Harsh Reality
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By Zel the Stampede
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I'm so glad everybody's enjoying the story! (I honestly didn't think so many people would like it.)
Disclaimer: I hate these things, standards apply and you know the drill.
Okay, a viewer asked me to write more content following Hyrule Navi and her exploits and so at least a good half of this chapter is dedicated to that, but remember, this story runs on two different plot-lines so they're like two different stories. (And writer's block has planted itself firmly over Hyrule Navi's future. Evil thing!)
Face – Vash is my beloved namesake!
R&R!
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Chapter 6: Revelation
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"Nabooru!"
The redheaded nurse started, nearly losing her mug of coffee in the process. Displeasure crept into her voice and she grumbled, "Yes, Doctor?"
"Where is Riles?" Dragmire demanded.
"Outside," Nabooru said, fingering the ruby hoop hanging from her earlobe, "The substitute nurse on duty, Ms. Impa, thought it would be best for him." Dragmire halted, fixing the R.N. in a pointed glare, "Who?"
"Ms. Impa," Nabooru said again, "you assigned her yourself!" She tossed the thick braid of fiery hair away from her cinnamon face and over her shoulder, "Anyway, sir, my shift is over, whatever happens is no longer my concern." Nabooru turned away haughtily, yanking on her coat before heading down the hall, two-inch heels clicking merrily as she went.
The skies were steel gray as Nabooru trekked across the parking lot, feeling through the pockets of her trench coat before pulling a set of keys from the beige folds. She sighed, pearls of rain striking the windshield as she forced the keys into the ignition, leaving the car on appliances. 'The weather's been so crazy lately,' she sought through static and fuzz for an acceptable station, "Meteorologists predict more rain as a mysterious storm system has appeared over the city. Bring your umbrellas! Forecasts show as much as three or four inches tomorrow and cloudy skies-'Objects in the rear view mirror may appear closer than they are'-'It's the End of the World as we know it!'-" Nabooru groaned, "Nothing good's playing today."
She gave the keys another sharp turn, the engine roaring to life, and pulled out of the space, veering towards the exit.
* * *
The blue velvet sky was sparkling with diamonds above the vast desert, crystal clear and sharp as glass. Navi shivered, the spring water was ice crawling up her legs as she wadded. Thick-witted underlings, floating in their gowns of pink gossamer, placidly waiting for her to come to them when she was the one wounded here. Navi scowled, fiddling with the silken ties of her outfit, scarlet rising in her cheeks. 'I can't believe they made me-'
"Come, Mistress Navi," one of the rose-colored healers said gently, "if we cannot examine the wound fully, we cannot properly heal it." Blushing fiercely, Navi picked reluctantly at the manifold of silver buttons.
"There's a good girl," a second said benevolently, touching the delicate area before trailing a slim hand over the shattered wing. A brilliant silver netting settled over the bruised regions, drawing the raw gashes closed again.
"All better!" a fairy said happily, Navi, still flushed, hastily tugged the lacy, spider-web dress over her head, huffing as the healers advanced on shore.
"Much thanks to you, Mr. Sheik," the cluster of doctoring fairies fell in a collective bow, "We've been asleep for a long time, thank you for replenishing our fountain."-Another bow-"If you'll accept her, we'll gladly send one of our sisters to aid you in your times of need."-another bow-"We pray you are victorious in your quest. Farewell." With a final bend, they vanished, all but one, a very small one, identical to her fellows, clad in the flowing gown of rose-colored satin with bells embroidered in the golden brocade and tiny, feathery wings protruding from the coral billows. Navi cocked an eyebrow, how did they fly with those pint-size excuses for wings?
"Feeling better, Fairy girl?" Sheik asked.
"Much," Navi rested aloft in the air above the pool, examining her reflection in the wavering surface below.
"Good, we'd better get moving." Navi nodded and turned to the healer fairy floating a ways from her. "Just keep up and try not to get in the way!" she scolded. The fairy hid her hands in her huge sleeves and nodded quickly. Navi hovered just behind Sheik's shoulder, "Good! Now come on!" The pixie gave another rushed nod and sped after them. Sheik rolled his eyes heavenward, Navi was herself again, a dauntless cynic.
"Tell me, fairy girl," he began softly, "Shall we take the road of pins or the road of needles?"
"They're both sharp objects," Navi replied after a while.
"Are pins not duller than needles?" Navi furrowed her brow, folding her arms over her breast crossly, "What are you talking?"
"The witches might be expecting us," Sheik explained, "We'll take the road of needles."
"B-but, what is that!" Navi asked irked. Sheik laughed, rounding about to the size of the Spirit Temple, "There's more than one way into this temple." The healer fairy's bells tittered nervously as she fluttered after her fellows. Sheik frowned, carefully examining a section of wall. Navi sighed heavily and glared at the unfortunate red fairy, "Do you have a name?" The fairy blushed, bubblegum-pink curls framed the porcelain face, and mumbled beneath her breath.
"What?" Navi demanded, cupping a hand about her ear.
"Aife, my name is Aife," Aife said louder.
"Geez, no need to shout," Navi said dryly. Meanwhile, Sheik traveled over the weathered brick with tentative fingers, brushing slits in the rock. 'If I remember, if I forget, and if I should die tomorrow, my words will always wait for me.' With a smug little grin, Sheik drew a small dagger from a hidden pocket and wedged it in the space between the bricks. The bricks groaned, the mortar crumbling as they slid away from each other, opening a wide rift in the stone and written in shaky Sheikiah writing above was 'The Path of Needles, beware the wolf.'
"The wolf?" Navi asked faltering.
"Oh, don't worry," Sheik assured, "he's been dead for ages." Aife was shaking like a leaf; red fairies didn't go on rescue missions…at least not without being safely inside their bottles.
Sheik slithered inside the narrow crack, a cramped, dark tunnel lay beyond, it's end lost in shadow. Navi squinted into the black, "Hey, Sheik, why do they call this the 'Path of Needles'-" Navi stopped short, the air choked from her lungs, a withered skeleton, tattered bits of cloth clinging to the white bones, grinned at her, a jagged barb driven through its broken skull. Aife was white as a sheet, her bells singing as she trembled.
Thousands of spikes, filthy and black, a few splattered with rusty brown, jutted from the walls, ceilings and some from the notched floor.
"Answer your question?" Sheik smirked, maneuvering around the skewers with painstaking care. Aife could hardly move, rigid with fright, looking about ready to cry. Navi sighed and gave the fairy a shove, "Come on! We're too small to get caught anyway!" Her words gave the timid fairy courage and ever so slowly they continued through the Path of Needles.
"This tunnel will take us right below the boss room," Sheik said, slipping past a particularly nasty set of thorns, "and with any luck, we can catch the witches by surprise."
"And save Link?" Navi asked expectantly.
"Hopefully, if there's a 'Link' to save," Sheik answered.
"Don't say things like that!" Navi chided, "Link's just fine."
The tunnels were a sea of mazes an endless labyrinth branching left and right, each new corridor lined with the deadly spears. The passage twisted on, before halting the party with a dead-end, a solid wall of spikes.
"Are we lost?" Navi asked apprehensively. Aife sank down on the floor and did cry, smoothing away her tears with her silky sleeve, "Poor Mr. Link…"
"No, we're not lost," Sheik said gruffly, "just inconvenienced." The Sheikiah hardened with determination and mindful of the iron stakes, he seized one of the darts and delicately scaled up the obstacle.
"Be careful, Sheik!" Navi warned, Aife was crying again. Sheik flinched spines grazed his skin as he crawled towards the ceiling. A dark space stood alone unadorned with spikes and Sheik cautiously lifted the ancient slab, dust and grime raining down as the block shuddered. The stubborn stone gave way and Sheik eased it over the red-golden cobblestones of Twinrova's lair.
Fire licked the inside of his lungs as Sheik inhaled. Heavy clouds of incense shimmered in the hazy luster of candlelight while droning voices crooned wordless mantras. The chamber had become a witch's parlor.
"Now what?" Navi whispered, lingering above the hole.
"Tell me, fairy girl, what do you see?" Sheik murmured. Navi hovered a bit higher, her face lighting up, "I see him! I see Link! He's looks terrible…dead-pale!"
"The witches?" Sheik urged.
"They're chanting something, it's in a very old language, I can't make it out!" Navi said, straining to listen.
"Are they alone?"
"Yes, just the two old bats and Link. They must have put a spell on him!" Navi clenched her teeth and made a fist, "They'll pay."
"Revenge will have to wait," he said softly, "you two stay here." Sheik climbed out of the hole and slunk along the lower floor to Twinrova's platform.
"Where are you going?" Navi hissed. Sheik grinned, "To say 'hello'." Navi plopped on the ground, Aife barely visible over the rim of the shaft, "Good luck, Sheik, please save Link."
* * *
Navi was asleep, deep in dream, when Malon slipped out of the room. Lightly massaging her sore temples, passing a group of nurses discussing the latest romance novel or something over mocha lattes.
She opened the door to Dragmire's office, the man's retreat, central of all things neat and prim, "Ganondorf?"
"Here, Dr. Kit," Dragmire appeared from the bowels of the tidy study, a heavy volume of medical text in one hand.
"I spoke with Navi," Malon began, "she said Link did not hurt her, she saw a monster."
"A monster?" Dragmire raised a bushy eyebrow.
"Ms. Wicket was brought the institute for severe hallucinations as a result of extreme mental trauma," Malon went on dully, "so of course she would see-"
"An interesting assumption, Dr. Kit." Dragmire closed the book sharply, dust erupting from the aged pages, "but you know as well as I, Riles is highly unstable."
"But, Doctor-"
"Malon, please," Dragmire sighed heavily, "I do this for the good of the patients." Malon seethed, "I don't believe he did it, doctor." Dragmire relaxed into the leather armchair behind the giant oaken desk, centerpiece of his haven, "What makes you so sure?"
"Navi-Ms. Wicket trusts him very much-"
"How would that stop him?"
"Let me speak!" Malon ordered angrily, "he's her friend. She trusts him and I-I don't think someone like him could possibly do something so awful!" Dragmire frowned, "Dr. Kit, you recently got married, didn't you?" Malon started, "Uh-yes, a month this Saturday."
"I see," Ganondorf glanced at her, "You and Aydin finally tied the knot?"
"Yes, yeah, we did," Malon said, shifting her weight nervously.
"I'll bet he misses you," Ganondorf said gently. Malon was taken aback, "What-"
"You work yourself too hard, Malon," Ganondorf said smoothly, "you're a newlywed! You should be spending your time with your new husband! Not rotting in this old building-"
"But-"
Ganondorf hushed her, "Now why not take a vacation? Drive into the city for a fancy dinner? Or better yet, why not go away for the weekend? Just the two of you?"
Malon was stumbling over her words, "On such short notice! I couldn't-"
"You have nothing to worry over," he assured, "the clinic's in perfectly capable hands. I'll handle all the bugs in the system." Malon went to protest, "Dragmire, I can't-"
"There are shadows under your eyes," Dragmire said, "not very becoming for your complexion." Malon frowned, "You-you-Argh!"
The door slammed with a thunder that rippled through the halls, startling the circle of nurses gossiping.
"Ass," Malon growled, thumping a fist against the wall, "How dare you, Dragmire! I have as much a right to be a part of this as you do! Navi Wicket is my patient! What makes him think he can take my influence in the situation away?" Malon sneered, storming down the hall, "That bastard."
End of Chapter 6Not much longer now, everybody! About three or four more chapters and it's all done!
Please review!
Zel the StampedeNext Chapter: Misery Loves Company
