A/N
Guest: Thank you for saying that. It means a lot. Glad to know there are some old readers here.
Sheik sat in the large council room, staring at all the delegates. Here we go, he thought, deciding Shadow's fate, and that guy Krad's, too.
A sigh fluttered from his lips to his hands, which were fidgeting needlessly. The flesh around his thumbnails had been picked to redness, a little bleeding.
Why do I have to be here, Dad?
He knew why, he was the Prince of Destiny, but that didn't make it any easier. He kept getting glances from delegates, everyone debating his sanity.
There had NEVER been a Prince of Destiny. Hylia, reincarnated as a male?
Blasphemous.
He was sure he lip read the word "traitorous" from across the room.
He shook his head. Imagining things, obviously.
The only one to give him a kind smile and a gentle wave was the Zoran Representative, Mipha. Her expression didn't change when their eyes met, at least not any more than it did with any other person she looked at. Sheik had to tell himself not to keep looking at her, but he was starving for any sort of friendly contact.
It wasn't his mother here, today.
It was his father.
No, he didn't really have a true friend in the entire council chamber.
He wasn't dressed as a woman, even though his dad was here. He'd given up that charade.
Tears threatened to break over his face as he remembered how Groose had yelled at him earlier that day.
"I can't take this anymore, this YOU! It isn't YOU, it isn't REAL, and it is KILLING YOU! I can't watch—I can't watch you anymore!"
Pretending to be a girl was torture even with Groose to help him. Without him, it was impossible.
Plus, something in what Groose said gave him strength to be himself, even though it hurt.
Even though Groose hadn't answered his text yet. He knew space was probably best right now, but it ached.
He just wanted to be the kind of person Groose wanted to be around. That hadn't been him for the last while.
His father hadn't looked at him, which was fine with Sheik. He didn't want to be involved in this meeting more than he had to. No one was listening anyways, they all knew he was biased on the matter.
Anything to keep Shadow breathing!
"The results of Ganondorf's research will be explained by him," Johannes was saying.
That's right. Ganondorf was here. Sheik wasn't sure why, but he still felt sick every time he looked at the man.
Ganondorf, shackled at the wrists—Like an animal, Sheik thought distastefully—stood before the council and began to speak. "With the resources so gallantly offered by the council, I've been able to devise a machine that will open a portal between our realms should you wish to do so."
He gave a lengthy lecture on how the thing worked—with some clever omissions that Sheik noted with a smirk. Of course Ganondorf would never reveal all of his secrets to Hyrule.
Never.
Looking around the room at every representative of every country on the planet that they knew of. Well, except for one. The Twili didn't send a representative. Sheik wondered why. Eventually he zoned out, not enough to not hear Ganondorf, though.
He wondered, vaguely, how Shadow was doing. He knew what was happening right now, didn't he? He knew his father was here, because he wasn't at his lab. Shadow had been at his home nearly every day now. If Sheik or Link wanted to see him, they had to meet him at his place. Sheik glanced at his own father bitterly . . . Longingly. He understood Shadow completely.
"We have decided that it would be good to establish contact with the other realm," Johannes announced when Ganondorf was done. "We need to figure out who we're dealing with, and if the result is positive, we can definitely use some pointers on how to resolve this conflict."
"We're just going to admit to capturing one of their own?" said the Lorulean delegate, a pale-faced man with immaculate makeup and braids like blood dripping from his head. Yuga, Sheik remembered from his studies. Yuga rolled his eyes. "That'll go over well."
"A direct communication," said Mipha, nodding appreciatively. "I believe this is the most peaceful, straightforward approach. Now that we have the means to contact the other realm, to remain silent on behalf of Krad would be an offense."
The Labrynna delegate scoffed. "And what if we are unable to express that what has happened is an accident?! This is an entirely new realm! Do we even know if they can communicate with us?!"
Fi floated slightly into the air from her seat. "Krad has proven an ability to communicate with select members of society, namely, the Princess—er, Prince of Destiny, and the Twilight Princess. There is no reason to believe this communication would not be possible with other members of his race."
"Krad has been here for years, of course he could have picked up on the language while being tortured, which would explain why he could communicate with the Princess of Destiny."
Sheik caught his father's slight smile at the last comment, and he wanted to puke.
Not here. Not now.
Ganondorf broke in, "I never spoke a single word to this 'Krad.' That he could have deciphered an entire language is impossible." His eyes glared like golden fires at the Labrynna delegate. "And if I HAD spoken, it would have been in Gerudo."
Sheik stood, and walked to the railing. "It's not a matter of language, Delegate," he explained. "To anyone without magical insight to the dark realm, such as me and Midna, Krad's words are nonsense. Ganondorf's magic is Gerudo, therefore isn't in the same vein, and even though Vio has the Triforce of Courage, he couldn't understand him, either. Both of them could only see Krad, not understand him."
Yuga was waving a hand. "This is all mumbo jumbo nonsense to the Labrynna, Prince. You shouldn't bother."
Sheik wasn't sure how to feel about the battle of the pronouns that was becoming an underhanded part of the meeting.
The Labrynna Delegate was fuming. He pointed a finger at Yuga. "You're as corrupt as she is! Running around dressed like a woman!"
Yuga smiled an evil, unconcerned smile. "I don't try to appear as any sex, delegate. All I seek is perfection."
The other threw his hands in the air. "Madness! All of it!"
Johannes pounded his gavel on the railing. "Order! Let's keep talk of my daughter's personal life out of this. She is the Princess of Destiny, and I will not have you calling her corrupt in a court of law." His voice was seething.
Even though his father used the wrong pronouns, Sheik still felt it nice to be defended by him.
"We are 67% off track," Fi stated. "It is imperative we return to the task at hand."
Johannes nodded. "Please sum it up, Lady Fi."
"We have established a desire to connect to the Dark Realm of Krad's origin, to hopefully contact his people, and include them in the discussion of what to do so that perhaps we may come to a safe and satisfactory ending for all parties involved. We have established that it is 90% likely that communication is possible, if the Prince of Destiny or Twilight Princess or someone like them is present at the time of connection." She floated back to her seat.
Sheik beamed at her.
"Let's have a vote," Johannes said. "Those in favor say aye."
The majority ruled in favor of the plan. Then they moved on to the particulars of the plan and how, when, and where to pull it off.
Right in the middle of this, the council doors burst open by magic, and an angry Midna strode into the center of the council, fists clenched.
Everyone could feel the change in gravity, of time and space, that lingered around her like a cloud. Her hair was illuminated and floating about her head like a neon flame, teal lines appearing on her wrists and face. This was not the medium-strength Twilight Princess Sheik knew. He could feel how much more powerful she was. Had she been hiding it this whole time?! "Yuga," she said.
Sheik stared at the Lorulean representative in shock. What was this about?!
Yuga didn't look surprised at all, which set Sheik's alarms off.
"I'm here to call you out," Midna continued. "For conspiracy against the Twilight Realm."
Shocked murmurs crossed the room. Sheik crossed his brows and stepped closer to his dad. Conspiracy? Between countries? No way was Sheik equipped for this!
Midna gave no room for questions. "No one knows how the Twilight Mirror was destroyed, and that is still true, but it had something to do with you. Do you admit it?"
Yuga sat with a flat, self-indulgent smile, hands laced together in his lap. "My, princess, you seem to have come upon a sudden increase in power."
"I didn't come upon it," Midna stated. "When the mirror was broken, the Twilight Realm became isolated, and I was stranded here, a powerful princess with inherited power, but why? It was an accident right? WRONG! We all know there are many pathways between realms. Lorule has a pathway to the Twilight Realm, doesn't it?"
Yuga remained silent. The other council members looked between the two, Midna's accusations too crazy to be believed, Yuga too unsurprised to disprove them.
Midna continued, "You've conspired to subjugate the Twili. Why?"
"I have no dealings with the Twili."
"Then how do you explain this?!" She pulled a small canister from the bag at her side. She held it aloft, and no one had a question about what it was, but she said anyways, "This is the Lorulean Triforce of Power. It awakened in me months ago. The Prince of Hyrule can attest to it."
Sheik spoke quietly, "She's telling the truth."
Gasps. Mutters. "A Twili holding the Triforce? Impossible!"
"Exactly," Midna interrupted. "Which means it was given to me." She looked pointedly back at Yuga.
Everyone quieted, all with the same question. Why?
"Are you complaining?" Yuga asked.
"It suppressed my powers," Midna said. "Why would Lorule want to suppress my powers? Unless, this was all a plot. Destroy the mirror, suppress the Twilight Princess's powers. Why would you do this unless you wanted to make us powerless? Why would you want to make us powerless? What it in the Twilight Realm that you want? Lorule is extremely unstable, isn't it? Might it be that you want to conquer the Twilight Realm and take it for yourself?"
Sheik's stomach plummeted. Midna was talking about war. There was no way there wouldn't be a war if any of this was true. Nobody was quick to jump on things.
"Yuga," said Johannes. "Why does Midna have the Lorulean Triforce of Power?"
"Perhaps she got it from someone else."
"Are you saying you lost it?"
Sheik yelled, "Cut the crap, Yuga! There's no way you'd let it out of your hands!"
Yuga still seemed unconcerned. Too unconcerned. Like it didn't matter if Midna had found out the truth, if the truth it even was. "After the mirror was broken, little Midna was quite unstable, so connected she was to her realm. I gave her the Triforce out of pity."
Midna snarled. There was no way to prove him wrong, but he was so wrong. Being disconnected from the Twilight Realm didn't do anything to her people. They were able to survive just fine. Any thoughts the Twili had about a possible disconnection was that Midna's powers weren't that strong—which she now knew was because of Yuga, not the disconnection from the Twilight Realm.
Yuga leveled at her, his face menacing, but his voice full of sympathy, "I had no idea it would suppress your powers."
"You claim you had no ill will when you gave it to me?"
Yuga shrugged pleasantly.
"What have you done to the Twilight Realm? Why didn't you want the mirror repaired?"
"I'm not going to dignify that with an answer, princess."
"Then," said Midna, "I guess we'll just have to see for ourselves . . ." Her face darkened and a crooked smirk split her face, "When I fix the mirror."
More gasps, including by Sheik. He grabbed the railing. "Midna! You mean you can fix the mirror?!"
Midna shrugged. "My council says I can, and I'm pretty dang powerful, so." She put her hands on her hips.
Sheik grinned. Now she can find her parents! She can reconnect the Twilight Realm! Her people can come and go, they won't be trapped here!
Yuga betrayed no nervousness, but Sheik could tell he was plotting. He didn't seem surprised at Midna's declaration, and Midna wasn't surprised he wasn't surprised. Yuga stood and left the council room as everyone erupted into chaos.
Sheik sobered. If Midna repaired the mirror, what would they find? Even if Yuga hadn't destroyed the mirror himself, if it was found Lorule was involved in the suppression of the Twilight Realm, it would mean war. And Yuga looked far too unconcerned about that fact for being a leader of a poor, dying country.
Lorule had been falling apart for decades, half of it didn't even exist anymore, disintegrating into nothingness like fire into smoke. Their resources had been decimated due to the phenomenon. Hyrule had extended its help and resources to save their people. If this turned into a scandal, political upheaval was inevitable.
"What do you plan to do with the Triforce, Twilight Princess?" Johannes asked Midna through the chaotic discussions going around.
She shrugged. "He gave it to me. I see no reason to give it back." She glanced at Sheik, her eyes passing a secret, though Sheik couldn't figure it out. Midna had borrowed the Triforce from Vio, and she meant to give it back.
She wanted nothing whatever to do with Lorule's trinket.
Shadow sat on his couch at home, earphones on, listening to Radiohead. He was staring at the mass of homework on the coffee table, wondering how on earth he was going to catch up and if it was even worth it.
I think I'll just repeat 9th grade. But DANG IT, then I won't be in the same grade as Link and Sheik . . . Or my other friends. UGH.
He had sent an SOS to Sheik, but he wasn't here yet.
He stared at the papers, the numbers, the words he didn't recognize, the diagrams, the maps, the piles and piles and piles of reading.
I used to be good at this. At the academy.
Vaati would help me, if he was here.
He frowned, slouching until he was almost falling off the couch. He tossed the papers aside. "Aaaugh!"
The door organ blared. Shadow dragged his lazy brains off the couch and to the front door and threw it open.
"Hey there, bro!" Sheik waved from the porch.
"BROOOOO! You here to rescue me?" Shadow fell forward, arms out. Sheik caught him with an "Oof!"
"Haha, yeah."
They went inside and Sheik looked over everything, eyes getting bigger and bigger the further behind he found Shadow was. "Have mercy on us, sweet Nayru."
"I'm doomed!" Shadow lay sprawled on the couch, hands covering his face. "I'm gonna be in 9th grade and you and Link are gonna be in 10th and it's gonna SUCK!"
"Well . . . I mean . . ." Sheik looked harder at the papers, beginning to organize them by subject and difficulty. "It's actually not really bad. Just shocking at first, considering how much I study for every exam and quiz. If I streamline it for you, though, it'll be possible. You'll be able to pass. And there's always summer school."
"Wow. Stuck studying while my best bros make memories. You realize how bored I was while you guys are at school and I was recovering, right?"
Sheik smiled sympathetically. "We'll do our best to avoid that, okay?"
"Okay."
"I got you, Shadow. I got your back."
Shadow finally grinned. "Thanks, prince."
After a half hour of Sheik tutoring him, Shadow started on his homework while Sheik sat silently by unless Shadow had a question. After another half hour of that, he glanced at Sheik with a blush and nervous smile. "Sorry I'm so boring."
Sheik started a little, as if surprised. Then he smiled warmly. "I don't mind."
"Aren't you bored?"
"It's ok. I'm glad I can help. I like being here with you, don't worry."
Sheik seemed so unconcerned that Shadow relaxed and returned to his work. Soon he was singing under his breath. After a while, singing wasn't helping him focus anymore. His brain was literally fried. "Okay, I think I can't do this anymore."
"Okay! Let's move on to Language, then."
"Uuuuugh!"
"Hey, you wanted to do this!"
"I knooooow, but uuuuuuugh!"
Sheik giggled. "It's not that bad!"
"It IS!"
Now Sheik laughed. "Is not!"
"IIIIIIS!"
Another organ chord blared at them, making them jump. "Who the heck?" Shadow wondered out loud.
Sheik wondered the same thing as Shadow went to the door. As soon as the door opened, Shadow's face went from wondering, to schocked, to alarmed.
"Who is it?" Sheik asked.
Somebody came in past Shadow, who sort of just half fell, havlgsidled out of the way.
It was Vio. "Hello, Shadow," he said. When he saw Sheik, he nodded. "Hello, Zelda. Sheik." There was enough of a pause between the names to cause a short pang, and Sheik wondered if the slip was intentional, Vio's way of gaining control in the room. Shadow was already shaken.
Sheik brushed it off. Vio wasn't supposed to be here. There was no one in the lab. Even so, the Hero made his way to the lab elevator.
"Dad's not here," Shadow said.
Vio paused and turned, eyebrows furrowed. "What?"
"He's at the council. They're discussing stuff today."
That's right, Sheik thought. Vio wasn't there.
"Oh," said Vio. He wasn't an official part of the lab team, and a minor, and not the Prince of Destiny. Sheik wasn't sure if anyone had really registered that he held the Triforce of Courage yet.
Clearly, Vio hadn't been told that the lab wasn't open today.
Good thing I'm here, Sheik thought. Or else Shadow would have to handle him alone, and THAT'S a bad idea. He stood up and walked over.
Vio looked ruffled, obviously disliking being shown a fool. Not that he was, but his pride sure seemed to see it that way. Something flashed across his eyes, though. Sheik's eyes narrowed as he thought what it could be.
Fear? No way. But . . . It's definitely fear. Of me? Of Shadow? Of—
Vio made a beeline back to the front door, but then his eyes glanced into the living room, and at all of Shadow's papers. He paused, his curiosity getting the better of him. He paused and adjusted his glasses. He looked at Shadow. "What are you doing?"
Shadow lowered his eyes, shrugging one shoulder. "Catching up on homework."
Vio looked back at the stack, eyes widening, a strong expression, even for him. "That's a lot of homework." He stepped ever so slightly closer to Shadow.
Sheik walked up until he stood right behind Shadow, staring hard at Vio, who took note with a furtive glance.
"I could do it for you," Vio said, softly. There was no menace in his tone, and his mouth barely moved. It wasn't normal.
"How is that gonna help me pass tests?!" Shadow asked. He shook his head and turned away, throwing a hand up into the air moodily.
Vio watched him go with a slight, fond grin. When he caught Sheik staring, he wiped his face clean, returning to his stoic glare.
"If you hurt him," Sheik said, quietly enough that Shadow couldn't hear, "I will zap you."
Now Vio smirked at him, stepping closer to size Sheik up. "The Princess of Destiny and the Hero at each other's throats. I wonder who would win?"
"The prince," Sheik responded confidently.
"Hey, what are you two talking about over there?!"
Vio glanced back at Shadow, but Sheik was still staring at Vio and said, "Leave."
When Vio looked back at him, he said nothing for a few moments. Sheik wasn't sure he would leave, but then he slowly closed his eyes, resigned, and turned to the door.
"Vio, are you coming or not?!"
Sheik spun. "I don't think that's—"
"Okay, I'm coming." Using Sheik's turned back as a distraction, Vio bounded around him and ran to Shadow's side like a dog on a leash. When he got there, he seemed as surprised as Sheik, and he glanced guiltily back at him.
I WILL ZAP YOU, Sheik's face said with burning eyes.
Vio's face darkened to an evil grin. He put an arm around Shadow and turned away from Sheik.
Sheik felt nauseous. What was he supposed to do? Text Ganondorf? He didn't even have his number, and if he asked Shadow for it . . .
"So what do I do here?" Shadow asked Vio, holding out his oldest language assignment.
"Um . . . I don't know." Vio actually sounded unsure, his voice soft.
What?! Genius Vio, unable to understand an assignment? Sheik stomped over and grabbed Shadow's assignment. "Gimme that!" He looked it over. Nothing wrong here. It was easy. "You just fill in the blanks and write a paragraph about what you read. It literally says so in the instructions." He raised an eyebrow at Vio.
Vio picked at a loose thread in the hem of his shirt. "I don't follow instructions very well."
Sheik's nose scrunched. "Okay." He sat down on the opposite side of Shadow.
Vio was acting really weird. He actually almost left—Sheik didn't think it was a feint to distract him. And now he admitted to a fault. He'd done that occasionally, when he had to, but always sounded frustrated or angry. Here he didn't sound like either. "Look," Sheik said, pointing at the assignment for Shadow's benefit. "This is a Picori phrase with one word missing. Can you guess what the phrase is without it?"
"Uh . . ."
"Sun or rain is good for the soul," Vio said.
"Right," Sheik said, deadpan. "Not your assignment."
"Right."
Sheik shook his head. He forgot that Vio liked to learn as much as he did. Once he understood how to do something, he could barely stop himself.
"So the missing word is rain," said Shadow confidently. "Based on the missing line above sun that would make it include all weather, in which case the phrase wouldn't be missing any words, but would still be incorrect."
"Do you know what it means?" Sheik asked.
"Yeah, it's about how life experiences are good for you, super cheesy."
Sheik grinned. "That's right! Good job!"
Shadow shook his head. "That one was easy. Vaati is Picori. I picked up some of it." He perused the next problem. "The next one is . . . Ancient Hylian. Also easy. Vaati spoke that, too, although I'm only good at hearing it. 'When . . . In . . . Use . . . Fire . . ."
The time passed without notice. Shadow instinctively leaned into Vio, who still had his arm around him, but loosely. Vio remained silent as Sheik instructed Shadow, until he was hunched over, head laying heavy on his fist, eyes half closed.
His arm around Shadow got heavier and heavier until finally Shadow saw how exhausted he was. "Vio, are you ok?"
Vio became more awake, slightly, took his head off his head and instead pinched the bridge of his nose. "Yeah, it's just these stupid meds," he said, uncharacteristically forthright.
Sheik yelled angrily, "Dude, are you high?!"
"Calm your tits, princess, they're antipsychotics and they're doctor approved."
"You're drugged up? Why?" Shadow asked gently, giving Vio's back a soft rub.
"Yeah, what's up?" Sheik joined. Maybe that's why Vio was acting so weird.
Vio actually looked a bit embarrassed. "Red found my lab. They made me do it."
"Are they working?" Sheik asked.
Vio scowled distastefully. "I dunno, this is the sixth one we've tried. The first one screwed with my brain so I couldn't think straight, then the next I couldn't sleep, then ANGRY all the time, then it was freaking spazzmeds for a month and this one I guess is ok but I sleep all the freaking time so if my brain is quiet!"
There it was. Vio's signature tone of frustration. He dragged a hand down his face, as if trying to wipe away the tiredness.
Shadow looked at him with a worried expression. "Is that why you haven't come by the last few days?"
"Yeah," Vio said, slightly slurred.
"Sounds pretty intense," Sheik admitted, leaning forward with his elbows on his knees. "But why do you need them?"
"Voices, violence, I don't know." Vio looked increasingly unable to keep his eyes open. Shadow was starting to say something when Vio interrupted, "Can I—Can I just?" He leaned in front of Shadow, lowering down until his head was snuggled in Shadow's lap, hand curled next to his chin.
"Uh-sure!" Shadow said, in surprise, laying a hand on Vio's shoulder.
"Are you . . ." Sheik trailed off.
"Vio. Vio?" Shadow blinked down at him slowly. Vio didn't even flinch, eyes shut tight, mouth parted slightly, breathing slow and regular. "He's out," said Shadow, wonderingly. "He's completely out."
"Jeez," Sheik whispered.
It was a bit difficult to do homework with Vio laying on him like that, so he and Sheik watched cartoons instead, until Shadow's butt went go numb from being in one position so long. He tried to shift under Vio's weight, succeeding margin by margin until he was in another position.
Vio didn't wake.
"Why do you think he needs them?!" Shadow worried.
That was the other reason they weren't studying. Shadow was a worrier. Sheik held in a judgmental sigh. "He said antipsychotics, so probably some mental thing."
"What, like hallucinations and voices and shit?"
How did this turn into him calming Shadow down about his boyfriend? This started as a SIMPLE tutoring session between friends. "It doesn't always have to be that bad." Although, he glanced at Vio as he thought in his head, with him it might be. "Sounds like he's been through a lot."
"Dude, my butt doesn't even exist at this point, and my legs aren't far behind. He's so heavy!" He got his arms around Vio and slid out from under him with a grunt. "I'm sorry, Vio, but I can't do this."
"I don't think he minds," Sheik noted when Vio didn't react.
"Yeah . . ." Shadow took a seat between the couch and the coffee table, staring at his homework. "Now I can get back to studying." But he glanced with worry at Vio.
Sheik sighed again, sympathetically this time.
Ganondorf was dropped back off at the home later. He viewed the sleeping Vio and Shadow's innocent smile with a distasteful snarl, but said nothing.
Finally feeling safe enough to leave, since Ganondorf was back—wow, safe plus Ganondorf should NOT be used together EVER—Sheik left and instead of going home, he went to Groose's house.
Groose opened the door. His eyes were red and bleary. He looked relieved to see Sheik, especially dressed as a guy.
"Can we not fight?" Sheik asked, staring at his decimated thumbs.
Groose grinned, his puffy eyes threatening to spill over again. "Yeah!" He pulled Sheik into a hug.
A/N GASP conspiracyyy! If there's ever a sequel to this story, it'll incorporate the whole deal with Midna and Yuga. I'm not sure I'll be able to get to it, though. I'm adapting this to an original story now (super original plan, I know. Problematic. I KNOW.) I'm taking out all the magic stuff and making it a regular life story, which means more diversity in the races category! Everyone looks different, fair warning.
Anyway, you can catch it on Wattpad under the title Young Leaves by Jamie Lynn. It has a purple, weird cover I drew myself (don't judge meeeeeee lol). Only the first ten-ish chapters of this story have been adapted so far, and when I catch up completely, they might be so different from each other that I continue both, or just the original one. Who knows until we get there! If you're interested, give it a look-see and press the vote button, it'll help me out!
