- In the beginning part 1

It is a normal first day of school day as I grumpily head off to high school. I had been dreading high school since I'd been told a few of my old friends and enemies were going. Sebastian is especially mean, as usual, when he whispers ugly things behind my back.

"See that's Liz over there," he mumbles to his friends while I try to unlock my locker, "She's really weird, what a loser."

I resist the urge to look at him, knowing the expression on my face would only betray me. I couldn't stand in front of my locker forever though; I'd have to get to class eventually. To get rid of Sebastian's group I ducked into the girl's bathroom closest to my first class. I sit in the corner of the bathroom and pull my sketch book from my school binder to pass the time, ignoring anyone who came in. Delicately, I colored in my newest creation with my extensive Crayola colored pencils collection. I came to call the strange beast a Drather, half dragon half panther. I then proceeded on a new drawing of a character id been drawing over and over again. He was called Green the Hedgehog, modeled after Sonic the Hedgehog, only more plant then Hedgehog. Even though I knew there was already a green hedgehog in the Sonic series, it felt comforting to have a character of my own. Lots of people made their own 'Sonic' fan-made characters anyways. But unlike Sonic, I couldn't run away from my own problems... As the first bell rings signaling the five minutes before class, I pack up and stand to look in the mirror. I study my medium dirty blonde hair and grey blue eyes. My eyes had turned a darker blue from the tears building up in my eyes.

I growl angrily at myself adjusting my glasses, "I wish I could be braver...less like a chicken. Why do you have to be such a chicken?"

Of course, my reflection didn't answer. I hurry to class before the bell rings again. Luckily, the first class of the day was art. I only hoped that it was easy as I thought it was.

"Good morning class," the teacher says as she enters, "My name is Mrs..."

Before she can continue, another student arrives. He adjusts his spiked red hair and sits down at the back of the classroom. He seemed a bit older than me and was a great deal taller making me feel small. And I used to be the tallest in the class...

The teacher looks annoyed, "Young man... you are late and that hair color is not appropriate for the dress code. I'll forgive you for today but I expect you to follow the school dress code and get your hair a natural color next week. Anyways, my name is Mrs. Ramsey and we will be going over the list of supplies that you will need for class and..."

As she continues, the boy shrugs putting his hands behind his head and I could almost see a red glint to his eyes. He gives me a dirty look and I quickly focus on the front of the classroom. Could it have just been my imagination?

During lunch, I sit with my old friends Sabrina, Katie, and Roy. Sabrina has long black hair with brown eyes and Katie has short bleach blonde hair with blue eyes. Roy also had dark hair like Sabrina's only much shorter and his eyes where hidden behind glasses most of the time. He was embarrassed about his eye colors because one was a hazel brown while the other a pale blue. He didn't like other people staring at him so the teachers let him ware his sunglasses in class. I often wondered how he was able to see through them in the poorly lit classrooms.

"I miss summer already," Katie said in her famous Texas accent, "The swimming, the barbecues..."

"And no bullies," I put in.

We all nod. Even during lunch, I can't help but pull out my sketch book to draw. Everyone at the table seems to wonder where I get so much paper, or where I put all of it when I am done. We all take turns describing what we did over the break. It only makes me sad to think summer was over and that school had only just begun. Sabrina and Katie leave for their classes early and Roy adjusts his glasses.

"So you want to play Halo after school today?" Roy asks.

"Not really... maybe Fable III but I've already beaten it three times," I sigh, "Plus I already have homework from some of my classes."

"Oh...ok. You know, wouldn't it be cool if our gaming skills meant something in real life?"

I snort, "Of course they don't. Unless you're lucky enough to get a job as a tester or something."

"N...n...no I mean," he stammers, "what if the world really was in danger from some super villain or something and you had to save the day. I've seen you play Zelda you're really good."

"Yeah, and I fall from stupid places all the time, wishing I could've timed things better."

"Hey you've always said you'd do things differently if you had to go into the same dungeon."

"Eh...that's just talk."

We quiet down as a group walks by not wanting our geek talk to attract bad attention. I hated being self-conscious of even the smallest conversations.

"I might come over for a bit," I say once the dangers past, "I still haven't gotten past that dungeon in Skyward Sword. Keep falling in the lava..."

Roy laughs as he goes off to class. I hang around the cafeteria by myself before the warning bell rings. Realizing the time, I scoop up my stuff and jog to my next class. By the end of the day I already have homework from history, government, math, and English. Thank goodness P.E. never has homework and the art class gave me time to gather more supplies. The first days' worth of homework is usually a cakewalk for me since its all review. After homework, I talk my mom into letting me go over to Roy's for a bit. He lets me help him with a puzzle in Skyward Sword.

"See?" he points out, "you're not even this far yet and you already know how to solve the puzzle."

"Well...," I sigh modestly, "I am not that good... I just have a good gut feeling."

"But that's what makes you good. I'd be stuck in this dungeon another year or so otherwise."

I roll my eyes, and then jump at a sudden rattling outside. I look out the window to see a storm approaching fast. The trees sway violently as Roy pauses his game to look too.

"Wow...I didn't see a severe storm warning on the news this morning..." he says.

"Guess I'll be sleeping on the floor tonight..." I sigh, "Can't go out in this..."

Roy's family let me stay in the living room for the night since the storm was so bad and it came out of nowhere. My mom was nice enough to say that she would drop off cloths for me at school in the morning. When everyone else had gone to bed, I ended up playing my game for most of the night. The thunder was so loud I knew it would be hard to get to sleep anyways. As I was in the middle of a dungeon, I started to doze off when a loud flash of lightening woke me. I saw the 'game over' screen and figured I had somehow fallen asleep during the boss battle or something... Suddenly, the screen flashed and I could've sworn I saw a figure before the power went out. I laugh at myself as I curl up in the couch blankets.

I had a strange dream where I was surrounded by clouds. I voice rings through the air as soft as a doves call. At first, it's so quiet I can't hear it, and then it becomes clear as a bell.

"Link," the voice says, "your world is in danger."

I laugh to myself but the voice insists seeming to talk directly to me.

"Please listen," the voice pleads, "you must take action."

"Hey," I call back, "Link's a dude. Plus there's no way I could match up to the Hero of Time."

"Link." the voice insists before the dream darkens around me.

I feel a sinking feeling as the dream seems to shake and tremble all around. A bout of wicked villain laughter erupts out of nowhere as the invisible ground underneath me crumbles and I am falling.

I jump awake brushing my hair from my face as I try to catch my breath. The first rays of light shine through the blinds showing the storm had passed during the night. I rub my face laughing softly to myself.

"Ok...that's the last time I play games before bed..."