Realms of Deceit
Altered States 2
A Legend of Zelda Fanfiction
By OJR
Part 1
Well…it's come full circle and it's time to start a new Zelda Story. Another SI again, but it wouldn't be a sequel otherwise. This one's going to be longer, deeper and have more twists, hopefully (Without sounding like a bad porn film O_o).
Disclaimery thingamajig – I own NOTHING to do with Zelda. Attempts to steal my work will result in DOOM.
It's been a year since the events that brought two worlds closer together. Our heroes have gotten on with their lives. Link is now crown prince of Hyrule, to his wife Princess Zelda. Jamie has returned to college, his battle lapsing into anecdote and his injuries healing into quaint battle scars. But, as we shall see, Happy Ever After is not an indefinite article, and our heroes will truly learn that the price of peace is eternal vigilance.
The building was surprisingly elegant, reminiscent of the intricate architecture of Hyrule's famous temples. Although it was a government facility, great pains had been taken to make it as easy on the eyes as possible. It was a free, if regulated, thoroughfare, with guards at the entrance of the marble hall. Within, statues of guardians, swords ready, stood either side of the inner doors, while a smaller door marked the entrance to the control room. Right now, as always, two technicians manned the room. They gazed at the monitors and opened the titanium shield. What was hidden, in the ornate stronghold, was the single most baffling thing ever to exist. It shimmered, like a ball of free floating, translucent water, ebbing and pulsing with an energy that could neither be quantified or explained. In time, it would be categorized, catalogued, manipulated and proven, but for now all that was known was that it was safe and it needed to be maintained very carefully. The swirl ebbed in a fashion familiar to the technicians, there was inbound traffic, and the soft blue warning lights illuminated the chamber, mingling with the light thrown off by the portal. Although it was totally bi-directional, you still didn't want to approach it while someone was travelling as, although objects could pass through the portal simultaneously, the instant they appeared at the other end they were solid, and anyone in the way would be bumped into. However, there was no obstacle, and the returning party would arrive safe in the knowledge that no one would be in the way as they stepped through.
"Welcome back ambassador." The technician cheerily called through the intercom from behind the bulletproof glass separating the portal chamber from the control room. The ambassador, named Michael Eddington, was a man in his mid thirties, with neat brown hair and an immaculately tailored suit. With him, there were two others, a severe looking dark haired woman in her twenties and a hulking, bald man carrying a large attaché case. The trio came to the door and the Ambassador touched a panel, apparently made of black marble set in the otherwise white room. The panel smoothly folded away from the wall, next to the massive double doors to the chamber, and was revealed to be a security terminal. Eddington placed his hand on the reader on the bottom of the terminal, and then swiped a magnetic card through a reader in the recess left by the terminal folding out.
"Welcome back, Ambassador Eddington" a crisp, female, voice greeted him from the terminal. The large doors silently slid back into the walls and the terminal folded into the wall again. They exited the chamber, passing by two armed guards before stepping into the spring sunshine. A Jaguar was waiting to pick them up. As the entered the vehicle the driver asked
"How was your trip sir?" to which Eddington replied, in measured, smooth tones
"Very enlightening Watson, very enlightening, now, take us to the Hyatt please, we have a schedule to keep."
The flowers were pretty today. Well, they were pretty every day but today they were particularly colourful. A heartless, analytical person may have told you that the colour or fragrance intensity, or the aesthetic features of the blooms had not changed noticeably since the day before, but this was about perspective. From Zelda's perspective, the flowers in her private little courtyard, overlooked by the throne room, were very pretty today. That's what being happy does to you, gives you a sunnier perspective on the world. The reason for Zelda being so happy was that the realm of Hyrule was peaceful, relations between Hyrule and Earth were as friendly and controlled as ever and her husband hadn't had to go off on some cockamamie crusade for some time now. The only thing that had worried her was the emergence of
unrest toward the "outsiders" and their "technology". She had called for calm and, as a witness to the good side of mankind, was granted that which she desired. It was understood that minimal technology would be allowed into Hyrule, lest it upset the balance of natural law. She stood up and stretched, her back arching slightly to get rid of the ache, her tummy bulge just starting to show under her loose gowns. It had been predicted that it would be a girl, and Zelda and Link had both decided to name the child Hope.
Stepping through the threshold to the castle library, she spotted Link engrossed in a book, smiling slightly. The book itself was a mighty volume and she could easily read the spine at the angle the book was held at.
"Waterfowl of Lake Hylia and surrounding Tributaries. I never guessed you'd be interested in ornithology hon." She smirked. He obviously wasn't reading the book, but rather that which was hidden inside it. She snatched up the comic.
"Gunsmith Cats…Jamie sent you this, didn't he?" Link looked sheepishly at her.
"I had to get a few copies, I really like the 'action girl' thing, and it's giving me an insight into Earth combat techniques…"
"I doubt a picture-story would give you much insight, you just like to ogle the pictures and giggle at the action…Father would be very mad if he knew you were smuggling unsanctioned literature…" Link stood up with a lopsided grin on his face, slid an arm around her waist and plucked the comic from her hand.
"Well, I'll have to try and make you forget about it…I wonder what I could do…"
"Don't even think about getting amorous with me Link of Hyrule…" He looked at her with pleading, puppy dog eyes.
"I've hardly been through the portal since we went, I don't get any contact, and I'm so intrigued by it all…"
"You've got responsibilities here" she laid his hand on her abdomen "When the novelty and unrest has died down, then we'll be truly integrated and you can visit often…" Link sagged a little in defeat, she wasn't the Princess on looks alone, if anyone could negotiate, mediate or coerce better than Zelda he'd eat his hat. She smiled and brushed her lips on his. She spoke in barely a whisper.
"Keep them hidden and let me read them and I'll 'forget' about them, a rather convenient phenomena wouldn't you say?" He stifled a giggle at her words.
"Manga induced amnesia…we must notify a healer!" The both laughed openly and sat down, both reading the present from the other side.
Jamie stared at the page blankly, eyes bleary with fatigue. He looked into the middle distance, twiddled the pen in his fingers, chewed his lip, and then gave up. He'd had enough of Kirchoffs Laws and Conservation of Energy to last him a lifetime, and found it no small relief when the bell rang for the end of class. He hurriedly packed his things away and slapped his homework on the front desk, jogging out to the front of the physics block. Waving goodbye to his friends he walked down the street to the bus stops. He looked different now, more confident, hair cut short and bleached, wearing a leather jacket and a smile. Carefree, and with a spring in his step, he revelled in the fact that he had two weeks off. Two weeks to mess around, go out, stay in, lounge around, do anything he wanted. Some may have said that college was a waste of his time, that he wouldn't need an education. His bank account, which had remained relatively untouched, was bulging, but the money was a gift he did not intend to use yet. Ambitions to do what he wanted with his life drove him on, and the security of not having to worry about his future too much allowed him to take life as it came. Still, he felt a tad empty, life having been normal since the fateful days a year ago. He'd not so much as been accosted by a mugger since then, but he kept up his regime anyway. He'd been even more inspired by Link to continue training in the martial arts, especially honing his sword skills. How he wished he could spar with Link again, who was still probably streets away from him in terms of skill. He'd not heard from his regal friends for six months now, and this hung heavy on his heart.
Stepping onto the bus he chose a seat at the back and let himself doze quietly off, the long journey home was a good chance to get an hours shuteye. The gentle rumbling and warmth of the engine lulled him like a baby cradle, but he instinctively knew when he had to wake up. He'd only ever missed the stop once, and ended up halfway to Birmingham before he'd realised he'd missed his stop. Getting off the bus by the park, he smiled wanly at this fragment of a memory. It wasn't the only memory that cropped up, a much more frequent one was the stabbing pain he'd felt when his evil double had run him through. The memory had haunted his dreams for months, and cold sweats were common a while ago. But that was behind him, and Easter break was before him, and that was all that mattered right now.
"Mr Eddington, so happy to see you back safely from your trip. You are in a very privileged position, I hope you appreciate it." The man in the suit smiled, in the manner of a shark looking at a baby seal. His brown hair was oiled back and the small, circular glasses perched on his snub nose. He had a round head, and was generally stocky, but wore the Armani he had like he was born into it.
"Why yes, Mr Jones, it was very enlightening, a tour of the castle grounds and an inspection of the Royal guard." Eddington hated the guts of the man opposite him, but you couldn't pick your business partners. He had the resources and funding and Eddington had the influence and position. The plan was audacious, to say the least, but only audacity and risk would reap the highest reward. And what Eddington knew was all that was needed to get the ball rolling.
"Did you find anything else useful out?" Jones motioned toward the briefcase. Two men standing behind him in the spacious hotel room looked down at Eddington with predatory gazes. Eddington's associates also bore stony faces, and an air of tension always hung when meetings such as this were conducted. Eddington eased back in the large leather chair and picked up his coffee.
"Gordon, would you show Mr Jones exactly what we found on our trip?" The large, bald man, who looked like he'd just eaten a large plate of barbed wire, opened the attaché case and pulled out a little velvet bag. He emptied the contents into the case. Jones' eyes lit up almost as much as the items he saw, each mirroring the others sparkle.
"They're beautiful…" Jones was beaming
"They're flawless…and…they're all over the place over there…they use them as money." Eddington slowly smiled, not so much for effect, but for the fact that he didn't do it very often.
"So it's true, the mineral resources there are truly astronomical" Jones sounded like a kid in a toyshop.
"It's a literal goldmine, and once we're done, we're going to have control over it all."
"A state visit? But I saw no such thing scheduled for…" Zelda looked bemusedly at her father.
"It will be a very low key affair, you'll be going to meet some of the local people of Earth…"
"But father…I hate all those bureaucrats…they're as bad as the town councillors…" She pouted.
"Ah, you misunderstand me my dear…there will be little in the way of an official welcoming, think of it as a reconnaissance mission." He winked.
"Oh…I see…and therefore nobody other than palace staff will be notified?"
"Of course…for security…you will be supplied with security of course."
"Of what nature Father?"
"Of the best, noblest and most trusted nature my dear. The mission should take about two weeks."
"I'll begin preparations immediately." She smiled widely, pearly teeth glinting. She whispered
"Thank you Father"
*Ding Dong*
The doorbell sounded again
*Ding dong ding dong*
Jamie thumped down the stairs and opened the door. His eyes weren't quite adjusted to the silhouetting effect so he asked.
"Yes? What can I do for you?" The reply he got was very unexpected.
"Is that any way to greet a friend?" Jamie's eyes widened and he lunged forward, grabbing the visitors by the necks and hugging them tight.
"LINK! ZELDA! How? Where?" He could hardly contain his excitement "Come in, come in!" He ushered them into the living room, now tastefully decorated and furnished. Link smiled, after placing his large bag by the couch.
"It seems both our parents were in contact about strengthening relations, they planned this a month in advance." Link beamed.
"Oh guys, it's great to see you…Zelda, you're looking…knocked up?" Jamie looked at the bump under the shirt she wore. She giggled.
"Oh, so you noticed? We're very proud, it's going to be great hearing the patter of tiny feet." Jamie jumped up.
"We've got to celebrate! I'll make reservations…get a limo…and some guests…"
"What you'll do" said Link "is calm down and tell us all about what you've been doing since we last met."