Chapter 2

"Whether a parting be forever or merely a short time… That is up to you."

-The Happy Mask Salesman

The girl sat quietly for a moment, studying the boy's face, hands and coin purse. Something must have been wrong. Surely this boy was not handing his money over to the thief he had just retrieved it from. It must have been booby-trapped. As she quickly studied the situation, she soon realised that there was no deception in his features. He honestly wanted her to have this money. Merely seconds past before she burst into uncontrollable laughter.

The onlookers shrugged and went about their business, taking this reaction as a sign that the previous events were all part of a silly game or prank.

The boy was puzzled, but politely waited for her hilarity to end. When she finally did stop, at least enough to be comprehensible again, she got to her feet and looked him in the eye. "Seriously? You're just giving it to me now?" She chuckled.

"Uh… Yeah? You went to a great deal of trouble to get it, you must really need this money."

"And you don't?"

He shrugged. "I can get more. I'm rarely short, and I can fish or do odd jobs for food. I guess that must be harder here in the city." She raised an eyebrow at his nonchalant attitude to money, assuming he must have tons somewhere to give it away so freely. "So really." He smiled, pushing the purse back into her hand. "Take it."

Although she had held it for some time, this was the first time she had really felt the weight in the coin purse. There seemed to be a fair amount inside. "You're… You're really sure about this?" She asked, suddenly feeling guilty for this whole event.

"Yes."

She didn't like this. This whole guilt thing. She had never felt guilt in her life. If she needed something, she used what she had to take it. Even if all she had was tricks and lies, why should she feel so bad about using her talents? But for some reason, having it handed to her with a smile and genuine kindness… This caused this guilt.

She had little time to ponder a solution to the problem, however, when a little blue light suddenly fluttered into her vision.

"Hey!" The light huffed to the boy. "I've been looking for you everywhere! What have you been doing?"

"Oh." The boy replied, "Navi, there you are. I was… eh… talking to this girl and-"

"Yes, yes." Navi groaned. "We don't have time for girls. We're on a mission of upmost importance! We must find Zelda."

A fairy. She had of course heard of fairies, everyone had. But she had never seen one up close before. She was beautiful. From a distance, she could be no more than an oddly-coloured firefly. But when you looked closely, she had long aqua hair covering most of what appeared to be her nude figure. Her pale azure skin seemed to almost glisten in the moonlight, and her iridescent glow was clearly caused by a combination of her long, delicate, transparent wings and her unignorably vibrant cobalt eyes, each shining as brightly as the other.

"Right" He nodded, looking back to her. "I'm sorry, but I'm actually doing something extremely important. I have to go, but maybe I'll see you again!" He smiled once more and turned to leave.

However, once again, she reached out to stop him. "Wait." She said, firmly. "Look, you didn't need to give me this money and… I… I don't like owing people."

"You don't owe-"

"Just shush." She ordered, placing her open palm in front of his face, the other firmly planted on her hip, and a huff gracing her face. "You knew I was lying, and you gave me this anyway. You're obviously doing something really, really important, but you're too damn nice, kid! So, as a way of repaying you, I'll tag along for a little while and make sure that you don't get talked into something stupid." Her tone was harsh, each word almost intending to cut. Her eyes rarely met his face, as if he was not important enough to look at. Before he could argue, she pointed the way to the castle and began walking. Navi shrugged.

"Well, she knows her way around the town. We won't turn away help where it's offered." She instructed. He nodded and jogged up to walk side by side with his sudden new companion.

"I'm not doing this outta the kindness of my heart, by the way." She assured, not even looking at her new associates as she spoke. "I'm just working with you guys until I feel I've paid back my debt."

"Right." He said. "Well, if we are going to be working together, we should be properly introduced." Stopping to hold out his hand, he beamed, "I'm Link. This is Navi."

The girl stopped too, looking at his hand. Then, rolling her eyes and uninterestedly putting her hands behind her head, she scoffed, "Mika." Before walking on ahead again. "So." She spoke while the others caught back up to her. "What is it you guys are doin' anyway?"

"We're on a mission from the Great Deku Tree," Navi started, "We have been warned of a great evil that threatens the land, and it's up to us to stop it! Our first stop is the Castle to warn Princess Zelda. She might be able to help us."

"The great what?" Mika laughed, raising a brow, "Never mind… Wait. If the world needs saving, why would this Great Birch Tree send a little kid?"

"Apparently, it has to be me." Link sighed.

Mika scoffed again. "Alrighty Hero-Boy. Let's go warn this princess."