AN: Sorry for no chapter last week! It was Christmas. I did update Shadowed Past at some point during the break, though? There weren't as many views, so I figure people were busy with celebrations anyways, which makes me happy! Make sure you don't accidentally skip a chapter!

Thanks for the reviews! I'll catch up on responses next week! Ya'll are the best!


Chapter Le Awful Beginings

". . . 4 . . . 5 . . . 6 . . . aaaaaw, friggin Deku nuts!"

Shadow burst out laughing. "Pay up, Prince Hyrule!"

Sheik started counting whatever cash he had left. "You're making me mortgage Zora's Domain! That's cold, man."

Shadow continued to laugh as Sheik returned his houses to the bank and mortgaged his Monopoly properties.

"I've gone bankrupt!" Sheik threw his hands up in the air, and Shadow moved in immediately to collect all of the prince's fake money and assets.

Link grabbed his wrist. "Hey! We're supposed to auction those properties!"

Shadow gave him a coquettish look. "Darling, you REALLY don't think you can outbid me with forty bucks and MINISH VILLAGE, do you?"

Link released him. "I guess not. And DON'T call me darling!"

"Hihihihihihi!" Shadow pulled basically the entirety of the game's currency and properties to himself.

"Shut up, Shadow." Sheik crossed his arm.

"But I'm RICH! Hey Link, your turn—waaaaaaaait you already went!" Shadow's eyes opened wider. Link looked far away and tapped his arm. "You landed on MEEEEEEEEEEE! Hand over that village, pauper!"

Link flipped back to Shadow and pointed at him. "Oh it is ON! I declare a rematch!"

"You wanna go for broke again, Hero? You got it!"

"Don't call me Hero, Shad calls me Hero . . ."

Sheik scratched his head. It had only been a day since the concert, but he hadn't even begun to figure a way out of his predicament with the . . . the shadow creature thing came from the basement.

That sounded like a bad Goosebumps novel.

By this time Shadow and Link were wrestling like good ol' brothers, messing the organization of the board up completely—not that it mattered. Sheik and Link were toast. "Hey guys! I don't think I can play another match."

The other boys stopped wrestling long enough for Shadow to give Sheik a pout. "Aaaaw, why not?"

"Um . . . I got some extra studying to do. That's all."

Link pulled himself out of Shadow's headlock—he'd only stayed in it to humor the muscle-less guy. "Really? That's weird. I don't have any homework due until Wednesday."

"Yeah, me either," Shadow admitted.

Sheik quickly began picking up the game. The faster they left, the less chance of them seeing the flush that grew on his face every second the lie sat in the air.


The mansion Sheik lived in with his family was a refurbished castle from ancient days. Most of the castle was used by the public, and only one small wing and a ballroom was left for the Harkinian family to live in. The services the castle provided were those usually provided by City Halls, a courtyard for community meetings and celebrations, as well as an extensive academic library. This is where Hyrule Castle High got the content for most of its award-winning history programs.

Sheik had checked the time before he left his room. He had two hours before the library closed. Plenty of time. He had to study up on . . . shadows and . . . hearts and . . . I don't even KNOW where to begin! Prince of Wisdom my ankle!

That was really the only thing he was sure of now. He had always suspected that he was a literal reincarnation of Hylia, but . . . for goodness sake, he was a boy! Would Hylia really entrust her powers to somebody who didn't fit the sparkly princess bill?

Still, he knew that he was. It was the only explanation as to why he hadn't been frozen in time like his friends, and even his mother—who obviously was NOT a reincarnation of Hylia. It was the only reason he could even have BEGUN to counter the power of the shadow creature that crashed the Battle of the Bands.

When the creature left, everything started up again, just like before. People wondered where the performer went, they looked around, some gave confused claps . . . and the show went on.

Nobody noticed a thing.

Sheik had to bite his tongue the whole time to keep from telling the others what went on while time was . . . frozen. He shook his head. This is WAY too much. He had to wonder if anything had . . . actually happened! Am I crazy? Did I just imagine everything? Sheik looked at the stack of books in his arms he'd collected since entering the library. Maybe it's all the stress I've been under. You know, Shadow always says you do too much studying. Maybe he's right. He set the books down at a table and sat down to skim through them.

After five books without even getting a real grip on how to start, Sheik flipped the recent one closed. This is stupid . . . I should just go tell my mom . . .

"Not thinking about snitching, are you?"

Sheik froze. He looked this way and that, then hunched in his seat and whispered, "What are you doing here?!"

"Making sure you do what you said you'd do." A cackle. "Doesn't look good, princey."

"Look you . . . you . . . do you have a name or something?"

"Call me Krad." The creature suddenly appeared next to Sheik. His head and shoulders anyway, hovering upside down, their eyes level with each other.

"Krad? Really?"

"You no like?"

"No it's just . . . it spells 'dark' backwards."

"I'm also called Wodash."

Sheik deadpanned. "That . . . spells 'shadow' backwards." If you considered ancient Hylian, where the "sh" sound was one letter rather than two, that is.

"Well, I AM a reflection."

Shaking his head, Sheik opened the next book. Nothing else for it, then, if he's WATCHING me . . . really creepy.

Krad disappeared again.


"What are you doing?"

Sheik shrieked. Then hissed, "Shhhh! Don't do that!"

Another library visitor was sitting at the other end of the table, with a pile of books comparable to Sheik's own, and he looked up curiously at Sheik. He was near Sheik's age, but not exactly, and he looked familiar, but Sheik couldn't put his finger on it.

"What ARE you doing?"

"I'm trying to fix your heart problem!" Sheik muttered under his breath.

"I thought there'd be more . . . you know, wibbly wobbly timey wimey stuff."

Sheik felt a cold finger on his neck, and he shuddered like a leaf in the wind. His book fell out of his hands and he shrieked with all of his female vocal chords, "EEK! Don't touch me!"

The person at the end up the table looked up again. "ExCUSE me—" he halted, and merely stared.

Sheik chuckled nervously, much more girl-sounding than he meant to, and replied, "So sorry! Just . . ." He grabbed a random book. "It's such an exciting subject!"

"Exorcisms and blood rituals involving dead frogs and liver transplants? Sounds absolutely boorish."

Sheik realized with a furious blush, he was holding the book upside down. He flipped it around and set it aside. He looked accusingly to his left. Krad was still hovering over there, staring at Sheik's face. "Stop that," Sheik hissed.

"What?"

"Stop STARING." Sheik hunkered down and glanced over his current book at the library's other bookworm. He was also staring. Again.

"W—"

"Sh."

The boy at the end of the table set down his book and stood up. He did so in a way that made every move seem measured. As he walked over to Sheik's side of the table, he held perfect posture and had a polished sort of air about him. "Just what ARE you studying?" He stopped next to Sheik's seat. Slender, perfectly manicured hands picked up the book Sheik had shown him before and flipped through it. He stopped on a page that showed the dissection of a Hylian for the most efficient way of extracting a liver. A cold smile lifted one corner of his mouth. "Okay, maybe this IS pretty interesting . . ."

That look. Sheik shuddered visibly. "Where have I seen you before?" he asked, since it was driving him crazy—among other things. Or beings.

He looked up. He had hollow eyes, and not in the sunken way. The irises of his eyes were such a light blue, they looked hollow. But was that the color or the person beneath them? "Battle of the Bands," he answered. "Last night, perhaps? My group performed."

Sheik wracked his brains. "Oh yeaaaah, you were part of that group of the lookalikes. You were all blond with different colored shirts. You were . . ."

"The violet one."

"Vio! Right!" He'd read their names on the program. Upon closer inspection, though, it seemed that maybe Vio's blondness wasn't actually natural. There were auburn lines near the roots. Perhaps that's what had thrown Sheik off at first and why he didn't recognize him. "I'm Sheik. Nice to meet you."

"Sheik . . .?" Vio shrugged. "Okay, then."

Sheik frowned and put his cheek on a fist. "I knooooow, I'm supposed to be Princess Zelda. Don't ask me about it, please."

"I said 'okay, then.'"

"You mean . . . you don't care?"

"That's correct. I do not care."

Sheik sighed in relief. "You know, it's really great to hear that, because—"

Vio interrupted him with a wide, overwhelmed look. "I said, 'I don't care.'"

"You . . ."

"It isn't about me, so no, I don't really care to hear about it." Vio set down the book and sat on the edge of the table.

Why is he still here? "Do you have any idea where shadows come from?"

"The Shadow Realm."

"Well, yeah, but do we actually know anything about it?"

Vio looked annoyed. "Like what?"

"Like . . . how their bodies work, like . . . their hearts."

"Why should you care?" Vio asked with a certain measure of control not needed for such a question. "It's not like you'll ever meet a shadow person in your entire lifetime. It's not possible to move from here to there."

"What if it is?" Sheik asked. "What if they cross over, and we just don't even know about it?"

"Like aliens."

Sheik blushed. "Yeah, like . . . aliens." I hate you, Krad. Why won't you just let me come right out and say something? Wouldn't that be easier and more likely to get you help?

Vio still seemed interested, though. There was a hungry look in his eyes. Sheik wasn't sure if he liked that look or not.

Krad chose just then to interject, "He's nuts."

"How old ARE you?" Sheik muttered.

"Hm?" Vio replied. "Fifteen. Why?"

"Uh . . . no reason." It was obvious Krad wasn't worried about being seen. Didn't seem like passersby noticed him anyway. It must only be Sheik who could see him. I should really consider the possibility that I've just gone crazy.

"There isn't really time where I'm from. There're only years in the Light Realm . . . I don't know how old I am!"

"Boy that's convenient."

"What's convenient?"

Sheik sighed. "Nothing. So do you know anything or not?"

Vio pulled out a chair and sat down. "Yes," he said simply, lacing his fingers together and setting them on the table.

"And . . . you're willing to help me?"

He gave another of his cold smiles. "Why not?"

"But you said . . . what are you getting out of this? I thought you didn't bother with things that didn't affect you."

"Who said this doesn't affect me?"

"Oh, so . . . it DOES affect you?"

"Didn't say that, either."

"Okay, wow, you are SUPER confusing."

"Right. So, your question was, is it possible for a shadow being from the Shadow Realm to move to this plane. Let's assume it is. In that case, you find yourself in a situation in which you need to know how their bodies work, specifically their hearts. Let's not ask why. Exactly WHAT do you need to know?"

"Well, you have to also assume that a shadow's heart is their moral compass and has little to do with their actual life. Like, somebody can . . . steal it. And use it on their own heart, to heal it from damages. How would you go about reversing that process without harming either the Hylian or the shadow being?"

Vio looked at Sheik calculatingly. "So we've got a Hylian using a shadow heart to fill in for his own and a shadow being without a heart. And you want to reverse that."

"Yes."

"Why?"

"Um . . . well one, it's not working. The Hylian's body is still failing."

"Well of course. Shadow beings' hearts are morally based, not physically based. Hypothetically."

"Okay, but anyway, since the shadow being's heart IS its moral compass, without it he's kind of . . ."

"Kind oooooof . . ."

"A menace to society."

Krad blew a raspberry. "I'm gonna eat a flock of pigeons for THAT comment!"

"Oh SHUT UP!"

Vio raised an eyebrow, and Sheik groaned.

"Sorry," said Sheik, slowly. "Sometimes my thoughts get . . . REALLY loud."

Vio nodded, but didn't seem convinced. "I see."


Shadow and Link were lying on the grass in the backyard. "Did Sheik seem weird to you?" Shadow asked. "He's been acting really weird, hasn't he?"

"Yeah," Link agreed. "He's been that way since Battle of the Bands."

"What do you think's wrong?"

"Well, his dad walked out of his performance. I'd guess that's pretty damaging."

"Do you think 'studying' was a code word for 'sulk' and 'cry on my own'?"

"Maybe. I'm sure he'll open up when he feels like it."

Shadow glanced sideways at Link with a look of disbelief. "You don't actually think that's a good plan, do you?"

". . . No."

"Good!" Shadow sat up and leapt to his feet. "Let's go get him!"

Link also stood. "We never should have left. Some friends we are."

They went inside. "Grandma!" Link called. "I know it's late, but Shadow and I are just gonna go check on Sheik! I'll text you if we sleep over, is that okay?"

Grandma peeked out of her office. She smiled. "That's fine, dear. I'm sure Sheik will love the company." She had noticed the scene Sheik's father made last night, too. "Have a good time, and remember there's school tomorrow, so don't stay up too late!"

Link smiled back. "Yes, Grandma!"

"WOW!" Shadow exclaimed. "She's letting us go?! My dad would NEVER let me do that!"

"Dude, it's eight. It's not like it's midnight."

"But STILL, by the time we actually GET there . . ."

Link stopped. "Right. You can't skateboard. Um . . ." Link went into the garage. Shadow followed. Link uncovered something from some boxes and old plastic coverings and bottles and whatnot that hadn't gotten recycled yet. He grabbed whatever he was looking for and rolled it away from the pile of stuff.

Shadow balked at him. "A wheelchair? You gotta be kidding."

"It was grandpa's, and nope! You're still recovering, and I can run."

Shadow sat down without much more complaint. "Oy, oy oy."

Link pushed the garage door button once to open, then again to close it, grabbed hold of the wheelchair and ran to get under the door before it closed. Shadow yelped.

"Oh I get it," said Shadow as they rushed down the sidewalk to the bus stop a couple blocks down. "You're going to almost get us killed, and I'm just going to sit and watch!"

Link sniggered.


Link and Shadow stared disbelievingly at the scene before them. Sheik was sitting in the library, surrounded by a range of book mountains.

"You . . . you actually ARE studying!" Shadow cried.

Sheik faked a grin. "Yep!"

"That's so weird," Link said, scratching his head. "I thought for sure you were . . . oh well." He grinned. "Glad to see you're okay."

"Yeah, I'm fine guys . . . thanks." No I'm not. I'm not fine! My dad isn't speaking to me and this Krad guy, who MAY be a figment of my imagination, is threatening one of my best friends' life! Help me!

"Do you wanna take a break?" Shadow asked brightly.

Yes! "No. I really gotta get this done."

"Can we help?"

"Not really," Sheik said reluctantly.

"Oh." Both Shadow and Link looked disappointed. Sheik couldn't help but feel a bit better despite himself. Only true friends would be disappointed that they couldn't help you study a subject they didn't need to know on a Sunday night. Link hated book studying, and Sheik wasn't convinced his brother didn't also have ADHD or something.

Shadow raised an eyebrow and frowned suspiciously. "Well . . . okay . . . but you call me if anything changes, alright?"

"US. Call US," Link corrected.

Sheik made his best politically convincing smile. "I will. You guys are the best!"

Link turned and walked away. Shadow stayed an extra second or so, then finally pulled his wary eyes off Sheik and followed Link.

Sheik breathed a sigh of relief.


Shadow met Link behind a bookcase. "Did that look convincing to you?"

Link's face was determined. "Not EVEN."

"What is going ON?!" Shadow peeked through the bookcase at Sheik. Link did as well. "We gotta figure this out, man! Something doesn't feel right."

"Yeah."

"Do you think somebody's blackmailing him?"

"Dunno."

"Depression? Pushing everyone away?"

"I hope not. What's he reading?"

"Can't tell from here . . ."

"Why's he being so secretive?"

"He's gotta have a good reason . . . let's keep watching."

Soon Sheik was joined by another boy, a languid guy they both recognized from last night.

"Isn't he from that lookalike band?" Link asked.

"Yeah."

"Study partner?"

"Possibly. Do you think they're dating?"

"But why wouldn't Sheik tell us? And I thought he was kinda into that Groose guy . . ."

"Never mind. No way they're dating. Sheik looks creeped out by the guy."

"Study partner, then."

"Probably."

"So why doesn't he want us around?"

"He said he had to study hard?"

"Something like that."

"It doesn't feel right."

Link nodded in agreement.

Vio made a gesture with a hand as though explaining something to someone much stupider than he was. Shadow's hackles raised and he growled like a cat.

"What?" Link asked.

"I don't like him!"

"Huh?" Link had been focused on Sheik. He turned his attention to Vio. His ears perked up and his hair stood on end before falling back into place. "Me, either!"

"He's so . . . I can't quite put my finger on it . . ."

"It's like he's . . . almost . . . like a . . . yeah."

The two continued to watch, waiting for something to happen that might explain Sheik's sudden secretiveness.


AN: I knoooooooow, Krad and Wodash have got to be the biggest cop-outs in naming EVER . . . but I've already got a Shadow, and this new guy really doesn't seem like a Dark to me.