10: Different
Though Link knew the warning of the woods, he couldn't bring himself to believe it.
The sun threatened to set over the village of Kakariko, drifting low to the lazy turn of the windmill as the skies shifted hue. The people that made simple lives here had already begun to retire into their homes, leaving a quiet weariness in their wake to prepare for tomorrow's labours.
The soft leather of Link's boots did not disturb this either, the sound of grass crunching crisply underfoot, subtle as he made his way through from the fields. The young man was thankful that the long stairway, carved into rock to create a private and safe passage, was not a burden to climb as it had been when he was a child—longer legs served him well, and he was reminded of his progress whenever he came here in that way. Even Navi, his ever present companion, could attest to it, no longer needing to wait on the boy to catch up if she flew ahead.
However, this particular trip had been somewhat more taxing than usual—with a fluttering of blue feathers and a slight struggle, Link's cargo had a nasty habit of getting loose from gloved hands and running about those steps in a flurry. Several times this happened, costing a great deal more effort as the boy ran after it, though compared to the journey on Epona, catching it within the stairway seemed easily managed. Nobody ever mentions to young Heroes how difficult it is to travel on horseback with a cucco... at least the bird's struggles were quiet. Even flustered as it was, nestled in Link's arms after the odd journey from the forest, the peaceful atmosphere would not be shattered by shrill crowing.
Cojiro rarely crowed.
"I told you we should've set out for the Desert today," the fairy chimed above him, hovering about his pointed ear with a nagging tone and flickering her wings with impatience. "If you didn't insist on going home every few days for fresh milk, we wouldn't be distracted like this nearly as often... You know you could just go to the ranch and save time!"
With a slight shrug, the boy spared a glance to the blue cucco, his attention primarily upon keeping hold of it as it squirmed. "But it was really nice of Malon to give us a cow..." he mused absently, as if not truly listening. "If I went and got milk from the ranch, she'd have hurt feelings."
With a sigh, Navi seemed to sense there was no helping it now—the Desert Sage would have to wait until tomorrow. "I'm sure Malon would be happy either way, as long as she knows you're not going thirsty." she muttered, drifting away from him some as Cojiro flapped.
"I was talking about the cow..." he offered distantly, rolling his eyes and adjusting the bird in an awkward manner to be tucked under his arm.
Despite the odd look his companion no doubt gave, Link's attention had already shifted. Crystal blue eyes followed the lone tree as they passed it, and shimmered lightly with worry that the bird hadn't made a sound. The boy knew, from handling the reticent creature before, that it only perked up when near it's master. Though he tried not to think of it, Fado's words echoed in his head; He's gone. Everybody, Stalfos. Shaking the unpleasant thought from his mind, his steps quickened to spy another who might be able to help, using a stick as she was to encourage her own cuccos into their pen for the coming night.
When she saw the tell-tale green of his tunic, the woman looked up to lend him a smile, though it was quickly overtaken with some surprise. Closing the small wooden gate quickly, she struggled to greet him with the same cheer as usual, ever grateful as she seemed to be for his frequent aid in handling poultry. Instead, as Link approached her, a sombre and unsure nod was passed between them, her gaze fixed to her brother's bird.
"Link...?" her brows furrowed toward the handsome lad, setting her stick aside to lean against the fencing. "You've got Cojiro? I thought you'd given him to..." her voice seemed to grow breathless, as if too weak to finish, and it was all she could do to glance back at the bird. "...You... haven't seen him lately, have you?"
The boy came to a stop as she trailed off, the both of them hesitant and unsure as they focused on the cucco between them, and frowned lightly beneath blonde bangs. "Well... I did give Cojiro to him..." he offered quietly, trying to ignore the strange feeling in his stomach as he looked to his fairy, searching for support as his fingers began to twitch. "I was hoping to ask you the same. We found Cojiro wandering around the forest, and I thought maybe he'd gotten left behind."
"Oh, no, no... It's not like him and Cojiro to be seperated..." came the concerned reply, and Navi felt her heart falling quickly between them.
While Link wore that naïve look of worry and misunderstanding on his face, like a child being told their pet had gone missing, Navi found she could barely stand it. The fairy knew of Grog's fate, as did the Kokiri, as simplistic a truth as it was... but Link seemed to be in denial. The boy dismissed it, having lived all his childhood in the forest a Hylian himself, and couldn't readily accept that others of his kin were to be monsters when he was not. He clung to his hope that it was a cautionary tale to those that would be lost; a fable, or a bedtime story, but certainly not true. But Grog, like others that strayed for too long in the woods, never held the protection of the Deku Guardian and unfortunately, quite often fell to sleep within the gases of the forest.
When one such stranger slept, it was only a matter of time before the transformation began; adults into Stalfos, and youth into Skull children. She'd tried to sway him from returning Cojiro, wanting to spare Link that harsh reality, but the boy's kind concern would not allow it.
Navi had not answered her ward truthfully, when he had asked if Fado spoke the truth, for fears it would lead to heartbreaking questions.
"Maybe he was still in the forest when we found Cojiro, Link, and we didn't see him nearby." the fairy lied quickly, cringing unseen for the false hope she gave them. "Best leave him here with the other Cuccos... until his master comes back. Cojiro will be safe and happy here."
Though Link opened his mouth to protest, he stopped himself when Navi's light seemed to dim, and thinking her to be worried as he was, said nothing as she began to drift away from them to watch the sunset. With a sigh, the boy would nod to her sullenly, leaning over the fence to return his cargo home with another flurry of feathers and the clucking of its kin.
"Maybe she's right..." the woman offered softly, swallowing her own concern to place a hand on the boy's shoulder as the fairy floated away. A tiny smile caught her lips, softening her plainly pretty face as her eyes gained back some shine. "I feel better knowing Cojiro is safe and sound, at least... Who knows, maybe my brother has made friends with a nice fairy, too."
Link forced himself to return the kind look, a nervous hand brushing his fringe aside, and took elbows to lean upon the fence. A moment passed between them as they both watched the birds in silence, waiting for Cojiro to join the others and peck at the feed. A small and thoughtful hum drew the boy's attention as the woman held a hand to her face, eyeing him fondly.
"You know, you're just about the only person my brother liked." it came almost a whisper, mournful but warm as her gaze traced his features. "He was bullied terribly as a child for his skin condition... Our Grandmother used to make poultices for him to help his rashes, but there wasn't all that much she could do besides. They called him awful things, told him he was disgusting and ugly..." she shook her head sadly, auburn hair feathering her her jaw and eyes closing to a pained memory. "Everybody gave him a tough time for looking so different. Even father never really gave him a chance."
An old ache rose up in him with empathy as Link glanced away, fidgeting to pick at his gloves and avoid feelings it dredged up. He grimaced to himself, watching Cojiro as the bird was almost swallowed in the sea of white feathers, tussled about as they fed and occasionally pecked at. "I was bullied as a kid, too... for being different." it was offered reluctantly, as if the boy still hadn't quite let go of the past. "A boy called Mido used to tease me like that... Called me names and excluded me from everything. When I finally thought I'd bridged the gap between me and everyone else, he still didn't accept me. It wasn't fair, but I guess he couldn't care less about how I felt."
With a soft smile and a strange twinkle in her eye, the woman nodded toward the lone blue cucco, watching him in the fading daylight. "When Cojiro hatched, he looked like any other chick, but he never made any noise. My father figured there was something wrong with him, and was going to have him culled. Cojiro would've died if my brother hadn't intervened, and he hand raised him after that... we were all amazed when he grew to have blue feathers." she turned back to Link, tilting her head. "We all loved him for being different, especially my Brother... But our father still thought Cojiro was useless, because he didn't crow. They understood each other perfectly, I think, Grog and Cojiro..."
The boy stared at her some, pensive with a sorrowful frown as his knuckles rapped upon wood. "I guess it doesn't really matter what makes you different. There will always be people who decide they don't like you for it." a heavy and defeated sigh escaped him as he righted, stretching lazily.
The woman nodded curtly, glancing past him to see the last of the sun."You're right, Link... But then there will also be people who think it's wonderful and unique." she followed his suit, picking a piece of grass from her skirt and smiling at him as she flicked it away. "Others might be cruel sometimes, but its little differences that makes a person special, and a good friend can remind you of that."
The boy paused as the words reached his pointed ears, and from the corner of his mind, a strange and unnerving thought came creeping hand in hand with a rather reassuring one. In the forest, to be different meant to be a stranger, and Link knew that strangers were to be lost, among other tales. Where Mido had been cruel, Saria had always matched it with kindness, but Link had always felt misplaced among the Kokiri... though he had since been made aware as to why; he was, in a sense, a stranger just as much as Grog was. But if he was simply an exception to the rule, that left him with an awful answer as to Grog's fate, and an unfortunate conclusion for another stranger he now knew had ventured into the woods long ago. The shine of his eyes dimmed as the tug of war between his thoughts unfolded swiftly, but biting back the bitter taste of one side, he offered her only the comfort of the other with a tiny smile.
"Yeah, I guess that is true... Your brother for Cojiro..." he gestured to himself, tugging at his green collar. "And Saria for me."
It drew a giggle from the woman as her eyes seemed to brighten, and clasping her hands before her, Link could see her hope renewed for his efforts. "Thank you for bringing Cojiro back... and thank you for looking out for my brother." she offered sweetly, patting the boy's arm as she moved to finally finish for the day. "I'm sure he'll be alright... The mushrooms he's looking for are pretty rare, so I guess it's only natural he'd be gone a while. If he can find one, our Grandmother thinks she may be able to cure his condition, too. Maybe then, he'll finally be able to work for our father... He never could stay out in the sun for long."
But as she padded away with a somewhat cheerier 'goodnight', Link couldn't find the heart to do the same, resigned to a limp wave as he made to return to Navi. His gut was twisting with a horrible feeling as questions burnt painfully in his mind, and when finally he found his companion lingering about the lone tree, the small stool at its foot seemed emptier than before. Lifting blue eyes toward her, they held an empty sort of gleam, filled with a sudden sense of loss.
"Navi..." he called her name delicately, quiet so as not to be overheard. "When I asked you if people... really do turn into Stalfos... and you said no..." the air was thick upon his tongue as he said it, gathering his courage to face the truth. "You lied to me, didn't you?"
The fairy hovered low, as if weighted down by the ghost of Cojiro's lost master, and she answered him with guilt. "Yes, Link. I did. I just didn't want you to be upset." drawing a long breath, Navi kept her gaze upon the horizon, unable to look at him.
"I heard what she said to you, Link. You were bullied for being different, yes, and even though you thought it was because you had no fairy, now you know you were actually a Hylian... But the Deku Tree knew what you'd become; that you were special, just like Grog knew Cojiro would be, so he... protected you... only you..." Navi's light had dimmed now from the brilliant azure it usually was to a disheartened and faint glow of sapphire.
"I know it's horrible, but I'm afraid Cojiro will never crow again. I'm sorry, Link, I... should've told you the truth when we found him... They just... fall asleep, you know... They don't feel any pain..."
A moment passed between them silently as the first stars began to dot the sky, and Navi knew his next question long before his lips moved, shuddering when finally he voiced it with a broken tone.
"...My mother became a Stalfos, didn't she?"
"Yes, Link..." the sprite choked, barely able to find her voice as her small heart cracked. "...Yes, she did."