The Man in black

I do not own any characters from SC3 or TP, that is all..

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Chapter Twenty-Three
Heart To Heart

Peyton opened his eyes to darkness all around him.
The only light he could make out were small,
firefly-like creatures floating about the chamber.
He sat up, rubbing his head.. where the hell was he?
The sound of small tapping drew his attention to his right.
A small imp-like girl was tapping her foot impatiently, arms crossed, facing away
from him. Peyton looked about the chamber before asking, "Where the hell am I?"
The girl jumped at the sudden noise and spun around, a look of frustration on her face.
Midna scowled, ~How should I know? This place is from your memory!~
Peyton rubbed his head trying to think.
"Sorry Midna.. I don't know where this place is.. i've never been here.."

Midna sighed before looking around again.
~maybe it's one of Cleons memories..~
Peyton stood up, his knees felt like rubber.
"Why does memory matter?"
Midna's eye narrowed, like he had just asked a stupid question.
~I can only teleport to a place either I or someone i'm with has been before..~
Peyton chuckled, "That seems kind of limited don't you think?"
Midna rested her hands on her hips and leaned forward, looking up at him impatiently.
~Hey, I saved your life you know.. you'd better be grateful!~
Peyton laughed and nodded, "I know.. and thank you Midna"
She grinned, jumping up and landing on his head.
~well then.. lets go!~
He looked up at her, "umm.."
She knocked on his head with her foot, trying to get him moving.
~Well, whats the hold up man? go!~
It was his turn to narrow his eyes, "Midna.. what the hell are you doing up there?
I'm not a damn donkey!"
Midna grinned, ~Force of habit.. anyway, I don't want to ride
in your musty old shadow right now anyway..~
Peyton sighed and ashrugged, there wasn't much use in argueing with her right now.

As they walked down the dark hallways he began to think.
Why was she helping him? and why had she done that to him at Ivy's manor..
Peyton broke the silence, "Midna.."
She grunted, ~No, I don't weigh that much, quit being a baby and just..~
He interrupted her, "No.. thats not it.."
~oh, then what is it?~
He sighed, "Its just.. well.. nevermind"
She crossed her legs in indian-style fashion and tapped his head with her finger.
~Hey, what were you going to ask?~
He waved her quesiton away, "It's nothing Midna.. sorry to bother you"
Midna was curious now though.
~Tell me, or i'll just have to find out for myself~
Peyton sighed, laying a hand on the wet stone walls of the corridor.
"Midna.. why did you do that back at the manor?"
She tilted her head in confusion.
~What do you mean? you mean save your life?~
He shook his head.. this was harder to say than he thought it was going to be..
"Why did you.. have sex with me? I was a compelete stranger to you.."
She grinned at him, ~What's the matter? you didn't get enough?
you really are insatiable, heeheeheh~
"no.."

Midna's grin left her face and she sighed.
"Midna.. I know of your story with Link but I don't know
anything about you for certain, but you do know about me..
I'd like to hear about YOUrself"
Midna sighed, a sad look coming over her face.
~You may not think it to look at me now.. but I was once beautiful..~
Her eye grew misty as she began to recollect on the past.
~I was the Princess of Twilight.. I was set to marry when..~
A tear formed at the side of her eye as she grew angry.
~That bastard! damn him.. damn him!~
~Damn you Zant..~
Peyton frowned, he regretted making her upset.
"I'm sorry.. it must be hard to talk about"
She nodded, touching a finger to his forhead.
~It is.. so i'll just show you..~

~*A Tall, slender woman stood at the front of an altar.
She wore a dress of white, her face was conceiled by a veil.
The woman smiled and looked to her right, her soon-to-be husband stood proud,
his blue eyes shining with anticipation. The priest recited the marriage
rights. The priest smiled and waved his arms out wide to the crowd of people.
"If anyoen objects to this union, let them speak now or forever hold their peace!"
No one in the crowd had any..
"Then I now pronounce you man and.."
A claw pierced the priest from behind, lifting him up off the ground.
Dark beasts desended on the crowd, tearing them to peices.
A man in a strange helmet like Midnas crossed the threshold of the room.
He held out his hand and clenched it around a dark ball of energy.
The man in the helmet threw it out towards Midna and her husband.
As the orb closed about them he took Midna into his arms, a faint glow
surrounded them both.
The man smiled, "I will protect you my love..
if I must die to accomplish that then so be it.."
As the orb faded away Midna was left changed, she was now an imp-like creature,
wheras her husband was gone completely..*~

Peyton blinked in astonishment.
"Midna.. I'm.. I didn't know, i'm so sorry"
He became worried when he didn't hear any response from her.
He reached up and took her from his head, his heart almost broke..
Midna was clenching her eye shut, trying to hold back a torrent of
pain and anguish she had bottled inside for a long time.
He held her to his chest.
"It's ok Midna.. you can cry.."

Tears burst from her eyes, and she clutched at him.
Midna held onto him and bawled, her tears soaking his shirt.
He held onto her as tight as he dared, not wanting to hurt her small
figure. Midna shook and sobbed, crying out in anguish at her loss.

After a lengthy amount of time she finally calmed herself.
She leaned against him and closed her eyes.
She said something that stunned him..
~you said you wanted to know why I made love to you.. a complete stranger?~
She stopped to wait for an answer, upon hearing none
she continued.
~You remind me of him.. you two could be twins~
He shook his head, his tone angry.
"Midna no.. don't dishonor him like that.. I am not like your husband.. I'm a monster"
She looked up at him, her eye was puffy from crying.
~A monster would not comfort someone like this.. you're not a monster~
"Oh aren't I? you saw what I did.. I have done so much I regret..
shattered kingdoms and killed any who dared stand in my way.. Armindal was
merely the climax to an event a long time in the making.."
She shook her head.
~but that was Cleon wasn't it?~
His voice sounded to him like it was coming from someone else.
"No.. I AM the Butcher.. Cleon is just the embodiment of everything that is evil in me"
They both fell into awkward silence.

They stopped in a chamber to rest.. all these damn chambers looked the same to him.
The air was getting heavier now, they must be heading in the right direction.
Midna sat awkwardly, dipping her feet into the small pool that surrounded the platform
they were on. He kneeled down next to her.
"Hey Midna" he said, smiling at her.
~hmm?~
"How bout I help you and Link out when this is over?"
She gave him a suprised look,
~What?~
He rubbed his head, "Well.. I mean.. you've helped me out, so why shouldn't
I return the favor?"
She tilted her head in thought before grinning.
Midnas eye gazed over him.
~oooh.. I get it.. you're trying to be sly aren't you?~
A look of confusion crossed Peyton's face, "uh.. what?"
She pressed a finger to her chin, resting th elbow of that arm in her other hand.
~you're smitten aren't you? it's hard to blame you I suppose! heeheeheh!~
Peyton crossed his arms and looked at her wearily.
"I think you missed the point entirely.."
Midna smirked,
~Don't deny it!~
Peyton sighed and walked off down a corridor, with Midna floating behind him.
~H-hey! I was just teasing, wait up!~

They were definately going the right way now!
The chambers were growing brighter and brighter as the progressed.
Peyton picked at his clothes, he was still wearing the uncomfortable party clothes.
Midna took notice of it.
~Something wrong?~
Peyton glanced over at her before he returned to picking
at the clothes.
"Yeah.. these damn clothes are anoyying.."
Midna clapped her hands.
~I can fix that!~
Her hair-hand zapped his clothes, making them dissolve into nothing.
Peyton jumped back and covered himself.
"Midna, what the hell?!"
She blushed.
~oops.. that wasn't supposed to happen.. let me take another crack at it~
Her hair-hand zapped him again.
He sighed in relief as his familiar robes and chainmail reappeard around him.
He now, however, wore black fingerless gloves.
Peyton stared at his hands, "Hey, where did these come from?"
~I got them for you at the manor when you were asleep.. why do you have to question everything?~
Midna grumbled.

~Why do you love that crazy girl?~
Peyton was taken aback by her sudden outburst.
"What do you mean?"
She became frustrated at his nievity.
~You know what I mean, don't stall~
He smiled and leaned an arm on the side of the corridor.
"It was when.. I was about to kill her I guess,
I made the mistake of looking into her eyes before I
broought the final blow down.. she was crying.."
Midna crossed her arms, giving him a curious look.
~so? what does crying have to do with it?~
He sighed, "I have a weakness for womens crying.. I can't stand it"
Peyton laughed and turned to her.
"Silly isn't it?"
Midna had forced tears out her eye.
He took a step back and exclaimed, "Midna! stop that!"
She floated up into his arms.
~hold me Mr. Sensitive!~
He grunted and held her as he walked.
"You just didn't want to float anymore, didn't you?"
~heeheeheh~

The reached a dead end, fading light shone from the wall above them.
Peyton tried to move it but to no avail, it would not budge.
Midna grinned and waved her hand, telling him to move.
Midna rubbed her hands together before blasting the ceiling with a different type of energy.
The ceiling vanished.

Midna grinned to herself as they stepped out into the fading light of the setting sun..