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Chapter 5: A sour victory

Part 11: Man in tights!

The Darknut on guard duty at the city gates blinked. It knew that what it was seeing could not exist. No one could possibly be that stupid or clichéd.

"Right. Lets go through this again. You are… a troop of dancing girls, hired by the glorious one, Keller? A man who has several times sliced women apart just for trying to act attractive? And what about you, pudgy one? Even if Keller did swing that way, and I've seen him chop men up for pretty much the same thing, I don't think that you would be no.1 on his list of handsome guys," He sighed. It was obvious what the Al-Mario dancing troupe really was. Some people really had no idea.

"Um, I'm the manager. Right, Royanna?" Mario could see that this was leading to them being chopped into really small pieces. He should have punched Roy when he had the chance. It was bad enough learning that Roy had shaved his body for this plan. But expecting an intelligent guard to believe a man in drag, a green haired girl wearing clothes far to old for her, a red-haired, glaring woman and a fat, pudgy plumber could possibly be a world famous Arabic dancing troupe, was stretching optimism so much it snapped. And learning that Keller was sadistic only made the apprehension worse.

"Now look. We both know that this idea is the oldest in the book. Really, people! Now I should kill you, but I have to admit that I admire the fact that the four of you are retarded enough to try it in this day and age. Go on get into the city. Hope you live long enough to see your friend."

* * *

The 4 of them got into the castle by the simple method of causing the men on duty to laugh so much they choked to death. Once in, they got back into their normal clothes. Then Mario punched Roy so hard that he flew into a pillar and caused it to topple. "You moron! We're lucky that we got guards with senses of humor! We could have been killed. And worse, if your plan had worked, Keller would have killed us anyway!"

"Hey! At least we're in! And I didn't see you come up with any better ideas, " said Roy, who then delivered a backhand slap, sending Mario into the wall.

"Boys! Stop fighting, or when we reach the dungeon me and Saria will toss you in with Marth and take our chances with Keller!" Malon looked around. Said girl was currently in conversation with her fairy. "Right. Now from when the old king locked my father up for loitering and I had to go and pay a ransom, the dungeon is this way." She led them through the twisting castle.

* * *

As they walked along the corridor, they heard a shouted conversation. They carefully stepped over to a window over looking the throne room. The throne of Hyrule had been pushed into a corner. In the center of the room was an oak table. On each side were a variety of people. At the head was a man whose clothes; helmet, cloak, and gauntlets were pure black. Next to him were a man wearing a purple spiky mask, and a man wearing orange armor. Opposite him was a woman wearing what looked like evening dress. They tried to listen.

"He's gone mad! He can't possibly mean it! Keller, we are being downgraded!" The orange man smashed his fist into the table. "Unite all evil beings in the galaxy to serve under him? We might as well be common minions with all that competition"

"I like to think of it as an investment in our future. Think, the three of you. With Ganon off ruling the galaxy, he'll be too busy to keep close tabs on us. Almost total independence would be ours!" Mario took a closer look at the man called Keller. Yes. Now that he knew what to look for, he could see it. His mannerisms, the way he moved, even the way he picked up his wine glass, only made it obvious. Keller had indeed been Link. Mario tried to blink back the tears that welled up unbidden. He looked at Saria. Her eyes were watering, and she seemed to be about to start crying. Roy seemed unsure of something, and Malon was searching her memory for what was probably the same thing. He knew what was coming once they were done spying. Another voice joined in below. He strained to hear it. It sounded like it did not belong to the mouth that was speaking.

"Yes. It makes sense. We could do as we want with these pathetic fools. I could even sacrifice enough to free myself from this wooden prison"

"Agreed. These mortals have had it too good for too long. But Ganon has become weak in his imprisonment. We all have a couple of ideas that he would not approve of. And Majora, that's a very nice host body." This voice seemed to belong to the woman at the end of table. It was a voice that could cackle, and not sound pathetic.

"Bah. It's not like we have a choice anyway. Being tossed into the pit of flames or having my heart ripped out at the pyramid of power is not what I would call a good thing. Luckily, Ganondorf took care of Bowser and Mewtwo himself, so that's the most powerful done. Now who's left? I think I should take care of the King of Bern. "

Mario had heard enough. All the evils in the galaxy were uniting. The Deku tree's words had been true. He motioned his companions to follow him. Once they were a safe distance away, Roy slammed him into a pillar. "He's Link, isn't he?! And you told me he was dead. You knew all along. And the arrogance, thinking I wouldn't notice. Why didn't you tell me the truth?" Malon also seemed livid.

"I thought you would try to speak with him. That you thought your friendship would help bring him back to the path of light. But I have it on the best of authority that you would only anger him by trying. And Link is dead. Listen to Keller, and then remember Link. Link is dead and buried." Saria's tears were flowing freely now. Malon sat down and started sobbing. Roy stepped back as if he had been struck. "I know how you all feel. I also lost someone dear to me to the insidious promises of evil. My own brother turned against me and joined Bowser."

"No. Not Luigi?" Roy seemed shocked. "He always seemed pleasant enough. Never thought that he would join the dark side. But if Link could, then I guess Luigi could too."

"Yes! He did. But that's not important. I'll tell you when we are safe. Now we must move quickly. Marth is probably in terrible danger."

* * *

They reached the dungeon with out running into any guards. A nasty suspicion percolated at the back of Roy's mind. But now was not the time. If his suspicions about Link's treachery were correct, then Marth was probably suffering terribly. He quickly looked through the cells. No one was alive. His pulse quickened. "Oi, Roy! This your friend? The guy who looks like King Marth?" He ran over to where Malon was standing. He looked into the cage. A man lay huddled on a pallet. The blue hair was a dead give away.

"Dear God, It's him. But there is no knob, or keyhole. How can we get him out of there?" Saria walked up to the door and laid her hand upon it. Roy backed away out of some foreboding feeling.

"Souls of trees long dead, shatter your bonds and enter the spirit realm." The door imploded. Roy ran inside and knelt by Marth's bed.

"Marth! Wake up, please! Please wake up, old friend!" Marth turned over to face him. His eyes snapped open and he tried to sit up straight. All that happened was the blanket fell off. They gasped. Marth's left leg had been removed from the knee down.

"Keller, if this is some new trick, it won't work. I won't tell you where I hid the crown."

"No, Marth. It really is me, Roy! Come on. Mario's here. We have to get you out of here before Keller shows up!"

"Too late, I'm afraid." Keller strode into the room, sweeping Saria, Malon and Mario before him. He tapped his sword thoughtfully. "Please. Did you really think that I had no guards posted? I let you get in here. Get all of my enemies in one place, that type of thing. And now, all of you die." His hands glowed purple, and then a ball of black lightning struck them. They were all tossed back against the wall, severely scorched. Roy stared. He had never felt such power. He knew only one way to distract Keller long enough to pull his sword out.

"Why would you want to kill us, Link? We're your friends, aren't we?" Keller screamed. "And what about that mask? I guess you're ugly enough to hide your face behind it. Ugly enough for the princess to marry someone else?" He knew as soon as he said the words that they had been a mistake. His friends looked at him as if he was insane. Marth looked as if he thought he was insane. Keller roared and tore off his helmet and threw back his cowl. Beneath it was Link's face, but different in many subtle ways. His blond hair had turned into a fiery orange, and his once cool blue eyes glowed with flames, opening a window into his soul. His once permanent smile had been replaced with a scowl.

"Oh my goddesses." Saria and Malon did the triangle symbol over their hearts. Marth just stared dumbfounded as his world collapsed around him.

"Yes. I was Link," Keller spat the name out, "back when I was still capable of emotions. Back before a certain so-called friend stole my princess"

Part 12: Fleeing for their lives

Marth's worst fears were realized. The man who had been torturing him, who had stolen his country, who had taken his wife and daughter and locked them away, and then cut off his leg, had been his best friend. My god. What has happened to you, Link?

Roy pulled himself up. Keller seemed unlikely to kill them yet. He had probably been saving up all sorts of things to say over the years.

Malon, on the other hand, was panicking. She had known Link back when he was still a hero. And she knew that his techniques would probably remain the same. When he would find an enemy that was weaker than him, he would play with it before he killed it.

Mario knew that there was no getting out of this. He was fully aware that there was nothing he could do about his impending death. Keller didn't even have a tail to grab. He was looking death in the face, and it was that of a friend.

Saria, however, believed that Link could be reasoned with, maybe even redeemed. And even if he couldn't, trying would give her time to cast a spell to get them to safety. She decided to give it a shot. "Link, it's me. Saria"

"I know who you are. And don't call me that name."

"Why not? It is your name. Come on, Link. You don't want to kill us just because the princess married Marth instead of you, do you?"

"Yes, I damn well do."

"Why? Its not like she loved you, or at least not like she loved you in that way, righ" The rest of Roy's sentence was silenced by a bolt of black lightning scorching the wall just above his head.

"No. You're lying. She did love me, and Marth stole her!" Another blast slammed into the wall above Marth.

"Link, you need help. Please stop this, and hand over Zelda and Arryl, and we can all be friends, and we can find a way to return you to the way you were. Please, Link?" Even as Saria said it, Keller's eyes flickered blue. It was a fraction of a second, but that was all she needed. She finished her spell, and teleported herself and her friends away.

* * *

They appeared in Hyrule Field. Roy quickly pulled out a little metal cylinder, and pressed a button on it. When he noticed their stares, he coughed and said, "Well how did you think I got here? Samus was kind enough to give me a lift."

Saria stared into the distance. She had noticed the brief flicker in Keller's eyes. She knew that she had been right. Keller could become Link once again. She sighed. Maybe she should have frozen him and taken him with her so that she could work on him. She was glad, though, that she would never grow up. Worrying about romance and things like that seemed very complicated.

"Right. She'll be here soon. And then we can leave this place, get help, and free the Hylian people from their tyrants"

"Dear god. I should have known. It was right in front of me, I could have stopped him. I should have told him before I asked her. It's all my fault." Marth was still in a state of shock.

"Hey, Marth. Don't be so hard on yourself. Link made his own choices. It's not your fault, and none of us blame you. Right, guys?" They all nodded. Then someone blew their nose.

"Aw. How touching. I guess you all know how I feel." Keller was floating in front of them. He held his handkerchief delicately, and then watched as purple flames destroyed it. "Personally, I agree with Marth. But that's just my opinion."

"Link, don't be a fool. Let us leave. We won't return. If you want, you can come with us. I'm sure we can help you if you'll let us." Saria was playing it for all it was worth. But she half expected the blast, and rolled forward. The ground where she had been standing was rendered dead.

"No. I made my choice. You won't distract me this time. And the next one of you who calls me Link dies. Now, I have some gifts for you all. Saria, you first. I know you have never grown up, so can't understand how, or why I did what I did. I'm going to fix that."

"I'm sorry, Link. I don't understand"

"Oh, but you will," Link started chanting. "A process stopped can be restarted, frozen time can warm. A Kokiri you were, a Kokiri you are, but a Hylian shall you soon be" He finished his chant and stretched his arm towards her. An invisible force leapt out of his hand, striking Saria. She bent over as the air around her filled with darkness, entering her body. As quickly as it appeared, the darkness disappeared. Saria didn't look any different.

"Your spell didn't work, Link. Nice try."

"Oh, but it did. And if I were a patient man I would wait a year, and then look at you again, just to see your aging body, and how you were coping. But I'm not a patient man, so I'll give nature a helping hand." Keller started chanting again. "Time is given, time is lost. Time flows like a stream, time grows like a moss. I command by the power that is mine, advance her age forty eight months." Again, the darkness surrounded her. But when it cleared, her body was very different. Her hair now reached down to her waist. Her body had curved into an hourglass shape, and her legs, bare beneath her tunic, were now white and smooth. But perhaps most important were the two round bumps on her chest. She took one look at her new body and fainted. Her fairy appeared and floated around her. Keller quickly shouted, "Dark Bottle," and it was captured in a purple container, which floated back to his belt.

"You don't need this anymore, young lady. Now what else? Hmm. Oh yes, that's right. Mario, Luigi sends his regards and asked me to tell you he is enjoying Peach's company. Marth, your beloved Zelda is in Hylia, along with your daughter. Roy, as of 39 minutes ago, the kingdom of Bern took over your precious land and executed your father. And Malon, you're coming with me. Dark HookShot!" A wave of energy shot towards her. Acting quickly, Roy pushed her aside. It grabbed him, pulling him up besides Keller, where he levitated in some sort of stasis. Keller grimaced, and then pulled his helmet and cowl back over his face.

            "You'll do. One last thing," He snapped his fingers and disappeared taking Roy with him. But they didn't have time to mourn as hundreds of moblins appeared around them.

            All hope seemed lost when all of a sudden a blast of energy slammed into the horde. A red space ship appeared, and an armored woman ran out and shouted, "Move, you fools! That stun blast won't hold them!" Mario picked up Saria and ran for it while Malon helped Marth hobble on board. Once they were all on board, the ship flew off, carrying them away from Hyrule.

I tried to get this to work as I typed it. This is an HTML format. In reviews, can you tell me how it worked, in regards to indenting. Thanks. Also, please tell me if I should make this an R fic. I don't know, but I think that it's heading that way.

Please review.