Chapter Twenty One: Beast Within
Zelda made it to another room and was a dark room. I wonder whom am I fighting next. The only light in the room was a single candle. It was place on a table along with two teacups and teapot. A tea set… She touched the teapot and swiftly moved her hand away. It is still hot. Someone was here. But who? "What is this place?"
"Welcome to my humble room…" A voice said. She swiftly looked around the room but there was no one. "Don't be afraid. I just wanted to have some tea with you before we get started."
"Oh really…" She said. That voice… Don't tell me… She then felt someone grabbing her shoulder. She turned and blushed. "Chad?" Is it really him? She then stared at him for a brief moment. His bangs are covering his eyes. He never likes covering his eyes. So this must be.. "Negative Chad."
"Welcome my pretty prey, I hope I didn't startled you." Negative Chad said, smiling.
"Oh no, I just never thought I would fight you." Zelda said, facing him. He cupped her face and she blushed even more. Stop it Zelda, it is not Chad. But I really do miss him. I really miss him so much.
"You must be exhausting fighting my comrades." Negative Chad said. She is letting me touch her. She is not screaming at me or pushing me away.
"Ah… I guess." She said. "They were all quite strong."
"Please have a seat." He said, pulling her a chair. She sat down while he moved to his seat. "So how many sugar you want in your tea?"
"Oh two please…" She said, smiling. He made her tea and served it to her. She took a sip and sighed with awe. "This is delicious."
"I am glad that you like it." He said. She stared at him for a brief moment and let out a small chuckle. "Do I interest you my pretty prey?" She smiled and sipped her tea.
"I am trying to figure out the differences between the two Chads. I mean, you two act the same. I think the only difference is that you cover your eyes with your bangs." She said. "So why are you being so nice?"
"Well, I wanted to get to know this Zelda before I kill her." He replied. "I love to play with my prey and what a pretty prey she is."
"Oh I see." She said. This Chad is a sadist. "So what do you want to know about me?"
"I want to know how strong your loyalty towards my positive self is." He said. "It fascinates me how you are with him."
"How so?"
"Like you, I also have the gift of reading people. You and I aren't so different." Negative Chad said. "My positive self is more of the overprotective type. He tends to shield you from any danger and loves you to death. He is a type of man that will do anything for you."
"Yes he is…" She said.
"The things I don't understand is that you don't need him. He sees you as a fragile girl but you are not." He said. "You are strong."
"No I am not." She said.
"What do you mean? You defeated most of my operatives by yourself. How can you say that you are not strong?" Negative Chad said.
"I am only strong when I have someone I want to protect." She said. "Well, I have a lot of people I want to protect. That is why I have this power."
"I don't believe in such nonsense." He said.
"Do you have someone you want to protect?" Zelda asked. He stared at her for a brief moment. "I see… not even her…"
"Her? You mean your negative counterpart. We go way back." He said. "I was her best friend in preschool all the way to elementary but ever since her father died, she pushed me away."
"What is he doing?" Negative Zelda snapped.
"So in the Nega-Universe, Uncle Henry died instead of Aunty Reina." Nigel said.
"So this Zelda also lost a parent." Maurice said.
"I hate to admit, even when she treats me brutally which I enjoy, I still love her deeply." Negative Chad said. "However, she pushes everyone away and keeps herself from being attached to anyone so her heart won't feel pain anymore. She took the dark path." Then the room lightened up. "Well, I guess it is time for me to kill you. Any last words my pretty prey before I cut your precious body into pieces?"
"Oh, thanks for the tea…" She said, smiling. He let out a chuckle.
"You may not be my Zelda but you are quite amusing." He said, summoning his scythe. "It is a shame that I have to kill you." He dashed towards her and started swing his blade. She was shocked that he was quick on his feet and duck the minute the blade made it way to her head. She fall back and gripped on to the handle of the katana but she let out a sigh and let it go. "What's the matter? Aren't you going to draw your sword?" I knew it… "I felt darkness within you the moment I laid eyes on you. You are afraid that you will hurt me like that last time you held your blade. You put someone in the hospital. I can read right through you." She was shaking. "All talk about protecting your friends and you can't even fight me head on. You didn't even fight my operatives. You used your tricks to defeat them but it is not going to work on me. If you don't fight me, you will die." Then she started laughing. "What is so funny?"
"I don't aim my blade to my lover. Even though you are his negative self, you are still Chad just like Negative Zelda is still me." She said.
"I AM NOT YOU!" Negative Zelda screamed.
"This is going to be difficult for Zelda because she is fighting Negative Chad." Gwen said.
"And he got a point, Zelda's tricks won't work. He is going to go all out." Johnny said.
"So how is Zelda going to pull this off?" Ruby asked, turning to Chad. He had a worry look on his face. "Chad, are you okay?"'
"I am fine. I am just worried about her. She has come this far and I don't want to be the face of her failure." Chad said. "I don't want her to lose from me. I want her to defeat Negative Chad without a care but it seems that Zelda is right. Negative Chad is apart of me."
"It is not wise to even tell me that." Negative Chad said.
"I love Chad very much and drawing my blade in front of you is hard." Zelda said.
"Then I will make you." He said. He started attacking her and she dodged his attacks. It was like she was dancing while he was attacking. She is too fast even for me. She kept on dodging his attacks. She is too fast and she is not to attack. I have to go with plan B. He fall back and let out a sigh. "I was hoping that I will never use this card on you." He dropped his scythe and took off his hooded jacket. He had a vile with green substances in it.
"It is all over." Negative Zelda said.
"What do you mean is all over?" Chad snapped.
"That vile contains a chemical that allows Chad to mutate. She is going to die." Negative Zelda said.
"ZELDA, STAY FOCUS!" Nigel screamed.
Negative Chad drank the chemical and he started screaming. "Hey Negative Chad, are you okay?" Zelda asked, racing towards him. She grabbed his shoulder. "What's going on with you?" He screamed even more and grew sharp razor teeth. "Chad…" He punched her strongly and she flew into the wall. Negative Chad grew taller, muscular, and hairier. It was like he transformed into a werewolf. He howled loudly and it created strong vibrations. "That's a problem…" She forced her injured body out of the wall. She had cuts and bruises. At least I can still run.
"WHAT THE FUCK IS THAT?" Johnny screamed.
"It is a werewolf." Maurice said.
"How is Zelda going to fight that?" Ruby said.
"Shit, this is no good." Chad said. Just one punch and she flew into a wall. How much can she take? This werewolf form might be stronger and faster than her. She might not stand a chance against it.
"I told you. She is going to die." Negative Zelda said.
Negative Chad raced towards her with great speed. He swung his sharp claws towards her and tore her uniform. She fall back and tied up her stop to cover her breast yet her stomach was showing. He charged again and severely scratched her shoulder. She was bleeding and panting. "He is too strong… I can't keep up with him…" She said, gripping on her shoulder.
"Blood… it suits you perfectly my pretty prey." Negative Chad said, growling at her.
"I love the color red but not this way." She said, smiling.
"Grab your weapon… You are fighting a beast. Grab it before you die." Negative Chad said.
"Again, I will not attack you." She said. "Even in that form, you are still Chad."
"Then you are going to die." He raced towards her once more and she didn't move a muscle.
"ZELDA, MOVE!" Nigel screamed.
"It is all over, she is going to die right here and now." Negative Zelda said. As the beast was closing in, Zelda leaped in the air and drew smoke pellets on it. "What the…"
"It is futile, I can still smell you out." Negative Chad said, sniffing through the smoke. He then started coughing. "This is not smoke."
"I know…" Zelda said, standing a good distance from him. "It is sleeping powder. I borrow it from Negative Gwen."
"Then I guess I have to kill you before I sleep." He raced towards her and the minute he got close to her, he was trap in STRING. "This is not going to hold me."
"I know." She said, tossing another pellet at him. He roared and destroyed the STRING but his moments became sluggish. He swung his claws towards her but she easily dodge it. She was about to toss another pellet but he roared loudly towards her. Pain through her body and had no choice but to seal her ears with her hands. He used this chance to punch her and she flew once again to a wall. I don't know if I can keep this up… He is just too strong for me.
"Your tricks won't save you this time." He said. Zelda forced herself out the wall once more and her arm was cover with her blood. Her forehead was bleeding as well and her legs were bruise. "You still want to fight me." She smiled and wiped the blood of her cheeks
"I know I don't stand a chance against you but you are not fit fight as well." She said. "You inhaled too much sleeping powder."
"Then this last blow will stop your heart from beating." He said. She walked towards him with her arms wide open. "What are you doing?"
Caro mio ben,
Credimial men
Senza di telanguisceil cor.
Iltuofedel
Sospiraognor
Cessa, crudel,
Tanto rigor!
Zelda started singing and Negative Chad froze of how beautiful her voice was. "What is this?" Negative Chad said, lowering his guard. He was in a trace with her voice.
"WHY ARE YOU JUST STANDING THERE CHAD? KILL HER ALREADY!" Negative Zelda snapped.
"Whoa, I didn't know Zelda can sing." Ruby said.
"She has a beautiful voice." Gwen said.
"Besides running fast and painting, Zelda always have a knack from singing." Nigel said. "But she gets nervous every time she gets on stage."
"But why is she singing now?" Johnny asked.
Caro mio ben,
Credimialmen
Senza di telanguisceil cor.
She cupped his face and smile as she sang. Her voice is so smoothing… It makes me want to… No… I am falling for her tricks again. He thought. Negative Chad shook his head and slashed her. She screamed and collapsed to the ground.
"ZELDA!" Chad screamed, shaking. Please this can't be… Please don't tell me…
"I guess her luck finally ran out." Negative Zelda said.
My dear beloved,
Believe me at least,
Without you my heart languishes.
Your faithful one
Always sighs;
She kept on singing to him and he gripped onto her throat. He glared at her while she smiled at him. "Kill me if you must but do it as yourself." Zelda said. He collapsed on top of her and she hugged him tightly.
"Why are you not scared of me?" He asked.
"You are not scary." She said.
"You have me now. Finish me off." He said. "I can't fight now. The sleeping powder is working faster than I expected. So kill me now."
"I will not do such thing." She said.
"Why not?" He snapped.
"You are right. I am scared. I am scared to hurt another person. It is a weakness of mine and I know one day it will bite me on the butt but it makes me… me…" She said, smiling. "My Negative self lost her way so it is up to me to get her back. That is why you are all still loyal to her. You all want the Negative Zelda back how she used to be. She was your world and your lover before her father passed away and you waited patiently for her to come back right?"
"You read people better than I do." He said, smiling. He slowly transformed back into a human. "I just want her back." He then let out a yawn. "But before you go, please sing to me one more time. For once, I want to have sweet dreams instead of nightmares." She smiled.
"Of course... anything for you Chad." She said. She smoothed his hair and found him hugging her. You missed her so much…
Caro mio ben,
Credimial men
Senza di telanguisceil cor.
Iltuofedel
Sospiraognor
Cessa, crudel,
Tanto rigor!
He drifted to sleep and Zelda let out a sigh. The question is… Am I ready to face her? She maneuvers away from him. "I promise to get her back." She pulled out a First Aid Kit out of her duffle bag. She poured Peroxide on her wound and she let out a scream. "Damn that hurts…" She then rubbed Peroxide on her stomach. "He really beat me up good."
"Zelda is hurt really bad." Cree said.
"You cheat." Maurice snapped. Negative Zelda turned to him.
"What? Me cheat?" She said.
"Yeah, you send all your minions to fight her and she is weaken because of it." Maurice said.
"It was her choice to make." Negative Zelda said. "I am just surprise she made it this far. Too bad she is going to die." Her eyes went back into the screen and found her positive self bandaging herself. When she is gone, my dream will be a reality.
"Well, I can't walk around with these clothes." Zelda said, digging in her duffle. She found really short shorts and a red tank top. "I guess this has to do. I didn't get a chance to clean this bag even since I quit Track and Field." She started changing until she noticed the cam-bot. "You know Negative Z, if you want to see me naked, I am happy to oblige."
"I DIDN'T WANT TO SEE YOU NAKED YOU!" Negative Zelda screamed. "Do you even know that you are exposing yourself to everyone that I have captured?"
"Oh really, well do you know that you have to power to look away?" She said. "But I have a feeling that you can't resist."
"YOU ARE NOT HOT AT ALL YOU UGLY WITCH!" Negative Zelda said, turning the cam-bot away from her. Zelda giggled and she quickly changed. It has been a few minutes and it was irritating her even more. Zelda didn't even say anything to her and she was taking forever. "Are you done yet? You are driving my patience." She turned to cam-bot back and she was gone. "THAT LITTLE BITCH!"
"I know right, she is so rude making you wait that long."
"Yes she is rude… I mean…" Negative Zelda turned and found Zelda, standing beside her and leaning against the throne. How did she… "YOU!"
"ZELDA!" Her friends and cousin screamed.
"What's up doc…' She said, smiling. Negative Zelda swiftly fired her freeze gun at her but she dodged all of it and retreated near the cage.
"Zelda, you made it." Nigel said. Zelda cupped his face and smiled.
"Yeah I did and this time I am going to save you. You don't mind do you?" Zelda said, smiling.
"You took your time." He pouted.
"Sorry.." Zelda said.
"But are you sure you can take her?" Chad asked. "You are injured pretty bad from your last fight."
"Number 274, when did I not get injured from a fight?" She said.
"SHE REMEMBERS!" Her friends screamed.
"Yeah, I got my memory not too long ago." She said.
"Zelda, please be careful." Nigel said.
"I will Number 1." She said. "I promise that I will get you out of here and cook you a good meal." Chad smiled and placed his fist in front of her. She pounded her fist towards him and they did a handshake. "I won't let you down partner."
"Remember, I am not going to be there to save your ass." Chad said. "Infinite, I believe in you."
"Thanks Number 274." She said, dropping her duffle bag in front of the cage. She turned to her negative self.
"You are no match for me." Negative Zelda said.
"Let's see about that."