Chapter One: A Shadow Returns
The red fire was made into a tiny flicker of light in comparison to the mighty blue lightning like aura that filled the mountain cave in this moment. There was a loud scream, deep and menacing, evil in sound and painful upon the ears. The blue light flashed stronger and stronger, and when at last it faded, and the mountain cave was again shadowy, with a red flame lighting it gently, there was not a mortal god sitting on a black throne; there was a demon standing tall, golden sword and trident in claws.
Ganon was once more in his true form, the form that the Triforce of Power morphed him into; the true image of his heart. There in his mountain chamber he called forth four spirits whom had not been summoned for some time; the dark forms of the Triforce bearers. Dark Jet, Dark Zelda, Dark Shinota and finally the leader, Dark Link. They were defeated before, but there power was stronger now, and the shadow they wielded had more force as the experiences the team went through became worse, it was a more potent tool than before.
“So…we are tasked to do what we could not before?” Dark Link questioned.
“You could do it…you were not defeated…if you were defeated then you would not still exist,” Ganon answered.
“So….we still try to depress them into a hole?” Dark Shinota asked.
“Yes…” Ganon answered.
“Make them want to die?” Dark Zelda asked.
“And if that doesn’t work?” Dark Shinota asked.
“Then we do what we do best…tear them to shreds with our bare hands,” Dark Jet answered, cracking his fingers.
“…Yes,” Ganon uttered again. The dark entities left the throne room of the King of Evil with haste.
“So…you’re a saiya-jin now?” Samus asked, sitting down Indian style on the metal floor of the training unit.
“Yeah…” Shinota answered.
“Does it feel different?” Samus asked.
“No…” Shinota answered slowly.
“Oh…ummm….can I tell you something?” Samus asked.
“Sure Samus…what?” Shinota asked.
“Well…I know this really has nothing to do with what we were talking about…but…thank you so much for saving me,” Samus said quietly.
“Samus…we already talked about this…I don’t want you to keep thanking me for it,” Shinota complained.
“Yeah…I know…but…have you ever seen someone…and you just looked into their eyes…real suddenly, so they don’t notice, but you look into them nonetheless…and…the look that you give you back makes you feel….like…you’re special? Like that look was meant for you?” Samus asked.
“…yes…very recently,” Shinota answered.
“Oh……..me too,” Samus said, her voice low with sorrow.
“Yeah…” Shinota said quietly.
“Can I ask you just one more thing then?” Samus questioned.
“You technically are…but…go ahead,” Shinota agreed.
“Who is it?” Samus asked.
“What?” Shinota questioned back, confused.
“Who was it that you looked in the eyes?” Samus asked.
“umm…wow…this is really hard to say,” Shinota said, sweating slightly.
“…you won’t hurt me,” Samus assured him.
“…Umm…no…the one I was looking at…was….you,” Shinota answered.
“Y-you…were?” Samus asked, awestruck.
“Yeah…” Shinota said sheepishly.
“…well…umm….you and me…tonight…let’s go have dinner together,” Samus suggested.
“…Okay,” Shinota agreed.
“Great! See you tonight!” Samus said happily, running up the stairs of the training unit exit.
“What have I done? I can’t act right with women…I’ve only ever been with my mother…and I was just a baby when she died…ugh,” Shinota said, feeling sick to his stomach.
When he was a small child blood had terrified him. He would cry at the smallest of cuts, the sight and the color frightening him because he knew it was wrong. He knew he was not supposed to bleed, that the blood was not supposed to be outside of his body. The pain had never gotten to him, but the fear of what was wrong occurring had scared him nearly to death.
Blood was something he was all too used to now. His own blood, others blood, demon blood, he knew all about it. If asked, he could explain the taste of blood in great detail, the way it feels when it is running down nearly all of your body, and the way you want to be sick when you’ve been around too much of it.
Jet’s wounds were healing yes; but he still had several bad habits, picking at scabs being one of them. He had suffered many, many infections lately because of this, and he seemed to bleed almost everyday because of it. He was less than pleased with his physical appearance since the battle, the wounds covering most of his body.
On this day he chose to sit in one of his favorite spots and think to himself about the situations he and his team had been forced to go through as of late. He sat on an old log in a hidden path deep in Viridian forest. No one ever came to this spot, but Jet had discovered it a very long time ago, possibly one of the nights he spent alone after his parents died; he couldn’t remember.
“Do you always just leave without warning like that?” Zelda asked, appearing behind him and slowly sitting to his right. She was wearing a sweater and blue jeans, her long hair down behind her back as usual. Seeing Zelda in Earth clothes wasn’t something Jet was used to, but he had to admit she would make a beautiful Earthling.
“How did you find me?” Jet asked.
“I’m your wife…it’s my job to know everything about you,” Zelda answered with a smile, hiding any real information.
“Heh…keep your secrets then,” Jet said with a smirk.
“I think I will your highness,” Zelda teased.
“You always know how to make me laugh…” Jet said slowly, as if he was deep in thought.
“What’s wrong?” Zelda asked.
“A lot’s changin’ Zel…I dunno if I can keep up with it all,” Jet answered quietly.
“What do you mean?” Zelda asked, worried.
“I mean…Zel…I’m from Earth. I used to sit at my house on my butt, wearin’ a t-shirt and listenin’ to Deftones on my CD player on Saturday mornings…I mean…I went from that…to a king. There are thousands of people depending on me…and I’m not this grand warrior….I’ve been fightin’ with a sword for less than a year…I’m not powerful at all…they need someone like Link…or Shinota…someone who can actually protect them,” Jet explained.
“This is more my fault than yours…I chose you…I never really asked you if you were ready for this royalty...” Zelda’s voice trailed off.
“Zel…I’m the one who asked you to marry me…I guess I just forgot who you were…and who I was…and how they don’t mix…” Jet said slowly.
“What are you saying? You don’t want to get a divorce do you?” Zelda asked, fear in her eyes.
“Never! I just meant…I’m not fit to be a king,” Jet said.
“Jet…” Zelda said quietly.
“Jonphor was right back then…I’m not on your level…they can’t rely on me,” Jet said darkly.
“Listen to me! Daddy was proud to have you as a prince! He knew you would grow into a fine king one day…you killed Hell Modeus…you defeated the Aku-Mari…you have never let anything evil pass that drawbridge…and that is the only thing our people really need,” Zelda assured him.
“Honey….I love you,” Jet said, slight grin upon his face.
“I love you too….so much…no matter what kind of warrior or king you are…you will always be my love…and that is one thing you cannot fail at,” Zelda assured him, kissing him slowly. He held onto his wife tightly, slowly pulling away from the kiss. “Did I do something wrong?” Zelda asked.
“No…I just wanted to say…thanks,” Jet answered, pulling her closer. He slowly pushed her down to the ground, lying atop her body. They continued the passionate kiss, tongues lashing at each other, lips locked tightly, eyes shut in bliss. Jet gently caressed his wife’s cheek, his tongue retreating as he kissed Zelda with more force. She moved her hands under his shirt, feeling his muscular back. They continued to move their lips quicker, eager to get at each other more and more, the kiss somewhat like a competition in this way. Jet forced his tongue back into Zelda’s mouth, moving it around with quickened pace, Zelda barely able to keep up. He continued this method, eager to get some response from his wife. She held tightly onto his back as he continued to quicken the kiss, his mind finally eased of his dark thoughts. Zelda slowly moved away from the kiss, out of breath. She sat up slowly, and Jet followed.
“Something wrong?” Jet asked with a smile.
“No…I just wanted to say….thanks,” Zelda said with a smile, mocking Jet.
“Heh heh….let’s go,” Jet suggested.
“Yes…we really need to stop meeting in forests,” Zelda teased.
“…no we don’t,” Jet said with a smirk.
“Let’s go,” Zelda said, laughing. The two slowly left the hidden trail to return to their house.
Shinota had sat in the training unit for close to two hours now, worry and doubt filling his heart. He couldn’t handle a date, not with the woman who was slowly consuming his every thought. He knew he would mess something up, he knew she would end up hating him, and he knew he would never forgive himself. It was almost as if there was a voice inside of his head telling him everything that would happen, a voice which he trusted.
“That’s it…I know what I have to do…I have to break my date with Samus…there’s no way someone that wonderful could ever have something with me….I can’t even be truthful to my team…they know there’s more to Zedusria and Hyrule than I’ve told them…ugh,” Shinota said darkly, angered at himself. He slowly lay down on the cold metal of the training unit floor, doubt and shadow covering his every thought.
“…You can’t give him what he wants,” a voice that sounded like her own echoed through Zelda’s ears.
“What?” Zelda questioned to the dead air of Jet’s room.
“You cannot give your husband what he truly wants…he is weak…you know that,” the voice answered.
“What does that have to do with anything?” Zelda questioned.
“Everything…do you not see it? Everything he has told you about being a king, and everything about his care for the team is a lie…he holds on to his life because he cares for you…you are keeping him here…against his will,” the voice called again.
“No…I can’t be,” Zelda argued, sadness in her heart.
“Even at that you are not being honest to him…” the voice continued.
“What?” Zelda said, worry in her voice.
“Don’t you think he would like to know what you are hiding from him? Don’t you think the idea of a secret between you would tear both of you apart?” the voice asked.
“I can’t tell him yet…I’m…I’m just not ready,” Zelda said, sitting on her bed, hands covering her face while the voice inside of her head kept speaking evils to her.
“Twice…” a voice called out.
“What? Who’s there?” Link asked, unsheathing his sword and readying his shield.
“Just yourself…” it answered.
“Twice what?” Link asked.
“Twice now that you killed your own father,” it answered.
“I had to,” Link tried to reassure himself.
“Bullshit. Don’t you see it? He wanted to come back into your life. That’s the reason he returned…the Mystic circle simply caught his attention…but no…you could not aid him…only silence him,” the voice said.
“…Does he forgive me?” Link asked.
“…he is hurt far more than you could ever imagine…he thinks that his own son hates him,” the voice answered.
“…father,” Link said quietly, choking back tears.
“The wounds given to Hyrule are your fault…o’ mighty king,” a voice called to Jet.
“How so?” Jet asked.
“…you are the king…it is your job to make sure that things such as that don’t happen…great job at leading your people,” the voice answered.
“Heh heh…you do know it’s Friday the 13th right? Try to come on less of an ironic day,” Jet laughed. He turned suddenly and lunched his chakram at the wall behind him. A shadowy figure appeared in this moment, the figure that Jet had expected to see; Dark Jet.
“Ugh…why do you always make things more difficult than they have to be? You could have just killed yourself like I had planned,” Dark Jet complained with a sigh.
“Sorry I’m makin’ you engage in a battle you dun think ya can win,” Jet said with a smirk. He stood tall, electricity surrounding his body. His muscles slowly grew, and a shining golden light surrounded his body. When at last the light faded, Jet had changed completely; a new level of Super Saiya-jin, one that Goku had not yet achieved. His hair was the same as usual, as were his white eyes. His nipples were pierced and he wore no shirt. Spikes emerged from his shoulders, elbows, hands, and knees. A black plate of armor was over his left shoulder, and in place of a left arm there was a rotating blade. A tail emerged from the back of his baggy blue pants. He was a super saiya-jin seven.
“Real nice trick…wanna see something even more impressive?” Dark Jet asked. A black light surrounded his body, and when it faded, he was an exact copy of Gotet in his first form, except for the shadow all about him. His eyes were black, as was the metal of his glove mounted blades.
“There’s no way you can defeat me as you are,” Gotet warned.
“We’ll see,” Dark Jet called back. The two ran at each other, Dark Jet launching punched at Gotet’s chest while Gotet sliced at Dark Jet with his massive blade. Both were cut and wounded in this endeavor, but neither defeated. Gotet in this moment, tired of the fight and the possibility of his other team members getting hurt, pulled his secret weapon.
“Kame….Hame…Ha!!!!” he yelled, the beam sending Dark Jet very far back.
“Tetraforce Power!!!” he finished, blasting Dark Jet with the golden light. He did not come back. Gotet powered down slowly. Jet stood. He had to find the rest of the team.
“Why can’t you just tell him the truth? Do you enjoy hurting him? He knows that something is wrong…he is not stupid…he can tell you have your secrets…and one day he will find out about it…and you’ll lose him,” Dark Zelda taunted.
“Shut up…I can never lose him…I know that…and I know who you are…leave…now,” Zelda ordered. The voice haunted her no more. She lay down slowly, exhausted.
“…I don’t know who you are…or what you want with me or anyone else…but please…go away…I don’t believe any of what you’re saying…I …love…Samus…and we will go on that date tonight,” Shinota called out.
“As you wish,” Dark Shinota called out, his shadow gone.
“Wow…I have to get ready…look at what time it is,” Shinota mused to himself, standing.
“Please…go away…” Link pleaded.
“Never,” Dark Link disagreed.
“…leave,” Link ordered pitifully.
“Remember what we used to have together?”
“You took control of me,”
“And it was the most purpose that frail body has ever seen,”
“No…it isn’t…aiding the team is,”
“You label yourself as a hero…but…you have none of the traits a hero has,”
“Entertain me…tell me what you know…about being a hero,”
“Ugh…this isn’t over,” Dark Link yelled, disappearing from Link’s thoughts.
It was a grand restaurant, one of the best in Viridian city. Samus and Shinota liked Earth food, and this was the most of it they had ever eaten, and without a doubt the finest quality. The lighting given off from the ceiling mounted bulbs was comforting and gave the large restaurant a cozy feel to it. The tables were round and made of shining glass, and the chairs were of a soft red fabric.
The middle of the table had candles and colored leaves decorating it, and there were several empty glasses and plates on it, not a scrap leftover from the meal the two had just shared. Shinota sat across from Samus, looking into her eyes again.
“You know…I was getting really worried about tonight,” Shinota admitted.
“Because it’s Friday the 13th?” Samus questioned.
“Nah…I don’t even know about Earth holidays…aside from Christmas,” Shinota answered.
“Hehe…Friday the 13th isn’t exactly a holiday Shinota,” Samus said, laughing.
“Oh…well…um…ya see…I have no experience with women whatsoever,” Shinota continued, shrugging off his ignorance toward Earth customs.
“Well you’ve been a perfect gentleman tonight,” Samus complimented with a warm smile.
“I have? …I mean…thanks. I really didn’t want to ruin tonight…because…all of those times I saved you…it wasn’t because I felt like I had to because you were a member of the team…it was because I knew you were the one…it’s almost like I’ve seen you in my dreams before…like the face I just recently met has been stored away in my memory since I was a small child…I…love you Samus,” Shinota said slowly.
“I love you too….I had no idea how you would receive it…so I just kept my mouth shut about it,” Samus said.
“Let’s get out of here…we have a lot to talk about,” Shinota suggested.
“Good idea…I’ll pay,” Samus said, laying the money on the table. The two stood, then left, arms around each other.