Chapter 2: Ninety-Six Percent

With the sword drawn, and the Divine Beasts discovered, it was only a matter of time before Zelda's father chose the Champions. And, luckily for Zelda, he decided to send her to ask them. It was a great way to study the Divine Beasts first hand. Better yet, she could do something helpful for once!

Not so luckily, he sent two knights to guard her. She was absolutely jumping with joy. Jumping!

Not only that, but her father was planning to assign a personal knight to attend to her needs and watch her every move. She was soaring with the largest amount of jubilation one could possibly feel. Obviously.

Anyway, that's why she was going to Rito Village. The first that her father had chosen was Revali. He was renowned for his great skill with the bow, as well as with aerial techniques. It was only natural that he would be the one to pilot the flying Divine Beast, Vah Medoh.

Oh, what fun she was going to have. Zelda wondered how she could get the knights off her tail…

Link hated this. He had had plenty of spotlight before, what with being a "skilled" warrior and being the youngest knight since… someone. Link didn't hear that part of the conversation. Impa had dragged him away. He was also the youngest member of the Royal Guard since… ever, as far as he knew.

But now he was not only the youngest member of the Royal Guard/knight in a few centuries/forever, but also had a magical sword that liked making him think he was insane.

"You are not insane, Master Link."

I am talking to an inanimate object. How is that not insane?

"I was not always an inanimate object. I once took on a form that was quite animate, Master Link." The sword replied

Well, moving on from the talking sword… that only he could hear, by the way! Becoming the one chosen by the sword was not what he'd expected that day. He'd asked that it wouldn't kill him, not that it would choose him, thank you very much.

"You do not seem thankful in the slightest. Is that what humans call 'sarcasm?'"

...No? Hey, he had to at least try to stay on good terms with the sword, lest it would murder him.

"I sense that there is a ninety six percent chance that you are lying. Therefore, it is most probable that your previous statement of thanks was sarcastic."

The sword's sense of logic was quite astounding. It was not unlike Link's own constant calculating, though it seemed that the sword had better reasons. Why on earth would anyone care about a simple painting in the background?

"A wise person once stated that a picture is worth a thousand words. Therefore, one can gather helpful information from a single painting."

Link wanted to make sure that this wasn't just another voice in his head. Like I need more of those. Im- er, Dame - er… Lady Impa would probably know what was going on.

"You don't seem to have a formal relationship with this 'Lady Impa.' Would I be correct?"

She's a… mentor of mine. Maybe it wasn't just a random voice in his head, what with all of the trying to figure out as much about him as possible. If it was actually his mind making up voices, then it would already know that. And since when did voices attach themselves to inanimate objects?

That was when Link nearly ran into someone. He quickly stepped out of the way, before realizing it was the very person he wanted to speak to.

"Good day, Lady Impa," Link greeted formally, dipping his head slightly.

"Good day, Sir Link," Impa replied, her crimson eyes quickly landing on the sword strapped to Link's torso. She raised one of her silvery eyebrows. "I was not aware that the sword had chosen its master."

Huh. I'm first to know something for once. In your face, Impa!

"I heard that," Impa mumbled, just loud enough that Link could hear her.

Link had forgotten about Impa's expertise at the Sheikah technique vidensia, or as Link preferred to call it, the Sheikah version of mind reading. He would have to remember how to do the mind block that he was taught when he was younger. Maybe that would work on voices in his head, too?

"It depends, Master Link. However, if you were referring to me, as I assume you are, the answer would be a negative, Master."

Great. Just great. Wonderful, even!

"What's this about voices?" Impa questioned.

"Actually, I came to ask for some advice about that very matter," Link admitted.

Impa glanced from side to side, before nodding. "Very well, then. Follow me."

Impa led him the five steps away from where they had previously been standing to a room just off of the hallway. She threw open the door (It was an Impa thing; Link assumed she simply liked dramatic entrances) to her study.

"Don't mind the clutter," Impa stated as she gestured to one of the two chairs in front of her desk. Link took it silently, finding the stiffness to be quite good for keeping his focus.

"Choosing the champions has been difficult, but now we have an idea as to who to choose," Impa explained.

Link only then noticed the clutter that Impa had mentioned. Letters and scrolls were scattered all over her desk, all bearing the crests of various races. "You have backup options, correct?"

Impa snorted. "Backups for the backups for the backups, more like. This has not been an easy week for me, though the fact that you've drawn the sword is likely the reason His Highness rushed this."

"It's not as if anyone's been hiding it," Link mumbled, glancing at the hilt that poked up behind his shoulder.

"His Majesty probably decided to keep it quiet," Impa suggested. "I'm sure there are rumors - I heard some myself, but doubted them until I saw you. He most likely intends to announce it publicly, with a festival or feast of some sort."

Wonderful. More publicity. Link hated people gawking at him and praising him for things he really wasn't. After all, Link thought, ensuring his mind was sufficiently blocked from Impa, I'm useless when it comes to anything other than wacking something with a metal stick.

"So," Impa continued, "what exactly is it that you seek to ask me?"

Link drew in a deep breath, composing himself. Well? spit it out already! "Since I drew the sword…" Link began slowly, "I have been hearing a… voice. It claims to be the sword, speaking to me, but I sought to come to you for advice."

Impa held a hand to her chin thoughtfully, her face void of any sort of emotion. "Can anyone else hear this voice?"

"Not that I know of," Link replied, his voice quiet. Was that bad? Was there… Link suppressed a shiver and forced away the last thought before it made its whole way into his mind. Don't even think about that.

Impa leaned on her desk, resting her elbow on the smooth wood, her hands clasped before her. "I have heard stories of a spirit that resides within the sword. However, they are ancient, and only known to a few of us Sheikah."

Link leaned forward a bit, interested, but not showing all of it. That is what Impa had taught him, after all.

"Do not show emotion, unless it seems necessary to do so," Impa had said. "Even then, only the slightest bit. Your emotions and weaknesses, in the hands of your enemies, can be the very tools that drive you to your destruction. Mystery also results in fear, sometimes respect. That kind of fear can win a battle before it begins, so long as it is utilized to its fullest potential."

"Are you getting stuck in the past again, Link?" Impa sighed.

"...No," Link lied, knowing full well that Impa knew he was, as per usual, getting stuck in the past.

"Anyway," Impa continued as if Link had not responded, "this sword spirit is said to have been in existence since the time of the sword's creation. However, it is also said that it was sealed away within the blade."

"Why would they seal the spirit of the Master Sword?" Link questioned.

"The stories claim that the spirit was sealed in order to keep a great and ancient evil contained," Impa said. "However, it has been hundreds of thousands of years since then, and this ancient evil could be long gone."

"Master Link," The sword interjected. Link jerked his head towards the hilt of the sword.

"Is it speaking?"

Link nodded, tearing his eyes away.

"Can you communicate with it through your mind?" Impa questioned.

"I believe so," Link said. Well, it did read his thoughts. However, it seemed to react more to the ones thought directly at it.

"Good," Impa said blankly, stretching out her arms and cracking her knuckles. "Keep it talking… and it would be to your benefit to close your eyes."

Link did not feel very good about this. If Impa cracked her knuckles, she meant business.

However, he really wanted to figure out what was happening to him. He closed his eyes hesitantly. So… I have to keep you talking… uh…. Sword.

"If you prefer, Master Link, the name that Her Grace gave to me is 'Fi.'"

'Her Grace?'

"My creator, the goddess Hylia." Fi replied nonchalantly.

Link let out a small noise. HYLIA?!

"You can open your eyes, now," Impa said.

Link gladly did so, relieved.

"There is a voice coming from the sword," Impa stated, "as indicated by an aura and sound waves. However, despite that, it seems that you are the only one capable of hearing it.

"So I'm not going insane?"

Impa looked at him with the most serious face he had ever seen. "You and I both know that that wasn't what you were worried about."

Link managed to keep composed, but had to look away from Impa's eyes, instead examining the dark red, deep green, and shining gold rug that Impa's mentor had made for her. The hand threaded design danced across the border in golden thread, each exact copies of the previous loop. None was larger than the other, nor smaller. They were all equal.

Link wondered how much effort went into that rug. How much time? He had seen Dame Rala before her passing, and she had been a very busy woman, what with being the royal advisor to the throne, charged with the excavation of the Divine Beasts and the guardians, and being one of the leaders of the Sheikah. The old Sheikah had most definitely cared deeply for her apprentice.

"Why must your head always be in the clouds?" Impa barked.

Link jolted and sat up straightly, keeping his face stoically blank.

"I apologize, Dame Impa."

"Lady Impa," Impa corrected. "With all the eyes on you now, it is important to use the... 'correct' title."

"I apologize, Lady Impa," Link said, correcting himself.

"Better. Now that you're here, we might as well run over a few techniques," Impa stated. "It may also be to your benefit to get to know the sword."

"'Get to know?'"

"You are asking a great many questions lately," Impa said suspiciously.

"Is there something wrong with that?" Link questioned.

Impa laughed dryly."Usually you would wait so that you could silently observe and see for yourself. Is there something wrong?"

Link quickly shook his head.

"Words, Link."

"No, of course not, Da- Lady Impa."

Keeping secrets? Telling LIES?! Come ON Link, I thought you had higher standards than that!

To those of you who read the previous draft of this story, yes, there is going to be a more complicated backstory for Link here. There are more things that I'm including, and it'll be more detailed. So look forward to that!

I have been doing this for a while, but I have not mentioned this. "What is this, Ari?" I'm SO glad you asked. See, I have a ONE WEEK time limit between updates. Today, the date of the update, is a week after the previous. I MIGHT post earlier, but ONE WEEK LIMIT at MAXIMUM. You're welcome. I've been procrastinating on a LOT of homework assignments for you guys, so be grateful!

HAHAHA I'm not STRESSED! What makes you say THAT?!

Ignore that. I'm just going insane, is all.

REPLIES! (Secret review word/phrase is... Impa. Because she's kickbutt, is why!)

bladeofthebookworms: YE- I mean... no? Okay, YES. I also made his surname Hawkin or whatever. I should've done Rooster or something, but Hawkin was more subtle. But it's still a bird! GOLD STAR FOR YOU! I'm so glad you liked it! I went through it like, five thousand times... oh, wait, I said five HUNDRED thousand on the last Author's Note. So... THAT. THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT! :D

Green Swordsman: Why thank you! I like to do rewrites, because I can look at the past one and say, "Hey, that one is crappy here, here, and here, but is actually kind of cool here, here, and here!" Then you take out the bad, replace it with MORE good stuff, yada yada... Yeah, there was a LOT more work put into this one! I want to make sure it's GOOD, so I don't have to rewrite the rewrite! Because that would just be over doing it (XD). Fi is a good doggo. The surname for Link actually translates to a different word than the one I put in, but I'm NOT telling anyone what the original one, because THEN you'd be laughing (actually, maybe if you asked nicely, then I'd tell you. I'm a bit of a pushover like that (XD))! OH, Catseye?! I was wondering if this was a new person or a silent person or something, but thank you for clarifying! Everyone ALWAYS steals the best usernames! Except no one stole mine, because it's the BEST one. I DID draw it! I drew it off of a reference, though, so I kind of cheated (XD). I'm glad you like it!

MeaninglessMayhem: I COMPLETELY agree! This one is definitely an improvement! Fi is a good doggo.

AddyBOTWfan13: Thank you! I'm glad you like it! I put a LOT of work into it to get it to come out nicely. Bladeofthebookworms was actually the only one that found the easter egg, and it WAS quite subtle. Actually, Link's last name when put through the translate again comes out differently than what I put in originally. No, I am not telling you what the original one was, because THEN you'd be laughing. BENJAMIN, though? REALLY? Okay, I'm going to start laughing at that one, now. I will do my best to keep this good! Thanks again!

EggGrace - That'sMe: *Gasp* Really? Thank you! I'm so glad you like it! You know, this whole actually publishing fan fics thing is a real confidence booster because of all of you nice readers! You aren't being weird at all - if anyone's weird, that would be me. I am exceptionally good at being insane. Once again, thank you! :D

You guys are all so nice to me! I used to hate the way I wrote, but now that you guys are here telling me how great this is, I feel way more motivated in writing than I ever have before! I feel more like I have to put in my best, and I feel more obliged to work harder! So thank you! You guys are great! :3

Most sincerely (Guys, I LEGIT mean it),

Ari