BlueShoals Author Notes:

I'm hoping to show a bit more about Link's personality, and why he has grown into this kind of personality in my story. As far as story development, yes, within the story, he has a reason for being more than a little mean-spirited and sadistic. Outside the story, however, the reason I wanted to give him this feeling, is because that's how I play action/adventure. Sadism.

In this chapter, Link awakens from his dream-turned-nightmare, and tries to get out of his cell peacefully, and reasonably. It becomes increasingly difficult to control his temper as the Captain of the Guard for this city gives him an impromptu interrogation, and then, a job.

(To answer some questions, the story takes place after Majora's Mask, with dreams revealing his past. As such, he has kept most every skill from Ocarina of Time, and Majora's Mask. You can be sure I'll make use of them, to great effect. After all, it's an action fic.)

Chapter 2

Of all the things he'd seen in his days as the Captain of the guard, he'd never seen a prisoner go from being prone on his bed, to jumping high enough to knock himself out when he hit the ceiling.

What a dumbass,the guard thought, and chuckled quietly.

The last remnants of Link'snightmare stayed with him as he writhed in pain on the floor in what he recognized as his cell.

After a while, he simply lay there on his back, staring at the ceiling blankly. As he contemplated the memories of his past, he slowly worked himself to the present.

He'd just been waken up one morning, so many years ago, and went on a quest to save people he barely knew. All of his motivation was coming from within him. A desire to run, fight, and kill those who wronged others. To destroy and laugh at his victims. Not just because he was worried about the innocent, but because he was just plain mean sometimes.

He knew that it probably wouldn't be recorded in history that he was grinning wickedly during his final fight with the beastly Ganon. It probably wouldn't be told that he had tortured the beast during his fight.

People would probably be told that he ended it swiftly and mercifully… Something like a sword to the brain.

Eh… Link thought, I suppose people don't like their heroes to have any emotions… Especially sadism…

After that ordeal, he was plummeted back into a world that had no idea how much he had sacrificed to save their lives. After all, it hadn't happened yet.

The only people who had any idea were the members of the Royal Family, and the Sages. They hoisted him up onto a pedestal, and if he ever took one step off of it, everyone would make such a fuss.

Link sifted through his life's story in his mind. Until he reached the present.

Only then did he get up, and walk to the bars of his cell.

"H-…" he said quietly.

The guard looked up from the book he was reading. Link recognized him as the same guard who had brought him in from the sewers, "Hmm?"

"Hey, I'm…" Link struggled for words, "I'm new here."

The guard chuckled for a long minute. Link shut his eyes, massaged his temples, and counted to a very high number.

Of all the types of guards there were, he hated the chuckling guards the worst. They were the ones who asked too many useless questions, and at the same time, never took him seriously.

Why… Why the 'chucklers,' why me?

Link interrupted the guard's laughter after he finished counting, "When can I get out?"

… and if you start laughing again, I'll beat you silly, you-

The guard said simply and sarcastically, "Oh, you don't want to stick around for breakfast?"

He was about to chuckle again when Link interrupted him, "Listen, I'm new here, I need to get out."

"Okay, well, I was checking you out," the guard said, suddenly serious and professional, "and even though you seem like a good guy, you are quite a…"

Link blinked, "Hrm?"

"You're an intimidating kid," the guard admitted, "and you scare the hell out of me. That's why we stamped you. You're physically fit, better than most of the guard, and you know magic as well. That's what the stamp was for."

Link sighed, Damn… they're not going to trust me…

After a long silence, the guard stood up. Link was surprised, as the man's soft, jovial voice betrayed his impressive stature. He was a monster of a man, solidly built, and standing well over six feet tall. He walked from behind his desk, and introduced himself, "I'm the captain of the guard."

"Oh," Link said, uninterested.

"What are you?" he said, trying to strike up a conversation, and sat down on his desk, facing Link's cell.

Link then realized that all the other prisoners had been released, which was why the man was conversing with only him.

He clarified, "I mean… what do you do for a living?"

"I'm an adventurer." Link said simply.

The captain chuckled, and Link counted to a higher number.

The massive man spoke with the slightest mocking tone, "What, like a mercenary?"

"No," Link was getting irritated, "Listen I—"

"Yeah, yeah. I know, you 'gotta get out of here,' I heard ya, but it's my job to get to know every prisoner who arrives here."

The boy cocked an eyebrow in his direction, "Huh? Why?" He'd never heard of a guard who talked to his prisoners regularly.

The captain chuckled again, "Well, I want to make sure that the next time I see them in here, they get the proper disciplinary measures."

Link understood, "I'm just…"

He lowered his gaze to the ground, and spoke quietly, "I like to wander. I've been through three different… countries."

"Pretty impressive for a kid," the guard intoned quietly.

The young hero nodded back, and continued, "I found myself here. I came from some mountains, found a cave. It lead me here."

The guard nodded, smirked, and said what Link was waiting to hear, "Okay, you're free to go."

Link beamed, but the guard continued speaking, "I'm putting a notice on you, however. Our guards and the guards of the other cities will be watching you carefully. Don't get in trouble again," and with that, he unlocked Link's cell.

Link watched as he walked over to a locker where they had put Link's sword and shield, and rummage through it.

After about a half-minute of rummaging, Link began to get worried. The guard turned around, wincing.

"Uh… I can't find your sword, or your shield. One of the guards must have taken it. Probably sold it," he said, still wincing.

Link was dumbfounded. He was beginning to think that he might just murder the man where he stood. It showed, and the captain tried to put out the fire that was this boy quivering with fury.

"Woah, woah… I'm sorry, here," the captain ran to his desk, partially to put something between him and Link, and partially to scribble a note, "take this to Nick. Do you know who Nick is?"

Link shot him a look of monumentally restrained rage. He was just coming to terms with the fact that a very rare mirror shield and gilded sword from Termina was stolen from him, and sold into a world he had no knowledge of. No knowledge, and yet, this man asked him if he knew who 'Nick' was.

"Oh," the captain said, twitching slightly, "That's right. You don't…"

Link snatched away the note the guard held out to him, and the guard spoke apologetically, "Well, Nick is the blacksmith in this town. He makes the weapons for the guard, and does special jobs for people with the money for it. Tell him I sent you, and he should give you a discount."

Link sighed. He didn't care too much about visiting the blacksmith right now. "Where's… the pub?"

The captain edged over to a shelf by the door, and produced what Link presumed was a map of the town.

He handed it to Link, and explained, "There are dozens of pubs, a lot of which double as Inns. It's a big city. Do you have money?"

Link asked, "What's the currency?"

"Rupees," the captain winced again, worried about a burst of anger.

"Then I'm fine." Link was about to walk out the door.

"Are you sure?" the captain said, "Because, if you need any money, you can work for the guard, we have a few positions I think you'd be well suited for," and he smirked.

As if sensing that smirk, Link turned to half-face the captain, and asked, "Like what?"

"Well, we have freelance mercenaries that take out big criminals for cash," he explained, "There's also messenger duty, since it takes a while to get from city to city to relay messages."

Link pondered this. He liked the sound of both of those options.

"Of course, the one job that no one wants to take," the captain said, "is…"

Link looked up, curious.

"Guard conditioning," the captain smiled.

Link tilted his head, "Eh?"

"Sparring."

A silence passed as Link turned to fully face the captain of the guard.

"When can I start?"

"They're outside sparring with each other right now. Go on ahead, I'll pay you when you're done." He was glad to have the boys anger vented somewhere else.

Link clenched his fist, and ran as fast as he could out the door.

That's what they get for taking the kid's stuff, the captain thought.

He sat back down at his desk, reclined in his seat, lifted his book, and started to listen for the cries of grown men.

Hopefully, I got the point across. Link does have buttons, and they can be pushed. What pushes his buttons most? Incompetence.

I hope you enjoyed this chapter. You can rest assured that there will be some action next chapter, when Link gets down to business.

The business is kicking ass.

And business is good.

BlueShoals. Out.