A/N: I noticed an inconsistency between what I've decided will happen in
this story, and a reference made in Lies and Faerytales. I'll fix the
reference when I write the next chapter to that story. And yes, this is the
"Colt retells his life story" section of our program, for those of us who
care. That means I have to go through my notes and find everything I wrote
down about Colt, so I don't contradict myself. I always hate doing that.
Chapter 3: Return to Oz
I woke that morning to discover the bed empty. It was hardly a surprise, since Bryant was up every day promptly at six, and out the door to go surfing. Ironically, my house was miles closer to the beach than his apartment, but he made due with what he could afford. After all, houses in Malibu don't come cheap. I won't pretend to understand his obsession with surfing, but I will say it gave him a great tan. For about the thousandth time since we'd started dating each other "exclusively," I reflected on how lucky I was.
I hadn't had much in the way of love in my life for the first sixteen or so years. My father left when I was three, and my mother buried herself in her work, trying to ignore the hole his departure created in her heart. Sure, I can understand that now, but then? How do you explain to a three year old that Mommy doesn't love him anymore? At six, my mom remarried. I can remember confiding in Lance, my twin brother, that I hoped that meant things were going back to normal. I was sorely disappointed.
Dan barely waited until it was official before he started smacking us around. Me, mainly, with a bit of Lance on the side, and then my elder brother Roger, if the fancy struck him. But mostly, I was the one with the target painted around my back. Why? I don't know. Perhaps because I wasn't as fast, or as strong as the other kids in kindergarten. Or because I didn't want to fight back when the other kids pushed me in the mud. I didn't have to. Lance was always there, by my side, to defend me.
Lance. My twin. He was my better half. We were identical twins, sort of. We were mirror images of each other. He was left handed, I was not. His hair parted to the right, mine parted to the left. Dimples, birth marks... Exact opposites. And it didn't stop at appearance. He was bold, and outspoken, while I was a quiet wallflower. He was the energetic sports type, while I preferred a good book or a video game. All my friends in high school liked me because it was the requirement to be friends with him. And I didn't mind. We did everything together. He was my muscle, I was his brains. Until it all came crashing down around my ears. He died for my mistake. But his death sent Dan to jail for manslaughter one, so I guess it wasn't all in vain. I miss him still, three years later, and I suppose I always will, but... I won't do anything stupid. Not anymore.
I tried that, once. Four months ago, actually. I'd spent two months in a coma, another month recovering, and this last month free. This last wonderful month.
I met Bryant at the Starbucks where I work. He'd been the unfortunate soul I flipped out on when I tried to commit suicide. According to Amy, my best friend, and fellow coworker, he'd come to the hospital twice a week, while I was in a coma. I wasn't allowed visitors after I woke up, other than family -- Roger came to see me every day, but my mom stopped by all of twice, color me surprised -- so he'd had to wait until Amy got word of my release. And he met me outside the hospital doors. With flowers. If I'd known all it would take to get a guy is to slice up my wrists, I'd have done it sooner.
I was shaken from my reverie by the sound of keys in the door. *I must have been asleep longer than I thought...* Not that I minded. I'm not a morning person.
The door opened, and Bryant's voice drifted through the hall to the bedroom. "Colt? Are you up?"
I snorted. "Nope." What kind of a question was that?
He laughed. "Well, hurry up. You're going to be late." Today was my first day back at work since I went to the hospital. Joy. Fortunately -- though the actual fortune of it is debatable -- they hadn't fired me when I took four months medical leave. I think California law prohibits it, or something. All I know is that I still had a job, working for a boss I was not overly fond of. I'd almost wished they'd canned me, so I would get up off my lazy ass and find something more suitable. Ha. Like that'd happen. Some people are just allergic to actual work. I was among them.
"Would that be such a crime?" He laughed again, and peered around the doorjamb. I couldn't help but grin at him.
"C'mon, Colt. Back on the horse." He would have gotten away with it, if he hadn't laughed.
I glared at him. "Horse puns get you a night on the couch, remember?" Believe me, I've heard all the horse jokes a guy could stand. That, and the porn company. Let's just say my school career was...interesting.
Bryant grinned at me sheepishly. I couldn't help but smile back. Physically, he was my opposite, dark to my light. His dark brown hair was cut short, and brown eyes stared back at me from a tanned face. He was mostly angles, harsh in a handsome way. It made my heart ache to look at him. "My apartment, remember? If anyone gets the couch, it's gonna be you, bro." I shrugged. It wouldn't be the first time I'd crashed on someone else's couch.
"I'll meet you in the car." I said, grabbing my backpack. Without waiting to see if he was following, I dashed out the door.
*~*~*
Work sucked. But that's par for the course. I've yet to have one day where I didn't want to smack some customer or another. Someone who orders an iced drink when they want a blended, or asks for whip cream and then denies it later. Of course, who's fault is all of that? Mine. The register guy. Because the public-at-large is infallible. It's not the fact that they're morons who don't know what the hell they're talking about. Oh, no. It's cause I don't know how to do my job. Yep. At least, that's what they say.
Fortune had smiled on me today, as Bryant and I both had shifts that ended at approximately the same time. Which means I got a ride home. Funny how, though technically, I still live with my mom, I think of his apartment as home. I guess it just goes to show that home actually IS where the heart is. I spent three or four nights a week at Bryant's apartment. So maybe we were moving a little fast. Why not? You only live once, after all.
Entering the apartment, I threw my bag on the floor, before pulling my mocha-stained shirt over my head. Normally, I like to change before I leave Starbucks, but I was worn to the bone today, and wanted to get out of there as fast as I could. Pulling on a clean shirt, I slumped into a chair and waited for Bryant. That was when I heard it.
It started as a faint buzz in the back of my head, but as I concentrated on it, I started to make out words.
~Now, in our time of Peril, we call upon the One.~
I frowned. It wasn't my thought. Not a good sign.
~We invoke the power of the Goddesses.~
~Din, Goddess of Power.~
The burn on the palm of my hand began to glow bright red.
~ Nayru, Goddess of Wisdom.~
From beneath the cloth of my sleeve, I could see my tattoo had begun to shine blue.
~Farore, Goddess of Courage~
My scars began to brighten, a green light in the darkness.
~We request thy blessings!~
Bryant chose this moment to enter. He took one look at me, lit up like a Christmas tree, and gasped. If I hadn't been scared shitless, I'd have smirked. If he didn't believe me before, he sure as hell did now.
~ Send us the Champion to protect the world.~
From the corner, where I had discarded it, the book blew open, its pages fluttering in the wind. Everything else in the room was still. Faster, and faster, until I was sure the pages would rip from the bindings. All the while, the light shining from my body grew to almost blinding levels.
"Colt!" Bryant screamed, fighting to reach my side. The book flew through the air, its pages still whipping in the wind. It came to the middle of the room, and fell with a loud thud. The light emitting from my arms made me squint. In the middle of the floor, surrounding the book, a figure etched in light formed. My heart stopped when I realized what it was. It was the Triforce.
~Bring us the Hope of all Humanity!~
The light from my scars went out, suddenly, and I felt my body take a step towards the triangle on the carpet. It was as though I were a marionette, under the control of some grand puppetmaster. Every instinct in my body screamed for me to get away, to run as fast as I could manage, but my legs refused to obey. My feet were about to touch the Golden Power when I was violently shoved to the side. From the corner of my eye, I saw Bryant, screaming, as the Triforce enveloped him in golden light, lifting him from the floor. I struggled to my feet, calling his name.
~We beseech thee!~
The light vanished, and, along with it, Bryant.
Chapter 3: Return to Oz
I woke that morning to discover the bed empty. It was hardly a surprise, since Bryant was up every day promptly at six, and out the door to go surfing. Ironically, my house was miles closer to the beach than his apartment, but he made due with what he could afford. After all, houses in Malibu don't come cheap. I won't pretend to understand his obsession with surfing, but I will say it gave him a great tan. For about the thousandth time since we'd started dating each other "exclusively," I reflected on how lucky I was.
I hadn't had much in the way of love in my life for the first sixteen or so years. My father left when I was three, and my mother buried herself in her work, trying to ignore the hole his departure created in her heart. Sure, I can understand that now, but then? How do you explain to a three year old that Mommy doesn't love him anymore? At six, my mom remarried. I can remember confiding in Lance, my twin brother, that I hoped that meant things were going back to normal. I was sorely disappointed.
Dan barely waited until it was official before he started smacking us around. Me, mainly, with a bit of Lance on the side, and then my elder brother Roger, if the fancy struck him. But mostly, I was the one with the target painted around my back. Why? I don't know. Perhaps because I wasn't as fast, or as strong as the other kids in kindergarten. Or because I didn't want to fight back when the other kids pushed me in the mud. I didn't have to. Lance was always there, by my side, to defend me.
Lance. My twin. He was my better half. We were identical twins, sort of. We were mirror images of each other. He was left handed, I was not. His hair parted to the right, mine parted to the left. Dimples, birth marks... Exact opposites. And it didn't stop at appearance. He was bold, and outspoken, while I was a quiet wallflower. He was the energetic sports type, while I preferred a good book or a video game. All my friends in high school liked me because it was the requirement to be friends with him. And I didn't mind. We did everything together. He was my muscle, I was his brains. Until it all came crashing down around my ears. He died for my mistake. But his death sent Dan to jail for manslaughter one, so I guess it wasn't all in vain. I miss him still, three years later, and I suppose I always will, but... I won't do anything stupid. Not anymore.
I tried that, once. Four months ago, actually. I'd spent two months in a coma, another month recovering, and this last month free. This last wonderful month.
I met Bryant at the Starbucks where I work. He'd been the unfortunate soul I flipped out on when I tried to commit suicide. According to Amy, my best friend, and fellow coworker, he'd come to the hospital twice a week, while I was in a coma. I wasn't allowed visitors after I woke up, other than family -- Roger came to see me every day, but my mom stopped by all of twice, color me surprised -- so he'd had to wait until Amy got word of my release. And he met me outside the hospital doors. With flowers. If I'd known all it would take to get a guy is to slice up my wrists, I'd have done it sooner.
I was shaken from my reverie by the sound of keys in the door. *I must have been asleep longer than I thought...* Not that I minded. I'm not a morning person.
The door opened, and Bryant's voice drifted through the hall to the bedroom. "Colt? Are you up?"
I snorted. "Nope." What kind of a question was that?
He laughed. "Well, hurry up. You're going to be late." Today was my first day back at work since I went to the hospital. Joy. Fortunately -- though the actual fortune of it is debatable -- they hadn't fired me when I took four months medical leave. I think California law prohibits it, or something. All I know is that I still had a job, working for a boss I was not overly fond of. I'd almost wished they'd canned me, so I would get up off my lazy ass and find something more suitable. Ha. Like that'd happen. Some people are just allergic to actual work. I was among them.
"Would that be such a crime?" He laughed again, and peered around the doorjamb. I couldn't help but grin at him.
"C'mon, Colt. Back on the horse." He would have gotten away with it, if he hadn't laughed.
I glared at him. "Horse puns get you a night on the couch, remember?" Believe me, I've heard all the horse jokes a guy could stand. That, and the porn company. Let's just say my school career was...interesting.
Bryant grinned at me sheepishly. I couldn't help but smile back. Physically, he was my opposite, dark to my light. His dark brown hair was cut short, and brown eyes stared back at me from a tanned face. He was mostly angles, harsh in a handsome way. It made my heart ache to look at him. "My apartment, remember? If anyone gets the couch, it's gonna be you, bro." I shrugged. It wouldn't be the first time I'd crashed on someone else's couch.
"I'll meet you in the car." I said, grabbing my backpack. Without waiting to see if he was following, I dashed out the door.
*~*~*
Work sucked. But that's par for the course. I've yet to have one day where I didn't want to smack some customer or another. Someone who orders an iced drink when they want a blended, or asks for whip cream and then denies it later. Of course, who's fault is all of that? Mine. The register guy. Because the public-at-large is infallible. It's not the fact that they're morons who don't know what the hell they're talking about. Oh, no. It's cause I don't know how to do my job. Yep. At least, that's what they say.
Fortune had smiled on me today, as Bryant and I both had shifts that ended at approximately the same time. Which means I got a ride home. Funny how, though technically, I still live with my mom, I think of his apartment as home. I guess it just goes to show that home actually IS where the heart is. I spent three or four nights a week at Bryant's apartment. So maybe we were moving a little fast. Why not? You only live once, after all.
Entering the apartment, I threw my bag on the floor, before pulling my mocha-stained shirt over my head. Normally, I like to change before I leave Starbucks, but I was worn to the bone today, and wanted to get out of there as fast as I could. Pulling on a clean shirt, I slumped into a chair and waited for Bryant. That was when I heard it.
It started as a faint buzz in the back of my head, but as I concentrated on it, I started to make out words.
~Now, in our time of Peril, we call upon the One.~
I frowned. It wasn't my thought. Not a good sign.
~We invoke the power of the Goddesses.~
~Din, Goddess of Power.~
The burn on the palm of my hand began to glow bright red.
~ Nayru, Goddess of Wisdom.~
From beneath the cloth of my sleeve, I could see my tattoo had begun to shine blue.
~Farore, Goddess of Courage~
My scars began to brighten, a green light in the darkness.
~We request thy blessings!~
Bryant chose this moment to enter. He took one look at me, lit up like a Christmas tree, and gasped. If I hadn't been scared shitless, I'd have smirked. If he didn't believe me before, he sure as hell did now.
~ Send us the Champion to protect the world.~
From the corner, where I had discarded it, the book blew open, its pages fluttering in the wind. Everything else in the room was still. Faster, and faster, until I was sure the pages would rip from the bindings. All the while, the light shining from my body grew to almost blinding levels.
"Colt!" Bryant screamed, fighting to reach my side. The book flew through the air, its pages still whipping in the wind. It came to the middle of the room, and fell with a loud thud. The light emitting from my arms made me squint. In the middle of the floor, surrounding the book, a figure etched in light formed. My heart stopped when I realized what it was. It was the Triforce.
~Bring us the Hope of all Humanity!~
The light from my scars went out, suddenly, and I felt my body take a step towards the triangle on the carpet. It was as though I were a marionette, under the control of some grand puppetmaster. Every instinct in my body screamed for me to get away, to run as fast as I could manage, but my legs refused to obey. My feet were about to touch the Golden Power when I was violently shoved to the side. From the corner of my eye, I saw Bryant, screaming, as the Triforce enveloped him in golden light, lifting him from the floor. I struggled to my feet, calling his name.
~We beseech thee!~
The light vanished, and, along with it, Bryant.
