New chapter done! Yay! This one is a little different then my previous ones but necessary. This chapter and the next are going to involve time skips because there really isn't a lot of pre canon information about the Fairy Tail world. There's general information sure, but not a lot of specific details. Therefore I've decided to fill most of the details of the past just like in canon with future flashbacks or descriptions of specific past events, like Mira telling Lucy about how Natsu discovered Happy's egg or Gray talking about his training with Ur. It'll be easier for me and I can get into canon much quicker.
Hopefully this chapter makes sense and answers some of the questions you may have had concerning the last couple.
On a different note Lord Silindel was kind enough to write me a review that stated and I quote:
"do people have absolutely no more ideas (good at least) that they create the most stupid of crossovers ever? and im not talking if this is good or not as i havent even read it and not plan to either way.!"
Right then, so I have several things to say about this:
1. If you don't like a crossover idea or concept don't read them. Period
2. Whether you like a story or not: read it before you criticize it.
3. If you don't like a crossover (or story in general) and decide to criticise it for that sole reason, then write your own damn story and show us less creative mortals how it should be done so that we can learn from your infinite wisdom.
4. If you choose not to read it but still feel the need to criticise, then be prepared to be made fun of and have your review fit snugly in the area of caring marked "Don't Give a Flying Rat's Ass."
So yeah thanks for upping my review count buddy but your opinion has less value to me than the toilet paper used to clean up the dogs crap. I don't care if someone doesn't like my work or points out legitimate flaws in areas I can improve on. In fact I welcome them. But reviews like that make you sound like a complete and total tool. Just saying. But hey if that what floats your boat, all the power to ya!
Now to EVERYONE ELSE that wrote a review I legitimately care about, it's time for:
Reader Response!
To:
MissMoe: Yay! So much love! Hahaha glad you enjoy this so far! I plan on updating Whom She Found next so hopefully you'll like that as well. I have uber plans for Link in this fic so stay tuned!
Tyrianis: I agree with you. As much as I like think that Link is pretty much the ultimate badass, the fact remains that Hyrule has different standards of power than Earth Land. Therefore Link needs to grow into that power. It's a lot more realistic in my opinion. Link is strong sure but he can't unwittingly blow up a town by accident. At least not yet. I hope you'll like what I have planned for the future.
Christian. 1: Haha you're very welcome! Glad you like it! Thank you very much for your opinion!
X10-Killbot: Don't worry he still has stuff, I have plans for a lot of it. No I'm not forgetting about the Goron Bracelet or Gauntlets, keep in mind he's still a kid at this point and the gauntlets were for adults. The bracelet he hasn't worn in a while and wasn't at the time. Even if he did where it, it wouldn't be enough. Link was matching Erza before because she was holding back. She knows she's stronger than most people so she doesn't cut loose right off the bat. She underestimated him and it cost her until she could pull herself together enough to step up her game. Hope that makes sense.
Bloodwolf432: Hahaha don't worry Link still has his magic but I've got something else in mind for the masks.
Guest: Already in the works.
Musical supremacy: Yup!
Libby8980: Keep reading and you'll find out!
Perseus Peverell: Already said I wouldn't do that. Not going to change. He'll do other stuff though.
Jfrogers23: Thanks! Will do!
Keldeox: Yeah…but fear not! Link is awesome! As such he will be awesome and he's getting stronger fast! Keep in mind he's got four years between his arrival and canon.
Schniedragon88: Thanks! I'm glad you like my writing so much! It always brightens my day when a loyal reader reviews and has good things to say! Thank you for your praise and I hope you continue to enjoy and physically rejoice while reading my work!
Lord Silindel: *See top*
OmegaInfinita: Well…Sometimes unprofessional proclamations are the best and most true forms of complimental expressions. You should have heard my high pitched fan girl scream when I watched the new Godzilla movie for the first time. Thank you very much!
Icy Cake: Already talked you in a PM, but thank you once again for your wonderful review!
Soren180: Thanks! Don't worry Link will be kickass in the future. He just has to grow a bit. Trying to update as fast as I can, but life gets in the way. Sorry.
Link13PGF: Thanks for your opinion and advice. I've worked out how I want Link to interact with others now I think and Link does have a lot of the gear he had from both places. They'll show up bit by bit. Thanks!
Gravenimage: Thanks! Glad you like it! Just wait till Link does become a mage! Love your avatar btw – Dragon's Crown FTW!
Proverbsrus: Hey glad you liked it! Link is going to learn Requip but 'The Knight' is an Erza only thing. He'll learn magic of his own though. I love Spryte! At first I wasn't sure if I wanted her there but I'm damned glad I put her in!
Hylian Mage: Glad you like it! All of your ideas I have already considered and my response to them is…wait and see! (I know, I'm horrible).
Oowoon: Thanks a lot! Glad you think I'm doing a good job so far!
FierceLink: Yes. That's all I'm gonna say.
Cromakai: Thank you very much! Hope you like where it goes!
EspadaShinigami: Thanks! I'm doing my best!
Joey: Thanks! You'll find out this chapter.
Sora with an S: He has stuff. Some of which might be replaced or improved upon but he does still have a lot of stuff.
Hedgehog of Time: Thanks! Will do!
Trninjakiller: Then I guess you're done reading.
Cronolink2002: Ouch…those poor people down the street…Sorry about that. I'm glad you love my work so much. I'm trying to update regularly but life gets in my way and slows things down quite a bit. I hope you can have patience with me. I love writing Spryte! At first I wasn't going to have her in this story but I saw the Zeldanime version of her and loved her design! Couldn't resist. Hope you continue to enjoy my work!
Memento Mori-Goodbye: Technically he doesn't have the Triforce of Power, or any Triforce for that matter. But he does have a gift from Din, just like the others, and he will use it later on.
Ok well that wraps that up. Thank you for everyone that reviewed and favorite this story! I hope you enjoy this next chapter!
The Legend of Fairy Tail
Chapter 4:
Progress
xxx
Earth Land X779
It was a calm morning. The kind of start to the day that filled even the most sleep inclined individuals with energy and the desire to do something productive.
The sun was shining brightly, having fully cleared the horizon for only a few moments, and bathed its glorious light upon an equally calm and glorious meadow. There was no breeze to rustle the leaves of the woods nearby or even the grass within the area. Butterflies flapped from flower to flower, small pockets of clouds lazily drifted through the sky, and the occasional songbird sent its melodious chorus across the grassy expanse.
The scene was the epitome of peace….
"SQURRREEEEAAAAAA!"
At least it was until the piercing shriek of a large beast shattered the silence and a massive creature burst forth from the tree line. The panicked animal frothed at the mouth and trampled over the open meadow fleeing in pure terror from its hunter.
"It's getting away…" a bored voice announced in a sing song tone. The glowing form of Spryte hovered nonchalantly in the air where the animal had carved a hole through the brush. Her were arms crossed lazily under her chest, hands cupping her elbows, as she stared after the beast.
As she said this, a horse and rider appeared behind her and broke into the meadow after the monster. Link sighed in mild annoyance as he pursued his quarry. The stupid beast was certainly living up to its reputation for being an unruly disturbance on the peace. The monster that Link could only describe as some giant cross between a boar and a turtle had been causing endless trouble for the nearby town. It messed up fields, crashed through buildings, ate crops and even livestock. Its bulk, ferocity, and armoured shell made it far more than what the locals could deal with on their own, so they had sent a request to the mage guilds in the area and Link had accepted the 'monster slaying' quest without a second thought. He was an old hand at it after all.
He and Spryte had found the creature easily enough, its den had been known to the people in the area despite being powerless to stop it themselves. At first the Boartle had stood its ground and attacked them but it didn't take long for the beast to flee through the trees in abject terror. Link had then spent the better part of the morning chasing after it. On open ground Epona could have easily kept pace with the creature; however, it had crashed through trees and brush with reckless abandon leaving debris and other obstacles in its wake that Link's horse had to maneuver around, slowing them considerably.
The frustration over what should have been a simple job had begun to grate on the Hero of Time's nerves and now the monster had finally broken out onto open ground. Now it was time to end this. He raised his hand towards the creature and focused his magic. A small magic circle appeared at his palm followed by a brief flash of light and his Hookshot appeared in his grasp. Without wasting a moment he fired the grappling device at the Boartle, sinking it into a chink between the plates of its shell.
With a grunt, Link soared from the saddle as the chain swiftly retracted and drew him towards the creature. His feet hit the hard plates of shell and he hung easily off the side of the running beast. The casualness with which he calmly opened his free hand and Requipped his sword before lightly pushing off away from the Boartle's side would have been almost frightening to anyone watching. Sword in hand, Link pressed a trigger on his Hookshot to release a certain amount of chain and used it to swing up and over the beast's head. At the apex of his swing he let go of his Hookshot to grasp his sword with both hands in a reverse grip and with a loud battle cry he fell and buried the blade deep into the skull of the beast. It gave a pain filled squeal before crashing to the ground and carving a rather deep gouge in the earth as it slid to a stop.
Link let out an exasperated huff of air that blew his golden bangs out of his eyes before standing up straight and withdrawing the sword from the dead Boartle's skull. He dismissed the weapon and his Hookshot just as both Epona and Spryte approached.
"Well that was annoying," the fairy stated dryly.
Link merely nodded in agreement and hopped down from the head of his kill. "Let's go tell the townsfolk it's dead. They can decide what they want to do with the body."
Their clients had asked them if they could keep the corpse of the Boartle after he had killed it and Link had agreed, even though he couldn't really fathom what they wanted to do with it.
The villagers, who had been surprised that a mage as young as Link had elected to undertake what they thought to be a rather dangerous task, were astonished that he had finished the job so quickly. He had, after all, only arrived that morning. They had expected him to take at least a day or two to kill the monster. Link had merely shrugged and stated that the hardest part of the job had been to run the creature down, killing it was easy. The villagers had wanted to throw a feast in celebration but Link had politely declined the invitation, accepted his payment, and told them where they could find the body.
It turned out the corpse of the monster was actually quite valuable. Its tusks and shell could be carved into ornaments and tools and it had enough meat on it to feed the entirety of the village for over a month. Link didn't really concern himself with it though, the job had earned him a fairly easy 65 000 Jewels and that was good enough for him.
After pampering Epona and thanking his beloved mare for a job well done, they bid the villagers farewell and departed at a leisurely pace. This latest job had been the last in a handful of requests he had taken from the notice board all at once and he was in no real hurry to get back. Instead he took the time to relax, leaning back into the saddle and letting his mind wander.
It had been a little over a year since he had come to this world and a lot had happened in that time.
His magical abilities had grown stronger with each passing day and continued to do so even now. Makarov, having never seen somebody grow so quickly, had declared his progress as nothing short of prodigious. In less than a year he had grown strong enough magically to rival both Erza and Mirajane, two monstrous prodigies in their own right, and could do as many different types of magic as both of them combined. Granted he had yet to decisively beat either of them, but he had been able to push them both to the limits of their abilities; his vast experience and skill helping to bridge the gap in magical power.
Link remembered well the first time he had fought with Mira. He hadn't had much interaction with the Demon of Fairy Tail before that and had been spending most of his time sparring with Erza. The scarlet haired girl consistently beat him every time they fought, but not in the same way she pounded Natsu and Gray into the ground; she had to work for her victory. Every time they fought Link grew stronger and each time Erza had to hold back a little less than before. One day Mira had stepped forward before one of their routine bouts and declared her challenge to the green clad swordsman. Link had been surprised by the sudden proclamation but had accepted it readily. That had been a mistake.
Mira had thrashed him. Her unique style of Take Over Magic had startled him when she activated it and she had wasted no time in taking advantage of his surprise. Unlike Erza, she had not held back. Her speed and power completely overwhelmed the Hylian hero.
She had grown tired of the whisperings of the Guild and the musings of the Master over the newcomer's abilities and wanted to prove there was nothing special about him. It was true that she had been initially impressed that he could stand against Erza, her rival, but she didn't believe that he was worth the amount of attention he was receiving from everyone. Sure, he may have been surprisingly skilled for someone who had only recently developed a magic container. It was plain to see that in terms of skill he was just as good, if not better, with a sword as Erza was when she was limiting her own magic power to his. But as soon as Erza strengthened herself with magic she could defeat him easily. Therefore, it wasn't jealously or resentment that drove Mirajane to pound Link into the dirt; it was more the need to establish herself and her power in the eyes of Hylian and show him how just how much the armored girl was holding back. Well, that and the fact that she really didn't like how quickly the new guy sided with Team Erza.
It had worked, but not in the way she had expected.
She did beat him, rather badly in fact, but Link had put up a fight the likes of which she had not believed he could, showing no fear and never backing down. His icy, battle hardened gaze pierced through her and felt like it was absorbing all she was and everything she could do.
He. Fought. Hard. And as he fought he learned. What she had expected to only be a bout of a few seconds dragged on for minutes. Just like with Erza, his skill and vast experience fighting monsters far more powerful than him gave Link a significant edge over Mira that she couldn't directly equal.
She still won, though. She won rather handily. But at the conclusion of the fight, which left Link unconscious, Mira stood in shock as her fingers gingerly touched the blood leaking from a cut in her cheek: an injury she had not believed he could give her.
When he regained consciousness, Link further surprised her by expressing great interest in her Satan Soul magic. Mira had thought he would be afraid or, at the very least, wary of her demonic powers but the boy had been neither. Instead he had shown genuine curiosity and a desire to learn more about it. He had spoken with her in private and revealed a few things about himself that showed they were surprisingly similar in some ways. He had even given her some advice and council about the perceptions of her power and how to handle it.
After that, the three of them fought together regularly. Testing each other constantly and pushing their limits to the utmost degree. Of course Link also sparred with the other mages in Fairy Tail, Natsu being the chief among them, but none of them could give him the challenge that the two strongest women in the guild could. Senior members like Macao and Wakaba had gotten the better of him once or twice but Link quickly adapted to their skills and tactics and defeated them handily. Laxus, whom everyone noticed was growing more and more aloof, outright refused to fight him for reasons he did not elaborate on. So it was the two girls that became his frequent sparring partners, both of them fulfilling specific roles. Erza became the instrument against which he honed his skill and Mira became the bar against which he measured his power.
They sparred so much that it was rare to see them doing anything but, and it wasn't just Link that benefitted from these fights either; both Erza and Mira grew stronger as well. They had to in order to stay ahead of someone who progressed so quickly and could challenge them in ways that neither of them would have expected otherwise. The two girls had even shifted the dynamic of their rivalry with each other due to him. No longer did they try to beat the other to a pulp in what often degenerated into an out of control cat fight; now they fought to not be the first to lose to Link. They both knew that this was an inevitable outcome, though neither would admit it to anyone. Ever.
When they limited themselves to his level of magical power he was better than them, plain and simple. The only reason they had yet to lose was due to how much stronger they were magically and that rift was growing smaller day by day.
It was a rather interesting change within the guild and no one could really decide if it was a good thing or not.
Outside of his two sparring partners, Link had also become rather close with most of the other members of Fairy Tail. He had an air of maturity that allowed him to connect with the older members to a surprising degree. Makarov himself had enjoyed a number of rather deep conversations with the Hylian that he wouldn't have been able to have with the others. This maturity combined with his age and kindness also made him someone the younger members looked up to. He was always willing to help anyone with their problems and the advice he gave held a level of wisdom and insight that surprised all. Though he was usually calm and quiet, Link was not above engaging in the antics that Fairy Tail was becoming famous for and his cheerful demeanor ensured he was well liked by everyone.
His studies in magic had also been surprising. Link could often be found in the archives, pouring over a new book or asking questions about particular aspects of magic to one of the others. He had learned much in a short time. Link had no doubt that much of his progress could be attributed to the blessing of the Goddesses…..well that, and the Gale-Force Reading Glasses Makarov had suggested he buy after a few months.
Every time he had difficulty grasping or understanding a fundamental aspect of the magic he was studying, especially if it was one of the styles his mark had led him to, the triangle mark on his hand symbolizing the Triforce of Wisdom would glow and the block seemed to unravel in his mind and he could make sense of it. This allowed him to learn basic principles very quickly; unfortunately, this would only happen at times concerning fundamental problems, anything more intricate or unessential he still had to puzzle out himself.
The magic of this world was very interesting. The possibilities of what it could do seemed limitless and it could be both incredibly easy to understand as well eternally mysterious at the same time. Much of the time the outcome of a magic spell was based upon one's will just as much as an incantation or circle. If you desired your magic to do something with enough will then it would do so, even if it was contrary to the very nature of the spell itself. Fire could touch without burning, ice could freeze and never melt, a sword could cut and not kill. It all depended on the strength of your will and your heart.
Link poured himself into his studies. Requip Magic had been the first thing he had learned, much to Erza's delight, followed soon by Sword Magic. He excelled at both and was soon employing his new found skills in fierce Requip battles with Erza. He wasn't as fast at it as she was but he was darn quick and no one could adapt to a changing situation like Link could. This led to some rather intense spars between the two of them as they flashed through different weapons and tactics. Link's quick grasp of these first two magics also allowed him more time to focus his attention on the other magics that he was led to by his mark.
He was quickly becoming a magical force to be reckoned with.
But as powerful as Link was becoming, it was Spryte that had proven to be a true marvel. The little fairy was capable of things that none of the other mages in the Fairy Tail Guild, Makarov included, had even dreamed of. In Hyrule, magic wasn't something that a fairy needed to learn; it was part of their very essence, a force they literally embodied. That fact had not changed. Even though the magic of Earth Land was different than that of Hyrule it was still magic and Spryte's body had taken to it like a fish to water. She could feel the very nature of spells, manipulate the flow of Eternano at will, and weave the intricate threads of magic controlled by incantation and will as easily as breathing. She was not a mere wizard that could simply harness magic: she WAS magic.
That didn't necessarily mean she was all powerful however; she was still limited by her physical body. Any average wizard could overwhelm her easily because they had more raw power immediately at their disposal. It took time for Spryte to invoke any form of magic that could be used for attack or defence and such spells tired her out quickly if used in succession. Granted she could easily cast spells along the magnitude of an S-Class Mage if given enough time to channel and focus the Eternano around her, but doing so took much longer than a wizard that had the reserves to do so at will. There was also the fact that somebody could send her tumbling head over heels with a mere flick of their finger if they hit her.
So most of her active uses of magic were minor, even if very broad in scope, and mostly geared towards mundane use or entertaining pranks. She had even discovered how to fly or hover in place without flapping her wings, something she now did more often than not. The resident mages of the guild had quickly grown accustomed to seeing her experiment with some random use of magic for no other purpose than to appease her own curiosity or boredom. Link had walked into the Guild Hall one day to see Spryte floating casually in the middle of the room surrounded by a bunch of random hovering objects, her head tilted to the side in contemplation with one finger tapping her chin and the other hand cupping her elbow. Among the floating objects around her there was: a metal tankard, a glass bottle, a rock, a small fireball, a tiny swirling cloud of snowflakes, a ball of water, some random assortment of plant seeds, a fork, one of Reedus's paintbrushes, some random colors of paint, and several other miscellaneous items and elements suspended effortlessly around her.
Every now and then her tapping finger would flick out lackadaisically and direct a number of these items to the area in front of her where she made them mix for a moment, sometimes adding an item or taking one away, before returning them all back to where they had been and starting again. She had repeated this process for the better part of an hour before suddenly clapping her hands together and combining everything at once in a brilliant flash of light. The light soon faded to reveal an object that looked like a large snow globe, simple in design but still rather beautiful, floating in the air. However, rather than showing a set scene with falling snow, this item would shift and change revealing either: a meteor shower, a snowstorm, a rain forest, a flowered meadow with a rainbow, a tornado of fire, a waterfall, a mountain range, or a starry sky depending on which way you shook or held it.
Everyone in the guild had been struck dumb in amazement over the creation. Spryte had merely looked at it detachedly for a moment with slightly pursed lips before giving a simple "Huh," in a tone one would expect a scientist to make after witnessing an unexpectedly strange result to an experiment and then floating away without a care in the world and humming a merry tune.
Another incident involving Spryte's magic that also had the rather amusing effect of terrifying everyone was when someone had knocked a pepper shaker into the little fairy during one of the guild's frequent brawls and sent her into a fit of sneezing. Normally the admittedly cute sounds of her temporary ailment would have made everyone laugh, but there was one little problem that prevented anyone from doing so: every time Spryte sneezed something nearby exploded. Bottles, chairs, lights, windows, Gray's pants, Mira's hair, Makarov's staff, Reedus's paint, nothing was safe and no one knew what was going to blow next. By the time it was over every single person in the guild had taken refuge behind something and refused to move until they were certain Spryte had exhausted her sneezing fit. People still tensed whenever she gave even the slightest indication she was going to sneeze again.
With their newfound abilities and growing powers, Link and Spryte had formed a team that was quickly gaining a strong reputation in the area. They completed jobs quickly and effectively, often with surprisingly little of the collateral damage that Fairy Tail was known for. In fact Link had come surprisingly close to being the one to complete the most jobs in a year and he had started late. Of course the registered jobs didn't account for the number of times he had also stopped to help someone as he was passing by. An example of which had just presented itself as they traveled.
Link and Spryte were passing by a large field where they could see several farmers tending the crops they were growing. Many of them were hauling large buckets of water back and forth or running hoses here and there. All of them had grim expressions on their faces. A little ways up on the road ahead he could see a wagon that held the reserve of water the farmers were filling their buckets with.
"Having some troubles?" Link asked as they approached.
"Aye…" the wagon driver, a burly farmer with a short cropped beard responded with a sigh. "The dam that we used to irrigate our fields broke last week and the water level has been too low to fill the ditches. Normally that wouldn't be so bad, the crop would suffer a bit, yes, but a few days without water wouldn't destroy the harvest." He sighed again and rubbed a hand over his sweaty forehead grimly. "But these past few days have been hot and our fields are drying up too fast. We've been trying to get at least a bit of water on the fields to tie us over but at this rate the dam won't be fixed in time and we'll lose the crop."
"That…is a problem," Link nodded solemnly. "Have you sent in a request to the mage guilds?"
"Aye," the farmer replied. "But so far, no mage has come to help." He tilted his head up to gaze wistfully at the clear blue sky. "I do wish it would rain..." But the few clouds that had been overhead that morning had long since drifted away, leaving nothing but the unrelenting sun to beat down on the burning fields.
Link also took a brief glance at the sky before turning his gaze back to the toiling farmers for a few moments.
"I can help with that," He stated calmly and dismounted from Epona. The farmer turned his gaze sharply to him.
"You can?" he asked incredulously. Link's response was to grin lightly and curl up the sleeve of his tunic to reveal his golden Fairy Tail mark.
The farmer's eyes widened. "You're from Fairy Tail?"
Link nodded in response and walked to the edge of the field. He raised his hand in front of him and drew on his magic power. A soft flash of light later and the crisp blue form of the Ocarina of Time appeared in his hands. He gazed fondly at the instrument, a priceless memento of his previous life and an object of great power. The instrument had served him in more ways than he could begin to count and he took great comfort in the fact that it didn't matter if he traveled to new lands far and wide or even to a new dimension, there was a simple truth that held everywhere: there was magic in music.
Link had been surprised when he discovered that much of the magic he already knew from Hyrule could be adapted to the magic of Earth Land. His studies had even allowed him to improve on and expand that repertoire. Song Magic had been one of the things that the Wisdom mark on his hand had led him to and he was pleased to find out that many of the songs he already knew carried their power over to this world. The most noticeable ones that didn't work were the ones that he had used to transport himself between the temples, but none of those were the song that Link intended to use now.
He closed his eyes as he raised the instrument to his lips, took a deep breath, and began to play the Song of Storms.
The music that flowed effortlessly from him was deep, haunting, and sorrowful; simple, but beautiful and full of power. It echoed across the fields and sky carrying farther, louder, and clearer than any normal song ever could. Link repeated the song over and over in a captivating line of music, alternating the tempo from time to time and filling the air with sound. Upon hearing the ominous melody, the farmers and workers all stopped to listen and gaze at its source. Spryte, who floated near Link's head, closed her eyes and breathed deep as she listened to him play, revelling in the beautiful sound and the magical power that flowed from it and through her. She was constantly in touch with the flow of magic and the song passing through her sent chills through her entire being.
The sky above began to darken as clouds gathered over head, slowly at first but increasing in speed with each passing second. The rumbling noise of a gathering storm echoed across the sky but did not overshadow the ever present song that willed it into existence. The wind blew, the sun vanished, flashes of lightning illuminated shadow followed by thunderclaps that shattered the sky, and still the music of the song carried through to the ears of all around. It was an awe inspiring sight.
Then it happened.
Bit by bit, drop by drop, rain began to fall. It started slow, barely a sprinkle, but soon the heavens opened and life giving water spilled from the sky onto the parched ground below. Cries of joy erupted from the farmers followed by laughter and triumphant cheers. Only then did Link let the music die away and lowered the Ocarina of Time from his lips. He smiled to himself at the sight of the jubilant men and women who had been so desperately struggling to save their harvest now dancing in delight amidst the rain.
He slowly turned away from the field and made his way back to Epona, passing by the one farmer from before who looked at him with nothing but the purest gratitude and awe on his face.
"How can I ever thank you, boy?" he asked in wonder.
Link merely waved him off with a gentle smile, mounted Epona, and continued on his way.
"You know," Spryte chirped up when they were a little ways away. "You're lucky I'm here, otherwise you'd be getting soaked right now."
Link laughed cheerily. It was true; the area immediately around them was devoid of any falling rain. It wasn't that there was a barrier or something that acted like a magic umbrella over them, no; rain simply did not fall where they were. It was as if there was a tiny hole in the clouds that followed their path. Water struck where they had been and where they were going, but not where they were.
"And I thank the Goddesses that you are," Link chuckled in response.
"As you should," she replied with mock haughtiness and fluttered over to sit on the brim of his hat for the rest of the trip.
xxx
"Well now," Makarov sipped casually from his mug of ale as he glanced at the stack of papers Link deposited on the bar out of the corner of his eye. "That's quite the number of jobs you've completed, my boy, and in such a short time, too."
Link shrugged and turned to lean back against the bar while looking out at whatever antics the others were up to.
"You've come a long way in the short time since you came here," Makarov mused, taking another gulp of his drink. "It's hard to believe it's only been a little over a year."
"Yeah," Link agreed softly and raised his head to the ceiling. His wistful gaze fell upon the spot where the hole, long repaired, he had fallen through had been. "Time drifts ever onward…"
"That is does," Makarov nodded and a companionable silence fell between them for a few moments. "I really must say," the Guild Master eventually broached, "Your presence here has been a great boon to this guild."
Link turned his head and cocked an eyebrow at the old man.
"Your impressive track record of jobs has greatly helped increase Fairy Tail's reputation and you've given the younger ones someone their age to look up to. You've even managed to curb Erza and Mirajane's violent rivalry. Thanks to you those two have grown much faster than I expected, I'm even considering them for the S-Class Exam this year."
Link nodded slowly. "They deserve the chance," He agreed with the Guild Master.
"And what about yourself?" Makarov inquired, wanting to know Link's opinion. Normally he wouldn't ask the wizard in question about whether or not they wanted to try out for S-Class, most wizards strove to be nominated and waited with baited breath to hear their name called out at the end of the year. Link, however, was a special case.
"No," the Hylian shook his head almost immediately. "Not this year."
"Are you sure? I think you are qualified to try."
While it was true that Link could not quite yet match Erza or Mira in a straight fight, the fact remained that Link held much over the two girls. He was more mature and responsible than they were and carried himself in a manner that compelled respect from anyone he met. He was calm, collected, his judgement sound, and he had the ability to adapt to any situation. Link had successfully completed every single job he had taken thus far and had done so faster and more effectively than anyone else could have. These facts, coupled with the full knowledge of Link's past and the things he had done, made him more than eligible for the S-Class Exam in Makarov's opinion; even if he wasn't currently as powerful as some of the other potential candidates.
His refusal came as a bit of a surprise; there were not many who would turn down the opportunity to become an S-Class Mage but the boy simply nodded.
"I still have much to learn and things I would like to do before I take the exam. As it is, even if I was to take it and pass, I wouldn't need to take advantage of the added benefits the rank would entail anyway; at least not for a while." He turned his head fully to the Master. "Let the others take the trials before me, I'll look into it next year."
Makarov let out a throaty chuckle. "You never cease to amaze me, boy. With your appearance it's sometimes difficult for me to reconcile you current self with the tales of your past, but moments like these force me to admit that you are who you say you are. You have a sound head on your shoulders, Link, and I'm grateful for the influence you've had on my children."
Link nodded again. He liked the old man. He was a good parent figure to the entire guild and every one of them loved him. The Master truly cared for everybody within Fairy Tail and did his absolute best to support them all. The Hero of Time could relate to Makarov's opinion of him in a way, after all it was difficult to imagine that such a diminutive old man who liked to drink and act as foolishly as Makarov did was actually one of the most powerful wizards in the kingdom.
Well, as both of them could attest, appearances could be deceiving.
"Welcome back, Link!" A cheerful voice caught his attention and Link turned away from the Master to see a little white haired girl in a pink dress standing before him.
"Lisanna!" Link smiled at her and reached out to put a hand on her head. "How are you? Have you been keeping Natsu and Happy in line?"
Lisanna smiled brightly at him. "Of course! It's the duty of the mom to maintain order in the family after all."
Link laughed. The little 'family' that made up Natsu, Lisanna, and the winged cat named Happy, was something of a running theme within the guild and nobody did anything to discourage it. Well, Mira sometimes did but those were few and far between and mostly done to get a rise out of Natsu than anything else. The eldest Strauss sibling just liked to stir up trouble and had often picked on the others in the guild for her own amusement. Luckily, or unluckily depending on how you looked at it, most of her attention nowadays was focused on the growing rivalry between her, Link and Erza, so she wasn't nearly as bad as she once was.
Lisanna was the little ball of sunshine that lit up the lives of the Fairy Tail mages. She was happy, optimistic, supportive, and very good at maintaining the peace between people. Everyone loved her; there wasn't a single person in the guild that could deny her bright smile and innocent eyes. Even the aloof Laxus had been known to cave in now and then against the force of her teary puppy eyes. The ever bubbly Spryte had struck up a fast friendship with the young girl and that, by proximity of interaction, had quickly endeared her to Link as well.
"Where is he anyway?"
"FLASHING FREAK!"
"LAME BRAINED LIZARD!"
"Ah, never mind," Link sighed while Lisanna giggled. "Those two still at it?"
Lisanna's giggle quickly turned into a disgruntled pout. "I can never get them to stop for more than a few minutes."
Link laughed lightly and patted her head. "That's ok, those two just don't mix well. Not much anyone can do about that."
*CLUNK*
*THWAM*
"That's enough you two! No more fighting!"
"Well," Link amended lightly. "No one except Erza."
Lisanna screwed up her face in annoyance. "I really wish she wouldn't do that."
Link chuckled lightly and shrugged. "They're tough and they bring it on themselves by not learning. Don't worry about it too much, ok? Guys are stubborn like that."
"Can't you do anything?"
"I doubt it. Those two have decided to be rivals and will take every opportunity they can to try and up each other." Link sighed as a memory came to him. "I had someone like that once."
"You did?" Lisanna blinked at him curiously. "Who?"
"A guy I knew growing up. His name was Mido and I guess you could call him the leader of our friends. He didn't like me because not only was I a bit different from everyone but my best friend, Saria, was a girl he really liked. Needless to say we fought all the time and Saria was the only one who could break us up."
"What happened?"
"Oh we settled our differences in the end," Link smiled lightly at her. "They will too."
He turned to glance at the two boys picking themselves off the floor. Their fight might have been interrupted but they were still glaring daggers at each other. Link sighed.
"Eventually…"
xxx
Link let out a long and heavy yawn as he opened the door to his house and dropped the saddlebags he had draped over his shoulder onto the floor. He flicked the switch that activated the Lacrima used to illuminate the interior before stretching an arm high over his head, making his way over to the couch where he flopped unceremoniously onto its cushions.
"Be it ever so humble…" he mumbled and rubbed his eyes with a thumb and forefinger. He let out a deep sigh and felt the tension in his body wash away against the comfort of the cushions.
Spryte fluttered towards him and alighted on the table next to the couch where a bowl of assorted fruit sat beside a small but very plush pillow. Picking a grape from the bowl, the little fairy plopped herself comfortably on the upholstery equivalent of a cloud and sighed contently as the soft material moulded around her.
"There's no place like home," She finished and bit into her fruity treat.
The two lounged in relaxed silence, enjoying the calming tranquility of peace and comfort their house provided. Once they had gotten orientated and established in this world, Link had decided to make a home for himself and Spryte in the East Forest just like Porlyusica. After some searching, they had found nice little area next to the river that ran through the woods with a very large and tall tree, perfect for a house. While Link may not have been an actual Kokiri, he had been raised as one and Spryte was a fairy, plain and simple. A tree house suited them far better than a place in the city.
With their new magical abilities they had hollowed out the inside of the tree and made a very nice place for the two of them to live. The entirety of the tree was used for their house, with winding stairs that led up through several different floors all the way to its canopy. A few doors led back outside amongst the large limbs of the tree where they had built a decent sized multi-tiered porch that wrapped all the way around it and had more stairs connecting the levels. It was a rather impressive sight.
But the most impressive feature of the home was not the scale of it, but rather the fact that the tree was still perfectly healthy despite the massive changes to it. Even more astonishing was that very little of it had been altered by tools. Instead it was Spryte's magic and connection to the forest that did the work. Link had provided her with the power and the concepts of what he wanted and Spryte wove her magic so that the tree literally molded into what they desired, leaving it alive and strong.
The interior rooms were formed when Spryte shifted the wood and compressed it into smooth walls that let the tree maintain its strength since nothing was physically removed. Stairs, banisters, railings, shelves, and other furniture had been grown right out of the walls and floors, all functional and smooth but with the unmistakable appearance of natural growth. Flowers and vines grew out of and wound their way along walls and shafts in some spots, adding a touch of beauty and fragrance to the interior. The two of them would later bring in cushions, pillows, and other necessities to complete the furnishing.
It had taken them a long time to complete, although it was much faster than if everything had been done by hand, and the efforts had left Spryte exhausted after each day. Link had helped as best as he could but the manipulation of nature to such an extent was beyond him, although he became determined to learn at least bit of how it worked so that Spryte would never be so burdened again. Instead, he provided much of the power that she used to fuel her efforts and, at Spryte's insistence, played fervently upon his Ocarina the whole while.
The young fairy had born the effort with unflinching determination and had put her heart and soul into creating the dwelling that the two of them would share, inspired but the powerful music that coursed through her with wild passion and untamed fervor. It was no spell that had created the marvelous house, a simple spell could never do the act justice. Spryte had transformed the tree in a way that only she could.
She had let the music take hold of her and danced.
She had danced long and hard; her small body twisting and turning with the inhuman and unearthly grace, beauty, and power that only a Fae, lost in the throes of wild emotion, could possess.
Most fairies, while certainly mystical, were not often associated with such characteristics. Such attributes were better suited to divinity or the Great Fairies. The average fairy was normally a cheerful, spirited being of intense curiosity prone to mischief and getting into trouble and too small to be considered much more than an uncommon wonder. But deep within each fairy was the potential to be something more; something grander than any mortal could be without divine assistance. It was during times like this that such potential showed.
Spryte had been beautiful, her wild dance enthralling and undiminished by her stature, as she guided the energies around her and shaped them to her will, molding the tree to her desires. Time held no meaning for her like this; she was lost in the moment, the wild magic filling the area so much it was almost tangible. Anyone witnessing her during such times would not have seen the glowing, insignificant six inch figure that she was, but the resplendent being she could one day become.
It had been hard, exhausting work that had taken well over a week to complete. At the end of each day Spryte would drop to the ground exhausted and Link would tenderly nurse her back to strength until she was able to continue. But it had all been worth it, for the result had been a grand dwelling that radiated with the ethereal beauty that only nature guided by the will of a fairy could create.
Together they had made a house that was a reminder of who they were and where they had come from; two creatures of the forest that needed a shelter from the hustle and bustle of the city and the troubles of the world.
It was a place of refuge. Of solace.
It was home.
And it was the thought of home that weighed heavily on Link's thoughts. He rubbed his eyes again, took a deep breath, and let it out in a long prolonged sigh.
"Over a year…" he mumbled aloud.
Spryte paused halfway from taking another bite of her grape and turned her head to him slowly.
"Yeah…" she said after a moment. "Hard to believe isn't it?"
Link didn't respond and kept staring blankly at the ceiling.
"We may never find a way back, you know."
"I know…" Spryte nodded and another moment of silence drifted over them.
"Do you ever think about it?" Link asked eventually.
"Sometimes."
"And how do you feel?"
Spryte regarded him for a moment, her expression one of sad acceptance and understanding. She knew what he was thinking about.
Link hadn't been bothered by their predicament at first; after all, it wasn't the first time something like this had happened. But as time passed and their efforts to find ways back proved fruitless, he had become more and more upset with the possibility of never being able to return to his home land. He had hidden it well though, Spryte doubted that anyone besides herself and the Guild Master had noticed his worries and he never let it distract him from his daily tasks. But she could feel the melancholy that grew in him over the months and it distressed her greatly. Now, over a year later, Link was forcing himself to accept the fact that Hyrule may be out of his reach. That he might never see his old friends again.
Spryte didn't have the same connections he had to their world. Yes, she did have family and friends amongst the other fairies but most of them had gone their separate ways or found different fountains to inhabit. When Link had found and saved her from the Skulltula she had just set out to find an adventure of her own. She had almost paid the price for her recklessness and she still had nightmares now and then of that terrifying incident. She shuddered to think what would have happened had he not heard her screams.
Since that time, the two of them had developed a deep bond. A bond just as strong as any Kokiri had to their guardian fairy, perhaps even stronger. As such, the Spryte knew that what she said next would have great impact on the direction of his future thoughts.
"I do miss home," she replied carefully. "I lived my whole life in the Lost Woods and I think about it from time to time. It was…a part of me…just as it was a part of you."
Link nodded again but didn't reply, waiting for her to continue.
"But I'm happy here," She smiled gently. "The friends I've made and the adventures we've had have made my time here the best of my life." Her smile brightened and she set her grape aside to fly over to his face. "I know you had more attachments to our world than I did…I know you miss your friends and it pains you to think about never seeing them again. I wish there was something I could do to change that, I truly do…" She drifted down and placed both hands on his nose. "but even if we never find a way back, I'll never regret the day I wandered off and got stuck in that web. I never would have met you otherwise and," She bent down to place a gentle kiss on the tip of his nose. "I wouldn't change that for the world."
Link's gaze met hers when she drifted a few inches away from his face and he saw the pure sincerity that radiated from them. He returned her smile gratefully and raised a hand to poke her with his finger.
"Neither would I."
She smiled at him and held his gaze for a full minute before returning back to her soft cushion and her half eaten grape.
"Speaking of time," She added as she sat down. "I think you should look into getting a new outfit. You're outgrowing the one you have."
Link glanced down at his clothes, eyeing the areas where the fabric was a few inches too short and couldn't suppress the wince that followed. She was right, he was outgrowing the clothes he wore. He had been very reluctant to part with the green Kokiri garb that he had worn for so long but it was definitely time to consider a new wardrobe.
After a moment to file that thought away and further reorient his thoughts Link sighed again, this time with more energetic vigor, and forced himself reluctantly into a sitting position.
"So what do we have lined up for our next stack of jobs?"
Spryte, who had finished her grape, gave her wrist a flick and summoned forth a bunch of papers from his bags on the floor, guiding them to float in a neat row before her. Link had developed a habit of accepting jobs without fully reading about the details they entailed; instead he would glance over the basic title of the job such as Monster Hunter, Missing Person/Item, Labour Required, etc. and grab a stack of jobs to take on all at once. It had become something of a running gag with the guild and oftentimes certain people (i.e., Mira, Natsu, and Gray) would try to slip in a job that he hadn't looked at to see if they could break his success streak. So far it hadn't worked. He would then go over the jobs in more detail at home and sort out an efficient order to do them.
"Let's see…" Spryte mused allowed and glanced over the first paper. "There's something going on with the hot springs at Balsam Village, a request to search for missing person from someone in Onibus, guarding a caravan from Shirotsume to Balsam…ummmm… modeling for an art class in Crocus, delivering a package, also to Crocus, and a request from a nearby farmer to herd his livestock."
Link perked his ears up at the last job.
"Livestock?"
Farm work had been one of the jobs he had done the most when he had first started taking them and he often enjoyed it. He had mostly worked in the fields but he had also helped herd cows, horses, and goats from time to time. Sure the work was often hard but there was a sense of peace in the labour and a profound feeling of accomplishment at the end of the day. It also reminded him of the time spent with one of his dear friends on her ranch in Hyrule. He had helped her work with all manner of farm animals in the past and was no stranger to dealing with them.
Spryte nodded and read the details of the job. "Yeah, apparently the farmer's son ran off to get married and needs someone to fill in for a few days."
"Hmmm…" Link rubbed his chin. "What kind of livestock?"
Not that knowing would change whether or not he would take the job, but it did give him an idea of what to expect. Different species had different temperaments and thus there were different ways of successfully herding them. Malon had given him hands on experience in that regard.
The only really bad experience he had was when he had accidentally stumbled over a large Cucco while carrying a crate of Lon Lon Milk one day. That incident had left him scarred in more ways than one as the normally docile farm fowl revealed its true nature as a demonic bird from hell and attacked the young hero in a frenzy of beak and claws, calling all of its friends to assist in the carnage. Link had been chased all across the farm in a wild panic, unable to do anything but flee before the unstoppable onslaught of white feathered fiends. The attack had only ceased when, in a fit of pure desperation, he dove behind Malon for shelter. The fiery red headed farm girl had planted her feet, placed both hands on her hips, and glared furiously at the birds who immediately stopped their pursuit and cowered before her.
While she bandaged his wounds afterwards, Malon would later admit that she had never seen Cuccos act like that before nor had she believed it was in their nature to do so. They were normally either very docile or cowardly birds. Then she had laughed and teased him about how the 'great hero was afraid of a few little birds.' Link had admitted through his scowl that it was a rather stupid concept, especially after facing down some of the things he had; nevertheless, he had remained terrified of them from that point onwards and had not had to work with them since. He hadn't seen any in Earth Land, either. Perhaps this world didn't have Cuccos….which, if that was the case, didn't bother Link at all.
"Ummm…" Spryte tapped a finger to her chin. "It says he herds chickens."
Link blinked at her. "Chickens? What's a chicken?"
Spryte shrugged. "Dunno. Never heard of them before. You've never worked with them before?"
Link shook his head. "Not that I know of. There wasn't anything called a chicken on Lon Lon ranch."
"Huh," Spryte grunted thoughtfully. "Guess we'll find out when we get there. Unless of course you don't want to take the job."
Link shrugged.
"Can't be any worse than Cuccos."
xxx
A/N: Oh Link…if only you knew…Hahaha! So this chapter had a LOT of text and description and not a lot of conversation. Not much action in it either, but you can't have that in every chapter. Hopefully this all made sense to you and helped clarify a few things. Things will be elaborated upon more in future chapters. I hope you enjoyed it in any case. So until next time, please R&R!
Next chapter update will be for "Whom She Found!"