Me: Okay, Here's the first chapter.

Fuu: We own nothing people, okay? Nothing!!

Xao: Enjoy your crappy fanfic... -.-

Cannot Live While You Survive

Chapter 1

The Festival

"Come on Link! Hurry up!"

Link huffed in annoyance as his best friend, Ilia, ran ahead of him in the rushing crowd towards the traveling band that had come all the way from Hyrule Castle Town to perform in the country village of Ordon. For some reason, a huge festival had been decided at the last second since the people from the neighboring villages had decided to come to the event.

"Ilia," Link whispered as soon as he had caught up to her, "what are we doing?"

Ilia grinned at him. "Well, I thought since you didn't have to work today- you know cause of the festival and everything? - we could just hang out around the booths… Just the two of us…" She whispered the last part.

Link blinked. "You mean…like a--"

"No!" Ilia answered too fast and her face turned a pretty pink and she became interested in her feet. "No, not like that…per say…"

"'Per say?'"

"W-well…uh…you know…J-just come on!" She grabbed his wrist and dragged him through the thick crowds, flustered. Link allowed his friend to drag him along without a word, though he eyed the crowd around him edgily. The poor boy had never been good with crowds, and at that moment, he felt rather claustrophobic. But he wasn't going to admit to that. Ever.

Strange booths had been set up everywhere, selling any and everything that Link had never seen or heard of before.

Ilia stopped in front of a small jewelry booth and looked into a small mirror, admiring the different looks that each tacky necklace gave her. Link played with the tiny silver piercing in his left ear in agitation. He could feel a ton of stares on his back as waited on Ilia. Why was he there again…?

"Hey, Link?" He looked over at his best friend…

And nearly dropped dead. Ilia had chosen a simple white ribbon choker with an emerald stone that fit snugly into her collarbone. Link felt his face heat and was thankful that his skin type didn't blush easily.

"What do you think?"

Link gulped. What did he think?! How was he supposed to answer that…?! He racked his brain for something adequate to say to her, and wondered momentarily if there was smoke coming from his ears.

He wouldn't have doubted it if there was.

"…Flattering…" he managed to all but choke out.

Ilia looked skeptical. "How?"

Link forced back the noncommittal noise that rose in his throat. He could feel people staring at him. He thought he could hear some whispers as well. He pulled at the loose collar of his green shirt. He truly wished he could simply keel over and die.

"Um…w-well, uh…it…" he stuttered clumsily, "it matches…your…eyes…?" he tried. Well, it was at least true. The emerald pendant gleamed with a light similar to Ilia's green eyes.

However, poor Link still felt pathetic for saying that small truth.

But Ilia's eyes brightened and she smiled happily. "Doesn't it though? Do you think I should get it?"

Link's relief was practically tangible and he breathed a small sigh. "If you want to, Ilia," he answered simply.

The girl pouted cutely and muttered to herself, making Link want to snigger. Ilia always had a habit of talking to herself when she confused or unsure of what to do next. Link had always teased her for it, telling Ilia she had another person in her head that she argued with constantly. Ilia once told him, "Yeah. It's another 'you' for when I'm not constantly arguing with the real you!"

This of course, simply got her teased even more.

Finally, Ilia turned to the woman manning the booth and purchased the choker. Luckily, it was relatively cheap, but Ilia still didn't have much money left over. Link sighed. He could see his already extremely thin pay flying away already. He sighed again.

"What's a matter? Someone die?"

"Yeah. My paycheck…" he said dryly.

Ilia blinked in confusion. Link just shook his head, mockingly grim. He walked on ahead of her into the crowd, leaving her to follow him.

She called out to him, but he simply ignored her. Nausea began to rise in him as the air seemed to be getting staler with every breath and the atmosphere seemed to be overheating. Link knew he had to get away from the overcrowded festival before he blacked out. He headed towards the ranch where he worked.

Link's claustrophobia continued to worsen as he tried to work his way up to the Ordon Ranch as casually as he possibly could. People passed and bumped into him left and right, some faces he recognized, some he didn't; at the moment, he didn't care who was who. He was just glad he hadn't had much breakfast that morning.

If there was one thing Link hated more than large crowds, it was probably looking weak in front of a lot of people.

Finally, he broke free of the ocean of bodies. Before him lay the uphill path to Ordon Ranch. Already, he began to feel a little bit better.

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Link sat in the field of the ranch, looking to the sky as the goats and horses around him grazed. There wasn't a cloud to be seen, and yet the youth watched the vast expanse of blue with keen interest.

A breeze picked up. His ash blond hair tickled the points of his long ears as Link sat contemplatively in the field. He wondered idly if Ilia was mad at him for leaving her alone at the festival.

"Well, it's partly her fault anyways," he murmured to himself. "She was the one who dragged me out the door just to help her look at jewelry… She could have had Beth to help her with that…"

But even as he said that, he felt bad about it. In her own way, Ilia had been trying to help Link. The guy was easily flustered and intimidated by crowds, had been ever since he was a kid.

Link shook the thoughts away. Ilia would probably be mad, but Link would go see her when the throngs of people left and apologize to her. It was the best he could do, and hopefully she wouldn't be too mad at him… But he could only hope.

Link heard a rustle at the far end of the field, and he looked down from the sky. He squinted.

Two figures stepped onto the pasture lawn, both cloaked and hooded. They were rather tall, that much Link could tell. One looked to the other and seemed to say something, but Link couldn't hear what. The other figure nodded and the air around them rippled.

Link blinked. The figure closest removed it's hood to reveal the slender features of a woman's face framed with copper colored hair. Link's jaw unlocked and swung open like a dead fish. The woman's face was formal, refined, and fair under sun baked skin. Her nose was slanted at the perfect angle, and her almond eyes were slanted slightly, giving the woman a feline look. Her eyebrows were curved to make the woman's face seem both feral and gentle. It felt like looking royalty in the face. Like one just felt the true need to get on one knee before her.

Yet, while the woman was undoubtedly lovely, there was something about her persona that made Link shudder. He squinted, trying to look at her better, and his eyes widened more than ever. Her iris' were blood red surrounded in a golden yellow.

But while Link looked on, he couldn't help but wonder what someone with her looks was doing in a run-of-the-mill village like Ordon.

The other figure pulled his hood off as well, showing a slightly stronger looking face than the woman's but with similar refined features. His aura was the same as the woman's, but his eyes were a bright green, making him look even more feline than the woman. Link frowned.

A gust of hot wind blew against the youth's cheek and he gave a small start. He looked to his left. A chestnut mare huffed at Link. She nudged the young man to move over. As soon as he had, he looked over to where the exotic pair stood.

They were gone.

Link stood hurriedly and looked around. Some goats lifted their heads to stare at the young human with bored expressions, then just went back to grazing. The young human walked over to where the two people had stood. However, there was indication that anyone had stood there. Not even the grass was dented.

"Link!"

He turned to see Ilia running towards him. "Hey, Ilia," he said casually.

She whacked him upside the head. "You thick-headed, irresponsible moron!!" she yelled. Link gaped at her, stunned. "You run off on your own without a word, leaving me to wonder what the hell was wrong with you and look for you in a crowded festival, and now that I've finally caught up to you the only thing you can say is, 'Hey, Ilia?!'"

"Sorry…I was just feeling…overcrowded, that's all," he explained.

"That's fine Link," Ilia told him, pinching the bridge of her nose in exasperation. "But the next time you need to wonder off, at least tell me, so I'll know, okay?"

Link nodded as he rubbed the back of his head. He could feel a slight swelling where his fingers brushed. "Ow. Damn, Ilia. Two words: Anger Management."

Ilia scoffed and slapped his arm playfully. "Shut up, you jerk! Come on," she urged, tugging him in the direction of the stable. "Let's saddle up Epona and go to the springs."

Link frowned slightly. "But we'd have to go through town to get to--"

"Nuh-uh. I know a short cut. Past the Eastern fenceline," she told him pointing behind him a little off to his right. There was a thin valley that might've been straight on its own if it weren't bordered with trees and filled with scraggly bushes and roots. Link looked over at the chestnut mare.

His eyes locked with Ilia's again. "I don't think Epona'll fit in there…" he said, biting his lip nervously.

Ilia didn't seem at all phased. "All right then," she announced, grabbing his hand and dragging him behind her, "We'll just walk."

As he was dragged towards the fence, Link looked at the spot where he had thought he'd seen the exotic man and woman. The woman's face had especially struck a cord within him, though he couldn't explain why.

It had held a deep sadness and a strange loathing, as though she had seen ten centuries too many.

Link sighed. It didn't matter, anyways.

After all, he wasn't ever going to see her again.

Me: yeah, he won't ever see her again...

Fuu: That was Chapter One. What'd you think, eh?

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Me: Everybody on this site wants reviews for their stories, and we're no different. so send word our way! And be nice plz. Flamers aren't appreciated or accepted. Till next, see ya!