-- sending the image of Hyrule's residents scattering like dust as Aeneas plows through them, words fading into the wind. Zelda glances up, startled, then has to leap aside to avoid them both - it's a risky battlefield, one with a sheer drop and bubbling lava and broken and unstable rock, and it's not one she wishes to remain in. Especially not with the new...
The new...
She's seen one of them before - the hunted, not the hunter. But she can't remember, doesn't know where the encounter took place - a battlefield, or the hidden places of the world, or...
Or the medbay on the ship.
It doesn't take long - a quick mental command to Sheik, and the transformation takes place in a flash of light. And then Sheik is running, blade in hand, to where the hunt is taking place.
"HEY!" he yells, then reaches for a rock and hurls it at the hunter as hard as he can.
He didn’t notice the landscape until he saw the glimmer of metal and a rock come flying past his head, and by that point it was too late to stop. Aeneas locked his legs, the cast reliably got in his way, and he tumbled bodily towards the cliff face. Thankfully he came several feet short, though a strategically-placed wiry stump knocked his head hard enough to keep him still where he landed.
Meanwhile, there’s that rock. Thessaly was too focused on her prize to notice it, at least until it hit the side of her face, denting a few feather-like gills. She also came to a stop, albeit a far more graceful one, and spun around to regard the new nuisance.
Sheik has just gotten the attention of a twelve-foot-long, seven-foot-tall female alien, sleek and powerful, perfectly shaped for what she did best. She looked over the new creature curiously, a string of opaque drool falling through her maw and burning a pocket in the crumbling stone below.
This is something new. No Animalian had tasted the flesh of humans, and Aeneas should know that Thessaly loved foreign delicacies.
”You carry a weapon, tiny creature,” she purred, crouching, readying for the attack, ”And you are built well, but with just enough fat to add flavor…You may not even require seasoning. Just do me a favor and die quickly so that your meat isn’t tough.”
And she lunged forward, blindingly fast, mandibles open to reveal rows of inch-long fangs and a gaping throat lined with blood.
There's fast and there's fast - if Sheik had been a normal human, he would quite possibly be dead again by now.
But he's not, and disappearing into the shadows requires no second thought. Within their boundaries, Thessaly appears as a brightish splodge, one he can skirt safely, dart several metres away, and reappear only to let loose with a handful of long, sharp throwing needles.
She skidded to a halt, large tail keeping her balance as she made a sharp turn—and taking most of the throwing needles. Some of them hit the fleshy bulk, some lodged themselves within the muscular plates running along her ventral side, and all of them were enough to piss her off.
Thessaly screeched loudly, making a second run at her prey. A real hunter of her species wouldn’t have tried this again; instead she would’ve captured his scent and use that to keep track of where her teleporting prey was going to appear. This, however, is a Nightmare King specter, meant to confront one target and one target only. She would not adapt, not readily.
A hit! ...He just hoped he could get them back afterwards, since now he was distinctly out of stock. Disappearing back into the shadows, he crouched, waiting until she had roared past him before slipping back to where he had seen a thicket of grass. And inside its depth - a prize of Deku nuts.
Scrambling up to reach the ledge above, in quick succession, he reappeared, hurled one of the nuts at Thessaly's face, then leaped, blade in hand, aiming for the vulnerability that was her spine.
A blinding flash later and Thessaly was reared onto her back legs, front ones thrashing powerfully in the air, neck arched back and jaws open to guard her flexible spine. No doubt Sheik’s next onslaught would hit—it was more of a question as to how much of that highly caustic spit got on him, or if the huge claws on her front legs caught him on the way down.
Frankly, she never stood a chance. Aeneas could see that much; struggling to his feet, waiting for his head to clear, he had an unimpeded view from the sidelines as his mate was soundly defeated. The sword stuck up from her abdomen like a harpoon, slicing through her spine and rupturing several internal organs. Florescent red blood spilled through the wound at no specific rate, as if it was just sitting there the entire time, waiting to leave…
…She had no defense, no knowledge against him…
Aeneas staggered forward, reaching out a webbed hand desperately. “No! No, she can’t—“
She wasn’t dead yet. Oh, god was she struggling, flailing on the ground like a boneless fish, but she had life in her yet…
“—She’s dying!” he pleaded frantically, “Please, you’ve got to help her! I can’t—I can’t lose—“
Sheik hit the ground again, hissing at the new burns on his shoulder and arm from the caustic spit he had been hit with - he had no idea what was in it, just that it hurt rather a lot.
And then he was simply staring at Aeneas, blade lax in his hand. "But... she was hunting you," he frowned, glancing between him and the dying Thessaly. "She - the nightmares - it's not real. None of it is."
Not her, not this place. For just an instant, he gets an impression of the walls of the ship before Hyrule slips back into place.
Aeneas knew none of this was real, but…part of him refused to leave her. What was it exactly? Why was it so much stronger than the rest of him? How was it able to make him feel so terrified?
“Yes, but—“ the alien shook his head, thoughts conflicting on so many levels that it was dizzying, “—but I can’t—I love her! I’ve already lost her once…”
She stopped thrashing, now sprawled along the ground, chest and abdomen heaving as blood continued to pool underneath her. She was absolutely terrifying and would most likely snap off Aeneas’s legs as soon as he came near, yet he still walked towards her, head and tail lowered in subservience, purring loudly to calm her (and himself).
What was that feeling again? Ah, yes, he knew it now: instinct.
But there wasn't exactly a lot he could do, was there? Aeneas was quite a bit bigger than him, and was getting the distinct impression that this was something he had to face. Hadn't they been told that, having to face their worst fears?
Then what would he have to confront to get out of this place?
Still walking forward, still hopeful, still nervous beyond all belief…
Aeneas knew how to approach her. He made no sudden movements, kept his eyes locked on hers, lavender irises sinking into pits of navy and murderous thoughts; Thessaly lowered her brow, flared her feathers, fleshed her auricles and hissed low in her throat, never once faltering or showing pain. Actually it seemed like she was recovering, as she’d stopped bleeding and was attempting to stand. Her wounds did not close. In a way this made her even more frightening to confront.
But Aeneas kept moving towards her. It was obvious, looking down through the patches of bare skin on the back of his scarred neck, to see sweat collecting from his anxiety, to capture the scent of sugar-dipped apples wafting from his gills. He was not looking forward to this. Yet…it was something he had to do. Something he had to get over with.
“Let me help you.”
Thessaly narrowed her eyes, a grin bristling the fur on her cheeks. Blood continued to dribble through the cracks in her maw and stain her dark fur.
”Forget about it.”
Aeneas was close to her now, and she still made no move against him. Was she toying with him? Was she draining his suffering for all it was worth? Most likely; but if she was going to drain the life out of him, then he might as well know one thing first.
Just one thing. That was a fair exchange, wasn’t it? A simple question for one’s life energy?
“What is my name?”
A hoarse cackle rippled through Thessaly’s muzzle. She staggered towards him, back legs dragging, tail lashing against the rocks. She couldn’t die—Aeneas wouldn’t allow it. Not until she answered his question.
She looked him in the eyes, hot, rancid breath burning his face.
”Forget it, creature. Forget everything.”
Aeneas halted, raising his head, gaze flat. This specter would know the answer; Thessaly was, after all, created from his lost memories. If he kept her alive just a little longer, if he could get her to slip up, then perhaps he could use her to his advantage, give the Nightmare King one last good kick in the face before the others took care of him…
…The others that he’d gotten to know so well in the few months that he’d been here, the ones who stood by him no matter what happened to him, the complete strangers that would drop everything to save him, the friends that liked him not for what he could’ve been, but for what he was now…
Aeneas returned her stare, straightening his back and tail, standing above her. She tried to match his height but her injury got in the way, and she collapsed.
“You know what?” he trilled, a smirk creasing his brow, “Maybe I will.”
Thessaly’s eyes widened for half a second, and then she was gone. Sheik’s throwing needles clattered to the ground.
For a moment, he forgot to breathe, simply gazing at the confrontation. This would mean everything for Aeneas - he had to face this before they could move on.
And then it was over, and Sheik exhaled shakily.
He approached carefully, making no sudden movements, gathering up the scattered needles. Then he glanced up at Aeneas - they had some common ground, it seemed.
"I know what it's like to be nameless," he told him quietly, meeting the lavendar gaze. "The past doesn't matter - the now is what's important."
And, much to his own surprise, he realised that the words he had just spoken were true.
Aeneas had forgotten about the human until just then, jumping slightly as he appeared from the corner of his vision to collect his needles. He was yet another stranger that had selflessly come to his aid when he needed it most—yet another stranger that had more in common with him than he expected.
The creature returned Sheik’s glance with a complacent smile that squinted his eyes and creased his brow. Yes, this one understood, and now Aeneas did as well. He’d been chasing his past for the better part of two years now, the entire time thinking himself a blank slate waiting to have old stories reprinted upon its surface; but once he got close enough to fill in the important chapters, he realized that the stone was already taken by the life of a new person, a better person, and frankly, the only person Aeneas wanted to know about.
“I am not nameless,” the alien trilled proudly, “My name is Aeneas. It has been and it always will be. What is yours?”
He definitely can't help but smile at that. "Sheik," he answered quietly, offering him a hand. "Are you injured anywhere?"
Speaking of which... his shoulder definitely hurt, although the plantsuit had resealed itself over it and was doing a reasonable job keeping the pain from being overwhelming.
And he takes the hand in his own, webbed fingers forming awkwardly around the split ones of the human, giving a single, firm shake.
“I do not think so,” Aeneas cocked his head, looking Sheik over curiously, “But what of yourself?”
If he didn’t have any torn outer clothing to show for it, then the way he held his shoulder was evidence enough that this other was the hurt one. Otherwise…
…Huh. This is curious.
Aeneas paused, taking his hand back and reaching behind his ears. Ooh, definitely had a good cut there—explained the dizziness. He brought his arm around and noticed, with some disdain, the florescent blood staining his fingertips.
He blinked, realizing that this probably didn’t look good. “—Nothing serious,” Aeneas insisted, wiping his hand off on his fur and offering Sheik a sheepish smile.
Sheik nodded a little, a faint wry smile on his face. "And the same for me. Are you alright?"
Smile slipping to a thoughtful frown, he glanced around at the false castle and the blasted rock that surrounded it. "We should get out of here," he told Aeneas, more softly now.
Aeneas returned the nod, looking at his surroundings for the first time. He hadn’t really realized where they were until just now—you know, too busy confronting his worst nightmare and everything—and even afterwards he didn’t recognize the landscape. It must’ve been Sheik’s dream…but the human didn’t seem all that frightened. If anything, he was the stronger one during that last situation. So why were they still trapped here?
“Indeed,” the alien blinked, a little confused, “Where…where is ‘here’, exactly?”
"Hyrule," he answered slowly, gazing up at the castle. He hadn't had to think about it when he was fighting, all of his attention had been on helping Aeneas. But now...
Now he had to confront it, didn't he? He and Zelda facing their demons - blocking the path back to the market, the masses were reassembling, silent condemnation aimed at the princess. And behind them... there was sunlight, there, and greenery again. A future.
"We don't have any choice, do we?" he practically whispered, gazing at the crowd.
It had been a while since Aeneas had seen so many humans assembled in one place—not counting the gatherings after stasis-release cycles, those were hardly organized—and from the collective looks they were casting, the general vibe of the group, he had a feeling that passing through them would not be easy for either traveler. Aeneas gave a low sigh, hesitantly smiling at his new companion and refurbishing his purr. The ambivalent vibrations were calming, therapeutic, and the best defense he had against the anger of the crowd.
“You helped me first,” he rumbled consolingly, “So the least I can do is return the favor. Come on.”
Sheik nodded stiffly, gazing ahead at the crowd. Already, he and Zelda can hear the murmurs - "-stupid girl-" "-should have suffered-" "-couldn't even protect us-" "-coward-"
"Stop it," Zelda whispered in Sheik's voice. But they were right, weren't they? She had fled and left them to rot.
[Zelda,] Sheik told her urgently, [Listen to me. Listen. There was nothing you could do. If Ganondorf had found you, you would have been killed - this way, there's hope. You and Link -]
His mental 'voice' faltered. Zelda and Link - that was all Hyrule needed. His part was done.
[You and Link are both needed. That's why Link slept for seven years. That's why I kept you safe - you didn't fail anyone. You did everything you could do - for the sake of all of Hyrule.]
"But..." Again, Zelda's words through Sheik's lips. "I left them... I've wronged you..."
[You never wronged me. Never. Zelda, listen to me - you did what you could!]
"I can't..."
((OOC: To Aeneas, he would have just heard the stuff Zelda's saying out loud (through Sheik), with the infliction and tone different to Sheik's normal voice. And there would have been gaps where Sheik is just communicating with Zelda (in the red). It's still physically Sheik's body, right now.))
Aeneas wasn’t sure what was making Sheik pause, or what kind of nervous feelings were enough to make his voice spike an octave or two, but it was hardly the weirdest thing he’d encountered in this place. Though, if it was one thing that he had trouble understanding, it was how the murmurs of crowd were able to deter him…
Yes, the vibe was plenty threatening. A single individual standing up to a large gathering was no casual matter, by no means. But it was only because of Stacy’s translators that what they said bore any meaning—and they were the only things that actually gave Aeneas a voice himself. Otherwise he would’ve communicated through movements, gestures, vibrations and simple vocalizations, crude yet intensely significant, and frankly that was all he needed. It was easy for him to listen to the words of these humans and brush them off, especially since he knew that they would only throw their voices, not their fists.
Not if Aeneas could help it.
The alien gave Sheik a gentle nudge forward, guiding him reassuringly towards the masses, purring deeply by his ear. “It is not your fault that they do not understand. It hurts them now, but inside they are thankful—search for that and keep walking.”
Neither spoke a word for a long moment, simply moving to the crowd like they were walking to their execution. And then Sheik spoke up again, hasty words tripping over themselves - he had to make her understand, had to make her see that these fears were baseless.
[You survived - you needed to survive to ensure the safety of everyone. Zelda, think! What could you have done? If you had revealed yourself, Ganondorf would have sensed you. Nowhere in Hyrule would have been safe. You would have died if you hadn't hidden, Zelda, and then these people - all of them - would have been condemned.]
They had reached the edge of the crowd, now - jeers and harsh words on one side, Sheik and Zelda on the other. Sheik's expression was drawn, his face white, his hands curled into fists, but there was no outward sign of the frantic words he was telling his princess.
[Zelda, I know you. I know that if you had been able to, you would have done everything you could to help. But sometimes sacrifices have to be made for the greater good - you couldn't help them for seven years so you could save them all. If you had helped them, it would have been worse for them. They would have no hope, then. Zelda, you did what you could.]
Sheik swallowed, and for a moment the dream allowed both to show, Zelda shining through Sheik like his skin was glass. Blue eyes in a tan face, the crest of the Triforce on their right hand, Zelda's soft soprano from Sheik's lips.
"I did what I could," she repeated to the crowd, head bowed. What could she have done? She trusted Sheik - his words rang true. "I could do no more, and I will make things right. I promise."
And the crowd was gone like it had never been there, and Sheik was himself again. He exhaled shakily, then glanced back at Aeneas. "Thank you," he said quietly, although his expression was still drawn.
A gentle nod, a reassuring smile. Aeneas had done his job—but they were still there. What else was keeping them there? What else did Sheik have to face before they could leave?
…No, they must not be the only ones there. Who else…who else was around? Were they hiding?
Aeneas blinked, realizing that something very odd was going on here. For one, there was the glowing, which he’d dismissed as some effect of the nightmare being defeated; now that he considered it, Sheik’s form actually changed. How did…?
Secondly, the creature was getting some really bizarre hormonal readings off this guy. It would definitely explain the awkward vocal shifts, though…though that other possibility was far more tantalizing.
It wasn’t his business. Aeneas shook his head, auricles flopping, and he gave an indifferent trill.
“Perhaps if we keep moving we can escape the dream’s boundaries,” he suggested absently, taking several limping steps ahead.
Sheik nodded, taking a step forward to where the path grew clear and green and pleasant. The sounds of the market were ahead - busy and bustling and full of life that Zelda and Link would have preserved. Another step, and then another, and then another, and then... he simply stopped.
It was quiet.
"Sheik," uttered a soft, small voice, and he turned to find Zelda standing behind him. He was free to continue, and he knew it - but it would come at the expense of Zelda being trapped behind a wall of shadow, of being unable to move on with her life... and all because of him.
His continuing up the green path to continue with his life meant holding Zelda back.
He sank to the ground on one side of the barrier, and Zelda did the same, reaching against it - if he reached out, he could feel the warmth of her palm through it. "Zelda," he whispered in return.
She gave him a small, sad smile. "This is your nightmare, isn't it?" she said softly. "I've faced my demons already... Sheik, what is it that you fear?"
His hand twitched against hers. "That..." he choked, "That I'm... I... I can't move on. Not so long as you're still trapped. Not when I'm holding you back." He curled his fingers inwards, wrapping them around Zelda's smaller hand, and the shadow barrier warped and twisted around his hand. "This is my doing," he whispered.
By now, his eyes were clouding up - he blinked, trying to hold it back. How could he do this to her? How could he prevent her from living out her life? "It's my fault," he choked, and he bowed his head. "Link can protect you better than I can, I'm... holding you back, you deserve to live your own life... you deserve to be whole and complete again..."
"Sheik, no," she said insistently, a tear running down her own cheek. "You know what that would mean!"
He nods, unable to meet her blue eyes. "I know," he said hollowly. "I would do it for you - you don't need me any more." He laughs a little, quiet and bitter. "You survived, Zelda. You were reunited with Link, just in a slightly different time and place. My part is over, now."
Glancing back at Aeneas, he gave him a tired smile. "Go on," he told him, "Down the path - you should be able to wake up. You've fought your demons - nothing is keeping you here."
((OOC: The path ahead is pretty bright, and walking down it would mean they all wake up, but Sheik basically can't do that himself without abandoning Zelda to the nightmares. So he's got to work through this. Aeneas would be able to see both of them, now - it's a dream, so they can both be here. He wouldn't be able to cross the barrier, either - it's something Sheik has to break down by overcoming all that crap in his head.))
Aeneas blinked, looking from one form to the other, befuddlement making his eyes cross. So this ‘Zelda’ person was inside Sheik? Was she a part of him? Or was she just someone really important that manifested within the dream? No, if that were the case then they wouldn’t have had to fight off her fears earlier. What if she was a separate personality? Like, an isolated consciousness, perhaps?
Nevermind, this was even more confusing than the hormones thing. He still had a debt to owe.
“Other than to repay your kindness, no,” Aeneas gave a curt nod, pressing his hand against the smoky barrier. It warped, but otherwise did not show any signs of giving in.
Perhaps…perhaps this was something these two had to work out themselves. The alien sighed, slowly pulling back his arm.
“…I could not live with myself if I willingly abandoned one who saved my life. Not again…”
Sheik nodded distantly at Aeneas, but almost all of his attention was on Zelda. "It's okay," he told her quietly, "I had my chance. It's yours, now - I'm just holding you back. It's already happened by Link's time - it just got delayed for a bit for us. It's your future."
Zelda shook her head fiercely. "The rules have changed," she whispered. "What was laid out by destiny no longer applies. Do you trust me?"
He nodded once.
"Then trust me when I say I don't want to do this without you!" Clinging to Sheik's hand like a lifeline through the barrier, she stared into his eyes, determined to make him understand. "Things have changed. We can make our own choices now, and my choice is for you to stay with me. It's not just my future, it's both of ours - you can have one here. Don't you want this?"
Again, he nodded, but more slowly. Yes, he wanted to live, but... "What about Link?" he asked softly.
"What about him?" Zelda said insistently.
"He adores you," Sheik said with a sad smile, "And I'm not sure he even trusts me. I'm sure he'd think you'd be better off without me there, too... you could have a normal life with him."
Zelda was silent for a moment, then, impulsively, leaned forward and pressed her lips to Sheik's through the barrier. "I don't care about normal," she told him, voice soft and shaken like a child's, and wiped her eyes. "If this is truly what you want, then I can't stop you, but... if my choices mean anything to you, then I don't want to spend my life without you."
Sheik remained silent for several long moments more, kneeling in the dust with Zelda's hand in his. Zelda's words had shaken him - he had assumed that he was a burden, that he was stopping any chance of normalcy. And Link, too - he loved Zelda, that much was obvious to him. And also obvious to him: Link did not feel the same way about Sheik. Wouldn't it be better for Link if he was gone?
But then, if Zelda wanted him to stay, then... he couldn't refuse her, could he? He never had been able to say no to her. Breaking the contract meant freedom for her, didn't it? But if she didn't want it... if he could stay...
Could he accept the possibility of actually having a future? Was this actually what Zelda wanted?
"It is," she said softly in answer to his silent question.
Sheik closed his eyes. "So be it," he whispered back, and reached forward through the barrier to gather her in his arms, breathing in the sweet scent of her hair, relishing in the simple feeling of her warm against him. "Ana sadir amah," he whispered, and she returned it in kind even as he broke the embrace.
And then it was just him again, kneeling in the dust, Zelda's comforting presence in his mind. A nightmare laid before him, but if he turned back to Aeneas and the path behind, the light faded to show one of the many corridors of the ship.
Sheik got to his feet, dusted himself off, and gave Aeneas a weak smile. "Well... let's go, then."
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no subject
The new...
She's seen one of them before - the hunted, not the hunter. But she can't remember, doesn't know where the encounter took place - a battlefield, or the hidden places of the world, or...
Or the medbay on the ship.
It doesn't take long - a quick mental command to Sheik, and the transformation takes place in a flash of light. And then Sheik is running, blade in hand, to where the hunt is taking place.
"HEY!" he yells, then reaches for a rock and hurls it at the hunter as hard as he can.
no subject
Meanwhile, there’s that rock. Thessaly was too focused on her prize to notice it, at least until it hit the side of her face, denting a few feather-like gills. She also came to a stop, albeit a far more graceful one, and spun around to regard the new nuisance.
Sheik has just gotten the attention of a twelve-foot-long, seven-foot-tall female alien, sleek and powerful, perfectly shaped for what she did best. She looked over the new creature curiously, a string of opaque drool falling through her maw and burning a pocket in the crumbling stone below.
This is something new. No Animalian had tasted the flesh of humans, and Aeneas should know that Thessaly loved foreign delicacies.
”You carry a weapon, tiny creature,” she purred, crouching, readying for the attack, ”And you are built well, but with just enough fat to add flavor…You may not even require seasoning. Just do me a favor and die quickly so that your meat isn’t tough.”
And she lunged forward, blindingly fast, mandibles open to reveal rows of inch-long fangs and a gaping throat lined with blood.
no subject
againby now.But he's not, and disappearing into the shadows requires no second thought. Within their boundaries, Thessaly appears as a brightish splodge, one he can skirt safely, dart several metres away, and reappear only to let loose with a handful of long, sharp throwing needles.
no subject
Thessaly screeched loudly, making a second run at her prey. A real hunter of her species wouldn’t have tried this again; instead she would’ve captured his scent and use that to keep track of where her teleporting prey was going to appear. This, however, is a Nightmare King specter, meant to confront one target and one target only. She would not adapt, not readily.
no subject
Scrambling up to reach the ledge above, in quick succession, he reappeared, hurled one of the nuts at Thessaly's face, then leaped, blade in hand, aiming for the vulnerability that was her spine.
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Frankly, she never stood a chance. Aeneas could see that much; struggling to his feet, waiting for his head to clear, he had an unimpeded view from the sidelines as his mate was soundly defeated. The sword stuck up from her abdomen like a harpoon, slicing through her spine and rupturing several internal organs. Florescent red blood spilled through the wound at no specific rate, as if it was just sitting there the entire time, waiting to leave…
…She had no defense, no knowledge against him…
Aeneas staggered forward, reaching out a webbed hand desperately. “No! No, she can’t—“
She wasn’t dead yet. Oh, god was she struggling, flailing on the ground like a boneless fish, but she had life in her yet…
“—She’s dying!” he pleaded frantically, “Please, you’ve got to help her! I can’t—I can’t lose—“
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And then he was simply staring at Aeneas, blade lax in his hand. "But... she was hunting you," he frowned, glancing between him and the dying Thessaly. "She - the nightmares - it's not real. None of it is."
Not her, not this place. For just an instant, he gets an impression of the walls of the ship before Hyrule slips back into place.
no subject
“Yes, but—“ the alien shook his head, thoughts conflicting on so many levels that it was dizzying, “—but I can’t—I love her! I’ve already lost her once…”
She stopped thrashing, now sprawled along the ground, chest and abdomen heaving as blood continued to pool underneath her. She was absolutely terrifying and would most likely snap off Aeneas’s legs as soon as he came near, yet he still walked towards her, head and tail lowered in subservience, purring loudly to calm her (and himself).
What was that feeling again? Ah, yes, he knew it now: instinct.
”Weak, pathetic creature…”
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But there wasn't exactly a lot he could do, was there? Aeneas was quite a bit bigger than him, and was getting the distinct impression that this was something he had to face. Hadn't they been told that, having to face their worst fears?
Then what would he have to confront to get out of this place?
no subject
Aeneas knew how to approach her. He made no sudden movements, kept his eyes locked on hers, lavender irises sinking into pits of navy and murderous thoughts; Thessaly lowered her brow, flared her feathers, fleshed her auricles and hissed low in her throat, never once faltering or showing pain. Actually it seemed like she was recovering, as she’d stopped bleeding and was attempting to stand. Her wounds did not close. In a way this made her even more frightening to confront.
But Aeneas kept moving towards her. It was obvious, looking down through the patches of bare skin on the back of his scarred neck, to see sweat collecting from his anxiety, to capture the scent of sugar-dipped apples wafting from his gills. He was not looking forward to this. Yet…it was something he had to do. Something he had to get over with.
“Let me help you.”
Thessaly narrowed her eyes, a grin bristling the fur on her cheeks. Blood continued to dribble through the cracks in her maw and stain her dark fur.
”Forget about it.”
Aeneas was close to her now, and she still made no move against him. Was she toying with him? Was she draining his suffering for all it was worth? Most likely; but if she was going to drain the life out of him, then he might as well know one thing first.
Just one thing. That was a fair exchange, wasn’t it? A simple question for one’s life energy?
“What is my name?”
A hoarse cackle rippled through Thessaly’s muzzle. She staggered towards him, back legs dragging, tail lashing against the rocks. She couldn’t die—Aeneas wouldn’t allow it. Not until she answered his question.
She looked him in the eyes, hot, rancid breath burning his face.
”Forget it, creature. Forget everything.”
Aeneas halted, raising his head, gaze flat. This specter would know the answer; Thessaly was, after all, created from his lost memories. If he kept her alive just a little longer, if he could get her to slip up, then perhaps he could use her to his advantage, give the Nightmare King one last good kick in the face before the others took care of him…
…The others that he’d gotten to know so well in the few months that he’d been here, the ones who stood by him no matter what happened to him, the complete strangers that would drop everything to save him, the friends that liked him not for what he could’ve been, but for what he was now…
Aeneas returned her stare, straightening his back and tail, standing above her. She tried to match his height but her injury got in the way, and she collapsed.
“You know what?” he trilled, a smirk creasing his brow, “Maybe I will.”
Thessaly’s eyes widened for half a second, and then she was gone. Sheik’s throwing needles clattered to the ground.
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And then it was over, and Sheik exhaled shakily.
He approached carefully, making no sudden movements, gathering up the scattered needles. Then he glanced up at Aeneas - they had some common ground, it seemed.
"I know what it's like to be nameless," he told him quietly, meeting the lavendar gaze. "The past doesn't matter - the now is what's important."
And, much to his own surprise, he realised that the words he had just spoken were true.
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The creature returned Sheik’s glance with a complacent smile that squinted his eyes and creased his brow. Yes, this one understood, and now Aeneas did as well. He’d been chasing his past for the better part of two years now, the entire time thinking himself a blank slate waiting to have old stories reprinted upon its surface; but once he got close enough to fill in the important chapters, he realized that the stone was already taken by the life of a new person, a better person, and frankly, the only person Aeneas wanted to know about.
“I am not nameless,” the alien trilled proudly, “My name is Aeneas. It has been and it always will be. What is yours?”
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Speaking of which... his shoulder definitely hurt, although the plantsuit had resealed itself over it and was doing a reasonable job keeping the pain from being overwhelming.
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“I do not think so,” Aeneas cocked his head, looking Sheik over curiously, “But what of yourself?”
If he didn’t have any torn outer clothing to show for it, then the way he held his shoulder was evidence enough that this other was the hurt one. Otherwise…
…Huh. This is curious.
Aeneas paused, taking his hand back and reaching behind his ears. Ooh, definitely had a good cut there—explained the dizziness. He brought his arm around and noticed, with some disdain, the florescent blood staining his fingertips.
He blinked, realizing that this probably didn’t look good. “—Nothing serious,” Aeneas insisted, wiping his hand off on his fur and offering Sheik a sheepish smile.
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Smile slipping to a thoughtful frown, he glanced around at the false castle and the blasted rock that surrounded it. "We should get out of here," he told Aeneas, more softly now.
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“Indeed,” the alien blinked, a little confused, “Where…where is ‘here’, exactly?”
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Now he had to confront it, didn't he? He and Zelda facing their demons - blocking the path back to the market, the masses were reassembling, silent condemnation aimed at the princess. And behind them... there was sunlight, there, and greenery again. A future.
"We don't have any choice, do we?" he practically whispered, gazing at the crowd.
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“You helped me first,” he rumbled consolingly, “So the least I can do is return the favor. Come on.”
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"Stop it," Zelda whispered in Sheik's voice. But they were right, weren't they? She had fled and left them to rot.
[Zelda,] Sheik told her urgently, [Listen to me. Listen. There was nothing you could do. If Ganondorf had found you, you would have been killed - this way, there's hope. You and Link -]
His mental 'voice' faltered. Zelda and Link - that was all Hyrule needed. His part was done.
[You and Link are both needed. That's why Link slept for seven years. That's why I kept you safe - you didn't fail anyone. You did everything you could do - for the sake of all of Hyrule.]
"But..." Again, Zelda's words through Sheik's lips. "I left them... I've wronged you..."
[You never wronged me. Never. Zelda, listen to me - you did what you could!]
"I can't..."
((OOC: To Aeneas, he would have just heard the stuff Zelda's saying out loud (through Sheik), with the infliction and tone different to Sheik's normal voice. And there would have been gaps where Sheik is just communicating with Zelda (in the red). It's still physically Sheik's body, right now.))
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Aeneas wasn’t sure what was making Sheik pause, or what kind of nervous feelings were enough to make his voice spike an octave or two, but it was hardly the weirdest thing he’d encountered in this place. Though, if it was one thing that he had trouble understanding, it was how the murmurs of crowd were able to deter him…
Yes, the vibe was plenty threatening. A single individual standing up to a large gathering was no casual matter, by no means. But it was only because of Stacy’s translators that what they said bore any meaning—and they were the only things that actually gave Aeneas a voice himself. Otherwise he would’ve communicated through movements, gestures, vibrations and simple vocalizations, crude yet intensely significant, and frankly that was all he needed. It was easy for him to listen to the words of these humans and brush them off, especially since he knew that they would only throw their voices, not their fists.
Not if Aeneas could help it.
The alien gave Sheik a gentle nudge forward, guiding him reassuringly towards the masses, purring deeply by his ear. “It is not your fault that they do not understand. It hurts them now, but inside they are thankful—search for that and keep walking.”
He didn’t even know what Sheik did.
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[You survived - you needed to survive to ensure the safety of everyone. Zelda, think! What could you have done? If you had revealed yourself, Ganondorf would have sensed you. Nowhere in Hyrule would have been safe. You would have died if you hadn't hidden, Zelda, and then these people - all of them - would have been condemned.]
They had reached the edge of the crowd, now - jeers and harsh words on one side, Sheik and Zelda on the other. Sheik's expression was drawn, his face white, his hands curled into fists, but there was no outward sign of the frantic words he was telling his princess.
[Zelda, I know you. I know that if you had been able to, you would have done everything you could to help. But sometimes sacrifices have to be made for the greater good - you couldn't help them for seven years so you could save them all. If you had helped them, it would have been worse for them. They would have no hope, then. Zelda, you did what you could.]
Sheik swallowed, and for a moment the dream allowed both to show, Zelda shining through Sheik like his skin was glass. Blue eyes in a tan face, the crest of the Triforce on their right hand, Zelda's soft soprano from Sheik's lips.
"I did what I could," she repeated to the crowd, head bowed. What could she have done? She trusted Sheik - his words rang true. "I could do no more, and I will make things right. I promise."
And the crowd was gone like it had never been there, and Sheik was himself again. He exhaled shakily, then glanced back at Aeneas. "Thank you," he said quietly, although his expression was still drawn.
Zelda had faced her demons - but what about his?
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…No, they must not be the only ones there. Who else…who else was around? Were they hiding?
Aeneas blinked, realizing that something very odd was going on here. For one, there was the glowing, which he’d dismissed as some effect of the nightmare being defeated; now that he considered it, Sheik’s form actually changed. How did…?
Secondly, the creature was getting some really bizarre hormonal readings off this guy. It would definitely explain the awkward vocal shifts, though…though that other possibility was far more tantalizing.
It wasn’t his business. Aeneas shook his head, auricles flopping, and he gave an indifferent trill.
“Perhaps if we keep moving we can escape the dream’s boundaries,” he suggested absently, taking several limping steps ahead.
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It was quiet.
"Sheik," uttered a soft, small voice, and he turned to find Zelda standing behind him. He was free to continue, and he knew it - but it would come at the expense of Zelda being trapped behind a wall of shadow, of being unable to move on with her life... and all because of him.
His continuing up the green path to continue with his life meant holding Zelda back.
He sank to the ground on one side of the barrier, and Zelda did the same, reaching against it - if he reached out, he could feel the warmth of her palm through it. "Zelda," he whispered in return.
She gave him a small, sad smile. "This is your nightmare, isn't it?" she said softly. "I've faced my demons already... Sheik, what is it that you fear?"
His hand twitched against hers. "That..." he choked, "That I'm... I... I can't move on. Not so long as you're still trapped. Not when I'm holding you back." He curled his fingers inwards, wrapping them around Zelda's smaller hand, and the shadow barrier warped and twisted around his hand. "This is my doing," he whispered.
By now, his eyes were clouding up - he blinked, trying to hold it back. How could he do this to her? How could he prevent her from living out her life? "It's my fault," he choked, and he bowed his head. "Link can protect you better than I can, I'm... holding you back, you deserve to live your own life... you deserve to be whole and complete again..."
"Sheik, no," she said insistently, a tear running down her own cheek. "You know what that would mean!"
He nods, unable to meet her blue eyes. "I know," he said hollowly. "I would do it for you - you don't need me any more." He laughs a little, quiet and bitter. "You survived, Zelda. You were reunited with Link, just in a slightly different time and place. My part is over, now."
Glancing back at Aeneas, he gave him a tired smile. "Go on," he told him, "Down the path - you should be able to wake up. You've fought your demons - nothing is keeping you here."
((OOC: The path ahead is pretty bright, and walking down it would mean they all wake up, but Sheik basically can't do that himself without abandoning Zelda to the nightmares. So he's got to work through this. Aeneas would be able to see both of them, now - it's a dream, so they can both be here. He wouldn't be able to cross the barrier, either - it's something Sheik has to break down by overcoming all that crap in his head.))
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Aeneas blinked, looking from one form to the other, befuddlement making his eyes cross. So this ‘Zelda’ person was inside Sheik? Was she a part of him? Or was she just someone really important that manifested within the dream? No, if that were the case then they wouldn’t have had to fight off her fears earlier. What if she was a separate personality? Like, an isolated consciousness, perhaps?
Nevermind, this was even more confusing than the hormones thing. He still had a debt to owe.
“Other than to repay your kindness, no,” Aeneas gave a curt nod, pressing his hand against the smoky barrier. It warped, but otherwise did not show any signs of giving in.
Perhaps…perhaps this was something these two had to work out themselves. The alien sighed, slowly pulling back his arm.
“…I could not live with myself if I willingly abandoned one who saved my life. Not again…”
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Zelda shook her head fiercely. "The rules have changed," she whispered. "What was laid out by destiny no longer applies. Do you trust me?"
He nodded once.
"Then trust me when I say I don't want to do this without you!" Clinging to Sheik's hand like a lifeline through the barrier, she stared into his eyes, determined to make him understand. "Things have changed. We can make our own choices now, and my choice is for you to stay with me. It's not just my future, it's both of ours - you can have one here. Don't you want this?"
Again, he nodded, but more slowly. Yes, he wanted to live, but... "What about Link?" he asked softly.
"What about him?" Zelda said insistently.
"He adores you," Sheik said with a sad smile, "And I'm not sure he even trusts me. I'm sure he'd think you'd be better off without me there, too... you could have a normal life with him."
Zelda was silent for a moment, then, impulsively, leaned forward and pressed her lips to Sheik's through the barrier. "I don't care about normal," she told him, voice soft and shaken like a child's, and wiped her eyes. "If this is truly what you want, then I can't stop you, but... if my choices mean anything to you, then I don't want to spend my life without you."
Sheik remained silent for several long moments more, kneeling in the dust with Zelda's hand in his. Zelda's words had shaken him - he had assumed that he was a burden, that he was stopping any chance of normalcy. And Link, too - he loved Zelda, that much was obvious to him. And also obvious to him: Link did not feel the same way about Sheik. Wouldn't it be better for Link if he was gone?
But then, if Zelda wanted him to stay, then... he couldn't refuse her, could he? He never had been able to say no to her. Breaking the contract meant freedom for her, didn't it? But if she didn't want it... if he could stay...
Could he accept the possibility of actually having a future? Was this actually what Zelda wanted?
"It is," she said softly in answer to his silent question.
Sheik closed his eyes. "So be it," he whispered back, and reached forward through the barrier to gather her in his arms, breathing in the sweet scent of her hair, relishing in the simple feeling of her warm against him. "Ana sadir amah," he whispered, and she returned it in kind even as he broke the embrace.
And then it was just him again, kneeling in the dust, Zelda's comforting presence in his mind. A nightmare laid before him, but if he turned back to Aeneas and the path behind, the light faded to show one of the many corridors of the ship.
Sheik got to his feet, dusted himself off, and gave Aeneas a weak smile. "Well... let's go, then."