.oOo.
Title: LoZ: The Time Keeper
Chapter: 5
Author: Hikari no Vikki
Genre: Romance
Parings: Link x Zelda / OC x Shadow
Disclaimer: If all this were mine, I would have made KH use Hyrule as a world already and made me a character in the Yu-Gi-Oh series. I don't own Zelda, okay?
Description: Her past is full of sorrow, and her future doesn't seem to be worth living. Her life is so tangled with half-truths and lies that the only person she has also has a past like hers. Will she uncover her past before evil destroys what's left of her purity?
Author's Notes-Basically, this is sort of a synopsis of the last two chapters of Shadow Watcher. Saving Shadow time! w00t!
EDIT: Grammar edits. I changed the Zora's name from Jacob to Manu, because it seemed more right for the setting. I was also tempted to tweak his personality into on of those 'Girl, I so got the right outfit for you' kind of people, but I decided to leave him be. He's a minor character, you know? :D
Yami Vikki: (standing looking over Vikki's shoulder) Why do you bother updating?
Vikki: (looks at Yami) For the sake of having it up here to read.
Yami Vikki: For yourself?
Vikki: (looks back down) And others.
Yami Vikki: Even though no one really reads this thing?
Vikki: Oh people read it: they just don't review.
Yami Vikki: (is surprised) How do you know?
Vikki: (points to story traffic)
Yami Vikki: Oh. On with it then.
Vikki: (smiles and presses 'submit chapter' button)
.oOo.
Victoria stopped abruptly, her heels digging into the dirt. Link was perplexed, and he moved to ask her a question (by putting up one finger and trying and failing to make sound come out of his mouth) but she beat him to the punch.
"Link?"
Link was suddenly able to find himself, and gathered his bearings quickly. He nodded to her.
"Yes? Why did you stop?" She spun around, her skirts twirling about in a beautiful manner. "It's the Water Temple, I'm sure of it. But…the temple's underwater. I need a tunic, Link." He nodded. "I think I can have one made for you."
Smiling gently, she nodded, laughing softly. "Onward, then!"
And then there they were, jumping through the waterfall, jogging to the shop where the Zoras made their tunics.
"Manu!" Link barked as he burst through the door, "I need a tunic made!" The shopkeeper, apparently named Manu, was startled by Link's sudden appearance and comically dropped the fish he was holding, slipping on it and falling. He got back up quickly, pretending it hadn't happened.
"Shield eater eat it again?" He asked, hands on his hips, grinning. Link shook his head. "I was wondering if you could make a tunic for my friend here." He motioned to Victoria with his right hand, who was behind him, leaning against the wall. Manu took a good look at her and smiled. "I might actually have one her size. Do you have a specific style in mind, miss?"
"Yes," Victoria told him, standing next to Link, "something not too restricting, but in the style of the Shiekah." Manu stopped a moment, and searched her eyes. "Ah, I see. Yes, yes, I can make short work of that. Give me a moment."
As he disappeared behind the shelf made of the rock wall and coral, she whispered to Link, "How long is this going to take, you think?" He shrugged. "Not very long. He knows a bit of magic, Manu. Not too much, but enough to help him tailor something quickly." She blinked. "How you know that?" He looked to his left, blushing slightly. "Well, the tunic he found for me fit perfectly, but the biggest hat they had was still a little too small. I've got a really big head, you see."
She laughed, the sound ringing out like bells. "Hopefully it's only literal, Link!" She laughed again, the laughter contagious enough to start even Link chuckling a little.
They managed to stifle the last of their giggles as Manu came back out, holding some folded blue clothing.
It was mostly blue from what they could see, as Zora Tunics are, but made of scales that were so soft you would almost think it thread. "You can try it on in the back," Manu said, handing it to her. She walked around the back, taking off everything for the exception of her lacy bodice, slipping on the pants and shirt. She spun around, getting a feel for the tunic. It felt just right, as if it had been waiting for her.
For all she knew, it had.
She walked out, showing it off to Link. "Well? What do you think?"
Link's mouth lowered slightly, his eyes widening. Wow, he thought, that looks…good.
The tunic was slim fitting like a Sheikah's outfit, though the black laces that bound the light brown leather over the gray bandages were all that hinted it was of Shiekah make. It had decorations in the back that started at the base of her spine and split into two sky blue ribbons that twirled about her feet, and the top half was gently cut to meld into the ribbons as well as cling to her body shape, but enough to be light and comfortable.
After a period of silence Link finally stammered, "Y-Yeah that looks great. How much is it?" Manu waved his right hand at Link as if to wave the comment away. "Free of charge, my friend. And I'll repair the ribbons anytime if they get torn."
They exited, thanking him again. They stopped by Victoria's cottage to drop off her clothing from before and when she locked the door she turned to him again.
"I'll need a set of those boots, too. I don't fancy having to hang onto you all the time. No offence, you've got great body, but well, yeah. I don't particularly like feeling dependent on people anymore…" She ducked her head low and muttered quietly, "Must be the hormones." Link nodded, chuckling. "I get your point. Shadow managed to duplicate them somehow… can you do the same?" Victoria thought a moment.
Could she? She looked deep into her new-set magical core and wondered if Cronos could help her. A comforting, trusting sensation rushed through her and then she gasped through a sudden smile.
Summoning her staff with a sweeping wave of her hand, twirling it once, and then grasping it, she set it in the ground with a gentle thud. "If you could put them on, I think I can do this." He did so, and she swept the tip across his boots, and then, holding her hand above her head, she spun it around herself, the bottom of her boots sparkling and eventually materializing into iron. She set the staff down again, looking proud.
"And you're going to walk to the lake like that?" "No, of course not!"
She jumped up in the air, and with a clanking sound; her boots were normal once more. She put a hand to her chest and held back a hacking cough. A small lancing pain lashed through her sinuses, but quickly faded. She would have to be careful with how she used her magic. Her body was not quite ready to sustain battle magic yet. So she simply flashed a reassuring smile in Link's direction, which he returned.
"Now that," said Link, "is cool." She nodded, making her staff disappear.
.oOo.
In an eternal illusion, a man sat slumped against a tree. This tree existed and didn't exist at the same time, but for him, it didn't matter.
His eyes, a dull almost colorless red looked off into the distance at nothing.
Inside, he was screaming.
He breathed, but the breathing was not his own. Black hair fell across his eyes. Black bangs that had once been colored a brilliant blond that stood out from the rest of him. Not even a single strand of the tips of his hair was brown like it had once been, and the shadows seemed to hold in place.
Like a prison.
And what a prison it was.
.oOo.
Victoria led Link to where she felt Shadow's aura pulsed. "It's too faint," she first said, "It's like something's masking it. I don't understand." Link felt it too, as much as he didn't want to admit it. So I am his lighter half then. So what does that make him? Dark Link?
Shadow, his mind corrected.
And finally they stopped at the waterfall room. "Not this room," he groaned, "please tell me you were mistaken." She laughed a little. "I'm afraid not. You're gonna have to give me a ride."
He wasn't too keen on giving anyone a ride, but he had too. He felt that this was where he had to go to press on. He also felt that he was getting closer and closer to Shadow. Something inside him beat like a second heart, telling him this. He didn't care how he knew, he just knew.
She clung to him as he fired shot after shot. Good thing her tunic was fashioned similarly to an outfit worn by a Shiekah.
The next room was more of a challenge.
She surveyed it and shook her head. "Either we spend priceless time tossing that thing of yours back and forth, or you keep giving me a ride."
He smiled through an exasperated groan. At least she wasn't without her sarcasm.
Once he'd killed the shield eater on the other side of the spikes, they stood in front of the door. Or rather, she stood, he watched her.
"He's in here," she said softly. Link's eyebrows furrowed. She loved Shadow. He knew that much. How did she feel, he wondered, about all this? Was she afraid for him? Well, actually, she'd said that when she'd woken him up at the waterfall.
He wanted to say something to her that might give her comfort, but the words failed him. Instead, he gently forced a smile and said to her, "Well, what are we waiting for? Let's go!"
He walked to the door, and opened it, standing there, holding out his hand. "Aren't you coming?" She shook her head and shook a scolding finger at him as if telling him he should be more careful. "Yeah, yeah. Just be careful, all right?" Yeah, she did. Link didn't say it, but he knew her too well.
They walked into the room, and the door closed with a SLAM! and bars sealed it shut. "This room doesn't feel right Victoria," he said. Victoria looked across the strange room. It's like it never ends, she thought. "Not right at all," she said softly. She paused, spotting the door standing up out of the too-still water on the other side of the lifeless tree.
"What about that door over there?" He shrugged. She didn't think it would hurt to check it out. But why did she have this feeling of foreboding? She realized it in an instant as a figure rose up from the shadows of the tree, and bars rose up across the door with another slicing SLAM! and the figure ran at Link with his sword drawn to kill.
"Link!" she cried, her hand reaching out as if she could bring him back to safety, "Look out!"
He turned, and the figure missed by an inch.
They fought. Sword against sword, evenly matched, Link trying every tactic possible to scratch him, but holding back from what she could see. She was immobile. She could fight and help him. Why not? And then she saw his face. The same face with the gentle lips she'd kissed less than a day ago. Her breathing hitched as she realized who she was looking at: Shadow.
Her Shadow.
No! Shadow! Shadow was moving faster, power surging through him, around him, against him. Shadow! She cried, instinctively trying to reach his mind with magic. She recoiled when she found it blocked, a momentary fever washing over her, bringing her to the floor. The blockage crippled her for a moment or so, but she pulled through the attack once the fever abated. With a shock she realized Shadow was gaining the upper hand. If she didn't act soon, Link would lose. Even a pink fairy wouldn't save him. He'd just lose again.
With her returned strength, she pushed against the stone to stand up.
She took a step back, a hand at her breast, when Link's sword went flying and hit something with a clang, rebounding into the water. She vaguely took note that there were walls to this place, but that didn't matter. Whatever had control of Shadow was threatening her friend. She couldn't let that happen.
So she ran.
She felt the adrenaline rush through her as she dug her heel into the stone, leaping as if in slow motion. She feared she would miss him, but she caught Shadow's shoulders and locked her hands into a grip of iron, leaning to the right and bringing him down.
He landed against her, his sword flying like Link's, knocking the wind out of her. Shadow acted quickly, turning around to her, his face twisted in anger. She felt fear in that moment, a fear that could not be explained. Shadow made to grab her shoulders and knock her out against the pavement, but lucky for her, she was quicker. She wrestled him over, with her against his chest.
Shadow! She cried again, louder. Sickness welled in her gut, but she was past the pain. She didn't care if she passed out from it anymore, her anger was all she could see. She cried against the shield that blocked her, scratching dents, both mentally and physically as she slapped him clear across his left cheek, hoping he'd snap out of this and see reason.
He, however, did no such thing. They wrestled more and more, Shadow swinging a punch across her face as she was down in the water again.
Shadow! She grit her teeth as she slammed her head against his. Or rather, tried to. She hesitated in the last second, and it was only a minor stinging sensation. Somehow they had gotten to their feet and she was holding him fast. Though he struggled, she was determined to bring the real Shadow back out of him.
"Shadow wake up!" She cried at last, her voice barking and strong. She almost faltered in surprise at the strength of it, but didn't skip a beat. "Wake up you idiot! Stop, Shadow! Stop! I need you!"
The instant her voice had pierced the air, Shadow stopped struggling. He shook, as if he were shivering in the cold, and his eyes shattered. They traveled to Victoria's and met them for one moment. A second after, he grasped her arms, sliding down to his knees. He leaned against her, steadying his breathing, but suddenly, the strain of trying to stay awake was just too much for him. His grip on Victoria loosened, and he fell for the water, landing with a splash.
The splash brought Victoria back to the present after being held in place for so long. Link hadn't moved yet either, but it didn't look like he was going to anytime soon. Gingerly, she kneeled down as the illusion of the room disappeared, and she took Shadow into her arms. She clung to him for a moment, tightening her grip around him with tears rolling one by one down her cheeks and into his hair. There was just the two of them in that moment, just being. Not even the water existed.
His wounds need tending, she told herself as Link was finally getting up. She slid her arms under his and dragged him as slowly as she would allow herself over to the wall that was now visible. She propped him up against it, sighing.
"Shadow," she whispered, "what happened, hmm? Why did you leave?"
From behind her, she heard Link ask her if he'd be all right. "He just fainted. Whatever he did to take control again must have taken a lot of energy." Link came to her and set a Red Potion beside her. He also laid Shadow's sword at his right side in the water. "That might help when he wakes up."
She nodded sharply, but kept tending to the wounds. Just as she was patching up the last one, Shadow began to stir. Behind her, Link took a step back, apprehensive about Shadow's awakening.
Shadow's lashes blinked blearily for some moments, but then focused on her red irises. She smiled gently. "Hey." He was breathing slowly, as if he couldn't believe she was real. He reached out to touch her, his gauntlet fingers just barely grazing the angry red flesh on her left cheek. "I-I'm sorry. I-I couldn't…couldn't do anything. Link…" Victoria hushed him, but then his eyes snapped over to Link.
He sat up a little, breathing faster. "Can you forgive me? I wasn't myself! I couldn't…I—"
Victoria turned her head swiftly to see Link holding up a hand, silencing him.
"It wasn't your fault Shadow. If anything, it's me who should be sorry for even giving myself the thought of having to kill you. Why, if Victoria hadn't gone and did what she did, you might not be alive."
She blushed furiously, and tried not to let either of them see. Sure, it might've gone bad, but he would've found a way to win somehow, right? "But," Link added, "you're forgiven anyway, just so I don't have to see you looking guilty all the time." Shadow's lips curled into a gentle grin. At least they were at peace with each other.
Victoria got up, helping Shadow, and they followed Link into the next room. "In there is the Longshot. It's a upgraded version of your Hookshot." Shadow seemed very well informed about the temple, and probably the other temples as well. Link took it, and handed Shadow the Hookshot. "Take it, then. It might still be of some use to you."
He looked the Hookshot over, and nodded to himself. "This will get us back to the main room, but we'll have to figure something out if we're going to defeat the boss together." Link left the room to survey the next one, and Shadow made to follow him, but Victoria grabbed his wrist before he could jump.
"What?" Shadow asked, turning. She wanted to grab his other wrist, to hold both of his hands in her own, but she hesitated, leaving her left hand a few inches away from his. "When we get out of here, you do know you have to tell us everything, right?" She was determined to find out, not because he'd withheld the truth from her, but because she needed to know. "Everything?" he asked, crestfallen. "Everything you can bear, at least. I don't want to lose you again."
He smiled bitterly. "I promise to. Now go on so I can change. Tell Link I'll be there in a moment."
It took them awhile to made it back to the main chamber (as well as rise the water levels to the highest level possible), but they were finally standing on the platform across from the ledge now accessible via the Longshot.
However…
"Well, I could take you over there, and them come back for Victoria and we'll all be over there." Shadow frowned a little.
"But that seems too slow. Are you sure there isn't any other way?"
"I don't think it could hold us all going across, and even with the water levels up, I don't fancy breaking the Longshot either."
Victoria looked back and forth as Shadow and Link argued about whether one way of getting across was better than the other. Frankly, she just wanted to take the Longshot herself and be over with it. But she just sighed and kept tapping her feet, waiting for them to resolve it already.
"But we can't spend all that time going back and forth."
But, she decided, they were short on time.
"It's just two people, Shadow!"
SNATCH!
Victoria grabbed the Longshot out of Link's hands in a flash. She then grabbed him by the arm, and with the same sstrength she'd used in the room of illusions, swung him over her shoulder, and shot the Longshot at the target. Then they went flying through the air, coming to a sudden halt on the dragon statue with a slam, after which Link was rolled off to the side, and watched dizzily as she did the same thing to Shadow, rolling him off to the other side, then handing him the Longshot when she'd recovered.
"Problem solved," she said drolly, her curt voice dripping with sarcasm.
"That was very smooth," Shadow said, shaking his head. Apparently he was still a little dizzy.
"Yeah. Real smooth. You sure know how to seduce a man, Victoria." She laughed. "Only you," she said, still laughing and waving another scolding finger, "only you."
And they entered the next room, collecting faeries before entering the boss room. As for the boss room itself, it wasn't much. "Does something feel very odd, to you?" Victoria asked. Shadow stroked his chin. "Yes. But I don't know what. I do know this though; it's too quiet. What's it waiting for?" Victoria's senses scanned the room for anything unusual. There had to be something here, or what else would they be doing there for?
"Movement?" Link suggested, baffled. "I've noticed that the bosses of these temples usually react to movement."
Shadow looked at Link, giving him a reproachful look. "And I'm guessing you want to be the person who drew the short straw?" I laughed a little at the expression. "Really, I was the person who drew the short straw in the first place. I'm only lucky you're here helping." They both nodded. "True," Victoria muttered. She tilted her head to the size as she watched her friend. He hadn't asked for this, but he did it anyway. What she wouldn't give to have that kind of courage.
She snapped out of her revere when Link jumped out onto one of the four stone platforms in the middle of the funny looking water. "Hey! Link, this water looks funny! Be careful!" And there was Navi, who was once again, a little late on the uptake.
Link sighed, and then turned around. "I…I don't get it."
Apparently he'd spoken a little too soon.
Victoria stepped back, only stopping once she'd come in contact with the wall. The look of horror on Victoria's face terrified Link, and the look of Shadow's face staring at him as well, but Shadow's eyes looking up confirmed it.
Before he could turn around, something long and blue slipped around his waist, and as the Longshot flew from his hand to Shadow's, he slipped into the darkness of unconsciousness.
The creature that had taken him was an amoeba, but a giant one, with jelly tentacles filled with shockingly powerful electricity. The tentacle that had taken Link, once she looked closer, carried the true force behind all this; a little orange sponge.
"Ugh," Victoria sneered, wrinkling her nose, "what is that?" "That," Shadow said, moving in front of her slightly, "is Morpha. I don't think you need to be a potions' master to figure out it's an amoeba. Or aquatic." He scowled in anger, looking around. Quickly, he tossed her the Hookshot, and ran for the leftmost corner from the door, shouting back to her, "Run to a corner!"
"It won't be able to reach you there!" She bolted the other way, clinging to it for dear life. "Oy! If it gets close to you, shoot it, and then whack it with that staff!" She nodded, her backside firmly pressed into the gap between the spikes.
She could see Link from where she was, trapped in some sort of transparent bubble that was holding him down. He had woken up now, and was panicking. With gasp and the skipping beat of her heart, she realized why.
"Oh no… Victoria…"
"I see him, Shadow. That hole is sucking out air from inside the bubble. Air or water. Whichever it's sucking, we don't have much time to kill this monster." At least, before it kills us.
Shadow growled as a tentacle rose in front of him, using Navi as a targeting system, shooting the Longshot at the orange mushy mass and brought it out of the water.
He unsheathed his sword as quick as humanly possible gave it as many whacks as he was able. His last whack sent the sword an inch deep into the stone, which he was barely able to take out of the stone to run from the boss's attack.
It appeared on Victoria's side next, and she stepped a little closer so the Hookshot could reach.
When it reached out for her, she grasped the sponge and it snapped onto the ground desperately flopping back to the water. Before she could reach it, she summoned her staff and fried it with a few bolts of lightning. This time, she didn't wince with the pain of a headache, but she could feel her gut churning with a sickly slowness. She didn't know how she knew what she was doing, either, but perhaps it was the adrenaline rushing through her veins. Shadow cried out as it disappeared into the water, "Look out!" And she jumped back before a blue tentacle could grasp her. She put a hand to her chest, hoping to still her frantically beating heart.
And then she looked across to Shadow, who it would surely be going after next. A tentacle missed hitting him, but fell pretty close to his left leg. It rose up, and then shot for it, hitting its target, and bringing him to one knee. Her features twisted in anger, and she shot off like a rocket. Shadow was struggling to keep himself out of the water, the electricity from the tentacle making him sway. But she would have to change that.
Grasping the same leg, Victoria sent a shockwave of electricity through to the tentacle, which now carried the weakened boss.
Shadow watched blurrily as it flopped around, desperately trying to make it to the water to attack one more time, but Victoria had grabbed his sword and stuck it all the way through to creepy orange creature, killing it. It exploded all over the sword and the stone, goo clinging everywhere. After a moment of silence, Victoria turned to Shadow and gave a small smile. Then she picked up his sword as Shadow got to his feet.
"Thanks," he said, exasperated, holding his head a little as she handed him his glop-covered sword.
She chuckled and thanked him, as though she knew what he was sarcastically thanking her for. "Yeah, sure. You're welcome." He groaned, and she laughed again. She knew he knew he couldn't stay mad at her forever.
They both jumped down to find a soaking wet Link shivering and staring at the grating, which was now covered.
"Remind me not to come in here again," Link said, his voice shaking in the same manner his body was.
"Gladly," Shadow quipped.
And then they disappeared in a flash of blue light.
.oOo.
The trio found themselves at the edge of Lake Hylia, which was now filling up. Victoria looked across the lake that meant so much to her, now more than ever. The rising sun that poured it's rays across the sparkling water made it all the more beautiful; memorable.
Link turned around suddenly, Victoria spinning around with him. Shadow was a little late on the uptake. The Sheikah stood watching the lake. It was a while before he spoke.
"Did Ruto want to thank me?" he said softly. Link nodded, at a loss for words.
"I see..." Finally, he found himself again. "See what?" If they could've seen a smile through his cowl, there would be one. "We have to return peace to Hyrule for her sake, too. Don't we?"
Link made a strange, strangled groan. Whoever this Ruto was, he wasn't very fond of her. Victoria smiled a little, and gave a soft barking chuckle.
"Look at that, Link," the Sheikah said, gesturing to the lake, "together, you and Princess Ruto destroyed the evil monster! Once again, the lake is filled with pure water. All is as it was here."
Sheik turned slightly and the two of them met eyes. Red eyes acknowledged each other as equals, and Victoria recognized this particular Shiekah as the same one that she'd met at the Temple of Time.
I am Shiek, he said to her, using the Shiekah mind link. I am Victoria.
Sheik's eyes softened. He made to reach for a Deku Nut, but Link called out to him. "Wait!"
Shiek chuckled. "You ask me to wait a fair bit, don't you? I cannot, hero, but you know where to go when you need me." And finally, Sheik threw down a Deku Nut, and disappeared before its blinding smoke cleared.
"Strange, isn't he?" Shadow muttered to Victoria. She shrugged. "He's a Sheikah. Strange is their life." She smiled inwardly. That meant she was strange too, but she didn't mind. It was the good kind of strange. Shadow nodded, agreeing.
Link turned to Shadow then.
"Shadow, I…" He paused. It seemed he wanted to word this carefully. "What happened in the Water Temple before—" "Was entirely my fault. And I know that. You don't have to apologize." Link sighed, content, nodding to confirm it. "So… what now? We just… be friends?"
Shadow smiled. This smile was something true, and genuine. Victoria saw the same Shadow that kissed her that very first time in his shack, and she simply watched. She wanted to wait a little longer to tell them. "Yes," Shadow said softly, "but good ones." Link smiled back. "Very good ones."
They shook hands, but the tender moment was ruined by the sound of someone clearing their throat.
They turned.
"What?" they both said, surprised.
"Don't I get a say in this?" Victoria had her hands on her hips, a wry smile on her face.
"Sure," said Shadow, "someone's got to keep an eye out for us, right?" She laughed. "To make sure you don't die? Yeah. What would you two do without me, hmm?" "We'd still be alive. We might not have all of our limbs, but we'd still be alive." Victoria laughed again.
"You two are nuts."
"Yep," they said in unison.
"Complete idiots."
"Yep."
"Insane, almost."
"Mmhm."
"And…"
"And?"
"And you smell like week old socks! Take a bath!"
.oOo.
Night had fallen and Victoria was standing in the same spot they'd stood at when they'd come back from the Water Temple. She held her staff in her right hand firmly in the ground, the gentle wind blowing the ribbons of her outfit in the air.
Shadow had told them everything, like he'd promised her, but with knowledge comes responsibility. She knew she was no longer a child, but the things Shadow had told them were gruesome. Well, that worse half of his life at least. Millions of new questions that even Shadow couldn't answer were turning through her head, keeping her awake. She looked up at the stars, her eyes sparkling rubies.
"Something troubling you?"
She gasped silently. She hadn't even heard Shadow approach. That's because you're too lost in your thoughts girl, she told herself, what if next time it's not him, but a monster?
She turned around on the spot, the moon's light shining down upon them, directly overhead. Midnight.
She frowned, dismissing her staff and looking off to her left. "You could say that, yes."
Shadow walked closer to her, putting his hands on her shoulders. "You didn't have to listen. What happened to me happened. But you seem hurt. Why? You know, you still haven't told me about your past. Link I can understand, the Master Sword wouldn't have him until he was old enough, but you…"
He shook his head.
"I need answers too." She smiled bitterly. "Careful, those answers will bring about more questions that might have no answers." He chuckled, his hands falling to his sides once more. "I think I'll take the risk. Are you willing to tell me?" She nodded. "it's only fair."
She turned back to the lake, looking across it. She told Shadow of her mother's story, and how she was her mother's heir. She told him that the curse that he had was the result of her mother, and it couldn't be reversed, so her mother said.
"And Gannondorf killed her for what she did to me?" She nodded. "Yes. She wanted to ensure my safety, because that much power would have killed me." "And that would've been bad." "Yeah, pretty much."
She laughed softly. "But, like Link, I'm not a child anymore. I don't think I could ever go back. Not to that." But she knew that Shadow could be anywhere in that reality, and the prospect of not being able to find him again scared her. "Maybe we don't have to, love."
He hugged her from behind, and she willed her staff to disappear. Turned in his hug, she put her hands against his chest. "Yes," she whispered, "maybe." And with that, she kissed him, slow and tender. How she'd missed this. She pressed her head against her hands and listened to the beating of his heart. "Oh, Shadow?" she whispered. "Mmm?" "Don't you go thinking that just because I'm a girl, that I can't fight." He chuckled. "No, I've seen plenty of your skills to satisfy me. Perhaps we should go back? Get some rest?"
But there was no answer. Smiling, he took her in his arms and carried her back to their camp.
.oOo.
Vikki: Just thought I'd kill some time. Hope it doesn't suck TOO much. ;)