Now, two souls are fiercely entangled in battle…
Why did I start with that? (Beats me)
I'm sorry it took me a little linger than normally, but the reason for my delay, is that I bought Soul Calibur 2! It's so great! I'm not saying this only because Link's in it, but because it really is awesome. I could play that game for hours and never get bored! OK, enough the praising.
I thought about making a special after this episode. It would be all the main characters interviewed, but I don't know would it be good. And I don't know if I would be copying someone… Maybe I should just make a special episode or something, but I want to celebrate the fact that I've written five episodes! So, if you have any ideas or think this would be great, tell me, ok? However,
Thanks so supermuch for the feedback again!
RavenGhost: Marth is dead? No, at least not yet! And don't worry, I'm not planning to get rid of him anytime soon!
The fish, the bat-boy, and the mutt: That's a good idea! I'll use those cages on my kid brother when he gets annoying again… Hee-hee….Yeah… *snaps out of it* Uh, however, great that you like it!
Sagesumi: You don't think it's a good idea? Young Link/ Marth? Pairing Young Link is pretty hard, because there isn't anyone his age who'd be as cute as he is… Well, let's see what Marth's got to say about Young Link's feelings… (Marth: "Mmpppff! Mmmppf!") Oh, you've read the "Triangle?" Oh, the shame! That's such a crappy story! I've been slowly writing the next chapter… It still takes me a while… Oh, crap…
--- --- ---
The creature didn't follow the noble to the light. It turned around and went back upstairs, moving to the closest door and went in.
---
"What!?" Marth flew on his back in surprise.
"What?" Young Link jumped down from the chair he'd been standing on.
"You-you sent me that letter!?" The prince almost screamed.
"Yeah…" The elven boy was hurt by his reaction and returned to sit around the table and took a long drink from his milk bottle.
"I-I mean… Uh… I… Um…"
"Yeah, I know. You don't love me because I'm just a child." The boy said with tears in his voice.
Marth stood up and tried to collect himself. He had had to tell many girls before that he didn't love them, he could handle a little boy. If he wasn't so damn cute, sitting around that table, looking so small and vulnerable…
Collect yourself!
"Uh, Young Link…"
The small Hylian looked away from him.
"I… I'm sorry that I reacted like that… It's just that it happened so quickly… I never thought that--"
"I'm going to sleep." Young Link ran past him upstairs before he could even try to stop him.
"Young Link!" Marth shouted upstairs. "…Oh no…" He picked up his blanket and went to the couch his mind invaded with the thoughts of the young elf.
--
In the morning, Link woke up, the general's head on his chest. The boy was still sound asleep, he didn't need to wake up and go to have breakfast downstairs at all. The Hylian lifted his head gently off and turned him on his other side.
"Damn… I thought I got you pinned there…" Roy said drowsily with a smile in his voice.
"Good morning." The elf gave him a kiss on his temple before starting to dress up.
"Mm-hm…"
"You should wake up too. You can't sleep the whole day."
"Yeah, I can…" Roy turned his side and stole Link's tunic before he could put it on. He held it tight against his chest. "So do you know how Marth reacted to the letter?"
"No, I have no idea. But I guess he didn't feel the same as Mini-me." The Hylian tried to get his tunic back, but the general hid it behind his back with a cunning smile on his face. "But I'm more worried about Ness…Come on, give it to me!"
"No, not yet! What about Ness?"
"He didn't show himself at all yesterday. I think I'll ask Marth to go to Haine and ask if someone's seen him while I do some snooping around here."
"Maybe he got enough of the tournament and left. Just like that." Roy pulled the blonde on top of him, immediately groaning from the pain on his wound. Link took the tunic from him and sat up, caressing the wound carefully.
"Don't do that. You're still weak. And I don't think Ness ran away. He seemed to enjoy the tournament. He's got no reason to do that."
"What if Young Link confessed his love to him too?"
The Hylian lifted his eyebrow. "He loves Marth. He's like me, loves only one." He gave a smooch to Roy, who took a cat-like smile on his face, enjoying the fact that he wouldn't need to get up at all.
"Well, do whatever you want. I think he's escaped and he'll be back when he realises that the way home is too long to go by foot." The redheaded general closed his eyes and started to drift to sleep again.
"You seem to care a lot." Link said derisively.
"Hey, Ness's not stupid. And where else could he possibly be?"
"In the painting."
"Oh god." Roy groaned like in pain to show that he didn't believe.
"I'll be right back with your breakfast." The Hylian said from the door before leaving.
He walked down the corridor when Young Link came from his room, rubbing his eyes.
"Hi, Mini-me." He said cheerfully. "So, did you tell him who sent the letter?"
"I don't want to talk about it here." The small elf said, having a sad expression on his face.
"So… It didn't go well?" Link asked carefully.
"I already said that I don't want to talk about it."
"Oh, okay." So it really didn't go well. Not well at all.
"…I'm hungry. Let's go have some breakfast."
"Okay." The Hero said, starting towards the stairs again, but stopped when he spotted another painting in the end of the corridor. He looked at it for a while, knowing that it hadn't been there yesterday.
This can't be anything else…
"Hey, Mini."
"What?"
"Was that painting there yesterday?" He pointed at a painting of Captain Falcon sitting on a chair and holding a glass of wine.
"No, I don't think so…" Young Link ran to the painting, glad that Link had let the matter about Marth drop. "Eww, it smells too!"
"But this isn't the smell of a newly painted painting… Could it be…sugar?" Link had reached him and thought of Roy licking his finger. He pushed the thought away from his mind to avoid getting any dirtier thoughts.
"Mm… yeah. I think it could be syrup. But why would a painting smell like syrup?"
"That's what I've been trying to find out since yesterday."
They sat in the same table with Marth because Link insisted. Young Link looked like he was very uneasy, when the prince greeted him. A blush spread on his face slowly, he was clearly regretting what he had done yesterday.
"Hey, Marth, could you do me a favour?" The Hylian asked.
"Uh, what kind of a favour?" The cobalt eyed man was feeling a bit uneasy as well.
"Could you go to Haine and ask if anyone's seen Ness? And also talk to the person who's painted the painting's upstairs…"
"Yeah, sure." Marth nodded, glancing quickly at the small elf. "Would you come with me, Young Link?"
"I…uh…"
"Come on, go! It will do good for you too to go out of this building at times!" Link winked at the prince of Althea, who looked at him with a grateful look.
"…okay…" The small elven boy said, avoiding their gazes.
"Good!" The Hylian Hero stood up and took his plate. "I think you two have something to talk about too. So no hurry to come back."
"Uh, okay." The noble said, thanking the elf again with his look.
---
The two walked down a street in Haine, looking for an art gallery. Marth had decided to have a little chat with the one who'd painted the paintings to understand why he brought them to the building wet. Young Link hadn't said anything recognisable during the whole time they'd spent in the town and the prince had decided to talk about it when they could be alone, in peace.
"Hey, is that an art gallery?" He said, pointing at a house with a sign that read: 'Vincent's Vision of the World'
Young Link grunted. Marth sighed as they entered the gallery and he asked to meet the artist himself. The tall, thin and frail-looking man walked to them, his ruby eyes gazing at them with a questioning look. His long black hair was open on his back.
"What do you want?" He asked, his voice polite.
"I am Marth Lowell and this is Young Link. We come from the Smash Building. I assume you're the one who painted Princess Zelda to us?" Marth said respectfully, bowing. The small elf bowed with him, not really knowing should he do that.
"Yes, I painted her. She was a beautiful model. Is there something wrong with the painting?" The black haired man asked. A large dog-like creature came next to him and sat down, it's pitch-black fur fluttering. It looked at the two like it was ready to attack any second and rip them into millions of pieces. Young Link tried to pat it, but it backed away, letting out a quiet growl.
"Well, not with it, but I assume you also painted a painting about a famous F-Zero driver and a boy with a cap, right?" Marth tried to ignore the presence of the huge dog, but couldn't help the shivers running down his back.
"Yes, I did."
"Well, they were both wet when they were brought and the smell of the wet paint has caused a lot of headaches." The prince of Althea made up. "And I was just wondering why did you bring them wet?"
"Princesses Peach and Zelda both insisted that I'd need to be fast to paint all of your pictures. They wanted to get them as quickly as possible. But the paint I use shouldn't cause any headaches, Your Highness, for it's made of syrup."
"Syrup?" Marth lifted his eyebrows. He was starting to enjoy investigating.
"Yes. Let me show you." The tall man guided them to his workroom, where a girl sat in a very expensive dress, waiting for him to paint her. "This is Linda, the mayor's daughter."
The girl nodded a small mile spreading to her face. The noble smiled back to her, bowing slightly.
"Smell this." Vincent lifted a can of something brown in his hands and let the two smell it.
"It smells like the paintings!" Young Link said excitedly.
"It really is syrup. But how can someone paint with syrup?" The cobalt eyed man asked, feeling glad that the small elf had opened his mouth finally.
"Well, it's not exactly syrup. This is a very expensive paint only Poes in Kakariko Village can make. Only thing we know for sure is that it contains syrup, other ingredients are known only by the poes."
"Oh… Why is it so expensive?" The little blonde wanted to eat something sugary after smelling the liquid. He thought of asking Marth to buy him ice cream after they would get out of that place. He saw the large dog coming to the room again, it went sitting next to the prince of Althea, looking at him appealingly.
"Because it makes the paintings live." The ruby eyed man's corner of the mouth turned a bit up, maybe he was smiling. Marth gasped as he saw the unfinished painting do the same.
---
Link had dragged Zelda to the garden, talking about various things, how the sky was blue and the grass green and how he enjoyed listening to birds singing. Suddenly he commanded the princess to sit down and watched as she hesitated for a moment, then sat down on the bench behind her, looking a bit nervous.
"What is it, Link?" She was trying to be as calm as possible, but something was making her nervous.
"I want to hear about the paintings." The Hylian sat down on the grass that was the same colour as his tunic. "I want to hear everything about them."
"But… but there's nothing to be told. Link, why are you asking me this?"
"Then I ask some questions. Why do the paintings come to the building at night?"
"Uh… The artist works at night. Link, is everything alright?"
"Yeah, why does he bring the paintings wet?"
"Link! What's wrong with you?" The Hylian princess stood up, but the elf commanded her to sit again.
"Zelda, smashers are missing. Ness's missing, Captain Falcon's missing. It all started when the painting of you came. I'm trying to find out what's going on here."
"It… has nothing to do with the paintings!"
"How can it be that Captain Falcon and Ness are both gone and there are paintings of them on the corridor wall?" Link asked, not letting Zelda think at all what to say.
"Link… uh… We--"
"Zelda!" Someone called. The princess shut her mouth, realising that she had almost blurted it out. She felt sorry for the need to be like that to her close friend, the one who had stood next to her when fighting against Ganondorf, but this was none of his business.
"Yeah, I'm here!" She answered and saw how Link buried his head in his hands. Soon Peach ran to them, looking a bit scared to find the two of them alone. She shot a glare at her friend, like to remind that it was confidential.
"Um… Am I interfering something romantic?" The princess of Mushroom Kingdom teased.
"Yes, you are. I need to talk to Zelda. Alone." The Hero said, not even trying to sound friendly.
"Well, I'm sorry, but I need to borrow her for a while. A new painting's been brought."
"What?" Zelda stood up, her eyes wide. "Who?"
"Mewtwo." Peach left, the other princess following close behind. When they'd left, Link decided to talk a little with Roy, although the boy wouldn't believe him, he'd know more about paintings and art than he did. And, the elf smiled as he though that he could spend a few moments with his beloved, all alone. He thought about the shower that they'd had, still feeling the warmth of the general on his skin.
He entered the redhead's room, finding Dr. Mario sitting on the edge of his bed. He sighed disappointedly, catching a look from Roy.
"Hi, Link. You find anything on the paintings?" The boy said, holding his hand so that the doctor could give him the injection.
"No, not yet. How are you?" He asked without even thinking about it, and smiled when the general rolled his eyes and sighed.
"Okay, now lay down-a and try to get some sleep. You'll feel–a dizzy, the painkiller is a strong one. Sleep if you-a feel like it. It will-a only do you good." The short plumber stood up, watching the boy lay down and snort. "Link?"
"Hm?" The Hylian tore his eyes off Roy, who seemed to fall asleep any time now.
"If you've got nothing else to do, could you watch over him like usually? I promised to train with Pikachu today."
"Yeah, sure. I'll be here." Link said as he walked next to the bed and sat down. When the doctor had left and closed the door, he let his finger trail the redhead's cheek. Roy opened his eyes, looking a bit drowsy.
"Link…"
"Yeah?" The blonde let his finger go lower by Roy's mouth and to his neck, looking at him gently.
"What did you really find? Although I'm forced to lay on this bed all night and all day doesn't mean that I shouldn't know what's going on. You're clearly not telling me everything."
"I couldn't when Dr. Mario was here." Link said.
"Well, now he's not."
"You still won't believe me, but this is what I think: The princesses seem to know why the smashers are disappearing, but they won't speak about it. And I guess I can now say for sure that a creature called Shadow might be behind this."
"Shadow?"
"It's a story I heard when I was little. It's a creature that eats shadows, thus the name. When it's just a small one, it's pretty harmless, but as it grows, it becomes very dangerous. At first light makes it weak, but as it grows the effect of light on it decreases. It's also known for the thing that it can hide in almost everything. After it's eaten a shadow, it stores the bodies in somet--"
"Then it cooks porridge and dances lambda to curse their souls." Roy said scornfully.
"Please, shh." The Hylian put his finger on the general's mouth, he didn't want to hear any of that. The redhead seemed to understand him, not pouting at all. He closed his eyes, waiting for Link to continue.
"So it stores the bodies for later eating. Maybe it waits for them to rot a little so that they would be easier to eat. I think that this Shadow that's come to us is hiding in the painting of Zelda."
Roy slipped his hands behind him and pulled him over him. Link tried to get up, but when he saw that his beloved wasn't in pain gave up.
"Dr. Mario just gave me painkillers. I can't feel anything on the wound." The general answered to the question he'd seen in the blonde's eyes.
"I can't stop thinking about the Shadow." Link said and he heard how his love sighed. "I'm sorry, Roy."
"Think about the shower." The redhead said, feeling how his cheeks started to burn.
"It was nice…" Link looked into Roy's sapphire blue eyes and touched his lips with his own gently, embracing him into a kiss. When the kiss ended, he bit his bottom lip playfully. "I could do it again anytime." He watched the boy's blush deepen with an amused expression. He wanted to be there, be held by Roy, but knew that he'd need to get off eventually. He decided to enjoy the sensation as long as it was possible.
---
Marth sat on a bench in a small park next to Young Link, watching the boy consume his ice cream with a child's devotion. He'd crushed that sweet, small heart inside that elf. In the letter the boy'd told him that he'd discovered his feelings not long ago, but thought that he knew what love was. The prince of Althea looked at his feet. Had he been Young Link's first love? And why had he acted like a jerk?
For god's sakes, he confessed his love to me! And I scream like someone's trying to kill me!
"Young Link…" he began. The elven boy turned to look at him. "I'm sorry."
"About what?"
"I was such a jerk last night. I--"
"It's okay." Young Link said quickly, his hands had started to tremble.
"No, it's not okay. We need to talk about this. And I want you to forgive me for being such an--"
"You're forgiven."
"I also want to speak about the …love between us. Are you listening?" The noble tried to look into the elf's eyes, but he kept avoiding his gaze.
Young Link nodded.
"You and I… as you said in your letter, we're really different. The worst thing is the age gap between us. You're 10 and I'm 21… It's eleven years, more than twice your age."
"I don't care." The boy held his tears back clearly. Marth pulled the small blonde near, who started to sob incoherently against his chest, repeating that he didn't care and that if truly loved someone age didn't matter. The cobalt eyes became cloudy as he pressed Young Link tighter against himself, not knowing what to say to comfort him.
---
They returned to the Smash Building right before dinner, Marth feeling a bit better than in the morning, but as he remembered the paintings, he felt how it was going away. Somehow the paintings would need to go. His eyes were playing tricks on him all the time. He had become paranoid, seeing every painting blink and laugh and look at him. That just wasn't possible. He sat in the dinner table thinking about that as he was eating with the both elven boys and Ganondorf.
"Did you see any animals there?" Link asked as they told him what had happened in 'Vincen't Vision of the World.'
"Animals?" Both stared at the Hero with confused expressions and widened eyes.
"Oh, there was a huge dog!" The small blonde acted like a dog. "It was huge! And it followed Marth everywhere."
"Are you sure it was a dog?"
"Well, it looked like a cat, but it was so big that there was no way it could've been one." The prince said. "And there were purple spots on its body. Maybe paint."
Link looked at his glass. "Marth, don't be alone today, okay?"
"Why?"
"If the cat followed you, you're in danger."
"Link, I enjoy knowing that you're a nutcase." Ganondorf said, smiling.
"I'm not crazy!" The elf snapped at the Gerudo King, his hate showing in his voice.
"Yeah! I'm not a lunatic, you jerk!" Young Link joined him.
"No one sane would ever be afraid of cats. Have you ever walked under ladders leaning against a wall?" The man laughed. "You probably believe in that too!"
Calm down… Don't act like Roy…
"Why would I believe in that? It's just superstition. This is real. Shadow really exists!"
"Ooo… So now a shadow is trying to kill us? OH NO!! I have one stuck on my feet and it won't get off!!" Ganondorf was standing next to the table, holding his plate and looking like he was afraid of his own shadow. "Someone, please help me! A shadow is killing me!" some of the smashers started to laugh.
"Link…" Marth tried to touch his hand that was on the table, but he pulled it away. The prince's other hand was on Young Link's mouth, avoiding the boy from saying anything anymore. It seemed that the elven boy was enjoying the situation somehow, although he was furious.
Link watched the Gerudo's act being hurt. Deep inside he hated that man so much. He hated him above everything. And now he was insulting him on purpose. The blonde's eyes watched him roll on the ground, laughing for his own joke with some of the other smashers. Ganondorf had humiliated him in front of everyone, just to pay back for everything the elf had done to him back in Hyrule.
Link stood up and took his plate to the kitchen, looking at the ground, trying not to pay any attention to the mocking voice of the Gerudo. As much as he wanted to go back and strangle him, instead he heaved a heavy sigh and went to the balcony to breathe some fresh air. He was so glad Roy hadn't been with him. The boy would've killed Ganondorf. And that would've meant the end of his tournament and their relationship, because they wouldn't be able to see each other anymore. A cold breeze blew gently against his face, bringing the scent of the garden with it.
If this were the reaction of believing in supernatural, what would be the reaction of learning about him and Roy? Ganondorf would have so much fun. He'd mock them all night all day, never giving them peace. Also the children would probably feel disgusted. The general was right. If someone ever learned about them, it would be a total catastrophe. Peach and Zelda gossiping with girls from Haine and everyone avoiding them to avoid getting 'infected.' Well, this was the worst that could happen, but Link knew he could never be too optimistic about their reactions.
"Roy…" he whispered to the darkening evening.
"Are you alright, giant?" Young Link was standing behind him, leaning his head.
"Yeah… I know Ganondorf's an idiot, but he still manages to piss me off."
"But you handled it well. I… well, Marth had to hold me back."
Link sat down on the floor, looking into the horizon and breathing calmly the evening air. His smaller self went sitting next to him cross-legged, enjoying the touch of the breeze on his skin that was tenderly trying to tear off their tunics.
"How was your trip?" Link finally asked the question he'd wanted to ask a long time ago.
"Nice. Just like we told you."
"You didn't talk at all?" The Hylian looked at his mini with raised eyebrows.
"Yeah, we did. But I couldn't handle it." The small elf said with brotherly trust. He was glad that he had someone he could talk about anything to: himself.
"What do you mean you couldn't handle it?"
"He told me what I feared." Young Link felt tears in his eyes again. "That I'm too young. But am I?"
"It depends on your point of view." Link said mysteriously. "You can be very childish at times, but when you're alone with me like this, you're very mature."
"I'm not talking about it like that."
"Did he ever tell you he loved you?" The bigger blonde changed the subject.
"Not yet and I can't just go to him and ask that. He screamed like a girl when I kissed him." Young Link blushed slightly.
"Are you sure you love him, Mini?" The Hylian Hero asked, he didn't want Marth and Young Link in the same situation he and Roy were.
"I… I think so. I've never felt like this."
"I think you should give him and yourself time. But don't leave Marth alone tonight, okay, stub?"
"Okay."
---
The elf brushed his teeth in Roy's bathroom, knowing that he'd need to tell the general about what had happened during the dinner, but as Roy was as fiery as he was, he'd need to tell it in a way he wouldn't get mad. The general would keep asking what had happened if he wouldn't tell him. And if he'd learn it from someone else, he'd kill Ganondorf. Maybe.
"Hey, Roy, I need to tell you something." He said as he put away his toothbrush.
"Hm?"
"Promise me you won't hurt anyone."
"I'll kill everyone." Roy said derisively from the bed, snorting and turning his side.
"Roy!"
"Fine, fine. Peace and love and harmony."
"…Ganondorf humiliated me today at dinner. Completely."
"What did he say!?" The general sat up, but remembered what he'd promised and let himself fall on his back on the bed.
"Made a fool of me because I believe."
"He's an idiot. I'll train with him when I'm healed."
"Only train, okay?" Link said.
He was already in bed, the fiery boy's head on his shoulder, when he decided to get up and check that Marth wasn't alone.
"Where're you going?" Roy said tiredly.
"I'm going to check if Marth's okay."
"I thought you didn't like him after I made out with him." The boy spoke half to the pillow half to Link.
"Don't talk about it!" The Hylian hissed furiously, but sat down on the edge of the bed. "I never said I don't like him. I enjoy his company, but I was just… jealous, I guess."
The general didn't say anything, but a pleased smile spread on his face.
"You said it on purpose, didn't you?" The elf asked, smiling and rising one eyebrow. When he poked the boy on his side a few times.
"Stop it", Roy rolled farther off him. "…I wanted to see your real reaction. Back then you said only 'it's okay.'"
"You must be very happy now." Link sneaked to the corridor, wearing only his boxers. He walked to the end of the corridor and walked downstairs finding the two, Marth and Young Link, sitting on the couch with their blankets on and talking about something quietly.
"Hi, I just wanted to check that everything's okay here."
"We're fine." Young Link gave him a smile to show that he enjoyed Marth's company. "Go away, Link." The prince glared at the small elf friendly, a smile playing on his lips.
"Oh, okay. Have fun." The elven Hero smiled and winked as he went upstairs.
Before he got to Roy's room, he heard how Young Link said:
"Link's really nice, isn't he?"
---
"Tomorrow I'm going to get rid of that Shadow." The blonde said as he took his beloved in his arms and kissed him gently before falling asleep.
"…whatever." Roy said drowsily.
---
The creature jumped off the painting, looking at a closed door and licked it lips with a quiet meow before entering the room. It jumped on the bed, realising that there were two on it, holding each other in a gentle hug. It hesitated and sat down, looking at the two and wondering should it attack them at the same time.
It sat and thought.
And thought.
And licked its lips.
---
3rd part already done. This episode's going to be over so soon. Now please read my "Tristan & Isolde" and review it even if you hated it. It needs more reviews. Thanks already so much for reading this and I'll be very happy if you sacrifice yourself for the sake of entertainment (because this is far from art) and dare to press the review button here in my files and in T&I.