Wow… I finally decided to continue with this story after much sobbing over not getting any reviews for the last one… oh well. If you have read up to this chappie, and review, I promise I'll go review some of your stories!

Well, on with the story!

Oh, ps, I asked Santa for the Zelda company… but he said no.

………………

The Birdie Man

Chapter 6

The Calm Before the Storm

Komali sat on the chair, picking at his food. Why had he said yes to that invitation yesterday? Why? He didn't even think of the things people might say about him…

But he shoved that out of his mind and tried to eat.

But the thoughts, they just kept coming back… Arill… What was it about her he liked so much? Sure she was nice and all, but…

"Komali?" Lenzo asked. "Is something on your mind?" Komali looked up.

"Uh, no…" he said. Yeah. Nice. But Lenzo just turned and mumbled something about pictures. Komali pushed his food away.

"I'm not hungry." He said. Lenzo shrugged.

"Do as you wish…" Komali gave a small grin, and hurried upstairs. Maybe, if he was lucky, Arill would forget about the whole thing…

But his luck was gone when a knock came on the door a few minutes later.

"Komali! Your friend is here for you!" Lenzo yelled. Komali groaned.

"Coming…" He walked downstairs to see a very happy-looking Arill standing there waiting for him.

"Hi Komali!" she chirped. Komali smiled.

"Hey."

"Come on! It looks like it's gonna rain soon, we don't have much time!"

Much time for what? Thought Komali, but he walked outside anyways.

The roads were busier then normal; everyone was talking about a storm coming. Komali knew why they were worried; storms always hit worse on small islands…

Arill led him to the beach, unaware of the swirling grey clouds above them. Komali looked up, and hoped the storm had missed Dragon Roost. He couldn't help feeling a little worried too, knowing just how powerful the storms could be. Arill stopped on the beach, and bent down.

"look at these Komali!" Komali looked down. Wow. Sand.

"What are we-"

"Shhh!" Komali fell silent. Soon, a small crab crawled out of the sand. It took one look at Komali, and buried itself again. Arill laughed.

"Don't worry, they do that to everyone."

"Ha ha ha." Komali said sarcastically. He looked out to sea. Uhoh, there was lightning…

"Um, Arill, maybe we should put this off…" Komali said, fidgeting with his feathers. Arill looked up.

"Why?"

"Cause a storms coming… you don't wanna be outside when a storm comes…"

"…Are you scared?" She didn't sound rude, but Komali felt bad. He shook his head.

"No. I'm not scared. I'm just… I don't like storms."

'We can go inside if you like…" She looked at the sand. "It's fine, we can do this again another day…" Komali looked away. That did it. He now officially felt like he had done something wrong.

'Lets go then," Arill said, standing up. "Where are you going?"

"Um, I should just go back to Lenzo's I guess." Arill looked hurt. Komali struggled for something to say. But, without realizing it, what came out was opposite of what he wanted to say.

"Or we could go to your house…"

Arill beamed.

"Okay! Grandma will love that, she always likes cooking for guests! And she can tell us a story! Maybe even one with Ritos in it! Just ignore my brother though, he's a jerk. We have a fireplace and everything! I'm sure Lenzo would rather have you stuck there then a stuffy little-"

"Let's just go okay?"

"Oh, sorry. Okay…"

The two started walking back to Windfall, when suddenly a flash of lightning, followed immediately by thunder, made both of them jump.

Komali felt Arills hand slip into his.

Glad once again for feathers, Komali quickened his pace. The wind picked up, and they had to lean against it to go anywhere. The streets were emptying quickly, people ducking into the nearest store or café to get out of the wind. This was one time Komali was glad he didn't have his wings. His dad has told him that when the wind picked up, it lifted you up and blew you around like a leaf.

But they got to Arills house okay. Glad for the shelter, Arill went straight to her grandma to tell her about their guest, and Komali just stood there. He looked around. The house was pretty small, just big enough for a family of three. A coat of arms hung above a blazing fireplace, and a pot of soup was boiling on the stove. A ladder led upstairs, where Komali figured Arill and Link slept. He waited until Arill got back.

"Grandma says it's okay for you to stay!" she said cheerfully. Komali smiled.

"Okay…"

"Come on, I'll show you my room!"

Arills room turned out to be not much of a room, just a space in a corner that was hers. Her bed was in the corner, and the walls were covered in pictures, some that she drew, others photos. A few stuffed animals sat scattered around the floor. Link looked up as Komali climbed off the ladder.

"Hey Arill, what's he doing here?" he said, attention going back to the book he was reading. Arill climbed up.

"We got caught in the storm, our place was closer." Arill said. Komali nodded. Yeah. Lenzo's place was half the distance their house was from the beach.

"Umhum…"

Arill sat down on her bed, and picked up one of the stuffed animals, an octorok. She fiddled with its tentacles and looked up.

"Our house is a bit smaller then yours…"

"It's okay." More thunder.

"Hey, wanna play with my dolls?"

Komali hoped Link wasn't a gossip like Mido.

"Umm…… Okay."

After awhile, Arills grandma called them all down for lunch. Energy soup. Very good. Komali was just glad for an excuse to stop making imaginary voices for a bunch of stuffed animals. Grandma looked over to Komali.

"So you're a Rito?" Komali nodded. "Wow, I've only ever seen Quill here before… So Arill tells me you're here for school?" Komali nodded again.

"Yeah, my dad made me come."

"So have you made many friends?" Komali thought for a second.

"I've made a few."

"Well, that's good. Arill tells me you've been having some troubles fitting in…" Komali looked at Arill. Arill grinned nervously."

"I guess…" Grandma smiled.

"Well then I have the perfect story to tell you!"

Arill looked to Komali, and smiled. Link just rolled his eyes, and left to go back upstairs. More thunder sounded and Grandma looked out the window.

"We have enough time…"

Komali sat back, ready to hear one of the stories that Arill talked about so often.

"Very well. Once upon a time, there was a Rito who had a hard time flying, and because he couldn't fly, all the others never talked to him…"

Komali listened very carefully, picturing everything in his head. Arill wasn't kidding, her Grandma was the best storyteller he'd ever heard tell a story too. Even better then the mailmen, who always had interesting stuff to talk about. Her voice put you in a trance, even Link poked his head out to listen. She explained every detail, but it didn't take away from the story.

She told them about a Rito who couldn't fly. Noone liked him, because he wasn't like them, because he was different. He was sick of being ignored and left out, and decided to prove himself by setting out to find the baby dragon that had been stolen from Dragon Roost. After facing much danger, and saving the flocks dragon, people finally saw him as equal, even better then them. He was finally accepted, without people making remarks about his flying.

And after she was finished, she looked at Komali.

"That Rito is a bit like you, Komali, wouldn't you agree?"

Komali nodded.

"That was a true story, I'm surprised you haven't heard it." She looked outside. The sky was clearing up. The storm left as suddenly as it came. "well, you should hurry off home, I'm sure Lenzo's worried about you…" Komali nodded.

"Okay, thanks for the story!" Grandma just smiled.

"Bye Komali!" Arill said, waving. Komali looked back, and waved back.

"See ya!"

When Komali got home, Lenzo asked him where he was. Komali just answered: "At a friends house"

He knew now what he needed to do to fit in on this island.

He had to prove himself.

Komali smiled, and went upstairs.

………………

OO I actually managed to get this up before New Years! Well, about 5 hours before. I had writers block, sorry this took so long. U heh heh… Well, I wouldn't hold your breath for the next one, I'm gonna have to get another inspirational wave… Oh well, I'll try to get it up sooner then this one. Well, see ya till next time, and Happy New Years!