*Scene Begin*
"E-e-elf!"
No sooner after Montmorency's frightening wail did pandemonium strike. The paralyzed students whipped themselves into a shrill frenzy with admirable haste. Link watched as they fled in every which direction. The sight was practically comical as pairs of scramblers smacked full force into each other in consequence for focusing entirely on Link. To the Kokiri's own surprise, a large blue dragon ascended to the skies with a passenger. Link hadn't met many dragons, and when he did, they usually weren't too hospitable and soon became carcasses.
Tiring of the flailing mob's endless screaming and overabundant collisions, Link decided it was time to get some answers. Of course, he knew such a panicked group wasn't about to hold a Q&A conference at the moment, but his desire for an explanation of his inconvenient arrival in a strange land superseded his patience. He inhaled deep, and shouted to the heavens.
"HALT!"
The order echoed several times in the distance as the green crier stared in amusement as every bipedal organism froze in their tracks. The only noticeable movement came from the chests with each sporadic breath and Link compelled himself to suppress a snicker: the native's poses reminded him of ReDeads caught in sunlight. Continuing, Link initiated his inspection of the proximity. Besides the humanoid statues, the area comprised of a large open field outfitted with a few trees spaced protected by a stone wall perimeter. Behind him was the massive fortress, its entrance a short jog away. Link shifted back to the statues and gave them a one-over. All were adorned with blue mantles held together by golden clasps embellished with a pentagram. Each one was struggling to maintain their form for fear of the consequences for disobeying the elf's order.
Link's observation ended when he spied Louise, the pinkette trembling uncontrollably despite the comfortable temperature and clutching her wand tight enough to turn her knuckles white. The hero tensed up at the presence of the wand; he vividly recalled his epic battle between the guardians of the Spirit Temple. Koume and Kotake proved to be loathsome foes with their monotonous tactic of alternating between spellcasting and bantering insults at the aspiring hero. The encounter left Link with a low tolerance and impeccable dislike of witches.
Link's retrospect barely left him with enough time to perceive an incoming fireball from his side. In a blurred maneuver, he brought forth his reliable shield to block the burning missile. The fireball struck the ornate guard and was absorbed into the grand crystal set in the shield. The rhythmic hum of energy informed its bearer that the threat was now stored away. Link swiveled to face his attacker.
Professor Colbert stood poised for combat, his stave firmly grasped and aimed at Link. Colbert knew he wasn't a match for the elf, but he felt confident that he could buy his students enough time to escape. What piqued his curiosity though was the armor Link wore. On his hands were shimmering golden gauntlets, a tad overboard in comparison with his simple clothing, but the guard on his right arm mesmerized Colbert. It was mid-sized, allowing it to protect a majority of the body without sacrificing mobility like that of a kite shield. And the rate Link could maneuver the shield spoke volumes of his masterful discipline. The defense comprised of a large crystalline structure bordered by an inch or two of crimson steel that displayed a remarkable sheen. It was a beautiful masterpiece that drove Colbert's scientific mind wild as he studied its ability to sponge up magic.
Dismissing the professor's evident ogling; Link held the shield towards the sky and discharged the stored energy. The gemstone glowed bright red before a fireball identical to the one earlier shot forth and detonated in a dazzling display high above. Link enjoyed the pyrotechnics until his attacker prodded with a question.
"What is your purpose for being here, elf," Colbert demanded cautiously. Link again looked at the man, noticing his various nuances. Link could tell from his body language that Colbert was an accomplished soldier who had fought his own share weary battles, but there was something else behind the façade of sparkling victory: a humiliating defeat or haunting regret perhaps? Link couldn't tell, just knew it was there. Seconds rolled by until he felt that Colbert wasn't about to launch another assault.
"The name's Link, not 'Elf'," he responded. "And if you'd be so kind, could you inform me of my whereabouts?"
Colbert, along with the petrified students, stood dumbfounded. In his presence was an elf, the world's most notorious magical species, which not only disregarded his blatant act of hostility, but also made no attempt at retaliation. Instead, the representative of mankind's eternal enemy was asking for directions, although there was an icy undertone in his voice.
"You are currently trespassing on the grounds of Tristain's Magical Academy. I'm afraid I am going to have to ask you to remove yourself from the premise."
"Oh, really now? Even after someone went through all the trouble of calling me here," Link countered. Colbert gave him a puzzled look before turning to study Louise. It didn't take a genius to deduce that the short girl was a key component in understanding the situation. Louise needed a moment to digest the information, turning wide-eyed when the revelation hit her.
"Y-you mean to say that I s-summoned you," she stammered out. The concept of summoning an elf familiar baffled Louise and Colbert, primarily because the situation had never presented itself before. The other driving point was that the elven race proudly displayed its contempt for mankind at every opportunity. They could thank the Founder for that.
"From where I come from, mystical dimensional rifts to faraway lands don't just pop up without a reason. So to answer your question then yes, I suppose you did. An admirable feat to accomplish no less; it must have required ample amounts of vigorous training to execute such a skill," Link explained, oblivious to the irony in his words. "Although, I would have preferred a more suitable spot for my entrance."
Louise flushed at his sincere compliments. Nobody had ever spoken proudly of her magic besides Cattleya, and even then her sister's words had a foreboding hollowness to them. But now she had summoned an elf as her familiar, an unprecedented feat that surely proved her success as a mage. Louise could hardly wait to rub it in her colleagues' faces. Louise the Zero will be no more. Colbert piped up with the pinkette lost in her thoughts.
"Well Mr. Link, if what you speak is true, then I believe an explanation is in order. Here at the academy, we train children of nobility to become stellar mages for the future. Today, the second-year class," he waved his stave around in emphasis, "is performing a ritual to summon their personal familiar."
"Which is supposed to be what exactly," Link chimed in.
"Servile creatures said to mirror their master's inner spirit. The creature in particular can be transported from any given time or place in order to complete the ritual summons. Their main role is to protect their master and follow orders."
"Understood. So now I'm required to be subservient to this pipsqueak till death do us part huh," Link asked, his thumb indicating Louise. The pinkette barely made it up to his sternum and the insult brought her down to earth.
"Who are you calling a 'pipsqueak' you insolent dog," she exclaimed with a face flushed in anger and embarrassment. Judging from her reaction, Link could tell she had a feisty attitude and quick temperament.
"Why YOU of course, Master," he replied, sporting a wry grin.
Quivering with rage, Louise clenched her wand as if to snap it in two. She raised it up in preparation for a spell while Linked readied himself, hand on sword and slightly crouching to provide a spring if he needed to dodge. Colbert however restrained her arm and supplied a stern look.
"Pardon me Miss Vallière, but that would probably be not in your best interests," the professor stated, reminding her of what her esteemed familiar was exactly. "Besides, you aren't Master and Familiar yet. You've yet to seal the contract Miss Vallière."
Louise lowered her arm, swallowed nervously and steeled herself. She strode on over to the tense Hylian, pressed the wand against his forehead and recited.
"Pentagram of the five elemental powers, grant your blessing upon this creature and bind it as my Familiar." Finished with the verbal phase, Louise proceeded to the physical component. Link was caught completely off guard as she tugged him by his collar into a kiss. Now Link had never been much for romance, despite technically being the fiancé of the Zora Princess Ruto, never mind the sick fantasies the Termina Pirates had. He much rather preferred the exhilarating feel of adventure and dungeon sprawling in contrast to a woman's embrace. The moment right now however gave him a nervous heartbeat and wondering why the heat was giving him sweaty palms. Desperate to recover, Link shoved her away, his face ashen.
"What in the name of Din's Fire are you—grr," Link hissed as excruciating pain enveloped his left hand. It felt like someone was carving into with a searing knife. Determined to investigate the cause, he yanked of the gold gauntlet and scanned his hand. On it were unknown runes etching themselves into his flesh. Link released a sharp rasp when the pain temporarily doubled in strength, the Triforce of Courage glowing as to signal its efforts to remove the runes, but to no avail. Eventually the sensation subsided; the runes still a prominent feature.
"Let me see," spoke Colbert and Link resigned himself to the professor's care. Two things stuck out at him. One was the inscribed runes, an uncommon set with obscure origins. In the far corners of his mind he could dimly remember seeing those specific symbols somewhere, but discarded the thought when he spied interest number two. Faintly covering the hand was a trio of golden triangles unified to produce a larger one. Like the shield, the faint insignia was unknown to him and called for immediate extensive research.
Noticing the scientist's intense study of his hand, Link suddenly withdrew it. He also supplied Colbert with a hostile gaze, threatening reprimand if the man pursued the matter. Detecting the hidden meaning, Colbert yielded. Stagnant silence permeated the grounds when out of the blue came a muffled and strained voice.
"Kernwemervnow," asked the voice. Turns out it was Guiche, the blondie aching from remaining station for the entire endeavor. In fact, not a single soul had dared to move during the half-hour exchange.
"At ease people," Link responded by rescinding his previous order. A weak pang of guilt hit him with the realization of who was at fault. The mass heaved a collective sigh of relief. Although an elf was in the vicinity, the lack of hostility eased the initial tension, but the group remained weary of Link. The sound of discreet whispering rose from the crowd, the topic undoubtedly about Louise's Familiar. Maybe she wasn't a complete failure after all.
"Now that everyone has summoned their partner," Colbert began, "You are all dismissed for the day. Also remember that there will be no classes tomorrow, so it'd be wise to use that time to get better acquainted with your familiar." Turning to Link, he started again. "Please pardon me, but I must go report this, this," Colbert paused, searching for the right word, "this unusual situation to the Headmaster. In the meantime, please try to maintain a low profile till things get sorted out." Link nodded in half agreement. It was still fairly early in the day, the warm sun almost at its midpoint, and the displaced hero felt a common urge to explore the surrounding area without interruption while it was still daylight out. Of course, there was nothing preventing him from simply changing night into and day and vice-versa, but Link wanted to keep his mindboggling powers under wraps. There was no telling how the academy's residents would react to his ocarina's supernatural melodies.
As the students dispersed with their animal partners, Link stooped over to retrieve his discarded gauntlet, and when bent up he found himself surrounded by a mixed group of curious onlookers.
"C-can I help any of you," he offered.
*Scene Break*
"No, you eat on the floor," exclaimed Louise.
"Huuuuuuhhh!"
"You heard me. You eat on the floor like the plebeian dog you are!"
"What did you call me," Link shot back angrily.
"Ara ara," came a third voice. "You two just get along so well."
The bickering pair wheeled to face Kirche. "Shut it," the two fired back in unison at the redhead. The school beauty faked a pouting expression.
"Man, these two are so rude and uncivilized, aren't they, Tabitha," Kirche asked the girl beside her. The quiet bookworm made no effort to respond other than turning a page. It didn't matter anyways, Louise had already caught the comment.
"Just who is uncivilized here, Zerbst? You're the one who flings themselves at every guy in the school. Have you no pride as a noble? Speaking of which, stay away from my familiar, I don't need you tainting him anymore than he already is," warned Louise.
"Oh, don't speak so harshly of my Darling!" Kirche switched to Link. "Darling, why don't you leave this cruel and underdeveloped girl for me," she proposed as she slid up beside him, his face flushed. In an act of recovery, Link snagged his food before bouncing out of his seat to the floor in a single deft movement. The arms Kirche had prepared to latch onto him simply swiped air. Ignoring the continuing outburst, Link once again found himself brooding over the events that transpired leading up to the present.
With the contract between Master and Familiar sealed, Link opted to avoid other by convincing Louise to give him a campus tour. The whole trip she gave him periodic nervous glances at him as she led him around the academy. Link couldn't help but notice the Louise's attempt at asserting her dominance by slightly walking ahead of him. He also couldn't help laughing at how her short legs struggled to keep up with his immense stride.
Memorizing the layout was child's play for the adept adventurer, largely due to the countless hours he spent wandering the myriad pathways of each temple or dungeon he visited. Link swore he never saw the sun half the time he was traveling. It didn't matter to him anyways, having grown accustom to the dank underground. Given a choice, he'd gladly pick being reincarnated as a Goron. They finished the tour by returning to Louise's room, Link's only complaint was that they didn't cover the entire campus. No worries though, he had plans to see it on his own time, whenever that'll be. His "master" hardly gave him peace, constantly pinning various tasks onto his to-do list. Sadly, no matter how badly he wanted to refuse, Link didn't have the heart to turn someone down. He had established a reputation of always helping others and he wasn't about to ruin that streak now. Still, washing women's laundry unnerved the harden warrior.
Up in the room, Link cocked a brow at his sleeping arrangement: a small pile of hay was lightly spread by a corner. He had no qualms about sleeping on the stack, having done so nearly all his life, but the idea irked him to no end. Here he was, in a facility training countless rich nobles in the magic arts, and he had to sleep on the floor. The disgruntled one felt absolutely certain that the academy could spare a single mattress for him. When Link decided to speak out, things turned sour. Louise was adamant about having him on the floor, it being a sign of his status as a familiar. The conflict escalated to the point where the mage pointed her wand at him, chanting. Almost immediately Link grabbed her wrist and yanked it behind her back, twisting as he did so, forcing her to drop the enchanted stick. His other hand shot to her throat, squeezing lightly to stop the chanting. He may not have been able to see it, but he surely felt it: cold terror paralyzed Louise, wondering if these were her last moments. Just when things couldn't get worse for her, the unthinkable happened.
"I can tolerate the yelling, but I absolutely draw the line at physical abuse. I am a human being, not a punching bag," he stated in an iron tone just before releasing her. Louise whirled around.
"Do not take me for a fool, you are an elf who has-"
"Elf, elf! What is this 'elf' that everyone keeps associating me with," the annoyed hero demanded. Louise staggered to answer, a wave of uncertainty washing over her.
"W-what do you mean, quit trying to hide it. Just look at those clothes, those pointed ears, you are an elf! One of the greatest and most dreaded mystical species in the natural order," she threw back. Link narrowed his eye, scrutinizing her words. After a minute his face returned to normal, the puzzling clicking together in his mind. Louise's worst fears were realized when he began to talk.
"I hate to disappoint, mostly because I never have, but I am not an elf. Both these ears and tunic are representative of the Kokiri Tribe, a small community of forest-dwelling children. I suppose by this world's standards they would be called 'elves,' however they hold no talent at any type of magic. They are the same as regular humans except for the fact that they never age as long as they remain in the Lost Woods," Link elaborated with a solemn tone. He was taken aback by his master's reaction. Instead of another outburst, she stood there with a faraway look and glistening eyes.
"You mean that I f-f-failed again…" she muttered, her tears leaving salty trails down her face. The stunned familiar stood rigid, unprepared for the sudden reversal of mood. More brine droplets came down as she continued. "For the first time in my life I felt like I had accomplished something. For the first time ever I felt like I wasn't a failure…" Her mouth continued to move, yet no sound was coming out. Link desperately sought a fix for the crying girl, but came up empty: women were the one puzzle he couldn't solve. He went over what she said again, reassembling the data he gathered over the course of the day. Then an idea hit him like a downhill rolling Goron. The plan was so simplistic and doable; Link felt it was practically impossible to screw up. Slowly and a tad cautiously, he approached and embraced the dazed pinkette, entwining her in his arm. Louise paused momentarily, unsure of her familiar's actions. He couched lower enough so his head was almost level with her then leaned forward.
"What if they never find out," Link gently whispered. Louise just shook her head.
"Impossible. Eventually they'll figure it out when you never use magic," she replied flatly. A wry smile stretched its way across Link's face.
"I don't recall mentioning that I couldn't." The mage pounced back, a quizzical expression on her face. "But you just said-"
"I know what I said. It's just that I'm far more," he involuntarily flexed his left hand, "unique than your average Kokiri. Anyways, I'm famished; let's go get something to eat, Master."
As the resonance of Link's words faded into oblivion, a shadowy figure outside the door hastily resumed their trek down the hall: the eavesdropper was eager to share what they had heard.
*Scene Break*
Finished with his dinner, Link climbed to his feet and handed off his plate to a passing maid. The academy didn't skimp out on hiring cafeteria faculty, so one could expect expedient service. In addition to that was the fact that the cafeteria was virtually empty at the currently late hour. He and Louise were late in arriving, taking their time to discuss the pressing issue with bedding. The two decided on a compromise: In exchange for a having a bed, Link pledged his complete loyalty and obedience to his Master.
Satisfied with the agreement, the pair made their way to the cafeteria, somehow picking up Kirche and Tabitha along the way. The seductive redhead claimed that if it wasn't for her dragging Tabitha from her room, she'd never eat; the bookworm gave a slight nod in reassurance. A round of introductions was given as the group waited for their food's arrival. Turns out Kirche's full name was Kirche Augusta Frederica von Anhalt Zerbst and Tabitha's was, well, Tabitha. The two were fire and wind specialists respectively. Link made a mental note to ask Louise what she specialized in at a later date. Right now the lady crew was in the midst of a furious debate, the topic most likely concerning himself he thought.
The passionate dispute lasted a few more minutes before a collection of sighs escaped the two's mouths. Under normal circumstances, the group would've been violating the established curfew, but tomorrow's free day offered a way around that.
Resigning themselves for sleep, Louise and Kirche sidelined their battle for another day. Link silently praised the Goddesses; any longer and he was prepared to whip out the All-Night Mask, a creepy face cover that spoke for itself. Everyone else shakily stood up, their minds groggy and bodies exhausted. Just like they had arrived together, the group departed as one, with Kirche and Tabitha branching off towards the end of the trip.
Back in the room, Master and Familiar collapsed alike on their designated bedding, Louise too tired to remove her clothes and Link too sleepy to complain about the hay. Almost immediately their breathing softened, both asleep.
That night, Louise dreamt of a vast, beautiful forest filled with all sorts of anonymous animals. At the heart of it were a gigantic tree and a tiny village. Imagine her surprise when the tree began talking to the village's inhabitants, all of which were children dressed in the same garb as her familiar. She soon realized this must be the Kokiri Tribe her familiar descended from when she spied the children's pointed ears. Then Louise saw what looked like to be Link, only several years younger. He wasn't difficult to pick out, the cheerful boy's blonde hair sticking out amongst the crowd of green, brown, and dirty blonde crowd, but there was something more to it. She noticed that out of all the Kokiri's, Link was the only one without a glowing counterpart floating beside his head. Still, he laughed and played just like everyone else day after day. That night, Louise dreamt of an ageless forest and naïve inhabitants.
*Scene End*
Ahh, its that time again. I'd like to begin by thanking the readers for taking time out of their lives to read this story, especially those who went the extra mile and left a comment. On that note, I'd also like to address a few things:
1) I apologize if Link came off as a bit strong in chapter 1, he is going to tone it down as the story progresses, but will swear like a cel-shaded sailor when the situation calls for it.
2) Link, for the most part, will retain about 90~95% of his gathered arsenal (OoT + MM) with a few surprises thrown in too (such as his own version of "magic").
3) I have no clue about Zelda, might as well forget about her at the moment. Epona on the other hand...
4) I again apologize for any canon or grammatical mistakes, I'm writing this mostly off of memory, but I am going to be watching and playing both series in the future. Ergo, I may or may not continue to refer to Link as a Kokiri. Even though he is more accurately a Hylian, I'm sure he still feels like an adopted part of the family and bears their colors proudly.
5) Lastly, I'd like to rephase a section of my previous A/N. I do have plans to continue the story for many, many chapters (each one hopefully getting longer and better as I gain experience). When I said that completion is pending on reviews, what I meant is I want reader feedback. It doesn't have to be much; I'm not writing for fame, just as a way to pass time and make others happy. If I get midway into the story and a majority of the demographic start to be discontent with it, I may end up scrapping it and moving to a different project. So do not feel like pitying me, just be honest with your thoughts. That way I can develop a style and story everybody(hopefully) will enjoy. Until next time, adios.