Halloween fic
Lookie, I actually wrote something!
Title: They
Series: The Legend of Zelda
Rating: T
Warnings: Mindrape, and general creepiness (I hope)
A/N: This is what happens when I spend an entire weekend doing nothing but playing Majora's Mask.
“’They’?” the boy with the green clothes asked, and Romani sighed in exasperation.
“Yes, Grasshopper, They,” she replied. “They come every year, just before the Carnival. Haven’t you ever heard of Them?”
Grasshopper quirked an eyebrow at her. “No. And stop calling me that, my name is Link.”
Romani waved her hand dismissively. “You’re all green, so you’re Grasshopper.” Then she looked around, like she was afraid her little dog might be spying on them, and said in a low voice, “They come down on a bright light.”
“Really…”
“Yes! It appears out in the pastures, and then They come, floating ever so slowly and menacingly.” She said the last word with teeth bared, the better to get her meaning across, but Grasshopper remained unimpressed. “They break into the barn, and they take our cows. Then the light comes to take Them away, and They’re gone for a whole year.” She kicked at the grass under their feet, head hung forlornly. “My sister won’t believe me; she thinks it’s just thieves, or those nasty Gorman brothers. But I know the truth.” She reached out for a handful of Grasshopper’s tunic and said, eyes blazing, “We have to stop Them! You will help me, won’t you, Grasshopper?”
Grasshopper didn’t look too happy, but after he rolled his eyes and looked pleadingly at his sassy fairy friend, he nodded.
“Great!” Romani enthused. “Well, we have to practice before They get here. I set up a bunch of They-balloons around the ranch. Why don’t you take Epona and practice shooting them? My record is a minute! Bet you can’t beat it!”
Grasshopper rolled his eyes again, but played his ocarina to summon Epona, and spurred her off into the fields, bow in hand.
They practiced all afternoon. Grasshopper had no trouble beating Romani’s record, and even though she was a little miffed about that, it was all for the good of the ranch.
Finally, just as the sun was starting to set and the peal of the bells were ringing out from Clock Town, Romani waved Grasshopper and Epona back over to the barn. “Wow, Grasshopper, you were great! Now, the operation begins tonight, at two. Meet me here outside the barn, and we’ll go over the plan before They show up. Okay?”
Grasshopper nodded. “Got it. Guess I’ll see you tonight…” He climbed on Epona.
“Don’t be late!” Romani called, and she waved as Grasshopper rode away.
--
Romani could feel her sister’s eyes on her as Cremia stirred a pot of stew for their dinner. Romani knew Cremia had seen them practicing, but she wasn’t sure what she would say.
“So,” Cremia said, ladling out two bowls of stew, “who was your friend from this afternoon? I don’t think I’ve seen him before.” She sat down across from Romani.
“Oh, that was Grasshopper.”
“Grasshopper? That’s a funny name.”
“It’s just what I call him. He wears green clothes, like a grasshopper! His real name is Link. He’s new in town.”
Cremia smiled. “Just in time for the festival, huh? Well, he certainly seemed to know his way around a bow, and on a horse. And he’s so young!”
“I know. He’s so cool! He’s going to help me-“ Romani stopped, just shy of saying too much.
Or not. “Help you…?” Cremia pressed.
“Help me…herd the cows!” Romani cried, struck by sudden inspiration. “Yep, that’s it.”
Cremia gave her little sister one of her looks. “Romani…are you telling the truth?”
“Yes!” Romani insisted. “Cremia, I wouldn’t lie to you!”
“Uh-huh. And what about when you brought home that Deku Baba sprout and tried to keep it as a pet? You told me it was a squirrel!”
“Well, okay, that one time, but I’m not this time, I swear!” Romani put on her best smile and tried to look innocent, and breathed a discreet sigh of relief when Cremia took a bite of her stew.
But then: “This is about Them, isn’t it?”
Romani hesitated just a second too long, and Cremia said, “It is! Romani, I’ve told you, there are no weird sky beings coming down and stealing our cows! It’s the Gorman brothers; I’ve seen them at it! I hope you didn’t tell that nice Link boy all this nonsense.”
“But don’t you think it’s strange that cows always disappear the same time, right before the festival?” They’d had this conversation before, several years in a row now, but Romani never gave up without a fight. “You have to admit it’s suspicious!”
“Yeah, like all thefts are! Romani-no, I don’t want to hear it!” Cremia shouted over Romani’s retort, “Romani, enough of this. Your playtime fantasies are one thing, but getting a poor boy like that involved is another! Now, tonight you are going to bed, and tomorrow you will wake up and everything will be fine.”
Romani knew better than to argue.
--
That night, after Cremia had tucked her in, Romani listened carefully for the sounds of her sister retiring for the night. When the sound of the door clicking shut across the hall finally came, Romani threw back the covers and dressed quietly, grabbing her bow and padding barefoot out to the yard.
She had to wait a while, almost an hour, until Grasshopper showed up. He came leading Epona, looking bored and kind of tired.
“There you are!” Romani greeted him.
“Here I am,” Grasshopper replied. “So what’s this ‘plan’?”
“It’s simple!” Romani said. “They are going to attack from all sides, even behind the barn, so you get on Epona and shoot Them with your bow. You should be able to take Them out no problem. I’ll stay in the barn and keep the animals calm.”
“Wait, you’re going to be in there?” Grasshopper looked incredulous. “Why-never mind, forget it.”
Romani continued, “We’ve got to hold Them off until the sun comes up. They hate the light, so They’ll disappear when that happens. That’s only a few hours from now. Think you can do it?”
Grasshopper rolled his eyes again. “Sure.”
“Great! Then let’s…” Romani’s eyes widened. There, at the edge of the pasture, an orange light was descending, skimming over the trees and coming towards them.
“Oh no, here They come! Quick, Grasshopper, get on Epona and head them off!” Romani turned and ran for the barn, and she thought she heard Grasshopper gasp before the sound of pounding hooves confirmed he was riding out to meet their foe.
Inside, Romani shut and locked the door before going to her favorite cow, Millie. She patted Millie’s flank, saying, “They aren’t going to get you tonight, girl. Grasshopper is here to help us, and he’s even better than I am!” Millie lowed quietly in response.
Romani kept her bow and arrows ready, but everything was silent. She couldn’t even hear Grasshopper riding around the pasture. Romani was just starting to think that maybe Grasshopper had scared Them off when she heard it: quiet as a whisper, an inhuman shriek reached her ears. It was very far away, and so quiet Romani thought she’d half imagined it, but it sent a chill down her spine nonetheless.
“Don’t worry, Millie,” she said, “that’s a good sign. Grasshopper must’ve killed one.”
The silence fell again, heavy and thick, and Romani wished desperately that there was a window through which she could see the sky, some way for her to know how much time had passed. It must be close to dawn now…surely, any second Grasshopper will knock on the door and announce that he got every last one of Them…
There was a sound, and Romani gasped, startled. “Grasshopper,” she said, “Grasshopper, you scared me…”
Scritch, scratch…
“Grasshopper?” Romani’s eyes landed on the door and refused to move. “Grasshopper, is that you?”
Scritch, scratch…
“Grasshopper, stop it, you’re scaring me!” There, she said it, she was scared! Romani felt tears begin to prick at her eyes.
It grew louder…
SCRITCH, SCRATCH…
Romani held her bow higher, her voice fading. “Grasshopper…”
SCRITCH, SCRATCH
“Grasshopper…”
SCRITCH SCRATCH CRUNCH
“Help me…”
The door burst inwards, shards of wood flying everywhere. Romani screamed, but her hours and hours of practice paid off; she nocked an arrow and let fly, and a wooden shaft sprouted from the forehead of one of Them. It let out the same shriek she had heard before, but so much louder; Romani, about to fire again, faltered at the horrible sound. The creature writhed for a moment before bursting in a flash of light.
Its companions were right behind it, though, and Romani fought to stay in control, letting loose another arrow. Another one of Them exploded into nothing, but they kept coming, not seeming to care how many of Them she killed.
“Stay back!” Romani cried. Another one gone. “You’re not stealing anything!” Another one. And another. But still they came, closer and closer…
Romani’s last shot went wild. She tried to nock another arrow but They were upon her; and she lost her bow as she felt one of Their horrible claw hands close around her arm. She pulled at it, repulsed and horrified, and desperate.
“Let me go! Let me go! Please…Grasshopper! Grasshopper!” There were so many of Them, so many hands grasping awfully at her, pinching and squeezing, and Romani screamed, and there was a bright orange light…
--
It was cold, so cold. Romani felt a hard surface underneath her, and her body was paralyzed; she couldn’t lift her arms or move or legs or anything. She could still speak, and she pleaded and begged to be let go, but They didn’t listen.
They were everywhere, They were all she could see, Their horrible heads with Their glowing eyes and Their pinching, grasping hands that would not let her go. Romani felt something poking at her belly, at her sides, and then…
One of Their terrible hands was on her head, creeping slowly down until it was over her face, and Romani squirmed, but her body would not obey her.
And she felt the hand…it was going into her, probing her mind, dredging up her thoughts. She saw scenes from when she was a young child, when her father was still alive to take care of the ranch, things she’d completely forgotten…the memories came faster and faster, more and more recent, until she saw Grasshopper just that afternoon, looking disbelieving but willing to help her out anyway.
“Oh, Grasshopper…” Romani whispered. Had he survived? Had They captured him too? It was all her fault…he hadn’t even believed They were real…
“I’m sorry, Grasshopper,” she said, and she began repeating it, even as something long and thin and sharp pierced the skin under her chin and went up and up and up, and darkness began to flood in. “I’m sorry…I’m sorry…I’m-“
--
“Romani? Romani!”
She awoke to the sound of a voice. It was loud, and she wished it would stop. It hurt her ears.
“Oh, thank the heavens you’re alright. I was afraid-so afraid…I’m so sorry I didn’t believe you.”
There was a creature, pale, with long red hair growing from its head. It looked at her. It touched her.
“Romani? C’mon, squirt, aren’t you…” It choked on its words. “Aren’t you going to say something?”
She was not sure what it wanted.
“Romani, it’s me, Cremia, your sister! Don’t you recognize me?”
The creature was still touching her. It began to shake her, and she wished it would stop. It hurt.
“Romani, say something, please! Anything!”
She looked at the creature, looked it in the eye. It stopped touching her, and fell back. It cried out.
“Oh gods! Oh gods!”
It began to cry.
--
Another creature came. This one was also pale, with bright green clothes, and yellow hair. It spoke to the first creature.
“Romani! Cremia, what’s-what’s going on?”
“Link, I…Romani, she…”
“What?”
“She came back, a few hours ago, but she just…looks at me, she doesn’t smile or speak or move or anything…”
The first creature continued to cry. It had been doing for a while, and she wondered if it would stop.
“Romani? Romani, it’s me Link! We practiced the other day, and They came, and you…”
The second creature stopped talking. Practice?
“Romani, I…I’m Link! Remember? I’m Li-I mean, I’m Grasshopper! Because of my green clothes!”
The second creature was familiar. Something about…Them?
“Romani?”
She spoke.
“Would you like to…practice?”
Title: They
Series: The Legend of Zelda
Rating: T
Warnings: Mindrape, and general creepiness (I hope)
A/N: This is what happens when I spend an entire weekend doing nothing but playing Majora's Mask.
“’They’?” the boy with the green clothes asked, and Romani sighed in exasperation.
“Yes, Grasshopper, They,” she replied. “They come every year, just before the Carnival. Haven’t you ever heard of Them?”
Grasshopper quirked an eyebrow at her. “No. And stop calling me that, my name is Link.”
Romani waved her hand dismissively. “You’re all green, so you’re Grasshopper.” Then she looked around, like she was afraid her little dog might be spying on them, and said in a low voice, “They come down on a bright light.”
“Really…”
“Yes! It appears out in the pastures, and then They come, floating ever so slowly and menacingly.” She said the last word with teeth bared, the better to get her meaning across, but Grasshopper remained unimpressed. “They break into the barn, and they take our cows. Then the light comes to take Them away, and They’re gone for a whole year.” She kicked at the grass under their feet, head hung forlornly. “My sister won’t believe me; she thinks it’s just thieves, or those nasty Gorman brothers. But I know the truth.” She reached out for a handful of Grasshopper’s tunic and said, eyes blazing, “We have to stop Them! You will help me, won’t you, Grasshopper?”
Grasshopper didn’t look too happy, but after he rolled his eyes and looked pleadingly at his sassy fairy friend, he nodded.
“Great!” Romani enthused. “Well, we have to practice before They get here. I set up a bunch of They-balloons around the ranch. Why don’t you take Epona and practice shooting them? My record is a minute! Bet you can’t beat it!”
Grasshopper rolled his eyes again, but played his ocarina to summon Epona, and spurred her off into the fields, bow in hand.
They practiced all afternoon. Grasshopper had no trouble beating Romani’s record, and even though she was a little miffed about that, it was all for the good of the ranch.
Finally, just as the sun was starting to set and the peal of the bells were ringing out from Clock Town, Romani waved Grasshopper and Epona back over to the barn. “Wow, Grasshopper, you were great! Now, the operation begins tonight, at two. Meet me here outside the barn, and we’ll go over the plan before They show up. Okay?”
Grasshopper nodded. “Got it. Guess I’ll see you tonight…” He climbed on Epona.
“Don’t be late!” Romani called, and she waved as Grasshopper rode away.
--
Romani could feel her sister’s eyes on her as Cremia stirred a pot of stew for their dinner. Romani knew Cremia had seen them practicing, but she wasn’t sure what she would say.
“So,” Cremia said, ladling out two bowls of stew, “who was your friend from this afternoon? I don’t think I’ve seen him before.” She sat down across from Romani.
“Oh, that was Grasshopper.”
“Grasshopper? That’s a funny name.”
“It’s just what I call him. He wears green clothes, like a grasshopper! His real name is Link. He’s new in town.”
Cremia smiled. “Just in time for the festival, huh? Well, he certainly seemed to know his way around a bow, and on a horse. And he’s so young!”
“I know. He’s so cool! He’s going to help me-“ Romani stopped, just shy of saying too much.
Or not. “Help you…?” Cremia pressed.
“Help me…herd the cows!” Romani cried, struck by sudden inspiration. “Yep, that’s it.”
Cremia gave her little sister one of her looks. “Romani…are you telling the truth?”
“Yes!” Romani insisted. “Cremia, I wouldn’t lie to you!”
“Uh-huh. And what about when you brought home that Deku Baba sprout and tried to keep it as a pet? You told me it was a squirrel!”
“Well, okay, that one time, but I’m not this time, I swear!” Romani put on her best smile and tried to look innocent, and breathed a discreet sigh of relief when Cremia took a bite of her stew.
But then: “This is about Them, isn’t it?”
Romani hesitated just a second too long, and Cremia said, “It is! Romani, I’ve told you, there are no weird sky beings coming down and stealing our cows! It’s the Gorman brothers; I’ve seen them at it! I hope you didn’t tell that nice Link boy all this nonsense.”
“But don’t you think it’s strange that cows always disappear the same time, right before the festival?” They’d had this conversation before, several years in a row now, but Romani never gave up without a fight. “You have to admit it’s suspicious!”
“Yeah, like all thefts are! Romani-no, I don’t want to hear it!” Cremia shouted over Romani’s retort, “Romani, enough of this. Your playtime fantasies are one thing, but getting a poor boy like that involved is another! Now, tonight you are going to bed, and tomorrow you will wake up and everything will be fine.”
Romani knew better than to argue.
--
That night, after Cremia had tucked her in, Romani listened carefully for the sounds of her sister retiring for the night. When the sound of the door clicking shut across the hall finally came, Romani threw back the covers and dressed quietly, grabbing her bow and padding barefoot out to the yard.
She had to wait a while, almost an hour, until Grasshopper showed up. He came leading Epona, looking bored and kind of tired.
“There you are!” Romani greeted him.
“Here I am,” Grasshopper replied. “So what’s this ‘plan’?”
“It’s simple!” Romani said. “They are going to attack from all sides, even behind the barn, so you get on Epona and shoot Them with your bow. You should be able to take Them out no problem. I’ll stay in the barn and keep the animals calm.”
“Wait, you’re going to be in there?” Grasshopper looked incredulous. “Why-never mind, forget it.”
Romani continued, “We’ve got to hold Them off until the sun comes up. They hate the light, so They’ll disappear when that happens. That’s only a few hours from now. Think you can do it?”
Grasshopper rolled his eyes again. “Sure.”
“Great! Then let’s…” Romani’s eyes widened. There, at the edge of the pasture, an orange light was descending, skimming over the trees and coming towards them.
“Oh no, here They come! Quick, Grasshopper, get on Epona and head them off!” Romani turned and ran for the barn, and she thought she heard Grasshopper gasp before the sound of pounding hooves confirmed he was riding out to meet their foe.
Inside, Romani shut and locked the door before going to her favorite cow, Millie. She patted Millie’s flank, saying, “They aren’t going to get you tonight, girl. Grasshopper is here to help us, and he’s even better than I am!” Millie lowed quietly in response.
Romani kept her bow and arrows ready, but everything was silent. She couldn’t even hear Grasshopper riding around the pasture. Romani was just starting to think that maybe Grasshopper had scared Them off when she heard it: quiet as a whisper, an inhuman shriek reached her ears. It was very far away, and so quiet Romani thought she’d half imagined it, but it sent a chill down her spine nonetheless.
“Don’t worry, Millie,” she said, “that’s a good sign. Grasshopper must’ve killed one.”
The silence fell again, heavy and thick, and Romani wished desperately that there was a window through which she could see the sky, some way for her to know how much time had passed. It must be close to dawn now…surely, any second Grasshopper will knock on the door and announce that he got every last one of Them…
There was a sound, and Romani gasped, startled. “Grasshopper,” she said, “Grasshopper, you scared me…”
Scritch, scratch…
“Grasshopper?” Romani’s eyes landed on the door and refused to move. “Grasshopper, is that you?”
Scritch, scratch…
“Grasshopper, stop it, you’re scaring me!” There, she said it, she was scared! Romani felt tears begin to prick at her eyes.
It grew louder…
SCRITCH, SCRATCH…
Romani held her bow higher, her voice fading. “Grasshopper…”
SCRITCH, SCRATCH
“Grasshopper…”
SCRITCH SCRATCH CRUNCH
“Help me…”
The door burst inwards, shards of wood flying everywhere. Romani screamed, but her hours and hours of practice paid off; she nocked an arrow and let fly, and a wooden shaft sprouted from the forehead of one of Them. It let out the same shriek she had heard before, but so much louder; Romani, about to fire again, faltered at the horrible sound. The creature writhed for a moment before bursting in a flash of light.
Its companions were right behind it, though, and Romani fought to stay in control, letting loose another arrow. Another one of Them exploded into nothing, but they kept coming, not seeming to care how many of Them she killed.
“Stay back!” Romani cried. Another one gone. “You’re not stealing anything!” Another one. And another. But still they came, closer and closer…
Romani’s last shot went wild. She tried to nock another arrow but They were upon her; and she lost her bow as she felt one of Their horrible claw hands close around her arm. She pulled at it, repulsed and horrified, and desperate.
“Let me go! Let me go! Please…Grasshopper! Grasshopper!” There were so many of Them, so many hands grasping awfully at her, pinching and squeezing, and Romani screamed, and there was a bright orange light…
--
It was cold, so cold. Romani felt a hard surface underneath her, and her body was paralyzed; she couldn’t lift her arms or move or legs or anything. She could still speak, and she pleaded and begged to be let go, but They didn’t listen.
They were everywhere, They were all she could see, Their horrible heads with Their glowing eyes and Their pinching, grasping hands that would not let her go. Romani felt something poking at her belly, at her sides, and then…
One of Their terrible hands was on her head, creeping slowly down until it was over her face, and Romani squirmed, but her body would not obey her.
And she felt the hand…it was going into her, probing her mind, dredging up her thoughts. She saw scenes from when she was a young child, when her father was still alive to take care of the ranch, things she’d completely forgotten…the memories came faster and faster, more and more recent, until she saw Grasshopper just that afternoon, looking disbelieving but willing to help her out anyway.
“Oh, Grasshopper…” Romani whispered. Had he survived? Had They captured him too? It was all her fault…he hadn’t even believed They were real…
“I’m sorry, Grasshopper,” she said, and she began repeating it, even as something long and thin and sharp pierced the skin under her chin and went up and up and up, and darkness began to flood in. “I’m sorry…I’m sorry…I’m-“
--
“Romani? Romani!”
She awoke to the sound of a voice. It was loud, and she wished it would stop. It hurt her ears.
“Oh, thank the heavens you’re alright. I was afraid-so afraid…I’m so sorry I didn’t believe you.”
There was a creature, pale, with long red hair growing from its head. It looked at her. It touched her.
“Romani? C’mon, squirt, aren’t you…” It choked on its words. “Aren’t you going to say something?”
She was not sure what it wanted.
“Romani, it’s me, Cremia, your sister! Don’t you recognize me?”
The creature was still touching her. It began to shake her, and she wished it would stop. It hurt.
“Romani, say something, please! Anything!”
She looked at the creature, looked it in the eye. It stopped touching her, and fell back. It cried out.
“Oh gods! Oh gods!”
It began to cry.
--
Another creature came. This one was also pale, with bright green clothes, and yellow hair. It spoke to the first creature.
“Romani! Cremia, what’s-what’s going on?”
“Link, I…Romani, she…”
“What?”
“She came back, a few hours ago, but she just…looks at me, she doesn’t smile or speak or move or anything…”
The first creature continued to cry. It had been doing for a while, and she wondered if it would stop.
“Romani? Romani, it’s me Link! We practiced the other day, and They came, and you…”
The second creature stopped talking. Practice?
“Romani, I…I’m Link! Remember? I’m Li-I mean, I’m Grasshopper! Because of my green clothes!”
The second creature was familiar. Something about…Them?
“Romani?”
She spoke.
“Would you like to…practice?”