Disclaimer: I don't own legend of Zelda, or anything related to it... except my story.

Ch. 2 Hightailing It

Unfortunately, Link hadn't driven since the bar was only two blocks away from his apartment building, but when Link felt certain he was out of sight he broke into a run.

Who was he kidding? Sure. He made it out of the bar alive but you don't just steal something valuable from the Dragon and expect to live happily ever after.

He couldn't explain what compelled him to pull that stunt back there. Maybe he'd had a bit too much to drink. Or maybe he'd finally snapped and accepted the fact his life just wasn't going anywhere. At the ripe age of twenty-five, his life was about to get far more exciting than he'd ever intended.

But if Link was honest with himself, it felt thoroughly and completely exhilarating. He couldn't describe it. He felt lit up, on the edge. Stuck on an adrenaline high or something. What ever it was, he didn't want it to stop, and that scared the hell out of him.

When he'd finally reached his simple two-bed apartment, he knew he didn't have much time. Tossing the envelope on the kitchen table, he rushed into the bedroom to pack as much as he could. He had this gut feeling of urgency that motivated him to move quickly. He had to get out of here, knowing it was only a matter of time before they'd find him.

He packed light, with only a few changes of clothes, a map and a toothbrush. As soon as everything was tightly bundled in his sports bag he was ready to bolt when a sudden thought seized him. Hurriedly walking over to his nightstand, he opened the drawer, and pulled out a .45 caliber. Link wasn't a violent man but spending a few years in Castle Town had made him cautious. After checking to make sure it was loaded, he shoved it in his pants and headed out the door. Thankfully, he remembered to grab the envelope off the table before leaving.

He was almost to the stairwell when a disturbing sound stopped him. Listening past the thumping of his heart, he heard the footsteps of two or more people climbing the stairs. The echoes bounced off the walls, but strangely no one was talking. He thought he'd heard a gun click.

It couldn't be.

Laced with fear, Link turned on his heel and swiftly made his way back to his apartment. Once shutting the door, he could feel his heart pounding and the adrenaline coursing through his body.

They were here! A part of him told him he was delusional and paranoid and they couldn't have possibly tracked him down so fast. But over the years Link had learned to trust his instincts and he wasn't going to stop now. He looked around frantically, knowing he'd made a mistake in coming here. He had to get out and the only exit was a sure way to die. What could he–

Wait. The fire escape! Link ran over and opened the window before shoving his belongings out. After carefully climbing out himself, he shut the window tightly so as not to immediately give away his escape. He then descended the stairs as if his life depended on it, which in this case…

He then casually made his way to his car, trying not to arouse too much suspicion. Did they know what his car looked like yet? If not, they would soon.

Pulling out the keys to what he liked to call his "run down piece of junk," he unlocked the doors before tossing his stuff in the backseat. He was ready to bolt when an alarming thought came to him. He hastily checked under his car for suspicious looking attachments that may have been added without his knowledge. Link had seen too many movies where the victim had gotten away thinking he was safe until the unexpected explosion or bullet to the head dashed his hopes. Satisfied he wasn't going to get blown to kingdom come, he slid behind the wheel and started the engine. Thankful he'd just put in a full tank of gas he sped off heading east.

Where could he go? He didn't have any known blood relatives living and he certainly wasn't going to involve a friend in this mess. Fido. Sudden panic seized Link as he frantically pulled out his cell phone and dialed his friend's number. When he heard Fido's tired voice on the other line, relief flooded through him.

"Hey Fid, it's me."

"Link? Hey man, I've been worried about you! Where'd you go? Have you gotten yourself into something?"

Link stopped breathing. "What do you mean? Has something happened?"

"Yeah dude. A few guys came in here about twenty minutes ago asking about you. I got this pretty bad vibe they weren't the police."

Link groaned. How could they have caught his trail so fast? "Listen Fido, don't tell them anything. Say you don't know me. I'm just a guy who comes in now and then for a beer."

"Hey don't worry. I told them I didn't know much about ya except you drink. Hey listen Link, I know you've been kinda down lately but you haven't gone and done something stupid have you?"

Link swallowed. "Maybe…sort of. I just… need to stay low for a while. I'm in a bit of trouble and it's not with the good guys."

"Ok man, then why don't you come over and stay with us? We can–"

"No way. I'm not getting you or your family any more involved. I'll talk to ya later Fido."

"Link wai–"

He ended the call. Perhaps he should've thought of others before he impersonated the most powerful man in Hyrule and stolen his damn envelope. Now Fido and his family were in danger because he was careless.

Link slammed his palm on the steering wheel, completely loathing himself. He'd definitely chosen the wrong person to mess with. These days, messing around with anyone could put you in a tight spot.

Hyrule wasn't a land with much law and order anymore. The best way to be successful was to keep your head down and mind your own business. Sure, they had the police, but even they were run by mob lords and businessmen seeking power. The so-called "rulers" of Hyrule resided in the one place with the advantage of countless resources at your disposal: Castle Town.

Back in ancient times a monarch was the sole ruler of Hyrule. Sadly, there weren't many left who knew of the histories and now centuries later, the land was ruled by the rich and powerful who thrived on the suffering of others. History just wasn't important anymore. The only reason Link knew of "Old" Hyrule, was from the teachings of his former caretaker Rauru.

Rauru had caught Link pick-pocketing when he was no more than ten, and had graciously taken him under his wing, though Link had never figured out why. He'd given him food, a warm bed, and an education. Hyrule's history and its origins were among Rauru's adored subjects. Link loved hearing stories about the old folk tales and legends that supposedly made Hyrule what it was today. He also spoke of powerful sorcerers and mythical creatures that had once roamed the land of "Old" Hyrule. Of course, Link didn't believe in such things, but he couldn't deny that Rauru's tales had a ring of truth to them. They only had each other and that was enough. He'd come to truly care about the old man who always seemed to have an open ear and a warm heart whenever needed.

His fondest memories were of just the two of them traveling the lands of Hyrule, treasure hunting. They traveled to far away places and met many strange people. Always treasure hunting. They'd discovered dozens of caves and many colorful gems to add to their collection, but Rauru had always said that none of them would compare to the ultimate treasure he and Link would some day find. The one he seemed to constantly search for but never obtain. Link had never quite understood the old man and his obsession with finding this treasure, but he never grew tired helping him look.

Link checked the rear view mirror to make sure he wasn't being followed. So far so good. Taking a deep breath and letting it out slowly, he pondered on exactly why he was risking his neck. He didn't even know what was in the envelope yet. Something that would help the Dragon, no doubt. Something he desperately wanted. Was it money? Nah. He already had enough of that. Something to give him more control, maybe? A stronger hold over Hyrule? What ever it was, Link had it and giving it back was out of the question.

But if Link was honest with himself, deep down he hadn't regretted his actions. It was exhilarating to stand in the way of evil intentions. He felt so alive, especially after being dead so long. Like he was protecting something special.

Link frowned at this. Ha! As if. He didn't even know what he was protecting. Certainly not himself. If the Dragon's men got hold of him…well, he tried not to think about it. The Dragon's punishments weren't exactly quick and easy. Most people would call what he was doing crazy. Even he couldn't explain his actions. All he knew was it felt right.

Glancing at his watch, he noted the time and decided he would drive another hour before stopping. He was growing weary and knew his body would crash soon. The adrenaline that kept his senses alert earlier had worn off, leaving him bone tired. If he could just drive for another hour he'd feel a lot safer.

Forty-five minutes later he was starting to nod off and knew it was time to stop. Deciding to catch a few hours of sleep, he pulled over at a cheap Kokiro motel on the side of the road. He didn't dare stay till morning. After paying with his credit card, he tiredly climbed the stairs to his room. As much as he wanted to see what was in the envelope, he decided it could wait till he was more alert. After setting his alarm for 6 am, Link drifted off into a dreamless sleep.

Link's mind was still groggy when he woke three hours later but felt rejuvenated nonetheless. Link supposed he could spare time for a shower and coffee before he began running for his life. The hot shower succeeded in bringing him fully out of his sleep-deprived state. The memory of last night's events played in his mind as he pulled on jeans and a t-shirt. With his shaggy hair still dripping wet, he grabbed his jacket and pulled out the envelope from the inside pocket. Testing its weight, Link found that it was heavier than it appeared. Why hadn't he noticed before?

Drawing a deep breath, he broke the seal before proceeding to dump its contents on the counter. Link felt his eyes go wide at what appeared to be a small piece of jewelry topple out. Not believing his eyes, he saw what looked like a small necklace made for a woman. A red gem the size of a quarter hung from a long, gold chain. Surrounding the gem were small diamonds all connected by a gold background that had lost its shine. It looked to be decades old, maybe centuries.

Link's insides tightened. This was what the Dragon was after? A necklace not even worth selling? A gem may have been rare back in ancient times, but today it wasn't worth the clothes on his back. Link could feel his frustration growing. He risked his life for something as insignificant as this? Did he miss something?

Snatching up the envelope, he checked inside again to make sure there wasn't something else. Seeing it empty, he tossed it in the trash before turning to glare at the adornment. So much for wanting to make a difference. So much for ruining his life, not that he had much of one to begin with.

Sill seething, Link grabbed the necklace and threw it across the room before snatching his bag to begin packing. He was none too gently shoving the rest of his things inside the bag when the lights unexpectedly gave out. Cursing, he fumbled with the zipper, thinking it was high time he split.

Without warning a sudden flash of light from behind stopped him. Startled, Link whirled around only to find a blinding white light shining from across the room. It had a dazzling effect that reminded him of a camera flash, except this one wasn't turning off. Shielding his eyes from its majesty, Link wondered if he'd ever be able to see again.

Then, just as suddenly as it had appeared it left, leaving a vast darkness. He could vaguely see the motel lights flicker back on through his eyelids. Not at all sure what to do he stayed how he was, trying to figure out what the hell happened. Before he could make sense of things he thought he heard a small thump from across the room. Unsure if he heard correctly he opened his eyes trying to blink away the after effects. He'd thought his eyes were goners.

Stumbling to his feet he grabbed hold of the dresser to steady himself. Deciding it was his imagination; he glanced around the room. Nothing seemed out of the ordinary after the strange occurrence. What in Din's name was that? Whatever. All Link could think about now was getting the hell out of there before the Tooth Fairy showed up. Still somewhat dazed he took a few steps before stumbling over something in the middle of the floor. Links cursing was followed by a small groan. Knowing he'd heard right this time, he spun around determined to find its source. The last thing he expected to see was a young woman lying unconscious at his feet. Bewildered, Link stared at the scene, wondering if his eyes were playing tricks on him. After snapping out of his stupor, Link knelt down and hesitantly placed a hand on the girl's shoulder. Yep. She was real.

Gently shaking her he stammered awkwardly, "Hey um… miss? Miss." She didn't stir. She sure was sleeping soundly. Was she okay? And just what was she doing in his room? Taking in her appearance, she wore what looked to be an expensive white evening gown with a blue-green vest. She was a lovely sight to be sure. Her hair was a deep, auburn color against her pale complexion.

Running a hand through his hair, Link pondered over his predicament. He had to get out of here, but he sure as Din wasn't going to leave her. If his trail led the Dragon's men here, and he knew it would, they'd find her and take her for questioning. The last thing he wanted was to get an innocent bystander killed as a result of his carelessness. Link sighed, deciding he should at least get her some help. He noticed the necklace lying nearby and reached over to pick it up, not at all sure why he bothered. He placed it in his pocket before turning his attention back to the other problem. Placing one arm under her shoulders and the other under her knees he lifted her up. To Link's astonishment, she weighed next to nothing as if he held nothing but thin air. Since Link could feel her soft, delicate skin with his fingertips, he knew she was real. Unsure of what to make of this, he made his way out of the room, heading towards the Motel lobby.

Several people gave him strange looks on his way. He'd smiled sheepishly while explaining "a bit too much vodka," although that hadn't seemed to rectify their confusion. Upon reaching the lobby, he'd spotted the manager near the welcoming desk.

"Excuse me!" he called. Upon hearing Link's voice the manager walked briskly towards him. He sounded slightly annoyed when he replied, "Can I help you sir?"

"Well, um." He glanced down at the woman he was holding. "I just sort of found her. I have no idea how she got in but she seems to be…" Link looked down at the woman again. Now that he thought about it, she felt rather cold and didn't seem to be breathing. Oh Nayru. Was she…?

The manager's voice interrupted his thoughts "Are you referring to a girl, sir?"

Link looked up at him in surprise. Was he blind? "Well, yeah." Lifting her up a bit more he gestured with his head. "I just found her in my room. Aren't you gonna call a doctor?"

The motel manager was now frowning at him with displeasure. Link frowned back. What was his problem?

"I'll have to ask you sir, to please return to your room and kindly not disturb any of our guests with your inebriation." Link couldn't believe what he was hearing. Could he not see her?

He was about to make a smart retort when he noticed something rather unsettling. On the back of the girl's hand were three triangles, each stacked to form a larger one. It was identical to the one Link has had since birth, only hers was on her right. Still not quite believing his eyes, he looked up to find the motel manager, radioing security.

Turning on he heel, he called out over his shoulder, "Don't bother. I was just checking out." That being said, Link Forester walked out of the Kokiro motel carrying what looked to be a beautiful, and rather dead looking ghost in his arms.

AN: yay! We're getting into the story. Just so you guys know, this is definitely a modern version of Hyrule and will have a mix between our world and Zelda world. Hope you guys liked it! The next chapter will really pick up the pace, so stayed tuned.