AN: Next chapter will go up tomorrow (Sunday)! :)

Suggested Soundtrack: Christina Perri-Human


Turns out, Sheik was a LOUD shower singer. Link had come over right after school and was trying to do homework while Sheik took a shower. After having to restart the same problem three times, during which he was interrupted by a belted "WHOOOOAAOOAOAOAAOOOAAAAAAA!" he finally shut his books and yelled back, "YOU MAY NOT BE A GIRL BUT YOU SURE SHOWER AS LONG AS ONE!"

The singing stopped, and Sheik snapped, "I WILL HURT YOU, SIR!"

"Gotta get dry first!" He grabbed Sheik's plushie triforce and tossed it up in the air, then catching it. Before he knew it, he was hanging upside down from Sheik's giant purple bed, the blood rushing to his face as he kept tossing the triforce and singing along with Sheik.

Eventually Sheik appeared, clean and dressed up in sweat pants and a blue hoodie with the Hylian Phoenix on the front. He sat on the bed next to Link, who pulled himself up. "So . . . Shadow says he won't be able to play in the band next Saturday. His chest is still too sore to be doing that much movement."

Link frowned. "Yeah, he told me, too. Says it hurts to play longer than five minutes."

"So . . . Do we play without him?"

"I dunno. I guess I could fake both guitar parts, but it won't sound nearly awesome."

"I don't think there's anything we can do about that, since we don't have Shadow."

"Man, this sucks!" Link flopped backwards onto the bed.

"Yeah," Sheik agreed, "I was really looking forward to this. But maybe it's just as well."

"Whaddaya mean?"

Sheik grabbed a Deku plushie and hugged it self consciously. "I dunno if it's a good idea for me to be doing anything public, what with . . . you know, all that's going on."

"You mean somebody leaking the fact your transgender all over social media every freakin' where?" Link had to admit, he was more than a little angry about that. Who would do such a thing that would cause so much hurt?

"Yeah."

Link sat back up. "Are you coming back to school soon?"

Sheik's eyebrows knitted further together, and he bit his lip. "I dunno," he answered quietly.

Link fiddled with his fingers restlessly. "Well . . . I think you should do whatever you would do anyways. I mean, I don't care, I'm your friend whatever happens you know, and I don't think you should hide. That's not fair. You shouldn't have to hide at all."

Sheik braved a smile, but it was tight. "Thanks Link. I'm . . . sorry for all the trouble and worry I've caused."

Link's eyelids lowered halfway and he gave Sheik an 'are you serious?' face. "What in Din's name are you apologizing for?"

"Whoa! Dude, language . . ."

"Well what the CRAP, Sheik! There's nothing for you to be sorry about!" Link stood. "That's it! You and me! No matter what happens to the band, WE are gonna perform together, got it?"

"Uh-um, I don't know as that's—"

"GOT IT?"

". . . Yes."

"Good." He sat back down. He folded his arms. His voice caught a bit as he finished, "And don't ever apologize to me like that again. I can't take it."

"Okay . . . sorry—I MEAN—!"

Link pounced, catching Sheik in a headlock and ruffling his hair like he was a little kid. "DAAARN YOOOOOOU!"

Sheik laughed. "Hahaha! Stop—AHAHAHAHA!"


ShAdOwStEaLeR397: heeeeeey!

W1nds0rc3r3r: hi wat up

Shadow was shocked. Vaati hadn't replied in FOREVER. He quickly kept typing.

ShAdOwStEaLeR397: just tryin not 2 become a redead

W1nds0rc3r3r: haha

ShAdOwStEaLeR397: wat bout u

ShAdOwStEaLeR397: wat u up 2

. . .

ShAdOwStEaLeR397: v?

W1nds0rc3r3r: sry was paying 4 food

ShAdOwStEaLeR397: food?

ShAdOwStEaLeR397: u ignoring curfew again?

W1nds0rc3r3r: no im not at skool

ShAdOwStEaLeR397: huh

ShAdOwStEaLeR397: where r u

W1nds0rc3r3r: just nothin dont wanna talk bout it

W1nds0rc3r3r: gtg

W1nds0rc3r3r: bye

ShAdOwStEaLeR397: wait wats goin on

ShAdOwStEaLeR397: v

. . .

. . . . . .

. . . . . . . . .

ShAdOwStEaLeR397: VAATI! #$%


Shadow's phone rang several times before somebody picked up.

"Hyrule Academy for Boys. How can I help you?"

"Hi! Yeah, this is Shadow, I'm wondering if you can patch me into Vaati Winder's dorm?"

"Give me one minute." A few keyboard clicks. "Um, I'm sorry, but Vaati is not currently on the premises."

"Do you know when he'll be back?"

"I'm afraid Mr. Winder has been suspended."

"What?! Why?"

"His record shows he hasn't shown up for class in . . . weeks."

"But how can that . . . o-okay. Um. Thank you." Shadow hung up before the receptionist could reply. Where are you, V? What are you doing?

He jumped to the computer in his newly clean room—yes he had a computer in his room. If he tried anything silly on it, Dad would know right away! Sometimes Shadow cursed his father's techno capabilities . . . All the time. He logged in and quickly went to HyruleSpace. Vaati's page hadn't been updated in weeks. Shadow searched through his friends list, looking for anybody that might fit "Ghiri's" description. He found him eventually, and immediately got the willies. Ew. This guy looks as creepy as Link and Sheik said!

Maybe that was just because the guy gave him a bad feeling about V . . . the guy's name was Ghirahim Daemonlord. What a name. Looking through a few public photos he could see why Vaati crushed on the guy. So many fabulous clothes . . . it was a bit much for Shadow's taste, though.

Again, maybe that was Shadow's bias talking.

He clicked on 'send a message' on Ghirahim's page and wrote, "hey dude you vaati's boyfriend?"

Shadow waited for several minutes, heart pounding.

Finally, Ghirahim replied, "oh I know you. You're Vaati's little friend from the hospital."

Shadow's fingers flashed across the keyboard. "Yes! Where is Vaati? What is up with that guy? His phone is disconnected and he's not at school."

"Oh yeah," Ghirahim replied, "I made him get a new number, and he's not going to school anymore }=)"

"What, why? Can you give me his new number?"

"Yes."

After several minutes, Shadow typed, "Okay . . . what is it?"

" }:) "

"That's not funny Ghirahim, give it to me!"

"Aaaw, somebody feeling jealous?"

"no im worried. why won't you give me his number?"

"If he wanted you to have it, he'd have given it to you himself."

"Why do I get the feeling that's not true?"

"I don't know. Why do you?"

"I don't like you, Ghirahim."

"Haha, should I be scared?"

Shadow's mouth fumbled for a bit, then he typed, "YES!"

*Ghirahim has left the conversation*

Shadow slammed his fist on the desk. "UGH!" Then regretted it as his chest seized in pain and he spent the next few moments catching his breath.

For the hundredth time, he left a message on Vaati's page: WHERE R U!

A noise in the background let Shadow know someone had entered through the front door. He heard Link talking to his Dad, so he got up from his desk and went out to greet him. "Hey Link!"

Link grinned back brightly. "Hey! How are you doing?"

"Ooooh, I feel old, is all."

Ganondorf cocked a brow as they snickered.

"You wanna play video games?" Shadow asked, but before Link could answer, Ganondorf held an arm between them.

"No! Do you remember? Link hasn't come here to goof around, Shadow, he's here to WORK. Follow me, Link."

Link nodded, and gave Shadow an apologetic shrug before following the King of Evil to his office.

Shadow pouted. He folded his arms. "And I thought Link coming over here every day was going to be FUN!" In rebellion, he followed after the two.

"Shadow, go back to your room," Ganondorf said.

"Why?" Shadow slipped into Ganondorf's chair. "I can rest in here and watch you and Link work. Is that a problem?"

"Yes. I don't need you distracting my employee every two minutes."

"I promise I'll be COMPLETELY silent!"

"No."

"Pleeeeeeease?!"

"If Link gets distracted I'll have to fire him. Do you want that?"

Shadow's pout deepened. "NO. Fine." He stood up unhappily and made his very unhappy way back to his unhappy room and sat on his unhappy bed.

"WHOA—HEY careful! You almost sat on me."

Shadow twisted around and found Sheik sitting on his bed. Shadow opened his arms and jumped at his friend. "SHEEEEEEEEEIK!" He hugged him tightly. "Somebody to keep me company! Yay!"

"Hehe, yeah, I figured you'd be lonely."

"At this point I'd be happy even doing homework, I'm so bored."

"Really, cuz I brought some for you to look at—"

"NEVER MIND! Let's play Hyrule Warriors!"

"Okay!"


Link's palms were sweaty, so he kept wiping them on his pants as he listened to Ganondorf list of his responsibilities. Keep the office clean and organized, call potential clients, return calls and schedule appointments, give messages, get the mail, sort the mail . . . "Okay, got it. And if it's a CEO or Mr. Agahnim come get you right away?"

Ganondorf nodded. "Quick study, Link." He patted the boy on the back. "I'm sure you'll do fine."

"Thanks, sir."

"I have an appointment. You have a list of calls to make, they're in the top drawer of my desk. Text me when you're done."

"Yes, sir."

As soon as Ganondorf left, Link made his way clumsily to the desk and opened the top drawer, as instructed.

There wasn't a list in sight. Stomach already queasy from nerves, it only got worse as Link started opening the other drawers in an attempt to find the list. Was he already going to have to text Ganondorf and say he failed at something? He groaned and opened the last drawer.

Something rolled from the back of it. Link recognized it as an old pictovid tape. He gawked. Are you kidding me? It was RIGHT HERE? He thought it must be the tape that Shadow had been talking about before, the one that was so amazing they HAD to see it and broke into his dad's basement labs to find it.

It was in his desk the whole time. Hadn't Shadow checked it? You have horrible finding skills, Shadow. Of course it didn't occur to Link that he was simply good or maybe just lucky at finding things, or he would have noticed the tape fell out of a secret compartment in the back of the drawer. He shut the drawer and inspected the tape. He was tempted to go give it to Shadow . . . but hadn't they already gotten into enough trouble over this thing? And Shadow was still recovering from his heart attack.

He put his hand on the drawer handle to open it again and replace the tape. The drawer was locked. What? I just opened it a second ago! Worse, there were footsteps coming toward him, big, heavy-booted ones. He jumbled with the drawer handle a bit before running to his back pack and throwing the tape in it.

Just then Ganondorf came back in. "Sorry! Realized on the way out the list was still in my pocket."

Link forced his frozen mouth to move. "I was just about to call you about it."

Ganondorf nodded and placed a piece of paper on the desk. "Well, bye then." And he left.

Link gave a huge sigh of relief. But he was still frowning. What was he supposed to do with the tape? The drawer was locked! . . . maybe . . .


Aryll's scream could be heard from all the way in the driveway. She didn't understand why Link wasn't home. Link was always home by now. Granny and Link had both told her something about "work" and "hours" and something else grownup and weird, but she didn't get it. How come Link wasn't back yet?! She couldn't stop thinking about her mom and dad, and how THEY didn't come back.

She'd been screaming since Link left this morning. Granny had since given up trying to approach her. Every time she did, Aryll threw something at her. Romani fared no better. Aryll ripped at her hair and pounded her feet and fists into the ground, rolling around the living room like an angry dog fight.

Then there was the terrible sound of the phone ringing. This made Aryll scream louder. Granny answered the phone, then carried it to the living room. "Aryll!" Granny shouted. "Aryll, you need to calm down!"

Aryll bit her hand and growled at Granny.

Granny sighed. "If you calm down, I'll take you to see Link, otherwise you won't see him until tomorrow!"

Like an unplugged speaker, Aryll became quiet instantly, although she still shuddered and shook and breathed rapidly.

"Very good," said Granny, holding out the phone. "Link wants to talk to you."

Aryll pushed her ear toward Granny, who held the phone to it.

"Hey Aryll," said Link.

"Link." Aryll sniffed.

"Are you being good for Grandma?"

"Link."

"I know, but you have to be good for Grandma. I'll be home soon, okay?"

"No." Said with this particular tone, 'no' was short for "I know."

"If you promise you'll be good, I'll let you come visit me. How is that?"

Aryll nodded. "Okay."

"Good. I need your help."

The little girl tilted her head to the side. "Why?"


While he waited for Aryll to arrive, Link made a few calls, but his curiosity was getting the better of him. He unraveled some of the tape and held it up to the light, trying to discern what it was about. Ganondorf hadn't returned, so he figured he was safe for a couple of hours. He had a whole stack of papers to organize, so he took them to the living room where the tape player was, and after a few minutes of figuring out how the old machine worked, played the tape.

He sat on the couch while he organized the papers. So far the tape was just old videos of Ganondorf and his wife, and Link felt a bit embarrassed for watching it without permission. But Shadow had given him permission, right?

. . . This WAS the right tape, wasn't it?

The tape jumped forward, and halted on an even older looking video, one that was so old it must have been transferred from the Pictovid's very first incarnation. Two teenage boys were arguing over the camera, but they were off screen. Apparently one boy got it and pointed it at some sort of track. It took Link a moment to recognize it as a Goron racing track.

"Here we are at the Goron Race Finals!" said one. His voice sounded oddly familiar.

"Our latest excuse to scope out hot babes," the other said.

"Shaddup!"

"Ooooh, Ravio's into the hot Goron babes!"

"EEEURGH! Dude, ONE time!"

Ravio? Link's heart panged at the name. It couldn't be. It had to be someone else named Ravio. It couldn't be . . .

A heavy laugh that sounded suspiciously like a younger version of Ganondorf interrupted 'Ravio.' "Whoa! Check out the one with black spikes!"

"Dude, that must have been thirty feet high!"

"Did you get it on tape?"

"Uh . . . OW! Ganon!"

"SHADDUP! STOP SCOPING GORON CHICKS!"

"OH MY GOSH I'M NOOOOOOOOT—hey, actually . . . take the camera, I'll be back."

There was some scuffling, as Ganon yelled, "WHAT?"

"What can I say, Ganon? Hot chick, two thirty!"

"Don't tell me you're abandoning GORON RACING to go check out a CHICK? You call yourself a man?!"

"A man in love, Ganny!"

Ganondorf, who now held the camera, panned out to show Ravio walking away, tongue stuck out and making a peace sign with his fingers.

Link gasped. He fingers reached for the remote and pushed pause. He stared at Ravio.

He was younger, his hair was blond, but . . . the man in the video . . . it was his dad!


AN: No, Link, it wasn't the right tape. Not by a long shot xD