The days before the wedding became a bit of a blur... I'm not too sure why those memories had become fuzzy... but, I had a few ideas as to why. For one, the days before had caused me stress... I panicked over the fear of losing Zelda... I questioned sometimes if we were on the right path... If Zelda were to be married, I'd lose her, and her parents would take her as their pawn. But, throughout the entire time, I tried to comprehend Vio... I gave him my ears with hope... even though Dark constantly yelled at me for agreeing with him. I had hoped he had something up his sleeve. He had that odd look in his eyes... and the strange monotone tone in his voice... As suspicious as he seemed, I kept my trust with him... I felt he had the insight I needed, so I listened to him.
However, as my memories are hazy... I do remember bits of the general idea of Robin, our plan of action at the wedding, and the day before Friday, July 8th.
What I remember most throughout the days we had spent with Vio discussing matters was Zelda's concern growing over me. Dark and I began to leave a bit earlier than we used to—he hated it—so that we could get more done... We only had a week left after July 1st... I don't know about Dark, but I wanted to fix this... I had to... I put my soul into putting the effort into trying. But, Zelda definitely noticed the change... Especially when I started asking her more and more questions about Robin. They started to become a bit more detailed... Especially with Rosie Estelle—her agency, specifically. Though, I did it for Vio's assistance... because HE could POSSIBLY do SOMETHING! I wanted anything to happen, and he would be the one to change things! So, I brushed off things, I kept it simple, and I tried to make sure... Zelda wouldn't find out... I don't know what her reaction would've been... but I'm sure she probably would've freaked out... I mean, for one, she didn't know Vio... Oddly enough, though... He knew her... But, besides that, Zelda being concerned and curious was okay... She was beneficial... and we got the information. I'll never forget the looks she made after I had asked her a question, though... She'd be sitting in her room getting ready to go to the rehearsals at the venue with her eyebrows pulling together.
Zelda was a great help... She knew the most about Robin... and through her, I was able to get the most. She had gotten me a list of people who would be at the wedding from her parents, and we were able to find Rosie Estelle's assistant: Venice Roland. Venice was an interesting character... and the connection she had with Robin and Rosie built a bridge that we could use against Robin. Venice was a vulnerable girl who was used by Robin, but saved by Rosie... But, because of Robin's business relationship with Rosie, Rosie protected both Robin's and Venice's businesses... even though Robin had already done a number on Rosie's agency. Robin had caused Estelle to go bankrupt for a year, and Rosie making Venice her assistant was the only way to save her agency. How he made her agency go bankrupt was the real, intriguing part. I didn't understand... and, we never truly figured it out... It remains somewhat of a mystery... But, of what Dark had questioned... he was right... and we were actually on the right track to stopping the wedding... We had something and someone—Venice Roland—who would allow us to stop the marriage... Venice Roland being a victim of Robin. The main point is that Dark had made a judgement that was absolutely correct. Robin had been hooking up with other girls before Zelda... and he wanted something from Zelda... The difference between Zelda and the other girls, though, was the power and money her parents had... So, from Robin's point of view, Zelda was the jackpot.
Although, what Robin did to those other girls—what caused Estelle to go bankrupt—was odd... and it was never actually solved. Apparently, he made girls lose their enchanting beauty... It sounded magical and absolutely unrealistic... But, Venice wasn't touched by that curse... but then again, Rosie saved her... The only ones who could possibly know about his ability were the victim, Venice, Rosie Estelle—especially—and then Robin Gardel himself...
We had a plan to put a stop to this, though...
We were all standing by the door that led to the garage when Vio had called for Ray. Ray was alerted by his voice and came to Vio's need. I didn't hear what Vio had said to Ray, but he gestured to his ear, and Ray disappeared for a moment to then soon appear again, handing Vio a small, black object.
Vio then turned slowly back to me, his sharp eyes rolling up to me. He didn't reveal the item to me just yet, though. He analyzed me first for a moment. "Well..." he drawled. "Your hair is long enough... and thick... It probably won't show through..." he mumbled to himself.
I tried to peek through his hands to see the item he possessed, but to my surprise, he uncovered his hands and presented the small, black item in front of me for a moment before popping it into my ear. He then began to mess with my hair for a moment—his expression full of concentration—to make a few finishing touches on the product. "It's an earpiece..." he murmured, finally placing his hands to his side.
My hand rose to the earpiece as Dark watched tentatively, and I then began to feel it, finding a button on its smooth surface. "There's a button?"
Vio folded his arms and nodded quietly. "That turns it on. It's an earphone... as well as a microphone... That's how we'll speak to one another..." His eyes sharpened sternly. "You'll be the one describing the situation when you get in there... And if anything goes wrong... we'll be able to contact each other..."
Dark scoffed and crossed his arms, leaning in a position of anger. "What about me, Four-Eyes?"
Vio released an exhausted sigh and dropped his arms. "Both of you, follow me..."
After his statement, Vio spun around and took us into the cluttered garage where the old sedan resided. He then showed us the sedan, opening the driver's side door. He fixed his glasses and pointed out a radio system set-up. "When you speak through the earpiece's microphone, it'll be transmitted to this system to be heard..." He sent his narrowed gaze at Dark. "Dark, you have a special job... You will be in the car with me as Link goes in... You will stay in the car, and you will not leave unless called for..." He tilted his head to make sure he had Dark's attention. "Say you are backup... just in case anything goes wrong." He made himself succinct.
An irritated smirk grew on Dark. "That doesn't sound too special..." he grumbled. "Can I have a different job...?! Something more fun and exciting?!"
Vio scowled. "Your job is just as important as Link's... Your place is to help me, and help Link in case the original plan gets destroyed..."
As we discussed the plan, there came many questions, comments, and concerns... and most importantly: bickering from Dark. I guess he hated the plan... I suppose it was obvious. I wasn't too sure. But, the plan was firmly explained by Vio, and the mission was easy to understand... Even with Dark, we made an okay team. It was nice seeing Dark and Vio get along somewhat. I felt we could achieve something... I felt this would be it... We had it...
However, on Thursday, the day before the wedding, when Vio had discussed the last few important matters of the plan... when he had given me the earpiece... a curious question was asked by Vio.
Vio closed the driver's side door and looked Dark directly in the eye, startling Dark for a moment. "Now, can I ask you something, Dark?"
Dark's eyes had widened, but he quickly began to grit his teeth to send himself into a confident stance. "What is it, Four-Eyes?! I don't have any more questions... I get the point!" he growled.
Vio sighed sadly, annoyed, and adjusted his glasses. "Can you explain the dark, purple bruises on your neck?" He was eager for an answer... He must've had the question on the top of his head for a while... Dark had forgotten to cover it up after a while... He slowly forgot about the marks...
And, Dark's reaction to Vio's question made it obvious he had forgotten. He gasped—mortified—and quickly threw his hand over his bare neck. He had lost his confident stance and became vulnerable. He sucked in air through his teeth. "Why do you care?!" he exclaimed, still trying to sound superior.
Vio rolled his eyes and rubbed his head in frustration. "I won't tell anyone... I'm just concerned... is all... They look severe... They have been on your neck for a while, and really, exposing your neck like that... someone is bound to ask." He had a dead look in his eyes. He wanted a straightforward answer, and he had hardly any patience left to haggle with Dark.
Dark let out a nervous laugh, yet he shot a glare at Vio to assert his dominance. "It's none of your business!"
Vio's eyes widened slightly. "Did someone choke you?"
It went briefly... Dark had lied, and Vio had chosen to not hassle with him... I could sense that Vio had known that Dark had lied, though... I mean, Vio was right... He made a good observation... The bruise did look like someone had choked him... Dark couldn't hide that factor; however, Vio had little patience that day. He wanted to be ready for anything at the wedding...
As for me, I was pretty nervous about my job... I had to sneak into the wedding, basically. Once I had gotten home, I started doubting and asking myself a million questions... Could I pull it off? I pondered. It could've gotten worse... but, there was one good thing that had lightened me up before the evening of the wedding...
On Thursday evening... long after we had returned home from Vio's place, I was shocked by Zelda's early arrival home... It was the last day for her... She was finished with the dress rehearsal of the wedding, and now she had to be mentally prepared for the wedding the next day... That would be her entire day the next day. But, besides the point, she had had news for me... News that changed the original plan of infiltrating the wedding... News that had made it simpler.
It was already dusk when she had entered through the front door—I was in the living room with Dark going over the plan once more with him—and once I heard that front door swing open, I was startled, but as soon as I had looked over, I was filled with glee.
She had stepped in with her tired expression, closed the twilight behind her, and placed her purse down on a nearby table. After releasing an exhausted sigh, her innocent blue eyes hovered up to me. "Oh, hey...!" Her eyes widened with small excitement. Her lips parted again, tiredly, and she had glanced at Dark with curiosity. "Well..." She dropped her head sadly, fussed with her hair for a moment, and began to walk to a small dresser. "You're in luck, Link..." she said flatly as she pulled out a blue scrunchie.
I took a deep breath after she had paused. "What is it?" I asked with concern.
She fastened a ponytail with the scrunchie and spun around. She released another exasperated sigh and let her shoulders loose by leaning against the dresser. "My parents... They've given you permission to come to the wedding... I got them to accept you." She gave a weak laugh. "I don't know what you guys are planning, but... you don't have to break in, Link."
That... had made me smile. Genuinely. I had to straighten myself out to gather myself... I thanked her... I knew she felt horrible... But, maybe, in the end, she hoped I could do something... Believed... So, she let me do my own thing and stayed out of my business...
So, in other words... My tense had broken... and I was relieved. I didn't have to break in like a criminal... It solved that problem...
Now... at that point... I had to be ready... Poor Zelda had to be ready... And Dark... We had to put an end to this wedding. However... there was still "something" I left behind me... and it simply allowed my unconscious mind to sweep it underneath the rug... What you could call the elephant in the room... My unconscious mind avoided that elephant...
Oh, how blind I was...