Disclaimer: I do not own the rights to The Legend of Zelda, nor do I think I own anything about it... except the work fan fiction that you are about to read. (If I did own it, Dark Link would have had a bigger role in the game) Yes, I wrote this, using my extensive knowledge of the world of 'The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time' that I gained from spending WAY too much time playing it since... well, longer than I care to admit, I did not copy it from any other fan author, this sprang forth from my own fangirl imagination, and it can indeed be found on Deviant Art, I know that, because that's where it was originally posted BY ME.
Author's Notes: Some comedy in this chapter... as well as some darkness... I like the first part, even if it was difficult to write... Shiek is SO stuffy! GAH! But I like the way it came out... and please don't say it's not Cannon, it's not exactly to the game, I know, but in the Ocarina of Time manga, Shiek actually works for Gannondorf to hide right under his nose, and to spy on what he's doing. So yes, this is VERY cannon for Dark and Shiek to recognize each other as Gannondorf's minions.
When he reached the stairs he dismounted as quickly as he could and hurried up the stairs, wanting to run, but not wanting to be exhausted when he reached the top. The sky darkened with rain clouds as Dark rounded the corner and nearly collided with a lone Shiekah descending the stairs, but managed to stop dead in his tracks mere inches from the other. The race of the person before him startled him more than anything, until he realized he knew who it was. His heart then skipped a beat, he was as good as caught if he slipped up now. Standing eye to eye with him on the next step up was the young man known as Shiek. They'd never been formally introduced, but Dark had seen him coming and going from Gannondorf's tower many times before he'd been forcefully taken to the Water Temple.
Sheik's vivid red eyes were wide and despite most his face being covered, Dark could tell he wore an expression of surprise much like his own. Both of them had been caught off guard by their near collision, and they silently stood face to face for a moment before Dark managed to shake it off and took a step backwards.
"You must be Link's dark counterpart summoned from the Dark Realm." Shiek stated bluntly. His voice was muffled by the ragged white cloth that hid his face, and Dark thought his voice was rather high for a man.
"That's right. But you'd better call me 'Dark' unless you're looking for a fight." Dark nearly growled, but relaxed slightly when Shiek nodded slightly in acknowledgment. "And you must be Shiek." There was a hint of venom in his words as he stared at the man before him.
"You are correct. I heard you were supposed to kill Link and failed, and now you have one more chance before Gannondorf kills you himself." Dark felt the mocking in Shiek's voice, and the distain for him in his words was uncalled for. He tried to stay calm, knowing Shiek was just trying to make him angry.
"I hear that Gannondorf doesn't trust you at all. That you might actually be helping Link." Shiek's eyes widened slightly, and Dark knew what he'd just said had had some level of truth to warrant such a reaction. "You are helping him, aren't you?" Dark exclaimed, he had been so frightened that Shiek was going to catch him that he had never dreamed he would be the one doing the catching, and he ended up bursting out with laughter. It only took a moment for the blond man to regain his composure, but it was already too late.
"I suppose you're going to tell Gannondorf of my treachery then?" Sheik most likely would have spat at him if it weren't for the cloth hiding his face, but merely stared at Dark coldly. Dark stopped laughing, but was still thoroughly enjoying himself, he had Shiek squirming the way he very well could have been at that moment if it had been him to slip up.
"I could. But where would that get me? I'm supposed to be killing a hero, not exposing a traitor." In a way, that comment could have been the undoing of his sudden power, as both of them knew Gannondorf didn't care for his underlings wasting time doing things besides what he had commanded them to do. However, if worse came to worse, he still had the leverage, with the fact that he'd stumbled across Shiek and learned that secret on his way to kill Link, he may not have to worry about any repercussions. Except, therein lay the catch, Shiek was helping Link, aiding him in his quest to defeat the evil king, exactly what Dark wanted Link to do. For his own motives, of course, to free Dark from Gannondorf's hold on him, so he could go home, back to the life he'd known before being summoned to this miserable realm.
"Of course, I could ignore it, seeing as how we have a common goal: to see Gannondorf dead, and this Zelda girl on the throne." Dark said, turning and taking a few steps away before turning to look over his shoulder at the mysterious young man on the bottom step, watching his reaction.
"Why is it you want Gannondorf dead?" Shiek asked calmly.
"Oh, I have my reasons." Dark stated calmly, and decided to continue when he saw Shiek raise and eyebrow. "For starters, he summoned me against my will to serve him as just another obstacle in Link's way. I have been beaten, battered, whipped, and choked, all for his cruel amusement. I just want this to be over. One way, or another, Gannondorf is going to die." When he was finished speaking, he turned around again, and walked up the stairs, brushing past Shiek without so much as a glance at him. Shiek turned and watched Dark until he reached the top of the stairs, then went on his way.
Light drops of water began to speckle Dark's skin and clothes as he passed under the gateway to the small village. He stopped and looked up towards the sky, letting the cool raindrops hit the skin of his face. It was a wonderful feeling, he had never felt the rain in this world before. Marveling at the experience, he lifted his arms, palms up, and walked carefree, enjoying the feeling as the rain grew harder. Dark jumped suddenly as he stepped on something soft and heard a terrible squawking sound beneath him. Quickly he looked down to see a cucco flapping it's white wings angrily, which then quickly began pecking at his leg.
"Hey! Cut that out!" Dark said, trying to shoo the bird with his foot, but it would not stop trying to peck him. "Alright, I'm sorry I stepped on you, just get off!" Dark began to grow angry, and tried to push the bird away again, but it wouldn't leave him alone. Growing frustrated he kicked at the bird, not trying to hurt it, but meaning to scare it off. His foot connected with the cucco's wing and it let out another squawk and angrily started flying up, trying to peck at his face, and suddenly a number of cuccos all came flying at him from different directions, pecking furiously at his clothes, some even broke his skin. Dark drew his sword and tried to swipe at them but it was no use, and only made them angrier. He put his sword away and decided to try and outrun them, making a break for the center of the village, batting them away with one arm while covering his face as best he could with the other as he ran.
Suddenly he felt a gloved hand grab his wrist and he was pulled to the side, towards one of the houses. He wanted to see the person leading him, but he didn't dare give the ferocious birds a chance to peck his eyes out, and he let himself be led through a door. When he stepped through the door the other let him go and slammed the door behind them.
"Sorry Ms, my brother's never dealt with cuccos before." Dark heard Link say, and he put his arm down to see the young blonde man again, this time wearing a green tunic. He looked around the room to see two heavy set women, both in their 40's. One woman was wearing a bright red top and dark blue skirt, the other a solid pale blue dress.
"Sorry for the intrusion. I didn't know they had such tempers." Dark smiled and shrugged it off as best he could.
"It's alright dear, those birds can just be a little unpleasant sometimes." The woman in the red and blue assured him as she left the large black cauldron to retrieve some bowls. Both of them were offered a bowl of stew, Link turned it down, but Dark accepted, thanking the woman politely before devouring it hungrily. Eventually the angry clucking of the birds outside quieted and ultimately stopped as Dark finished off the bowl and handed it back to the kind woman, thanking her again before both of them ventured outside.
"You really should watch your step you know." Link remarked as they stepped out into the light rain.
"You saw that then?" Dark inquired sheepishly, embarrassed that he'd been saved by the Hero of Time. No, not saved from your average monster, saved from the deadly Hylan cuccos. This was something that he'd never live down. Link nodded and smiled, regarding the man before him as though he was an oddity.
"What? I've been locked up in that stupid temple for who knows how long, and before that I was locked up in Gannondorf's tower, I can barely remember the last time I felt rain! You can't blame me for wanting to enjoy it a little." Dark exclaimed defensively, making a bit of a scene in the quiet village. Link watched him for a moment, slowly shaking his head as his smile grew. Dark noticed this and narrowed his eyes at him.
"And your manners..." Link started, but Dark cut him off.
"What about them? I said 'thank you' I'm not a barbarian. I told you Gannondorf summoned me from my realm, we have manners there too you know! We're not monsters!" Dark raised his voice, angered by Link's implied comment.
"Sorry, you just don't seem like the kind of person who would have been so nice to her." Link explained, but Dark scoffed at him and rolled his eyes.
"I'm not from Darkness, I'm from Shadow, there's a big difference! And I'm sick and tired of people thinking otherwise." Dark nearly growled in anger, but Link put his hands up in defeat.
"Alright then, I'm sorry. I didn't know they were different."
"Well they are. Shadow is a contradiction to Light, Darkness is against everything. Look at the ground, even with the clouds you see your shadow right? Because it's still light out, like I said before, shadows exists because there's light. It's like night and day. Both exist next to the other in peaceful balance. But Darkness is in someone's heart, when they turn against the world. So you see, there is a difference, Shadow is everywhere there is Light, Darkness is the evil of men." Link nodded slowly, taking in what was told to him. Dark turned, and started to walk away, headed to try and find a the graveyard.
"Then what should I call you? Do you have names in the shadow realm?" Link asked in all sincerity. Dark stopped and sighed, and thought about his answer for a moment before speaking
"Just call me 'Dark', it's what I've come to be known as here anyways. And yes, we do have names where I come from, but I don't care to tell you mine right now." With that Dark continued to walk away. As he reached the top of a small flight of stairs that led to a well, he turned and looked back to see Link running towards the stairs where he'd met Shiek.
Author Note: I LOVE Hylan Cuccos! They are SO fun to torment!!!!! I love to ride Epona to the ranch, gallop her through the cuccos, and let them chase me... because they can't hurt you whilst mounted upon Epona. Yeah, needless to say I've spent hours on end tormenting the cuccos... I HAD to include them!