AN: Everyone drink responsibly and legally. This is no joke. With that said, some people are going to get into some trouble in this chapter . . .
Guest #1: Yep! You guessed right! I hope you enjoyed it all. Thanks for leaving reviews!
Ignitious: Glad Malon's going over well. She'll pop up more in a couple chapters. I think next chapter . . .? Or else the one after. Thanks for the reviews! I love hearing my readers' thoughts on the plot! . . . Even though I can't say anything because spoilers . . .
Guest #2: Thank you so much! As far as chubby people, I do have underrepresentation of that. HOWEVER . . . I don't do extremely well at describing characters, but I've always seen Midna in this story as chubby xD I don't see her in her true form, but her imp form, but it didn't make sense for her to have such a huge head and tiny body, so instead she's chubby! And really, really, REALLY short. I'll try to make that clearer in future chapters. Thanks for the heads up!
Also, as far as disabled characters, I have the same problem with describing characters . . . Shadow is disabled because of his heart attack. It doesn't come off very well, but it's why he can't skateboard or do anything too strenuous anymore. He also has severe burn scars on his forearms. Vaati is blind in his right eye because of his albinism (my explanation for why he's so pale), and Aryll is autistic to the point of probably never being able to be on her own even when she's an adult. Link has very mild ADHD. I'm not saying you're wrong, I'm just wondering, what sort of disabilities would you like to see represented? I'd love ideas!
I'm so glad you've enjoyed my story! I hope you keep reading. Thank you for reviewing!
Thanks to Cinderfall201 for favoriting/following!
Chapter 34: Someone I am
Shadow glanced at the clock. 2:13 a.m. The last time he'd checked it had been . . . 2:13. He rolled over. He'd rolled over so much that he was quite tightly wound within his covers. He wiggled his arm free and grabbed his phone, flipping through his contacts. At first his thumb hovered over Sheik's number, but he just couldn't push send. He wasn't sure why he was angry at Sheik. It wasn't his fault. He understood why his dad went to jail, but he couldn't understand it. His dad experimented on a human being? Well, a Shadow Being. His brain kept trying to rationalize: It wasn't a real person—he didn't know it was a real person—he hurts animals, not people.
He scrolled past Sheik's name. This is why he couldn't sleep, these damn thoughts! Sheik brought them out simply by being the one that sent his dad to jail.
I mean it was Mrs. Harkinian, but still. Sheik squealed.
Stop it! Sheik's not a snitch and he's not a . . . a . . . a bitch!
He scrolled through his contacts, wondering who might be awake at this hour, or who might not kill him for waking them up on a Friday night or . . . would actually wake up after a late night on a date or just being awake because it wasn't a school night.
His finger paused on one curious contact, one he hadn't realized he had. Curiosity overrode the creep factor, and he clicked on the name to see if there was more information.
Oh boy, was there more information.
A picture of Vio winked at him. The guy's phone number, address, email . . . actually three numbers and three emails and the address of some shelter for foster kids or something.
I didn't know Vio was a foster kid . . .
That sort of made them the same. He had a place to stay, but it wasn't really HIS home, although it was great! But it wasn't with his mom and dad. He wondered if Link felt similar. He glanced over at Link, who was sleeping soundly. Said something about biking around all day for Aryll. He'd been doing that a lot this week . . . Shadow didn't know how biking was supposed to help Aryll, but okay. He hadn't really been listening . . . he hadn't really listened to anybody lately. He just didn't have it in him.
He untangled himself, which took about half an hour because he was trying not to wake Link, then snuck downstairs to the living room. He booted up the computer. Among the addresses and numbers, Vio had also put, among others, his Instapic, Gossip Stone, MiiSpace, and vidFairy accounts.
So Shadow started snooping.
There was activity as little as a few seconds ago on his MiiSpace, and on his TingleChat (nobody thought it would last, but now everyone used it) every few minutes there appeared a pic of him at some cafe. He got a few likes from friends each time.
His curiosity was killing him. He pulled out his phone and texted Vio.
Le magestic me: hey y u put your contact info in my fone?
A few minutes passed.
Vio: Hello. Chatspeak is for losers.
Shadow's eye twitched.
Le me: What the hell, Vio! This took thirty years ti tyoe so youd better anser!
Vio: Hahaha, such typos, very laze. How are you?
Le me: can't sleep. Where are you?
Vio: In bed, moron.
Le me: no your not
Vio: *YOU'RE
Vio: So your watching me online, hm?
Le me: shut up and answer my question!
A looong two minutes passed, and Shadow wondered what the guy could possibly be typing. An answer maybe?
Finally the text came:
Vio: I'm not speaking, I'm typing, so I can't shut up, and if I could, and did, then I couldn't answer your question, so now we're at a stalemate.
Le me: You just don't want to answer. Fine. I'll go back to bed and delete your contact info. JERK.
His phone buzzed not two seconds after he sent the text. He answered it. "Hello?"
"Hi," a timid voice replied.
". . . Vio."
"I'm sorry, I hope you're not mad at me."
"It's late, dude."
"You texted first."
"Yeah, texted. This is a small house. If I get grounded for being up, you're dead!"
"You didn't have to answer."
That's right. Why did I answer? "Why are you calling?"
Silence, and then, "Please don't delete my contact info. I know I should have asked, I'm sorry. You blind my morals, shay-shay."
"Don't . . . don't call me that."
"Hey, I'm sorry."
"You already—"
"Not about that. About your dad. I was involved in it—but I swear I didn't wanna be! I didn't know your dad would go to jail, and Midna and Sheik were determined and they didn't even ask me."
"Wait, you . . . what do you mean you were involved?"
"I'm the one who stopped Krad. I mean I had to, he was going to hurt you. And it was really interesting and I wanted to talk to him but I couldn't do it alone so I had to get Midna and she got Sheik and then . . . then they called Sheik's mom the queen and that was the end of it all." He sounded legitimately put out.
"Krad's the being Dad was . . . experimenting on . . . what's going on, Vio? I don't understand anything you're saying. Sheik hasn't said anything, and I haven't spoken to Midna or anything."
"You can't sleep."
"Well, no."
"Do you know where the Milk Bar is?"
". . . Yes."
"Do you want to meet me there?"
"Vio, I don't wanna get in trouble."
Vio laughed. "No, no, there's an all night diner nearby, but I doubt you would recognize it. You should come out. I will talk to you."
"Um . . ." Shadow listened to the tiny house. He thought he heard Granny snoring from her upstairs bedroom. He hadn't snuck out since he'd come to live with Link's family. He hadn't felt the need to.
Don't do it, Shadow's inner head told him. He almost listened, but then he remembered how Sheik had betrayed him, and Link was busy as heck, and the prospect of sleep was nauseating as he thought of the endless thought circles raging through his head every time he lay his head on the pillow.
Nobody else was awake, and he couldn't call Sheik. "Okay."
There was a cop car on the way, but Shadow had grown several inches the last year and inside his hoodie, he came off as an adult. No one bothered him, not even the bus drivers. He'd left his skateboard at home. Too suspiciously teenager.
He came around a corner and saw a giant circular sign outside a red-roofed building: Milk Bar. He'd never actually been this close to a bar before, not even with his dad. He felt all sorts of butterflies and his mouth seemed to just want to start grinning like a convict. There was a sad little porch with sad little wooden tables and chairs that looked like they'd put splinters in your butt. There was a small, dark figure sat at one of the tables, so Shadow shrugged and figured he'd give them a shot. Maybe it was Vio.
Not more than three steps later and someone grabbed his arm. "BOO!"
Shadow nearly jumped out of his skin. The figure at the table lifted their head at his yell. Shadow half-heartedly karate chopped the mysterious grabber, having recognized the laughing face just in time. "Jeez! Vio."
Vio let go and pushed his hair back, still grinning. He was wearing a dark purple jacket and close fitting jeans. And for whatever reason, he wore cowboy boots. He looked down at Shadow, who was a few inches shorter, and raised an eyebrow. "You're too easy. Relax."
"Okay. Fine. What do you know about Krad and my Dad?"
"Right to the point? Oh please, we haven't even sat down yet." He strode in the direction of the bar. He reached the steps to the porch, one foot on the first step, and looked back. "You coming?"
Shadow was sure it was stupid, but he still felt the need to state the obvious: "That's the bar."
Vio shrugged. "So? Ingo doesn't give a shit. He knows me. Nobody's gonna catch you." He smirked, his eyes daring, and nodded behind him. "Come on."
Aware he had been lied to, Shadow stayed behind with his mouth open. Vio was so confident. It won't hurt anything, he knows what he's doing . . . right? The Milk Bar . . . he wondered if there was a famous local musician on stage right now. Maybe Link's ex boyfriend Shad was playing, or that band the Indigo-Gos from Outset. He bit his lower lip and crunched the bottom of his shirt in his gloves. His feet seemed to decide for him, driven by curiosity and excitement.
There was a bouncer at the door, and he waved Vio right in and Shadow as well after getting a nod from Vio.
The bar was dimly lit, metal tables and chairs spread around a wooden floor. A stage sat at one end, lit hardly better than the rest of the place. The curtains were pulled, but there was no one performing. Various patrons sat around drinking, and several others were crowded around the stage, dancing. The music was extremely loud where the dancing was.
"What are you doing?"
He looked up into Vio's amused face, and realized he was basically riding on Vio's coattails, practically hiding under his arm like a frightened rabbit. He leapt back, and Vio burst out laughing again. Shadow felt his face burning. What's wrong with me?
Vio hooked an arm around Shadow's neck and shepherded him to the bar.
Shadow tried to wiggle away. "Dude, we're gonna get caught, I can't go to the BAR, they'll recognize—"
Vio wouldn't let go so easily. He tapped on the bar. "Pint for my friend, here. Maybe . . ." He glanced at Shadow, sizing him up and down. Shadow squirmed. Then Vio smiled. "Romani Spritzer."
The big-nosed man behind the bar also stared Shadow up and down. Shadow thought for sure he'd be recognized. Everybody knew who he was now because of his dad. Just because they kept his name and photo out of the papers since he was a minor didn't mean anything . . .
But the bartender just nodded. "Chateau for you, sir?" He asked Vio, whose grin widened. The bartender nodded again and went back to doing what Shadow guessed must be bartender things.
Vio pushed him gently into a stool, and Shadow sat shakily. "I can't believe you made me do this. Wait, isn't a spritzer a lame drink?"
"You ever drink before?"
"Yes!" Shadow lied, all too vehemently.
A full giant mug of Chateau Romani landed in front of Vio, who began drinking like an obvious pro.
Shadow's brow furrowed. He kept zipping and unzipping the end of his jacket. He was still super nervous. "You do this a lot?"
"I go here a lot. Don't make it sound like a crime."
"Oh. Sorry."
A glass of something landed on the bar in front of Shadow, making him jump again.
"Holy Farore, thank the Goddesses," Vio exclaimed. "Now drink up before you pop a vein or something."
Shadow stared at the drink curiously. "What's it . . . what's it like?"
"Just try it."
"I don't feel like making any stupid faces or . . . noises."
Vio almost choked on his next gulp. He gave Shadow an incredulous look. "Just drink it you ninny."
Shadow stared at it again. Then he shrugged. "Oooookay." He gingerly took the glass, sniffed it warily, then brought it to his lips. He didn't quite make it before bursting into giggles.
"What?" Vio asked, the corner of his mouth curving up.
"I'm at an adult bar, drinking . . . alcohol."
"Exciting, isn't it?"
Shadow had to admit it was. He finally took a sip. And promptly made a face. A weird face. Then he swallowed. "Well that was . . ." The aftertaste finally smacked him full on in the face. "Ooooh!"
"Yup, there it is."
"That's good!"
"Ya think? This bar's famous. I wouldn't take you to a shitty bar and feed you a shitty drink." Shadow took another drink. Vio scrutinized his half-empty glass, then Shadow's face. He was silent for a few more gulps, and then, ". . . You want another?"
"Oh gosh, sure!"
"Try mine."
"What?" Shadow responded as Vio pushed it in front of him. Shadow noticed he had drunk a good deal less than Shadow just had. "I'm vegan."
"Pfffft, everyone knows there's not ACTUALLY any milk in it . . ."
"But isn't it, like, super expensive?"
"Don't worry about it. I said I'd make things up to you, and I will."
"Yeah, about that—"
Vio pressed a finger against his mouth. "Shhh. Don't ruin it."
Shadow stared at him in some confusion, so Vio adjusted his seat and flashed another grin at him. "What YOU need," he said, leaning over conspiratorially and looping an arm around his shoulder, "is fun. Not talking, not explanations, you've had a shit load of that. How about . . . you swear to me you don't think about anything important for the next hour, okay?"
Shadow found himself staring into Vio's confident, ice blue eyes, wanting to trust him very much. He didn't know him that well . . . but Sheik did, right? And anyways, what could possibly happen? He suddenly felt very emotional, and wondered if that was the lame spritzer. "I just feel like I need a break."
"I know."
"And nobody's been there, and nobody gets it. I mean my dad's in jail." Vio gestured at the bartender to refill the mug, but Shadow didn't notice. He just kept drinking every few seconds. "Everybody's treating me like I'm some sort of freak, and I just don't know who I can trust anymore. It's just so stupid. I just thought Sheik was my friend." Tears threatened to fall down his face. He clenched the mug in his hands.
"You're a lightweight, apparently," Vio noted.
"No I'm not," Shadow protested tearfully.
"Shut up." He stole the mug away from Shadow's grabby fingers. Shadow stared at his empty hands as though he couldn't figure out how the mug disappeared. Vio's mouth twitched in all directions as he tried not to laugh. "Let's go dance."
"Okay."
Shadow got up, but before following, Vio downed the rest of the drink in one go. If he gets to be drunk, so do I!
Vio and Shadow found a tiny space on the dance floor, and Vio remarked, "I think it's cute you're such a lightweight!"
"WHAT?" Shadow shouted back.
Vio giggled.
Link was sitting in a green field, watching a red filly kick her heels into the air. Then Ganondorf's face appeared in the sky. Link freaked as the Gerudo's mouth opened, and a rumble that shook the earth left it in intermittent intervals.
He smacked butt first in a pile of blankets on the floor of his bedroom. "What a weird dream . . ." He noticed right away that Shadow's bed was empty. I wonder why he's up. Shadow always slept in. I mean it was sort of expected since his heart attack, but still, having him up first was weird.
Especially since Link always slept in as long as school would allow. Now why would he be up? Then he realized, thinking back on it, that Shadow HAD been pretty tense since his Dad went to jail, and he had mentioned something about being unable to sleep, but Link had been so busy worrying about Aryll's future that he had been entirely insensitive. Aw, man . . . some brother I am!
He got up and threw his clothes on, didn't bother to comb his hair, just ran his fingers through it. It bounced around and settled back on bed head. I need a hair cut.
"You need a haircut, Link!"
Link pushed a hand through his hair, as though that would help.
Ravio smirked, then ruffled Link's hair beyond recognition. "Let's get ice cream instead."
Link grinned and threw his arms around his dad's strong torso.
Link frowned at the mirror, tears welling up. The mantle of responsibility was weighing down heavily on him. Shadow was basically incapacitated, Aryll could barely speak, and he even felt responsible for Grandma, who was getting old. A weary sigh escaped Link as his frame crumpled a little. He went downstairs and started pouring some cereal. "Grandma, I'm gonna go job searching again this afternoon, so I'll be home late again."
"Oh, Link, it's almost the end of the school year . . . don't you want to wait until summer to start looking for a job?"
Then all the jobs will be taken. That's what Shad and Darunia were saying. "No. I'll be alright. Don't worry, Grandma." He kissed her on the cheek and ran out of the kitchen with cereal in hand. "Bye Aryll!" he shouted as he reached the front door.
"Bye bye!"
Sheik stared at his phone. He was getting messages from Nabooru and Groose, but had heard virtually nothing from Link or Shadow or even Midna in a week. Shadow he understood, and Midna he knew was trying to defend herself against angry councilors who felt she should have kept the whole Krad thing with the Twilis and not told the Hyrulean Royal Family.
He had no idea why Link hadn't contacted him, but that was nothing new. Link was terrible at communicating through text. But usually he would call back if Sheik called first, and he hadn't. Is he mad at me, too? For Shadow's sake? It would make sense. After all, Ganondorf was foster brother to Link's biological dad. I just ruined everything. Some friend I am.
A knock came at his door, and with his permission, his mother came in. "Do you want to go to school today, sweetheart?"
Sheik stared at the ground glumly. ". . . Not really."
His mother nodded understandingly. "Okay. Would you like to help me with my errands? We could—"
"Mama . . . I kinda just want to stay in my room. Is that okay?"
Mrs. Harkinian's forehead crinkled in worry, but she said, "Alright, Dear . . . I'll be downstairs if you need to talk."
"Okay, Mama."
Hours later found Sheik still in his bed, staring helplessly at his phone. He got a few messages from Nabooru during lunch hour, but they were not very comforting.
PrincessNabs: the Hylians are saying you only did it to fix your reputation, not for your country. I don't know where they get this stuff. The Gerudos think it's a complete set up, and the Hylians are starting to listen.
PrincessNabs: The Gerudos held a protest at school. They want to dethrone you as student body president. The headmaster was nodding in agreement.
Well, he couldn't exactly disagree. It's not like he'd been doing any of his duties as student body president, but also . . . he knew that wasn't why he was getting axed. They never would have axed the Princess of Hyrule before she came out as trans.
PrincessNabs: Now the Twili are weighing in. Everybody's watching the news, it's like the Triforce Nabbing situation all over again. You'd better not come to school for a while. I don't think it's safe.
Sheik sighed and put his phone away. No chance of that anyway.
A few minutes later, his phone buzzed. And then buzzed again. Somebody's calling? Maybe it's Link! He sat up and grabbed his phone again.
And froze.
The caller ID read "Daddy." Sheik hadn't heard from his father in weeks, not since before all this Krad mess, when Krad had threatened to hurt his mother and then mysteriously disappeared. He pushed receive and held the phone to his ear. "Hello?"
"It's me, Zelda."
"Hi, Dad, what are you calling for?" Sheik tried to keep the excitement out of his voice.
"Can't a man call his daughter?"
". . . Yeah, if he had one."
Silence.
"I'm sorry, I'm sorry!" Sheik backtracked quickly. "How are you?"
"Me? How are you? You've been through a terrible ordeal, and I've been off in my own world brooding like a child. How are you holding up, peanut?"
Sheik found it hard to answer due to the sudden lump in his throat. "I'm . . . Sh-Shadow won't speak to me, and I think Link's mad at me, too."
"Why?"
"Because Ganondorf is Shadow's dad, and Link's adopted uncle, and they probably just hate me."
"What? Link's adopted uncle? What on earth are you talking about?" Sheik could hear the guilt in his father's voice as he realized exactly how much of Sheik's life he was missing out on.
"It's a long story," Sheik said.
"Well . . . how about we pick you up and you can tell me all about it?"
Sheik straightened. "Are you in Hyrule now? Mama said you went to Labrynna."
"Mama—" It sounded like the word came out unexpectedly, then he continued to hide his surprise, "—was right. I was in Labrynna for a few weeks. Before that I went to Outset to check up on our summer estate . . . we're still planning on going there this summer, aren't we? Together, as a family."
"Yeah, yeah, we have to!" He couldn't help it. His excitement kept pouring through. He stood up and caught himself in the mirror. "Um, Daddy?"
"Yes, peanut?"
"I don't want to get dressed up . . ."
"You dress however you're comfortable. I'll wear my loafers, how about that?"
Sheik's nose crinkled the way it did when he was amused. "Sounds good. Can you be here fast?"
"Fast as lightning."
"Okay. See you soon!"
When Sheik hung up, Mr. Harkinian stared at the picture of his wife and daughter, which was the backdrop of his phone. He knew Zelda well. She never called her mother "Mama" like that, not since she was a toddler, although he remembered Mrs. Harkinian telling him how Zelda had called her that sometime after she first decided to be trans. After he had yelled at her.
My daughter is not well, and I haven't been there for her.
He made a decision. He would find out who the monster was that exposed his daughter's cross dressing and sent pictures to the papers. No matter what, it was a private family matter, and while normally he was not very strict about what the papers wrote about his family (a new alleged scandal came out every two weeks), this one had terrorized his daughter for close to a year.
For all he knew, she felt obligated to continue with the charade of being a boy because of peer pressure, and now because of the newspapers. Perhaps she felt trapped. If only he'd been more involved in her life instead of freaking out . . .
Some father I am.
AN: I really need to add some GOOD father figures, don't I? Oi . . .
