Hm, it's been a while, hasn't it? Got some parental problems over here. –sigh- No fear! Here's that next chapter.
Of course, Link doesn't belong to me.
Chapter 8
I took one look around me, and I collapsed in glee and relief. The dreams had not deserted me! I smiled broadly as I sat myself down on Link's bed. I was in his house again, and my pack was with me. I untied it from me arm, rubbing my sore wrist.
I couldn't stop smiling as I bounced up and down. I was finally back! After all these weeks of waiting, I was finally here again.
The ending of the last dream crashed down on me suddenly. It had been so long, I had begun to forget. What had happened to Link after I left? Did he have enough time to react? Worry suddenly attacked me with full force.
I wanted anxiously for his arrival. What if he didn't come back the entire time I was here? What if he couldn't come back? My heart stopped beating for a moment at the terrible thoughts. Now that I knew this was real, I knew I had to take charge of things. Unlike a dream, events here happened based on actions and reactions.
I got out my fencing gloves and tennis shoes and put them on. No sense in going out unprotected, I thought. I slung my book bag over my shoulder and headed for the curtain door. I half-expected to see Link on the other side, but he wasn't there. Perturbed, I made my way slowly down the ladder. It was nighttime here and Kokiri Forest was eerily quiet. I could hardly see anything without any light.
Stumbling along, I had no idea where I was trying to go. I had expected to find Link easily. The thought occurred to me that he might not even be in Kokiri Forest. Panicking slightly, I traced my steps back to his tree house. Perhaps if I sat here long enough, he would come back and find me. I made myself comfortable in the grass.
Minutes passed and still no sign of Link appeared. I was close to panicking.
Just as I was about to get up and go search for him again, I heard footsteps. I hesitated for a moment, thinking that maybe I should hide, but I didn't. A green cap came into view and I relaxed. He was finally here.
"Hey!" I said, perhaps a bit too loudly. Link jerked and drew his sword swiftly. I blinked in surprise at his tense reaction.
"Oh! Jay!" he said, relief coloring his voice as he sheathed his sword again. "I thought it was a monster. It's really good to see you again." He smiled kindly.
"What happened last time?" I asked—the words rushed out of my mouth.
"You mean with the Stalchild right behind me?" he said, mouth curling into a dry smile. "I knew it was there. Don't worry. I annihilated it."
His tone concerned me. He sounded so aloof and careless, as if he had dealt with much worse after I left.
He walked over to me and motioned for me to go back up into his tree house. "It's not safe out here," he explained.
I climbed the ladder again and slipped into the warm room, holding up the curtain long enough for Link to enter. As soon as he did, he closed it and secured it tightly. Puzzled, I watched his movements carefully. He picked up a wooden table and placed it directly in front of the doorway. Turning, he beckoned me to sit down.
From the moonlight coming in from the window, I could see that Link was very tired. His eyes drooped and he walked with a slight limp. His tunic was muddied and worn.
I gasped. "Link, what's wrong?"
He forced a tired smile onto his face. Then he sagged and a part of him seemed to die. "Hyrule…the Hyrule that I know, at least, is gone."
"What do you mean?" I asked, slightly confused.
"Monsters," he said simply. "Monsters everywhere. Everyone is stuck inside their houses, unable to go into the market unless they have a death wish."
Tears sprang into my eyes. Was this all my fault?
"Oh, Link…" I couldn't think of anything to say to comfort him. I shook my head. "I'm so sorry."
"Don't be. It's not like this is your fault." His words hit me where it hurt most. He didn't seem to believe what he was saying. He knew it was I who caused this. I knew he knew.
Suddenly, the most foolish idea came into my mind. It was so stupid that I actually believed it would work.
"Link," I said formally. "I will help you save Hyrule."
Link stared at me. "You…will help…me?" He shook his head harshly. "No, no. It's way too dangerous for you."
"I have to! Otherwise, I'll have this resting on my conscience for the rest of my life! This isn't a dream to me anymore!"
"It's not?" he asked me slowly. I could see him beginning to perk up. A fierce determined glow came into his eyes. "You have spirit."
A dry laugh emerged from him. "Yes, I think it will work," he said, almost to himself. "You know all about these monsters; you know more than me. If I do what you tell me to, everything will be all right!"
He leaped over to me and smothered me in a rib-breaking hug.
"Ow…" I muttered, rubbing my shoulders.
"Oops, sorry," he said sheepishly. He was grinning, though, and I couldn't help but grin back at him. He actually believed that I could help him. Suddenly, I had confidence in myself too.
"We have to plan," he reminded me. "If we're going to take out all those monsters, we need a good, solid strategy that will work."
He pulled over a few stools made from tree stumps and set them up next to the bed. As soon as we were settled, I asked the usual first question that popped into my head.
"How long was it this time?"
He understood me completely. "It was about three weeks this time."
"I see. One and a half months for me."
He let out a low whistle. "That's a pretty long time."
"Yeah, it was. I was furious. I had to tell you that I accepted this to be real!"
He nodded understandingly. "But now you're here, and we can finally talk." He paused as I sat silently. "I had time to go see Zelda."
"Through the market?!" I demanded, horrified.
"Yes, through the market." His eyes gazed out the window and he seemed to be reliving memories that he wanted to forget.
"Was Zelda there?" I asked, eager to know the answer.
Link squeezed his eyes shut. And shook his head. His voice was anguished and torn when he spoke. "All I found was this instrument and a few pieces of music with her notes scribbled on them. That was it. No Zelda, no guards. The castle was completely deserted."
As he said "instrument," he held out the Ocarina of Time. I stared at it intently, reaching out a finger to trace over its smooth surface. So the legend had begun.
"Link," I said, wanting to shake him out of his depressed mood. "I'm not sure how much help I will be to you. I know about the monsters, that's true, but this isn't exactly like the game I play either."
He looked at me with such a kindness in his eyes I nearly melted. "You will do just fine," he whispered gently.
And with that, we turned to our plans. Thankfully, I brought some paper and pencils with me in my book bag, so we had something to jot down our notes on. Link was, as I predicted, amazed by both items. His amazement doubled when I showed him the watch. I had brought it to keep track of time.
He couldn't stop staring at it and jumping slightly when it made beeping noises. "Amazing…" he muttered, as he watched the digital numbers change constantly. I, too, kept an eye on the watch. Time seemed to go by normally. It was currently 1:30 AM back in my world according to my watch.
How could I be sure though? I had absolutely no idea. I pushed the matter from my mind as Link began to tell me where and how many monsters there were.
The hours passed quickly as we exchanged our opinions and knowledge on monsters. I told Link everything I had to do in the game, and he informed me that there was no such thing as temples. I was sure he was wrong, but I didn't want to argue with him.
I told him all I knew about Ganondorf and how to beat him. Sometimes, something I would say would strike Link as absolutely absurd, but when I insisted, he squeezed his eyes shut and nodded painfully. I didn't want to have to be so brutally honest with him, but I knew it was the only way.
"This isn't exactly like the game," I admitted after he told me he had no idea who Ruto, Darunia, or Saria were.
Link nodded. "I'm kind of glad. The game sounds a bit tedious."
"I guess it does once you apply it to real life. Some things just aren't possible. But I do know that you must defeat Ganondorf, or else Hyrule will continue to be this way."
"I don't even know where to find him!" Link said, exasperated.
"Oh yeah…He's not in the castle," I muttered. "This is going to be hard. You have to learn some ocarina songs; they're important."
"I figured as much. How am I supposed to find songs to play though?"
"Talk to everyone you see and investigate everything that looks different. It's the only way I can think of."
Link winced. "Alright, enough talking for now. Do you want some tea?" He got up and stretched, yawning widely. I glanced at my watch. It was 3:30 AM now.
"Sure, tea sounds fine to me." I was eager for a break too.
Link walked over to the fireplace stove and poured some water from a jar into the pot. He lit up the fire and came back to sit down. He sighed deeply.
"Aren't you tired?" I asked. I realized that although my physical body back in my world was resting, Link was not.
"Nah, I'm fine," he said. "I've been sleeping a lot during the days, when the monsters aren't as active."
"Turning a bit nocturnal now, aren't we?" I asked teasingly. He grinned.
"Besides, I like the night. Minus the monsters and stuff, it's actually quite peaceful." He turned his head slightly to gaze at the moon.
"Are there monsters in Kokiri Forest?" I asked, slightly scared.
"Not usually," Link assured. "But sometimes, one or two manage to sneak in."
"I hope they can't climb ladders," I laughed nervously. I didn't like the idea of being ambushed in a room that was about 20 feet off the ground.
"Me too," Link agreed.
"But if they do come, I will help you fight," I said, determined. I had no idea what possessed me to offer my help, but I liked the idea.
"It's too dangerous!" Link protested.
I shook my head. "Not if you teach me how to wield a sword. I want to learn. Back in my world, when we fence, I'm the worst. I don't like it."
"I'm guessing fencing is a less violent type of sword fight?" Link asked.
I nodded. "Of a sort."
"Well," Link said after a small pause. "I guess it wouldn't hurt for you to learn how to defend yourself. In fact, I think I have one of my old practice blades. Let me go see."
He went to the other side of the room and opened a small doorway I had not noticed before. Behind it was a storage closet full of, from what I could see, armor and weaponry. Link dug through them and emerged with a thin blade and another Hylian shield.
"Here," he said as he carefully handed to sword to me, hilt first. "I used this blade not so long ago, but then I replaced it with this one. It's sturdy enough for you, I think."
I took the blade and grasped it carefully. It was heavier than I expected. I was going to have to get used to it, though. The metal caught the moonlight and gleamed menacingly.
"Want to have your first lesson today?"
"Now?" I sputtered, slightly taken back. I didn't want to embarrass myself just yet.
"Why not? We've got plenty of time. Come on!" Link beckoned for me to follow him out of the house.
"What about…the tea?" I asked weakly.
"It can wait," Link said matter-of-factly. "You need to be able to protect yourself. It's the most important thing. I may not always be able to rescue you."
"And I may not always want to be rescued," I countered. "I like to be independent." I flashed a wolfish grin at him.
"Oh dear," Link said in mock distress.
Link decided to teach me in front of his house. It was the safest place, he decided. There was plenty of room for me to swing and parry.
I struggled to follow his movements with as much grace as he, but I failed. Link taught me how to fight with a shield on my left arm and how to duck and defend myself, while at the same time managing to injure the enemy. At first, I stumbled a lot and had to throw both sword and shield aside to prevent myself from falling. But as Link taught me more and more techniques, I found my balance and gradually became accustomed to handling a blade.
Link sparred with me for a little while, but it was obvious I was no match for him. He stood still as I lunged at him; he parried my attacks easily. Plus, he was left-handed, making it awkward for me to strike out at him. He assured me that this was a good thing: I would get more practice darting past others' defenses.
After about an hour and a half, when I was dead-tired and sweating, he called a halt.
"I think that's enough for tonight, right?" he asked, barely ruffled.
"Yeah…yeah," I wheezed. I looked pathetic next to him. But I was proud. In such a little time, I was sure I had improved greatly.
"Now, for that tea," Link prompted, gesturing for me to go back up to the house. I wasn't sure if I could make it up the ladder with my shaking limbs.
Surprisingly I did, but the instant I got inside, I collapsed on to the bed. Link chuckled and went over to the fire. It had gone out while we were outside, but the water was still hot. He poured two cups of tea and handed one to me.
I eagerly sipped it. It was delicious—very different from the tea I'd had. There was a slight citrus tinge to each sip, along with a pleasant earthy tone. I loved it. I quickly finished my first cup due to my intense thirst.
Link wordlessly poured me a second. This time, I drank it slowly, savoring it.
"So," I began, between swallows. "When are you going to seek out Ganondorf?"
"I'm not sure. After you leave this time, I suppose." He looked sad.
"Why can't you do it while I'm here?" I asked, curious.
"It's not safe."
"I don't care! I want to come with you! I want to be part of the adventure. All my life, I've longed for something more exciting, and now, here I am, in the midst of a legend. This is the perfect opportunity for me!"
"Do you honestly believe that I would put your life at risk?" Link asked, staring at me.
"No… but… This is something I want! You can't deny me this!" I was whining and I knew it.
"I only agreed to let you fight if monsters came here. I never said anything about seeking out Ganondorf with me." He was pretty adamant. But I knew I could persuade him.
"What happens when I appear when you are fighting? You can't get rid of me then," I said smugly.
"Ugh…I hate putting you in danger like this!"
"There must be a reason why I'm here," I said softly. "Everything has a reason."
Link closed his eyes and nodded slowly. Encouraged, I continued.
"The only logical reason I can think of is that I'm here to guide you. Maybe I brought all this evil, maybe I didn't. But it's here now and so am I. I want to help; I have to help. Otherwise, I'll never be satisfied. Besides, my life could use an extra dose of danger."
I wasn't sure my speech made much sense, but I liked what I said. I had meant every word of it.
"You're determined…" Link observed wryly. "I won't try to stop you; I can see that I probably won't be able to change your mind much."
I smiled triumphantly. "You're wise. Whether you approved or not…my asking, that was all just a formality. I would've gone with you no matter what you told me."
Link winced jokingly. "You're going to need more lessons though." He was, of course, referring to our sparring match.
"Of course," I said confidently. "I'd be too scared to help you if I wasn't sure what I would hit every time I swung my sword."
"I will search for Ganondorf soon," Link said abruptly. I shook my head at the sudden change in topic.
"How soon?" I asked. Now that I knew he was going to act, I was worried. I didn't want him to get hurt. But the hero never got hurt, right? I didn't believe that.
"As soon as I have enough information about his whereabouts," Link told me.
"Be careful," I warned. "He isn't stupid—he isn't going to just fight you out in the open. He'll lure you into a trap, where his powers are the greatest. You have to be wary of everything and everyone."
"I know," Link whispered solemnly. "Perhaps some of my friends even?"
"Perhaps even them," I said. While talking, I looked once again at my watch. It was 6:00 already. Time had raced by so quickly.
"Link," I said quietly. "I think it's almost time for me to go now."
"I thought you had no control over when you left," he said, astonished.
"I don't, but looking at my watch, it's almost time for me to wake up and go to school," I explained.
"What do you do in school?" Link asked. I was taken aback.
"W-Well, we learn things like math, science, history, and all that other jazz. And we get graded based on our tests and other performance assessments, like labs. It's pretty stressful."
"Uh-huh." He didn't sound like he comprehended much of what I just thrown at him. "How old are you anyways, Jay?"
"Huh? Me? Oh, I'm almost seventeen. My birthday is in February. Er, a few months from now," I added, in case he didn't know what February was.
"Oh! I'm seventeen right now, almost eighteen. So we're almost the same age. I guess it's more reasonable now…for you to, you know, help me."
"How old did you think I was?" I demanded, not completely serious.
"Um, about…fourteen?" he offered meekly.
"Fourteen?!" I demanded.
"You're a bit…small," he gestured with his hand.
"I'm five foot four!" I protested.
"Huh?"
"Nevermind. It's just that, I'm not exceedingly short…" I trailed off weakly.
"No, no. I don't mean in height. It's just that, you seem very slight, like a wind could knock you over."
"Oh, thanks!" I was mollified.
"Thanks?"
"I'm choosing to take your comment as a compliment." I paused. "Link, after I leave this time, will you continue planning? And then, when I return, you can tell me the plan and I'll be all caught up. I think it will take less time then."
"Sure," Link promised. "I'll try, but without you telling me about those monsters and your game, my plans may be a little inaccurate."
"That's alright. As long as we have a basic idea, I think we'll be fine." I remembered that I couldn't find him this time at first. "Link, will you leave me a note in this room telling me where you went? That way, I'll always be able to find you."
"That's a good idea," Link agreed. "I'll be sure to remember."
"Thanks," I smiled, grateful. I tapped my foot gently; I had a feeling I would be leaving any moment now. 6:29 AM. My alarm was set to 6:45.
Things began to fade suddenly. I was used to the sensation by now, so I wasn't startled. I simply looked up at Link's translucent face and smiled.
Link stared at me, surprised. "Goodbye, Jay," he said hurriedly as soon as the situation became clear to him.
"Goodbye, Link," I said back to him. I wasn't sure he heard me.
