Disclaimer: I am not a professional writer. I DO spell check, but sometimes
things slip through the cracks, and so I miss them. I keep meaning to go
back and fix them, but... Also, I know where I'm going with this, so if
there are inconsistancies in the story or geography of Hyrule, bear with
me. Everything will make sense eventually. I hope. Now, for old time's
sake: I don't own ANY of the characters that aren't mine, so DEAL with it.
Chapter 6: A Stranger Among Friends
The night passed without incident, and I awoke the next morning to discover Link had already gone. I was grateful I had run into him, honestly. I didn't know what I would have done if I hadn't. I wouldn't have been able to sleep anywhere, at least. Not without money, and I highly doubted that the three dollars and forty-five cents I had on me would have been accepted, let alone purchased a room for the night.
As I gathered my things, I discovered a note pinned to my shirt:
Colt- Sorry I couldn't stay. I had a strange dream. I left you some money in your pants pocket. Watch yourself, it's dangerous outside. -Link
I shook my head. What was his motivation? I pulled on my pants, and felt around my pockets. I came up with a hundred rupees. I nearly choked. What did he expect to gain? Years of abuse and neglect had left me a tad cynical when it came to believing the best of people. Which was ironic, I suppose, because it also came with a burning need to have one person I could trust implicitly. But things don't always make sense.
I would have pondered the issue longer, but I had things to do. I still had to find the gate keeper and deliver Impa's note. I paused. Gate keeper? But I was already IN the village! I studied the note as I made my way out to the front of the inn. The innkeeper scuttled over. "Your companion left about an hour ago! Did you have a fight?" He grinned knowingly, and I shook my head.
"Do you know where I might find the Sheikah?" I queried, ignoring the undertone of that statement. I guess such things were not unheard of, here.
"The Sheikah, eh? What would you be wanting THOSE savages for, boy? They'd rip you apart in seconds, before you could raise that pig sticker you call a sword that's strapped to your back." My back? I hadn't noticed, but the harness for the sheath had indeed been rigged for my back. I had put it on without even thinking about it. This place was getting to me.
"That's NOT your concern, sir." I was well aware that he had called me boy, abandoning the "sir" of the night before. Apparently there was more than one reason to keep Link around. "Tell me where I can find them, or I'll leave." He shrugged. I winced, realizing I had already stayed the night, and was planning to leave anyway. "Look, buddy. I'm not looking for any trouble. Just tell me where to go, and I'll be out of your hair, okay?" I did my best to look dangerous, but, judging from the unimpressed look I received for my trouble, managed to look mildly constipated instead.
"Fine. Take the path to the Death Mountain Gate, and bear a hard left. The gate to the Sheikah portion of the Village is in that cave."
"Thank you, sir." I smiled sweetly, and turned away. As I walked away, I could have sworn I heard him mutter something about 'damn fae' but it may just have been my imagination.
The path to the mountain wasn't hard to find, but the search for the cave proved to be a task. Finally, I noticed a small hole partially hidden behind a shrub. The cave. Shit. I was supposed to squeeze in THERE? No way. No fucking way! It was just big enough to admit a large dog. I gritted my teeth. In there was the only way to discover the way home. The way back to my life.
Closing my eyes, and clenching my jaw, I crawled into the hole. ~You're in a field, you're in a field.~ I chanted, trying to convince myself. But I could feel the walls pressing down. "I can't do this!" I wailed. I tried to turn around, but there was not enough room. I was panicking now. I scrambled forward in the gloom. I had to get out of here. It was getting difficult to breath, and I could feel consciousness slipping. ~NO!~ Mustering one last burst of energy, I propelled myself forward, and found myself tumbling down a steep hill.
I came to rest at the base of a gigantic doorway. Standing a few feet away was a guard, who was watching me, an amused expression playing across his face. "You COULD have used the FRONT door, you know." My eyes followed his finger, and I groaned. There was a stairwell that led directly into the village.
I stood, and brushed hopelessly at the dust that clung to my garments. I raised my eyes to take in the immense presence of the gates to the Sheikah city. I took a step forward, but the guard raised his spear and brandished it threateningly. "I don' t think so, Blondie. No one enters our city without an invite." I stepped back, studying him. His hair was an odd tint of blue. Blue? No, it was just black, but the way the light reflected, it gave it a strange bluish cast.
"Impa told me I could get help here."
"Impa? She told you that, eh, Blondie? 'N why should I believe ya?" He took a menacing step forward.
"I have a letter for you." I waved the note she had given me, trying not to look smug. Antagonizing men with spears is never a good idea.
"Gimme that!" He was at my side before I could blink, reading the letter I had not remembered giving him. No, this was NOT a man to anger. He sighed. "Damn. I was hopin I would get to have some fun. Ya don't fight a Hylian ev'ry day, after all."
A HYLIAN? No no no no... This was getting WAY out of hand. "I'm no Hylian. I'm just a nobody who's in way over his head." The man snorted derisively.
"Nuh uh. You got th' hair, Blondie." I scowled, but he was right. I had only seen two other blondes since I had arrived, and those had been Link and Zelda. Damn. Once again, circumstance had thrown me a curve ball.
"Um. Okay, you caught me. I'm Hylian." I shrugged mentally. I had told bigger lies in the last twenty-four hours, so what could one more possibly do?
The guard smiled. "Sure! Well, that there note sez you gotta talk to the mayor, so I reckon I'll letcha pass. Th' mayor lives down this road a ways. Can't miss it." He smiled. "Mayor knows jus' 'bout ev'ry thin' there is to know. Good luck, Blondie."
"Thanks." People were so weird around here. ~When I get home, I'm gonna need SERIOUS therapy.~ I chuckled at my own wit, and made my way down the path. As I walked, I began to whistle. ~I'll bet this mayor guy knows the way home~ Things were starting to look up, after all.
Chapter 6: A Stranger Among Friends
The night passed without incident, and I awoke the next morning to discover Link had already gone. I was grateful I had run into him, honestly. I didn't know what I would have done if I hadn't. I wouldn't have been able to sleep anywhere, at least. Not without money, and I highly doubted that the three dollars and forty-five cents I had on me would have been accepted, let alone purchased a room for the night.
As I gathered my things, I discovered a note pinned to my shirt:
Colt- Sorry I couldn't stay. I had a strange dream. I left you some money in your pants pocket. Watch yourself, it's dangerous outside. -Link
I shook my head. What was his motivation? I pulled on my pants, and felt around my pockets. I came up with a hundred rupees. I nearly choked. What did he expect to gain? Years of abuse and neglect had left me a tad cynical when it came to believing the best of people. Which was ironic, I suppose, because it also came with a burning need to have one person I could trust implicitly. But things don't always make sense.
I would have pondered the issue longer, but I had things to do. I still had to find the gate keeper and deliver Impa's note. I paused. Gate keeper? But I was already IN the village! I studied the note as I made my way out to the front of the inn. The innkeeper scuttled over. "Your companion left about an hour ago! Did you have a fight?" He grinned knowingly, and I shook my head.
"Do you know where I might find the Sheikah?" I queried, ignoring the undertone of that statement. I guess such things were not unheard of, here.
"The Sheikah, eh? What would you be wanting THOSE savages for, boy? They'd rip you apart in seconds, before you could raise that pig sticker you call a sword that's strapped to your back." My back? I hadn't noticed, but the harness for the sheath had indeed been rigged for my back. I had put it on without even thinking about it. This place was getting to me.
"That's NOT your concern, sir." I was well aware that he had called me boy, abandoning the "sir" of the night before. Apparently there was more than one reason to keep Link around. "Tell me where I can find them, or I'll leave." He shrugged. I winced, realizing I had already stayed the night, and was planning to leave anyway. "Look, buddy. I'm not looking for any trouble. Just tell me where to go, and I'll be out of your hair, okay?" I did my best to look dangerous, but, judging from the unimpressed look I received for my trouble, managed to look mildly constipated instead.
"Fine. Take the path to the Death Mountain Gate, and bear a hard left. The gate to the Sheikah portion of the Village is in that cave."
"Thank you, sir." I smiled sweetly, and turned away. As I walked away, I could have sworn I heard him mutter something about 'damn fae' but it may just have been my imagination.
The path to the mountain wasn't hard to find, but the search for the cave proved to be a task. Finally, I noticed a small hole partially hidden behind a shrub. The cave. Shit. I was supposed to squeeze in THERE? No way. No fucking way! It was just big enough to admit a large dog. I gritted my teeth. In there was the only way to discover the way home. The way back to my life.
Closing my eyes, and clenching my jaw, I crawled into the hole. ~You're in a field, you're in a field.~ I chanted, trying to convince myself. But I could feel the walls pressing down. "I can't do this!" I wailed. I tried to turn around, but there was not enough room. I was panicking now. I scrambled forward in the gloom. I had to get out of here. It was getting difficult to breath, and I could feel consciousness slipping. ~NO!~ Mustering one last burst of energy, I propelled myself forward, and found myself tumbling down a steep hill.
I came to rest at the base of a gigantic doorway. Standing a few feet away was a guard, who was watching me, an amused expression playing across his face. "You COULD have used the FRONT door, you know." My eyes followed his finger, and I groaned. There was a stairwell that led directly into the village.
I stood, and brushed hopelessly at the dust that clung to my garments. I raised my eyes to take in the immense presence of the gates to the Sheikah city. I took a step forward, but the guard raised his spear and brandished it threateningly. "I don' t think so, Blondie. No one enters our city without an invite." I stepped back, studying him. His hair was an odd tint of blue. Blue? No, it was just black, but the way the light reflected, it gave it a strange bluish cast.
"Impa told me I could get help here."
"Impa? She told you that, eh, Blondie? 'N why should I believe ya?" He took a menacing step forward.
"I have a letter for you." I waved the note she had given me, trying not to look smug. Antagonizing men with spears is never a good idea.
"Gimme that!" He was at my side before I could blink, reading the letter I had not remembered giving him. No, this was NOT a man to anger. He sighed. "Damn. I was hopin I would get to have some fun. Ya don't fight a Hylian ev'ry day, after all."
A HYLIAN? No no no no... This was getting WAY out of hand. "I'm no Hylian. I'm just a nobody who's in way over his head." The man snorted derisively.
"Nuh uh. You got th' hair, Blondie." I scowled, but he was right. I had only seen two other blondes since I had arrived, and those had been Link and Zelda. Damn. Once again, circumstance had thrown me a curve ball.
"Um. Okay, you caught me. I'm Hylian." I shrugged mentally. I had told bigger lies in the last twenty-four hours, so what could one more possibly do?
The guard smiled. "Sure! Well, that there note sez you gotta talk to the mayor, so I reckon I'll letcha pass. Th' mayor lives down this road a ways. Can't miss it." He smiled. "Mayor knows jus' 'bout ev'ry thin' there is to know. Good luck, Blondie."
"Thanks." People were so weird around here. ~When I get home, I'm gonna need SERIOUS therapy.~ I chuckled at my own wit, and made my way down the path. As I walked, I began to whistle. ~I'll bet this mayor guy knows the way home~ Things were starting to look up, after all.