Disclaimer: Not mine, story is.

Thanks: Once again, thanks to everyone who review. Because of you I have the incentive to keep going! I kid you not. Nevertheless, whether you've reviewed once or never, I hope you enjoy my story as much as I do writing it! =)

Shadow Link: It is indeed an excellent game, it could arguably be one of the best Zelda games. Of course that comes down between OOT, LA and LTTP. As they're the best…. Although I have to say I REALLY enjoyed MM but even I know how to judge fairly. So even if MM is my favourite (hmm, but that's not doing justice. I love ALL the Zelda games I've played. Just MM was different…) the former three can compete for the "masterpiece" Zelda. But…The GCN Zelda is promising to be amazing. Hmm, I got carried away… Anyway thank you, thank you, thank you, I'm flattered.

Snowsilver: Hey!! I cried too when I finished LA! I was kind of in an odd place when I finished….the kitchen at midnight… But I cried! The tears pricked at the corners of my eyes and then my sight blurred so I saw blurry clouds…um, yeah. I should replay it again sometime… it truly is an awesome game. It's so HUGE and involving… it really DOES feel like a living, breathing world. For a Gameboy game (yes it originally DID come out for the old Gameboy…but I played the colour version) it's absolutely breathtaking. Something squeezed in so small a cartridge can produce such a masterpiece that beats the socks off any "normal", giant RPG for bigger and more powerful consoles. I have to admit I hardly ever finish games… so my reaching the end of LA marks it as one of my favourite games since it kept me interested to keep going. I mean I usually get sentimental when I finish ANY game. Just like when I finish an excellent book I get so sad… because in some way it dies… But LA is different because for those of you've that have played, the ending is MORE than just a game ending… *sniff* Anyway I couldn't put that game down…I played on an airplane, on a beach, in the kitchen, in the bathroom (*cough* who doesn't?), in a family lunch, in random rooms, at school etc. I played and played until it was nothing but mush…er, until it was finished. ANYWAY (gosh, don't I write too much? If only I had this facility to write stories as I do in chatting…) there WILL be more humour in this story. In fact, I tried to make the last chapter more "light" but if you're looking for silly humour then that'll be a bit later in the story. I usually can only write humour when I'm inspired AND I'm in a good mood. Sadly, I've been kind of feeling…unwell lately so don't expect humour too soon.  But it WILL be here!

Girl with many names: Well I think I get what you're saying, ha ha. But I don't mind, I wasn't getting defensive in the last chapter but if it sounded like that then I didn't mean to…so sorry. I think your argument is very valid but I can't really see how I can be positively wrong. I mean no-one can prove anything so if you're interested I've tried to explain the origins of this story below… Well first of all I didn't really put LA directly after OOT. In the very first chapter of this story it says, "It had been three years since Link had returned from Termina and he had been wandering saving other lands such as Holodrum and Labrynna." Thus explaining LA comes after, at least, three more Zelda games. Termina (MM) DOES come directly after OOT so I put that there as it should be. The Oracle and Season games are not really specified where they're SUPPOSED to go. So I just improvised and put them there. When I first started writing this story I was daydreaming of writing stories for ALL 8 Zelda games but of course that's impossible. That explains why I have an OOT story (unfinished) written. But as for chronological order…it's all very tangled up and even Miyamoto himself isn't sure where all the games go. The Zelda games don't have one story that the creators have hidden in a dark safe and every once in a while pull out to look at and then use one section of the Legend of Zelda to turn into a game. The stories are churned out randomly. Sometimes some Zelda games DO come as prequels or sequels but that's to make it a continuing saga and so far they HAVE been able to fit them all in a tidy little order so that each game has its own special place in the "series". But LA is a complication. Shigeru Miyamoto himself stated that he wasn't sure where LA went into and so it's kind of dangling in limbo. It's just THERE, no-one can be really sure when exactly LA happens. Which is why it's so fun to play around with it! And as I said before, every fan fiction author is entitled to move the stories in any order they want. And now comes the messy matter of the "three Link theory". I was deeply sure that the Link's in all the games (except with some sequel/prequel ones- e.g. OOT and MM) were different. It's impossible for them to be the same Link and there are many good reasons to explain why there are three different Links in all the saga (or maybe more). I myself believe that there are three different Links. Once again going back to The Man, Miyamoto had said that there were different Links. Either the ancestors or descendants, but the Links were not the same. But then the official Nintendo web site began saying (after OOT or MM, or…can't remember but not too far back ago) that there was only ONE Link. I can't remember if Miyamoto agreed to this or supported it… but there began some EXTREMELY good theories explaining how Link is the same throughout the saga. Some were so good that I began doubting my belief. So of course I have my doubts but no-one can really prove now that Link in LA could be different from the Link in OOT. So yes, I agree that Link would have associated Marin with Malon but the point is that he doesn't. And sooooo, surprisingly, BOTH theories work. Of course it's more plausible if LA Link is different from OOT Link as Link wouldn't know who Malon was and so associate Zelda with Marin instead of with Malon. When I wrote this story I was under the influence of the "One Link Theory". Also when writing it I wasn't thinking of Malon. She's not such an important character in Link's OOT (or MM for that matter) so he has no reason to think of her as he's washed up on shore and looks upon Marin. And the fact that LA was made before OOT gives another excuse as to why I'm allowed to use ONE Link, the SAME Link from OOT even though a different Link would work better. LA can go after OOT but no Marin existed in LA Link's mind then. A kind of confusing paradox that even succeeds in annoying me. But if you concentrate hard enough you can see the sense of it. I'm kind of 'loop holing' around the reality. Yet it IS valid. Just that I'm using ONE Link to complicate things further but it still works. Somehow. Anyway I hope I could explain why I wrote Link as being the same from OOT… Maybe I only succeeded in confusing and irritating people with this load of drivel. But it's justifiable. This is using the One Link theory. I'm a Three Link theorist but I respect the One Link ones as they have good arguments. You'll be surprised if you ever get the chance to hear one of the more dedicated ones. They can REALLY turn your view. But anyway, thank you for your review and I'm glad you like this!

Heath 999, Stormcat2002, AtrusDent 007, Catz_bane, MEmyselfANDthatGuyoverThere: Thank you for your reviews! It is much appreciated.

A/N: Please forgive my horrible long thanks list! I'll try to not make it happen again! I've had an extremely busy week thus my shocking lack of updates. I wasn't happy with this chapter….oh well. But it's the longest yet! Har har har.  I'll try to update SOONER, next time! Forgive and forget!

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        He let the tropical breeze ruffle his hair as he sat on a cliff at the edge of Mabe Village that overlooked the beach, his feet dangling in the air. The sun was setting and as it dipped lower and lower into the horizon it cast a reddish, almost dreamy, glow over the village and the sand below him. A few bug-eyed monsters patrolled the shore below him, sniffing the air hungrily every once in a while for intruders. Link let his thoughts wander, stopping at every unimportant detail for a lazy rest. The island, the people, the egg, the gulls, the monsters, his sword, Marin…

It was all so different from Hyrule and yet…there was this tangible familiarity in the air all around him that he couldn't quite place.  But for all the mysteriousness this place emanated Link felt content. At last he was going to use his warrior soul again- his restlessness put to rest on this unknown island.

The stars had come out now and were blinking in the sky brightly. The fat, red monsters below him, Link noted, were standing very still. Most likely asleep, he thought. He lifted up his left arm and saw that the marks had faded away almost completely so he flexed his hand to test for any remnant of pain. Nope, none. Link got up and surveyed the beach below him, checking for shortcuts, pitfalls and whatever might be of use to him before retrieving his sword. Satisfied, at last, Link turned and left the cliff side to look for the way into the beach. Past the library, down the slope, climb down the high rocks, to your left until you see a sign…

"Beware of Sea Urchins! Don't touch them with your bare hands!" Link read from an old, wooden sign, putting a hand on his hip. "Obviously…" Next to the wooden post was a large, black heaving thing with spikes protruding from all over its body. It quivered when it spied Link with its two white, lamp-like eyes but it didn't attack. Link thought that maybe it couldn't move. Not about to stay and investigate its movement patterns further, Link carefully stepped over the urchin and proceeded towards the shore. Dodging more insufferable urchins on the way, Link finally reached the place where he had supposedly washed ashore… He looked around the sand with what dim light the dotted stars gave off. Bits of wood, the cursed rope, metallic parts from the mast…but no sword. At that moment a cloud that had been blocking the moon drifted out of the way and a bright silver light spilled over the area. His eyes caught something at the far end as it glinted with the new moon. He edged closer to take a better look and yes, there it was, half-buried in the sand but it was, unmistakably, his sword. Link hefted it out of the soft sand and cradled the weapon in his arms. He traced the name that was engraved in the blade with happy fingers, "Link".

A flapping of wings, a rush of air and Link had whirled around, in his fighting stance; legs apart, slightly bent, both hands gripping his sword in front of himself and pointed ears alert for any sudden movement that could catch him unawares. But it was only a large owl that perched itself atop a palm tree, its shining yellow eyes intent on Link. Link sighed and relaxed visibly. He turned his back on the strange owl and dug around through more of the wreckage to see if his sword's sheath had survived. Sure enough, Link found a sandy, torn piece of cloth under the sand so he brushed the stony grit off as best he could before fastening what was left of it to his belt and sheathing his sword. At least, for now, he had a place to store his weapon. Link combed all that shore for any sign of his shield but to no avail. It must not have survived, then. Disappointed, link decided it was time to head back to get some rest, for now that he had his sword he could finally explore the rest of Koholint Island. Before he could go any further the owl had swooped down startling Link onto his back. Taken completely by surprise Link could only gape at the large, imposing owl that now stood heavily on his chest, preventing Link from making any defensive or offensive move to the bird at all. Link could do nothing except clench his teeth together and hope the feathered beast meant no harm. For a while the owl did not move but stood staring at Link straight in the eye. Link was sure the bird could feel his wild heart underneath its talons, so vulnerable and at the mercy of those long, thick claws. Wait a minute, birds didn't think…

"So you are the courageous lad destined to awaken the Wind Fish…"

What? Who had spoken? Link could only hear his own heart thundering, deafeningly, in his ears. Then it dawned on him- the owl. As if hearing his thoughts the owl cocked its head to one side and stared sidelong at Link, finally hopping off his chest onto the sand beside him. Link's hand immediately went to his sword but a voice in his head stopped him.

"Link, are you not?"

Link's left hand was hovering over his sword's hilt, not quite touching it but reluctant to leave it too far out of his grasp.

"Now I understand why so many monsters have appeared. It was your arrival that has triggered His wrath so He has duplicated his hideous army. He knows…"

Link gulped down air, his heart calming a bit. He sat up and studied the bird beside him, its gaze still not wavering from Link. Who-? What was this bird? It could speak into Link's mind? And who was the owl talking about? Link briefly considering the passing thought of leaving this confusing island when the owl interrupted this train of thought.

"It is said that you cannot leave this island until you awaken the Wind Fish. Wake the Wind Fish and all the answers will be revealed!"

One last appraising look from unnerving, yellow eyes and the owl took off soundlessly not looking back once at the boy that lay sprawled on the sand, an arm flung over his face and a sword glinting in his left hand.

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Leave this island! You will only find darkness and death- leave this island while you still can! You will fall and you will fail…Hero of Time…

Link jerked awake with a loud yelp. Once again he found he was covered in cold sweat but this time he found his left hand clasped around the blade of his sword tightly. He slowly unclenched his hand leaving a dark stain on the steel. …What? He tried closing his bloodied hand into a fist but winced in pain. Frowning in displeasure and pain he got up shakily. Where was he? Ah, the beach…Had he fallen asleep last night? Obviously, it would seem. He took a step forward but stumbled over something-  that hurt! A black sea urchin was swelling proudly underneath Link's hand at having been able to hurt something. Link disposed of it in a clumsy slash with his sword in his right hand. Damn monsters and damn himself for being so weak and careless! The sword's sheath had not lasted long. Tattered as it had been it now lay in ripped shreds on the sand. So much for littering… Link deduced that something had happened in his dream- or nightmare. Something so vivid that it had caused him to rip his sword out of its sheath and hold it the way he had been touching it. A dream had done that? Link then remembered the mysterious owl. He placed a hand over his heart- the same place that the owl had stood on. A friend or foe? Should he believe the owl? Or…did he dream it all?

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"Oh! That owl!" chirped Marin as she bandaged up Link's hand in the safe shelter of her house. Link winced. He must have been holding the blade really tightly…

"What, what owl?" said Link coming to his senses at the mention of the foul bird.

"The owl you were talking about! He's mysterious… and he lives in the Mysterious Forest of course! Ah, there, all finished!" said Marin triumphantly as she pulled the bandage into one last, firm knot. Letting out a breath that Link hadn't even known he was holding, he nodded his thanks silently looking at the ground. So weak…

"Link?"

He looked up at Marin who had a worried frown on her face. Oh, did he drift off again?

"Yeah, sorry, Marin… I…where is this Mysterious Forest?" Marin didn't look convinced but she decided not to pry further. Link was still a big mystery to her but then again, she thought that whatever he had, or was going through, must  be something that she wouldn't understand. She'd never washed ashore a strange island before, now had she? Although she wished she had…

"It's to the North-West of Mabe Village. You can't miss it!" she said. Link nodded thankfully and bent his head to stare at the floor again, his golden locks covering his face. Marin's heart ached for him. This boy was her symbol of freedom. He had come from a different land, proving that Koholint Island wasn't the only thing in the world, in her world. There was life beyond these barred shores! It meant that Marin wasn't confined to this Island anymore – if someone could arrive here then you could also leave it, right? Marin craved for freedom, for new shores, for a dream come true. With these thoughts in mind, Marin quietly slipped out of the one-roomed house leaving Link to his daydreaming.

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Clutching his sword carefully in his bandaged left hand, Link stood thoughtfully in front of another wooden sign that this time confirmed the entrance to the Mysterious Forest. He entered the darkness warily. Trees everywhere choked any light that dared seep into the forest. And it was so quiet that the only thing Link could hear was his boots crunching noisily on the dried leaves below him and the suffocating smell of wet soil and lemon-smelling foliage encased his senses completely. He shivered. It was too peaceful. Wait, since when had he been afraid of the dark?

A rustling of leaves caught his attention at once. Link gripped his sword hard, ignoring the pain shooting up his arm. But what would come out of the bushes than a fat, furry beaver? Scoffing at his paranoia, Link sheathed his sword inside a soft leather case that Marin had given him after his return to her from the beach. Link walked up to the beaver but the animal didn't flinch. It stayed looking up at the green-clad boy with black, beady eyes and twitching its rather large, red nose. Are all the animals in this island strange??

Shrugging the creature's odd behaviour off Link continued onwards, behind the beaver. But as soon as he passed into the next area his head reeled and he fell to the ground, dizzy. Holding his head confused, Link got up and looked around. What had happened? Everything seemed normal but the whole forest was the same, with the same trees and colour and smell. Blinking several times to push the sickly feeling away, Link followed the path until he reached a very familiar clearing…that had a very familiar beaver next to a bush. What?! Scratching his head Link passed the oddly similar beaver into the next area of the forest. Once again his mind spun and he dropped to the ground, clutching his head. Growling in frustration Link was beginning to understand. He got up and hurried into another clearing identical to the two previous ones, AGAIN with a beaver in the middle of it. Link stomped over to the animal, that he swore wore a smug grin on its ratty face. He knelt down in front of the creature and glared at it.

"What are you?" he said through gritted teeth. The beaver twitched and began cleaning its face with two small, pink paws. Link punched the ground next to him. This thing was somehow changing the route of the forest so that Link ended up in the same place and prevented him from continuing any farther! Mysterious Forest indeed…

Not knowing what else to do he got up, glared at the nonchalant beaver one last time and left the clearing in search of maybe another way deeper into the forest.

After what seemed like hours, he was sure night had already descended but he couldn't tell with all these trees, Link came across two fierce moblins that towered over Link, snarling and dripping saliva in anticipation of maybe a tasty human snack. Link unsheathed his sword silently and held it in his left hand; his right hand curled into a fist need he defend himself since he had no shield. The pig-like creatures turned to each other and spoke in their garbled tongue before turning their hungry gaze back at Link who bounced from foot to foot on the same spot. The adrenaline was already rushing in his body and it felt like a life-time since had had battled any beast able to defend itself properly, much less attack. One of the moblins rushed forward suddenly with a roar and charged for Link. But he was ready of course. The monster swung its huge sword down in an arc but Link had already rolled under the creature, his smaller build an advantage for speed, and while the moblin recovered and realised he had missed his prey, Link had whirled around and stabbed the pig warrior from behind. The moblin shrieked horribly and fell to the ground heavily, sending a flurry of brown leaves into the air. Smirking, Link forgot himself in his little victory and failed to detect the other moblin who had snuck up behind him. Too late he ducked out of the way as a thick moblin sword pierced his shoulder. Knowing how to ignore pain in the midst of a battle, Link spun, his sword outstretched. Nothing could escape his legendary sword spin. The moblin stood paralysed as blood spurted from its stomach and then fell forward, its sword and shield slipping from its grasp. Breathing, Link plopped down and examined his shoulder. A dark stain was spreading there but even with all the pain, Link smiled. This was his life. How he had missed it! And he was right. He did need to hone his skills, they were rusty. What a wound the stupid moblin had induced! If Ganon was ever going to return, Link needed the practice. He was falling behind and this was a reality check. Too much slacking off was not in order. His body needed this kind of wake-up call, he knew, but he should remember to walk before he ran. If he fought anymore he'd be killed before he knew it. Better get used to the swing of things again.

Link had to leave the area, the stench of moblin's blood was getting to him. Stumbling away, Link found a small, secluded pond tucked away in the corner of some trees. Water, at last! Link approached the pond when he felt a wave of peacefulness wash over him. He swayed on the spot, perplexed. What…magic…?

Link opened his eyes to find an ethereal lady, glimmering beautifully, floating on the water's surface before him. Link felt too peaceful to be surprised. The woman tilted her graceful head towards Link and once again he felt at peace and as if all his wounds were healed. He noticed, drowsily, that she had two glittering wings behind her, a fairy?. He let his eyelids slide shut, allowing her magic to work through his body. When Link opened his eyes again, she was gone. The water rippled almost melancholically. Coming once again to full wakefulness, Link turned to his shoulder and saw that, not only was the blood gone but, it didn't hurt at all anymore. Link ripped the bandage off his left hand and saw, delighted, that his wound there had also healed. Link grabbed his sword and slashed the air with fierce joy. He could finally fight properly, no holding back now. Link sheathed his sword once again and sat down on the grassy floor, next to the fairy fountain. He felt safe there and, for the first time since he had arrived upon Koholint Island, slept dreamlessly.