Hellllllllo my beloved reviewers! I'm sorry about not updating…. You see, I haven't been able to get on in fear of getting a virus… we never did get a firewall, but it seems that AOL has done something because my computer has stopped acting up. Well, even AFTER it stopped acting up and working correctly I just couldn't get the chapter starting correctly and just lost my erge to write completely and just starting duking it out on FFX and .hackMUTATION and Dynasty Warriors 4 on my PS2. Some girl I am, huh?
Links#1girl: I'm glad that you like my fanfiction so much! And if you get any of your friends to read my fanfiction as well I hope that they'll enjoy it as well! Thanks for reviewing!
Electric Ammo: Not much to say to you. XD Thanks for reviewing anyway!
dragonpurity: I love making cliffies! Mwehehee…. I'm so happy that you love my fanfiction so much; I'm ecstatic! Thanks for reviewing!
Dakyu: It was a cool chapter? Neato! Thanks! And I never used to respond to my reviewers in my other stories, so, this is a first time. I love it when people respond to my review, so I decided that I should respond to my reviewers sense I love it so much. Heh. Thanks for reviewing!
Ben Stylin: You didn't understand the poem? Well, the poem is talking about two people who were once in love but they had to separate and one of them is asking the other is they'll always remember them and how deep their love is. (Let's pretend that it's the girl that has made the poem) The girl who is singing the poem will always remember the boy that they were in love with, but is unsure if they'll ever see the boy again and if the boy will remember her. It's a poem about love and what time can do, sometimes time can make things fade away or make it stronger. It isn't a very good poem, and it's supposed to be a little depressing, but I'm not sure if I made it clear enough… oh well, thanks for reviewing!
Lvmj: I got your name wrong? Oops… you'll have to forgive me for that mistake! You'd forgive Talim, wouldn't you? (Sweat drops) I've only read one Talim and Link fanfiction, and it was that fanfiction that inspired me to write this one. Well, I've actually read two Talim and Link fanfictions… but that second one… was… Eeww… someone told me about 'a horrible Talim/Link fic' and gave me the link to it sense I asked for it… I wish I never did. I was too late to realize that it was a horrible, gross fanfiction… I'm only thirteen! Whyyyyy did I ask for the link…? ;; Thanks for reviewing… (shudders)
Hououza: Well, Link has always been reckless hasn't he? You'll see what happens in this next chapter! Thanks for reviewing!
Daniel Fine: I'm glad that you enjoyed the chapter so much! Yes, Link is falling for Talim and he doesn't even realize it! Mwahahaaa! Well, anyone can talk to the Wind really, but you have to be able to believe in it deeply enough to do so. Link believed Talim that she could talk to the Wind, but he never believed in it deeply enough and he had never tried to before. To talk to the Wind you have to believe in it and also be able to concentrate and have a special gift to do so. Talim had been trained and obtained the power and will to talk to the wind, and Link has the power because he's used to being around magic and using it a little, so all that he had to do was believe. 'If you just believe!' XD I'm glad that you liked my poem; another reviewer of mine said that they didn't understand what it meant… TT I explained it to them, I hope that they understand this time… Thanks for reviewing!
Talim's friend: I finally updated! You should be happy! ( Why must I do this to you? To be cruel, why else? Mwhehee… Thanks for reviewing!
Grunt Hunter Croix: I make lots of my reviewers suffer! Just look at Talim's friend! Thanks for reviewing!
Sora the Taske: I know that the cliffy was horrible, and I finished off the cliffy with 'and…!' just to make people ticked off! I knew that my reviews would all go insane with that ending! Thanks for reviewing!
Jarock16: I wish that I could use all of the three exclusive characters at once…! TT Well, here's chapter nine! Thanks for reviewing!
libby: You like how I gave Charade his own fighting style? Lol, I hate how he and Necrid just take everyone else's moves… + I hope that you'll enjoy my sequel to this fanfiction! But I don't know if I should or not, I'm going to wait for SCIII to come out. And SCIII is coming out sometime this year I believe, you should go and check out the forums of and there are some links there and you can see the three new characters and what Mitsu and Taki are going to look like. The other characters haven't come out yet sadly, but someone told me that all of the SCII characters are coming into SCIII, so Talim will be back! I want to see what she's going to look liiiike… (Sobs) Thanks for (sniffle) (sniffle) reviewing…(sniffle)
Thirdman: Yup, an ending like that, and here's what's happens! Thanks for reviewing!
Ariss: Here's the update, enjoy! Thanks for reviewing!
vegeta rulez: Cliffy for you! Plenty for you! Mwahaha…. And yes, I do get ticked off when people tell me things like: (Pinches Cryptic's cheeks) well, actually only one other person does that to me and whenever I get pissed off at him he only laughs and says that I sound cute… OO+ He wouldn't be saying that if he wasn't an internet friend! But then again, I'm actually incredibly shy offline and would never say anything like that, I'd get awkward and blush… + I let this side out online, never offline! Thanks for reviewing!
Queen of the Moon: You have a mean computer! ( Thanks for reviewing!
brandon: I just had to put a cliff there, where else? Mwahahahaa… Thanks for reviewing!
dp03kf: You hate me? (Big tearful puppy eyes) Buuuut all that I want to do is bring you a good fanfictiiiioooooonnn…! (Starts sobbing) Thanks… (Between sobs) for… (Sob) reviewiiiiinnnnngggg….! (JK, lol.)
Super Davis: I've gotten better? Wh00t! This is something to celebrate over! Thanks for reviewing!
skyhopper: My review button is working fine, it must just be yours, I hope that it gets fixed. As for that thing about logging in, I was talking about you could go there and have an account just as long as you're older then thirteen. Thanks for reviewing!
redskin122004: I stopped right when it was getting good? That's where you should always put a cliffy! And you're the one that got me to start writing because a friend asked me start up again and then you did, so I got back into the writing mood again. Thanks for reviewing!
kat-SageOfWisdom-princessZel: I'm glad that you enjoyed my chapter, here's the next one, thanks for reviewing!
maw: Linky-poo has droopy ears! Aww! Lol, thanks for reviewing!
burningnightmare 59: I'll try and read your fanfiction if it's in a subject that I know, it must be a comedy. I'll try and tell my friends if they know what the subject is as well. Thanks for reviewing!
Chibi Fizz: Is… that… really… you…? Seriously? Dude, you were my favorite reviewer for my GoldenSun fanfiction; I can't believe that you're reading this one! OO Thanks for reviewing!
Dear lord… answering to twenty-six reviewers takes up a lot of time; I just used up three pages! That took waaay too long… but still, I enjoy getting everyone's reviews, they bring me joy, the more the better!
This chapter is dedicated to Jarock16; I wouldn't be able to do this fanfiction without you!
Link: Let's just get the chapter started already! Gees…
Shut up…
Link: Nope.
… mft…
Chapter Nine: Pain
Link ran around in a circle around the eye in the air as Charade's body chased after him. Link took a second of time, just a single second, and thought of what Talim would do if she were in this situation.
"Wind," Link called out, hoping that the Wind would actually respond to him and that the Wind would be able to help him although he didn't have the power like Talim did to connect with the Wind mind to mind. "Please, help me, please push me up to Charade's eye so that way I can attack him and be able to get revenge for Talim!"
'Request granted.'
Just as Link heard the Wind's voice, a surging blast of wind sent him soaring up to Charade's eye, Link took his blade, raised it, letting his shield drop to the ground, and…
"This is for Talim!" Link cried as he brought his sword down towards Charade's single, purple eye. As Link brought his sword down, he could see Charade looking at the blade, and that the eye was actually widening in terror. It was slow, incredibly slow, but for some reason in those few seconds of time Link could see it as if time was moving slower.
Link's sword met Charade's fleshy eye, and his sword went strait through as if his eye was cool, sweet butter and the sword was a knife just held over a flame. Link's sword passed through the eye, and only when his sword was finished going through the soft, vulnerable flesh did the eye actually begin to fall apart.
Link started going down, down, down, down, down each and single foot of those twenty-five feet that he had traveled up. Link landed, but neglected to do a roll when he landed and so when he did so he felt hot-irons of pain ripple up instantly through his bones and muscles. He gritted his teeth and made a small cry of pain and dropped his sword and sat back on his bottom.
Link grabbed his ankles and bent over as the pain came in frequent pulses, powerful, flaming pulses.
Ploop… ploop… plop…
The left over remains of Charade's eye landed just in front of Link, and he had to jump back, getting some Charade on his left boot. He wiped it off with his hand and then looked around, wanting to get up but knowing that his ankles would probably give out on him if he tried to do so. That had been no kiddy fall, and if he had been smart enough to roll then he might be fine, but no, his stupid department had to take over!
"Mefrek yu…" (&# it…) Link cursed lowly in his breath as he rubbed his ankles.
"THERE YOU ARE YOU THEIF!"
Link turned his back and saw Maxi, charging towards him. Link didn't even bother to move, there would be no point. Maxi jumped up, and landed on top of Link, pinning him down.
"Hi Maxi." Link greeted lazily as if nothing had happened.
"You moron! Do you realize how long I've been looking?" Maxi exclaimed through gritted teeth and a tight grip on Link's collar with both hands.
"No, not really."
"You idiot! Charade might come any minute now thanks to you!"
"He's dead, I killed him." Link replied as he looked at Maxi, Maxi stared at him for a few moments, and Link repeated: "Charade is dead, I defeated him."
"You beat Charade? How?"
"Trick that Talim taught me."
"Trick? If she had used that trick before the she wouldn't be wounded!"
"Whatever you say…" Link laid his head back and sighed quietly.
Link was sitting next to Talim's bed quietly after Maxi had forced Link to get up from the ground and start walking back. Maxi was outside of the room, and where outside of the room Link didn't know, but quite frankly he didn't care either. All that he cared about was being there, right next to Talim as she slept quietly.
"I beat him," Link started talking to Talim, even though he knew that she couldn't hear a word that he was telling to her. "I beat Charade, but I think that you would have done better then I ever could. I wish that you had been there…" Link paused as he sat on the chair that was pulled up to Talim's bed. "It would have been easier. I used to be able to fight so well by myself without needing anyone's help, but my battle just now was so… difficult. I don't know why it was. I was doing fine, but for some reason it just felt harder because you weren't there, you weren't watching me…"
Link blinked and then closed his eyes and laughed lowly at himself for a moment before he went on. "I sound stupid, don't I?"
Talim didn't reply, but of course Link didn't think that she would have, but he was half expecting her to get up out of the bed and declare that it was time to get going but if he wanted to stay longer that they could. How could she be that way? How could she let others do what they wanted and not say anything about what she wanted?
Link had never thought about that, he was used to Zelda, Ruto, or Malon to just tell him what they wanted and for him to go and do it. But he just realized that Talim had never asked him for anything… never. Why was that so? Link had never asked for anything, but that was because… because of what? Was he more like Talim then he thought he was? Or perhaps he just felt like he had never asked for anything but he really had before…?
"Talim?" Link looked at her more intensely, and couldn't help but ask: "Why don't you ever ask for anything?"
Link sighed and shook his head and leaned back in the chair and put his hands on his head, making sure that his hat wouldn't fall off while doing so. He wished that she would just… get up… wake up… be better…
'Remain hopeful.'
Link jumped up as he heard a lifting, enchanted voice go through his head.
'It is all right, I am the Wind, I simply wanted to remind you to remain positive and know that Talim will be better. What you did was both heroic and naïve, but it was for the best, and although you don't realize it you have just rid this village of a murderer, even though you were thinking of Talim the whole time. Be careful, many dangers are always lurking around the corner for you, and Talim. Guard Talim, but do not cage her like a bird, in order for a bird to be happy it must be able to fly, and only if the bird loves the one who cares for it will it come back. Guard her and let her guard you, become a team, become one. I bid you farewell until the next time you need my aid, just ask and I will be there to do whatever I can.'
"Thank you…" That was all that Link was able to say, or mumble would be better. The Wind didn't leave the room, but spun gently around Talim.
Spread your wings and learn to fly, find your peace within the sky…Link remained by Talim's bedside for two more days, and on the second Link had been laying on the floor next to her bed, sleeping silently, his sword in his sheath laying by his side, including Talim's Elbow Blades.
Something touched Link's face, or poked it was more appropriate to say, and when Link looked up he saw that Talim's hand was hovering right above his face. He blinked and shrugged, sitting up he picked up Talim's hand gently and put it back up on the bed where it had fallen from. He had just laid back down when he felt her hand land on his chest. He sighed and lifted up her hand and placed it back on the bed, this time he didn't bother to sit up. He closed his eyes, and after about a minute had passed he was just about to fall back asleep when her hand landed and smacked his face again.
Link sighed in annoyance and picked Talim's hand back up and sat up and was about to put it back when he realized that there was a small, amused chuckled coming from Talim's throat. Looked at her, he saw that Talim's eyes were opened, laughing at him.
"Talim!" Link jumped up and smiled as he looked at her. "You're awake!"
Talim did a simple, sleepy smile.
"I'm sorry for getting hurt." Talim stopped smiling and turned her head.
"No, no, it's okay."
"No it's not, because I was too stupid I got in your way and made you wait, now it'll take even longer to find Soul Edge, and it's all because of me. A wound like this could take more then six weeks to heal."
Link bit his lips as he realized that she was right, but then he answered: "If it takes that long to heal, then I'll wait."
"You can't." Talim looked at him sternly, "You have to leave without me."
"No!" Link exclaimed as he quickly shook his head
"Yes, you have to. Link, this isn't about you and me, it's about destroying Soul Edge even if one of use has to die." Talim sniffled, and turning back towards him Link could see the tears that were building out of the corners of her eyes. "You have to leave without me."
"I couldn't Talim." Link whispered, almost hoarsely. "I couldn't."
"Why?" Talim asked him as the tears were already on the bridge of breaking.
"Because you're the only person that I have here in a world that is so strange to me." Link answered quietly as he looked her strait in the eyes. "You're the only person that I know that I can trust. I don't know this world, I only know you."
"Link, you have to go." Talim blinked away her tears quickly. "I'm just as blind as you are. When I left my village, I had never gone further then a mile away from my old home. And even though I was born on this Earth, I don't know anything about it. When I left my village it was too strange to me, too different from what I was used to. People were rude to me, and other warriors would laugh at my size. And then I met you, and then it seemed like when I met you, everyone started to be kind. Trust me Link, I don't want you to go and leave me, and if you were in a situation like this I would never want to leave you. But it sounds too selfish to me, not helping others simply because I wanted to stay by you. You have to go Link, not for me, but for the other people who are going to be mercilessly slaughtered if Soul Edge becomes strong enough. Do it for people who wouldn't stand a chance against the evil of Soul Edge, do it for the crippled and those who are too ill to even get out of bed. You have to."
Link paused as he listened to Talim say this to him, and he knew that she was right, it did sound selfish in an essence. But at that moment, he almost didn't care that it was selfish of him, all that he wanted to do was to stay there, by Talim, waiting until she was to heal to start their journey together again. But those people, when she had said that, he thought of Saria, Malone, even Ruto, and in a small way Zelda, although she was stubborn and tough enough to keep herself out of trouble most of the time. Would they all really die, just because he wanted to stay with someone?
"Link, please." Talim looked at him, and Link couldn't help but look away from her. "Think about it."
Link had thought about it, he thought about it all night and ended up getting no sleep after that, he had had his meeting with Talim at about four in the morning. And just before sunrise, he had gotten up from the floor next to Talim's bed and had gone out of the house and traveled a little ways of town and watched the sun rise from the mystic horizon as he sat down and made a small comfortable place for him in the grass. The sun was halfway up when he heard footsteps behind him, turning; he saw that it was Maxi.
"What are you doing out here?" Maxi asked as he sat down next to Link.
"I'm thinking." Link replied, and by the way that he had said it Maxi could tell that asking what was wrong wouldn't do anything.
"Nice sunrise," Maxi waved to the sun and smiled. He looked back at Link and saw that Link wasn't even trying to crack a smile, let alone look at him. Well, he might as well ask! "Link, what's wrong?"
"Nothing." Link answered in monotone, the only movement that he made was a blink.
"That's a lie, stop being naïve and tell me."
Link turned and looked at Maxi, then just looked away again.
"What?" Maxi demanded, starting to get irritated. "Tell me what's wrong, it isn't going to kill anything."
Sighing, Link answered simply: "Talim wants me to leave and continue without her."
Maxi paused before replying, trying to figure out what he could say, after a few moments of thought, he replied: "Why is that… so bad?"
"I don't know this place." Link sighed and shook his head.
"I don't think that she knows this place either."
"I know that, she said that to me, but…" Link bit his lip and slightly closed his eyes.
"But what?" Maxi asked as he looked at Link. "I still want to stop you from trying to destroy Soul Edge, but I know that you're so determined to do so that you wouldn't let me stand in your way if I became a serious threat. Link, Talim is your traveling partner, if you two had actually destroyed Soul Edge together would you two still stay together? Sure as friends, but she has a home to go back to, and so do you."
"No, we don't." Link almost felt a slight anger boil inside of him, and although he didn't know why, he also thought that it was because he hated how Maxi was telling him these things when he knew so little about him and Talim. "I can't get back to my home, and Talim was shunned and was thrown out of her village. Neither of us have homes; the only thing that we have is one another. Before Talim left her village for the first time she had never been a mile away from it, she didn't know anything about the outside lands outside of the walls of her house. I'm much like her, only I wasn't kicked out…" Link looked over at Maxi, who wasn't even looking at Link any longer. "If I leave her, I'll be leaving the only thing that's precious to me."
"Link… are you and Talim, more then friends?"
"What? You mean are we love?" Link blinked and shock and shook his head quickly. "No, it isn't that, we're just really great friends."
"I see, I'm sorry, I misunderstood." Maxi did another pause, which was starting to irritate Link. "Link, you need to understand that many things in life aren't fair. There are times when things are taken away from you, you need to learn about loss."
Link gritted his teeth and couldn't help but turn his hand into a tight fist.
"I know what loss is!" Link couldn't help but yell at Maxi; he stood up from his seat on the ground. "You have no idea what I've gone through! Do you have any idea what it's like to feel like you know who you are and then suddenly find out that you're nothing that you think you are?" Link's mind flashed back from the time that he had woken up from those seven years of sleep and found that he had a man's body, not a child's body. And then when the Deku Seed Tree had told him that he was actually Hylian, not Kokori. "To have to save so many, and everything depends on you, no one else?" He thought of all of Hyrule, everyone depending on him.
"And then when you finally settle in and get comfort from what you have you have to leave again and learn that you can never come back?" At that moment, the first face that he saw was Zelda's, his dear sister whom he loved so much and would think of her everyday until he died, and if he died before Zelda did he wait for her, and he hoped that if she died first that she would wait for him as well. "And now, I have to leave the only person that I can trust and talk to, the only person that I know that I can hold onto? I can't do that!"
Link just turned and ran, and although he knew that running away was being childish at that very moment he couldn't think of anything else to do after saying all of that to Maxi. He ran, he ran back into the forest and finally stopped after he suddenly felt safe and secure.
He stopped and sat down on the dirt, leaning on a random tree trunk. He sat there silently, then after a few minutes of staying in the same position he brought his knees up to his chest and placed his forehead on his knees. Closing his eyes, he could see Zelda's face, then Saria's, Malon's, at a moment Ruto's, and many other faces, he even saw Mido's. And then lastly there was Talim's, the only person that he had left, and she was telling him that he had to go on without her, it was almost in a strange way that had happened, because it was almost just like how he had to leave Hyrule without Zelda or any of his friend's or people that he knew and know that he could never come back.
He blinked, and felt a small, single tear fell down, he lifted his head in shock and felt his face, where it was lightly damp and he realized that he had been crying even before he had noticed the tear that had fallen. He shook his head, and leaned back and looked up at the leaves, and for a moment, pretended that he was in Kokori forest.
So Until Next Time,
CrypticElf…