War of fire and ice

Lynda shivered and held onto herself, wanting nothing more than to curl up into a dark corner and just die. She hated being afraid; hated being haunted by something that happened years ago, and most likely wouldn't happen again. She regretted asking Saria not to touch her. It probably would've eased the pain of the memory, and maybe she would've gotten over it eventually. But now...

Lynda shivered violently and held back a scream, tears threatening to fall.

She looked down at the hat she had thrown away, and regretted her decision about it. Sometimes the thing didn't work as well as it used to, since she was in her adolescence and her birthday was nearing. Not to mention the time of the month was coming up too.

Lynda looked at the hat resentfully, hating it but loving it at the same time. When wearing it she was strong, confident. She could fight and win easily in it and if she wanted to be, famous and well known as the Hero of Time. She knew how to act to please people, knew everything that she should and shouldn't do as a male vagabond swordsman, bound to nothing and no one. But she felt empty every time she had visited Malon as Link, who had looked at her like a reliable brother. It was like she had to act continuously as the Hero of Time; as someone completely not her. She hated being some trophy for people to grab, some little object with the purpose of only showing off.

But without the hat, she was weak and unsure of herself. The swords she could fight easily as Link were difficult as Lynda. She didn't know how to act like a girl her age. She didn't know how a girl was supposed to please people, didn't know anything about herself. Lynda sometimes visited the markets to get bread and butter, but every time in lines, the male was to be served first, even when he was behind her. If not that it was always the older woman, or the younger, richer, prettier one, and she was usually left in the dust, just barely getting the last, fresh one before they began to sell the stale breads. That was why she quit going to the market as both and male and female. She got her food from the ranch, if she was in desperate need for it.

But perhaps three years ago, when Link went to go see Malon, he had revealed himself as Lynda, and had run away straight after for the fear of being hated. She'd never visited again, because she didn't want to know how Malon felt. What was the point on staying if Malon decided she didn't want to be friends with her any longer?

She felt trapped on the line between the world of girls and boys, lost in confusion of emotions belonging to both male and female. And it was all the bloody hat's fault.

Lynda lifted it from the ground and held it in her hands, wondering what to do with it now. Lynda knew it was best that she put on the hat, since Sheik was in the Temple area as well, but instead she fiddled with the green fabric of the cap, musing about the intruding visitor of the Temple.

Sheik. That name had been embedded into her mind more than Zelda's when she replaced the Master Sword to its sleep. It had meant almost nothing to her as she lived in Kokiri forest, but as Lynda turned thirteen and older, she had felt herself blush every time she remembered the red eyes that had stared intently at her. The muscles that she had seen in his arms and chest were still vivid, and the kind musical voice was still chanting those rhymes in her head. But the last meeting with Sheik, when he had turned to Zelda always returned to her before she could fantasize about anything. She'd felt those fantasies come back when she'd had a proper look at the Sheikah.

But what was the point of those fantasies, if she intended to be a boy?

Lynda put it on her head, and when she looked in the water, Link was there. He sighed in immense relief, falling back on the comforting grass. After a second he wiped at the tear stains on his face. They didn't belong to him; it wasn't Link who shed those tears. Men were braver and stronger. They didn't need or want to cry.

He closed his eyes and let the storm clouds of emotion ebb away, letting himself cool down and enjoy the fresh air. Sheik would be gone. He'd probably never come back, since he had no business here in the Temple no longer, with Link rejecting the offer to 'serve the kingdom'. All he had to do now was sit back, relax, and just calm down . . .

He would've dozed off to sleep if it weren't for the soft blue glow that shone against his eyelids. Link opened his eyes groggily to find Navi fluttering at his nose. The fairy was hopeless at keeping emotions to herself, and it tended to show in her glow and wings, like how she was dim and her wings drooped as they flapped in a hopeless manner. Link groaned and let his head drop to the lush grass before asking, "What's the bad news, Navi."

". . . Sheik's still here."

Link waved that off, rolling to the side in hopes of getting back to sleep, "He'll be going. He doesn't want to stay, and he needs to report to the King about me, remember?"

"That's the thing, Link. He's . . . he's staying."

Link's eyes shot open and he boosted himself up, his face colliding with the depressed fairy. "What."

"Saria cut him off. Sheik's going to stay until Saria doesn't want him anymore."

That really pissed Link off.

Sheik whistled with amazement, looking around the central room in awe and respect. It was cavernous inside; much bigger and wider than Sheik ever expected. The walls seemed to be made out of wood, or soft rock, looking as if it was completely natural, and people had carved in the ledges and stairs to make a suitable foundation of the temple. But even those that were clearly artificial looked as if they had grown from the forest with life before they were stunted into rails and ledges. They had an air of life and fertility that Sheik wondered whether or not to bow. He knew it was totally ridiculous to bow to a room, but he felt compelled.

He did a Sheikah sign of respect — the crossing of the middle fingers over his heart — before taking another step.

The white wood of the stair rails were soft and welcome under his touch, a light spring due to the moss it had acquired over the years adding to the affect. There were soft claps of sound as Sheik trudged down the stairs in his clumpy boots, the sound echoing across the main room in an eerie fashion. He examined the place further, noting the lanterns that burned in the middle of the room, the strange colours of the flames intriguing him. Crimson red, poison green, cold blue and sickly purple flared as he came closer, spitting in what seemed like anger, disgust, hate and envy. Sheik felt a shiver go down his spine and stopped to calm himself, avoiding the lanterns with his gaze. He looked up at the high overhang of the temple and saw only darkness, with the occasional shuffle from above. Red eyes squinted into the darkness, noting the deadly winks of yellow light that seemed to mock him.

He realised all of a sudden that he would've been the first visitor since the Hero of Time, and before that the Black King. The Temple probably didn't know whether he meant harm or not. Perhaps it would've been best if he had left his weapons at the entrance to show that he meant no harm. The amount of concealed knives and daggers on his person was on the limit of being not-so-funny. Sheik sighed and sat down as he finished descending the stairs, taking off his boot to clip off the sheaths that were strapped onto the insides of the leather.

It was then that something began to stir and make a sound, catching his attention. It was like a whirring of clockwork, when the wheels of the complex object worked in harmony and made a content purr. Sheik decided that it was nothing dangerous; he finished with his boot and wore it, going onto the next.

He glanced up as he put another sheathed knife to the ground, noting the box that was coming up from the ground. The young man guessed straight on that it was an elevator, the fact that it was big enough to fit a person and it looked eerily like a cage giving him the obvious hint. He ignored it once again and continued disarming his feet, refusing to meet the angry glare that was emanating towards him.

"What the hell are you doing here." The reason for his imprisonment hissed, blue fire raging in his eyes.

Sheik looked up to meet Link's gaze, standing up at the same time. He absently tapped the toes of his boots against the floor to get his feet more comfortable in the foot wear. He said, "I'm stuck."

"I already know that." Link growled, "I'm asking what you're doing in the Temple. With knives." Link jabbed his finger downwards to where Sheik had left four daggers, five knives—four for throwing—and a one-sided blade the length of his foreleg. All were sheathed, but the fact that Sheik had them in the Temple infuriated Link to no end.

Sheik answered in a perfectly reasonable tone, "I was removing them from my person."

Link scoffed with mockery and disdain. "Right."

His visitor shrugged and attempted to crouch to get hold of his weapons. "Fine with me, if you want me to walk around with weapons in hand."

"I don't want you in the Temple period!" Link barked, grabbing Sheik's cuff and pulling him to his face. "I want you out; now!"

Sheik ignored the hot menace in the Hylian's tone and pulled himself away, "You think I want to be here?" he hissed, his eyes becoming hard as frozen jewels, "The only reason I'm here is because I'm stuck here. And I have unattended business outside. Tell that sage of yours to let me go, if you want me gone."

Link laughed harshly, mirth in his tone. "She doesn't have to do anything as far as she's concerned. She's the boss here; she does what she likes."

Sheik gritted his teeth against Link's sadistic tone. He was so ready to gut him, so ready to kill him in one of the most holy places in the country, but Sheik needed him to get out; needed him to persuade the Forest Sage to let him go. And Sheik detested that fact above all. Link gave a smug sneer towards Sheik direction, making him almost lose it.

Sheik took a deep breath before saying, "Look. The King is readying his troops against my people. If I don't go, they're going to be massacred. I need to go."

Link blinked in surprise. "You're a double agent?"

Sheik clamped his jaw tight shut. Link stepped a little closer, glaring. He was only slightly taller than Sheik, and Sheik was on the tall side. "What's it to you?" Sheik asked coldly, making Link sneer.

"Nothing, I guess." He stepped back and around, climbing a few steps before sitting down in a casual heap. Too casual, Sheik decided, with the way the Hylian's eyes twinkled with mischief. "Tell you what," the hero said, "I'll ask Saria to let some of the barriers up. Does that seem fair to you?"

Sheik's suspicion grew. "Where do these barriers block the way to?"

Link shrugged and smirked. "To Rilemin. You know that country?" He leaned back against the stairs, his hands resting behind his head, "You'd reach Hyrule in. . . twenty days on horse, riding hard."

Anger flared in Sheik's heart without mercy. "I demand passage to Hyrule Field; now."

Link glared right back without sympathy. "I won't be serving the Royal family. I gave up more than you ever could being the Hero of Time; I refuse to be dragged in."

Sheik's hands balled into fists at his sides, his jaw hurting from grinding his teeth so much, his eyes losing all humane emotions except cold, cold rage. "I wonder what it'd be like, Hero, listening to an all out war that you could've prevented? Hearing the screams of your innocent people as they get massacred by the Sheikah."

Link rose from his position and growled, his lips curled up in a snarl that matched one of a wolfos. "The Hylians are not my people. The Kokiri are. Why should I care about the very race that caused me nothing but pain?" A heartless smile replaced the snarl, and Link said, "And you're right. It is all out war. Except, as far as I'm concerned, it's between you and me."

Link went back to the elevator, looking back only once to say, "Enjoy your stay, buddy." Before descending into the basement once more.

Night had fallen three hours ago, and Sheik cupped his hands to his mouth again, doing the mimic of an owl's call once more. It was of a specific owl, The Spotted golden eye. The species were in good grounds with the Sheikah, and the wild ones came to the camps around the countries often in search for leftover scraps that had happened to be on the grass. Some had been captured when they were only young chicks, trained to come to the calls Sheik were doing that very moment.

He was perched on top of a massive tree hundreds of years old, looking over the canopy of leaves that framed the silvery Hyrule Field far, far away. He'd climbed up in hopes to get to the grass land by avoiding the portals themselves and pass through the top most branches of the trees, but after an hour he knew it was fruitless; the sage's power was great, and he couldn't get himself out. He'd sat on the branch he was perched on that very moment, feeling despair at never being able to return making him sick.

Until he thought of getting help from outside.

But after several tries he realised that it was near impossible. The owls tended to live in open land or on sheer cliffs, where the winds were strong and undisturbed. They fed on rats and insects that shunned the cool shadows of trees, and they liked to sleep where the sun was warm against their backs so they kept the heat of their sleep through the cold nights. Why would they come to a forest, when their lives had nothing to do with them?

Sheik resolved to come back in the morning, and try calling for a royal messenger bird. He knew magic; a lot of it in fact. Perhaps he could try to give it mental images on where to go, and guide it to where his tribe's camp was. He already had a letter written out.

Sheik began to climb down, muttering curses to the Hero who tortured him so.

Link counted his ammunition and checked the map once more, even though after years of living in the Temple, he didn't need it. But it was so exciting, what he was doing. He hadn't done it since he was chased out of the Kokiri village, where he had done it all the time, and several times per day especially on his birthday. But now that he had company he didn't like, he could finally get his nearly forgotten hobby back into action, and Sheik was going to be the first and last victim of his pride.

Link snickered in a childish manner, unable to stop smiling.

If there was anything that dampened his mood was the blue fairy that fluttered behind his shoulder, worry and distress clear in her glow.

"Link, you sure you want to do this? I mean, that guy's the first company you've had since . . . ever, really. Why not get to know him? He might be a good friend, you know."

Link turned his head around to meet the fairy's glow, and scoffed. "Navi, men aren't to be trusted when it comes to friendships. Especially when I'm the one that has to deal with them. When he finds about 'Lynda', he will try to hurt me. Maybe even hurt you. You're a sister to me Navi; I don't want anything bad happening to you. And besides, you, Saria and the others are all the company I need. Sheik, however," Link stopped talking as the devil himself stepped through, shaking his head as he closed the front doors. He was wearing the attire he had arrived in yesterday, even though it was pretty wrinkly from his restless sleep. The part of Link that was feminine delighted in the fact that his face was uncovered; she liked the look of the mysterious Sheikah.

Link shook Lynda away from his mind, scowling. Lynda had no place in his life any longer.

Link looked down upon him from the window he was perched on, and grinned madly. The Hylian had a good view of his prey from the third floor, while Sheik was on the first, and he was sure he was going to enjoy what he had planned out for the Sheikah.

Before the unbeknownst victim was about to trigger the trap, Link added the last words he had wanted to say with a big, smug, grin, "Is a nuisance."

Sheik stood on the false panel. He heard an ominous click. It was only then that he knew he was in major trouble.

Water. Massive amounts of water poured in from the windows on the second floor, surging onto the first floor with a force that could've easily wrenched a farm house to dust. And it went directly at Sheik, hitting his torso with enough force to send air out of his lungs, with enough speed to go over him without letting him intake air, submerging him and the first floor mercilessly.

Link watched it all with hearty laughs.

Sheik couldn't breathe, couldn't see, couldn't control his body as the water around him jostled him in tight circles and frighteningly long distances. He tumbled through the churning and thrashing waters until his back hit a wall.

Pain cracked into his spine like a thunder clap, and it was only the power of will that stopped him from gasping. The only thing that helped the matter was that the wall was covered in ivy, and had softened the blow. But the softening tentacles of the plants had almost no affect as the spasm of pain continued, and the pressing the water was doing was torturing his lungs all the more. Sheik held onto his nose and mouth and fought the water, until all of a sudden; he felt the force of it decline.

Panic surged through the Sheikah's mind. If he didn't do something, something quick, the water would leave fast enough to drop under him, and he'd be left in mid air, to land onto rushing waters again. Before the water could retreat without him, or suck him into its deeper and colder depths, Sheik grabbed onto the ivy that had done very little to save him, hoping that this time it would.

The next thing he knew he was breathing fresh clean air. After several seconds of calming the trembling breathing and the ache in his head from the lack of air, Sheik calculated where to land, and was safely back on ground.

He crumbled to the floor, gasping and coughing, tired out of his mind all of a sudden, even if it was still morning.

Link had watched all this from the window, his chin placed in his hand as his elbow was propped onto the window sill. He'd watched Sheik get submerged with a smirk, watched him hit the wall with a wince, watched him cling onto the ivy with a whistle of amazement, and land with a chuckle.

Frankly, the Hylian was surprised that his victim had done so well against the Temple's last minute anti-enemy... thing, depite it being at a lower level of power. It might not have been as bad as Morpha, but still, being jostled round by water wasn't fun. Link grimaced, shivering with the memory of being touched by the watery tentacles of the Water Temple's guard.

It would've been nice if Sheik had become unconscious at the most, or drowned enough not to die, but only just barely saveable. He had to live through that kind of treatment for a whole month, putting the giant fish Jabu-jabu, the Water Temple and the Ice Cavern together. It would've been great to kick him in the ribs as a means of saving the Sheikah, Link thought, imagining the scene in a comical manner.

But deep down he knew he wouldn't have been able to do it, if it had come to that. He'd save Sheik properly with the proper procedures, and Navi would apologize for him.

Speaking of Navi . . .

"Link!" She shrieked into his ear, making him wince and jerk, "What are you doing!? Are you trying to kill him!?"

Link winced again and shook his head to get the echoing out before saying, "No Navi, I wasn't trying to kill him. It was just a prank."

"Just a prank!? That would've killed even you! Why…"

Link cut her off with a wave of his hand, stalking off to his next plan. "Navi, I promised Saria that I'd clean the Temple today; I should get going."

Navi floated in horror, and then shot up into the air, yellow with fury. "Ugh! Cleaning!? That stunt you just did there was big enough to flush out the dirt just under the windowsill you were at!"

Link turned back and calmly cupped the buzzing fairy, her glow turning from yellow, to blue, and to yellow again. "Hey Navi, don't worry. That wouldn't have killed me, or Sheik. And you're right." Link grinned mischievously, hardly being able to contain his chuckles, "The water did reach the windowsill. Isn't that great?"

The raging yellow left her glow, leaving Navi blue, except with a hint of confusion.

Sheik finally ceased his coughing, breathing in comforting breathes before standing. What had that been? Some sort of attack? A defence mechanism? He knew of the mechanisms in all Temples, but this? He hadn't ever heard of such a strange phenomenon.

The only answer he got was a pain crashing into his skull.

He yelled harshly as his balanced tipped, and he grasped the side of his head painfully, feeling the blood in his head throb at the horrible treatment. As he held the sore spot, the Sheikah was sure that he heard snickering. He looked up with an angry growl to where he was sure the projectile had come from, but he only saw an empty window. He then looked down to where he saw yellow-white specks of the bullet that had hit him, and he crouched to pick it up. It crumbled under his grip, but it was soft. His wet hands made it like clay and flexible, leaving traces of it on his fingers.

Wait. What was...?

There were several harsh rustles from the vines on the third floor, and Sheik put his gaze back onto the walls, glaring at the leaves and vines with suspicion. He stood and wondered whether to inform Link of the strange behaviours of the Temple when another bullet shot at his back, making him stagger at the pain.

Sheik spun to see nothing behind him; only wet floors, newly burning torches, and wall covered in ivy far, far ahead. His eyes jerked this way and that as there were disturbances in the ivy, as if stones were bring hurled through the foliage. Were the Deku scrubs attacking the Temple? No, the sanctuary was as much as a home to them as to Link and the sage. He'd seen them sleep in the square inside the four angry fires, where the elevator rose and fell. Besides. Those creatures had been friendly enough; it was something else that was attacking now.

Instinct kicked in and Sheik stepped to the side, letting the yellow-white bullet similar to the ones before sail past. He then heard a soft murmur, and it was then that Sheik decided that it was bloody obvious that Link was behind it.

Sheik lunged and rolled as several bullets of the clay-like blobs came at him, sliding across the wet floor and leaving streaks of stone-like colour behind. He saw a flash of green depart a window on the third floor, and it hardened all suspicions into truth.

So, Sheik's voice echoed in his mind, he wants me out, does he? He wasn't going without a damn good fight, that was for sure.

But Sheik hadn't allowed himself not one weapon when he decided to look around his new home.

Sheik blocked the bullets with his wrists to protect his face before running. Link attacked full throttle; he wasn't going to let his victim off so easily. As he shot his ammunition, Navi nagged at him to stop harassing the Temple's visitor/prisoner and get on with the cleaning. Every time she said that Link gave a grunt and shrug, pulling the string of the slingshot in his hand to fire more bullets at the wall, making them explode on contact and fall on the running Sheikah, making his eyes sting.

Link snickered as he grabbed his bag full of ammunition and went upstairs with the help of Furore's wind. He loved the excitement of finally having someone to mess around with, like he had done in Kokiri village. He'd been able to satiate his thirst for annoying people in general by slaying monsters with a cocky grin, and saving people at the very last minute to give them an extra fright. He knew it was heartless to a degree, but he felt he needed it. It was a comical relief to his days, whether they were dangerous, boring, relaxing, or just plain normal.

Ah, sweet, meaningless, and harmless revenge. He loved it.

Link dashed to the window on the fourth floor and loaded more bullets in the sling, stretching the string till it reached his elbow. Sheik and the floors and walls around him got bombarded by his bullets. The thought of seeing the look on Sheik's face when he realised what exactly thebullets were made out of made Link grin wide, wider, then that the widest his mouth would go. Oh, he couldn't wait...!

Below, Sheik was not having a good time. He cursed and growled as he dodged more blows, running back the way he came in hopes of disorienting his attacker. He knew it wouldn't work, since Link was way up on the terraces of the third floor — perhaps even fourth, Sheik realised, with how the bullets hurt a little more than before — and didn't need to run around with him to hit his mark. Sheik cursed again as he swatted a pellet mid flight.

A horrified short of shock froze him as he felt air under his feet instead of earth. Pain walloped into his spine and into the back of his skull. As Sheik skidded across the floors he felt a sense of dejavu, except instead of slipping on wet floors, he had fallen off rope in mid air. Not to mention this time the pain was reinforced with the bruises that had been left behind from the day before, and Sheik found himself on the verge of blacking out.

He refused the weakness and forced his eyes open.

He'd stopped sliding after a second and he was able to check himself over. He was okay so far, except for his spine and skull from the hard contacts, his eyes were stinging, the back of his hands, wrists and a bit of his forearms hurt from protecting his face from Link's bullets, and his legs ached from running so much and the uncomfortable sleep.

Well, compared to other experiences, he seemed perfectly dandy.

But what had made him fall so easily? What was the thing that Link used as bullets? It seemed to be making the floor slippery as well, and Sheik was beginning to suspect the yellow-white residue smelt faintly of lemon. Sheik rolled on his side, watched by Link, grabbing a lone crumbly bit of his ammunition.

Link eagerly hopped out the window, using the vines to lower himself down. This was too good to miss. Far too good to miss.

Sheik studied the pellet, playing dead. He ticked the qualities he had noticed before, adding to the list of qualities that it smelled like lemon. It also reminded him of something, something back at home and hated whilst a child. The trails of colour left on his fingers wiped away when he rubbed his thumb and finger together, leaving foam.

Foam?

He bolted upright and saw foam and bubbles all over the walls and floors, and a lot on himself as well. He ripped a strand of hair out of his skull to find that it was clean, devoid of grime and grease, despite the fact he hadn't cleaned it for the past month.

Peals of uncontrolled and hysterical laughter filled the grand hall of the forest Temple, and Sheik fixed his angry glare to where the Hero of Time lay, cackling loudly and holding his stomach in pain. Link took a breath and looked at Sheik again before bursting into another wave of unchecked guffaws, loud and long and very entertained. The small clusters of bubbles that clung to Sheik's attire was sending Link into waves and waves of laughter, despite the fact that Sheik's eyes told of things he could do to him that would mean a very slow and very painful death.

Link calmed and sat, his stomach still rolling with unspent laughter. Navi was gone; she had left in despair and scorn, disbelieving Link's intentions. Link noted that Sheik was taking several slow steps, dangerously controlled and meaning his end with every step.

Link ignored it and cocked his head to the side and asked, "Enjoy your bath, Sheik? I hope I've helped you enough to feel clean."

Sheik said nothing. Just seethed in anger and kept approaching him with menace.

"Well, I'm glad." Link chuckled, bringing the fairy ocarina from a pouch in his belt, "But don't worry, the party isn't over yet."

Sheik froze at the innocently ominous words. What was the Hylian doing now?

Link began to play Saria's song, except with a small variation of his own, calling not for Saria, but another spirit of the forest. He stood as he played, the jig becoming addictive even to himself, swaying with the song. But he noticed that the music fell on deaf ears when it came to Sheik, as he was ignoring the sweet, happy notes.

Once he finished he grinned, lifting up six fingers – five on his right and one on his left – and said, "The countdown for the real event begins in four… three… two… one… zero!"

After that one, small word, all chaos broke loose.

From every alcove, every window, every single opening that lead outside, Deku scrubs poured in with the shouts of, "Ai-yai-yai-yai-yaiiiii!!" and "Geronimooooo!" and "Carambaaa!!" and "Yeeeeeehhhaaaa!!" and other inexplicit shouts of joy and excitement. For a second Sheik wondered if he heard the word, "Nintendooooo!" being shouted above all the noise, if not part of it.

Like sand the little creatures tumbled into the main hall, jostling each other and having the time of their lives. To Sheik's horror Link laughed again at the site he was seeing, and he brought the ocarina to his lips again, playing the song that had started it in the first place. The melody swung over the creatures and they listened, and began to dance. They hopped and laughed and shouted in delight, and they flew up with giant flowers above their head, using the very same petals to slide down the walls. This caused more foam to appear, and some bubbles strayed from the leaves to float and hover above the excited crowd. They stopped their jigs. They became silent. All was still as they watched the bubbles in wonder.

"Hey! Listen!"

All swivelled in Link's direction, and Sheik felt himself pale.

"You want to enjoy yourselves!?" Link roared over the silent crowd, and they responded with a great big roar that sounded eerily like a 'YES!!'

Sheik desperately wished this wasn't happening.

"You want to see more of THAT!?" Link said, pointing towards the soapy bubbles that floated beautifully in the air.

That time they roared a mighty 'YES!!', Sheik just knew he'd gone partly deaf.

"Well all you have to do is have the fun of a lifetime!" Link yelled again, a great big, genuinely happy smile pasted on his face. There was no sly intentions, no smug thoughts as he egged the crowd on. He wanted to have fun, that was all! "Play around as much as you want, folks, because there's plenty of the stuff everywhere! Even on him!"

Link pointed towards the foamy Sheik, and red eyes widened in understanding. All eyes swivelled on him, looking at him and only him, and at the foam and bubbles that clung to him like a second skin.

"You have two hours to enjoy yourselves, folks!" Link yelled again, "No part of the Temple is off limits! Go!"

And go they did. They scrambled up walls and windows and doors and holes, searching for more room to make plenty of bubbles and foam. And Link laughed long, loud, and hard as Sheik ran from the deku scrubs all around the Temple, who wanted to see if Sheik would float if they scrubbed hard enough to make his whole body covered in giant bubbles.

Sheik coughed and retched from the lack of air, glad out of his mind that the two hours had passed and the Deku-scrubs with it. His muscles ached from the long run, diving out of the way of those pesky creatures to find himself in the midst of more of them, and then running around even harder.

Sheik heard a snicker from where he lay, soaked in sweat and soap, making him wonder whether he was really clean anymore. Link was sitting against the wall, his ocarina set aside, looking exhausted himself, except from laughing and playing instead of running. He was watching Sheik to do something, like perhaps say he wanted to leave; tell me the way to Rilemin and I'll be off, or something along those lines. Just something pleasing, and make his day all the better.

"Coward." Was what Sheik said.

Link's eyes narrowed dangerously. "What."

"You heard me." Sheik hissed as he pushed himself up, "Coward. What do you have to hide in these walls? What do you have to keep secret from the world? It has to be something big, if you don't want anyone coming in."

Link stood and fumed, his fists clenched against his sides, "Why you …!"

"Not to mention," Sheik added almost as an after thought as he sat upright, "Using trickery to get rid of your obstacles. Not really courageous is it."

"You know nothing about me…!" Link hissed in a deadly manner, "I had to endure things you'd never understand! And I'm afraid of nothing. Nothing!"

Sheik stood and glared, calling on magic to rejuvenate a little of his strength. He'd only need a little; fighting a wimp like the Hero of Time would be easy. "Prove it then. Fight me. Let's see how brave you are."

Link gritted his teeth and spat incoherent words, making light ripple over his palms. White-washed blades stabbed their way through, and Link gripped the hilts when they came, throwing one to the Sheikah. The man caught it, examining the fine blade.

"Impressive."

Link answered by lunging into an attack. Sheik dived back and thrust forward, and Link parried it away. Anger and hate emanated in every blow Link struck, in every swing he executed. Sheik felt it like heat; he gritted his teeth and placed his blows as calculated as possible; he didn't want to hurt, nor did he want to get hurt.

Link attacked and Sheik dodged. Sheik lunged and Link parried. Every blow of the metal was met by metal, and sparks began to fly as the heated duel went on and on.

It was when Link jabbed that Sheik saw his chance.

His sword tangled with Link's as he made the tip of the blade move in a circle, and with a flick the blade slipped out of Link's hand, and Sheik kicked him down, pressing a foot on his chest and the tip of the blade against the base of his throat. Both men gasped as they stayed there, realising just how much energy they'd used.

Link gulped back his pride and closed his eyes, shame biting at his gut. "I yield."

Sheik raised his eyebrows. He lifted both weapon and foot and extended a hand, in hopes of a truce. Link swatted the hand away with disgust and pulled himself up, and began walking away. Sheik watched him go, nonchalant.

Link fumed as he walked. He'd lost. Him; the Hero of Time. Him; The Holder of the Triforce of Courage! The Wielder of the Master Sword! He practiced everyday since that Incident. Practiced long and hard so he could protect himself against scum like them; scum like Sheik! Now his efforts were broken. He was powerless, useless, and he'd lost.

Link wanted to scream, to shout, to cry. He had never lost till then. He was Link, damn it! Not Lynda! He was a man! A man. did. not. ever. bloody. lose!

Link had grabbed the hat on his head without thought, wanting to throw it down to the ground. But before he lifted it off of his head, he stopped. He felt horror and despair rise in him as he swivelled round to face the Sheikah he had lost against, finding that he had been watching.

Dread as well as fear coursed through Link's veins faster than light. Had he lifted the Hat enough to change? If he had, had Sheik seen it? If he had…

Link didn't wait to find out. He ran through the backdoor that led into the gardens and jumped the fence, running blindly into the Lost Woods.