A/N: Please note that the hook-shot Link wants to use is like the 'grabby' hook-shot that's used in TP and SS, not like the 'pointy' one used in OoT. ^.^
'Hey Navi, you know, I'm really glad I have you as my fairy. We're best friends, aren't we?' The young blonde started to chuckle as the energetic fairy started to tickle him with fairy dust. 'Hey, stop that, aah!' The chuckle turned into laughter, which in time, turned into a serious question.
'I was wondering, what are you made of? I mean, if I get cut, I will bleed. Can fairies bleed?'
'(...)'
'What did you say?'
~7 years later
'Yes Navi, I know we need to get to Lon Lon Ranch and find Malon. Will you please stop telling me things I've already figured out myself? Now, if we hurry up, we can make it to the ranch before sunset.'
As the hero of time cut down two Keese that were lingering around Hyrule's market, he sighed and turned towards his loyal companion, who seemed to be quite upset after his last snarl and had decided to fly a few meters away from him. 'Come on,' the hero begged, 'please don't be like that.'
They were on the drawbridge leading them to Hyrule Field and with that, the Lon Lon Ranch. Link's boots no longer made a significant sound as he stepped on the grass that belonged to the huge field. 'Come on, Navi, we don't have time to be standing around here, Zelda is waiting for us!' The fairy didn't move an inch.
'Seriously, what is your problem? Don't you care if this land plunges in eternal darkness? Now, let's hurry!'
'(...)'
'What are you talking about? Of course Zelda isn't the only thing on my mind, but we need to rescue her first if we want to save everyone else.'
'(...)'
'Yes, of course I would come and save you if you- Hey! Where are you going?'
Without any further response, Navi just kept on flying away from Link and headed towards well-known territory: Kokiri Forest. While rummaging through his pouch, he screamed for his friend to return, but the little fairy didn't budge. 'I said come back!' The hook-shot proved to be too short and the hero thought about other items he could use. There weren't any, for striking the little blue one with an arrow didn't seem like a good idea.
'Fine!' Link resolutely took a step backwards in the ranch's direction and put his hands next to his mouth. 'I'm always listening to your unnecessary remarks and complaints and you won't listen to me when I have something to say, I'm through with looking out for you.' He took a few more steps backwards. 'I am going to save Zelda and bring peace to this soil and you can either help me or not! It's not like I need you anyway!'
As soon as he noticed that Navi had disappeared behind the forest's trees, Link sighed and let himself fall on the soft grass. It felt weird, fighting with the one who was always by his side. Oh well, nothing to do about it now, the little fairy would come crawling back soon enough; it wasn't like this hadn't happened before.
Just before they had entered Dodongo's Cavern, the two had fought like this too, about the same thing. The only difference had been that Navi had returned within a few minutes, something that wasn't likely to happen this time. Even after Link waited for fifteen minutes, there was still no sign of the fairy.
'Damn it.'
While he took out his precious ocarina, the hero started to think about all that could go wrong with this turn of events. Something inside him told him he had to go to the Forest now. As soon as he had played the final note, Epona quickly came his way. 'To Kokiri Forest,' he said while mounting the beautiful horse. 'Navi might be in danger!'
Even though Link had mapped out everything before -when he had visited the Sacred Grounds- the Lost Woods still proved a challenge for him. 'Navi! Navi, where are you?' There was but one response, and it wasn't one he wanted to hear. 'Tehehe, the green human is back. What brings you here? Might you be looking for someone?' Before Link could see the darn creature, all he heard was music. That tune, that horrible tune he couldn't get out of his head for five days last time. 'I don't have time to play around, Skull Kid. Have you seen Navi or not?' As soon as Link had spoken the words, he placed his palm against his forehead. Why did he even bother?
'Maybe I have and maybe I haven't.' Of course. 'If you can beat me at this little game, I will tell you. Probably... Maybe…'
'I don't have time to play your games; Navi might be in serious danger!'
'Tehehe, well, today seems like a bad day to be you.'
The Skull Kid ceased his mocking immediately upon feeling the cold steel against his throat. The eyes that stared at him looked different from the last time he met them. They seemed so serious, so filled with regret and anxiety, but at the same time, they told him the hero was ready to kill.
'I am not in the mood to play. Now tell me; where is Navi?'
'D-Deku Tree. Don't hurt me, please don't hurt me! That's all I know.'
A dull thud sounded as soon as the Skull Kid fell to the ground, still shivering due to his near-death experience. The hero ran as fast as he could while figuring out the shortest way to the Deku Tree. The bad feeling grew more and more and slowly started to consume the blonde's rationality. 'Please,' he panted, 'please Navi, be unharmed.'
The Deku Tree was in the same condition it was the day Link defeated Gohma. It was a sad thing to see. 'Navi! Are you here? Listen, I'm sorry so please stop doing this to me!' For a few minutes Link searched every inch of the small area, but nowhere did he find the one he was looking for. If only he had known beforehand that those minutes had been the important ones.
'That creepy little-!'
The sword being drawn was the only thing was the only sound you could hear. That and rapidly paced footsteps, heading back into the Lost Woods.
'Where are you, you lying little scumbag? Come out already!'
The Hero stared at the log in front of him, where the Skull Kid always played his tunes, but he was nowhere to be found. Still, the laughter emerging from the little one was something Link recognized right away.
'Tehehe, so you didn't find your precious fairy? What a shame…'
'Show yourself, coward!'
'I'm already here, tehehe.'
A tap on his shoulders caused the hero to quickly turn around, only to fall to the ground with surprise. The Skull Kid standing in front of him was different from the last few times he had seen him. The dark round face wasn't visible, for it was hiding behind a colorful mask. The hero tried to recall where he had seen it before, but his mind responded with nothing more than a blank.
'What the-'
'Tehehe, what's wrong hero? You look like you've seen a ghost.'
'What happened to you?'
The Skull Kid let out a high-pitched laugh and started to jump around; ending up on top of the log he loved so much. As he stood there, pointing at the hero as if he were mocking him, something seemed to be dripping on the ground, but Link couldn't clearly see what it was.
'Let's just say I found myself some nice powers, tehehe.'
'You lied to me about Navi! Where is my companion?'
Before the Skull Kid answered him, he started to jump around once more, as he chanted words Link had never heard before. As soon as the Lost Woods were filled with silence again, a portal opened right next to the Skull Kid, who had resumed his laughing. The hero charged at him, but ceased his attack as soon as he came by the puddle on the ground. That substance, that dusty, blue, sparkling substance.
'What did you do to Navi?'
'Tehehe, I ate the fairy, if that's what you mean.'
He ate Navi? No way, the Skull Kid Link knew wouldn't do that. Sure, it was an annoying little fellow, but it would never purposely hurt something that small. 'You're lying.' It was all the hero could respond with. 'You're lying; just tell me where Navi is!'
It seemed as if the Skull Kid was contemplating what to do next, what would be the best move from here on. Fate made that decision for him, though, for his sudden hiccups spilled his dirty little secret. It was so clear; the hero couldn't have missed it. The blue dust emerging from the mask said it all.
'N-Navi…'
Link fell on his knees, trying to eliminate all the 'what-ifs' from his mind. What if he had been kinder to Navi? What if he hadn't listened to the Skull Kid? What if he would have never picked up the Master Sword to begin with? Would Navi still be alive?
'Tehehe, after you've managed to save Hyrule, I have another task for you: You get to battle me, doesn't that sound fun?'
'Skull Kid! I will kill you!'
Link charged at the little one once more, but he wasn't able to enter the portal to follow the laughing masked creature, whom he couldn't see, but still hear.
'You should be glad, tehehe. You got your answer.'
'Answer?'
'Fairies can't bleed, not like you Hylians can. You were wondering about that for a long time now, weren't you? Tehehe.'
He didn't care. The hero couldn't have cared about that question any less. Navi was gone and it was all his fault. It was a sin he could never atone for, not even if he died a thousand deaths. The precious fairy he had held dear for all these years would never return.
Suddenly, Link arose from his collapsed state and stared at the portal with the same fierce eyes he had when he had threatened the Skull Kid before.
'It doesn't matter where you run off to; I will find you and I will kill you, even if it's the last thing I do. Mark my words, Skull Kid: You will die by my hands! I will avenge Navi!'
Before the masked one responded to the hero one last time, he quickly showed himself through the portal, laughing oh so mockingly and singing his words before disappearing.
'Tehehe, I'll be waiting for you at the Clock To-wer.'
~ The End
