Chapter 11: Remember Us?

Naida opened her eyes to complete darkness. For one horrible moment she panicked, fearing something had happened to her eyesight. Then she remembered the power outage, and heaved a sigh of relief. It was about that time that her groggy mind registered that she was underwater.

She jerked upwards, breaking the surface of the water, and would have taken a great gulping breath of air were it not for the fact that her lungs were already quite full. As it was, water poured from her gaping mouth in a deluge. A horribly uncomfortable experience. She heaved and spluttered, vomiting up great amounts of water- her body reacting more from psychological trauma than any actual physical distress. Even after all the water was gone, it took several moments before she was able to begin breathing air comfortably again.

By the time her breathing evened out and her heart rate returned to normal, she began noticing another strange feeling. Or rather, lack of feeling. Everything felt numb, the way her cheeks might after a trip to the dentist and a shot or two of Novocaine. She ran her hand over the rim of the tub, and could not feel the cool smoothness of the porcelain. She could only vaguely tell that it was there- some lingering sense of pressure against her hand- but no more than that.

Shocked, bewildered, beginning to panic, Naida rubbed her senseless hand back and forth, willing it to feel something, anything. Her nerves stubbornly refused to oblige.

Shrieking in panic (and scaring herself half to death with the inhuman noise that emitted from her throat) she bolted from the tub, slipping and banging her knee hard against the side several times. It should have smarted badly, but she still did not feel it Finally she managed to clamber out and collapse on the floor of the bathroom. She crouched there, heaving, trembling, barely able to hear the sound of water gurgling freely down a drain no longer blocked by her body. It should have been unnaturally loud in this silence. With a shaky breath she rose to her feet, grabbing the counter to help herself up.

She groped blindly for the doorknob and pushed the door open. She needed help, she needed to get to the hospital...

The light from outside nearly blinded her, and after a moment of blinking she realized her vision had not escaped unscathed after all. Everything was horribly blurred, she could only make out large blocks of color. Laughter sounded from somewhere to her left. Deep, male laughter, which echoed as if it were in a large cavern. She squinted, trying to make out the source of the noise. All she could see was a blur of black in the vague shape of a man, with two glowing points of red where the eyes should be.

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Link had to admit he had been feeling more comfortable in this world ever since the forest sprouted up. As he darted around trees and through underbrush, he almost felt as if he were home again. Navi had retreated into his hat for the moment, tired from trying to keep up with him. Ever since the "glass", as he called it, had reached his legs, he'd been running much faster. He felt like he could just keep going forever. The "glass" did not get sore, or scratched, or bruised, no matter how tangled the plant life he barreled through. He supposed he should be feeling more worried about turning into a monster, but he just felt so good, it was hard to worry about anything.

Suddenly a ball of light flew into his face. "Link! Are you listening to me?"

"Huh?" Link skidded to a stop. "Oh sorry, Navi, did you say something?"

Navi turned an angry red and made an aggravated noise. "I've been trying to get your attention for the past five minutes! I'm feeling an evil presence coming from that house back there." She bobbed in the direction of something over his left shoulder.

Link turned to look. The house in question was still relatively intact, despite the two trees protruding from its roof. It was only a few meters away. He tried looking with his other vision. "I don't see any shadow energy. Actually I can't see anything but a mass of blue...the water medallion's energy is washing everything else out."

"The water medallion? We should go check it out, Link!"

Link frowned and turned back around. "But, the fire medallion. We're so close..."

Navi bobbed frantically up and down. "But the water medallion might be in danger!"

"What if the presence you're sensing is the water medallion? The wielder might not be human anymore."

Navi got quiet for a moment. "No, no I've felt this evil before."

Link sighed. "Alright. Let's go."

They made their way to the house, Link frowning the whole way. The truth was, Link had felt the evil presence emanating from the house, but had discarded the feeling as soon as he felt the water medallion. For some reason he found it difficult to care about the water medallion. He was more concerned with the fire medallion. Something inside him was drawn to it, he felt a kinship with fire that he didn't feel for water. Actually he almost felt repelled by water. Fire felt like an ally, but water felt like...an enemy. No, enemy was too strong a word. He just didn't feel right about water.

The front door of the house was locked, but they were able to enter through a hole in the wall created by a tree root. Navi wanted to search the first floor, but Link knew they would find nothing. As Link climbed up the stairs, the evil presence grew stronger. He had felt this before alright. He gritted his teeth and ran faster.

A gurgled scream emanated from a room down the hall. Link charged in that direction and threw open the door. Though he had been partially expecting the scene in front of him, the sight still threw him. The first thing to catch his attention was the strange transparent creature strongly reminiscent of a humanoid female jellyfish that was huddled in a fetal position up against the far wall. Even in her curled position Link could tell that her body was abnormally long and thin, her face and features distorted. She possessed unblinking Zora-like wide black eyes and mere slits for nostrils. There was no visible opening for a mouth, though he could see the jaw bone working behind the translucent flesh. She had no ears, only holes where the ears should be. Her inner organs and nerves were plainly visible through her clear skin, though Link could see no bones or muscles. Standing over her was a figure Link had hoped never to see again. It looked exactly like Link, except that it was all black, from its skin to its clothing, and it was slightly translucent. Link had encountered this shadow creature once before in the Water Temple. It had no name, but Navi had given it the rather uncreative moniker: "Dark Link".

Dark Link turned, revealing the pinpoints of red light that served as its eyes, and the only spots of color on its entire person. Link thought it grinned, but it was hard to tell. Dark Link drew its sword and let out a deep laugh. The way the creature's voice echoed, you'd think they were still in that huge empty room back in the Temple. "Why hello Link! Never thought I'd see you again."

Dark Link had always been surprisingly chipper. Navi thought it was because that personality was the opposite of Link's quiet stoicism. Link wondered if Dark Link had moments of seriousness the same way Link had his goofy moments.

Dark Link paused and tilted his head, apparently scrutinizing his flesh and blood counterpart. "Why Link, you appear to be turning into some sort of decoration."

Inwardly, Link wondered how far the "glass" had spread. Outwardly he scowled and drew his sword. "Get away from her."

"Sorry, I have my orders. I must bring her back to my master."

"Well aren't you a good little puppet."

Dark Link snickered. "Look who's talking."

Link growled and charged. Dark Link jumped over the thrust and landed on the flat of Link's blade. Link's eyes widened. Sh-t, I forgot it could do that!

Dark Link took the opportunity to kick Link in the face before back flipping away, the room ringing with its laughter. Link stumbled back clutching his nose. He was beginning to remember why he hated this guy. Frowning in concentration, he tried to remember how he had won the last battle. Zelda's voice spoke up in his mind.

Jack says it's easier if you don't use Z targeting. Whatever that means.

Link blinked and ducked to avoid a swipe. Z targeting? The heck?

I don't know either. It has something to do with Navi. Oh! Julie says to use horizontal slashes or the megaton hammer, if you still have it. And avoid thrusting at all costs.

Link rolled his eyes and parried another of Dark Link's attacks. Yeah, I figured that last one out on my own. Wait, how do they know anything about fighting Dark Link?

The game, remember?

Oh. Right. Link sidestepped and managed to nick Dark Link's side with a counter swipe. Well I don't know how well this "game" of theirs compares to real life...but, the megaton hammer sounds like a good idea.

Link jumped back and sheathed his sword, gaining him an odd look from his adversary. Link whipped the megaton hammer out from his magic pouch.

Dark Link's eyes seemed to widen."Uh...this does not seem fair."

"Since when have any of us cared about playing fair?"

"...d-mmit."

Link let out a yell and swung the hammer with all his might. Dark Link dodged backwards, but the magic shock waves produced by the hammer striking the floor hit it anyway. It screamed loudly as it flew backwards and fell through the floor. Link readied the hammer and strained his senses for any sign of Dark Link's return. That's when he realized the girl was gone.

"Sh-t! Navi, the water medallion holder! Where'd she go?"

Navi quivered and made a sad chiming noise, her wings wilting. "I'm sorry, I didn't see her leave. I must have been too distracted by your battle."

Link waited a moment more for Dark Link to jump out at him, then ran out of the room. The whole area was still overrun with blue energy, so the girl could not have gone far. Problem was he wouldn't be able to tell what direction she went.

"Navi, go outside and circle the house. See if you can spot her. I'm going to do a quick search inside."

"Okay!" Navi bobbed once and flew out a nearby window.

Link ran down the hall, periodically busting open a door and peeking inside before running on to the next. He found nothing on the second floor but empty rooms and lots of plants. He had just gotten down to the first floor when Navi came back.

"I didn't find her, but I did spot Dark Link!"

"Lead the way."

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"That battle used to be so tough for me. I'd need every bottle full with blue potions and fairies and I had to use Din's fire constantly just to hit the b-stard."

"How about now?"

"I can beat it in like, a minute. It's pathetically easy. Don't need a single healing item. I was actually disappointed the last time I played. I didn't even use the hammer!"

"Heh. So, how long do you think it will take him to find us this time?"

"It's not a matter of him finding us. I stick out like a horribly mutated thumb. No, it's just a matter of how long it takes him to get to us."

"Ah, right. Well, any guesses?"

"Eh..." Julie straightened and looked around. "About a minute or more, I think."

"Hey no fair, you can see him can't you? With your magic-o-vision?"

Julie grinned. It looked a little odd now that half her face was messed up. Jack was reminded of Two Face, the Batman villain. "Hey, it's not like we're betting or anything."

"That's just because we realized we don't have anything to bet."

Julie shrugged and returned to staring into the distance. Jack wondered if she was watching Bongo Bongo's approach.

"Funny how he looks like a pool of purple static now. I swear I remember him as a pool of blood when he broke out in Kakariko."

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"Wow. That is a huge bridge."

"For a huge river. Is everything in this world so gigantic?"

Link just shook his head. The pair stood on the bank of what a sign proclaimed as "Doyle River", a short distance from what the same sign called the "Silverstein Suspension Bridge". It was unlike anything they had ever seen before. A huge roadway spanned the bridge, and they could see more of those strange machines- cars, was that what the lady had called them? -from earlier moving across it. But, they weren't here to admire the view. They only allowed a moment of awe before returning to their search.

Navi straightened and cried out, "Hey! There he is!"

Link turned. Dark Link stood on the bank a short ways away, facing them with its arms crossed. It didn't look like it was going to attack, but Link drew his sword anyway. It seemed to smile at them as they approached. "You know, it's funny. I told you I was to bring the girl to my master, yet you never questioned who my master was."

Link furrowed his brow. "Who else would it be, besides Ganondorf?"

Dark Link laughed and looked out over the river. Link followed his gaze. Navi stiffened. "Link, that water...it feels just like..."

Link paled. "The girl...where is she?"

Dark Link pointed to a large boulder a ways down the bank, where Link could just barely make out the form of the girl. Link took off running, but he knew he wouldn't make it. The water near her was already churning.

"Run! Go! Get away from the river!" Link bellowed. The girl raised her head, but by then it was too late. An aqueous tentacle burst up from the water and wrapped around her, dragging her down into the depths of the river. Link arrived just as the last ripples faded from the surface. Link swore and fell to his knees, punching the ground. That curious indifference he'd felt earlier had faded now, and he felt a familiar ache in his chest. He had felt it when the Great Deku Tree died, he had felt it when he returned with the spiritual stones only to have his worst nightmare come true, he had felt it when he first awakened after seven years to find Hyrule a wasteland, and he had felt it when Zelda had been snatched away by Ganon's evil power. It was the ache he felt whenever he failed to save someone.

"Link...the river..."

Link looked up. The whole river was churning now, and the most violent currents were concentrated directly underneath the bridge.

"It would appear my master wishes to give you a proper greeting."

He hadn't even heard Dark Link approach, but he did not pay it any mind. His eyes were fixed on the bridge. "Please no..."

"And it looks like everyone was trying to get out of town this way, too. What horrible timing."

Link charged in the direction of the bridge, as if there was actually anything he could do by this point. He had not gotten far when from under the bridge rose not one, not two or three, but a huge mass of tentacles, each one easily ten times larger in circumference than the ones he had fought before. Like a rearing dragon it unfurled upwards, tearing straight through metal and concrete and breaking the whole bridge in two. A cacophony of screeches and honks rose from the broken road as cars swerved and crashed into one another, some falling over into the river, some being crushed by the flailing tentacles. Link could only watch the destruction with his mouth agape, some small hysterical part of his mind wondering where he could get a hookshot big enough to reel in the nucleus that was now larger than any of the poor cars being destroyed.

Author's Note: I put this on the bottom now because I know some people...some people arrrrrre impaaaaaaatientttt. So. I finally updated. o.o wow. Never thought that would happen. I've... kind of fallen out of fanfiction writing. Like many tragic souls before me, I have become more interested in my original creations than in fanfiction, and I think this story is obvious evidence of that. Geez did I focus a lot on my OCs, not to mention these magic concepts that have no real basis in any of the games. But, there is at least one person who still remembers this old story and wants to see it updated, so I'm going to try and crank out at least a few more chapters. There are a couple ideas I had for this story that never made it out of my brain, and I want to purge them from my head before I give up completely. The whole Gigundo-Morpha destroying a suspension bridge thing is one of said ideas. I've had that scene in mind almost since the beginning, but I was afraid I wouldn't be able to pull it off. I even had theme music for that scene. If you have the Van Helsing soundtrack, listen to the very last bit of "Attacking Brides" (I think it's track three...?) and imagine Morpha rising up with the melodramatic operatic chords. Hee. Um...yeah. Anyways.

Review! The super-intelligent midget anchovies command you!

...and Bob. Bob also commands you to review. You'll listen to Bob, won't you?