Author's Note: Hello readers! With the warm weather back in my area this little story came to mind. What if Koholint Island wasn't a dream and didn't disappear when the Wind Fish awoke?
Enjoy the nostalgia fluff :p
A few years have passed since the boy named Link left Koholint Island. Marin stood upon the sand of Toronbo Shores where she first discovered the youth and watched the sunset. Her red hair sailed effortlessly in the wind. The memory fueled by the fact that some of the board pieces from the wreck were still there.
During his time here, the two developed a friendship that she would treasure always. While listening to the sounds of the ocean, she recollected, "I… I remember what I said to him. I told him to never forget The Ballad of the Windfish… or me. I told him that if he did I'd never forgive him, and I really mean it."
"Marin! Marin!" One of the quadruplet boys appeared, interrupting her train of thought.
"Hello, how are you?" She greeted him kindly.
"Have you seen my brothers anywhere?"
"Um… no, I haven't. Not recently. I'm sorry."
"It's all right. Are you okay? You don't seem like your usual cheerful self."
She hesitated, "Oh, yes I'm fine! I just…"
"Do you miss him?"
She sighed, "Yes, I do. I can't seem to get my mind off him today."
"I really hope he comes back someday. He was a pretty cool guy."
"Yeah, he sure was." She felt a light blush in her smile.
"I remember he would always ask me a lot of things. I'm a bit older now, but at the time I was just a kid! I didn't know what to say."
Marin giggled, and the two remained silent for a few seconds before the boy spoke, "I'm gonna keep looking for my brothers. I'll see you later Marin!"
"Bye!"
She watched him leave while waving, then returned to daydreaming.
As the seagulls continued to chirp in the sky, she looked up at the vibrant orange clouds, "I don't know when he'll be back, or if he'll be back at all. That must sound silly but I hope…" She stopped her words upon noticing a seagull had landed beside her.
Marin smiled at the feathered creature, "Hi there."
The seagull chirped, tilted it's head and bounced back in the sky. The beach bird flew a short distance down the shoreline. A feeling in her heart compelled her to follow, so she hurried after the seagull, her blue dress brushed her legs. The seagull led her past several palm trees and away from the water, down the path and finally around a bend.
She immediately realized where the seagull had led her, "I remember this place." She adjusted the red hibiscus in her hair.
Marin took slow steps into the familiar place and sat on the log, taking in the nostalgia. The palm trees that framed the scenery rustled in the wind. She stared at the empty spot next to her, and slowly a tear began to fight out of her eye until it had finally escaped and raced down her cheek. When it fell off her face the wind pushed it a short distance, allowing it to fall into the sand.
Seagulls caught her attention above her. She watched as the small flock soared across the sky and toward the horizon. She hopped up and ran to the coastline until her feet got drenched.
"Link, I hope you're happy back home." She spoke, "I was sad to see you leave, but I knew that day would come eventually. The time we spent together meant so much to me."
She returned to her spot on the log and set her eyes upon the sunlight reflecting on the ocean surface.
"I want to see you again, Link."
"Marin!"
She recognized her father's voice and turned to face him.
"I thought I heard ya talking. Sure enough, here you are! I was lookin' around for you actually, and one of the boys told me that I'd find ya around here! Come on, let's head back home. Dinner is ready!" He started to walk away.
Marin didn't move, "I wonder… Did he hear everything I said just now?"
Tarin stopped realizing she wasn't following and laughed, "Heh heh ha ha! Don't just be standin' there lookin' surprised now! It's not like we're gonna get lost or nothin'! Heh heh heh!"
She caught up, "You didn't eat any more of those toadstools did you papa? Yes, Link told me what happened."
"That was some dream I tell ya. Oh… maybe just a few bites. But no worries Marin! I won't be careless like last time! Sometimes I just get real hungry."
Marin smiled and shook her head, amused and annoyed at the same time. When they got back to Mabe Village, she glanced in the direction of the Trendy Game shop.
"I wonder if the owner is still mad at me…"
Her question answered affirmative when he exited the shop and shot her the stink eye when he noticed her. She sighed and looked around.
Grandma Ulrira was outside and she appeared to be wrapping up her day, cheerful as always, "YAHOO! My new broom is still like brand new! Superb!" She noticed Marin and greeted her, "HELLO! I'm fine, and you?"
"Hello Grandma Ulrira, I'm doing great." Marin replied, "Thank you. How have you been?"
"YIPPEE! I can't wait until tomorrow; I'll always have a great day! Unless my broom breaks! Then that's a bad day!"
Marin smiled with a small chuckle and followed her father into their house. There was a variety of banana themed dishes on the table. Immediately, she noted the lack of honey.
"I've sure lost my taste for honey!" Tarin stated like he was reading her mind, "Those darn bees almost got me, I couldn't believe it!"
She softly laughed, "It's okay papa. I'll go find some tomorrow."
That night, Marin had a wonderful dream. Link had returned to the island, and she was overjoyed to see him. He had arrived at the same area where she found him shipwrecked, he looked almost the same and wasn't shipwrecked this time. The two spoke for what seemed like hours on the cliff overlooking Toronbo Shores.
The light caught her eyes when she woke up the next morning. To her surprise the house was empty.
"That's odd, usually he would be the last one up."
She got dressed and prepared to go find some honey like she had planned, but Tarin burst into the house with a look of pleasant surprise.
A startled Marin questioned, "Papa? Is something wrong?"
"Marin! You've gotta come ta Toronbo Shores, quickly!"
Bewildered, she hurriedly put her sandals on and followed her rushing father. To her surprise, the four boys approached her quickly and hopped excitingly.
"Marin! Hurry to the beach!"
That was all she could hear, they were talking so fast and they scampered away just as quick as they showed up. All of them rushed into the direction of the shore.
Regardless, she did. She hurried as fast as she could. When the scent of saltwater caught her nose she had a sense what might be going on. She listened to the waves and followed her father's distinguishable footprints leading straight to the spot she found Link.
Marin stopped in her tracks and at first she couldn't believe it.
There standing beside her father was her favorite green hero, a perfectly intact ship rested upon the sand. The boys cheered and started frolicking in the water.
Link made eye-contact with her. She took a few slow steps toward him, "Link? Is that really you?"
He was slightly taller but his eyes were still clear and blue, and his hair that same golden shade. Tarin took several steps away.
"You didn't forget me did you?" She asked, a gradation of worry cast over her voice. Regardless, she was ready to cast the declaration she made years ago.
Instead, he smiled and shook his head before saying, "It's great to see you again Marin."
Her heart skipped a beat and she gleefully skipped directly in front of him, "Link! I…"
She hesitated briefly before saying, "It's great to see you again too! Hahaha!"
Tarin began laughing as well. The sun seemed to shine extra bright that day just like the joy in Marin's heart.
Author's Note: Seriously, what happens to Link after Link's Awakening? He just wakes up in the middle of the ocean and doesn't have a boat...
O_O
