A/N Welcome to another chapter of Demon Light, Angel Dark! In this chapter, we return to Shadow and Vaati before they leave to meet up with Ganondorf! Everyone is turning quickly...
Shadow: Yumi Hamano doesn't own anything in here. See Vaati, it can be said without creepiness!
Vaati: Show off...
LINE
Demon Light, Angel Dark
CHAPTER THREE
In which is born the White Shadow Warrior
Shadow Link smiled sheepishly up at Vaati, stepping away from the Dark Mirror which continued to show that one image. He had been found out in the middle of his self search, how embarrassing! But Vaati didn't seem to care as much about what he was doing when he saw the image. A look of shock came over the mage's face.
"Shadow. Who is this?" asked Vaati shortly, placing one fingertip on the image in question. He had not been around at that point, Shadow realized, so he didn't know.
"It's me. That time, after I broke the mirror. In a day or so, it might be me again. Only... I really don't wanna die again... and I died that time." Shadow hid his face, not wanting Vaati to see his already purple eyes. But Vaati was to quick for him and gently forced his face up.
"Your eyes are changing. So are mine, if it's any consolation. But... you're further along than me... your HAIR is even nearly my color now... if you are an indicator as Ganondorf says... this means Link is becoming a very nasty person at an alarming pace," Vaati said, Shadow trying to look at the floor. "Why does this always happen to me..."
"I am NOT an indicator. NOT. See the picture, all the Links were still good! Vio was in the twilight, but he wasn't evil... I can't even imagine RED being evil... Or Blue and Green having souls at all to be evil with... I can change on my own, I think, though only a little bit..." damn, his explanation fell short a little. Vaati stared at him with one eyebrow raised.
"None of us can change on our own..." the sorcerer mumbled, fiddling with his cape. Behind Shadow the Dark Mirror gave off an indignant glow, Vaati blinking at it.
"Shadow. Does the mirror know what I'm saying?"
"Yes she does. Don't insult her."
"Her, Shadow?"
"Yes, the mirror is my mother... do not insult her," finished Shadow, scowling in a silly way. Vaati couldn't help but laugh and they both ended up laughing for no good reason, the mirror rippling with darkness in a manner of amusement.
---
It was later in the day that Shadow realized some sort of barrier had broken in his mind. He wasn't upset, or afraid of what was happening. Vaati may have been a formidable person, but he wasn't alone in the changes. He had a friend.
With this realization, with this barrier of evil lifted, his colors began changing a pace so rapid, it was instantly visible. Luckily, Vaati was there to witness it, at that dinnertime.
In moments, the evil of Shadow was leeched out of him, and then merry, gentle, robin's egg blue eyes gazed at Vaati. White locks of hair framed his snow white face, upon which sat a beatific smile. It was all Vaati could do to stare in wonder.
"Shadow... you've... changed greatly..."
"Oh, please don't call me Shadow. I've realized that I'm not living in one anymore. The darkness is so much more broad and kind than just shadows, most of whom are consumed by hate... why do we need hate, Vaati? Couldn't the world be so much better if the darkness and the light accepted each other?" Shadow felt all his questions leave at once, now that he was relaxed enough to speak his mind. Vaati lifted an eyebrow in amazement and blinked his own still purple eyes.
"What shall I call you?"
"You may call me...Sterrig. It means Starry, I think." He lifted his head with a smile.
"Very poetic, but I prefer the name Shadow... I'll remember it better," said Vaati with a surprised smile. Shadow smiled too, then frowned.
"This means... it means that Link will be after our blood."
"I'm not so sure. Link is an interesting specimen... Vio, if he could be reborn, would be one of us. But you're changing faster than me. In fact, I think you've finished your change... shouldn't Zelda be changing at a faster rate if Link is alongside her?" Vaati seemed upset by this.
"Vaati, it doesn't matter. I'll always be the first to cross over, and I'm here to help you to the other side. Open your heart, Vaati, listen to it. The heart changes long before the body, and yours is good already."
"I see... But..."
"Trust me. Please?" Shadow held out a hand, which Vaati took after hesitation.
"Let us look after Ganondorf. Come, we can ride the winds there."
GANONDORF
The desert lord had his own problems. His vision was still sharp as ever, yet his eyes were clouding over. Also, he looked more and more like an old man. Red hair was generously peppered with silver. And the Gerudo ladies had noticed. They worried for him. He wasn't expecting guests this day, so soon after Vaati left, but here they came.
He noticed Vaati first, somewhat altered from his normal state. Then he noticed the serene looking warrior beside him, and had to think for a minute. They landed on the balcony, the white warrior smiling happily at Vaati and seeming to help him along.
And then Ganondorf realized this was Shadow.
"It looks like the three powers of darkness are meeting again?"
"Ganny, you've gone blind?" asked Vaati innocently, a task normally impossible for him. Ganondorf growled under his breath.
"Don't call me that, and no. My eyes are going white. And my hair is almost all silver now. Why does the other person have to be an old man?!?"
"Onigami isn't an old man, he's a demigod. Here, Shadow can show you," said Vaati. A pool of darkness spread about Shadow, a warm sort of darkness of the type noone is afraid of, and the mirror rose up behind him.
"Oh Dark mirror... show us Onigami's true form..." he said reverently, placing a hand on the glass as the image appeared.
Onigami had been the Gerudo Leader 700 years before Ganondorf it seemed. Not wishing to die, he had gone through many rituals to become a deity... and then was sealed away. Four red streaks on his face were all that remained of his Gerudo colors, and everything else was demonic. A blue mark on his forehead, blank eyes that stared into their souls, hair a shining silver, canines filed to a point... even his normal form would have towered over Ganondorf, not to mention the sword as big as he was.
The image showed him defending a city from invasion, but they all knew he wasn't that good. Not anymore. Out of all of them, he looked much like Shadow, the only difference being that Shadow was more pure in soul than him, despite who they each were. Shadow had never fought entire armies before.
How many souls the demigod had slaughtered was an unanswerable question they immediately had. Shadow shivered and looked at Ganondorf.
"Promise us you won't be just like him. Also... are you willing to complete the change?" asked Shadow, blinking calmly. Ganondorf looked at him with one eyebrow raised, but Vaati stood by him, having just gained a bit of understanding about it himself.
"I believe you've gone insane, Shadow..." he mumbled, pinching the bridge of his nose. He didn't like this idea, but maybe he could accept it if Vaati could prove it to him.
Of course, this thought was hard to hide from the two in front of him, and he could almost feel Vaati's scowl. As he looked back at them again, Vaati was actually staring at him intensely.
"Look at my eyes, Ganondorf. Look and tell me this isn't happening," Vaati said sternly. Ganondorf did so and was shocked at the color: no longer red but almost blue, still in the range of purple that contained his hair color. But his hair had a single, small gold streak in it. He wondered if he could really ever accept changing, that he was becoming something one of his ancestors had been...
And he realized that by thinking that statement he had accepted it. He scowled, but behind the scowl was a smile.
"I'll help you, Vaati, Shadow. We'll be the dark alliance."
A/N So how's that for character development! Please, review.
Shadow: Good me looks very, very gay...
Vaati: Hey, at least we know he looks like you then!
Ganondorf: Stop fighting, you two, you're equally as gay looking.
Shadow and Vaati: (turn towards Ganondorf with angry glares on their faces)
Ganondorf: Oh no... pray for me, readers!(flees)