Look what the cat dragged back from the dead

[50shadesofblack]

You forget me for a few years, then drag me back. It's been two since the last time I was around. [He would be irritated, but it's been refreshing being out of his Mun's crosshairs of pain. Morrison hasn't been that fortunate, but that wasn't Dark's problem.] Even after fourteen years of first dragging me into your nightmarish mindscape, you're still sentimental as hell.

[A pause, then a snort.]

Your attention span could put overworked switches to shame. I'd say 'find someone to play me with' to get your muse back so I'm not just gathering dust with the rest of the poor fools stuck in your head, but I feel like that would end in tragedy in more ways than one on my part.

[He's been around the block and through the grinder too many times to be hopeful that his Mun wouldn't throw him to the wolves purely for the angst.
His Mun may argue that, but Dark knows better. Goddesses, even all the angst and pain is nostalgic at this point. He was going mental.]

At least bring an apology gift basket the next time you decide to pull me from the confines of your mind after years of radio silence.

Comments

[younghero]

[ Stare.]

...

[He's normally more talkative, but, this has thrown him for a loop.]

[50shadesofblack]

[Have a stare back because Dark is much more used to seeing older Links interacting with him, rather than the younger versions.

Not that he minds that, but it is a bit startling.]

Ah... Hello?

[Hell, might as well try to start a civil conversation while they're here.]

[younghero]

[Okay, well, civil conversation he could do. Link gave a little Triforce-handed wave.]

Hi.

[50shadesofblack]

[Well this is a bit awkward. As much of an oxymoron as it sounded like, most other Links were far more... talkative than this.

Dark could probably make it work. Probably.]

So, how's life been treating you?

[Nailed it.]

[younghero]

[He might change that assessment.]

Pretty good, I'm living in a sentient city in a game, and I've met a ton of interesting people, and there's reality storms, and there's even a few people from Hyrule there. There's also a bunch of time-traveling Doctors, who are all the same person, but from different lives. And I'm being adopted, which is good, but, I'm having to do a bunch of school stuff which sucks, but it seems to make everyone else happy.

I like it there!

[50shadesofblack]

[Wait he takes back that comment about not being talkative, oh dear Farore save him and his precious ears.]

Oh- Well, I mean... It's good that you're having a fun time, I suppose?

[He's not good with social interaction, even when it's not with children. How on earth do people manage to hold conversations with kids?]

Nothing too horrible has happened, I'm guessing? [With how chatty lil' Link was, Dark had a feeling he'd already know about anything negative that had somehow managed to happen to the kiddo. But that was just a hunch.]

[younghero]

Nah, I've been through worse.

I got to spend a week as a wolf one time, which was really cool, and another time I got to be older and go to a...uh, high school, and that was okay too, since I got a twin brother during that one.

...I also had to spend a week as a talking pony and that was just weird and lame.

[Yeah, kiddo is chatty. He's made up for lost time.]

[50shadesofblack]

[Damn. Dark was stuck in a soggy Temple for years and even he's not this eager to talk to people. But then again, he's not really eager to be around people in the first place, either. Not having any social skills sucks sometimes; even after 14 years of putting up with his Mun, he's got more social anxiety than a cave-dwelling hermit.]

Yeah... Compared to a wolf, a pony is definitely a step down, I'd think.

[This coming from the literal shadow that can manipulate his form into different things, but still. Ponies are considerably lamer than wolves. And lions. Lions are awesome.

Were you at least able to do anything cool while you were a pony? Or were you one of those uncool, non-magical, non-winged ones?

[younghero]

[People both ditching him and forgetting him had made Link a bit on the chatty side. He tried to keep upbeat about it, it wasn't personal after all. At least he really hoped it wasn't.]

Nope. Just a talking pony. Zero powers. Some of my friends got wings and magical horns, but all I got was a Triforce on my flank. It was boring.

[50shadesofblack]

[Awh, Link bby :( you're too precious to be ditched, they didn't deserve you in the first place]

Ch'yea, then that sounds super boring. What's the fun in shifting forms if you don't at least get some sort of cool power or ability out of it? [Even though his Mun thinks that shapeshifting in general would be cool enough, it just isn't cool enough for the shadow demon. Because he's a snob like that.]

You said something about some sort of "sentient" city you live in? How exactly does that work? Do you mean sentient as in it can eat you or sentient in a minor way, like the city feels more "alive" than a normal one would feel?

[younghero]

The city's alive and asked us all to live there. Uh--his name is Nautilus and he's able to give people who live there gifts and stuff. Sometimes he talks to people, but, not often.

He doesn't eat people, but, the giant spiders in the West do. So, those are good to practice on. But, they keep coming back and no one can get rid of them permanently.

[50shadesofblack]

[...]

Y'know, I'm sorta glad that my Mun has been too distracted to ever seriously consider putting me in any games around here.

[Dark couldn't help the grimace that crossed his face at the mention of giant spiders -- he had enough issues dealing with Tektites and Skulltulas, the last thing he wanted was even more Goddesses-damned horrifying arachnids in his life.]

So other than the West being a perpetual Hell of no escape, is there anything else of interest? [A small, thoughtful pause.] What sorta gifts does he tend to give?

[younghero]

It could be worse. We're all there for a reason, probably to keep the city safe.

Oh, well, the South is all Forest, so, it's pretty nice. There's an Ocean in the East, and the North is basically city. Everything is free, they don't use any type of money, and...okay, when everyone gets there they lose any magic skills they know, but, everyone can relearn it and they can make literally anything they want with their minds.

[Link bounced on his toes.]

Usually something from home. Zelda got her harp and I got my Ocarina and Epona. Other times, he gives things that are jokes.

[50shadesofblack]

Mmph, better you all than me. I could fight a thousand Wolfos, but pit me against spiders and I am gone.

[As in, his non-existent soul would be gone from his body as he fled the corporeal realm.]

If anything I'd probably stick to the forest. I don't like cities much, and like Hell would I go anywhere near the West. The ocean sounds nice though...

[Dark tilted his head, a curious look appearing on his face.] That makes me wonder what I'd get as a gift. I don't have much in the way of objects close to me... I'd probably just get joke items, and I'm not sure if that'd be a good thing or not, depending on what the items in question were.

[younghero]

A couple of guys ride them like horses. [Which is incredibly cool, Link totally respects that. He'd still rather stab the creatures until they stop spidering.]

The forest is pretty great.

The ocean is fun, there's lots of parties there on the beach, everyone's invited to them. During the fall one with the bonfires, they made these things called s'mores, and you make 'em by setting white squishy things on fire.

[Marshmallows, Link.]

And not every thing he gives is a joke. Sometimes they're useful things, or just things from home. A lady got a machine that plays music, and I've seen other people get pets they didn't have back home.

[50shadesofblack]

I... think I'll still pass on going anywhere near the spiders -- even if they do have someone riding them. [That honestly sounds like a nightmare too, and as cathartic as it'd be to control the thing that frightens him so much, getting close to one in the first place would be a... challenge.]

That sounds nice. It's been a long while since I've been to a party, bonfire or otherwise. [That's because you sulk on the outskirts of every single social gathering you attend, Dark...] I've had s'mores once in the past. I preferred just stealing the chocolate and eating it, rather than dealing with the sticky marshmallow mess.

[He falls silently thoughtful at Link's words, a small hum sounding from him.] I do suppose having things from just a general home would be useful. I did lose my ocarina at some point in the past, and I've never been able to find a suitable replacement.