Chapter 2: Brothers in Bloodshed
Walking around this once forsaken forest was easy to navigate, just rows of tent like houses that sheltered many of the Kokiri people in times of hardships. Not only was the grass and trees that embraced the forest eternally green, but seemed to scar everyone who was their's heart, and immediately put a love to remembrance towards them. Link looked up, after he knew he had to have passed the 3rd row of homes, and looked ahead towards the Deku Tree's meadow, where it was even greener, and more lush than the rest of the forest. Link was still frantic however, and soon enough he was running fast, faster than he ever had before. "Navi, what's wrong with the Deku Tree?" He asked intently. The fairy merely sighed and flew out of Link's hat to where she had taken refuge. "A disease, a sickness… he did not specify, you'd be better off asking him yourself." Link nodded, looked in front, and the look of determination exchanged itself in place of a sad disappointed look when he peered at Mido, the self proclaimed "Guardian of the Deku tree and Boss of the Kokiri." He looked a slight bit different from the other boys in the tribe, he was a bit plumper, rosy cheeked, and had bright red hair. Most importantly than anything else however, was the fact he was mean. "Where do you think you're going fairyless?" Mido drawled on and begun tom laugh, until he saw Navi hover over Link's head. "Is that… wow a fairy has finally chosen…" He almost sounded excited, until he coughed and begun again. "Well, you're still a shrimp, and shrimps do not get the privilege to see the Almighty Great Deku Tree!" Mido scoffed, and Link contemplated whether to smash his face in, or to reason with him. Before Link was about to knock Mido on his ass, Navi stepped in and informed Mido of the Deku Tree's situation, and yet still Mido just laughed it off. "Any fairy that would choose a loser like Link has no trustworthy word, our great guardian is perfectly fine. BEAT IT!" He screamed at them, but Link would have none of it. "Let us through you asshole!" Link cursed at him, but Mido just smiled and spat onto Link's boots. "Tough words, I respect that in all honesty, but if there was a problem, I'm afraid you wouldn't be able to go through, you MUST have a sword and a shield. I don't want to be liable for your death… And unless you want to travel through Hyrule and get killed by Stalchildren, the only pair are with me, ya wimp." He started to laugh nasaly, until behind Link appeared a familiar voice. "What if Link were to beat you for them?" Link turned, and again saw Saria, standing up for him…. And Mido's eyes got wide, that was his only weakness… his crush on Saria. "Well?" She asked again, and Mido shook his head. "Yes my lady, I'm not afraid, but it is up to the shrimp here." He laughed again and Link nodded as sure as he had ever been. This startled Mido greatly, but should not have been taken to much surprise considering what Mido had done to Link in the past. Dunk him in the Shop's toilet, giving him noogies, and wet willys… Sure it was common ground in schoolyard behavior, but even at ten years of age, Link took offense to the lack of respect, and he had never gotten a crack at him for revenge. He knew the rules this time around; a classic Kokiri brawl was pretty simple, and brutal. Whoever bled first would lose, thus having to pay their blood to Farore at the shrine in the center of the tribe and giving the winner whatever he desired. Everyone in the forest began to walk towards the entrance to the meadow as everyone could practically feel the tension in the air. "Well shrimp, looks like ya got a death wish." He dropped the treasure of the Kokiri, the sacred Kokiri Sword crafted by Farore herself, and the Deku Shield, a black piece of wood with the Scrub's signature design on it. The business scrubs had forged it, and would often times come out of the residence inside the deku tree, to trade with the shop owner, a Hylian trader residing in the Forest, the only adult, Shazlor. But even then, when Mido dropped this, Link had his eyes on them, knowing if all else he could save the Deku Tree. He knew that the Deku Tree was not intervening because this was a trial, and Link was ready to fight. First punch thrown was by Mido, staright towards the head of Link, to which Link grabbed the right hook, only to be met with a left to the stomach. Falling back and panting, Link did a back flip, and tried to regain some posture. Mido had to have a weakness in his fighting style, Link wasn't much for experience, but it felt natural to him, as if he was a warrior. Link charged, and his brown boot connected with Mido's face, and Link's rage would not let up. After the kick, he swung his fist around, into Mido's stomack twice, turned around and spun kicked Mido in the mouth. The crack that was heard was horrific, and Mido just was laying there, looking motionless. Saria checked his pulse. "He's alright, just unconscious." She said as she turned him over, and once she did, everyone could see the blood dripping down his face. Wowed by the rage and relentlessness that the shy Link had never shown before, the tribe cheered loudly, to which Link acknowledged. He turned to the right, and could feel the power blazing as he picked up Farore's sacred blade, the Kokiri Sword. Drove into the back of the shield to keep balance, the small sword fit almost perfectly, and Link swung it around his back. "Be careful… whatever it is you're doing." Saria said sadly, and that was the moment Link realized, he was in love. So sweet, so soft Saria had been to him, so beautiful, luxurious. He had to shake it off, for Link, the member of the eternal children tribe of Kokiri ventured forth to the Deku Tree's meadow, where even he could not predict what would happen next. "A virus that I must fight?" Link wondered aloud.