Disclaimer: I don't own The Legend of Zelda
And They All Lived Happily Ever After
The one with Link and Zelda and Linebeck III
Link folds his arms across Linebeck's counter, and then he pushes himself up with a grunt until he's leaning all his weight on his elbows and the toes of his boots are just brushing the floor. Linebeck keeps on polishing an elegant silver circlet he's squinting at, but he does throw a quick wink in Link's direction.
"Well, if it isn't my favorite little treasure hunter!" he says. "What goods have you got for me today, squirt?"
Link has to drop down from the counter to rummage around in his bag. When he hauls himself back up, though, he doesn't thunk anything delightfully expensive-sounding on the wood. Just a rasp of paper being slid towards Linebeck.
Paper usually means either treasure maps or bills, and neither of those are really Linebeck's thing. He frowns as he wraps the rag around his thumb and rubs at a delicate leaf, its veins marked in thin lines of tarnish.
Link hangs there on his counter, grinning and waiting.
Linebeck snorts and sets the rag and circlet aside. He picks up Link's-it is a business card, Linebeck decides generously. A business card cannibalized out of one of those gimmicky prize postcards, painstakingly folded and torn into quarters, and the blankest of these redesignated with the stylized dove motif associated with the Spirit Tracks.
"New Hyrule Royal Shipping Co.," he reads. "Link and Princess Zelda." Linebeck tosses the card back onto the counter. "Didn't know you got yourself a freight car now. Well, squirt, I haven't got anything for transporting at the moment. But you know, I like you, so I'll drop your name to my customers if I hear they've got a need."
Link looks at him for a moment, and then he levers himself a bit further over the edge of the counter so he can reach to tap the card. Link drums his fingertip by the logo, where the customary triangle shape between the dove's outstretched wings has been altered into a heart. He hasn't got a freight car yet, just a passenger car, but that's all he needs.
Because it's Shipping like relationships.
"Ah," Linebeck says. He picks up the circlet again. "How cute. Best of luck with that, squirt."
Link wants to know what kind of woman Linebeck wants to marry so they can go find his wife and bring her here to meet him. It might take him a couple tries but Link's pretty good at this.
Linebeck raises an eyebrow. "And why do you want me to get married off so badly?"
Because getting married makes people happy, and helping people feels good, and Linebeck is Link's friend so he'd like to see him hitched and happy too.
And because Princess Zelda says maybe if Linebeck had a girlfriend he'd be less of a pompous jerk.
Linebeck rolls his eyes and dabs a bit of polish on his rag. He knew they'd get around to this sooner or later, the moment he saw the name on the card.
Now, Linebeck will give him this-the kid's an excellent treasure hunter and a great source of revenue. Linebeck had his misgivings, but he personally examined Link's engineer certificate and, still a child and waiting for a growth spurt though Link may be, his certification is authentic, written in the hand of Princess Zelda of New Hyrule herself and complete with her royal seal. Heck, the bridge worker-of all people!-raved about Link's skills handling his train.
But Link's convinced that his imaginary friend is the Princess Zelda.
Linebeck rubs his thumb back and forth across the silver leaf, gently working the polish into the crevices. "What," he demands, "does Princess Zelda not like about my charming personality?"
Link turns his head to the side for a moment while he considers it. Princess Zelda doesn't like it that Linebeck calls Link 'squirt' all the time, because she and Link are the same height.
Linebeck sighs. "Hey, if 'Princess Zelda' is a tiny little squirt like you that's not really my problem-"
Link startles and almost slips off the counter, the toes of his boots scuffing against the floor as he pushes himself back to his tiptoes and gapes at Linebeck. It's pretty hilarious how wide the kid's eyes are, and Linebeck smirks as he buffs away the polish to reveal clean, shiny silver. Now that's a crown that'll bring him some serious rupees.
"-and I'm not looking to get hitched, thanks," he adds. Linebeck pushes his cleaning rag to the side and tugs at the brim of his hat a little. It's weird, he swears he can almost feel a faint draft coming from somewhere. Just what he needs, more repair work...
Link snatches up his business card and stuffs it at his bag, letting himself drop to his feet with a thump. It was really nice seeing Linebeck again, and he'll stop by with more treasures soon but right now Link wants to take the train out of here, yup, he's definitely ready to leave and be on his way and hurry back to the Tower of Spirits, c'mon let's go!
Linebeck leans one elbow on the counter and watches the kid scurry off, the door banging shut in his wake. "You, squirt," he mutters, "are one car short of a full train."
