AN

Hello, readers. If anyone actually likes this, well, here you go. Sorry I took so long, if you care. My motivation sucks

Disclaimer: I don't own the Legend of Zelda.

Chapter 2:

Link blinked. He'd never heard of Koholint Island before. He told this girl, Marin, as such.

"Oh, that's alright. No one who comes here has ever heard of it before."

Link found this to be slightly disturbing news. If nobody knows what this place is, there are no stories about it. If there are no stories, then no one escapes.

He didn't know enough about these people to know if they would be upset by his reaction to the news, so he hid his thoughts under a mask of relief. If he kept up the façade, then he might be able to weasel some information about the island, the people who lived here, anything that he could use.

"At least I'm not the only one out of the loop. Would anyone care to help me fix that?" Link offered a cocky grin. His little time spent with Zelda had rubbed off on him. Who would've thought that a kid could pick up political maneuvering in the short months he spent in court. He mentally chuckled to himself. His maturity gave himself a feeling of irony from time to time.

"It would be my pleasure! Come on, I'll show you the island," Marin flashed Link a very bright smile and grabbed his arm. Before Link could protest, he was dragged into the village.

Marin spent the next few hours pointing out all of the various buildings in the small, seaside town. Each one seemed to double as a house, no matter what its actual purpose in the community.

There was a blacksmith's forge, a carpenter's workshop, a butchery, a tanner, and a single merchant shop. This was one that Link was especially interested in. Merchants, especially in strange areas, always seemed to find strange and useful things.

Link would've stopped to browse, but Marin apparently wasn't done with the tour and wouldn't stand for the delay.

"You can come back tomorrow. Today, I'm going to show you around, and we're nowhere near done."

Link raised an eyebrow at that. He didn't see any more buildings, so he thought that maybe there were other villages. He asked Marin if this was the case. She just shook her head.

"No, we're the only ones on the island, unless you include the monsters."

Link nodded, but wanted to know what else there was to see. Marin simply gave a sly grin and said, "Just wait and see."

Then she dragged Link toward the densest part of the forest he could see.

Link's instincts instantly heightened. He had plenty of experiences with forests and knew exactly what to expect. His eyes instantly started examining everything. His long ears pricked back in order to allow the highest awareness of sounds. He checked each scent that entered his nose, quickly categorizing it as harmless, dangerous, and unknown. He memorized the path Marin took him on, so he would not get lost. The Lost Woods taught him that much from birth.

Marin noticed. She was slightly taken aback at his reaction to the forest. Link guessed that she had never met a warrior before. Link filed that information away for later use. No one here knew how to fight. That could prove as either a benefit or a detriment, depending on the circumstances.

"Are you okay? You seem a little tense. Are you scared of the monsters? Don't worry, they don't use this path." She said this with utmost sincerity, truly believing Link to be frightened.

Link blinked in surprise. No one had ever questioned him like that before. Sure, he'd been taunted with the idea of fear and for his age, but no one had ever genuinely thought that he was afraid before. Everyone could always read the determination and courage in his eyes. This Marin girl truly was naïve to the baser instincts of man.

Link shook his head. He was not afraid at all, simply aware.

Marin looked relieved, and then turned around and started running deeper. Link followed, maintaining his heightened awareness.

After about ten minutes, Marin stopped. Link stopped as well and looked at her questioningly, still alert for danger. Marin turned to look at Link, all form of levity gone from her face.

"I want you to know about this because everyone on the island knows about and honestly, they should: there is a way off of this island."

Link instantly gave her his complete attention, his watch for danger completely forgotten.

Marin laughed. "I knew you were faking your reaction. I saw it in your eyes. But for some reason, I can't make out why it is you truly want to go back. I've heard the stories from those who get stranded here: the outside world is an awful place, full of conniving, evil people and an unforgiving land that will kill you at the slightest misstep. Everyone seems to actually rather be here than there. Why do you not?"

Link was very surprised at her question. It took him a second to contemplate his thoughts before answering. He took a deep breath, and said, "While what you said is indeed true, that is not all that it is. There are very many good people who will help those in need. I happen to have a lot of friends out there. I don't even have what most people have, in fact, I've seen things that would make most people turn and run for their lives. However, I think that these have made me look at the good things that the world has to offer, like friends, families, memories. Memories are especially important, because they allow you to relive your good times and your bad times. The problem with them is that they fade with time. If I stay away, my memories will fade, until I have nothing left of my old life. As hard as that life was, I don't ever want to lose it, since it is a part of who I am."

Marin stared at him in awe. "That kind of wisdom shouldn't come from the mouth of a little kid like you," she said, slightly quietly

At that, Link guffawed so loudly that Marin actually jumped in fright.

"Marin, you haven't met my best friend. Where do you think I learned a lot of this? She went through all of this for a lot longer than I did. She knew these feelings and helped me get through my troubles." Link didn't reveal more, since it wasn't his secret to tell, but the irony of that comment was beyond hilarious to him. Him, Wisdom? Zelda would be on the floor, clutching her stomach in convulsions of laughter if she heard that.

Link took a minute to stop chuckling. Wiping his eyes one last time, he asked, "Alright, you said there was a way off this island. How?"

Marin blinked, as if forgetting how the conversation started. "Oh, right! Well, here it is."

Marin pulled back a curtain of vines to reveal a huge egg. The thing was massive. It must've been at least fifty feet tall.

Link looked blankly at Marin. "An egg? How is this supposed to help me get back?"

Marin smiled, though it wasn't a bright, happy smile. It seemed a little more wistful, slightly sorrowful, like the kind you get when you remember good times with a dead friend.

"This is the god of Koholint, the Wind Fish. It is said that while he sleeps inside the egg, no one can leave the island. It is enchanted so that anyone who tries to sail away will simply sail right back onto shore, not ever remembering turning in the first place. I've tried to wake him before, but nothing works. I once heard that there was a special song that would wake him, but the only music I know is a little piece my mother used to sing to me. It gets the egg to wobble a little, but no more." Marin sighed. "I've always wanted to see the outside world for myself."

Link absorbed all this information with rapture. He was excited. He had a good, solid lead on how to get off this Farore-forsaken island. He could tell from past experience that Marin was on the right track. She probably just didn't have the entire song.

But something else caught Link's attention.

"You didn't come from the outside? I thought everyone washed up here at some point." Link was curious.

Marin shook her head. "No, I was born here. My parents washed up together a long time ago." Her eyes then acquired a slightly glazed look. "I've never known anything beyond Koholint.

Link nodded his head in understanding. He did feel sorry for Marin, but his mind was already working out what to do. He had to find any form of song on this island and form them together to wake up this Wind Fish. He would then play it on the Ocarina. It was, after all, a direct link to the goddesses. It had power. Once he got back to Termina, he could continue his search for Hyrule.

"Let's head back to the village, we should get some food and sleep. You need to get used to life here, because you're gonna be here awhile," Marin stated with a touch of sadness.

Link smirked, but didn't voice his disagreement. He followed her back to the village without complaint. Food and sleep were not unwelcome; he had a long journey ahead.

So, what do you think? Please review. I don't care what you write, just review. Flame if you want, at least it means someone has passionate ideas about my story.

-TR