Undertones: Navi's Story

Yeah, yeah, I know.

Chapter Seven

Last time on Navi's Story:

Drawing her hand back, she bit her lip. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have made this wish…"
Link sighed heavily, lying down on the grass, narrowing his eyes as the sun bore down on his face. "Nav, that's just stupid. Stop blaming yourself and realize something."
Realize what?

He looked over at her. She was frowning.

"You spend all your time worrying about me, what I think, what the end result to me will be…you never think of yourself. The one time you do, you wish you hadn't. Why is that?" Navi met his eyes. It was time.

"I want the best for you, Link."

"Why?" he asked.

"Because I love you."

----

Oh no! Did I just say that out loud?! Navi cursed to herself. Here she was, human size…big enough to tell Link how she felt and there she went and DID it! How stupid could she be?!

Link frowned. "Why?" he repeated. Navi met his frown. "What do you mean, 'why'?"

"You didn't say anything. Answer the question," he said.

Navi narrowed her eyes. So he hadn't heard? Or had she not said it out loud? So much for going for the gold…and she had the guts to say it, too! And she DIDN'T?! What on Hyrule was WRONG with her?!

"Never mind, Link, it wasn't important." Not important? What was she saying?

Link shrugged. "Okay then…"

Navi decided to change the subject. "So…should we continue on our adventure? Where to next?"

"You were telling me, Nav." Oh. Right. She had been, hadn't she?

She paused and thought for a moment. "Umm…it was off to see what Nabooru was up to, right? The Gerudos…they might know something."

Link nodded and then grinned, glancing back at Epona who was grazing not too far away. "Ever ridden a horse?"

---

The Gerudos had a hard time letting one man, let alone another woman accompanying the man in their fortress. They didn't give in without a fight.

Link stood before the cell where Ichiro, one of the carpenters, was being held hostage. Navi stood next to Link, slightly behind him. "What should I do?"

Link glanced back at her as the scantily-clad Gerudo warrior dropped from the ceiling, swords drawn.

Link cocked a grin. "Don't suppose you can still Z-Target?"

Navi frowned. "This isn't a time for jokes!" she cried as Link dodged one of the warrior's attacks.

Navi managed to find a way to stay out of the path of destruction and watched with keen interest as Link sliced and diced at the warrior until she dropped a key and fled.

Releasing Ichiro, Link and Navi continued on their way until they'd freed the other three warriors. It was then that Link was awarded the "Gerudo Membership Card."

The woman who gave it to him was clad in green and had a mysterious smile hiding behind her hand, casually up by her mouth. "So tell me about this woman you're with, Link…she's not one of us. This isn't the Princess…so who is she?"

Navi blushed and Link wasn't sure what to say.

"She's a friend of mine from the forest," Link covered. Navi let out a breath of relief. She had forgotten that anything said would be forgotten once the day was over and the spell was broken.

The woman looked at Navi. "Do you want a Membership Card, too?"

Navi frowned and shook her head. "I…don't think so. But thank you," she added quietly. The woman pulled out a different slip of paper. "Here. You'll need a day pass to get past the guards, even if you're with him." She paused. "And be careful in the desert. Our leader, the Exalted Nabooru awaits your arrival, Hero." She winked in Link's direction. "Don't let her down."

Navi snickered to herself. Nabooru. What a joke.

Link nodded firmly. "I'm on my way."
The woman bid them farewell and watched them leave before chuckling quietly to herself. "That girl doesn't stand a chance…"

--

It was a long, miserable, hot trek across the Haunted Wasteland, involving following sign posts, getting directions from a strange man on a magic carpet, and flying across quicksand with the Long Shot.

When it came time to avoid the Leevers as they popped up from the sand while Link and Navi followed the Poe, Navi found it difficult to concentrate on her direction.

Link was focused on getting to the Colossus, not noticing the cuts and scrapes the obnoxious monsters were giving him.

By the time they reached the Desert Colossus, the sky had cleared and the winds had stilled. The air was calm once again.

Navi explored for awhile while Link filled up bottles at a small fairy fountain.

"Hey, look!" Navi called. She'd found something. Link jogged over, still not noticing his wounds. "What?"

Navi pointed to a crack in the rock wall. "Do you think…?"

Link nodded. "Definitely. Stand back, Nav."

He placed a bomb at the foot of the split and it blew a large hole in the wall.

Sure enough, behind it was a fairy fountain.

"Let's go," he said, pulling Navi in. She hesitated. "But…I'm already a fairy…"

Link raised an eyebrow. "So? You've come in here with me before," he said. As he started to step up one of the two steps, his leg wound became noticeable and he fell to the ground in pain.

Navi was at his side in seconds. "Link, what is it?"

"My leg," he muttered. "It's fine…just…get me some potion or something."

Navi rummaged through her pouch for some potion and found the remaining sip of a red potion. She poured it on his wound and he found the strength to stand up.

"Thanks," he said quietly. She blushed. "No problem. Now call the fairy so she can heal you fully."

Link did as he was told and the large, kelp-covered woman sprung from the water. "I will give you a magic spell."
Link proceeded to receive healing, magic and his new spell, Nayru's Love.

"Whenever you are weary in battle, please come back and see me." With that, the fairy was gone.

Navi and Link headed towards the entrance to the temple, this time avoiding the Leevers, and ducked inside.

The Spirit Temple was pretty plain at first glance on the inside. Two large snake stone tablets were on each side of the entrance way-stairs, each declaring different messages. Link and Navi read them carefully and decided it would be best to leave and devise a new plan.

Link left the temple before Navi did, and as soon as he'd exited, Sheik dropped from the entryway above.

"Link…you have a companion, I see."

Link nodded. Sheik seemed to know something that Link did not, so he didn't ask any more questions. After a few poetic words and a smile hidden in his eyes, Sheik produced his small harp. "To return to the Colossus, play the Requiem of Spirit."
Link and Sheik harmonized a beautiful tune and Navi smiled to herself. How fun it would be to sit on Link's shoulder again…

Was she not enjoying being a big person? At this size, she couldn't sleep under his chin, she couldn't hide underneath his hat when they rode Epona, she couldn't fly on ahead to warn him what was to come…Had she made a mistake? Good thing Rauru had made it temporary…

---

As the sun sank deep into the ground and the moon rose high above the ranch where Link lay in the center, he and Navi pointed out constellations together, watching the stars and laughing at funny star formations.

"I had a good time with you, Link," Navi said. Link propped himself up with his elbows and nodded. "Yeah, it was fun, wasn't it? I mean, it's not every day you get to experience… 'hero' life with me, right?" He smiled a silly grin and Navi's heart melted.

Why couldn't she tell him?

"Yeah…Hero life…" A thought came to her. "Do you like being a hero, Link? Do you like when people call you the Hero of Time?"

He paused. "You mean, do I feel it was my destiny?"

Navi nodded. "Yeah. Do you…like your destiny?" Link's brow furrowed slightly.

"If it's my destiny, I have no choice. But…yeah, I suppose there are times I wonder what would have happened if I'd not left the forest. I mean, would I still have grown up? Or…do all Kokiri grow up when they leave? No one knows, right? They're all too afraid to leave…" He sighed sadly. He missed home.

Navi touched his arm. "I think you make a great hero, destiny or not."

Link met her eyes. "Really?" She nodded, smiling faintly. "I mean, if you weren't the Hero of Time, we never would have met, become friends, go on all those great adventures…" Link nodded, a glint of remembrance in his eyes.

"Yeah…that is fun, isn't it?" He grinned. "Well, I guess I'll say I'm good at being a hero, so...if that's my fate, let it be, right?" He plopped himself back down on the grass and sighed, contented.

When he awoke in the morning to the sounds of the birds singing, Navi was back to her usual size, the size of his fist, asleep under his chin. Link didn't remember how he'd gotten to the Ranch, all he remembered was talking to Sheik…and that he had to go back to the Temple of Time. He'd forgotten everything.

---