-- CHAPTER 1.5: Nicknames --
So I originally went thru this chapter using Link Jr. and Link Sr. Link Sr. this ... Link Jr. that...it got annoying fast so I decided to give Link Sr. a nickname and then just call Link Jr. "Link." This is a story about Link Sr. as a child. I hope it doesn't confuse anybody. So, with out further ado, Chapter 1.5: Nicknames:
"Liiiiiink!" I shrill voice beckoned her son ... and it didn't sound very pleased.
"Sacred Realm's sake Woman! What do you want now!"
The woman turned to her husband, "I'm sorry, honey, I didn't want you. I was calling our son. I just had a talk with Mrs. Ritzenhein. Apparently our son sent Maple home from school crying again." Then sticking her furious face out the door she bellowed, "Link McMiddle Koriki! You get in here right now!" before swiping back around a stomping off to the kitchen muttering to herself.
Uh oh ... she used his middle name. The boy lost any hope he had of getting out of this one. He dropped out of the tree he had been hiding in, and slowly made his way to the house. He paused for a moment just outside the door, and then bashfully, head hung, stepped forward to face the wrath of his mom.
"There you are! Why I 'aughta... feed you to a Like-like is what I 'aughta do! Mind telling me what all this business with Maple is about Mr.?!"
"I ... I called Maple a Wolfos lover..."
"And why on Hyrule would you say that! I don't understand what's gotten into you. You and Maple used be such good friends..."
"The other kids teased me... they said I love Maple..."
"That's absurd! You're only 9 years old! Now you don't pay any mind to what the other kids say. But that's no excuse to go calling somebody a Wolfos lover! Of all things ... You're a Koriki, direct descendant of the founder of this village and The Great Sir Link I, Hero of Time, you should know better. Now you go over and apologize to Maple right this instant!"
She looked over to her husband for confirmation. After a long, awkward silence the father finally looked up from The Legend of the Triforce by Flabbergasted, his favorite book (this was about his 20th read-thru).
"Oh, right, yes, bad boy Link. No dinner for a month..." Mr. Koriki. was back into his book before he finished his chastising.
Mrs. Koriki glared at her husband for a moment and then re-focused her attention on Link
"No dinner tonight until you've gone over and apologized to Maple, and I mean it!"
"Yes mom," Link headed off to Maple's house across the street. He really didn't want to apologize...again. The other kids really let him have it the last time they found out. I didn't mean any of it Maple. I'm really sorry. I really do like you ... I really do looooove you. He could hear Ryan mock him in his head. When he finally reached Maple's house and built up the courage, he knocked on the door.
Maple's mother answered the door. She didn't say anything, already knowing why Link was over. She waited for Link to start.
"My mom made me ... I ... I mean I came over to ... You see, I think I hurt Maple's feelings today at school and I wanted to say I'm sorry."
"She's up in her room"
Link went up the stairs and down the hall. Maple's door was shut...she usually left it open.
Link tapped on the door
"Who is it?" Maple sniffled
"...it's ... me..."
nothing
"I'm...Maple I'm sorry. I didn't mean it when I called you a Wolfos lover"
After quite some time of awkward silence Link heard the doorknob turn and the door was open. Link saw Maple's face, it was stained with dried tears, more from the way her best friend had been treating her lately than the actual name he'd called her.
"Uh, Maple you... you could call me a Wolfos lover... if that would make you feel better... I guess." It was the best he could think of.
A smile finally peeked thru Maples face "Naw," she thought for a moment, "Jabu-Jabu lover!'
"What?!" Link laughed, "You mean that crazy fish-god that those Hylian-eating shark-men worship that we learned about yesterday in social studies!"
"Yeah!" she giggled, "umm, and make it J-Lo for short!"
"No way!"
"Why not!"
"It... it just sounds like a girl's name... don't you think?"
She thought about it, "Yeah, I guess. Well how about... umm... Jabu-Jabu lover... Jabu lover... Jabulover..." she slurred the words together faster and faster "Jaber... Jaber! How about Jaber?"
Well, he thought, it's not as bad as J-Lo... "Oh, why not!"
"OK, from now on I'll call you Jaber ... yes, and how 'bout you call me Wolo for Wolfos lover"
Link was confused, "but I thought..."
Maple ran up and gave him a hug before he could finish.
She squeezed hard... very hard... she was hurting his stomach ...
Then, suddenly, Jaber woke from his dream, struggling to catch his breath.
-- CHAPTER 2: Rumors of a Paradise --
"Don't you understand Link? I possess the powers of the Triforce entire! I am God!"
"No! You do not yet harness its complete power! You are not yet God! You are not yet invinc..."
There was a horrible bright flash of blue. Link felt himself flying backwards thru the air. Then the back of his head hit the wall and all went black.
"Close enough."
- - - - -
"Jun... -cough-cough- Junior...Wake up Junior..."
"No -mumble- never win -mumble- "
"Junior... Junior, I can't -cough- I can't breath! -cough-cough-"
Then, with a loud crash, Link Sr. (hereafter Jaber) collapsed to the floor. Link Jr. (hereafter just Link) jumped up with a start.
"What was tha..." Link murmered dreamily
-cough-cough-cough-
Link jerked up to find his father on the ground next to the bed. "Dad! Dad, What happened! Are you all right! Dad!"
"-cough-cough- I'm- cough- I'm fine -cough-cough-cough-"
"What happened!"
This time Jaber waited to catch his breath...and for his coughing spasm to end.
"You -cough- you were -cough- having a nightmare and -cough- Holy sage son! You have the embrace of a Goron! -cough-cough- You were squeezing me so -cough- so tight -cough- I could barely breath! And to think -cough- to think that I can't -cough- can't -cough- can't even relieve myself from the -cough-cough- grip of my 12-year-old son! -cough-cough-"
A wave of guilt and shame spread across Link's face as he realized that he was the reason his father was hopelessly sprawled out on the floor.
"Oh, dad, dad I'm so sorry!"
"Iiiiit's ok son," Jaber had tried unsuccessfully to pick himself up, "-cough- no harm done...uunngghhh," Jaber had made a second attempt, faring no better.
"Here dad, let me help you up!" Link rushed over to his father.
"uuunnnggghhhhh! -cough-cough-cough- Yeah...I suppose -cough-cough- And to think -cough- I can't even pick my -cough- myself up anymore..." Jaber finished grumbling to himself.
- - - - -
"Sir," Link repeated for the third time, "Sir, I'd like to buy these." He was referring to the groceries sitting on the counter.
"whaaaa..." The store keeper could barely keep his heavy eyelids up, "if ya-wouden-mine son, ring yurselfup ... an' don' go stealin' thing..." under any other circumstances the storekeeper would be home right now, but everyone else was sick too, and they all needed food.
Link was an honest boy and paid the storekeeper what he owed and then carried his groceries out the door. He was almost home when he heard his name called out from behind him. Draiden. He turned around and saw nothing but trees, he expected no less. He took a couple of steps towards the forest and asked "yes?"
Draiden stepped forward so Link could see him, but he was still hidden to anyone who didn't know where to look. "I have to tell you something."
"What is it Draiden?"
"It's about a dream."
"A dream?"
"Well, no, more than a dream...a vision...no, it was like I was there..."
"Where? What are you talking about"
"I saw it Link. It's real. I know it is."
"Draiden, you're not making any sense! What are you talking about?"
"I was looking thru the window and I saw them. Hundreds of Hylian kids laughing and playing. The parents watched a talked to one another. They were all so happy, and, Link they were all... healthy."
"Didn't you here what the guard from Hyrule Castle said when he came over a month ago? These sicknesses are affecting all the Hylians in all of Hyrule."
"Well, he was wrong. There is such a place. I just know it. ...I saw more too. I watched a family of eight come up to the fortress gates. Three collapsed before they reached it, three more as soon as they entered. As soon as the people inside the fortress saw what happened they rushed over to the newcomers. Three men raced outside the fortress into the desert and brought the three that had collapsed outside into their haven. They brought all eight people to the center of the fortress grounds where there were beds surrounding a marking of three triangles... just like the one on the back of your hand. There were exactly eight, as if the newcomers had been expected. They were all placed in separate beds and then a mage dressed in a long red robe with the signature of the Triforce embroidered in gold on the back walked to the center of the beds. The crowd surrounding the bed, who had up till now been eagerly watching the event, turned there heads and held there hands over their eyes. The mage then called down a bright stream of light from the heavens. After it was over the crowd one by one turned back around to see the result. A loud cheer broke loose when they saw the eight standing off to the sides of their beds healthier than they had ever been their entire lives.
"Link... You can save our people... you need to find this place and lead these people to the last safe place in all of Hyrule."
Link stared at the foliage of the forest for a moment. He new his friend well, and at the very least Draiden sincerely believed there was such a place. Link's gaze shifted to the mark of the Triforce on the back of his hand and made up his mind. If there was no such place his people were going to die here anyway. He had nothing to loose. Then he was struck by something his friend had just said.
"Me? I'm going to lead the people to this place... just me... What about you? I mean you are the one that had this dre...uh, vision. You are going to come with me too right?"
Link couldn't tell because of the shadows covering most of Draiden's face, but Draiden's face saddened... "Link... This is where I belong... this forest... I can't go with you... I'm... sorry"
Link's focus with directed toward the ground. Alone?, Link thought, I'm in on this alone? He looked back up and asked, "Draiden, I... you mean the fate of this town... it rests in my hands alone?" But Draiden was gone, or at least he wasn't responding. Link new there was no use trying to try to find Draiden... there never was. Link stood there for a long time staring toward the forest at nothing in particular. Then he turned back and headed home.
"Absolutely not!" Jaber retorted, "-cough- you are not -cough- definitely not going out on your own -cough- on some wild fairy chase -cough-cough- to -cough- to find this mythological -cough- ...myth!"
"But dad! If you heard Draiden talk about it you'd believe it too! It's not a myth, I just know it's not!"
"Out of the -cough- out of the question! -cough-cough-cough- I can't believe I'm even -cough- even having this conversation with you! -cough-cough- your only cough only 12 years old! -cough-cough-"
"They say Sir Link I was only 10 when he began his quest that saved all of Hyrule! And I have the mark of the Triforce! You've always said the Goddesses will look after me!"
Then the fathers voice got gentler, "I know -cough- know what I said before -cough- but -cough- you've never been more than -cough-cough- more than ten miles outside of Koriki by yourself. -cough- You can't just leave and -cough- and expect -cough- everything to just turn out perfectly. -cough-cough-"
"I know dad, but maybe if I find this place I can come back to get everybody. There's still hope dad.'
"Son -cough- you can't -cough- you just can't go. -cough-cough-"
"And what!" Link raised his voice a little bit, "stay here and watch everybody else die? Then I'll be alone anyway!'
His father looked at his son sadly. His son was right, it was time to let his son go. He never imagined such a fate would be bestowed upon his son. He always assumed his mark of the Triforce would just mean good luck thru-out his youth, like it had for him. But there was no denying it now - this was his son's destiny. He slowly nodded his head and, choking back tears, managed to force out a weak "ok."
-- WRAP UP --
Alright then. So this chapter was a bit more humor bent. I'm afraid consistency may be a problem for me. "I'm trying to find my writing style" ...or something. It sounds like a good excuse. If my jumping around from mood to mood gets annoying let me know. Otherwise I'll assume that it isn't really distracting or, perhaps, the variety is even appreciated, and I'll just write what ever comes naturally.
Oh yeah, If you liked the sketch on Link's father and Maple...prepare for the shock of your life ...Link's mother, be sure to tell me, and I'll try to develop that story further. Admittedly I have no clue what direction that subplot would take. Like I said before, it was a spur of the moment kind of thing so I didn't have to repeat Link Sr. and Link Jr. over and over and over again.
Anyway, thanks again for making it this far, and if you have any comments, don't be shy. :)