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Red Storm

-Song of Madness ficlet-

Navi felt powerless. So hopelessly powerless, unable to comfort him in any way. He was, once more, sitting on the edge of Kakariko well, but not in happy peace, but in anger. He picked up a stone and thumped it against the ground. She desperatley wished she could do something for him, like the other fairies could. She wished she could soothe his singed, burned skin, she wished she could heal the nasty gash in his side, but even then, she would not be able to calm his anger. He had just come from the Fire Temple, after awaking Darunia as Sage of Fire. He couldn't stand seeing another childhood face for just a few moments, before it was cruelly taken again. Bitter tears welled at his eyes, and he clenched a blackened fist.

"Is this all some kind of cruel joke? Lets make all the Sages people he knows! Lets put him through more bloody agony!" He cried, raising his fist to hit the stone wall of the well, before lowering it again and burying his head in his grimy hands. "I can't do this anymore, Navi! Din knows I tried! I'm not cut out for all this heroic buisness! If only I hadn't been so stubborn! If only, I'd just gone back home after Mido refused to let me pass! Maybe, just maybe, I wouldn't be here now! Oh sweet Nayru...i'm going to go insane, I swear..."

The words stung Navi more than Link could imagine. For only a few days ago, she was musing on Link's current mental condition. Nothing she could say or do could offer him any solace. She didn't think anything could now. For even if he just went back, he'd still remember. And the memories were what tormented him most. "Link...I know this won't make it any easier..but even if you'd stayed with the Kokiri, you'd grow up someday..."

Link sighed "I suppose your right, Navi, but still...It was mine and Zelda's intervention that lead to Ganondorf getting into the Sacred Realm! I'm the problem! I'm the cause! They expect me to fix it and I can't, Navi, I just can't."

She didn't dare land on his shoulder, for fear of irritating any burned or sore skin. He looked terrible. His red Goron Tunic was in tatters, the exposed skin red and blackened, numerous burns on his hand where'd he clutched the Master Sword, boiling hot from the temples heat, in agony, determined to bring down Volvagia. His hair was dirty and smeared with black, staining the soft blonde locks. His matching red cap was also tattered, and it lay on the side of the well beside him. Instead, she landed beside him, on his still warm cap. "We need to get you cleaned up. Those burns and sores will become nasty if they are left like that. Your lucky we're in Kakariko. Drink some red potion. I'm afraid it won't do much for your skin, but it'll help clear up that wound on your side." She worried, deeply concerned for her friend. Link gave a sad, lopsided smile "Your like the mother I never had" A silence followed this, Navi not quite sure how to reply. He tugged a half empty vial of Red Potion from one of his numerous pockets, and uncorking the liquid, finished it off in a swift gulp. He recoiled and shivered a bit at the taste, unpleasant and edgy. Wincing slightly at the tingling sensation around his wound, he fumbled with his burned hands to get his Ocarina out. "Lake Hylia.." He said, to no-one in particular. Struggling to play with his sore hands, finally the notes of the Serenade of Water echoed around the quiet town, and Link disappered over Hyrule in a blaze of blue, leaving only a empty bottle behind.

His feet touched the stone platform, and pulling off his tunic, undershirt, boots, gloves and leggings, he scrambled into Lake Hylia's calm, cool waters, gasping as the freezing water licked his chargrilled skin. He took a deep breath and bobbed his head under, shaking it furiously with his hands, trying to clean out days worth of mud and grime, aswell as soot and singe. Navi watched at him sadly. She hated feeling so useless. Why couldn't she have been a healing fairy? Holding back tears of pain, he washed the dirt from his burns and wounds, each burned and raw fingertip brushing his skin agony for him. After a painful eternity, the pink burns were clean, the true extent visible. No part of Link's body seemed unblemished, where there were not burns, there bruises and cuts.

Link began to pull himself out, and Navi looked away respectfully as he dried and dressed. While neither of them would probably care anymore, she still felt it necessary...He unfolded his green Kokiri tunic from one of his many pockets, pulling it on. If he was going anywhere near fire again, he'd need to buy a new Goron tunic. His was ripped to shreds. Slumping down onto the warm, sun-kissed grasses, he rested his head on the tree and sighed deeply, closing his eyes. Navi curled up in his green cap beside him, her glowing fading slightly. The evening breeze was pleasantly warm, blowing in from the desert, and it ruffled his hair. Enjoying the wind on her wings, she drifted off into a nap, dreams filled with the hero she adored.

Author Notes/Afterthoughts

Hell yeah, you just read right. Link x Navi at the end there, blink and you'll miss it. Eagle Eyed readers will note the two chapters before this took place before the Fire Temple, well, this is a poor, singed Link after the Fire Temple. Nekkid Link! Although, I don't go into detail =( I'd rather leave it to your imaginations! Enjoy!

From Beyond the Stars