Let's Play
"Let's play, Link." I say to the TV screen.
~.~
"Okay."
I freeze, dead cold, in my lounging position on the couch despite the warmth running through the house. A few seconds pass quietly, the low crackle of the fire in the kitchen and the hum of electricity being the only sounds audible to the only person at home. I remember to breathe again, and it escapes my dry lips in a stuttering laugh.
"Ha. Ha. Haha."
I lick my lips and sit up straight, tense but convinced it was a coincidence. The TV did not just respond to what I said; that is not how the Wii console or this game works. It's due to voice actors and conveniently placed dialogue that I was surprised just now. Everything's creepier when you're alone at night.
Breathing in and exhaling again, relaxing, I take back the reins on my wits and steer Link through the miniature minesweeper game that the strange mole-like creature introduced. The goal is to collect as many rupees as you can before coming across a bomb, but everything is hidden in the garden (in holes) and it is not possible to know for sure which one you are going to get. Having easily guessed the trick already, minesweeper being a common pastime of mine while avoiding schoolwork, I quickly amass a great amount of the game's currency in my already well-expanded wallet.
Satisfied with the winnings so far, I nod with a smile. "Alright, with this we can go back to Skyloft and get some much needed supplies, upgrades, what-have-you... Who needs bug collecting? Psh! I don't need Strich's money…"
Yes, I talk to myself. It's not like I expect anyone to hear it. You could say I tend to think out loud sometimes. Though, subconsciously, it could be from loneliness considering my situation and my own personal problems. I don't know. I don't like to dwell on it, I play games.
I shake my head as if to rid myself of negative thought. Before I realize it, Link is at a bird statue and is being thrown upwards by... a very strong draft.
I mumble with a frown, "I still say that's a really sketchy travelling method. The gods must be crazy."
A strange grunt is heard from the displaced Link who just arrived into the world in the sky, and I smile at another coincidence. The blond-haired swordsman lets out a shrill whistle and is saved from a gruesome fall by his Loftwing, and with a steady hand I manoeuvre the bird into a direct line to Skyloft.
Gaming isn't exactly my speciality, as you may or may not have guessed by now. I love doing it, but I'm not deluded enough to think I am very good at it. One of my favourite series of games however is Zelda. I headed into the fandominion pretty late, but since that fateful day in which we bought an old copy of Ocarina of Time for the Nintendo 64, my older brother (and thus I) have been keeping up with Zelda games old and new. The new game, Skyward sword, is the one I am in right now. I haven't actually entered the temple yet, though I've collected the keys. I figure Link should be prepared before facing fire, ash, as well as possible slow and painful incineration by lava. Those stupid fire seals gave me a hard time earlier, though my aim miraculously and most gratefully improved halfway through.
Oh, we're here. "Diiiive!" I call, grinning. I don't bother pressing the B button to open the sailcloth. For some reason or other Link started doing it on his own… for all occasions of falling. It initially felt disappointing to have the luxury of choice taken away, but I figured it was a small matter and wasn't important.
After landing in front of the Bazaar, I enter the marketplace with a jaunty tune on my lips.
"Upgrades first! Then we'll see how much there is left..." I hum to myself, eyeing the rupee count in the corner of the television screen. Link engages the Scrapshop owner in conversation. Quite suddenly, I am overwhelmed by an uncalled-for amount of pain in my abdomen and set down the Wii remote before running to the bathroom. It is unfortunate but the reason I am home today instead of out working or at school, is because I'm sick and not because I have a day off. It's a horrible feeling, taking frequent trips to the bathroom in case I throw up from the pain—it's embarrassing, but I'm sensitive to pain near by abdomen. Well, on the bright side, I get to play when I'm not busy dry heaving.
So here I go... Except, when I get there, strangely the pain fades away as if it were never there. Confused, I check myself over for any abnormalities or... or that time of month (did I neglect to mention I am a girl?) but find nothing that could attribute to the pain I just felt. I take the time to undo the long, ungodly mess of a braid and neatly redo it, letting it rest to the side over my right breast.
I might as well do some other grooming habits while I'm at it.
By the time I am done, I've forgotten what I was up to in the game, and become disoriented. I come back to find that Link is done upgrading and is wearing a fantastic-looking shield, which I ogle for a minute before coming to my senses.
"Ooh, nice shield, check!" I perkily announce, picking up the Wii remote and deciding aloud, "Now let's see what we need stocking up in." I check Link's inventory.
"Huh. We seem to be okay in potions..." I scratch my head for a second, remembering that I'd wanted to restock and finding that memory incongruous with reality. "Erm, well, there's still Beedle's shop, I guess."
A sigh is heard on the screen, and I dismiss it as the shield-weapon-shop owner not getting another customer. In the back of my mind, something bothers me about it, as the timbre of the sigh's voice was different from other times.
The trip to Beedle's shop is short and relatively uneventful. I buy Link another heart container piece and another leather pouch, though sadly it cleans out the wallet.
"All that hard earned money, all those rupees, gone… But this is going toward a good cause, right?" I say in the most miserable voice I can muster. "Rupees are a small price to pay for success. Still, Beedle's prices are really high." My own sigh seems to echo another one from the television.
Quickly moving on, I pump my arms up in determination, emitting an "Alright! Temple time!" but unintentionally trigger the sword and shield function. Nearly in a startled fashion, Link whips out his sword, pointing its wandering tip vaguely toward the sky. "Oops, sorry." I apologize without thinking, quickly pressing A to sheath it.
A grunt or grumble escapes Link as I steer him to a dock. My heart beats against my chest a little faster, but again I tell myself, it's just a coincidence.
~Next:~
You've Got A Friend
