Chapter One: Link, Navi, and Venom

"Navi… Navi, where art thou? Come hither…,"
"What is it, Great Deku Tree?"
"Oh, Navi the fairy… Listen to my words, the words of the Deku Tree… Dost thou sense it? The climate of evil descending upon this realm…"
"Indeed I have. It's unlike anything I've ever felt before."
"And unlike anything you will ever feel, I imagine. Malevolent forces are even now mustering to attack our land of Hyrule… For so long, the Kokiri Forest, the source of life, has stood as a barrier, deterring outsiders and maintaining the order of the world… But…before this tremendous evil power, even my power is as nothing…
"What will happen to us then? Surely, there must be something you can do!"
"Not I, but someone else."
"Huh?"
"It seems the time has com for the boy without a fairy to begin his journey… The youth whose destiny it is to lead Hyrule to the path of justice and truth… "
"Do you mean Link, Father?"
"Navi…go now! Find our young friend and guide him to me… I do not have much time left.
"Right away, Great Deku Tree!"
"And Navi…"
"Yes?"
"Do not fear the blackness... In fact, I implore thee to embrace it, or at lest trust in it. It's power may prove invaluable to thee one day."
"The blackness? I do not understand?"
"You will in time. Fly, Navi, fly! The fate of the forest, nay, the world, depends upon thee!"

Flying as quickly as she could, Navi made her way out of the Deku Tree's grotto and through the small passage that led to the Kokiri village. As usual, the goofy, self-proclaimed leader of the Kokiri, Mido, was busy guarding the entrance to the passage. A quick dive under and between his legs was all it took for the little fairy to get by him. When the village came into sight, the fairy wasted no time in searching for the boy without a fairy.
"Hi, Navi!" called out a Kokiri girl sitting on atop the door to the Kokiri Shop.
"Hello!" Navi called back. As much as she enjoyed a conversation, she had a mission to accomplish. She scoured the whole village and still no sign of Link. She spotted one of the Know-It-All Brothers who was busy trying to carry the stones from Mido's house porch.
"Hey!"
"Not now, Navi! I'm kinda buy here!"
"Have you seen Link anywhere?"
"Last I checked, he was in his house. Might still be asleep for all I know."
"Thanks!"
When Navi saw the tall tree house belonging to Link, she made a beeline for it. The little fairy was so determined and so focused on her errand that she did see or even notice the big wooden fence until she had bumped into it.
"Yeep!" Navi shook herself out of her daze and waited for the world to come back into focus. "I hope nobody saw that." With that escapade over with, Navi flew through the fence, being extra careful this time, made ready to enter Link's house.

Inside, Navi finally found the young boy. He was looking himself over like something had happened to him. That struck the fairy as odd. What was more odd was his clothing. It appeared that he had forgone his normal green tunic for one in black.
"Oh! You're awake! I thought you might still be sleeping."
"Thank goodness we're not. First impressions are always important." spoke Venom in Link's mind.
"Er… Hello. Who are you?"
"I'm Navi the fairy!"
"Navi, huh? That's a pretty name."
"Why thank you. Anyway, the Great Deku Tree asked me to be your partner from now on! Nice to meet you!"
"Nice to meet you too!"
"That's strange… You don't seem very surprised that I'm here… Or perhaps you're just being nonchalant."
"It's not that! It's just…"
"It's just what?"
"I had a feeling I'd see you soon."
"Huh?"
"Don't you mean that I told you so?"
"Be quiet, Venom! She doesn't know that!"
"Not willing to reveal me just yet?"
"I just met you and I'm still freaking out. How do you think she'll respond?"
"Do keep in mind that we haven't actually merged yet, at least not completely. That's only for when I know I can rely on you."
"Getting off topic, here…"
"That doesn't make much sense." said Navi.
"Sorry. I don't know how else to explain it."
"It's okay… I guess… Now listen… The Great Deku Tree has summoned you! So let's get going, right now!"
"But I don't have a sword or shield!"
"You don't need a sword and shield, genius! With me, you have all the weaponry and defense you'll ever need!"
"But Mido…"
"Convince him of that! Don't tell me you don't want to. It's no secret how much you despise him."
"Come on, Link! Some time today would be nice!"
"Sorry! I'm coming!"

Outside, Link slowly walked out, the climbed down his ladder. He didn't notice her until she spoke.
"Yahoo! Hi, Link" Saria aid in her soft voice. Link quickly looked up.
"Oh! Hi Saria." Link blushed in surprise. Navi started to tug on Link.
"We need to go Link! The Great Deku tree wants you"
"You go ahead. I will be there soon. 'Kay?" Navi answered by zooming off.
"Wow! A fairy! Finally, a fairy came to you, Link! Congratulations!" Saria tucked a strand of her green hair behind her ear.

"Thanks, Saria!" Link said. "I'd love to stay and talk, but I have to go see the Great Deku Tree."

"Is that right? The Great Deku Tree has summoned you? It's quite an honor to talk to the Great Deku Tree!"
"Its amazing isn't it? I'm surprised that The Great Deku Tree wants to see me too."
"I'm not." She smiled shyly at him.
"What do you mean Saria?"
"You're the bravest Kokiri in this village... of course he would summon you." Link turned a bright shade of red. "I'll wait for you here. Get going!"
"That means a lot, thanks Saria" Link hugged her. She hugged him tighter and whispered in his ear
"Good luck" She slowly stepped back and slid her hand down his arm to gently squeeze his hand before quickly walking away.

"So, the boy has already has a girl does he?", laughed Venom in Link's head.

"Shut up! She's just a friend… A very dear friend."

"That's how it always begins."

"What do you mean?"

"Perhaps you'll understand one day."

"Great Deku Tree… I'm back!"
"OH… Navi… Thou hast returned… Link… Welcome…"
"Thank you, Great Deku Tree."
"And Lord Venom, if I am not mistaken… It is a pleasure."
"Lord Venom?" Navi asked. "I don't understand. Who…"
Before her and the Deku Tree's eyes, Link started to change. His black tunic transformed into a black goo and began to stretch itself over Link's entire body.
"By the goddesses!" gasped Navi.
Link's whole body was now black, with the exception of his big, white, unblinking eyes, white rectangular marks on his hands, and a white spider mark on his chest. His head was shaped as if he was still wearing his hat (think Spider-Man's black costume rather than Eddie Brock's Venom).
"The pleasure is all mine, Great Deku Tree."
"Who are you… What did you do with Link!?"
"You need not worry about your charge, fairy. He's right here!"

"I… I don't understand!" Navi was on the verge of tears, thinking that this black creature had done something horrible to Link.

"Ye need not fear, Navi", The Great Deku Tree called down to her. "Link has merged with Lord Venom, the Great Spider King of old."

"But that's… By Farore…"

"Nice to meet you too, fairy."

"Might I ask", spoke the Deku Tree, "how Mido allowed ye to pass without a sword and shield?"
"You mean the Great Mido? He decided to just hang back for a bit."

Navi shuddered as she remembered their encounter with the headstrong leader of the Kokiri. He had made numerous insults and Link and criticized him for not having a fairy. She had noticed Link starting to tremble with anger. When Mido said that he would never accept Link as a true Kokiri, the black-clad boy made a gesture with his right hand. Once turning it over and clenching it into a fist, he then stuck out his pinky and index fingers. A strange, string of sticky substance shot out from Link's wrist and attached itself to Mido's foot. Before the Kokiri could even yell, Link had fired the other end of the string at the ceiling of the passage arch. Mido now hung upside down, shouting a stream of obscenities and curses and Link passed by with nonchalance. Although Navi was surprised, she had decided not to ask about it, seeing the heavy anger still in his eyes.

"The two of ye will have time to become acquainted later. Listen carefully to what I, the Great Deku Tree, am about to tell thee… Thy slumber these past moons must have been restless, and full of nightmares…"
"They have been for my host."

"As the servants of evil gain strength, a vile climate pervades the land and causes nightmares to those sensitive to it… Verily thou hast felt it… Lord Venom?"

"Yes. It is truly a powerful evil… and yet, there is something familiar about it to me."
"Familiar, ye say? That is indeed strange. For now, might I speak with Link again?"

The blackness slithered off of Link and regressed into tunic form again.
"Link… The time has come to test thy courage… I have been cursed… I need you to break the curse with your wisdom and courage. Dost thou have courage enough to understand this task?"

"I do, Great Deku Tree. Venom says he does too."
"Of course I do! What do you take me for!?"

A groaning and creaking of wood reached Link's ears as the Deku Tree opened its mighty mouth. "Then enter, brave Link and Lord Venom, and thou to, Navi… Navi the fairy… Thou must aid Link… And Link, when Navi speaks, listen well to her words of wisdom…"
"Respect the fairy, boy. She may seem annoying at times, but she will not steer you wrong. There is little that a fairy does not know about."
"Okay then… I will…"

And so, the young boy, fairy, and symbiote all made their way into the bowels of the Great Deku Tree. Navi's mind was still reeling with all that had happened, especially her discovery of the legendary Venom. When they had made it inside, she had a lot of questions for Link and his second partner.

To be continued…

Note: Sorry for any grammatical or punctuation errors. Please R&R.