A/N: This one's been in production for awhile. I've picked it up and left it go for a year now so I'd like to see it done. I apologize if it's a bit lacking. My style has changed numerously over the years and this a mingling of a few of them.
Disclaimer: I don't own LoZ ... still.
"Speech"
-thoughts-
Link closed his eyes, placing the fairy ocarina to his lips. Careful breath passed from mouth, to flute, to air, filling the empty woods with the notes of Saria's song. The young boy swayed with each key, a living metronome, bopping his knees to keep in time with the rhythm. He was playing away his sorrows with hands that were far too calloused to beget a child.
The young boy could find peace here, where the goddesses spoke the clearest. He was in the comfort of friends; though none was whole and stood beside him, he could feel their spirit's warmth blanket him.
There came a waft of distortion in the air, a twinkle of sound, and then a flute joined Link's melody. Link didn't break from his music to greet his friend, nor did he open his eyes. He continued to play, knowing no such gestures were needed. They both understood why they were here without words getting in the way. Skull-kid knew Link's body held the marks of bullies just as Link knew his friend shook with loneliness. They were drawn to this safe heaven by friendship and by Saria. With this song, the three of them could be together, Link, Skull-kid, and Saria. They wished each other happiness with their thoughts, because joy was something that none of them could seem to keep a hold of.
They had a system to it. Link and Saria would always save the skull-child from his seclusion. Saria would be reminded there was more to her life than her duty as a sage. And in turn, Link was reassured he was loved and needed. This was how they gave each other strength to keep on going, and just as the music hummed in their ears, so did the knowledge that this connection between them was something to live and fight for in otherwise dark world.
The early morning sun had started to peak through the dense canopy of trees. The white rays glowed intensely on Link's pink cheeks. As the sun rose higher, twin spotlights shinned down on the two musicians as the played from atop their stage of tree stumps. An audience of sprites gathered, ivory fireflies holdings hands and promenading in celebration of the youth's duet. Lonely fairies plucked berries and held the fruit like a dancing partner as they twirled in enchanting circles.
It was hard for Link to believe that just two days ago he had happened upon this place and befriended the crow-faced child. Their meeting had been inexorable, but not exactly friendly. Frightened by the very same Kokiri bullies that Link had been trying to elude, Skull-kid had chased the elfen lad out of the secret spot, pelting Link with Deku nuts from his blowpipe to make sure the boy would never come back to hurt him.
But Link had come back. Skullkid had seen him enter the glade, but Link had not spied the frayed red clothes hidden in the trees. The misshapen child had simply watched from behind a wide tree trunk, curious as to what the boy would do; yet spurned on by fear to keep quiet and stay still.
Link had looked about; up then right, then left, then down. The smile that had crept out onto Link's face made the skull-child lose himself more to intrigue then to fear. Link had sat down on the lower of the two stumps, the other choice too high for him to climb. This was odd. Link had no desire to play anything when he came in here and now the urge to play a song itched throughout his body. Link, not one to ignore his instincts, had merely shrugged and took out his wooden instruments. As Link had played the only song he knew, Skull-kid had shook in revelation. The scarecrow-boy knew that song! Saria had taught it to him. She had been the only one that had ever shown him kindness, and she was a girl at that! From that moment on, Skull-kid had no longer seen Link as an enemy. He had known that Saria had touched the green boy with her gentle heart as well, and wanted them all to be friends.
Link released himself from his memories. His friendship with Skull-kid was less than a week old, but it felt like they were truly close. Link lowered his ocarina and sighed. He didn't feel like playing anymore. He was still trying figure out why the Kokiri insisted on treating the two of them like outsiders. As far as Link knew, Skullkid and he were a part of the forest just as much as the other children. They seemed to accept Saria, even though she was friends with the outcasts, but when it came down to Skull-kid and Link the Kokiri refused to accept them. Link had been trying to think of something he might have done to make the Kokiri's angry, but he couldn't think of a single thing (Well, he did broke whatserface'spot that one time. It had been an accident and he offered to pay for it, but she said she'd forgive him if he did chores for her. Though, doing whatever she wanted for a month was a bit overcompensating).
If that pot-breaking incident hadn't erected their hate, then what had? Were they jealous of him? Link shook his head at that. He couldn't even believe he thought of such a ridiculous explanation. He had nothing valuable enough to warrant their envy.
The pout deepened on Link's lips.
It couldn't be because he was chosen by Great Deku Tree, could it? But it's not like Link had asked for the honor! It was kind of dropped on him without warning and now he was stuck with it. He had tried to get the Deku Tree to entrust the title to Mido, but the elder guardian wouldn't hear of it.
Link scratched his hat and bangs furiously. Ah, it was too complicated!
Link looked up, his thoughts flipping over to another subject entirely when he realized the woods had grown quiet. His brows furrowed, his ears twitched. He couldn't hear Skull-kid's flute. Where had he gone? It was possible that Skull-kid and Saria had decided to depart for the day and leave Link to himself. Link had cut away from the conversation rather abruptly, and knowing his friend's, they wouldn't carry on the fun without him. They probably thought it best to leave him to himself and made it so.
Just to make sure he was right in this, Link tilted his head back, scaling the tallest tree stump with his eyes. He was surprised to see Skullkid still standing there.
Link had never seen Skull-kid shake quite like that, maybe once when they first met, but his friend's red eyes were in such a paralyzing state that it was unknown to him. Link turned his gaze toward the entrance, the same spot that his friend was staring at anxiously. Link scrutinized it for hazards, but couldn't find anything aside from the usual grass and hollowed out tunnel. Link knew there was something there he wasn't seeing and the knowledge made his whole body quiver.
"What's wrong?" Link asked.
Link's words triggered the blood to rush back into the Skull-kid's limbs.
"Run!" Skullkid warned and vanished with a pirouette.
Link swallowed. He gritted his teeth, making a sort of knotting nose in his ears. The distinct chill of danger shot through his spine.
-Not good, not good.-
Discreetly, he put away his ocarina and withdrew his slingshot. The rustle of boughs rang loudly through the soundless grove and made Link panic. He squeaked, fumbling with his aim before finally correcting himself and launching a Deku seed gracelessly into the treetops. There was a violent shake of branches and Link was holding his breath. A bird's silhouette flashed, flapping it's wings and singing a trill of anger down at Link before flying off to find a more hospitable place to nest. Link sighed in relief and lowered his weapon. His heart was racing and his breathing had turned too heavy for his liking. He plopped down on a stump to rest his uneasy legs.
The forest boy knew it took a much more formidable foe to scare off his cowardly friend, but Link greatly welcomed the idea of the threat turning out to be a harmless bird. The lad's heart was slowing down, his fears washing out of him, when the wind suddenly picked up. The strong gale ruffled the entire forest from head to toe, making the wood appear to house a thousand concealed terrors.
Bare feet, inaudible to Link's ears over the static wind, choose now to sneak up behind the lad. A pair of hands shoved Link off his seat and into the grass. No sooner was Link falling to his knees did two firm grips arrive to pin down both of his shoulders. Another weight, a body, sat on Link's back, straddling him. Link didn't know who, how, or why; all he knew was that someone was trying to harm him and he had to get away. More hands, so many hands, grabbed Link's wrists, pulling the blond boy's hands together behind his back. Link resisted, knowing they were trying to tie him up, but a punch to the back of Link's head quickly silenced his defiance.
"Quit struggling." A Kokiri boy's voice ordered.
Link stiffened, his eyes widening at the sharp coolness of a dagger against his neck. He could tell by the carved stone's teeth and the absence of weight against his waist, that it was hisdagger in their hands. After the Kokiri demanded their sword be returned, Link had made his own weapon in secret, feeling too vulnerable without one. He kept it stashed under his belt, but somehow the Kokiri must have found out about it.
"I dare you to try anything again." The Kokiri boy's voice dared with a smug smirk.
It was hard not recognize the voices whose insults rang in your head day and night. Even if Link died, he was sure his reincarnation would still hear thier voices laughing and pointing. Yes, Link knew this Kokiri's voice quite well. The boy had a reputation for brawling when he wasn't the one in control. Link had seen him hit one of the girls for arguing with him about who was who in one of their games. Most of the Kokiri feared and avoided him because of his violent behavior, but Mido especially recruited him into his gang to exploit it. Link knew better then to struggle. If he did, he had a high chance of losing his life.
Link's eyes widened when he spotted his slingshot partially masked in the grass. If he could just find a way to get to it before someone noticed--
"Hey, someone get that!"
Link watched as a Kokiri rushed to confiscate his slingshot, and with it, his hopes of escape. Link settled into compliance. There was nothing else for him to do. He was still dazed with the fact that this was all really happening to him and his head throbbed much too painfully for him to think up a backup plan.
The Kokiri accomplices standing around Link parted for their red-headed leader to appraise their handy work.
Mido strutted in with fists on his hips and a cocky pointed nose in the air. He smirked with pleasure. Link was bound and at his mercy.
"Good work," Mido praised his cohorts.
Link knew Mido's voice the best. The red head especially loved pulling cruel pranks on him. Mido had never taken his bullying this far before, but Link supposed it was bound to happen.
Link heard the grass flattening around him. Pointed, peridotshoes rounded into Link's vision. Link angled his head up as far as it could go, glaring at the freckled face above.
Mido's smirk changed to a full-blown snarl of teeth as he stared into stubborn blue eyes. That face wasn't right. Link was supposed to be bawling his eyes out, not fighting back. Mido wanted Link's face to be so sad and ugly that it was comical. He wanted the Great Deku Tree to be ashamed for ever thinking of choosing this boy over him, but that wasn't what was happening. Link was honing his courage against him even without knowing it; rebelling despite the dire helplessness of his situation. For the first time Mido was seeing the hero that the Great Deku Tree hailed Link for; that irrepressible will to protect and defend that made Mido sick. Most of the time, Link would just sit there and take his beating so, why the sudden change in attitude?
-Fool. You can't save everyone. I'd make a better hero than you.-
Countless times Mido had argued with the Forest Elderthat Link was bound to fail, but each time the Sacred Tree, unwaveringly, stood by his decision. That overgrown tree had the nerve to say that the Mido's handsome character was evil! Humph! What did that hunk of fire wood know anyway? Link was weak! The stupid orphan cared too much! Besides, all the other Kokiri had agreed that Link was worthless, so why didn't that stupid tree?!
-There's just no way he could do it. He'd get himself killed protecting the first little girl who screams for help! What are we supposed to do then?! The Sword of Evil'sBane is nothing without a hero. He doesn't understand that even if he sacrifices himself to save one, we're all going to get slaughtered if he dies! -
Mido's short-temper flared like blazing crescents through his body. He stomped Link's face into the ground with his foot.
Link felt a burning pain where his nose should be. It seemed flattened, broken, and Link thought he smelled blood. Dirt stuck to his teeth and tasted gritty. It hurt to breathe.
"Not so tough now are you?" Mido shot at him, his words meant to push Link even further into the ground.
"Mido …" Link seethed into the dirt, "This isn't funny!! Let me go!!"
"And spoil all this fun? Are you nuts?"
"You tell him Mido!" A girls voice cheered.
Link knew her too. She had blonde pigtails and was Mido's second hand, his unofficial girlfriend. When Link first met her, he had been fooled by her seemingly sweet nature, but he learned that hard way that it was just an act. She would stab even her closest friends in the back if it was in her favor.
"So whaddya guys say we do to 'em?" Mido asked his followers. He was in a better mood now that Link's face was firmly beneath his heel.
"I say we tie 'em to a tree and let the Stalfos eat his soul!" Mido's girl declared ebulliently.
Midoshook his head in a negative, "I like it, really I do, but we'd be the first ones the Deku tree would blame. No, what we need is something more …" He took a moment to think, rubbing his stubble chin.
"I've got an idea," offered an interloping voice. The tone was trained, whimsical; a beaten accent that only strangers from the outside possessed.
"Who said that?!" Mido ordered, eyes impatiently searching for their uninvited guest.
-What do I do now?! Nobody was supposed to find out about this!-
The other Kokiri looked at each other, each silently thinking to themselves they were found out by an emissary of the Great Deku Tree. If they had to, they would lie their way out of this. If one could martyr themselves to uphold the group then it would be done. It was an oath they all sworn on.
Sweat was sliding down the Mido's temple. His speckled cheeks grew redder. "Lookout! report, NOW!" Mido ordered up at the trees.
"I don't see anybody! I swear!" defended the distant voice.
Milo grinded his teeth and fisted his hands. He did not like unwanted surprises.
"I don't like this Mido. Maybe it's a ghost or something." pigtails said as she huddled closer to the safety of the group. They were all clustering together now. Mido was the only one brave enough to stand alone.
"Yeah … maybe we shouldn't have done this." Another Kokiri boy agreed. If the Deku Tree really was watching, usually the elder would let you off easy if you confessed what you did was wrong. Why not get a head start and apologize now?
"Shut up! This guy is just trying to scare us off!" Mido shouted, making them all recoil back from his voice. The red-head squatted down and grabbed a fistful of Link's thick honey locks. He yanked up boy's face, noticing that his nose was severely stubbed and his defying eyes were squeezed shut in pain.
"Don't get your hopes up Link," Mido whispered threateningly, "No one would come to rescue someone like you!"
Mido flattened Link's face back into the dirt, a high cry of pain hurling out of Link's throat at the ill treatment of his already injured nose.
A flock of gasps rose from the troublesome group of Kokiri. Mido stood, swiveling around to take in the boy that had dropped from the trees and landed before them.
"THERE! THERE! Do you see him?!"
"Yeah."
"Who is he?"
"I've never seen him before."
"Where did he come from?"
"He doesn't look like he's from the forest."
"Is he a demon?"
"Does he know the Great Deku tree?"
"You think he'd kill us if we asked?"
Mido heard his band of Kokiri's gossiping over his shoulder and it infuriated him. In the end was he the only one with some guts?
"Don't think I can't hear you." The stranger spoke through the train of their whispers. He stood, exposing his full height to them.
The foreigner looked too skinny. He was too tall and lithe compared the Kokiri. A dark blue color was fastened to intruder's body and Mido thought it to be paint by how it intimately it stuck to the other's skin. There were insignias engraved in red on the navy skin, but the symbol of an weeping eye carved on the intruder's chest commanded over the rest. More sapphire foiled Mido from making out the stranger's face.
"You're the cowards. 6 against 1? Is that boy too strong for you?" The blue boy asked.
-Alright, Mido play it cool. This guy might be tough, but you have the brains!-
Mido chuckled, putting up a false air of omniscience. He smirked, leaning towards the intruder with hands on his hips.
"So you're the one that's been interfering, huh? Looks like I have to convince you to leave." Mido stood straight and snapped his fingers, "Hey, Honcho, teach this guy what happens when you start messing with us!"
The muscled Kokiri stepped forward reluctantly.
"I don't know Mido, he looks pretty strong." The muscle of the gang argued, whispering to his leader's ear.
"I can't believe you're scared!" Mido chastised, "Look how puny he is! There's no way he could take you on."
"Yeah I guess you're right." The strong Kokiri agreed, cracking his pudgy knuckles. Yeah, now that Honcho thought about it, the blue boy didn't pose much of a challenge. He could easily break him in half.
-I knew we made him leader for a reason. Mido always knows what's what.-
Honcho stepped out in front of the everyone, acting as a barrier.
"Sorry, but Mido says I got to take care of you." Honcho apologized to the masked one, though the strong Kokiri had an excited smile on his face. What can he say, ever since Mido put him in charge of the rough stuff he grown fond of messing people up.
The foreigner sighed in pity for the tough Kokiri.
-How pathetic. You're too dumb to realize you don't stand a chance.-
Honcho rushed at the intruder with his fist pulled back, sounding his battle cry. The masked one remained firmly in place, making it clear he had no inkling to dodge.
-Ha! This is going to be an easy one! If he doesn't move soon I'll take him out in one swing!-
Honcho slugged the intruder with his large arm, but the blue one's image vibrated and vanished all together. Honcho made a sound of disbelief as his fist sailed through the air, hitting nothing. His body toppled off balance and he had to stumble to keep from falling on his face. With renewed anger, Honcho swiveled around, fists clenched. He grunted as he scanned the glade, eyeing his comrades to point him in the right direction. They shook their heads, just as stumped as to where the intruder had disappeared to.
"Get back here and fight like a ma--!" Honcho's eyes turned white and a scream he couldn't quite get out seemed to be choking him.
"Honcho what's wrong?!" Mido called out, fearful for his friend's well-being.
Honcho's mouth hung open, crackling before he unraveled flat on the ground. As the Kokiri collapsed, the blue one was revealed to have been behind him the entire time.
The stranger's uknown ruby eyes pierced through the group of the Kokiri, his form composed in the finishing blow that knocked Honcho unconscious.
A few of the Kokiri girls shrieked. Others hid their faces in their brethren's chests.
"Did you see that?!" A Kokiri boy said.
"He took out Honcho like it was nothing!"
"What are we going to do?"
"Mido, what should we do?"
"Yeah, c'mon Mido do something!"
Their cries were ringing in his ears. He knew this was when he was supposed to prove himself as their leader, the time to reassure them that they made the right choice, but Mido wasn't sure what he could do. He lacked Honcho's strength and what little promise he showed in wit the stranger had already proved that he held a higher cunning then all of them.
"If you don't want to end up like your friend here I suggest you do exactly as I say." The blue one announced, finally standing with a hand on his hip.
At the sound of the intruder's voice, the Kokiris stiffened up, deathly afraid of what would happen if they interrupted. All their eyes were locked on the blue one.
-Looks like I have their attention now.-
"I'll let you go, but on one condition: you speak to no one of what happened here. You've never seen me and I've never seen you, understand?"
"Yes," a short-haired girl sobbed, "just please let us go."
The face she made, the kind where you knew you couldn't run, couldn't bargain, couldn't do anything, but beg and grovel for your life with the slim hope that you did it pathetically enough that your killer becomes so utterly disgusted with you that he doesn't find you worthy of death. Yes, the blue one recognized those tears. He had worn them too, when the Hylian knights burned down his village. Shiek's eyes pulsed in realization. Was he really the same as those men? Could he separate his actions for theirs?
-I am not like them. I didn't kill anyone. I am not. These kids are the evil ones, not me. This is all to save Li---
He would not think of that name now. Too much rode on the assumption that the bullied boy on the ground was the Link he had been searching for. He had to get a hold of himself. The Kokiri children were going to use this opportunity to run if he didn't finish his business with them soon.
The stranger crossed his hands, showing off the throwing needles held between his fingers. It was an effective threat.
"Do not forget what you have promised today, or I will be there to help you remember during the times you forget. If you understand, then you may go."
Sheik wasn't sure who moved first but the children scrambled over each in a frenzy to save themselves.
Milo was smarter than that. He snuck to the back exit amidst the disorder. Just as he was about to set foot in the exit, the stranger appeared before him, blocking his escape.
Milo gasped, but put up his guard and took a few cautious steps away from the boy.
"Why?" The intruder askedirately, "Taking all his weapons," the foreigner stepped closer, "attacking him in numbers. Aren't you supposed to be his friends?"
The blue one's eyes smoldered, so close to the color of blood. Mido hadn't made any move to oppose him, horrified that his blood would be used to give those eyes their fresh crimson. The freckled boy kept his fists up, his legs quivering as they retreated. His watering eyes were warning the blue one to stay back, but the threat harbored no real bite. Somehow, fear only seemed enlivened the strange one's power and cause.
"How can you betray him so willingly? What did he ever do to you?"
"Why do you care?! It's none of your business!" Mido shouted back.
"He's done nothing to deserve your type of punishment."
"Just shut up! You don't know what he's done to me!"
"Then enlighten me." The blue one's eye stared at him, wide and completely serious.
"Because of him I lost all my friends! Saria, the Great Deku tree they don't even talk to me anymore! All they care about is Link, Link, Link!"
Mido lashed out; his punch skimming across the blue one's skin futilely. Mido felt his arm twist as it was pulled awkwardly to touch his back. The blue one now governed his every move.
Milo laughed, surprising the stranger.
"But you know what hurts the most? That outsider gets to become a legendary hero and I am the one who really wanted it. It was me. I was the first one to be chosen! ME! I WAS FIRST!"
The blue one obliged the forest boy and pictured the fantasy. The red-headed, snot-nosed boy wielding the master sword was rotten in his eyes. He lacked blue eyes and blond hair. He was too driven by his own whims, by his own view of the world. His hate for people would easily stray him from his path. It wouldn't take the Dark One but one sentence to make Mido believe that Hyrule wasn't worth saving, not when it fostered a bunch of cowards.
"You can't fool me. I can see the Dark One inside of you." The blue stranger whispered scathingly into the boy's ear.
"The DekuTree saw it too. How can you save Hyrulewhen you can't even save yourself from him?"
Mido was shoved towards his precious exit, the stranger making sure the boy fell onto his knees.
"Go. Run back to your 'friends'. If I catch you again, I'll do more then simple immobilization."
"Yeah, don't do me any favors."
The blue boy watched as the red-headed boy was devoured into the shadows.
-If they are the youth of Hyrule then perhaps this land deserves to drown in darkness.-
A golden glint shined in the blue one's eye, brightening the foreboding plane of his thoughts. The blue one turned and saw it was the fallen boy's hair. In an instant, the stranger was at the boy's side. He felt himself relax as the forest boy's pulse rapped against his fingertips.
-Thank the goddess he's breathing.-
Not so stricken with the thought of the boy dying, the stranger laid his bandaged hand on Link's shoulder, intent on softly turning the boy over onto his back. It was merely to assess the damage to the young boy's face, but the blue one's hand snapped away at first contact, shaking uncontrollably.
-I can't do this. What if I am wrong again and it's another look-alike from before? What if … 'Link' doesn't exist? I can't keep looking for a ghost that haunts my dreams. My thoughts, my heart … this boy will decide it for me. If he isn't the one I've been searching for then … then I'll let 'Link' go forever.-
Before he could revise decision, the blue one flipped the blond over swiftly. The blue one fasten his eyes closed, turning his face away just as the orphan's face came into light.
-I don't care if 'Link's not real. I don't want to know. I don't ever want the gap in my heart to be filled by anyone but him.-
At the sound of the boy's whine, the foreinger instinctively opened his eyes to check on him. Sheik gasped and fell backwards onto his hands, though it was hard to while kneeling. Link seemed to still burn his flesh and he crawled farther away.
-No, it can't be. Not after all this time. It's not true.-
The stranger sunk his head heavily into his hand, crying.
-He's not really there. I … I am dreaming. I must be.-
The blue one looked up after a long while, stunned to find the boy still where he had left him. He stared at the blond for what seemed like an eternity.
-Even if this is a dream, it's different then all those other times. For the first time I am seeing through my own eyes and not a strangers.-
The blue one slowly crawled back to the boy, reaching his hand out. He flinched when the blond boy hummed and shifted in his sleep. The blue one put his arms around the boy, pulling him into his lap. He rested his head against the blond, weeping into the golden locks.
"I've found you … Link"
Never had words felt so good upon his tongue.
TBC...
Thanks for Reading.
Comments and Questions Welcome.
Chapter Completed: February, 6 2009; 6:00 pm.