not physically, Sheik – he is more than capable of doing that on his own. Emotionally. He is not strong enough to cope with certain things. Certain emotions are foreign to him, mere fairytales, like those he created with his shadow puppets."

And she was asking me?

"War is upon us; I cannot have him break now." She paused, lifting up a hand. "Now go – leave this mind."


My eyes shot open, a rocky ceiling coming into view. My heart was beating too fast, my breathing too rapid, but still, I sat up quickly; head-rush settled over me like a black cloud yet I ignored it, gaze shooting around as I took in my surroundings.

I was in Imp's room. Yes, I had come looking for him, but Senka had… well, not kidnapped, but taken me elsewhere. I was sat on the wooden floor and Imp was some distance away, sat in the lotus position, bruised-eye closed.

I stood slowly and made my way over to him, kneeling and brushing my fingers across him tense brow. He let out a sigh, his forehead turning lax, his eyes fluttering open.

With hesitant movements, I brushed the thick curtain of hair away from the right side of his face; he did not stop me, his gaze locked with mine. With the hair tucked behind his ear, I was struck with the sight of scar tissue, along with a flickering white eye with fierce red lines scored through; he was indeed blind, as Senka had said, the mutilated eye simply staring eerily at me.

"I was frightened," he whispered suddenly. "All the time, frightened."

I tried to smile reassuringly. "There's no need to be scared now, no point at all. You're safe, from everything."

"Not insanity. I'm never safe from that," he replied.

There was a knock at the door; it opened, admitting Hero, whose brow was furrowed in obvious worry.

"Is… everything okay? You've been gone hours."

I nodded slowly. "Everything is okay."

"Resshi-sama," Imp murmured, tugging at his white kimono sleeve; he had put the curtain of hair back over his eye. "Is onii-san back?"

"Lyall? Uh, no, not yet."

Imp turned to me. "You are not tired?"

Now that he had mentioned it, I realised I was. My eyelids suddenly felt heavy, and my limbs lethargic. I shook my head to dislodge the drowsiness, but the boy translated it as a negative.

"Your mind and soul has gone through a lot; Senka's magic is very tiresome," he continued.

"Then why don't you sleep?" I countered.

"I can't – she won't let me." He beamed. "Resshi-sama, will you take Sheik-senpai to your room? He is awfully tired."

"Sheik?" Hero asked, stepping forward. "You okay?"

"I am fine."

"Onii-san always taught me not to lie, Sheik-senpai. Lying is bad."

I glared at him, but he just smirked back. I stood, still staring down at him, he still smiling that innocent smile; Hero stood on the sidelines, his gaze switching from us alternatively with confusion. How could someone so childish be so annoying? I could handle Narboora, and she had the mind of a three year old, along with the other giggling masses of Gerudo; but this small Sheikah child was… starting to scratch annoyance into my head.

A thought struck me. "Where's Kamau?"

"Ka-chan?" Imp repeated, smile faltering. "Oh, he's in his room, sleeping. Senka needed to talk to him and it got too much. Will you go see how he is, perhaps?"

"Sure," Hero replied before I could. "Come on, Sheik."

Once we were out of Imp's room and halfway down the corridor, I muttered, "You just want to get me in your bed."

"Ouch, that hurt." Hero pouted. "…But if I do?"

I rolled my eyes. "Then you are deluded in thinking that I will jump willingly. I'm not a circus animal."

"I know you're not – far from it… but you liked before…" he replied in a sing-song voice.

I didn't reply, and we settled into silence. I wanted to wipe that damn smirk of his face, and so I was adamant about going to see Kamau, even though – upon reaching his dorm on the fourth floor – Hero put on his puppy-dog eyes in an attempt to deter me.

I knocked on the wooden door and he groaned. "Damn you, Sheik. You sure know how to frustrate me."

"I know."

I opened the door and stepped in. The room was lit dimly by a small candle beside a bed, and it was in that bed that the white-winged man lay, eyes flickering open to meet my gaze.

"Sheik…" he murmured, wings stretching out before folding back in.

"Imp has requested that I check on you."

He smiled dazedly. "I'm fine… Imp told you about…?"

"My people's past?"

Kamau nodded.

"Then yes, he did – or rather, Senka did." I paused. "What was it that she spoke to you about?"

The Hawk sighed. "It… was about… he told you about-"

"Hero, go back to our room." He looked at me in utter shock, but I shook my head. "I will be along shortly, I promise. I… would like to speak with Kamau alone, however."

He agreed silently, nodding, eyes hurt somewhat. I knew I had offended him by wanting to talk to Kamau about matters that he would not hear about, yet I had to – Kamau was obviously uncomfortable about the subject Senka had talked to him about, and I needed to know. Hero would most likely get the information out of me one way or another later…

"I will be along soon," I whispered, my stare locked with his.

He once again nodded and turned, walking out the room. I looked back at the white-haired male to see him struggling to sit up, propping himself against the headboard of the bed, sighing once again. I remained where I was.

"Question."

I blinked. "Ask."

"Do all Sheikah hide one eye?"

I couldn't stop the smile from stretching my lips; luckily, my cowl hid it.

"Not to my knowledge, no – it just so happens that Imp and I have hair that is too long."

"Your hair isn't too long," he murmured, shaking his head. "But I suppose it has its uses – people can't tell if you're looking at them from certain angles."

"It could be seen in that light, indeed."

Kamau chuckled. "So…" He looked down at the sheets covering his lap. "You want to know about my interrogation, huh?"

"I think I have a feeling what it was about."

"Hm?"

"When you were brought it, Imp stayed by your side since he first set eyes on you." Kamau looked surprised by this fact. "He told me that he sensed Sheikah magic – or at least blood."

Hesitantly, he nodded. "That was indeed what Senka was talking to me about… she wanted to know where I… who my ancestors are. It's my mother – was my mother. She died a couple of years ago, of old age – she didn't have me young, let me tell you." He smiled distantly.

"Where… where did she come from?"

"I don't know, to be honest," Kamau replied gently, brow furrowed. "I would ask my father, but he was also taken by the warlord." He paused. "You are taking this very well – the knowledge that there is the smallest possibility that there are more Sheikah."

"I will worry and fuss about it later; besides, I've had a feeling about this and I've gotten used to the idea."

"I expect your mate will be over the moon."

"He'll be so over the moon, he'll circle it enough times to be classed as a comet, possibly making it crash to the ground."

Kamau laughed. "Guess so…" He looked back up at me. "Sheik, I promise you – I will help you look for them, if they are out there."

I nodded, not saying anything.

"But… I can't guarantee success – I promise to help, but… you don't know how horrible it was in there. I saw things that no man should see, and felt things no one should feel; I cannot guarantee that others will get out alive – I only returned for reasons that I don't even know… all I know is it was by order of the warlord." He smiled wryly. "Tricky bastards, aren't they?"

"The Xiomaran?"

He nodded.

"Indeed they are… but they will pay."

"I have no doubt about that – with the amount of people they have upset. However… there is the small matter of your princess."

I couldn't stop the protective scowl from crossing my features. "What of her?"

"She is clearly won over by them… any attack on the Xiomaran is attack on her, therefore an attack on Hyrule; as much as I hate to compliment them, they've cleverly thought this through. By secretly taking over the biggest power in the land, they can take out the smaller lands."

"Hyrule is only the biggest power because people view it as such."

"…?" He paused. "What?"

"If people keep seeing Hyrule as the strongest nation, it will be the strongest nation. If every Raunen able to fight banded together and marched to Hyrule, the land would be theirs. It is only because the goddesses are said to have departed from this realm in Hyrule that my kingdom is seen as the top dog; but in power-terms, it is not so."

Kamau was staring at me wide-eyed. "I think you're right, you know. Damn… there goes my outlook on life."

"Tell me something, if you can." He nodded, and I closed my eyes. "Are all the dragons gone?"

"Not all, thank the gods, no," he replied, sighing with a shuddering breath. "Some are still alive, if barely. They're used for magic – dragons' blood is only effective if the dragon is alive, for example – and knowledge too."

"…Is a dragon named Ceri still alive?"

"Ceri? The school-teacher?" Kamau looked down at his lap once again. "I… wish I could say yes."

"He is gone…?"

"No… I don't know. He may be. We were… kept by specie: Birds with Birds, Cats with Cats, dragons with dragons, both natural and Raunen… we only knew that people, namely dragons, were being killed because the guards liked to brag."

I sighed.

"Why do you ask? Do… did you know him?"

"No, I don't personally – but someone else does."

"Who? Perhaps I can give solace to them…"

"A young girl named Aderyn."

"Ryn? By the gods, is she alright? Last time I saw her, she was being taken off to a convent by her parents."

"You… do not know she is pregnant?"

His eyes widened with realisation. "With Ceri's baby? So that's why… I don't know if this is the same in Hyrule, but relationships between student and teacher that wander into sexual territories are forbidden."

"He was her teacher?" The surprises, I supposed, would just keep coming.

"Mm hm. I guess that's why Ceri packed up teaching last year…"

I would never understand these sorts of things. Within the Gerudo (and I knew, the Sheikah), both sexual and romantic relationships were encouraged, so to aid ease to later life, and to create stronger bonds of trust. Yet in Hyrule, and many other nations, these things were frowned upon. I knew it was to protect vulnerable and naive students from possibly-corrupt mentors, but… if it truly happened, it shouldn't be punished.

No one has the right to punish love – that was a motto that Narboora came up with back in our childhood… and I was starting to understand.


Demi: Rereading that last line makes me smile for some reason. I am happy now... calm...

As for Imp's lapsing into what we all know if Japanese, but to the Shadow-verse is 'Ancient Sheikah' (I'm a tea leaf, so sue), it does have a reason (as with the 'un-Zelda-like-Zelda') and you will find out soon. I, as well as you, get annoyed by people thinking they are smart because they add Japanese to their stories and 'omg, like so cool!'. I'm trying to keep it to a minimum. Plus, half the shit he says doesn't even count for shit.
Resshi-sama: Imp's name for Link. Mean's "hero" or "great man", with the '-sama' (an honorific) to show respect
Sheik-senpai: Imp's name for Sheik (duh). "-senpai" is roughly equivalent to the western concept of "mentor"
Onii-san: Imp's name for Lyall. Means "elder brother"
Ka-chan: Imp's name for Kamau. Kamau has be shortened to "ka" of course, and "-chan" is used for animals, lovers, intimate friends, as well as pet names. Actually, it's commonly used for girls, but can be used for boys just as easily.

Anywho. Review? But naughty, naughty, no, no, no - comments on story. And me. Don't forget me. But mostly the story. And me. No, the story. Juuuust the story...

(-Shimmies to S.V.-)