The Legend of Zelda: The Three Springs
The cloud he sat on felt soft and fluffy as he fished for stars in the everlasting pond of night. Soft music played in the background, making him feeling sleepy and content as he fished.
Suddenly the line jerked, and he became alert. The calming music had changed into something more ominous as he began to reel in his catch. However, whatever was on the end of the line didn't seem to want to be caught and fought violently as he continued to reel at a steady pace.
Finally, his catch broke the starry surface of the pond. He first saw a soaked blonde head, followed by a beautiful, naked female chest and lower body. He stared at it for a second, his guts stirring oddly at the sight of an unclothed woman.
She looked strangely familiar.
He leapt backed in surprise as her head jerked up and she angrily said, "Link."
Instantly the starry pool melted away and the young woman grew in size until was a giant, which caused Link to stumble backwards in fear. The giant swelled in anger before bellowing, "LINK!" with such force that Link was forced to close his eyes.
"WAKE UP, YOU IDIOT, WAKE UP!"
Link's eyes flew open and found his best friend Zelda towering over him much like the dream version had, except, of course, fully clothed, unlike the dream version. Her golden hair was tied into a ponytail with a purple ribbon and her blue eyes stared into his. Annoyance was a prominent emotion on her heart-shaped face. She was wearing a pink cotton shirt and white pants. She also wore a pair of light brown leather boots. On her arms she had several teal and purple bracelets and a gold amulet was hanging from her neck.
"Finally!" She looked livid. "Get up! GET UP! We're going to be late to class if you don't get up RIGHT NOW!"
"You don't have to wait for me you know." Link grumbled as he grudgingly got out of his comfortable bed.
"Of course I do." Zelda said haughtily. "I wouldn't be much of a good friend if I didn't, would I?" She walked towards the door and stepped out onto the hallway. "You have two minutes to get dressed, after that I'll come in and drag you out. Understood?" Link nodded. "Good." Zelda then left, closing the door behind her, leaving Link to change in a panic well aware that Zelda would stay true to her word and drag him out even if he was completely naked.
Two minutes later, he exited his room wearing a white shirt and dark brown pants with dark leather boots and found Zelda waiting for him in the cramp kitchen of his grandfather's house. Zelda pointed at a bowl of steaming porridge and looked at him pointedly. "Eat. And hurry up, we're already late."
Link's grandfather and his little sister Aryll looked amused by Zelda's antics. Link sighed as he plopped down to eat. Zelda had always been the leader of the pair. She was more outgoing and assertive than Link tended to be.
He wolfed down breakfast and got up. "Come on." Zelda said, tapping her foot impatiently. "You're going to explain to Professor Horwell and Owlan why we're late."
The two exited Link's grandfather's house and began walking down the road of the village of Kako. Kako was apparently one of the first human settlements on Hyrule, created by a group of people who were said to have had descended from a legendary town in the sky. Link and Zelda passed the fields, waving at the farmer's that were currently plowing the fields.
At the end of the road was a large barn that served as the school-house. Inside were several large desks and stools, each stocked with extra paper, quills, and inkwells for the students. The floor was covered in dried straw. In the upper part of the barn was where the teacher's offices were. The rest of the class was already there when the two of them arrived. Owlan seemed to have just begun the lesson when Link and Zelda burst in.
Owlan looked up and raised an eyebrow. "Ah… Mister Link and Miss Zelda, I was beginning to think that you two would not be joining us today."
Several students snickered.
"Sir, please, it was Link's fault!" Zelda said before snapping at Link, "Don't look at me like that," She had seen the dirty look Link had thrown at her, "It is your fault."
"It does not matter," Owlan said dismissively. "Fortunately, we had barely started the lesson when you two arrived." He nodded to their seats. "Take a seat so we may continue."
Link and Zelda took sat down as Owlan began the lesson. After about thirty minutes into the lesson, Link's eyes began to droop and he stifled a yawn. Owlan tended to be the more boring of the two instructors.
However, before he could doze off, Zelda jabbed him in the ribs with her quill and hissed "No sleeping" before returning to taking notes on Owlan's lesson. After that, anytime Link was close to falling back asleep, Zelda would give him a sharp jab and vehemently hiss "no sleeping".
Finally, after five and a half hours of numbing boredom, Owlan let the students leave for the one hour lunch break.
Link followed Zelda out of the school, stuffing a doodle filled paper that was supposed to be his notes into his pocket. Zelda wrinkled her nose at the sight of the paper.
"I wonder," Zelda began. "How you would cope if I refused to let you copy my notes."
"I would fail." Link said simply. 'But you wouldn't do that."
"What makes you so sure?" Zelda asked tauntingly.
"You couldn't have that on your conscience that you let your best friend fail."
"You'd deserve it." Zelda snapped. "Either way, you really need to start paying attention during class."
"What can I say?" Link shrugged. "I don't have your brains, or concentration, or memory. You're just smarter than me."
"Oh, shut up and stop selling yourself short." She grumbled, though she now looked slightly pleased with herself at this admission.
"So, which house are we going to, mine or yours?" Zelda asked Link.
Link thought about it for a second. "Let's go to yours, we went to mine yesterday."
Zelda nodded and they began to make their way to Zelda's home where her mother was sitting in the front of the house.
Upon spotting the teenagers, Zelda's mother stood up and waved to them. "Oh, Zelda! Link! Hello! Is it time for lunch already?"
Zelda's mother ushered the pair in the house, sat them down, and began to prepare some food for them.
"So," Her mother began. "How is everything at school?"
Zelda shot a sideways glance at Link before answering "Everything's fine except for the fact that Link has been sleeping in more than usual lately." She turned completely towards Link. "I've been meaning to ask you. What have you been doing at night that is keeping you from sleeping?"
Link turned away. "Thinking." He muttered.
About you, he added to himself silently.
Recently, Link had begun to question his relationship with his best friend. Zelda's personality was quite overbearing. She tended to become bossy, stubborn, somewhat reckless, and was self-appointed leader of the pair, while he was more reserved, cautious and was so quiet that he often seemed invisible.
Up until recently, Link didn't mind following her lead. Sure, every so often he would feel a pang of resentment or jealousy towards his best friend, but now those pangs were becoming a near constant feeling. Zelda overshadowed him so much that everyone knew Zelda, but almost no one knew Link. Zelda hardly ever let him fight his own battles, especially with the village bully, Groose. It was like being smothered by an overprotective pillow.
Also, the other inhabitants of Kako showed little respect towards him for being lead around like a puppy byZelda. Just a few days ago, the owner of the town's bakery, Gondo, had pulled Link aside and suggested that Link start acting like a man and stop taking Zelda's orders.
But Link found it difficult to say no to his best friend.
There was one thing the complicated matters for him. He had developed feelings for his best friend. This, in his opinion, was a perfectly understandable reaction from being best friends with a smart, attractive girl he knew since before he could walk.
Unfortunately for him, his crush conflicted with his desire to let Zelda know how he would like to do things his own way sometimes. Link wanted to speak to Zelda about this, but wasn't sure how she would react. Would she grow so angry that she would end their friendship then and there? Or would she simply laugh and think that he was joking? Either way, he wasn't about to let her know of his thoughts willingly anytime soon.
This line of thinking had put Link into a very subdued mood. He barely cracked a smile when Zelda's cat, Mia, had jumped on the table and attempted to steal food from him.
Nearly half an hour later the pair left Zelda's home and made their way back to the school where several other students were waiting for the doors to re-opened.
Zelda reached out a hand and stopped Link. "Link, is there something wrong?' she asked, concerned. "You've been quieter than usually are and-"
However, her soft voice was cut off by a loud, obnoxious voice saying, "Well, well, well, if it isn't Link the Stink!"
Link spun around and came face to face with Groose, a burly, six-foot tall, brilliantly red-headed, pompadour wearing youth who had come to procure the title of Link's nemesis, flanked by his two cronies, Cawlin and Strich.
"So," Groose began. "What dumb things have you been doing my dopey friend?"
Before Link could respond to Groose, Zelda pushed him to the side and snarled at the bully, "Leave him alone Groose!"
"Why do you even defend him?" Groose asked, irritated. "You should hang out with cooler people," He stroked his pompadour. "Like me."
Zelda got very close to Groose and sharply jabbed his chest. "You're not cool. You're a retarded, egotistical dumbass who likes to pick on people smaller than you. I wouldn't hang out with you even if my life depended on it! What do have against Link anyways?"
Groose shrugged. "Well it's more just the fact that he exists, if you get my drift. Now, if you'll excuse me…"
Looking back on it, Link was sure that Groose had meant push Zelda out of his way by her shoulder. But instead what happened was that his large hand missed and landed on her right breast and then pushed in. This caused her to stumble backwards and let out a sharp gasp of pain.
Something inside Link snapped, and he launched himself at Groose, who only seemed to realize what he'd done, when Link's fist collided with his nose. Weeks of annoyance and frustration in his passive friendship with Zelda, along with years of anger towards Groose, went into that punch.
With a sickening crack of cartilage breaking and a cry of pain, Groose fell to the ground clutching his nose as blood seeped through his fingers.
Link was breathing heavily as he stared down at Groose, a mingle sense of triumph and satisfaction at the sight while Zelda and the other students stood there, disbelieving.
"Link…" Zelda began, aghast. "What did...? Why did you…? Do you realize what you've just done?!"
"Yeah." Link said smugly. "And it feels pretty good."
"B-but-"
"LINK!"
Everyone turned to see Professor Horwell marching out of the school looking furious. "WHAT IN THE GODDESSES GOOD NAME DO YOU THINK YOU'RE DOING?!"
Link waited for the professor to get close before saying, "Well, sir, I think I just socked Goose in the face."
"And why," Horwell began, his voice low and dangerous. "And why did you assault Groose just now?"
"Well, if you want the full list, it'll take me a few hours to tell, but recently, he hurt Zelda's boob and I had enough of him." Link answer calmly.
Horwell's face took on a cofused expression at Link's explanation before it became stoic and he pressed his lips together in a thin line. "Two hours of detention, Link. I expect to see after school today." He turned to the rest of the students and barked "The rest of you get inside now! And Groose, do something about that nose."
The rest of the school day passed in a blur. Zelda refused to speak with him and instead past him a note telling how much of an idiot he was. After getting the bleeding to stop and setting the broken cartilage back in place, Groose, throughout the lesson, threw dirty looks at Link and mouthed "You're dead".
After the last few minutes of class, where Horwell warned the students of the upcoming exam and the importance of studying, the students left the school eager to spend the rest of the day relaxing, as both Owlan and Horwell neglected to assign homework.
Zelda threw him a look of pity as she walked out with her friends Karane and Peatrice. Groose made a rude gesture towards him as he left followed closely by his gang. Owlan emerged from his office, bade Horwell a good day, and left, leaving Link and Horwell the only people in the building.
Horwell lounged at his desk, reading a book. Occasionally, his eyes flicked up from the book and observed Link for a few seconds before returning to reading.
Link hated detention.
He was not allowed to do anything, which caused him to become bored out of his mind. Several times he dozed off, only to be awoken by a particularly loud cough from Horwell.
Finally, after what seemed like millennia, Horwell spoke in a quiet voice. "Link, you may go now." Link got up quickly, eager to leave.
"But," Horwell raised his voice slightly. "I don't want to see you punch Groose again at school, no matter how much he deserves it."
Link nodded and muttered a quick farewell before leaving the school in haste. He broke into a jog and made his way back to the central part of the village. What Link would've liked to do was go home and sleep, but Zelda would no doubt track him down and reawaken him.
After several minutes of walking, Link arrived in the village square. The square was filled with shops and stands each trying to sell their wares. Merchants went back and forth, buying up certain merchandise and then attempting to sell it at a much higher price.
The square was usually crowded, but today the masses had congregated around a colorful stage. A portly man wearing obnoxious clothing stood on it crying out, "Come one, come all! Come and see the wonderfully magically mysterious GHIRAHIM!"
Link scanned the crowd, looking for the golden hair that signaled his best friend's presence. Finally, he spotted Zelda, who was standing in the front of the crowd, looking curiously at the stage.
Link fought through the crowd, muttering "sorry" and "excuse me" as people parted grudgingly, murmuring unpleasant words at the boy. Eventually, he managed to get to Zelda and tap her shoulder. She turned and upon seeing him her eyebrow furrowed and she opened her mouth to say something before being cut off by the chubby man crying out, "Ladies and gentlemen! I present to you…THE AMAZING GHIRAHIM!"
There was scattered applause as the overweight man wobbled off stage, which was quickly replaced by silence as no one emerged from the stage to be wonderfully, magically mysterious. Just when Link was about to think that 'the amazing Ghirahim' had decided to take a day off, tall figure strode on to the stage.
Ghirahim was a tall, slender being, who walked forth almost regally. His skin was an unatural grayish color, Link wasn't sure if that was makeup or his natural color. Ghirahim's hair was snow-white and swept towards the right side of his face, partially obscuring it. He wore a dirtied white skin-tight suit and a tattered red cape.
The crowd watched, tense with anticipation, as the grey man made his way to the center of the stage. Suddenly, he snapped his fingers and a long, thin, black sword appeared in his hand. Some in the crowd let out a yelp of surprise and fright while others simply gape in awe. He snapped his fingers a second and disappearing, causing the crowd to search wildly for him until they heard a soft chuckle at the endof the crowd and found Ghirahim standing there leisurely.
Snap!
He was now back on the stage.
Snap!
Several daggers now floated around him in a circle.
Snap!
The daggers had been replaced with massive swords
This continued for several more minutes until the being snapped away his swords and bowed as the crowd cheered and clapped.
The portly man hurried back on stage and began crying out, "Thank you, thank you! Now you can come and meet the fantastic Ghirahim! For a price of ten rupees of course…"
A large portion of the crowd surged forward, mostly made up of giggling young girls, including Zelda, though she wasn't giggly, instead have a look of genuine curiosity towards Ghirahim.
A line was formed and Link silently felled behind Zelda. The going was slow, and combined the scorching sun, sleepiness, and boredom Link wasn't the happiest person in the world.
Finally, they arrived where Ghirahim was meeting the audience. The overweight man stood in front of him, collecting the fee before allowing anyone to proceed towards the magician.
Zelda approached, handing the man a blue hexagonal crystal that was the commonly accepted currency. Link attempted to follow her, but the generously proportioned man stopped him, holding out his hand. Link, annoyed, shoved his hand into his pocket and produced a blue rupee which he slapped into the waiting hand of the chubby man.
Link approach Ghirahim who was surrounded by a group of women who were swarming around the pale man asking questions and shooting complements. Zelda stood to side, observing the group, as if trying to plan exactly how she was going to go in.
"Oh, Mr. Ghirahim, that was one of the most amazing things I ever seen!" One woman swooned
"By the Goddesses, you are one impressive man!"
"Will you come for dinner, please?"
Ghirahim didn't answer nor did he acknowledge the swooning women. Instead he swept his hair form time to time and smirked arrogantly.
"I wonder how you did it." Zelda had spoken up loudly.
Ghirahim's attention was caught almost immediately due to Zelda speaking in a calm, almost accusatory tone instead of the swooning one of the various women surrounding him.
"Excuse me?" Ghirahim's tone was soft and melodic, almost as if it was embracing the air it traveled on.
"How did you do those tricks?" Zelda asked.
Ghirahim chuckled. "Young lady, that wasn't tricks, that was magic."
Zelda snorted. "Please, everyone knows magic isn't real."
Ghirahim's eyes flashed, and the next time he spoke he voice had taken a slight edge. "What makes you so sure, girl?"
"Magic doesn't exist; it's just something for good storytelling." Zelda said, looking sure of herself. "What you did was probably some sort of illusion, like most 'magic' is nowadays."
Zelda's comments had caused Ghirahim's features to warp into an oddly sinister look.
"Well, you see, girl, true magic can not be comprehended by a –ahem- weak mind."
Zelda fired up instantly. "Are you calling me stupid!?"
"Oh, did I imply that? I do apologize." Ghirahim drawled no sincerity in his voice. Zelda's nostrils flared and her face reddened slightly as she glared at the magician.
"At least I'm not an arrogant toe rag."
"Arrogant toe rag?"
"You know, someone so conceited that he won't admit that his tricks are just that, tricks."
Ghirahim took a threatening step forward. "You insolent girl! How dare you question my abilities? You foolish brat, I have seen far more and lived far longer than you, and you think you can strut over and insult my talents!?"
"You don't have any sort of talent, and I don't strut!"
The argument would have continued to escalate if the portly man hadn't appeared saying, "Ghirahim! Hurry, you must prepare for the next show!", before wobbling off, chuckling and counting the rupees earned in his hand.
Ghirahim gazed resentfully at the man's retreating backside before returning it to Zelda.
"Mark my words, girl, you will soon regret your insolence," He hissed before striding off, his admirers following while shooting annoyed glances at Zelda, who was glaring lividly after the magician's back.
After several seconds of silence, Link cleared his throat awkwardly, causing Zelda to spin around in surprise.
"Link! I forgot you were there!"
"That tends to happen a lot with me." Link said dryly.
Zelda gave a strained laugh. "Let's get out of here."
Link nodded and they began to walk away, not going anywhere in particular, just walking. "It almost looked like you were having fun back there."
"Shut up." Zelda grumble. "I hate the man….. Goddesses, I'm not even sure he is a man."
The two walked in a comfortable silence until Zelda asked, "So how was your detention?"
"Same as always, boring and Hornwell kept waking me up when I tried to sleep."
The pair were now leaving the village and entering the farms that surrounded Kako.
"So what's really keeping you up all night?"
Link shifted uncomfortably, recalling one particular train of thought that kept him up last night. "It's personal."
Zelda let out a small laugh. "Come on Link, tell me."
"It's nothing, seriously."
"If it's nothing why can't you tell?"
"Could you just drop it!?" Link said hotly, feeling his temper, which had been boiling below for the surface past several weeks surge again. "I don't have to tell you everything!"
Zelda's teasing smile promptly slid off her face. "What's wrong with you?"
"What?"
"For the past week, you've been acting weird, not sleeping and getting violent at the slightest provocation!"
"I'm not violent!"
"Oh yeah?" Zelda said. "What do you called smashing in Groose's face?"
"He deserved it! And he hurt and touched you in…. that area."
"It wasn't like I had gotten hurt permanently! And he didn't do it on purpose!"
"Are you seriously defending Groose?!"
Zelda's ears grew red. "I'm just trying to be fair. You shouldn't have punched him!"
"What? I should have stood by while he copped a feel?"
"An accident, Link! It was an accident!"
"You know, this would've never happened if you hadn't butted in."
"What are you talking about?" Zelda demanded.
"If you hadn't gotten in between me and Groose, this would have never happened! If you let me handle my own problem, Groose wouldn't have…. Have touched that area and I probably wouldn't have punched him!"
"Why would I just stand by? You're my friend. You're Link, my quiet best friend."
"That's the problem! I'm too quiet! You overshadow me so much that no one knows who I really am! Not even you! I don't like sitting in the background! I like to be heard, to be acknowledged by someone other than you or Groose!"
"Wha-?"
"You want know how things are? When we walk together into town and a person points at you and asks 'who is that' they answer 'oh, that is the smart and beautiful Zelda'! When they then point at me and ask 'who is that' the answer is always 'that Zelda's friend, I think his name's Link or something'!"
"Wait-."
"And so to everyone, I'm nothing, just 'that guy', in background, who just follows the great Zelda around. I'm not respected by anyone, not even you!"
"I respect-!"
"No! No you don't. Because if you did, you would let my handle myself! But no! Instead you think I'm too quiet, too weak, to actually hold myself against anyone!"
"I don't think that!" Zelda exclaimed, finally managing to get a coherent sentence out.
"You know what, Zelda." Link glared. "Sometimes I think I'd be a happier person if I had never met you!" He yelled the last few words.
Those harsh words hung in the air as the color drained from Zelda's face.
Link realized what he had just said and his anger and frustration melted away. "Zelda…"
"I-I see…" Zelda voice cracked. Her eyes had become over bright with as tears formed, her bottom lip quivered as she spun around and walked off.
To her credit she managed to maintain her composure halfway to the village before abruptly turning the right and running off into the trees, leaving Link, stunned by his own words, behind.