Disclaimer: I do not own The Legend of Zelda, otherwise, I would have made it sure that a certain shadow we all know would have greater parts…AND ACTUAL LINES!
Rated: PG-13 now folks! Things gonna get funky!
Pairing: Shounan ai is for kids!...so let's see what happens to Dark Link and Link sevens years later!
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Chapter Six: Summoned into Sleep
Skip, skip, dunk. Skip, skip, skip, dunk. Skip, dunk. Onyx sighed. The energy had left him, rendering the once chatty, hyper Onyx to a moping, sulking figure of a boy. He fingered another pebble and tossed it into the water without even trying to make it skip. It made a small plop and seemed to depress him even more. Track of time was lost as the two silently made there way to Lake Hylia and sat down at the edge. Link gazed at his companion for a few moments, before trying to playfully knock him out of his trance with a push. He waited a minute then tried again. Onyx only sighed.
"Onyx…" Link whined. "Onyx, please snap out of it. It's gonna be okay, the King won't let 'em do anything to ruin Hyrule. If he tries anything bad, then the guards will be on 'em and everything will go back to nor-"
"Link, you don't understand!" the brunette interrupted. "Everything's going as it was told! It's almost certain that something bad is going to come out of him being here and so close to the King!" Frustrated, he swiped up another pebble and threw it out into the lake. "I just don't understand how blind some people can be! The man's dressed in black for crying out loud!"
"Onyx, you're dressed in black," Link said matter-of-factly. He stood up and brushed aside some of the midnight bangs hiding Onyx's hopeless eyes. "C'mon, now. Things'll get better. What else can we do but wait, anyway."
The brunette shot up, startling the Hylian back a few steps. "I refuse to just wait here! I'm going!"
"No!" gasped the Hylian. "You can't go! C'mon, Onyx! Don't do something crazy! Come back home! What about our deal!"
Onyx gazed at him, confused.
"Our deal, remember?" Link pleaded, never loosening his grip from his comrade's arm. "We made a deal that we'd explore that-" the boy pointed into the water, "-temple together! If you go, something's going to happen to you! I know it!"
"I thought you said nothing bad was going to happen," the brunette replied dryly.
Link bit his lip. "Onyx, please. Let the Hylians take care of it. Please, let's just go home now."
The ebony haired boy stared into the other's eyes for a moment, then sighed in defeat. "Fine…" Link exclaimed with joy and dove at Onyx for a relieved hug. The brunette embraced him back and nestled his head into Link's shirt. "Let's go home…"
Taking the short cut, Link gasped for air as they arose in the Lost Woods. The Hylian encouraged the other to every playful game he could come up with, but something about Onyx seemed to be a bit distant. If he would ask about it, a sudden grin and a hug from the other changed the topic immediately, much to Link's growing concern.
Eventually the little blonde gave up and went with the goofy smile, his childish innocence hiding from him the darkness that was growing in Onyx's eyes. But the brunette couldn't let his worries upset his friend. He was, after all, the other's guardian, so he would avoid sending Link into such a chaotic destiny by doing whatever it took of him. Onyx smiled sadly to himself when he saw Link's smile as they ran back to the tree home. It doesn't have to happen. Not to someone like you, Link. Link laughed as he reached the ladder first and started hurriedly up the wooden steps, Onyx trudging behind with the same sad smile on his face. That's why I've got to leave. Maybe I can take your place too. His smile turned into a grin as he rushed up the steps after his companion. That is why I chose to look like you.
"HAH!" Link shouted, jumping onto the bed and bouncing around to point down at Onyx. "I did it! I beat you!" He made another bounce and landed a bit clumsily next to the ebony haired boy.
"Yeah, right you did! I want a re-race!" Onyx joked.
Link only stuck his tongue out and giggled. He was soon tackled down, pulled onto the floor, by the brunette, thus beginning their old tickling game. The Hylian felt he had learned a thing or two from Onyx, yet every time he seemed to have finally gotten the upper edge, the other would come back, laughing, and have him in a headlock within the next second.
"Rule One: The key is…" Onyx grinned, grunting a bit to dodge Link's fist from below him, "…to sur-ow! surprise!"
Link groaned in frustration and tried butting his head into Onyx's chin, but the brunette's weight overbalanced him. "I give up! Get off me! I give!"
Onyx blew into the Hylian's ear, causing the blonde to twitch as if he had desperately needed to tend an itch. "Rule Two: Never give up! I've heard you say that way too many times. Link-Ack! Remember when I say you can do pretty much anything if you keep at it. HAH! Pinned ya!"
Onyx grinned victoriously, having trapped the other's arms on the floor. Link looked up at him fiercely, only to have the ebony haired boy stick his tongue out tauntingly. You want a surprise, loud mouth? Suddenly, Link lunged forward and bit Onyx's tongue, causing the brunette to yelp and jump back rapidly. A hand flew to his mouth as the wide-eyed, suddenly out of breath boy stared in disbelief at the small Hylian in front of him.
And if ever there was a prize for the smuggest look on record, Link would have won it hands down. He sat cross-legged with a smirk, tilting his head to the side. "Sorry," he chuckled, "did I surprise you?" The blonde got up, laughing, as he made his way over to his shocked friend.
"Maybe a little," Onyx smiled, standing up next to the other. "You sure are bold."
Link pointed his index finger into Onyx's chest. "Not as much as you, though." The brunette raised an eyebrow, but said nothing.
Instead, he gently took his companion by the hand and led the boy over to the small wooden bed. There, with his arms sliding around the other's waist, Onyx took Link into a warming embrace. "Link?"
A 'mmph' came from Onyx's chest.
"Link," the brunette smiled, "I need you to promise me something."
Link made an irritated groan and moved his head onto Onyx's shoulder and looked up into the other's eyes. "Another one?"
"Yeah, another one," he said. "Link, I want you to promise me that you won't worry. Another thing is that I don't want you to follow me without my knowing. If you do, I'll bring you back down into that Deku hole and let you find the way out." He winked. "Just little things, but as your guardian, I want you to follow 'em. Got that?"
Link stared. "What? Why? Where are you going? Are you going to the cas-"
"Sh-shush!" Onyx said, putting a finger up to Link's mouth. "I asked if you got it."
"I got it. But-"
"No buts! So stop butting, you butt!"
"Hey!" Link shouted. "Don't call me a butt! You're a butt then!"
Onyx beamed and gave Link's shoulders a tight squeeze, leaning down onto the bed with a sigh. "Fine then. I'm a butt, you happy? You're going out with a butt." Link gave him a horrified look while Onyx just snorted and broke into a fit of laughter, the blonde soon joining.
Never would Link have thought that something so simple would give him such peace. Laying in Onyx's arms and snuggling into a warm, welcoming chest, and a heartbeat to lullaby him to sleep. I've only had one parent, Link thought dreamily. But it's hard for him to bend his branches into a hug. He sighed. Saria couldn't give this kind of comfort either. He grew up pretending she was his big sister, but he still didn't feel comfortable when she hugged him during a troubled time. It just wasn't the right hug.
But this, the Hylian smiled. This is perfect.
A moment or two turned into an hour, and the soft breathing signaled Onyx for his departure. He hesitated. Link's small, sleeping form and peaceful face made him reconsider his plans. It only took a moment for Onyx to realize it was because of the sleeping figure that he was leaving. At this he smiled reassuringly.
The brunette bent down next to the bed. "A favor this time," he said, brushing back some wandering hair from the snoozing face. "Wait up for me." And with that, Onyx kissed Link's cheek, laid a small gift near the other's head, and left the little Hylian in his tree house, leaving the Kokiri Village for good.
xXxXx
A bright light danced in front of his eyes. "Onyx…" Link whined, turning over to escape the buzzing behind him. "Stop it….I wanna sleep…"
"Hello, Link!"
Link moaned. Why was Onyx always so gosh darn cheerful in the morning? How was that even possible?
"Wake up!"
The blonde boy groaned.
"The Great Deku Tree wants to talk to you!"
Link's eyes shot opened.
"Hey! C'mon!"
His body seemed to freeze. Onyx?
"Can Hyrule's destiny really depend on such a lazy boy?"
He sat up and eyes his snapped to a blinding, little ball of light with tiny, transparent wings.
"You finally woke up! I'm Navi the fairy! The Great Deku Tree asked me to be your partner from now on! Nice to meet you!"
Link faintly nodded. There was a fairy in his room. A fairy without a Kokiri. Right here-right next to him with a cheery, hyper voice. But where was his other cheery, hyper voice? Where was his real partner? It was all too early in the morning for this! "Wha-"
"The Great Deku Tree has summoned you!" she yelled, bouncing up and down in the air excitedly. "So let's get going, right now!"
Without warning, Navi bolted out of the room, Link hurrying after her with his hat in fist. Upon the bed, wrinkled and crumbled from being rolled over, was a small, forgotten, yellow flower.
Seven years later…
"All I'm saying, Navi," Link said, waving the Master Sword in his hand as if to make a point. "Is that I'd appreciate your advise a little more if it was before or after a battle. Not during it!"
"I'm sorry, but you were aiming wrong! The weak point was on its belly, not its head! You could've been killed!" Navi cried, darting in Link's face and clutching his nose. Link gently pushed her away; he was seeing spots again and felt dizzy as he walked up to a locked door. "Use the key to open it!"
The Hylian's gloved hand stopped in mid-air as he turned and glared at Navi accusingly. "What did we talk about?"
"Well, I can't help it! You're growing up so fast and I can't bare thinking that you don't need my help anymore, Link!" the fairy squeaked, crossing her arms.
Link sighed. "I'll always need your help, Navi," he smiled. "Just not with opening doors." He chuckled and stuck the key into the rusting lock, turning it until he heard a satisfying click.
Then in stepped a physically matured version of what was once the shunned Kokiri without a fairy. His childish features matured into what can simply be described as overly handsome, if not stunning. The young man was far from defenseless, and stood with a sense of pride in his new ability. Although wielding the bane of all evil could have possibly been a spirit lifter, the sense that there was reason to his rough childhood helped lift a weight that had invisibly weighed down the boy to a poor degree. He was entrusted with a much greater burden now, for he was Hyrule's last hope, its savior. He was Link, the Hero of Time.
And he was irritably soaked to boot.
"Don't tell me we're outside? This is the only door we could get to!"
"No," the fairy pondered aloud. "We can't be outside! We're still under the lake! Perhaps it's magic?"
Link grunted took a few steps forward. This was no good. There was nothing in this room, quite literally. The fog seemed to hide anything of importance in the distance, and it seemed to be even wetter in here than the other parts of the temple, avoiding the areas that were nothing but water. The Hylian wiped away some soggy hair with his free hand, and let out an exhausted sigh, bending over to clutch his knees. "Navi, I've gotta sit down. If ya can't sense anything, tell me 'cause I'll gladly collapse right here…" he groaned.
"You're so dramatic, Link," the fairy replied, ignoring Link's glare. Navi huffed and fluttered to his head where she sat comfortably as if to think. "Well, it seems peaceful enough, but why would Ganondorf make such a room?"
"What if the Zolas-"
"Zoras! Zoras, Link! Come now! Such a bad habit should be broken by now!"
The blonde headed boy nodded and straightened up, embarrassment covering his features. Unwelcome memories shot up from when he accidentally insulted the Zora King, or when Princess Zelda laughed at him kindly and corrected that they were not in fact Zolas, but Zoras. Mentally, he winced as an even greater unwanted memory came to mind, the first time he was corrected about it, but shook his head as if to rid the vision from his mind. It was too good to last, but he was too foolish at the time to understand that.
Without realizing it, Link's eyes had glazed over from his deep thinking, and his pointed ears began to droop in depression. Though he was slowly getting better at it, there were times when random things made him remember. He bit his lip in frustration. No! Not in the middle of a temple! Suck it up! In an attempt to cease his wandering thoughts, he armed his shield and began marching across the drenched floor.
"Link? Link! Wait for me!" the fairy squeaked desperately. She poked at Link's cheek, concerned for his bowed head and solemn expression. He merely shook his head, the golden bangs waving and kept walking. "Hey! Stop! Link, stop and look over there!" The Hylian had halted so suddenly that Navi flew into his head, yipping and clinging onto the man's soggy blue tunic for aid. She clambered onto his shoulder and point out to the left. "There! See it! A tree! Out of nowhere! What do you think it means, Link? Link-hey! Eep!" Navi cried when her grip was lost as Link bolted away towards the tree.
He stopped dead in his tracks, and let out a silent cry of defeat. Nothing. Nothing but some stupid, old, dead tree. In all honesty, the fairy pointing out a tree was as uninteresting as when she pointed out any other obvious thing, but looking over…Link groaned. He was so sure.
As Navi caught up with the Hylian, she gave him a disciplinary pinch on his cheek and straddled herself on Link's shoulder, bound to hold on this time. "Listen! If we're going to search, I thought I saw a door up ahead! When you ran the fog cleared a bit and I'm sure I saw something!"
Link's eyes gazed away impassively. He was sure he saw something too, but it didn't mean he really did. However, the blonde shrugged and took a step forward, his spirits dim once more.
Yet a sudden splash perked his ears and, upon turning around, a sword stabbed into the air right over his shoulder and nearly slicing the poor fairy in two. She yelped and darted into Link's cap as the hero simply stared. "On…" his mouth moved but nothing came out. Limply his arms hung at his sides until dropping his weapons completely. "...On…ni-n…" he whispered, while deeply inside, he was screaming a name over and over.
For in front of him, posed and ready, was Onyx. With the excitement of a 10-year-old child, Link lunged at the other young man, wrapping his arms around the brunette so tightly that he felt as if it would show his overwhelming happiness if he were able to break bones. "You're alive! You're here! I knew it! I knew you were only playing! I knew that I'd find you! I knew it! I knew-" A sudden forceful grip on his upper arms caught the excited breath out of the Hylian. "Ony-Ah, oaf!" The ebony clad man threw Link back, onto the ground, flipping up his own sword from the ground with his foot, and swiping it right in front of the blonde's neck, all in one swift move. Afraid to even swallow, Link fearfully brought his gaze up. What was going on? There he was: the shiny, black hair that curved his face perfectly, the dark tunic that matched the Hylian's own, the fiery, red eyes that seems to glow with the greatest-…hate? Link felt he had to double-take. But no…there it was; undeniable fury.
Suddenly the fate of Hyrule, Princess Zelda's pleads for help, and Ganondorf's taunting horror all seemed like a small bother compared to the biggest problem that was wracking Link's mind: What was wrong with Onyx? He cleared his throat, quite carefully, and almost let a whimper escape when the sword edge into Link's neck. "Onyx," he whispered, and against better judgment cleared his throat again and yelled, "Onyx!"
A reflecting look passed the shadowy figure's eye, but it was quickly replaced by a more negative aspect. The glowering figure turned and sheathed his sword, throwing his shield next to the tree and walking away without another thought. Link sat in the water with a look of utter distress. He stumbled to get up and trudged after the other for a few steps. He stopped with his hand held halfway up, with his lips mouthing the words 'Wait'. His body seemed to slump as he watched the figure begin to disappear in the fog.
"Link! Look!" Navi yelped, peeping out of the cap when the strange stillness caught her notice. "I see it now! The door! It's opened now, Link! He's letting us through! Hurry! Before it closes! Hey, Link!"
"Navi!" Link yelled, catching the fairy off guard and almost knocking her out of the cap. The Hylian reached up and took the little ball of light gently in his hands. "Go into the room and wait for me. I promise, I'll be there, but…but I just need to take care of something first!"
"Hey! Wait a minute-"
"Navi! Scout ahead to make sure everything's safe! Please do this for me!" he pleaded, the look of desperation on his face almost too much to bear.
The fairy stared back until, slowly, the tiny being fluttered away, frequently turning back for another look a Link, standing there with a look she's never seen before. When she finally did disappear from view, the Hylian changed his gaze to where Onyx had trudged away, and took off after his long lost friend.
A/N:
Ok, to show I WAS devoted to this chapter, I hooked up my Gamecube (it was in a box after the move), got out MasterQuest or Collector's Edition (I forgot which) and started a new game on OOT. Everything Navi said when she first met Link is OFFICIAL! I wrote it down myself!
….teehee, I put in the name OMG when I began the game….hah! And when I edited this chapter, I realized I stupidly put "Wake up, OMG!" XD
I'm running out of things to threaten you with. So just review and it'll make things easier.