The musty smell of day old bread wafted through the small hallway that enclosed the cells. There were no windows, no way for any light source to intrude, but it always seemed a bit lighter than it should when meals came.
For cooperating and giving Necrid her name, Ani was allowed a bit more substance to her meals; two bread rolls that weren’t as dry, soup, and a bit of meat here and there.
Necrid was most often the one to give her the food out of him and Naceal, and they talked a bit more each time, without giving away to much information to one another.
Ani told him some funny stories about things her friends had done that were either stupid or hilarious-both of which made her laugh. Neither of the to made him laugh like she did, but he did smile occasionally at them.
“I wonder if he’s really sheltered,” she mumbled to Lirin as he walked off again, the second time that day. “I mean, I know I’m a crappy story-teller, but he should at least get some stupid humor from ‘em...”
He did smile...
“Yeh, but he doesn’t laugh. At all. It’s just really weird...”
She leaned back against the farthest wall and hugged her legs. That was her usual position, if not pacing around, tapping on the bars, or just lying there as she tried to sleep.
Her pillow was a folded up blanket, but there wasn’t need for a blanket as, no mater how far down the cell chamber was, it was a comfortable temperature for her-which she found very strange, but decided it better not to question it.
A few more days past in the same order; Wake up, pace around, have morning meal, talk with Necrid, pace around, get noon meal, talk a bit, nap, plan ways to escape, evening meal, and then about every other day, they would leaver her in a room for an hour to wash up.
That, she was very thankful for. The cells smelled musty enough without body odor, and she didn’t really want to be the cause of the odor either.
Most of her plans would have consisted of, some how, beating up Necrid from inside the bars and stealing the key.
She wasn’t even sure if he had the key on him, and she doubted it were possible for her to successfully thrash him, no matter how thin and long her legs were.
“Damn... there really isn’t anyway for me to get out of here...” she grumbled, kicking the empty tray into a nearby wall in what seemed to have been an eternity there (though, in reality, it was five days).
Well, there has got to be some way... but until that way makes itself apparent to us, we should probably find out as much as we can about that ‘Him’ person.
“Yeh... but it’ll have to wait a while... You heard Necrid, they’re not even sure who he is.”
But what about that Naceal girl?
“She probably knows the same amount as he does... and, frankly, I don’t like the girl.”
And you’re fine with Necrid?
“I,... guess, in a friend-ish way...”
Even after he captured you?
“But he’s not torturing me or anything.”
That is not the point.
“Oh whatever... we’ll find out what we find out, when we find it out.”
...You are very strange...
“No shit, Sherlock,” she rested her head against the folded blanket pillow. “...I’m hungry... why are they even keeping me here anymore? They got my name and they haven’t even asked me anything else, or tried to ‘use my unawakened powers’ or whatever the fuck...”
There must still be a reason...
“Yeh, there’s always a reason, but we’re never gonna find out that reason if we can’t talk to anybody but Nec-“the door creaked open gain, and Ani fell silent.
The steps were normal, but the creaks of the stairs were lighter, shorter as well, as if the person were trying to silence them.
Dammit, who is it now? she thought, eyes narrowing as she tried to hide her face in her arms, and block her eyes with her hair.
A dark form approached, taller than Necrid, so that ruled him out. She tried to move slowly, narrowing her eyes so they were almost closed incase the person was looking right at her. The face wasn’t visible at her angle, but at least she could tell it was, definitely a male.
Shit, who is this guy?
Perhaps that ‘Him’?
I dunno... Maybe... ...Or...
She rubbed her eyes, pretending to have just woken up, and she did look tired, but once she saw his face it didn’t matter anymore anyway.
“WAH!” she jumped back, pressing herself against the wall to distance herself as much as possible. “What the fuck are you doing here!?”
Dark Link didn’t respond, but narrowed his eyes at her and unsheathed his sword.
“Yo! Stop! I haven’t done shit!” she slumped down to a sit, covering her head like last time. Just like then, there was nothing to stop his attack, and the cell was rather small, longer than it was wide.
“Oh shit, oh shit, oh shit...” she muttered continuously as she heard the metal of his sword against the bars that, would now be her protection.
The sound stopped, but she didn’t dare open her eyes or raise her head to look, not until she heard the drop of his sword and a low growl escape from him. “...Huh?”
He was on his knees, one hand around a bar, the other near his temple. “Shit, not this again...” she heard him mutter, but just barely.
“You- ...uh... um...,” she shook her head and pretended to punch herself before she moved a bit closer towards the cell door. “A-are you ok?”
“Do I fucking look oka-“ he stopped and looked up at her, with narrowed eyes, but they still had a sense of life in them. Not like before. “Why do I keep seeing you?”
“Huh!?”
“I keep blacking out, and two goddamn times now, you’re there, asking me questions or talking to me,” he looked away, “Fucking annoying...”
She narrowed her eyes, stood up and crossed her arms, “Look. I don’t know why that keeps happening either, but be happy about it, ‘cause you’re actually talking now.”
Dark Link wasn’t paying attention, he was just looking around the area with an annoyed expression, but he still seemed curious. “Where is this?”
“I dunno... Necrid said this was my Temple...”
“Temple?” he looked back at her quickly, standing up as well. He was quite a bit taller than her, and Necrid. Her eye twitched a bit at the size difference, but she didn’t let it bother her that much. “So you’re telling me you’re a sage?” he cocked an eyebrow at her.
“I don’t get it either, ok, I don’t even belong here.”
“Makes no difference to me, I just need to get out of here,” he turned back towards the door.
“Wait! Wait... If you go back out there, Ganon’s just gonna put mind control on you again...”
That made him stop.
“Mind control?” he turned back, arms crossed. Good, at least now he was listening.
“That’s why you’ve been blacking out.. At least I think... there isn’t really any other explanation that I can find, since you don’t remember doing things, but remember the last time you saw me?”
“What of it?”
She sat back on her bum and rolled up her pant leg to show him the badly bandaged up wound. “After you ‘blacked out’ again, you attacked me and gave me this.”
There was a good silence after that, maybe he was actually processing this. Hopefully.
A scoff emitted from his lips as he shook his head and started walking back towards the door.
“Hey! Come on! Do you really want some one controlling you!?”
He stopped again, but didn’t turn around. Not yet, at least.
This might just be my ticket out of here...
Are you really going to trust your life in his hands?
It’s either that, or I rot in here...
Finally he came back around and placed a firm grip on one of the bars and gave it a shook. “Stand back.” he grumbled, and she obeyed. From his tone, she could tell that he thought he would regret this, but even if they split up just after escaping, at least she’d be out.
He placed his other hand on the bar just next to the other, and shook with both. “...Hm...”
Black flames whirled around both of his hands, making Ani jump back even more, wide eyed. She looked away for a moment, but looked back just a second later and her mouth nearly dropped open.
Two of the cell bas, all the way down, had been dislodged and now lay at his feet. Dark Link stepped back from the whole he made, and she stepped up. It was the perfect size.
“Thank you,” she blinked, and slid through with ease, a small smile on her face.
“Tch. Whatever.”he grumbled, and pulled the rim of his cloak up a bit so it covered his mouth again.
She shook her head and stepped behind him as he walked up towards the door and peaked out. The hall must have been empty, since he walked out without another word. She followed quickly, not wanting to loose sight of him.
The few halls they traveled through were narrow, with one set of stairs that wound up around the side of a wall and spiraled upwards. The main hall had two large doors on the right end, and low hanging, swinging lanterns.
“...Looks like a church...” she muttered, and received a grunt from Dark Link. She just rolled her eyes, and followed.
Nearest the window there was an odd looking throne, but she didn’t get a good look at it as Dark Link pulled her behind a tall black pillar and covered her mouth. She would have protested, but froze as she heard two sets of footsteps from either side of the hall.
“I cannot locate Dark Link.” a grizzly voice spoke, and she felt Dark Link tense up a bit next to her.
Another man spoke, but he sounded refined, like some posh man from her world, save for the fact he held a slight innocence in his tone. “I did tell you, Ganondorf, that he would not be able to break the control until–“
Ganon cut him off, “Yes, I realize that, Kage, but there still must be a reason for his disappearance.”
“Is the girl still in her cell?”
Ganon sighed, and she heard his footsteps again, dropping farther away from them.
The man from before chuckled slightly, and took a few more steps closer to the center of the hall.
She tensed up as well, this time, as she heard him getting closer with every rhythm paced step. Step, pause. Step, pause. Step, pause.
Ani clenched her eyes shut, and was about to whimper, when the larger footsteps returned with a petite, light set following them.
“Naceal’s just checked,” Ganon said, “and the eighth sage is gone.”
“Then so is Dark Link. A simple deduction.” the man’s footsteps got farther away from them, and Ani relaxed, leaning back against the pillar with a silent sigh.
“Two of the bars were slightly melted, and wrenched from their holding.” Naceal informed them both.
“Hold on,” Dark Link whispered to her, and she closed her eyes tightly, grabbing onto his cloak.
A silent roar of black flames surrounded them, and she held a bit tighter, but they weren’t hot. Slightly chilly, if anything. They dissipated, and she opened her eyes to blink. They were in Hyrule field, but exactly where, she wasn’t sure.
Ani let go, and Dark Link stepped back, looking around just as she was. “Thanks...” she said, moving to sit on a nearby rock.
He just grunted.
“Hey, um... you don’t... have anywhere to go, do you?” she looked over at him, head titled.
“What are you getting at?” he turned around to face her.
“I-I just mean, um, ... you helped me...,” she averted her gaze to the ground, “and.. I just sorta wanted to make it even...”
“Don’t be stupid,” he responded, looking forward on the path.
She sighed, and crossed her arms, looking in the opposite direction he was.
What are you getting at?
I was just thinking maybe he could stay at the castle with us...
You know none of them would allow it.
But it’s worth a shot... he did rescue me.
And he’d just as soon see you dead, but it’s only because for some reason you being near him breaks their control. He is only looking out for himself, Ani.
...I know...
But that is not the point... You still need to get back to the castle...
Right, right... She nodded before looking back at him. “Uhm... would you mind.. Poofing me or whatever to the castle?”
“What?”
“Uh, teleport... thingy with the fire.”
“Fine,” he grumbled.
She got up off the rock and held onto a piece of his cloak that was within her reach. The fire swirled around them, and fell back just a moment later.
Gasps came from all around the two, making Ani look around.
They had landed smack-dab in the center of the Market, in the middle of the day, when it was at its busiest.
All movement had stopped, and all attention pointed towards them.
“Mmm... shit.” she muttered through her teeth, biting her bottom lip.
Dark Link started walking, making Ani loose her grip on his cloak, and she turned around and stared at him.
Ani scoffed, walking after him. “Where are you going?”
“You’re here. We’re done.”
“You heard what that Kage guy said, what if the control comes back if you go away?”
He stopped for a moment, as did she, but he just whirled back around in a huff and started walking up towards the castle instead.
A small smile perked on Ani’s face, and she followed quickly behind him, triumphant.
“So does this mean you’re going to stay at the castle too?”
“You know, you talk to much...”
She blinked, and sighed, but followed with her arms crossed. “Sorry.”
He didn’t respond as they walked up the winding path towards the gate that was now guarded by two soldiers instead of one.
“Halt!” one of the soldiers stepped up towards them, spear readied and pointed towards Dark Link. It was then he must of noticed Ani, looking back and forth between the two in confusion.
“Uh-uh... He’s with me.” she raised her and feebly.
The soldier cocked his armored head quizzically and stared at Dark Link for a moment, then sighed. “...Very well.”
They moved past the gate, receiving odd looks from the remaining soldiers along the way until they reached the four at the drawbridge.
“We have to get in, please...” Ani tried to smile, “Could you please tell the princess that, um, Ani’s back?”
One soldier saluted and dashed back towards the side entrance.
“Hope they don’t take very long,” she sighed, putting her hands in her pockets and rocking back on her heels as she waited.
Dark Link was standing completely still with his arms crossed and eyes closed. He looked annoyed, but it was better than that blank stare he always gave when under Ganon’s control.
It didn’t take long at all for Zelda, Link and Sheik to come running out towards the two. “Ani, you-“ Link had started just as they trio rounded the corner, but they all stopped dead, staring at Dark Link.
“Uh, w-wait a sec!” Ani said, laughing slightly as she walked up the small slope and passed the other three guards. “Look, he, um... he helped me.” she pointed at Dark Link with her thumb as she stared at the ground. “I know... that’s not gonna count for much, but, I still think I owe him...”
Sheik was the only one staring at her after that, probably because he noticed she was definitely no longer being controlled by Lirin. Zelda had a hand over her mouth and was looking at the ground, and Link was glaring at Dark Link who was glaring right back.
“I know, I know... ‘But what about all that stuff he did?’ I was right, something was wrong with that,” she smirked and crossed her arms, feeling victorious. “Ganon and some other guy were controlling him, just like I thought.”
“That’s not even the issue!” Link shouted.
“...H-huh!? But then, can’t he stay?”
“No! He did more than all that, and he’s evil anyway!”
Dark Link scoffed, “Hold your tongue, or I’ll slice it off.”
“AH!” Ani jumped between the two, arms outstretched at either of them incase they moved. “There is going to be no slicing. Nooo slicing. None. There will be no slicing.”
“We heard you the first goddamn time!” Dark Link shouted.
Sheik stepped up towards Ani and pulled her off to the side, “...Why are you going to endanger yourself further by bringing him here?” his eyebrow twitched.
“I’m not, but I think, not sure why, that when he’s not around me, then they’ll get back control over him.”
“What gave you that idea?”
“When Ganon and that Kage person were talking...”
Sheik stared at her blankly when the second name popped up in her sentence. “...Kage?”
She just nodded, smiling happily.
“Ugh...,” he slapped his face and held the palm over it for a while before nodding. “Your highness, ...Dark Link will be staying...”
“What?!” she and Link shouted at the same time.
Sheik nodded.
Ani glanced back towards Dark Link, who seemed bored, and was just leaning against the fence with his arms crossed.
I do not think this is a good idea...
Well, you’re gonna have to deal with it. He’s gonna be staying with us for a while, until they relinquish control on his brain. Then they can explode, whee.
You actually sounded smart for a minute, and then you go and say that.
...Ow... that hurt, so bad... she made a sniffling noise.
