Chapter 12: A Glimpse of Vaati
What is the Adagio of Phoenix Flare? Well, you are familiar with the crest of the royal family are you not? It is a gold symbol of the Triforce with a bird beneath it. It is a little known fact that the bird holds as much significance as the Triforce as well.
In fact, you can say that the bird is the incarnate of the Fourth piece of the Triforce. Yes. There is a "fourth piece," which isn't a piece at all because it represents the empty triangle surrounded by the Three. The Fourth is the force that binds the three together – it is so chaotic that no chosen one exists to wield it like Power, Wisdom, and Courage. It represents the bond that my sisters and I share, as well as the bond the Three have.
The Fourth is uncontrollable. It is chaos, it is order, it is timeless, and it is fleeting. It is something to respect, but it is something to fear. The Ocarina of Time has the power to unleash the Fourth with the meddling of Skull Kid. When that happens, the result would be disastrous.
You see, the royal family sealed the spirits of the maidens in the Palace of Winds for a reason. Should a hero fail to appear when the world is at the brink of disaster, the spirits would do everything in their power to stop evil before it is too late.
Everything… even if it meant they would bring the destruction of most of the world with it. They would cast a spell to sink evil under an ocean, leaving behind a few island survivors to start anew.
It is the ultimate failsafe. Hyrule will drown as well, but the people will be given a chance to grow again.
The Fourth is neither good nor evil, but it WILL cause the spirits to attempt to stop it because the Fourth is a destructive power. The world will flood.
Yes Link. In this era…
The hero is no longer here.
You are our only hope. If you do not think you can stop Skull Kid in time, then you must get Vaati to take you to the Palace of Winds. He is the only person who can take you there, and together you must destroy the elements, release the spirits, and stop the Fourth. It is a lot to ask for, but you were given the responsibility of protecting the ages when you took the title of Hero of Time.
I believe that is all. I will not bother you again. Go forth, and hurry! Hurry before it is too late, and pray you will not have to face the Lord of the Three.
XXXXXXXXXX
Dr. Willits covered his mouth with his hand, yawning. He glanced over at Gale who had his nose almost touching the glass around the gold gauntlet, and at Link who was standing stoically next to him. The doctor then looked at his watch. "Hmm, I'm going to leave you two here for a few minutes. I'd like to go work on some things like I was supposed to instead of watch after both of you." He said this with an annoyed expression. "Just don't touch anything and don't leave this place. Once I come back I'll hand you back over to that slimy Dugal."
Feh, what a way to describe someone, Gale thought. He readjusted his weight and leaned against the Dervish he'd brought with him.
The two teens watched the edge of the white lab coat swish through the doors, and they became painfully aware of how empty the room was.
Link closed his eyes, thinking, and then they suddenly snapped open before he strode quickly to the doors.
"Hey, what are you doing?" Gale asked. Link stopped short of the doors, paused, and then slanted his head towards the other boy.
"…I'm going to go see Skull Kid one more time."
Gale rolled his eyes and sighed in exasperation. "Geez, why? If the doctor finds out – "
"He won't." Link's snappish attitude startled Gale. "Since when were you one to listen to rules?"
"Huh? I… don't."
"Right." Link opened the door, his body in a low crouch as though he wanted to avoid getting caught.
"What's going on?"
"Stay here if you want. I just have a bad feeling about Avilux I, and I want to get this over with as soon as possible." Link poked his head around the corner to see if anyone was watching. "You've noticed it too, haven't you? Those guys in suits checking us, and even some of the people in lab coats. I could be wrong, but…"
but EVERYTHING will be over once I reach Skull Kid and get back the Ocarina.
Gale followed after him with some trepidation. "I guess? I thought I was just being paranoid."
"Come on. Before we run into someone."
They quickly made their way back to the place where Skull Kid was kept, and oddly enough they didn't run into anybody. Link thought that was strange, but he decided not to think too much of it. Right now, his goal was to get the Ocarina, play the Song of Time, and get the hell out of this place. Too bad about Vaati and Zelda, but he had some confidence that they would be able to take care of themselves. Hopefully.
"It's locked," Link grumbled. The door to Skull Kid's room required a security code as well as keys to get by.
"Why would they need to lock him up with so much security?" Gale wondered.
Link bit his finger, his forehead scrunched in concentration. He'd been watching Dr. Willits punch in the numbers to the keypad earlier, and though he hadn't been able to get a clear view he had seen the general movement of his fingers. Okay, it was a five-digit code, three numbers in the top row, and one each on the middle and bottom. The order was middle-top-top-bottom-top, and I'm sure I saw a 1 and 7 in there. Maybe 5-2-1-7-1?
"Seriously? Dude, you'll never get that. Come on, let's just go back. This is stupid."
Or 4-1-3-7-2?
"It's not like you're James Bond or something."
Please. 4-1-1-7-3?
"Bebeep!" A tune rang from the keypad.
"…No freaking way."
Link smiled. Hehe, seems I still have some luck with puzzles. He shuffled his hands around in his pockets to find his pack of bobby pins. Now for the keyhole.
Gale shook his head in disbelief. "This is crazy." He walked over to the window where he could see Skull Kid lying on the floor, looking extremely bored. The boy noticed Gale standing outside, and for a moment their eyes met. "Uh, Link?"
The blond didn't notice Gale's voice was uncharacteristically nervous. "Hold on." Link twisted his screwdriver, and the bobby pin he'd stuck in the keyhole snapped. "Damn." He always did that when he tried to pick open locks in this world. The pins snapped at least once, just like the keys did back in his time whenever he tried to open a locked door. He took out another pin and tried again, and this time, it worked. "There."
"Link, I'd keep – "
When the door opened, Skull Kid was standing with his fists clenched around the Ocarina, his expression a snarl.
" – the door shut," Gale finished. His fingers drummed along the side of his longboard.
Link's eyes widened when he saw Skull Kid looking absolutely enraged. "Err… hi Skull Kid."
"I HATE YOU!" Skull Kid screamed. "I thought you were cool and that you'd play with me, but you like this LOSER more."
"Trust me, I don't," Link and Gale said in unison.
"I thought you would be nice to me." The boy's head slumped down, and his shoulders trembled. "I thought… I thought you would like me more than a… a bully like him."
Feeling guilty, Link took a step forward with his arms out. "Hey, hey, that's not true."
Skull Kid sniffled. "You were mad when I took your Ocarina, right? That's why you decided to bring a mean person like him, right?"
"This kid sure is annoying."
"Gale, shut up! Skull Kid, of course not. Here, can I see that Ocarina for a second? I know a song that you'll like." Link cautiously reached out his hand towards the instrument that Skull Kid was gripping close to his chest. The boy flinched backwards, and then glared.
"No."
"What?"
"I said NO." Skull Kid wiped the tears out of his eyes. "You're lying. Those dumb adults in black jackets say the same thing and I know they're just trying to take this away from me. Well I won't fall for that."
"I'm not lying…"
"Dr. Skinny said I shouldn't trust what those people in black jackets tell me! You're working with them, too, aren't you? I hate you Link!" Skull Kid took a deep breath as he prepared to blow a note on the Ocarina. "Dr. Skinny is nice to me! He lets me play whatever I like and he always says nice things to me! I don't want to play with liars like you!"
"Skull Kid…"
An eerily beautiful melody drifted around them as Skull Kid furiously began to play a song. His slightly spooky yellow eyes bore right through the teens as he watched them angrily. The room suddenly became hotter, and little balls of light began to appear.
Gale backed against the wall. "What… what is this?"
Link crouched, preparing himself for the worst. Could this be a part of what Farore spoke about; could this be the Fourth?
Suddenly, the music stopped for a brief moment as Skull Kid took a breath. He whispered, "go away."
"What the - ?!"
"Gale, this way!" Link grabbed the petrified Gale's wrist and yanked him out of the room. The orbs had flashed in an instant and sprouted wings of fire, each one swooping down on them. The two teens slammed the door shut, and watched in horrified awe at what was happening behind the windows: there was a violent wall of fire that was licking the glass angrily. Gale would have believed it if someone told him the fire was alive.
"Holy shit," he gasped. "What are those things?" He looked at his board in his hand. "Din's fire he burned my Dervish." Sure enough, the top half was a little singed.
"I don't know," Link trailed off. After taking a few moments to catch his breath, he brushed himself off. "This is a lot more troublesome than I thought."
"You two are the ones causing trouble."
A husky voice stopped the two dead in their tracks. Behind them was one of the men in suits with the red ties.
"Urk!"
"Ah! The Hell?!"
Just as they'd turned around, two more red-tied men caught Gale and Link. Gale struggled and swore under his captor's grip, and they wiggled around for a while as each tried to get the other one under control. Link, meanwhile, stood calmly and waited for an explanation.
"We have been watching your movements on surveillance, and deemed you to be a threat to the work we do here. Therefore, we apologize for what we must do."
Link surprised everyone with the speed he reacted to the situation. At the point the man had said the word "apologize," Link had already grabbed his captor's arms around his neck and bit down as hard as he could. Link's captor yelped, and the blond took the moment to spin around and knee him in the stomach, causing him to drop to the floor.
"Stop them!"
"Ugh…" the one holding Gale loosened his grip when he fell unconscious from a sidekick by Link aimed at his head. Gale cautiously looked up from behind his arms, and his eyes widened when he saw the first man reach into his pockets and pull out a gun.
What the hell is going on?!
"Gale, duck!" Link snatched the longboard from Gale's hand, sidestepped him, and swung it at full force over the albino's head just as he ducked to the floor. His movement caught the man off guard, and the Dervish knocked him across the jaw, rendering him limp like his comrades. The remaining two boys stood panting in the middle of the pile of people on the floor. Then, they heard a shout and footsteps running in their direction. "This way!" Link was the first to react, and he dragged Gale away from the approaching people. Gale himself was stuttering in shock.
"He tried to kill us. Holy Farore he tried to kill us…"
"Gale, snap out of it, we've got to run!"
"Why the fuck would he try to kill –"
"Vaati!"
That snapped him back. "Don't call me that!"
"Then run for Din's sake. We have to get out of here."
They dashed through the halls, weaving their way through the hallways and following the exit signs. They ran into a couple of startled researchers who looked at them with confused expressions as they ran past. After a while, there was a shout behind them as their pursuers began to gap the distance.
They're not too far behind, Link thought. As he ran, he began to have a bad feeling of following the exit signs straight on. They'll expect us to go this way.
"Gale, this way!" He swerved to the left in the opposite direction of the blinking red sign. Gale skidded as he switched directions. His red eyes narrowed for a few seconds, wondering why they were going in the other direction, but he quickly caught on to what Link had realized.
"All right. Just don't get lost."
Suddenly, Link put the brakes on his heel and he crouched to the ground. Gale almost ran into him, and he stopped himself from cursing loudly when he heard voices approaching ahead. He snapped his head back; there were footsteps thundering behind them as well.
"We're cornered."
Link, however, was already on the move. He'd quickly gotten out his pins and screwdriver and had begun to fiddle around with the keyhole in one of the locked doors. In a few seconds, he had the door open with one less pin than he'd started with. "Come on, in here," he whispered urgently.
They shut the door and slumped to the floor as they took deep breaths. Frantic voices and footsteps echoed past the hallways outside, but none of them stopped to check the rooms that were supposed to be locked.
"We can catch our breath in here," Link panted.
Gale nodded, staring at the floor in somewhat of a shock at what had happened. His expression was one of disbelief that someone had tried to shoot him. His hands were shaking a little.
After a few minutes had passed, Link got up and surveyed the room they were in. It looked like an office, with papers stacked on the edge of the desk and a computer on the other. Everything was placed in a neat mess; even though there was disorder about the way things were sprawled all over the desk, there were hints that there was a system to the disorder.
Gale stood up as well, his breathing back to normal. He took a peek outside through the small circular window on the door, and then turned back to Link who was going through the contents of the desk. "You ready to go back out?" he asked him.
Link picked up some paperclips and shoved them into his pockets. "Yeah, we can't stay here for much longer."
Gale watched him continue rummaging around. "What are you doing?"
"I'm seeing if I can find more things to pick locks with. I'm running out of pins since they break every time I open a door. I think it's something that would be useful in the long run." Link's hand stopped over one of the documents on the desk. It had the heading Project: Avilux Ignis, and was signed at the bottom by Dr. Willits. However, that wasn't what had stopped him – it was the name next to Dr. Willits' that had caused him to freeze in his tracks. "This is…"
He dropped what he was doing and grabbed the document from the desk. He skimmed over the project outline, and the more he read it the paler he became. His forehead was perspiring.
"Hey, you ok Petrov?" Gale's brows scrunched together. "What's that?"
Link rolled up the paper and stuffed it into one of his large coat pockets. "This is serious," he said hoarsely. "We have to find Zelda and get out of here."
"Do you think she'll come with us? And that Dugal is with her, too. I'm not sure I'd want to face him. He seems sneakier than the other guys who'd been chasing us earlier."
Link tapped the pocket he'd put the document in. "Once she reads this," he prepared to open the door, "she won't hesitate to say goodbye to Avilux I."
XXXXXXXX
The elevator bell chimed, signaling they were now on B3. Dugal clicked his heel and he stepped outside. "Here we are, the lowest floor. This is where the zerons are kept when they aren't being experimented on."
Zelda was about to say something when a running woman in a lab coat ran into her. She mumbled an apology before running frantically towards the stairs and hurrying away. Dugal frowned.
"People seem unusually excited today," he said as another researcher followed madly after the first one. The man shrugged. "It's probably nothing. Here, I'll let you see what you need to see on this floor and we'll probably run into your two friends and Dr. Willits. This wa – " he stopped when he heard a tiny beep from the small black electronic device clipped to his ear. "…Ah, hold on a moment. Sorry."
Zelda tried to stand politely against the walls while she waited for Dugal. Meanwhile, she noticed a procession of researchers running towards the exit while a procession of red-tied men running in the opposite direction. Dugal appeared unfazed, lazily bringing his hand up to his earpiece and pressing a button.
"Yes?"
"Sir, we were wondering what we should do."
Dugal cocked his head with a slightly puzzled look on his face. "Condor? I'm a little confused with your question. Why are you asking me such a stupid thing? Do I have to tell you how to spend your time when you're bored?"
"…Well, it's just that you usually give us clarifications on orders like the one he gave everyone a few minutes ago." Now Condor sounded confused. "Does that mean we should follow what the Reds are doing as well?"
"What the Reds are doing?" Dugal watched a red-tie swiftly hurry away from him, alertly moving his head as though he were looking for someone. "And by 'he' do you mean our boss?"
"Yes sir."
"Sir, have you not heard about the most recent issued orders?" It was a new voice this time. Now, Dugal was starting to look extremely annoyed.
"Well, Kestrel, if you've been listening in on this conversation then I feel it's pretty damned obvious I haven't been told what's going on."
There was a slight pause, and then a baffled, "that's odd." The person named Kestrel continued to mutter to himself on the other end of the line. "Why would Mr. Dugal be left out of the loop?"
Dugal pulled on his collar. "So what were the orders? Quick!" he snapped, "I don't have all day."
A few minutes elapsed during which time the purple-tied man said nothing. Then, he hung up and grabbed his cell phone from his pocket. He punched in a few numbers calmly, but there could have been a vein pulsing on his forehead.
The phone rang two times. During that time, Condor's words circled around and around in his head:
"We were told to 'disappear' the two boys who had come here. Cleanly if possible."
Dugal took a deep breath when a gravelly, dark voice picked up. "Yes, Dugal? I had a feeling you would call."
"Sir, why wasn't I told of your orders?" He tried to keep his voice as civil as possible. The other person laughed.
"I understand you hate not being informed, but this time I didn't feel the need to let you know."
"What you're doing is absurd at this point! It would have been better if we'd waited!"
"It's not like you to be so worked up, good man." Dugal could imagine the voice on the other end smiling maliciously.
"You passed orders down to my men without letting me know first."
"They are also employed under my name."
"If I'm the Chief Executive Consultant, then it is my job to consult. How can I work under my title if your actions prevent me from – "
"Dugal, let me ask you something. Who is the boss here? You or me?"
Dugal bit his tongue.
"I thought so." The voice paused. "You are right, however, that part of your job is to give advice to me. What do you think would have been better?"
"We could have gotten more information from them," Dugal said slowly. "You could have left it to me to… take care of things."
"I considered that. It's true you're good at what you do," at this, the voice laughed again. "However, another thing about you is that you have the tendency to do your own thing from time to time. I'm well aware I don't have the same grip I have on you as I have on the ever loyal Willits."
Dugal sighed inwardly. Oh yes. That ever devoted automaton of a man, Willits. "Are you questioning my trustworthiness sir?"
"You know we all do. You have never been a team player."
That's true. And smart. He agreed, but said nothing.
"Though I admire men who live for themselves, they can cause problems when they are working for me. I believe you were the one who openly mocked the company slogans to the executive board?"
"I only said the comments on Share, Connect, and Innovate to be overly cliché and stupid."
"I've let you go because you have proven to be valuable in the past, but you are walking a fine line of being an asset and a nuisance. What will I do if all of my workers begin thinking the same way as you?"
"Yes sir."
"I'll give you one last chance. Deal with the two boys who know about the Ocarina. Make it so we won't be bothered by investigators; the usual drill."
"Sir."
"After running background checks, neither of them have any family to speak of except one old man in the US. Shouldn't be too difficult for you."
"No sir."
"Good. This is your new assignment. Don't have too much fun with it."
"Just one question sir."
"…What is it?"
"Is there a time limit?"
Some time elapsed. Then, "As soon as you can. I don't like having more people than necessary knowing about the Ocarina right now, and I especially don't like Link Petrov."
"Understood. Sir." Dugal hung up. His boss had told him 'as soon as he could,' so he was going to take his bloody good time. That was the good thing about working for the boss; the way he phrased things allowed him to work however he liked. He, Dugal, was the real boss here. He didn't know what Link and Gale had done to get on the wrong side of his employer, but he knew the Ocarina was a touchy subject, and from their conversation it seemed they knew too much about it.
They were unlucky – if they hadn't known much about the Ocarina then they wouldn't have been under the boss's radar in the first place. However, they weren't completely out of luck. At least the one who was going to go after them was the one and only Dugal – he didn't plan on getting rid of them just yet.
Afterwards… well, then they might be unlucky but for now he was going to spare them. They were too interesting.
"Zelda!"
A sharp voice got their attention. Link and Gale were running straight for them, their expressions pulled back fiercely like they were running for their lives. Link hesitated when he saw Dugal watching them with a cold eye, but then continued to run after Gale who was quickly making his way over to them.
"Ah, hello boys. What's the hurry?" Dugal asked amiably, his hand reaching into his suit. Then…
BANG!
There was a gunshot, and then a scream as Zelda flattened against the wall at the sight of a man wielding a pistol behind the running teens. Dugal flinched, a bullet zipping past him, and Gale took the moment to duck past him and grab Zelda by her arms.
"Run!" He was pulled back by the weight of the girl who had gone weak in the knees. Gale scowled, reluctant to drag her while carrying his board as well – he would lose too much speed. In one movement, he threw his Dervish on the polished floor and picked Zelda up off her feet. Gale then jumped onto his board and skated towards the stairs on the other side of the hallway. He was thankful she didn't weigh much, and that in her shock she didn't struggle… at least at first.
"What are you doing?! Put me down!"
"And get shot?! I don't think so princess." He dug his weight into his heel to compensate for his wavering balance.
"Would you stop it with the princess thing?!"
Dugal, meanwhile, was not too happy with the recent developments. Instead of following Gale and Zelda who had gone past him, he turned around and faced Link and his pursuer who was approaching. Link bit his lip when he saw Dugal pull out his M1911.
This is bad, he thought, mind racing as he ran. There's a man trying to shoot me from behind and up ahead. What do I do?
He didn't need to think too hard, however, because instead of stopping him Dugal took several paces forward and walked right past him.
What?! Link almost tripped in surprise, and dared to turn around to see what was going on. Dugal had his gun aimed at the man who had been pursuing him earlier, and the unfortunate man was wide eyed in similar confusion.
"Drop it, or I shoot your arm off," Dugal growled.
The man with the red tie protested, watching the three moving farther away from them. "Sir," he said shakily and slightly out of breath. "I was told to stop them sir!"
"Yes, but that doesn't mean we have to try to shoot them down so they'll be a bloody mess, does it? Do you want to clean that up? I sure don't." He took the gun he was pointing at the man and pointed it in the general direction of Gale, Link, and Zelda. He gave a cheerful smile. "Oh don't worry. They won't get away. Are you ready to run after them? I noticed you have terrible aim - I'm about to show you the right way to shoot a gun."
He squinted his eyes and took aim. Gale was just about to reach the door. Then, Dugal pulled the trigger.
Gale cursed loudly, and he and Zelda went flying forwards as longboard's back left wheel detached from the trucks. The metal connecting the wheel and the trucks had dented where the bullet had struck.
Link caught up to them and lifted them both off the ground, supporting them with his arms. Groaning, Gale limped to his feet while Zelda stumbled after. The white haired teen looked as though he was going to go back for his board, but he noticed Dugal grin and spin his gun. Gale's face twitched, and then he quickly retreated and shut the stairwell door on the red-tied man that had run after them.
Dugal casually pressed the button on his earpiece and waited for a voice behind the static.
"Sir!"
"Sir."
"Sir?"
Three voices answered. Nodding satisfactorily, Dugal entered a light jog towards the stairwell that the three teens had disappeared to. "Listen closely. Kestrel, Hawk, I want the two of you to ready my car just outside the building. I have a feeling it will come to good use. Condor, you will go after Mr. Engst, Mr. Petrov, and Ms. Sterling. Do not let them get away, but do not kill them. I want them all in one piece."
"Yes sir," three answered.
"Good. I will see all of you shortly."
XXXXXXXXX
Link, Gale, and Zelda panted up the steps as they went around the stairwell. Link tried to encourage the other two to keep running. "Once we're safe, I'll tell you both everything, I promise."
Gale glared between puffs. "You better. I think I deserve to know more than anyone."
Zelda didn't say anything, watching the stairs under her feet as she stepped over each one. She appeared to be in too much of a shock at what had happened, much like Gale had been before. It seemed the only person who was unfazed was Link; he bravely moved onwards.
On their way up, they ran into a dozen or so red-tied men who had blocked the stairs. In the middle of the group was the blue tied man who had been Dugal's driver, the man who had been called Condor. He stood as neatly as the set of his dark blond-brown hair.
The three stopped five steps below the group, four of who had guns aimed at them. Condor was the first to cut the heavy silence. "We promise we won't shoot if you come with us quietly."
"How can we trust you?" Gale asked.
Link nodded in agreement. "You didn't seem hesitant to shoot us earlier."
"The orders have changed. We are not to shoot you as long as you cooperate."
"What do you want from us?" Gale's voice was demanding. "What did we do that you want us dead for?"
"That's none of your concern. Do you think you're in the position to be making demands?" Condor stepped aside and allowed three of the men in red ties to pass. He addressed them. "Get them. Break their arms if they give you too much trouble."
There was a gasp from Zelda and protests from the two boys. Link managed to sock one in the face before two who had ganged up on him overwhelmed him. Zelda, who was still muddled about the situation, could only stand submissively as the men took her arms.
Gale was struggling against two men who had grabbed his arms. He growled and snarled, occasionally spitting curses in between as he twisted around in their grip. He was the last person to continue struggling against their captors; unlike Link or Zelda, he just didn't know when it was a good idea to give up for plan B. The men on either side of him exchanged glances, and Gale felt the pressure on his arm tighten. He was sure they were planning to break them.
"I said," Gale clenched his teeth, "let go of me, insolent fools!"
Link's head snapped up as something about Gale changed in that split second. He couldn't really tell what had happened next, but Gale had spread his palms and the two men holding him had slammed against the walls. Everyone stood still in open-mouthed shock, trying to register what Gale had done. They didn't have too long to wonder; a vicious snicker escaped his lips, and crossing his arms in front of him in a brace, he snapped them outwards in an arc the next instant. It was almost like Moses parting the Red Sea, with the group of suited men crumpling to opposite sides and creating a clear path through the stairs.
Silence. The only ones conscious were Link, Zelda, and Gale. Link gingerly walked up to Gale, Zelda cautiously following close behind him. "…Vaati?" he tried.
Suddenly, Gale collapsed to his knees, clutching his head. There was a shout, and the pale teen began to screech in an emotion Link wasn't sure was pain or hateful anger. "Damn you goddesses! I won't slip away! I won't forgive it! Uuurraaaaggh my head…" there was a break as Vaati groaned and uttered a string of incoherent words. "I… was so close. So… bloody… close. This… stupid curse…"
"Vaati! Please, don't fade away – we could use your help." Link took him by the shoulders. He resisted the urge to flinch away. This vile aura; this HAS to be Vaati. Did Farore really ask me to enlist the help of this guy?
"VAATI!"
Link froze. Vaati's head had snapped around so he was eye-to-eye with those pools of spiteful crimson. Vaati's eyes narrowed and there was a sharp intake of air as he hissed venomously, "You again."
"Huh?" Link's forehead creased. "What do you mean, again?" But he couldn't get an answer, for Vaati's expression relaxed and became dazed. He twitched once and his hand shot up to his head. The white haired teen grimaced.
"Unnnnn, what just happened?"
Link frowned. "Hmm. Vaati?"
"Fuck you."
The blond rolled his eyes. "Gale?"
"What do you want? Weren't we in the middle of running?" Gale winced and pinched the bridge of his nose. "Ugh, my head. I feel horrible."
Annnd we're back to Gale. Link sighed. At the moment, he didn't know which version he preferred. Probably neither.
"Whoa, what happened? Why is everyone unconscious?"
Link ran up the steps two at a time, taking the lead once more. "You did that. Come on, we should hurry before more of them come. We might not be so lucky next time."
Glale made a face. "Hold on, I did that?!" Something brushed past him, and he tilted his head in puzzlement when Zelda looked at him from the top of the stairs a little fearfully.
"Yes," she said quietly. "And I agree with Link. We should go."
Not entirely satisfied, Gale followed them. He shook his head. He had a hard time believing skinny Gale would be able to take on a dozen or so adults armed with guns without a single scratch on his person. Still, both Link and Zelda had seemed funny around him.
He shrugged. Oh well. The only important thing is we didn't get caught this time around. It was a shame he couldn't remember anything that had happened except the dull throb of a headache.
fleets: Wow, I had to cut the stop point for this chapter earlier than I'd initially intended (honestly didn't think this whole running about in Avi I would require more writing than usual). Vaati finally, even if it was only for a brief moment - writing him was fun.
Also - bahahahaha bobby pins and paper clips are the keys in this world! lol. That's why Link breaks them, and can "pick locks" if that wasn't made clear in this chapter. (was the best equivalent i could come up with... sadly).
Travel Log: N/A since Gale is currently running.
Midna Hytwilian: Ohohoho yes I have fun playing tricks with poor Gale's mind. Missed Vaati though, so he got an appearance this time around lol
Reily96: Nonlinear polygon... O.o my mind is blown. (cough) anyways, fwahaha the Nile seems to be popular with the characters in my story these days. They should have a river partay. XD
henslight: It's about time Link explained things - first, though, he'd have to get himself out of this new mess XP
LinkxDarkLink: It's not LoZ without the Lost Woods (at least for me), so yessss there will be Lost Woods some time ;)
Darkwind: I felt the story was losing its connection with the Zelda-verse, so I thought those items would help reconnect it better :)
marium: He's gotten close, but apparently not close enough. Vaati didn't sound too happy about Link though :P
Astral S. Kepeire: BC was really confusing because I tried to make sense of the timeline. With Avi, I gave up. It's too hard lol. I think the foreshadowing got even worse this time, especially since I was originally planning to reveal the personality of the boss but decided against it this time around. I hope I don't agonize people for too long and start giving out answers xD.
Of course I'm not irritated with critique! As long as it's constructive and it's not like "you suck" without telling me why, I rarely get annoyed. Evil Riggs was one of my first super critiquers, and I don't think I would have improved so much without his help. :)
SubZeroChimera: Thank you, and I'll sure try to keep it good to the end :)
Death-Note-Zelda-Kitty: Nono, take your time :)
The rumors and the name for Aokigahara Jukai in Japan is allllll real. It exists, and they have real problems with people disappearing in there (though it's suspected to be because of suicide). It even led to a book named "Kuroi Jukai," the Black Sea of Trees.
Dugal is happy you think he is cool.