Author's Note: I've been getting complaints regarding the speed of my
updates... You have to understand, this is the longest story I've ever
written... I've never even kept a journal this long. Plus, as astonishing
as this may sound, I have a LIFE! ::collective gasp:: For those of you that
care about my personal life, I've been going out and dating... YAY...
leaves little time for writing. However, I have no intention of abandoning
any of my stories. Not even the ones that haven't seen the light of day
yet... Yes, I do have other ideas that I'd like to try. Maybe even a sequel
to THIS... of course, I'd have to finish it first, huh?
Additional Note: Yes, I know it's short, but I had to get him to the desert somehow... Next one will be longer, I promise. And yes, the dialect IS obnoxious, but hey... I'd get bored if everyone spoke the same way.
Chapter 11: Desert or Bust
It wasn't until I began to get hungry that I finally uncurled and stood up. Time had gone by, as it usually tends to do, and the sun was almost overhead. I wasn't sure if time worked the same way around here, since as far as I knew, in one game, Link's entire adventure never saw dusk, and in another, the sun set more times than it reasonably should. So, I had no reference for how much time had passed. Not that I cared. Too much of that neat self pity going on. It seemed to me I had a choice. I could either follow Link, or go off to Kokiri Forest.
I thought about it for a second, and decided the prospect of seeing Link, with his soulful, wounded eyes, thrilled me about as much as a root canal. So, it was off to see the Deku, the wonderful Deku of Trees. I groaned inwardly. Judy Garland I'm not. Besides, how could I miss the chance to see Saria? I gathered my things, shouldered my pack, and turned south, towards the forest. Humming the most depressing songs I knew, I sullenly slunk down the grass plains.
It only took about two hours (Or whatever passed for hours in this time- forsaken place) for me to realize how hopelessly and utterly lost I was. There was no sign of the forest, and the Castle and surrounding city had faded into the distant horizon. Growling to myself, I slumped against a tree, beside a large pile of rags someone had discarded. No wonder, too, with the odor that permeated the area. "What now?" I asked, to no one in particular. I was answered by a coughing noise, followed by grunting, coming from the pile. I leapt to my feet, my hand positioned on my sword. The rags stirred a little, and man who would best be described as ancient pushed himself to his feet.
"Who the hell are you!" I shouted, mistakenly believing that the louder I shouted, the braver I'd seem. The figure scowled, and stared down at me with a scrutiny that only comes with age, with eyes that spoke of wisdom only found at the bottom of a bottle.
"You'r'goin th' wron' way, lad." He winked at me, dislodging a clump of dirt that had taken residence under his eye. I tried not to wince. "You'd'be wantin' the desher'. Tha'way!" He pointed with a mud encrusted finger. But I shook my head.
"No, sir. I'm headed for the Lost Woods." I was trying to keep my voice amiable. No point in making any more enemies.
"Losh' woodsh nothin'! The thin' you'be sheekin' ish 'n the DESHER'" He smiled, displaying teeth that would have made even the greediest dentist faint with shock.
I tried to remain calm, but it was an effort. "No, sir. Link told me to go to the Forest and wait for him." *He's not coming back, you know* I pushed the thought away. "So if you could just point me in that direction..."
"Lin' eh? Ah, yesh. We rem'bersh him. Hyl'an lad, like yershelf." I bit back the protest. This was becoming second nature to me now. "We shaw 'im, we did. Headed fer the Palashe. Dangeroush plashe, the palash."
"The Palace?" I was getting better at deciphering is almost unintelligible speech, anyway. "What palace?"
The old man looked at me like I had just told him I didn't know what rain was. "The PALASH, lad. The point wh're the trin'ty collidshe. He won' git in, though. No shir. Not wit'out YOU. You hash the key, lad."
"The key?" This was getting old, fast.
"Go to the desher'!" He pointed again, and I followed his finger. I could almost see the sand dunes rising in the distance.
"But..." I turned back to him, but he was gone. Damn. Didn't anyone ever stay in one place for more than five minutes? I suppose I should be grateful he didn't ask if I wanted to hear all that again. I sighed, for what seemed like the fiftieth time in the last hour. Why does everything feel the need to complicate itself so much? Shrugging into my bag, I set off for the desert.
Additional Note: Yes, I know it's short, but I had to get him to the desert somehow... Next one will be longer, I promise. And yes, the dialect IS obnoxious, but hey... I'd get bored if everyone spoke the same way.
Chapter 11: Desert or Bust
It wasn't until I began to get hungry that I finally uncurled and stood up. Time had gone by, as it usually tends to do, and the sun was almost overhead. I wasn't sure if time worked the same way around here, since as far as I knew, in one game, Link's entire adventure never saw dusk, and in another, the sun set more times than it reasonably should. So, I had no reference for how much time had passed. Not that I cared. Too much of that neat self pity going on. It seemed to me I had a choice. I could either follow Link, or go off to Kokiri Forest.
I thought about it for a second, and decided the prospect of seeing Link, with his soulful, wounded eyes, thrilled me about as much as a root canal. So, it was off to see the Deku, the wonderful Deku of Trees. I groaned inwardly. Judy Garland I'm not. Besides, how could I miss the chance to see Saria? I gathered my things, shouldered my pack, and turned south, towards the forest. Humming the most depressing songs I knew, I sullenly slunk down the grass plains.
It only took about two hours (Or whatever passed for hours in this time- forsaken place) for me to realize how hopelessly and utterly lost I was. There was no sign of the forest, and the Castle and surrounding city had faded into the distant horizon. Growling to myself, I slumped against a tree, beside a large pile of rags someone had discarded. No wonder, too, with the odor that permeated the area. "What now?" I asked, to no one in particular. I was answered by a coughing noise, followed by grunting, coming from the pile. I leapt to my feet, my hand positioned on my sword. The rags stirred a little, and man who would best be described as ancient pushed himself to his feet.
"Who the hell are you!" I shouted, mistakenly believing that the louder I shouted, the braver I'd seem. The figure scowled, and stared down at me with a scrutiny that only comes with age, with eyes that spoke of wisdom only found at the bottom of a bottle.
"You'r'goin th' wron' way, lad." He winked at me, dislodging a clump of dirt that had taken residence under his eye. I tried not to wince. "You'd'be wantin' the desher'. Tha'way!" He pointed with a mud encrusted finger. But I shook my head.
"No, sir. I'm headed for the Lost Woods." I was trying to keep my voice amiable. No point in making any more enemies.
"Losh' woodsh nothin'! The thin' you'be sheekin' ish 'n the DESHER'" He smiled, displaying teeth that would have made even the greediest dentist faint with shock.
I tried to remain calm, but it was an effort. "No, sir. Link told me to go to the Forest and wait for him." *He's not coming back, you know* I pushed the thought away. "So if you could just point me in that direction..."
"Lin' eh? Ah, yesh. We rem'bersh him. Hyl'an lad, like yershelf." I bit back the protest. This was becoming second nature to me now. "We shaw 'im, we did. Headed fer the Palashe. Dangeroush plashe, the palash."
"The Palace?" I was getting better at deciphering is almost unintelligible speech, anyway. "What palace?"
The old man looked at me like I had just told him I didn't know what rain was. "The PALASH, lad. The point wh're the trin'ty collidshe. He won' git in, though. No shir. Not wit'out YOU. You hash the key, lad."
"The key?" This was getting old, fast.
"Go to the desher'!" He pointed again, and I followed his finger. I could almost see the sand dunes rising in the distance.
"But..." I turned back to him, but he was gone. Damn. Didn't anyone ever stay in one place for more than five minutes? I suppose I should be grateful he didn't ask if I wanted to hear all that again. I sighed, for what seemed like the fiftieth time in the last hour. Why does everything feel the need to complicate itself so much? Shrugging into my bag, I set off for the desert.