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The curtains wafted through the room, the moonlight mixing with the candlelight coming from the desk. A plate of food sat next to the candle, cheese and crackers. Mrs. Harkinian sat at the desk, mouth full, paused in the middle of chewing, staring at Sheik, who was panting in the doorway, having just barged through the door.
"Mom?" Sheik gasped. "Are you . . . you're . . . alright?"
Mrs. Harkinian nodded slightly, raising an eyebrow.
Walking into the room, Sheik felt a huge sense of relief. He ran and threw his arms around his mother, who confusedly hugged him back. "I'm so glad!"
And yet, he still felt uneasy. If Krad hadn't ripped out his mother's heart, then whose? How was he going to punish Sheik? He let go of his mother. "I gotta check something, be right back!" He ran out of the room and pulled out his phone, texting furiously.
Le me: TXT ME BACK NOW!
Within a few minutes, both Shadow and Link had texted him back. So they were fine. Wait, Krad can probably text. Sheik called them both. Link mumbled nonsense, but Sheik could tell it was him. Shadow was only a little bit more coherent. Sheik looked at the clock. It was only eleven! How were they asleep?!
After he hung up, he got ready to dial every one else he knew, but there was one person specifically he had to call immediately.
"Hello?" came the gruff voice of Mr. Harkinian. "Zelda? Are you there?"
Sheik bit his lip to hold back tears. ". . . Hi Daddy. Are you okay?"
"Yes, of course I'm . . . what's wrong?"
"Nothing. I'm just . . . glad to hear your voice, that's all. I love you, Daddy."
". . . I love you too, peanut . . . what—?"
"Nothing! I gotta do homework."
". . . Alright. But tell me, how are you?"
Sheik whined. He couldn't hold it in. "I miss you, Daddy!"
There was silence on his dad's side, but he could still tell the senator was choking up. "I miss you, too, sweetheart."
Sheik hung up quickly. He was shaking. He and his father hadn't spoken like that in . . . well, a very long time. It was weird talking like Zelda again, but it was worth it to hear his dad be nice again.
He really did miss his dad . . .
SSS
It was half past one. Sheik sat on his bed, his skin crawling with pins and needles. He'd called everybody he knew. Likely they'd all be angry with him at school, but he didn't care.
Nobody was dead yet. Also, Krad hadn't shown up since earlier that evening, when he threw Sheik's crumpled note on his desk. It still sat there. Sheik uncrumpled it. I'll burn it just to be safe. He walked downstairs and threw it in the fireplace. He stood in front of the fireplace with his arms folded. Everyone he knew was fine, but he couldn't sleep. When would Krad finally strike? Maybe it was just a warning? But where was he?
He sat on the coffee table, staring into the flames, until the golden rays of sunshine shone through the living room window. He rubbed his face. Well, there was no point in trying to sleep now. Might as well stay awake the rest of the day . . .
Krad didn't show himself the entire day. Sheik was seriously getting really creeped out. And then another day passed, and another . . . no sign of Krad. No sign of anybody dying. Sheik thought maybe, maybe, Ganondorf had somehow magically recaptured the shadow creature, and although that disgusted him, he also felt relief.
He mussed his hair up in front of the mirror. He wore a chest binder underneath his blue, collared, button-up shirt. He was quite happy with how he looked today. His hips were understated, his masculine makeup was flawless, and he felt like he almost, almost, pulled off looking like a guy. He walked downstairs and met Link and Shadow at the door. They were going to watch a movie. Sheik hadn't wanted to, but his friends practically forced him to. They were convinced he wasn't doing well. They were right, and he wished he could tell them why, but he was glad they were there for him anyway.
Turns out the movie they were hoping to see, Ocarina of Time, was not playing at their favorite theater when the website said it was, so they ended up watching Tingle's Happy Rupee Land. Link just seemed uncomfortable and confused, but Shadow had the time of his life throwing popcorn and making cracks at the movie's leotard-wearing protagonist. "THIS IS THE BEST THING I'VE EVER SEEEEEEEEN!"
Sheik was distracted. That is, until that happened. Sheik's face contorted into the most disgusted, horrified look imaginable. "HE DID NOT!"
"HE DID!" Shadow cackled. Link covered his mouth, looking like he might throw up.
SSS
Sheik suffered so much anxiety about Krad that he actually got sick. He still tried to study about shadows and hearts, but no luck with any of it, and the two week point was tomorrow. Worse, Vio wouldn't pick up his phone. It was like the guy had just suddenly decided he had what he wanted and didn't care to even say goodbye or nice working with you or . . . anything. Sheik was slightly miffed. The guy was scary, yeah, but he was also very smart. Sheik liked very smart people.
"Oh Zeeeeldaaaaaa!" The large form of Groose walked into her room, carrying a steaming bowl. "I brought you pumpkin soup!"
Oh no, I hate pumpkin soup! "Thank you," Sheik said, shakily pushing himself into a sitting position. He accepted the bowl. Well, at least the warmth was nice.
"You look awful," Groose commented.
Sheik tch'ed. "Thanks."
Groose scratched his head. "Well you do. You look like you've been stressed out for days."
"Well . . . I guess I have been." He stirred his soup slowly, pondering how to escape actually eating it.
"You know what you need?" Sheik looked up. Groose pulled a big, heavy book from his knapsack. He opened it, cleared his throat, and began to read, "Once upon a time . . ."
"You have GOT to be kidding . . ."
"Give it a chance! It'll take your mind off things, I promise."
Sheik sighed. "Okay." He laid back, soup forgotten on the nightstand, as Groose began to tell the tale of some princess trapped in a tower. His voice had a warm tone to it, and it sounded like he'd read this story many times before. Despite himself, Sheik listened quietly, Groose's voice finally breaking through the anxiety in his mind, shattering it into itsy bitsy pieces. Before he could finish closing his eyes, it lulled him to sleep.
SSS
Vio used the metal tongs to carry the flaming concoction over to the cauldron, where he poured it out. White smoke billowed out of the cauldron, and Vio returned the vial and the tongs to their resting place. When the smoke cleared, Vio removed his welder's mask. He took a large wooden dowel and approached the cauldron. He stuck the dowel in and began to stir the blackened ooze inside it, humming an ancient Kokiri melody.
A lonely man hides in the forest
thought he was a good tourist
The Wolfos cry and he wonders why
he wants to join the chorus
The moss traps him in the forest
The shadows eat up his skin
The skulltulas want his pretty eyeballs
Dekus cover up his putrid stench
A lonely stalfos in the forest
but where does his spirit lie?
The Stalfos cries, and he wonders why
he can't ever join the chorus
Kokiri really had a sick sense of humor when it came to adults, Vio thought to himself. He looked around the dimly lit dugout. It was actually their home's abandoned basement. The others didn't know about it. Vio had cleaned it out and turned it into his secret base, his place to do . . . experiments. He pulled a big lever that toppled the contents of the cauldron into a large, not-so-heavy bucket, which sat on a dolly. Vio rolled the bucket and dolly to the other side of the room. Against the wall there was a large glass terrarium—at least eight feet tall and ten wide. It was corroded with black sludge, dirt particles floating across the surface. At the base was a trough with bubbling black liquid. Vio dumped the bucket's oozy contents into the trough. "There we go." He put the bucket down and mopped his brow. "That'll hold you . . . for a very long time."
Black dust particles began to waver and spin on themselves behind the glass. Two glowing blue eyes appeared in the darkness. A figure was trying to form, but seemed somehow unable to.
Vio smiled. "You won't be able to do that, either." He put a finger on his chin, eyes sparkling. Now I can really figure out . . . how you got here! He had been planning this since he'd seen the monster hovering around Sheik that first time in the library. It wasn't the topic, or Sheik, that got him to hel the prince. He simply wanted to know how on earth a shadow being made it to Hyrule. There was also the question of how the princess knew what she did. Could the creature talk after all? The back of his left hand suddenly began to itch. He scratched it vigorously. For some reason his birthmark was really irritating him lately. It was a weird birthmark of three triangles, one stacked on the others, and the bottom right one slightly bigger than the others.
The creature in the terrarium crafted a gaping maw, as if screeching. Vio took no notice. He walked back to the stairs and, without looking back, shut off the lights and left the basement.
SSS
Ganondorf was having a fit. It's gone! Blast it! He threw aside a table, the papers on top flying across the lab. He knew why, too. When Shadow and his friends had broken into his lab, they accidentally freed the thing, giving it the full range of his labs to explore. Ganondorf had managed to keep it contained, but when Shadow had his heart attack . . . he couldn't remember locking the lab door behind him.
Had he left the door open?! He was such a fool!
He forced himself to calm down. There was still enough Element in his stores to take care of Shadow for a few years. He would simply have to find a way to . . . break into the Shadow Realm a second time. Steal another shadow being. They were like hamsters, there were so many of them. Who cared if one or two disappeared into his lab? They wouldn't notice their missing numbers.
They weren't people . . .
However, that thing was running around without its heart. He needed to catch it, and catch it fast.
SSS
Nabooru folded the last of the twin's clothes and put them in the baby dresser. She closed the drawer cautiously, not wanting to wake the napping twins. Mehini suddenly took in a shuddering breath, and Nabooru froze. When the toddler didn't waken, Nabooru sighed in relief silently, and stood. Her knees hurt from kneeling so long.
The doorbell rang.
She groaned.
Hadley woke up immediately and began screaming. Mehini soon followed. Nabooru covered her ears. "UUUUGH!" She grabbed a puppet from the changing desk and started singing a Gerudo lullaby. She caught the toddler's attention, and they calmed down. Mehini looked grumpy, but Hadley looked like she was up for good. Nabooru tossed some plushies into the crib. Then she tucked Mehini back into her blanket. She absentmindedly listened to her grandmothers speaking downstairs, and then heard something she did NOT hear so often in this house.
A deep voice.
Curiosity piqued, Nabooru decided Hadley looked happy enough and sneaked around the bedroom door. She tip-toed to the banister that looked over the living room downstairs. Her heart rose to her throat and began to pound.
Ganondorf Dragmire!
She'd had a secret crush on the male Gerudo since she was little—how could she not? He was the one man, the ONE male in the entire world who might actually prove worthy to be the mate of a Gerudo sister. A descendant of the Gerudo kings . . . She put her elbows on the banister and her chin on her fists, sighing. That big, fit body, that amazing red hair, that distinctive nose only found in the Gerudo race . . .
But then that Shadow guy. Why did Ganondorf raise a boy? No wait, that wasn't right . . . Link and Shadow were actually biological brothers, and they weren't related to Ganondorf. That's what Zelda—er, Sheik had said, right? But still, he married a Hylian! . . . why?
She couldn't help but think back to a few nights ago, running into Link at Denny's and helping him through a breakup. Link wasn't related to Ganondorf at all, but . . . Ganondorf sure walked and talked in a similar way. She mentally compared Link to the Gerudo king, Link's calm demeanor and quiet manner. Link was also rather tan, and he did have great hair . . .
What am I doing?! She blushed. I don't like BOYS! I mean . . . I don't like HYLIAN boys!
Someone grabbed her around the shoulders. "BOO!"
Nabooru shrieked. She roughly shook off her sister's hands. "Aveil!"
"Hahaha!" The older gerudo ruffled her hair.
The people in the living room had gone silent. Nabooru felt her face burning to her ears as she turned to look back over the banister. Her grandmothers were staring up at her, and so was . . .
She covered her face and screeched, completely mortified that Ganondorf had seen her behave so childishly. Aveil's nasty laughter followed her as she slammed her bedroom door and threw herself on her bed. "Oh my goooooooooosh . . ." She grabbed her genie lamp shaped landline phone and dialed Midna. "MIDNA. YOU'LL NEVER BELIEVE WHAT JUST HAPPENED. I'M GOING TO DIIIIIIIIIIE!" She sat up stick straight and said, dreamily, "I MET THE KING OF EVIL!"
SSS
Midna listened to Nabooru drone on and on about Ganondorf. She honestly didn't see the appeal. So he was a guy . . . great . . . She looked up at the poster at the head of her bed of the top female radio champion of Hyrule, Malon Rancher, barrel racer. It was an action shot, Malon astride her beautiful Epona, her hair waving in the wind in a way that made even Midna's bright orange quaff feel lusterless.
"There IS one other way you can avoid this," came another voice, one she'd been tuning out for the last twenty minutes. The tall, lanky Twili would NOT leave her room! "-is marriage!" Xant continued, his strange mouth opening wide as though he were obviously a genius. "Then none of this political hogwash would matter!"
I can't believe he's talking about marriage, Midna thought idly as Nabooru's voice rattled through the earpiece, "And then he looked UP and STARED at me and EEEEEEEEEEEEE I was so terrified!"
Meanwhile Vio was messaging her urgently on her computer. Urgently, meaning, he wouldn't shut up about this thing he had to show her. Or something.
Vio: hey guess what you should come here
Vio: you know what's cool?
Vio: my
Vio: BASEMENT
Vio: you would do well to come now
Vio: Midna
Vio: Midna
Vio: Midna
Vio: Midna
And so on. He'd been obsessed with her ever since that day she went to his school. That kid knows too much about shadows for his own good. Gonna get shadow blasted one day.
"And THEN, we will have CHILDREN—!"
"SHUT UP XANT!"
"What?"
"Listen Nabs, I gotta reject a marriage proposal and entertain a psycho. I gotta call you back."
"Uh . . . okay. Good . . . luck?"
*click*
"YOU MUST LISTEN TO ME TWILIGHT PRINCESS!" Xant screeched at the top pitch of his lungs.
"GET OUT!" Midna shouted back.
"I WILL NOT STAND FOR THIS DISRESPECT!"
"TRY TO STAND THIS, CUPCAKE!" Midna's hair became animated and formed a fist, which flew forward and hit Xant square in the face and literally shoved the Twili boy out of her room. She then slammed the door with her hair. She took a deep breath. His slimy goon smell was everywhere. She sprayed a scented mist all over the place until the smell was covered up. "Bye bye bozo!"
There was no way she was going to avoid him if she left through the door. So she opened the window and lowered herself down by her hair.
SSS
". . . And Rapunzel and her pet lizard lived happily ever after in the Glossy Dessert. The end."
". . . What kind of ending is that?"
"A tasty one! Eat your soup."
"Shut up . . ."
SSS
Something collided with Vio's window—hard. He walked over and looked down to find Midna standing underneath it, her hair floating above her in a fist, with another rock ready to throw at his window. Vio didn't trust her not to be so mad she would break his window, so he waved and then hurried downstairs and out the front door.
Midna was taken aback by how gleefully excited Vio was. He grabbed her hand and pulled her into the house. Midna played along warily.
"You'll never BELIEVE what I found!" Vio pulled her through the house to an empty wall at the back of the house.
An angry voice called from the kitchen, "VIO! NO! NO GIRLS! ZIP!"
Vio pushed in a secret panel and the wall opened, revealing a staircase. "It's my sister Margaret, Blue!"
Midna followed him down the stairs. Once the door closed behind them, she said, "You're weird."
"You're Margaret."
"You're gonna die."
"This way!" Vio sprinted at the bottom of the staircase, smashing a light switch on his way. Midna came more slowly, taking in the cold, dank atmosphere of the basement. Algae covered the walls, which were basically just the light frame construction with dirt in between. It was like whoever had designed this basement gave up in the middle and didn't bother covering up the hole. It wasn't even a decent cold storage place. Is this house even stable? Midna wondered. There were rickety tables set up, likely found in other people's garbage considering how different and beat up they were. A bunch of those chemistry sets you see on television, with the tubes and beakers and stuff, lay around the tables, some being held over tiny flames by metal stands. The place smelled pretty strongly of chemicals, but not in a bad way. It was the mold smell that made her eyes water. "You need to bleach the crap out of this place," she told Vio as she joined him across the room. He stood in front of a giant glass container, staring at it proudly.
Midna looked hard into the glass, but aside from some weird black dirt or whatever, nothing was inside. "So what is it?"
"You'll see." Vio reached over and turned a knob. "I'll make it show itself."
The black dirt began to coalesce before her eyes, and she couldn't believe her eyes as she found herself looking at what appeared to be a humanoid figure with blue eyes. Her jaw dropped. "Is that . . . a Shadow Being?!"
Vio smiled proudly. "Yep!"
"How did you . . . wait, why did you capture one? Why is it locked up? Vio, what have you done?"
"What are you talking about? I didn't bring it here, it was already here! This is why I needed your help, to capture it."
Midna balked. "Wha—wha—WHY?! Vio, you can't just kidnap someone!"
"What do you mean kidnap? I just trapped it."
Midna slumped. "Vio, it's a PERSON. It TALKS for goodness sake!"
Vio brightened. "It does?! I knew it!"
"Wait, can't you . . ." She considered. "No, I guess regular Light People with no magic means wouldn't be able to hear shadow speech. Vio, this isn't an animal. It isn't even a monster, it's . . . it's a sentient being. You can't keep it locked up! You have to release it. Right now."
"That's not a good idea."
Midna made her hair into a fist again. "Here, let me help you." She ratcheted it back, preparing to smash the glass.
Vio jumped in front of her. "WAIT! THAT'S NOT A GOOD IDEA!"
"Start talking!" Midna demanded. "It needs to go back to the Shadow Realm or else who knows what'll happen!"
"It can't get back on its own!"
"What? Are you seriously telling me you're trying to help it?"
"Uh. . . yeah! Well it doesn't matter. It can't go home on its own, and besides, this is what's been bothering Sheik for the last two weeks!"
Midna relaxed a bit. "What do you mean it's been bothering Sheik?"
So Vio explained. He explained how when he first met Sheik, he was being 'haunted,' in a manner of sense, by a shadow being. Vio was able to see it, for some reason, but not able to hear it. He told Midna about the Shadow being's heart, and how Ganondorf had kept it captive, and how it got free. "According to Sheik, if Shadow doesn't return it's heart, it's gonna rip out the heart of everyone he knows."
Midna felt rather sheepish. She almost let THAT escape. "Oh. So . . . you captured it?"
"Yeah. I used some of those scrolls you showed me. I figured their ancient magicks would work with Light World materials if they were manipulated correctly. The thing didn't know I could see it, so it was easy to trap. It finally followed me to see what I was up to, I came into the basement and . . . voila!"
"But why can you see it? And why can you see it, but not hear it? That's . . . kinda silly."
Vio shrugged.
Midna's hair returned to its non-magic state, and she pondered. "So Ganondorf found a way to bridge this world and the Shadow Realm." She walked to stand beside Vio, squinting at him. "And you somehow figured out how to use Twili magic in the Light World." She glanced down discreetly. Vio was gazing into the glass prison, still with that pleased, creepy grin on his face. Midna looked at his left hand. He had a birthmark of the Triforce. Well, that explains a lot. But . . . she raised her gaze to Vio's face. HIM? HE inherited the Triforce of Courage?
A sociopathic guy who captured a sentient being without even blinking about the moral consequences? This was . . . not good.
