Chap 15: A Strange Way to Make Friends

(A/N) Hello everyone! Someone finally favorited the story! It took so long, but it happened and it makes me happy. I'm a bit disappointed that nobody reviewed chapter 14, but I don't actually care. Not enough to take out any anger on anyone. Well, this is the new chapter, and I really hope you enjoy it.

Italics means thoughts, someone is speaking sharply, or it means someone has spoken Hylian. It can also mean a flashback. Bold means an author's note or some sort of text, which I will seldom use. Underlined text implies importance. I am unlikely to remember that. Have fun!

Oh, and I don't own any piece of The Legend of Zelda. I own, literally, more air than Zelda.

"Where the hell is Sergeant Cox?!" Isaac Cox had heard on his way away from his post. He decided that today would be the third day in a row he'd skip. He'd been hanging out with Rex these past two days, and today was no different. They weren't officially dating again, but they were actively attempting to decide whether or not they wanted to. Even if we don't, we'd still be best friends, so there's no real harm in not dating. Still, I have a hard time telling myself dating would be a bad idea. I do care deeply about Rex, and leading him on like I've been doing these past few days would just be rude. Besides, I need someo-

WHAM! "Sergeant First Class Isaac Cox, what do you think you're doing?! Evading your post job? You've been AWOL these past few days! What if Dimesia attacked? Don't you want to put that bitches head on a stake?! The bitch that killed your family?!" exclaimed acting commander Lieutenant Jacob Reys. He looked down at the man he had just knocked down with a forceful (but not painful) palm strike in the lower back.

"Don't you dare talk about my family…" Isaac growled.

"I'll talk about whoever I damn well please!" the captain shouted. Isaac was slowly getting up so the lieutenant wouldn't know what he was doing. However, before he could strike, Link came around the corner to find the lieutenant ready to kick Isaac down again.

"Lieutenant Jacob Reys, what do you think you're doing?! Get the fuck away from him!" Isaac looked at Link with a thankful expression on his face. "And you! Get to your post, now!" Both Isaac and Reys scrambled away from each other, Isaac slinking away to his plans with Rex and Reys going back to the Wall Tower. "Nayru save this army…" Link muttered while he continued walking to his destination: the unofficial break room, East Wall. He was supposed to give a speech he'd stayed up all night writing, which ended up being stolen by a few ruffians he was too tired to deal with. He had to give the speech based off memory and improvise what he forgot.

"There you are! You're fifteen minutes late, almost to the second!" exclaimed Staff Sergeant Rex Shepherd.

"Sorry I'm late; I got in a small fight with Reys. Motherfucker was talking about my family. I can't believe you told everyone about them." Isaac stated, slightly angry about the whole situation.

"Didn't I already apologize for that?" Rex asked with an innocent look on his face. Isaac just shook his head and pretended to walk away, going just far enough for Rex to give chase. Speaking of chasing, Rex did in fact chase after Isaac. The both of them had fun running with each other, vaulting over obstacles, jumping off cliffs and roofs, storming through hallways. "Isaac! Come back! I'm sorry!" Rex said, the laughing breaking any bit of sincerity in his voice to pieces.

"Never!" Isaac called out behind him before being stopped by a wall of muscle that rose six feet from the floor. Rex stopped dead in his tracks, panting, exhausted. Isaac looked up at the figure who barely even flinched when he was charged at, but was still smiling down. The figure reached out a hand to help Isaac up, which he took.

"Captain Dominic Shepherd, welcome back," said Rex.

"Hey there, little brother. Isaac, hello." Isaac nodded at Dominic before he felt the exhaustion strike him, causing him to double over in a small-but-horrible coughing fit. "I! You okay?!"

"Yeah, I'm-I'm fine. Just asthma."

"You have asthma?" asked the captain, "Why was I never informed of this?"

"I remember putting it down on my signup form," said Isaac.

"And I remember telling you," chimed in Rex. "Looks like you just weren't paying attention, Dom."

"What'd you say to me? I can -and will- beat you up, both of you."

"Chill, Dom. It's just a joke," Isaac said before the morning bell rang.

"Shit, I gotta go report in. Hey, I'll see you two at Joseph's, alright?" Dom asked as he ran to the check-in room.

"Yeah, see you then!" Isaac and Rex shouted at him as he ran away.

"Are we done playing, or…" Rex asked.

"You're it!" Isaac said as he slapped Rex on the shoulder and ran away.

"Oh, now you messed up!" Rex shouted at Isaac as he bolted after him.

Captain Dominic, Staff Sergeant Rex, and Sergeant First Class Isaac were all regulars at Joseph's Pub. They had been going there these past two years, almost every day, so they had a steady friendship with the owner, Joseph. Currently, they were sitting in their favorite booth, having a generally good time. They were only slightly above the legal limit of public drunkenness. Suddenly, Link walked in. "There you guys are. What are you doing? You're all missing right now. You all have jobs to do." Dominic decided to speak up.

"Listen, sir, we're just trying to relieve some of the stress the machine you've built has put on us gears. So, chill the fuck out, sit the fuck down, and grab a beer."

"And you're all drinking!" Link exclaimed, "You all know that's against standard regulation, right?" The three soldiers just shook their heads. "Well it is, and… wait, did you offer me alcohol?"

"Yes sir, I did," Dominic replied.

"Well, I'm a minor, and that's… ah, screw it. Hand me a beer." Isaac handed Link a mug full of Hyrulian ale. "You know, you guys are all finable for this. But, uh, I'll probably pardon you if you get in trouble."

"Thanks, sir. Hey, do you all want to play in a bit? You know, when we're all done?" Isaac asked. Dom and Rex nodded, Link just kind of glared at him.

"Adults play, too?" Link asked.

"Absolutely! Why, just after you caught me about to beat Reys' ass, Rex and I played tag. Dom and I wrestle all the time. Of course, he wins all the time cause he's bigger and stronger than me. Maybe you and I can fence together sometime."

"I'd like that. You know," Link said as he leaned back, mug half-empty, "you guys are all right."

"Duh. We've been trying to get the word out, but no-one listens." Dom said, followed by laughter from the whole group.

"Well, let's go fence Isaac."

"Now? I still have like… three small sips left," Isaac said while examining his mug VERY deeply.

"Well, hurry up then. You two, too," Link said to the group.

"Yes, sir," the group groaned. Link turned and left the building. He spent the next four minutes waiting for the group to come out.

"Let's go, guys!" Link said as he led the way to the back of the building. The group didn't know it, nor did Link, but if they survived the war, they'd all be present at each other's weddings. They'd all become the best of friends, spending most of their waking hours with each other. It is indeed a strange way of making friends, the way they did. But it's not about the method, it's about the result. It's always about the result.

So, Link and the others are friends now. I feel like this was the best way to get me to the ending I want. On a side note, I got the new Daft Punk album, Random Access Memories. It's pretty great. Please review, it lets me know whether or not I suck. It also lets me know if I rule, which I'd love to hear about. Until then, if there are no questions, I'm out. Peace.