Upon seeing his long, windswept hair, his signature hat, the longsword and shield, and the robes, Midna sharply sucked in her breath. Could it be...? No. It didn't take a keen observer to notice that the approaching figure was not the hero of legend. Something was dreadfully off, and it wasn't just the clothes' somber color scheme. As he approached, drawing the gaze of the crowd that had been bemused by Midna's silence, the Twilight Princess figured it out. It was his eyes.

The townsfolk seemed to receive his dark vibe even more than she did. Though neither of his weapons were in hand and only a smirk plastered his face, the people hurried to get away from him. One man, a soldier or at least a guard judging by his equipment, moved forward to halt the threatening figure. In an instant, the man was flung several dozen feet away to smack, unconscious, into the plaza's nearest wall. For a moment Midna was taken aback, open-mouthed in astonishment. Her shock continued through his little speech, though her mouth closed so that her teeth could grind in suppressed fury as the shadow questioned, derided, and then insulted her.

Not everyone present was as meticulous in their restraint. When the guard was thrown, they scuttled back from Dark Link in terror. Some of them simply fled the scene, and quite a few of them shied toward Midna, whose genial manner and less frightening visage made her the more comfortable between her and the shadow. Ironically, Dark Link's next move was to try to appeal to them via reason, which belied incredible bad judgment. Finally, when the shadow was done ribbing her, he fell silent in reply. Those who had grown to perceive this event as a debate looked at the Twilight Princess for a reply.

She made none.

Instead, the vanished in a spray of black specks and reappeared next to the limp form of the guard. She knelt and laid two fingers on his throat, feeling for a pulse. A steady beat beneath her pale fingertips indicated that his helmet had done its job. When Midna rose to her feet, she began to walk toward Dark Link, a look of eerie calmness on her face.

“This is most interesting.” The sudden monotony of her voice starkly contrasted its earlier liveliness. “An evil spirit, wearing the face of a beloved legend, attacks an innocent man, then mocks me while defending the goddesses. Once we are done here I will explain myself to the people, but I will not make conversation with a demon. Suffice to say this: I have the wisdom to know what is right. I have the courage to change the world. These people are under my protection now, demon. If you do not turn around and leave Castle Town this instant, I will show you the extent of my power.”

A look of determination now resided on her face. Her hands were slight raised, spaced about a foot away from her waist on either side, in a clear gesture of [i]'try me'.[/i]