Okay, I'd just thought I'd have a little bit of fun this entry. Because I know everyone thinks about it… What if we could age ourselves up a bit so we can get into R rated movies, or go to clubs, or drive, or drink, (Legally, anyway) or whatever else 'underage' people can't do? Well, I guess it might be a bit of a danger to give a ten-year-old that power, right? But it'll make for a good story… so here we go!

Character- Link

Setting- After completing several Temples, Link's spirits are up. He's happy and optimistic. He stops into Kakariko for some supplies only to stumble upon a tavern… A temptation all too great for a 'ten-year-old' boy.

Warning- Sadly, this waste of my time is necessary. This fic is rated PG13 for a reason. You may have noticed harsh language past entries. This entry contains alcoholic substances (hence the tavern). So, now I've warned you, you can't complain. So…er… proceed with caution should this content offend you. If not, good. Read along.

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Blending In

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I look at the heavy wooden door in awe.

I've always been kicked out of this place when I was a kid…

But now…

Well… I'm not a kid anymore, am I?

.

"Link? What are you doing?" Squeaks Navi, "You're not going in there. You've got a job, remember?"

.

"I need a break." I tell her shortly.

.

"'Need a break'?" She echoes, "That's too bad. We'll have to just find somewhere else then."

.

I glare at her.

"You're not stopping me." I tell her.

.

How can she really try to tell me not to go in?

I'm aloud.

You have to be fifteen to get in.

And I'm over fifteen.

Well over.

.

I look up to the sign.

It swings slightly in the low wind.

The setting sun casts just enough light on it for me to read it;

'The Tartly Tankard.'

.

I laugh at my own stupidity.

I should have come here ages ago.

It's so exhilarating just to be able to get in.

I feel like I'm cheating my way into a treat.

Like it's a forbidden place to me… even now.

.

I grab hold of the rusty handle.

Navi groans.

If I could see her eyes… they'd be rolling too.

"Just stay in my hat and don't make any noise, alright?" I tell her.

I turn the handle,

Push the heavy door.

Navi flies into my hat.

I enter.

.

I remain composed as I walk in.

But I struggle to retain it.

It's not hard to see why I wasn't aloud in here before.

It's all I can do to keep my eyes from looking huge and wide.

.

The noise alone inside the tavern is huge.

Several men are all screaming to be heard amongst themselves.

Occasionally, I hear a glass or bottle being smashed.

Cries are heard from all directions.

Some of the men are fighting.

Everyone else seems uninterested by these surroundings.

A small group of old men sit in front of a musical group.

I can't hear the music at all though.

.

I spot an empty stool beside the bar.

I walk over to it.

Halfway there someone is thrown into me.

I stumble backwards slightly before regaining myself.

.

"Watch it, stupid!" Bellows the man.

He shakes fist at me.

He then takes a run into the other man who pushed him.

.

I edge away slowly.

I try to remain calm looking.

I sit down cautiously on the wooden stool.

I turn to the barkeeper.

.

"Whadda ya want?" He barks.

He's cleaning a large glass with on old cloth.

…It doesn't look too clean.

.

"Er…" I stammer, "A pint of ale, please."

That's all I can think of.

That's all I know.

.

The barkeeper casts me a look as if to say;

'What are you? Stupid?'

Then says,

"What kind?"

.

Somehow…

I don't think screaming out 'ANYTHING!' will look remotely impressive.

So I wave my hand casually and say;

"I'm so thirsty it shan't matter much."

.

He shrugs.

He slinks away.

.

"Ye're not from around 'ere, are yer?!?!"

.

I jump at the sudden scream in my ear.

Man beside me is looking at me.

I think it was him who asked me.

He can't be much older than I am,

Maybe two or three years.

.

"Er… no!" I yell.

.

"Where abouts are yer're from, 'den?"

.

"Down south." I say shortly.

.

The man puts a finger to his chin.

"Down south?" He repeats, "Yer mean like, near the forest and the lake? I ain't heard of any town down there. Yer travel much?"

.

"A lot, actually." I call out.

It's nice to be having a conversation with someone other than Navi or Sheik.

I decide to elaborate.

"I have my own horse and I've been all over the place."

.

The bartender comes back.

He slams down a large glass in front of me.

"That's five rupees, Mate." He grumbles.

.

I pull out my wallet.

I pick out one blue stone.

I slide it over to him.

.

"Yer better hide tha. It's not really safe havin' a wallet tha full in 'ere." Says the man.

.

"They can try and take it." I say.

Man… I sound good!

I turn my attention to the brown liquid in front of me.

.

I bring it to my mouth.

I take a long pull.

I drain a third of the glass.

I put it down again.

.

It's not the best stuff I've ever tasted.

In fact… It's doesn't taste nice at all.

Lon Lon milk's better.

But…

I could get used to it, I guess.

.

"Yer say yer travel then? Have yer ever been to Termina?"

.

Termina…?

I've never heard of anywhere like that.

Is it a town?

"What's Termina?" I ask.

.

The man looks across at me.

He searches me.

"Well… I guess yer're too young to remember the war. But Termina is another land. On the other side of the Gerudo Desert and the Wastelands. It's a long way… But Termina is a beautiful place. Me and me wife went there for our honeymoon, you could call it. They have a bang up festival every year."

.

"Don't they treat you badly though?" I ask, "Because of that war?"

If you had been at war with a place…

Wouldn't you tend to stay angry with it?

I've never heard of this war before now…

Nor Termina.

It seems I've missed out on quite a bit.

.

"Treated badly?" He echoes, "Nah, not at all. We've long since been in their good books. Even tried to open trade routes at one point. Didn't work though. So, I guess we just forget them now. But if yer ever travelling… It's worth the risk to go through the Gerudo and the Wastelands to see Termina." He says.

He speaks with a surprising amount of passion.

Like he wishes he were there again.

Who is this guy anyway?

He knows a lot more than I do about Hyrule.

.

"I'm Rydan, by the way." Yells the man as if he read my mind.

.

I lick my lips.

"Link." I tell him.

My stomach drops.

Rydan does a double take at my name.

I regret saying it now.

.

"Yer mean, like… Link Link? Like the one who fixed Death Mountain just before she went off?" He asks incredulously.

.

I nod reluctantly.

I should have made up a name.

.

"I've 'eard of yer!" He yells, "Yer famous round these parts, didcha know that? I'd never think of seeing yer in this kind of place!"

He laughs.

"It's great to meet yer!" He says.

.

I smile.

This is kind of flattering, I guess.

I take another pull out of my glass.

I drain it all.

The barkeeper comes over and takes the glass.

He bangs another down on the counter.

I give him another five rupees.

.

"Me eldest," Cries Rydan, "wants to be just like yer. Three years old and 'e carries round this dirty great stick! Says 'e wants to slay Volvagia too. Kids these days, huh?"

He takes a drink from his glass.

I do the same.

"Yer got kids?" He asks.

.

I nearly choke on my ale.

I try to turn it into a realistic looking cough.

"No." I say shortly.

I laugh nervously.

.

He shoots me a look.

"Yer missin' out. Good fun, they are, kids."

He smiles to himself.

His chest swells out.

"And I got another one on the way too. That'll be three kids soon. I hope it's another boy, I do. Me wife though… she wants a girl to 'elp round da 'ouse."

.

I nod.

I can't really add anything to the conversation.

So I drink some more.

It's funny really…

This stuff… the ale…

It starts to really taste good after a bit.

.

Rydan laughs openly.

His kind face shines out through the gloom of the room.

"Me wife… she's at that funny stage now. Always wantin' something weird now, she is… Like fish. She's onto fish now. Never stops botherin' me about how I should go get her some. But they're hard to come by these days, aren't they? I mean, with Zora's Fountain frozen and all."

He shakes his head.

"It's horrible what's happened to us here."

.

I jump on the chance for conversation.

"Why don't you go down to Lake Hylia to fish?" I ask.

.

He shoots me another look.

"Where've yer been, huh? Lake's all dried up. Haven't yer seen it?"

I drain my second glass at this.

.

Now I'll have to tell him.

"It's not anymore. Full. Right to the brim, it is now. I was there naught two days ago."

.

"Full? How'd it get like that then?" Asks Rydan.

.

I open my mouth to say;

'I don't know.'

But I stop myself.

An overwhelming need to show off takes hold.

.

"Mountains aren't the only things I can fix." I say coolly.

A third glass is pushed in my direction.

I pay.

I take a few mouthfuls.

.

"Yer mean to say yer filled the lake?" He asks incredulously.

.

I nod.

The motion of nodding somehow dizzies me.

I stop.

"Yep." I say instead.

.

"Yer're a regular Hero then, aren't cha? Just, don't choo go tellin me wife… otherwise she'll 'ave me for not goin' there to get 'er some fish. I don't like fishin' much."

.

Hero?

The word haunts me.

Hero.

It's what I always wanted…

When Saria told me all those stories of all those men…

I always wanted to be a Hero.

But living it…

Living it is different.

I can see no glory now.

Everyone else is punished for murder.

Heroes…

Heroes aren't because no one asks them awkward questions.

But it's all the same…

It's all killing…

Murder.

.

I strain to smile at Rydan.

"I love fishing, I do." I say.

I take another pull from my glass.

"I do it to relax a bit."

It's amazing how hard it's getting to make my words come out properly.

I must be getting tired.

.

"I don't get much time to relax." Says Rydan, "Not with two of me boys."

He drains his glass.

.

I nearly laugh at his.

He doesn't think he has time to relax?

Well, if he doesn't get 'much time'.

I've got next to nothing.

.

"Well, I'm off. The two little 'un's 'll be in bed by now. I best go see to me wife." He says casually.

He tries to hide the smile that dashes across his face.

.

"Nice talking to ya." I manage to garble.

.

Rydan gives a small wave.

He walks slowly out of the tavern.

I turn back to my glass.

I realize that it's empty.

.

I try to think when I drank it all.

But…

I can't really recall…

And it doesn't matter,

Because the bartender's just given me another one.

I chuck him a blue stone.

I take a sip out of the glass.

.

I guess I should stop after this one.

I've already spent twenty-five rupees…

Or was it only twenty?

No…

It costs me five rupees a round…

And I've had…

Erm…

Three?

No… four.

Yes four.

So it makes sense that I've spent twenty-five rupees.

…

I mean twenty.

.

I guess I could've spent it somewhere else.

Like on arrows.

I need arrows.

Isn't that what I came here for?

Ah well…

I can get them in the morning.

And I've got enough money still.

I've got tons of money.

I'm probably the richest person in this tavern.

…Maybe in the village.

Yep.

That sounds about right.

Richest in the village.

That's me

.

I take a long draught.

I look down at my glass.

It's half full.

At least…

I think it is.

I squint my eyes to see better.

The ale seems to just…

Merge with the glass.

I guess it's about half full.

.

I take another pull out of it.

I look around the dim room.

Fights are still going on.

An urge to jump in waves over me.

But I fight it off.

They haven't even done anything to me.

So I won't go in and kick all their sorry asses.

.

I turn back to my ale.

Now that Rydan's gone, there's more elbowroom.

I prop my glass up to my mouth.

I lean almost all my weight onto my elbow on the bar.

I feel more stable now…

Much better than when I was sitting upright on my stool.

.

This place is entertaining really.

I can't see why they don't let kids in here.

I'd have been fine in here at ten.

.

I see the barkeeper walk by me now and again.

It's getting late I suppose.

There's no windows in here.

It's getting late I suppose.

There's no windows.

So I can't see how dark it is.

Because there's no windows.

So I guess it's late.

.

I look down at my drink.

But…

It's nearly full.

Wasn't the one I had a minute ago almost gone?

This one's…

Well it must be mine.

It's in my hand.

I look around for my other glass.

Only an empty one sits in front of me.

.

I look back to my glass.

It's a quarter gone.

But…

Wasn't it just…?

I realize that I'm swallowing some ale.

Hold on…

I drank it?

I must have.

Of course I did.

But wasn't the glass I just had half full?

I look around for my other glass.

Only an empty one sits in front of me.

.

Haven't I done that before?

I think so.

.

I think it's getting late now.

I should stop after this one.

There's no windows in here.

.

Wait a second…

Didn't I just…?

.

I must be really tired.

Navi's right.

I'm loosing out on sleep.

After I finish this pint, I'll leave.

Because I think it must be late.

.

I drain my glass.

I'm just about to get up…

But someone sits down beside me.

It's some woman.

.

"Trouble at home?" She asks calmly.

Her black, curly hair hangs down into her eyes.

.

I shrug.

I don't really have a home…

Not anymore.

But I guess I'm having a bit of trouble.

…And it is nice to talk to someone other than Navi and Sheik.

.

"Yea, I guesso." I manage to slur.

My tongue kinda feels weird.

It won't work right.

.

"Me too." She says empathetically.

She brushes some of her hair away.

But her face is too fuzzy for me to make out features.

"You'll drink yourself into a hole if you're not careful." She says.

.

Huh?

What's she talking about?

"Whadda you mean?" I ask.

I shut my eyes tight and open them…

Maybe then I can see better…

But no.

She's still all fuzzy…

But…

Everything's fuzzy in here now.

I try not to look confused.

.

"What do I mean?" She cries, "What I mean is you'll pass out soon after all you've had. You're in a terrible state, you are."

.

"I've only'ad four." I tell her.

.

"You've had six. Six in less then an hour and a half. Where'd you put it all?"

.

I shrug again.

How could I have had six?

I can't remember having six.

I look down to my glass.

This is my sixth?

.

My Goddesses!

Suddenly I remember a term I heard as a child.

'Drunk.'

I heard it ages ago…

When I was ten.

When I came here.

I've only heard it once…

But I remember that…

When one drinks too much ale…

It has an effect.

That effect is Drunk.

Therefore…

I must be Drunk.

…Or at least…

I think.

.

I put down my glass rapidly.

How could I have ever been so stupid as to not tie in the whole 'Drunk' feature?

I completely forgot it.

Oh… I'm so stupid.

.

"You're not stupid." Says the woman.

.

I look at her in awe.

Can she read my mind?

Then I realize…

That I said it aloud.

Shit, I gotta stop now.

.

"I didn't mean to say tha'. It was a mistake… Really I-"

.

"That's all right. I understand." She says.

.

I slam down some rupees on the table.

That should pay for however many I had…

What was it… six?

Yeah.

That's right.

.

"Are you having a spot of trouble with your woman?" She asks tenderly.

.

My woman?

I immediately think of Zelda…

How I haven't even seen a trace of her…

Supposedly in seven years.

But…

She's not my woman…

So I can't really say…

But she's a woman…

Or she should be by now anyway…

And I am having trouble concerning her.

.

"Yea." I say, trying and failing not to slur.

.

"Ah. I'm having a right time with my husband at the moment. Looks like we're in the same bit of trouble, huh?" She coos.

.

I have nothing to say to this,

So, I take a drink.

Hold on!

I just agreed on not having anymore!

I put the glass back down after a short pull.

.

What does this stuff do to you?

.

"So… We're both in some trouble…" Continues the woman, "Maybe, you know… we can help each other out."

.

I miss what she's saying exactly.

I'm kinda starting to feel a little sick.

My head is spinning.

I think I need some air…

Like… right now.

I think I'm going to be sick if I don't.

.

It takes me half a second to realize that the woman's put her hand on my thigh.

As if my stool was of fire,

I jump up.

I stare at her.

.

Oh dear.

I don't think I should have stood up so fast.

I sway on the spot.

I stagger slightly to remain upright.

I glare at the woman.

.

"Are you trying-" I begin.

I'm interrupted by my swaying.

"Are you trying to take advantage of me while I'm-"

I stop again.

I grab hold of the bar to steady myself.

I close my eyes tight and open them again…

Incase it would make it go away,

"While I'm drunk?"

I finish finally.

I hold out an accusing finger.

It wobbles in the air.

.

The woman says nothing.

She just stares at me.

Then, her eyes quickly dart over to my left…

She looks to a spot behind me for a spilt second.

.

I then feel a small movement by my belt.

…Like a hand brushed by it.

I snap my eyes down just quick enough to see two fingers gently wrapping around my wallet.

The quick movement of my eyes sends my head spinning more.

But I grasp what's going on.

I'm being robbed.

But I'm not the kind of guy to just let that go past me.

.

With some difficulty,

I manage to draw my sword.

I whip it out.

Several people gasp.

I turn on the pickpocket.

It's a thin man in ragged brown robes.

...I can't make out anything else over the fuzz.

.

Even when I'm slow,

And dizzy,

And sick for that matter…

Even through all that…

I know how to use my sword.

It being in my hand…

It seems to clear my head.

.

I manage to stand still.

I hold my sword to the region of his face.

"Wallet!" I demand.

I now realize that the entire tavern has become silent.

Fights have even haled halfway through.

I can feel everyone looking at me.

.

I watch the man hurriedly hold my wallet out to me.

I take it.

I try to tie it to my belt.

I fail.

So, I stuff it in my pack instead.

.

I manage to sheath my sword after some fumbling.

I hear faint whispers all around the room.

"That's Link!" I hear some whisper.

"The guy who killed Volvagia!" Say others.

.

I smile at everyone.

When I do,

The urge to be sick grows stronger.

I quickly stop smiling.

"I'm abit protec'ive of mymoney." I struggle out.

.

Everyone around the room nods.

They turn back to what they were doing…

Like it never happened.

The true oddity of this doesn't seem to strike me in the way it usually would.

Probably because I feel absolutely awful.

.

I scramble around the various people.

I make my way to the door.

I walk out into the cool night air.

.

Navi flies out from under the folds of my hat.

If she dares say anything like 'I told you so'…

I'll kill her.

.

Thankfully she doesn't.

She just tuts at me.

She sighs.

.

I wince as she flies out in front of me.

Her bright light hurts my eyes.

"Come on, you." She says sternly.

I slowly make my way over to where she's leading me.

.

Next to the long, winding staircase of Death Mountain,

I crouch down on all fours and throw up.

I cough heavily.

.

I make a silent promise to myself…

Never to drink again.

Well…

At least not six ales in an hour and a half.

.

It didn't even taste good.

Tomorrow… after I get my arrows…

I'm going to the ranch.

I'll drink six pints milk.

.

But that thought makes me feel sick all over again.

I begin to retch.

So I try to forget it.

I manage to waddle over to a large patch of soft grass.

I lay down in it…

Face first.

The smell of the damp earth drowns out my stale breath.

Navi flies back into my hat.

All the lights go out.

And I gladly shut my eyes and fall asleep.

Well… That was longer than I expected. I just wanted to have a bit of fun. Meh. I still think it was a good chappy though. True… no plot line SEEMED to be revealed, but the conversation about Termina will gain great significance in my FINAL entry. Also, Link's thoughts on being a Hero were a main focus in this chappy. I actually really enjoy those few lines he thinks. I think it sheds some truth.

Not to mention the fact that this was long. Indeed, it is very long. Nevertheless, I enjoyed writing it.

So read and review please!

Whoo! I also have six requests going too. One from Impa, one from Ingo, One from Din and one from Nayru. Also a song fic was requested for Linkin Park's 'Runaway' and finally, (And let me tell you this was weird because a few days before this was requested, I seriously planned for this then cancelled out because it takes place before the actual storyline.) a POV from Link's mother. Look forward to those in the near future. Also, I'm planning and preparing now, an entry from the POV of older Ruto when she meets her neglecting fiancée.