The disclaimer as always, anything stated to have copyright is not owned by me in the slightest.

Chapter 11: Link vs Finn?

"Finn, wait up!" It took her awhile Princess Bubblegum finally managed to reach Finn, albeit she reached him at the exit of the throne room.

"Princess…?" Finn turned around, having a questionable look as he faced the princess. "What's the matter?"

"What's the matter?" She said almost flabbergasted. "What's the matter is you challenging Link all of a sudden! That's what's the matter!"

"Oh that?" Finn waved a hand dismissively. "That's nothing you should worry about. It's just a personal issue that we're going to take care of is all."

"Personal issue? Look, Finn, if this is about Flame Princess it's fine. She okay now-"

"No it's not fine!" His voice boomed, being loud and unexpected enough to make Princess Bubblegum visibly flinch. "It's not fine at all! She got hurt and I wasn't there to protect her!" Finn turned away from her. "I don't like seeing or hearing her being hurt. I know she's not some helpless princess, believe me on that, but that doesn't mean I want to be there to at least try and protect her. I… I need her to be okay…"

"Finn…" It was rare for Princess Bubblegum to ever see this kind of emotional side of Finn. For her, emotions tended to be something that clouded her perception of things and at times she had to hide them from people in order to better herself as a ruler. But she would be wrong if she said emotions were completely useless, Finn being living proof of how emotions can drive people to their fullest potential.

"Listen, I don't want to hurt the guy but I just can't let it slide that he endangered Flame Princess. That's why I'm doing this."

With that Finn opened the doors and began walking down the steps, exiting the castle.

Link was walking down the hallway, now fully dressed in his green tunic and green cap. In his hands was a bottle containing a black shard, this being the same bottle that Flame Princess was clinging onto. Tobi would be accompanying him but Link asked him to stay with Flame Princess incase she woke up with no one else there. He sighed as he entered the throne room, heading for the door, he noticed Princess Bubblegum.

"Link please don't tell me you're going through with this?"

"Sorry Princess Bubblegum" He offered her a weak smile. "but I don't really have a choice."

"What do you mean you don't have a choice?!" She sounded flabbergasted. "You have absolutely nothing to prove!"

"Yeah but when I think about it if Finn put one of my close friends in danger I'd probably react the same way. Besides, if we're going to get along then we have to leave this behind us and I see this as a way to do just that. Oh!" Link offered Princess Bubblegum the bottle. "I need you to check this for me. I think it might be related to that other shard so would you check that for me, if you can that is."

She nodded, taking the bottle in her hands. Link thanked her and continued to walk towards the door and out of the throne room. The doors behind him closed as he walked forward stopping before the first step from the top. He looked down towards the bottom of the steps his eyes meeting with Finn's who held his Demon Blood sword in his right hand. Link pulled out his Great Fairy's sword, holding it in his left. Even from a distance both warriors could read the other's emotions purely through eye contact.

"So Finn," Link shouted. "how are we going to do this?"

"Come down here and I'll tell you."

Link nodded and began walking down the stairs, his eyes never breaking contact with Finn. It wasn't too long before Link and Finn were face to face, neither one of them even batting an eyelash in each other's presence. The tension being thick enough to slice an apple in half.

"We're gonna stand back to back then walk twenty steps away from each other. After that we run at each other and we only get to make one swing. If our blades collide we don't stop until one of us overpowers the other."

Both turned, now being back to back.

"I'll count up from twenty."

Link made an audible grunt in agreeance.

"One… Two… Three… Four…"

Hopefully once we get this over with we can at the very least get to know each other better…

"Five… Six… Seven…. Eight… Nine…"

But I shouldn't take this lightly at all…

"Ten… Eleven… Twelve…"

One wrong step and one of us might not be walking away from this…

"Thirteen… Fourteen… Fifteen… Sixteen…"

I'll aim to clash blades. I just have to predict where he's going to swing…

"Seventeen… Eighteen… Nineteen…"

Welp, can't go back now…

"Twenty!"

Both turned and immediately ran at each other, both gripping the handle of their blades with both hands. Both shouting as they ran the distance between them growing smaller and smaller. Their swords were raised, as the gap between them gradually came to a close both were preparing for their one and only swing. They reared their blades back one final time the moment of truth finally reaching them, they were practically eye to eye, both swinging their blades simultaneously. The world seem to move in slow motion as they saw the others blade coming into view, the blades about to collide at the meeting of both warriors-

"HEY! LISTEN!"

Both heros froze in place, their blades literally centimeters from colliding when they were halted by the hollering voice. A visible sweatdrop going down the faces of the hero's as they slowly turned to the origin of the voice, all traces of intensity being replaced by sheer bewilderment.

"Ah want ya'll ta know dat what you're doing is- *HIC* is- *HIC* awesome!" They sounded like a clueless drunk.

Standing a few feet away from them was the shadow, holding a bottle in one hand while trying not to stumble over his own feet as he tried to stand up straight. A massive blush spread across his cheeks.

"Is great dat ya guys are- *HIC* are- *HIC* are- *HIC* expressing yourselves with such energy! Ah mean- *HIC* ah mean if all yaoi couples did this to express their feelings *HIC* then ah'm sure all da fan girls would love it…"

Finn and Link continued to look at the shadow in pure shock and bewilderment while said shadow slowly turned his head both ways before pointing to himself.

"Wha me? Are ya *HIC* are ya lookin at meh~?" He slowly giggled before pointing his finger at the two. "You two should kiss." With that he fell back and passed out.

"HE'S WHERE?!" The booming voice caused birds throughout the kingdom to take flight in alarm.

An enraged Princess Bubblegum began stomping through the halls making her way to the castle's dungeon, as she was followed by Finn who seemed to turn a bit paler.

"T-the shadow guy that attacked the kingdom is in the basement. He kinda just appeared outta nowhere and passed out so me and Link took him to the dungeon-"

SLAM

Bubblegum kicked open a door as she continued to make her way to the dungeon. "Link's watching him but I'm not sure if you can take the shadow seriously. He's acting a little… funny."

Another door slammed open this time Link being the one alarmed by it as he turned to see a very steamed Princess Bubblegum and slightly afraid Finn in the doorway.

"Where. Is. The. Shadow…" Bubblegum breathed out slowly.

Link wasted no time in pointing to the locked cell in front of him containing the red faced shadow who was sitting on the floor bobbing his head around. Bubblegum marched up to the cell bars, clamping her hands onto bars gaining the attention of the shadow who offered her a smile.

"Hey~" He said waving happily. He then pointed to her. "Ah know you. Your royalty. You're um- *HIC* uh- *HIC* uhhh…~" Drool began to drip out of his mouth.

Princess Bubblegum forcefully cleared her throat only to be shushed, literally shushed, by the shadow who began waving his hands as if they was denying her.

"No, no, no. Don't tell meh. *HIC*" He swallowed. "Ah think ah got it…" He took a deep breath. "You're Princess Bubble- *HIC* Bubble- *HIC* Bubble- *HIC* butt." He fell back giggling.

Princess Bubblegum looked mortified, her mouth open in disgust while Finn and Link tried to hide their red faces using their hats.

"EXCUSE ME?!"

The shadow's hand shot up, having a finger raised. "No wait. Scratch that. I forget that you're almost as- *HIC* as- *HIC* as flat as a chalkboard. *HIC*" The shadow began to giggle to himself again.

"WHY YOU LITTLE… RAAAH!" Princess Bubblegum nearly lunged herself at the bars, she probably would have torn them down had it not been for Finn who was currently holding her back from doing so. "LEMME AT HIM!"

"No Princess Bubblegum! It's not worth it!" He cried in desperation.

"GAAAH! LEMME GO! I'LL TEACH HIM TO CALL ME PRINCESS BUBBLEBUTT!"

The shadow sat up, clapping his hands. "If by tech ya mean show then- *HIC* oh- *HIC* yay! Drinks and- *HIC* SEX! But ah doubt it'll be- *HIC* good seeing how ya got nothin ta really- *HIC* show."

Princess Bubblegum let out another unrelenting shout, now flailing her arms, legs and head to escape Finn's grip on her.

"I'LL KILL HIM! I'LL KILL HIM RIGHT NOW!"

"Princess I think you need to take a step outside for a bit." Finn slowly began to drag them both out of the room. "Link, try and sober up the shadow or something while I calm down the princess."

Link offered Finn a weak smile and a thumbs up as he left out the door. Link redirected his attention to the shadow who stared back at him, his head tilted and a playful smile on his face.

"Guess it's just you and me, Linky."

Link shuddered. "Don't call me that. I don't want to hear that nickname come from you."

"Well what do you prefer?" The shadow said leaning towards the bars. "Can I call you Fairy Boy? Grasshopper? Crossdresser?" He smiled, his teeth now revealing themselves. "O' bearer of the Triforce of Courage?"

Link leered at him. "Why would you call me that?"

The shadow chuckled. "Oh please, Link." He waved a hand dismissively. "Don't try and play coy with me. I mean we're more similar than you think."

Link approached the cell bars and sat, being in front of the shadow.

"So tell me, who exactly are you? And why did you surrender yourself like this? You and I both know you could have taken both me and Finn on, shadow."

The shadow backed away from the bars, his arms crossed in front of his chest.

"First of all," He huffed. "the correct grammar is Finn and I, not me and Finn. Second, I would prefer it if you addressed me as Dark Link and not some primitive placement name like shadow."

Link furrowed his brow.

"All right then, Dark Link. What is it that you're doing here and how is it that you know I'm the Hero of Time and the bearer of the Triforce of Courage."

Dark Link closed his eyes and quietly laughed, arms still crossed in front of him.

"Right to the point aren't we?" He opened one eye to look at Link. "But are you sure that you can trust the drunk ramblings of the 'bad guy'?" He emphasized saying 'bad guy' by making quotation makes with his fingers.

"I'm not entirely sure if you're really drunk or not but you came here for a reason so while you're here I want answers."

Dark Link sighed. "Okay fine. But I'm only going over all of this once so I ain't repeating nothing." He points to the reader. "That goes for you too."

"Who are you talking to?" Link asked confused.

"Nothing that affects you in the long run. So anyway, on with my origin…" The shadow opened his eyes part way. "I know this stuff about you because I am you. The you of an alternate dimension. I'm from a land known as Lorule which is ruled by Princess Hilda, a very attractive and dare I say sexy princess."

A sweat drop fell across the side of Link's face. "Didn't need to know that last part."

Dark Link continued, he closed his eyes. "Our country of Lorule was on the brink of destruction as almost everyone scrambled to seize control of the sacred Triforce. That's when Hilda and I came up with a brilliant plan, invade the Sacred Realm and destroy the Triforce."

"You're insane if you think I'm gonna believe any of this!" Link was now standing, enraged by what he was hearing.

Dark Link merely chuckled, still not opening his eyes.

"Save it all for the end. I mean you may not want to believe something as destroying the Triforce but hold your remarks until the end. Now then where was I… oh yes I remember now."

He cleared his throat, picking up where he left off.

"Hilda and I were successful in destroying the sacred triangles. Now I know what you're thinking; 'Dark Link, wouldn't destroying the Triforce, symbol of the goddesses, be the end of life?'. Well that's where you are wrong. You see for every light there is shadow, for every weakness there is a strength, for every up there is a down. The Triforce is no exception to this. The three golden goddesses created the land known as Hyrule and this applies to Lorule as well. Din represented Power, Nayru represented Wisdom, Farore represented Courage. But there had to be some kind of counter measure to all this, the reason why malicious evil intent exist correct? Unknown to your Hylian history or rather shunned is the better word, there was a fourth goddess among them one that rivaled the former three's combined power. Unloved and forgotten by nearly all. Her name was Ailyh. She was the creator of all disharmony and darkness in the world. Much like her sisters she also stowed her power within a sacred triangle. However unlike her sister's golden triangles her's represented the pure disarray of her very being. What she created was known as the Triforce of Chaos!"

Both Link and Dark Link's left hand began to glow. Link's now revealing the mark of the Triforce of Courage while Dark Link's hand only showed a spec of black glow. He raised his hand to show Link.

"Like how you are the bearer of the Triforce of Courage I am the bearer of the Triforce of Chaos. Now you might be wondering; 'Dark Link why is it so small?'. Well for one, that's what she said. But to be serious, the Triforce of Chaos was shattered into shards. So let me explain that. After the golden Triforce broke a single black triangle was left and Hilda said that I was most suited for it. The triangle accepted me and with its power we stopped the war but that was only the beginning. Hilda's plan was to conquer every single race that participated in that war and with the powers of the goddess Ailyh backing her up in the form of me nothing could stop her. That was until a little blue headed gerudo king by the name of Nonag managed to obtain some power of the other goddesses and shattered it, leaving me with a single shard."

"But wouldn't that mean that the pieces would be scattered across Lorule?"

"Fair point. However, I learned that Nonga obtained these powers from the Great Fairies when they appeared and used that song to transport the shards here."

"Song?" Link raised an eyebrow.

Dark Link sighed. "You are familiar with the song that brought you here are you not? The Aria of Dimensional Rifts?"

"So that's what it's called?" Link snapped out of his wonderment. "Then explain how you learned it."

"The same why how you learned it. That gold fairy-friend of yours was there that day. I managed to capture him and make him teach me that song. Stumbling into you happened to be a bonus amongst my escapades while traveling between dimensions looking for my missing shards. Anything else you would like to know?"

"Yeah…" Link pulled out his Fierce Deity mask. "Why do you want me to hold onto this mask and how do you know I have a mask that 'grants me godhood'?"

Dark Link smirked. "So you really do have a mask like that? Amazing. Well to tell the truth I want to see whose mask is stronger."

Link put away his mask. "What do you mean by 'whose mask is stronger'?"

"Our lives run similar parallels. Much like how you have masks I have masks. Similar to how you have a mask that gives you the strength of a god-like deity, I have a mask forged by a goddess."

Link flinched. "A mask made by a goddess?"

"My, my, aren't we curious. I'd like to tell you more but such information comes at a price."

"You aren't in much of a position to be bargaining." Link deadpanned. "You're in confinement or did you forget that in your drunken stupor?"

"Eh." Dark Link shrugged his shoulders. "Who says I didn't do this on purpose?" Dark Link smiled. "Maybe you should go check on how things are going on upstairs. I mean you don't have to. After all," He chuckled to himself. "I really do enjoy our little chats."

Link quietly growled. He got up and walked out of the dungeon.

"Where ya goin?" Dark Link's voice reverted back to its drunken slur. "Don't leave me all by my lonely self Linky~."

Finn, Link and Princess Bubblegum all regrouped in the Infirmary, Flame Princess was still recovering. Link informed the others of all the relative information regarding their situation with Dark Link.

"...So that's the jist of it. These black shards that we found are parts known as the Triforce of Chaos, which is why I guess my Triforce reacts to whenever I get near it."

"Well to say that these shards all derive from one singular piece would make sense." Bubblegum started. "After researching the first shard you gave me it became clear that these things have incredible energy levels and while the second shard you gave me matches the energy level of the first shard the energy wavelengths appear to completely."

"Wait what do you mean by-"

"Allow me to explain." Peppermint Butler rolled in a chalkboard and Princess Bubblegum got right to work writing and drawing diagrams, notations, and various other things that neither Finn nore Link could understand.

"Based on what you told us, both of these shards derive from one singular entity. Both appear to be extremely volatile in nature and appear to resonate calmly to the presences of each other. However based on the information that I've gathered it would appear that…" Princess Bubblegum continued to drone on in the eyes of Finn and Link who both appeared to be completely lost.

"Do you have any idea what she's talking about?" Link asked.

"I thought you knew…"

Both sighed, resigning themselves to at the very least appear to follow what Princess Bubblegum was saying.

"...So on a scientific level these shards are composed of a radioactive phenomena. These shards can be suited up to provide limitless energy but for a person to come into contact with one would most definitely corrode them on a molecular level. So similar to an element's isotopes one shard is able to act and behave differently from the other yet show a unified semblance in their energy readings."

"Um Princess," Link offered a weak smile. "while what you said was really, um, useful? That's not exactly how it works, well at least in my case. If what the shadow said about the Triforce of Chaos being a hidden part was true then it would make sense that the shards would link to people that share its strongest traits with. But in this case I'm not to sure how that works."

"Nonsense Link." She waved a hand dismissively. "There is nothing that science can't explain."

"But what about the revival of the King of Thieves?"

"Based on the information that I've stated, the phenomena may have been able to reanimate the king's corpse but there's no way how the body would have been able to endure prolonged exposure to it. Kinda like a Frankenstein's monster but much more unstable."

"Then how do you explain my hand glowing whenever I'm near one of those shards?"

"You said that the shadow possessed one of those shards, correct? Your hand glowing may be the result of exposure due to being in contact with the shadow. I'll have to run some test on you to further my results, Link."

Link shuddered. "I think I'll take a pass on that. So, other than stuff I don't understand because it's too complex, is there anything else you can tell me that you learned about the shards?"

"Oh!" Princess Bubblegum hit a fist into her palm as if she remembered something. "During my research on the shard I was able to create a device that can detect its unique energy signature."

"So you made something that can show us where the other shards are?" Link's eyes lit up in excitement.

"Well sort of." A sweat drop went down Princess Bubblegum's cheek. "Essentially I made a radar that can detect its unique energy signature within a 50 meter radius. But it was supposed to be a locator that could find where the signature is being emanated from anywhere in Ooo. It is able to do the latter but it needs to be hooked up to my 3D holo-model of Ooo."

"So… can you show me it?"

"Oh sure. It's in my lab. I'll take you to it. Are you coming too Finn?"

"If it's all good with you guys I think I'll stay with Flame Princess."

Princess Bubblegum shrugged her shoulders she waved her hand towards Link, signaling for him to follow. Both left, Finn grabbed a chair and sat next to Flame Princess's bedside. He sighed.

"Hey Flame Princess…" He hesitantly reached for her his hand now touching her arm her could feel the burning sensation stinging his palm. He quickly retracted his hand, though it saddened him, he smiled. "Well at least this means that you're getting better."

"What does what mean?"

Finn nearly jumped out of his seat when he saw a glowing orb ascend from Flame Princess's bed.

"Where'd you come from and who are you?" Finn pointed a finger at the fairy.

"Well the Great Fairies tell us that we're born from the laughter of babies but I have my own theory on the matter that always turns faces red."

"No I mean who are you, not… ya know… that…" Finn ended awkwardly.

"Well if you must know my name is Tobi, assistant to the Great Fairies. Now it's my turn to ask you that question."

"I'm-"

"HEY!" He flew in front of Finn's face. "I didn't ask the question yet now did I?"

"N-no…" He stammered nervously.

"Yeah that's what I thought."

Silence.

"Are you gonna ask it?"

"Not yet."

Bubblegum's lab hadn't been like anything Link had ever seen in his adventures in Hyrule or Termina. Sure there were those scientists fellows in Hyrule and Termina and that one Goron planning space travel back in Clock Town but those failed in comparison to the sheer amount of things in Bubblegum's lab. Beakers and test tubes filled with varying liquids, papers and charts filled the walls, floor, and tables of the room written with varying diagrams and symbols Link couldn't even comprehend. Devices and machines were everywhere either lighting up making various sounds or were shut off.

"Wow this place is… wow…" Link was in awe.

"Sorry for the mess."

Bubblegum walked over to the center table where her lab coat had been placed. She put it on and took out a remote with a lone red button on it and an antenna sticking out of it. She pointed the remote at the table so that the antenna was aiming at the table and pressed the button. In doing so the table began to descend down into the ground along the flooring surrounding it and up came a larger table complete with a smooth black surface.

"I would have cleaned up but when research gets the best of you you don't really have time to clean up after yourself. You know what I mean?"

Link slowly nodded his head as the approached the new table.

"So is this the thing you were talking about?"

"Yup."

With a quick tap of the surface the table lit-up and began projecting and entire 3D model of the Land of Ooo filled with everything ranging from the Ice to Fire Kingdom, the Desert of Doom, all of the Grasslands and Kingdoms within it, even the mobile Cloud Kingdom to the Oceans and islands that surround the land leading into uncharted territory.

"So," Bubblegum folded her arms across her chest, a smug smile now taking shape. "what do ya think?"

Link placed his hands on the table nearly lunging into the 3D map laid out before him.

"This is amazing! I've never seen anything like this ever!"

His eyes were nearly as wide as saucers as he looked over the map.

Bubblegum couldn't help but giggle.

"Well I'm glad you like it and hopefully this can serve some use to you."

"Oh yeah." Link, now snapping out of his trance, remembered. "So how does this thing work?"

"Well it works like this-"

BOOOOOOSH!

An explosion raddled the entire castle, Bubblegum and Link held onto the table just the keep balance.

"What the heck was that?!" Bubblegum shouted.

"I'm gonna go check it out." With that Link dash out of the room running through the halls towards the source of the explosion. "I have a bad feeling that this is Dark Link's doing."

What? Did you think that I'd have them fight? Well you're half right but that fight is not in this chapter (stay tuned for when that chapter is).

A few other things the pronunciation of Ailyh is ah-eel-yah. Rather interesting thing I came up with, maybe someone will figure out the secret behind it *wink wink nudge nudge*.