Koume and Kotake were ready and waiting in the infirmary when Zelda, Link, and Doc arrived with Okareena. They settled him onto a bed, and the resident medics went to work.
Zelda had to go get an update from the sages, but Link and Doc stayed. They also were feeling slightly unwell.
Nabooru, Saria, and Ruto came in, each carrying a child version of the men already in the room. Link and Doc stood up in surprise.
Saria, who was carrying child Link piggyback, was the first to speak.
"We got a hunch that it might hit more than Okareena, and we were right. Little Okareena is in a similar condition, while the other two are fairly ill."
It was a well represented statement. Little Okareena, in Nabooru's arms, was completely unconscious, while little Link and Doc looked uncomfortable and half-asleep.
Kotake came into the entryway, and gasped in surprise.
"Oh, no, what now?"
She scurried over to Nabooru, as her charge looked the most afflicted. She did a quick diagnostic, and stepped back, a grim, knowing look on her face.
"The same as the one in there." She said, slightly mystified.
She turned to Ruto, and checked little Doc.
"Yes, it seems the children are more receptive to it."
She turned and gave Doc and Link a haunting stare.
"I can't give you any clear estimates, but I think you two should stick around."
The heroes gave each other worried glances.
Kotake headed back to where Koume was still trying to find out just what was wrong with Okareena.
"Come along, help me put those three into beds." She called over her shoulder.
Zelda ran into Sheik on her way back.
"The sages are scattered right now." Sheik informed.
"What?" Zelda asked, short of breath.
"Nabooru, Ruto, and Saria had a hunch that the kid Links would be affected as well."
"Only Links..." Zelda mused.
"And to make things even stranger, no one else has been affected. And you know those guys are no social recluses."
"Only them." Zelda repeated, focused. What was it that set them apart?
Sheik gave her an interested look. "You on to something?"
"The files are messed up, and they feel under the weather. A file is deleted, and that same hero goes into a vegetative state."
Zelda's eye went wide with realization as she blurted out her thoughts.
"Yes! It's so simple! All the Links are distinctly different from everyone else. They are specifically connected to the goings-on on their file data. They take on the file names, and the tendencies of the player even rub off on them. They are variable characters. The game may not change, but the progressive data can, and them with it."
Sheik raised an eyebrow. "I understand what you're saying, but your point is...?"
Zelda almost smiled at her accomplishment. Had the circumstances been better, she might have.
"The files are affected by the corruption. Each file's reaction is reflected in the character that is connected to it."
The conclusion fully dawned on Sheik. "You're right."
But Zelda was already running to the observation room.
She fairly burst into the room. The know-it-all brothers looked in her direction upon hearing the door open.
"How's he doing?" one asked.
"Still no response. But I think I know what's wrong with him."
"Well, don't keep us in suspense." Another brother replied.
"You know better than everyone how the character data in the entire set of Links is connected to the file itself."
It didn't take an explanation for the Brothers to get it.
"That's it!" one of them said. "Now that you mention it, it is an extreme reflection of the sluggish state they go through if their file is manually deleted."
"Probably due to the shock of the corruption." Another followed.
"Does that mean they're safe?" The third brother asked.
"I wouldn't be so sure." the first replied. "The data corruption throws a real wild card into the situation. It could be to such extremes..."
He left it at that, knowing that no one in the room wanted, or needed, to hear the rest of that speculation.