Beyond the Boundaries
Disclaimer- I don't own anything from Zelda. The only things I do own are the creatures and the different world I made up just for this fan fic.
A/N: Well, the first one didn't really turn out the way I had expected but this one is gonna be better...I hope. Well, read and find out for yourself.
Chapter #2- Such a pain!
"Hmmm…uh-huh…Mm-hmm…" The doctor corrected his spectacles and continued to examine the young man in his view, checking his pulse and heartbeat with a very cold stethoscope.
"And what were you doing prior to the injury, m'boy?" The old doctor asked, once again fixing his thick glasses.
Link opened his mouth and was about to answer when he was, without fail, interrupted when Ilia spoke up. "As usual, Link was pushing himself again, wrestling down those goats like he was impervious to damage. So, what's wrong with him, doctor? Is Link going to be alright?" Her voice changing from scolding to worried.
The old doctor retreated his stethoscope from Links chest and sighed. "I'm absolutely baffled by this. His pulse is normal; I can detect no abnormalities in his heartbeat. And there seems to be no physical indication that something is wrong with him, no bump, no bruising, no discoloration of the skin, no swelling, nothing! This one has me completely stumped."
The old doctor rubbed his stethoscope clean and walked steadily back to his desk, trying to figure out what was bothering Link so.
Ilia bent down and decided to take a better look for herself and saw nothing there, just as the doctor had said.
She raised a skeptical eyebrow and asked, "Are you sure your arms buggin' you? It looks fine to me."
Link was about to say something in his defense when Ilia grabbed his arm and raised it high into the air.
"AAAUUGHH!!" Link yelled out as intense pain shot all over his arm. Ilia fell on her rear, startled by Links' sudden outburst.
"What's' going on here? This is a Doctors office, not boxing arena!" The old doctor scolded both of them.
"I don't know! I just raised Links' arm in the air and he just yelled out like a mad man!"
The doctor raised a curious eyebrow and made his way over to Link. The doctor looked over Links' arm very carefully. Using his fingers, he felt the upper part of Links' arm and his expression changed.
The doctor met Links' eyes. "Do forgive me for this, m'boy."
Link was confused at first but then it became clear what the doctors' intentions were when he pulled at Links' arm full force, causing Link to shout out in pan once again. Ilia saw his fingers dig into the cushion of his seat.
"Hmmm…I see. It's the joint, right here."
The old doctor pressed his index finger lightly at the spot between Links' left breast plate and his shoulder.
"Ah, yes. You must've been working so hard on the ranch that a Goat dislocated your shoulder by a few degrees. Don't worry, though. I have some salve that will fix it right up! I'll be right Back."
The doctor disappeared once again to rummage through the medicine cabinet to fetch the salve for Links' joint. Ilia sighed; relieved to hear that it's only a stiff joint that's bothering Link and nothing serious. She turned to smile at her friend but then she noticed that far off look in Links' eyes. That same far off look he would get every now and then. He's been like that ever since he came back to Ordon after his travels to Hyrule.
Link would never talk to anyone on how he was feeling, but every once in a while, he would get this distant feeling…as if he didn't want to be home. His distant staring would remind Ilia of a wolf that just lost its mate.
"Here we are! I found it!" The doctor exclaimed happily as he emerged from the medicine cabinet. He approached the young man in his view. He placed a little ceramic jar in Links hand with a label on it reading "salve".
"Now, all you have to do is rub this salve onto the source of the pain only twice a day. Once in the morning when you wake up and once more before you go to sleep. This one little jar is good for at least three weeks. After one months time, come back and see me for a check up. And if you happen to run out, I have plenty more where that came from."
Link jumped off from the bed and was reaching into his wallet to pay the good doctor for all his help when the doctor raised his hand to halt Links gestures.
"This ones' on the house, m'boy. Now, I'll see you in one month's time." The doctor smiled warmly at the two youths in front of him and went back to his desk.
Link and Ilia left the doctors house and loaded up Epona for their journey back to Ordon. They remained silent all the way back home, Link still with that distant look in his eyes. Ilia got the idea that maybe he might have lost something on his travels and maybe he wanted to get it back. The question on her mind was what could it be?
ELSEWHERE…
Shewalked out onto the balcony of her chambers and looked into the heavens of the Twilight sky, seeking clarity in the dark neon twisted clouds that seemed to pass by without a single worry in the world. Midna had just met up with her shaman and all he could do for her was to prescribe a salve ground from the bones of the lost dragon Volvagia to sooth the pain in her joint.
The old shaman figured the pain was due to the stress of keeping her wounded people aloft as the world of Twilight recovered from Zants cruelty.
"Well, he could be right. Maybe I'm trying too hard." She spoke out loud, giving voice to her thoughts.
"But…that can't be the only reason. I've had to rule over my people before and no matter how intense the pressure got, I never got pains like this."
Actually, the more preoccupied Midna became, the less her chest hurt. It didn't seem right to her. What should be causing the pain isn't, something seemed a little…off.
Midna left her chambers and decided to venture into the castle garden, a vast labyrinth that seemed to stretch as far as Hyrule field. Midna could always find her way out of the labyrinth; even as a child she never needed assistance from anyone.
After a few long turns around different corners, Midna found herself in a clearing. In the middle of the clearing was a black stone fountain with a fierce gargoyle spout for the water to flow. A little to the right of it was a black stone bench. Midna sat down on the bench and sighed contently at her surroundings, the easy flowing of the water giving the harsh environment a serene feeling to it.
As much as she was enjoying the calming scenery, Midna had come all the way out here for more than just sight and the sounds.
"You're only fooling yourself if you think I haven't noticed you already. Come out and show yourself." She called into the clearing, knowing all the while that she was not alone. "Alright! Ya caught me! I'll come out!" A small snake-like voice answered her demand.
A creature about the same length as ferret slipped out from behind the head of the stone gargoyle, with long wings where its arms should be and big padded feet followed by a heavy tail trailing behind the legs. It had a long, spiky mane that seemed to connect to its spine and it had a red scar running over its right eye while the other eye remained closed. Something about this creature didn't sit well with her.
"Wow! You're pretty sharp there, toots. To have sensed my weak presence; even when everyone else couldn't. I gotta tell ya, I'm impressed!" It glided closer and as soon as it did, Midna shot her hand around its neck and grasped it tightly.
"Gaaacckkkeeccchh!!! HEY! Whass…y-yer pro…uh, problem?!" It cried out through a strangled voice. Its wings fluttered wildly trying to be free from Midnas' intense grip.
"Who are you and why are you following me?" Midna demanded.
"Ack! If you…ugh, loosen up…a-a little…" Midna sighed irritably and loosened her grip by a few degrees.
"Whoo! Okay! I 'am called Tem, milady. And as to why I was following you, well, I'll get to that later." With a wry smile, Tem disappeared with a POOF! And reappeared before Midna in an instant.
Midna rose to her feet and readied herself for a possible struggle; neon blue and orange energy sparking from her fingertips.
"Whoa! Whoa! Hold on! Hold on! I didn't come here to threaten you or your kingdom! I just wanted to see if you were interested in getting back what you lost, is all! Y'know, before you left the light realm; when the mirror was destroyed!!"
Midnas' eyes widened as she realized what Tem was talking about. Her eyes narrowed at the little creature that was floating before her and gave it a quick ZAP! Midna caught the creature before it could hit the ground and held it at eye level.
"How do you know what transpired that day? Answer me!" Midna demanded, obviously infuriated by the creatures' remarks
"Ack! Ah, c'mon! Two mirrors reflecting into one another; you don't think anyone from the realm of Hemix could see what was going on that day?!"
Midna unconsciously released Tem from her grasp, letting him fall on the floor with a loud "Ouch!"
"From the…realm of…Hemix?" The words were barely audible as Midna spoke them with disbelief in her tone. How in the world did this little creature make its way from Hemix to the Twilight realm?
Tem shook himself as he regained his composure and lifted himself into the air with the expert use of his wings. He glided over to Midna and perched himself on the head of the beastly gargoyle.
"So…ya interested in what I gotta offer you, toots?"
-end chapter
A/N: So, is this any better than the last one? I'll admit that it's a little longer than the first one but not really as long as I would like it. I'll just have to keep trying until I get some reviews! I'll update ASAP! In the mean time, some feedback would help get the ol' brain juice workin' if ya don't mind. Arigato!!