Sorry I'm late to post. Heheh.
I really liked the Minsh Cap. That was a fun game. The Picori were so cute! And if you see pictures of Vaati when he was still a Picori, you'll know that he was actually really cute too. He looks cool in "evil mode" though. For the risk of sounding redundant, the Minish Cap manga – the ending of it – is part of the reason I gave Vaati this role.
Chapter 17: Cloaked Servant
Shadow Link swung off the ledge and landed silently on the ground. Medli landed beside him. Midna lead the way across the open patch of earth floating towards a pathway flanked by statues. Shadow Link stepped cautiously after her, glancing uneasily around. The lack of monsters here was unnerving.
"It's a sacred place," Medli said softly. "That's probably why there aren't any monsters here." She was responding to the comment that Midna had made earlier.
"If there's one thing I've learned about sacred places," Shadow Link growled, "it's that monsters like to defile them."
They slipped into the pathway where Midna was waiting for them. She pointed and Navi, Medli, and Shadow Link looked.
In front of them was the remains of a ruin. They could see cracked, moss-covered stones on the ground. In the middle of the circular patch was a slightly raised platform with a pedestal on it. And resting in the pedestal, hilt reaching upwards, was the Master Sword.
Shadow Link immediately forgot his earlier caution. He let his hand drop off of the hilt of his sword and his hood fell off his face. He strode out into the clearing, a twisted smile covering his face. Everyone watched him near the pedestal. They held their breath as Shadow Link stood before the sword. Then he reached out and wrapped his fingers around the hilt.
Immediately there was a blinding flash and a rumbling sound. Everyone threw their hands up to shield their eyes.
When the light subsided, they looked up to see Shadow Link cowering against the back edge of the clearing. He was shaking and his arms were over his face.
And, most importantly, the Master Sword was still in its pedestal, locked in place and awaiting its wielder.
The small audience stared as Shadow Link slowly lowered his arms and looked down at his pale hands. His palm had been scalded and looked rather red.
He clenched his fists and forced himself to his feet. Although they could still see him shaking, the look on his face was enough to make a Moblin flee in terror.
Everyone jumped as an unexpected sound rang through the forest. Laughter.
"I'd say that failed miserably, though that makes things easier for me."
The group looked up to see a caped figure standing on the remains of a broken wall, looking down at them.
Shadow Link immediately reached for his sword, but his fingers were still shaking, and his hand slipped off the hilt. The result was that his sword clattered to the ground a few feet in front of him.
The person laughed again. "Actually, considering how much that light hurt you, I'm impressed that you're still trying to fight me." He jumped down and landed in the clearing between Shadow Link and his companions.
Midna immediately assumed a position ready for battle, and Medli took a step backwards with Navi. Shadow Link snatched up his sword and held it unsteadily in front of him.
"Who are you?" Midna demanded.
"Vaati," he said carelessly.
"You work for Ganon," Shadow Link snarled.
"Ganon certainly thinks I do," Vaati said, giving a crooked smile. "Actually, this works out quite well for me." He gestured at the Master Sword. "The fact that you can't touch it means that I don't have to fight you, and I still get credit for defending the sword."
"Is that right?" Shadow Link spat. "So you're supposed to defend the sword for Lord Ganon?"
"Like I said, he thinks I am."
"Are you trying to imply that you're not really working for him?" Midna asked, smiling wryly.
Vaati shrugged. "Pretty much. I don't trust him. I know that once I'm no more use to him, he'll happily leave me to die. I'd rather avoid that if possible."
"That' doesn't seem like a solid excuse for us to want you on our team," Midna retorted.
"I wasn't done," Vaati said calmly. "And I don't need to be on your team. I just though I should help. Clearly, you need the Master Sword to face Ganon, right? But you can't draw it yourself. The answer is obvious. You need a Link that CAN draw the sword. Which means you need to break into one of Ganon's strongholds and rescue a Link."
"We were told that his fortress is defended too strongly for us to get in," Medli said timidly from behind Midna. "That you'd need an army to do that."
"Ordinarily yeah, but I can get you in. And like I said, since the Master Sword's still here, I can pretend like I drove you off, and I can stay on Ganon's good side. And that way if you need help again after you get the Master Sword, I'll still be around to tell you what Ganon's up to."
"I still don't understand why we're supposed to trust you," Shadow Link said. He still wasn't steady on his feet.
"Listen," Vaati said, holding up his hands, "I don't like Ganon. Honestly, I fought against Link once. I don't want to again. And I don't like Ganon. I don't like what he's doing. Also, I know some people who could help out. They may be small, but there's no one better for making things. Anyway, I think they'll listen to me if I go and ask them to help you. Ezlo might anyway. As long as he's not a hat anymore."
"Excuse me?" Midna said blankly.
Vaati waved his hand. "That's a long story. Anyway, do you want my help or not? Do you want to try to save Link?"
"Of course," Midna said. "Once we're sure you're not trying to hand us over to Ganon."
"I don't think he will," Shadow Link said.
"Is that right? Amazing," Navi retorted. "Do you actually trust someone?"
He glared at her but said, "I know. I was on that side once too. This fight is bigger than anything we've ever taken part in. Have you even considered how it's going to effect the rest of us that people who are dead are now back again? It could easily tear space apart. Even those of us who were once on his side are reconsidering. The smart ones, at least."
"Just because you're not fighting for Ganon doesn't mean you won't fight against us," Midna responded.
"We could go in loops like this all day," Vaati sighed. "Now I'm offering to help. Whether or not you choose to trust me is up to you. If you want to try to draw the sword again, be my guest. Whatever you do, I'll still ask the Picori to help you."
"We can send them to the meeting place," Medli said without thinking.
"And don't go saying something like that in front of him," Midna sighed. "If he turns out to be on our side, then great. But until then, I don't want him knowing too much."
"We're going," Shadow Link decided.
"Are we?" Midna replied, placing her hand on her hip. "What about Volvagia? He's going to have to wait here. If we want to be sneaky, we can't have a dragon with us. Maybe he can keep an eye on this guy." She jabbed her thumb at Vaati. "That way if he tries anything funny, he'll have a dragon after him."
Vaati shrugged. "Whatever. So, one more question. Which Link are you going after?"
At this remark, all of them exchanged glances.
"Well," Midna started, "we already know that we all want to save the Link that we know. But I don't think we're going to get away with that. We'd be lucky enough to rescue one Link."
"And arguing amongst ourselves won't do much good," Medli agreed.
"We get enough of that with him," Navi muttered, glancing at Shadow Link.
"So, how do we decide?" Medli asked.
"There's no question about it," Shadow Link cut in. "We have to go after my Link. I've been where he's imprisoned, and also I'm drawn to him because I'm his shadow. So, I'll know where to go."
Midna and Medli sighed in disappointment. Both of them had been hoping to rescue the Link that they knew. Midna, especially, was aching to see her old friend.
"Hmm. Interesting choice," Vaati said thoughtfully. "Considering he's going to be pretty well guarded after you escaped from him. And considering his arm's broken and he lost badly to Ganon just before he was caught."
"What?" Midna exclaimed.
"All of the Links will probably be beat up if Ganon was able to catch them," Navi reminded her.
"And one other thing," Vaati continued. "Suppose you are caught?" He was talking to Shadow Link. "Ganon said that you're the one who stole the Triforce. So, if he gets you, the Triforce will be lost, and what Link did to help you escape will be for nothing."
"What do you mean, 'what Link did to help you escape?'" Medli asked.
But Shadow Link cut her off. "Well, I'm certainly not waiting behind, if that's what you're implying."
"Suit yourself. It's just worse for all of us if Ganon catches you."