Link appeared in front of the Clock Tower as he had done so many times before, more than he had cared to count. It practically felt like a hundred with how long his stay in Termina seemed. Normally he quickly went towards whatever he needed to do, whether it be getting a room at the inn or heading towards one of the compass directions.
This time, though, he hesitated.
The same sight met him as it always did; the townsfolk milling this way and that, running errands or preparing for a carnival that'd never come. Then there were the few people with sense that made their way towards the gate and left the doomed town. It was all as it should be, as it always was, yet it all felt so…disorienting to the boy this time.
For one thing, the child's damaged depth perception was showing its true colors. Reaching for a glass or the doorknob was difficult enough, hard to keep track of even those still objects. The sight before Link was just downright nauseating. Everyone was moving at their usual pace, having no courtesy for the physically impaired outsider that stood by the ancient, wooden doors of the Clock Tower.
Watching the people move about, getting closer and farther away, moving in and out of Link's blind side…it made him dizzy to say the least. His remaining eye tried tracking everything, swiveling this way and that, but it was impossible for him to focus on anything, his head starting to hurt just from the sight before him.
Blinking a few times, the boy looked up at Tatl. "I don't think I can get through that crowd." It was humiliating for him to admit, but he was sure it'd be far worse for him to try and fail. He couldn't help but remember the marketplace back in Hyrule and how scary it was the first time he went there. Without Navi, he never would've made it through that crowd…
Would Tatl help him out like that?
"Oh…I hadn't even thought of that." The fairy replied, looking over the crowd. Poor kid had trouble walking around a table. How the heck was he supposed to get through a moving crowd? "We can just wait for it to clear out. The place I was going to show you is in West Clock Town, so we can just take the northern entrance there and avoid it!"
A small part of Link felt disappointed at the answer, and he didn't realize why at first. After a moment, he realized he just wanted Tatl to act a bit like Navi, if only once or twice. Thinking back to his previous companion made him feel homesick, and his desire to find her swelled up again, not that it ever fully went away. Tatl was getting nicer, but she didn't help him the same ways Navi did, she was more like…a mother…and Tatl wasn't like that. Not that he could be mad at her for that. He just felt…sad.
"I should try to get used to doing it at some point, shouldn't I? Maybe you could guide me through." Link wouldn't normally be so blunt about what he wanted, but he tried to word it in a way that it didn't seem like something he actually wanted on an emotional level. It was just something to act as a bit of training…
Tatl hummed, rubbing the back of her neck. "I guess, yeah. You sure you want to do it right now, though? It's not like I can stop people from bumping into you, you know." And not like she could see all around her and know the exact right path to avoid any mishaps. She was surprised he wouldn't be too embarrassed to be led through a crowd like a small child like that, Link never asked for a favor like this before.
"Like I said, I have to do it eventually." Link reminded the fairy, indeed embarrassed about the whole situation. Getting some work on his maneuverability was more important than his pride, though. "The sooner we start, the better. I'd like you to move through the crowd and let me follow you." Going in all by himself could come later.
The fairy shrugged a bit but gave a nod. "Sure, alright. I guess we can do that. I'll lead you to the gate to West Clock Town, now let's go!" She flew down low, at Link's eye level, and started to float towards the crowd.
Taking a deep breath, Link followed Tatl closely, trying not to be too close, but also not lagging behind. It was tough for him to tell the exact distance, and even trying to do that little made his head throb. When the two entered the crowd, Link tried to move slowly and steadily, but the flow of the people around him wouldn't allow it. Everyone was in some sort of rush, either trying to get tasks done or trying to escape the doomed town.
People skirted around him, nearly bumped into him, or rushed past the boy. He tried to fix his gaze on Tatl, but it was hard as she went through the crowd. Link could tell she was trying to go easy on him, but it wasn't like she could predict the people's movements and how to best get through them. It was endlessly startling whenever he saw some tall man or a person carrying some large box suddenly pop in from his blind spot, knowing that if he had both eyes, it would've been no issue at all. It became very clear to him rather fast that the only reason he was getting by so well, aside from Tatl's aid, was that the people around him were far more aware than he was and able to avoid a collision.
Once more, the boy remembered the marketplace back in Hyrule. He recalled making his way through the first crowd of people he ever laid eyes on and how stressful it was. And of course, he remembered how Navi tried her best to help him, just as she always tried to aid him in whatever way she could. As he stared at Tatl, Link blinked and for a brief second, he saw a ball of familiar, soothing blue light in front of him.
He stopped dead in his tracks, and a stranger knocked into the boy, causing him to fall over.
"Watch it!" The stranger, a tall man, barked. "Come on kid, can't you see where you're…" His anger melted away and he started to trail off when Link looked up at him, the man's gaze zeroing in on the boy's eyepatch. "Oh. Uh. Sorry, kid…" He said sheepishly, going so far as to help Link to his feet before rushing off in clear embarrassment.
Absolutely mortified, Link rushed to the end of the crowd, nearing the edge and the gate to West Clock Town as it was. He shoved by a few people, but he was too humiliated to allow himself to be in that mob of adults for a moment longer!
Tatl joined Link a second later, watching as the child sat on the bottom step leading to the Laundry Pool. "Hey, you okay? You took a nasty fall back there." The fairy asked, floating up and glaring at the retreating man. "That guy was a jerk…" She murmured to herself, too quiet for her friend to hear.
"I'm fine." Link insisted, getting the fairy to look back at him. "It didn't hurt." If anything, it was just horribly embarrassing, he didn't even register the pulsing pain in his cut palms that he used to break his fall. "It was my fault anyway." If he hadn't seen Navi like that…he would've been okay, surely…
"Do you think that really helped you at all?" Tatl asked, landing on the boy's shoulder. She realized that the two weren't exactly going about Link's recovery in the most tried and true methods. The fairy certainly hoped that the tasks he performed, and these self-tests were actually doing something for him, but who really knew?
Link withheld a sigh, still feeling like a complete idiot. "I don't know." He answered honestly. "It didn't feel like it, but we only did it once." Compared to the other bits of so-called training he did, this one felt like the most worthless, and the one he'd want to do the least.
"Well, it's done with now. Come on, that place I was talking about is open at all hours, so we can start as soon as we get there." Tatl insisted, taking to the air. Yet, as Link stood up, a sudden thought hit her as she gazed towards the Laundry Pool. "Hey! Wait! I just realized something!" She shouted, prompting Link to look up at her. "The Great Fairy! If there's anyone in Termina that could fix your eye, it's one of the Great Fairies!"
It felt like such a slap to the face that Link hadn't thought of it before. There was this part of him that just…accepted his terrible fate that he didn't ponder any way to actually fix himself. But Tatl was right, if there was anyone that could help him, it'd be a Great Fairy! "Good thinking, Tatl. I never realized that either." The boy praised, the kind words falling a bit flat from his usual monotone. "I'll get the Stray Fairy and take it to the fountain." Yet again, he thought of Navi, and how she always had ideas that'd help him out. Not that Tatl never suggested anything, but it was far less often…and he just couldn't get his dearly missed friend out of his mind…
The two quickly went into the Laundry Pool, the boy with the purple hair and mask already out of sight by this point. As usual, the Stray Fairy was hovering about the water, lost as always. Link pulled out his Deku Mask, looking at it without actually putting it on, freezing in place.
Tatl noticed this, and the mask that Link chose to take out. "Wouldn't the Great Fairy Mask be easier? Why do it the old way?"
"I was just thinking. If I put on one of these masks that change my shape…will my eye stay missing?" The idea of going back and forth of having a missing eye was nauseating to him. He was sure it'd be even harder to get used to if he regrew his eye and then lost it again each time he used these unique masks. Yes, he was still counting on the Great Fairy to help him…but there was no actual guarantee that she could or would. He was trying not to just assume his problem was about to be fixed, as much as he deeply desired that to be the case…
The fairy hadn't even considered that. She, too, realized there wasn't any explicit guarantee that the Great Fairy could fix the boy, but she didn't want to think about the idea not working out. "If you want to try…" Tatl lightly prodded, admittedly now curious herself since Link brought the subject up.
For some reason, Link found the idea of actually answering the question unsettling. As though if he decided to find out, he was admitting to himself and to Tatl that he had no confidence in the Great Fairy. Still…he had to know. He had to find out! The curiosity was just eating at him! Slowly, he placed the mask on his face, feeling the roots burrowing into his flesh once more as he swiftly changed into a Deku.
Blinking a few times, Link got his answer. The right side of his vision was missing, and as he watched the Stray Fairy flutter about, he found it hard to keep track of her movements. He looked up at Tatl, shaking his head. "I got my answer." He flatly told her. A part of him had to wonder why his lack of an eye transferred in such a way…
Tatl flinched at the somewhat disturbing sight. With the way Dekus looked, how there were shadows at and above their eyes, there was just blackness where Link's right eye should be. At least in his human form, there was the eyepatch, and his eyelid and stuff was still there. Here, it was just blankness where something so prominent should be. "Oh…well…the Great Fairy should be able to fix this. Come on, get the Stray Fairy and let's go."
Without a word, Link carefully lined himself up and leapt across the water, miraculously grabbing hold of the Stray Fairy in a single try. As it did the last few times, the fragmented creature begged Link to take it back to the fountain. Thankfully, this was far easier than going through South Clock Town.
The two went right into the West Clock Town gate after exiting the Laundry Pool, Link having shed his Deku Mask with the Stray Fairy staying by him as he did so. West Clock Town wasn't nearly as crowded, so getting through it wasn't much of an issue. Getting to North Clock Town was a cinch, and that area was about empty, so getting to the fountain served zero troubles.
When they entered, Link watched as the Stray Fairy joined the other fragments, followed by a flash of light and laughter as the Great Fairy was reformed once more. The magical being stretched her limbs as she laid down in midair, looking down at her two guests. "Young one, I must thank you for freeing me! That wretched imp broke my body apart, but since you aided me, I will give you a gift!" She then looked Link over, clearly studying him, and hummed. "A magical tunic…a mask of my own visage…it seems you've gotten quite a few gifts. What shall I give instead…?"
Link cleared his throat, always feeling more nervous than he cared to admit when speaking to a Great Fairy. It wasn't just because of their tendency not to wear any actual clothing either. "I was hoping for something specific." He bluntly, but politely, stated. "I'd like my eye fixed. Can you do that for me, Great Fairy?"
The massive woman leaned in a bit, staring at the eyepatch. "Hmmm…! Oh, you should have mentioned the eye is missing, young one!" Her tone was more amused than anything, the Great Fairy clearly having no true empathy for the injured child. "If it was just injured, that would be one thing, but a missing body part…it's simply beyond me."
Those words hit Link and Tatl like a splash of icy water. They felt their bodies go cold and their throats clog up. However, the smaller fairy quickly recovered from the latter. "B…But Great Fairy…you can heal things, right? Why can't you restore the eyeball?"
"Magic has its limits." The entity remarked simply. "I can't do anything and everything I desire. Healing an existing body part is one thing, but I simply cannot conjure something missing out of thin air." Once more, she showed zero remorse for being unable to help. Despite her apparent gratitude, she didn't seem concerned about Link's wellbeing.
In a miserable way, Link was almost glad he didn't get his hopes too high. So, that was it, then. Nothing in Termina could fix him. The Song of Healing soothed spirits, not physical injuries. The Great Fairy didn't have the power either. Who knew if the Giants had any sort of actual powers of healing. There was nowhere he could turn to. Nothing short of the Triforce or the Golden Goddesses could fix him, and both were impossible for different reasons.
Gulping a few times before he was able to speak. "Thank you, Great Fairy. I'll be going, then." No reason to stick around. He felt so sick to his stomach, and entirely numb everywhere else.
The boy thought back to how that man that bumped into him stared at his eyepatch. He also recalled how Anju looked at him with that open pity on her face. Those were things he'd have to deal with for the rest of his life. People were going to gawk and stare at his missing eye, and the thought sent a nasty shiver through his body. While people had been openly put off by his dull eyes in the past, that never bothered him so much. Now, though…the idea of people staring at him started to make the boy feel self-conscious about his appearance more than he ever had in his life!
"Wait!" Tatl exclaimed, flying between Link and the Great Fairy. "You're going to just sit there and say you're too weak to help him and then brush it off like it's no big deal?!" Normally, she'd never mouth off to a Great Fairy, knowing how foolish it was, but now she didn't care. "Don't you feel bad at all?! He's just a kid, and you're sitting there like he isn't hurt or suffering! What's wrong with you?!"
For a few moments, the fountain was silent, save for the light trickling of water that softly bounced off the cave walls. Then, the Great Fairy pulled an expression her two guests had never seen on such a being. It was subtle, the spark in her eyes dimming and her brow barely furrowing as her smile turned into a neutral line. However, it was enough to send fear in both the Hylian and the smaller fairy.
"Normally, I'd evaporate you on the spot. Know your place." The entity demanded, her voice quiet, but full of a silent fury. "If I didn't owe your friend, I'd do just that. You're very, very lucky, you miserable spot of light. Consider your continued existence my payment. Now get out, the both of you." Without waiting for a response, the Great Fairy shrunk down into the shimmering waters, not making a sound as she did so, and no flash of light marking her departure.
Link was absolutely stunned at the display, but still knew he shouldn't linger. Quickly, he walked out, a shaken Tatl at his side as they went out into the early morning sunlight. Despite the warmth that should have met them, the two felt cold after such an encounter.
The boy recovered first, looking up at Tatl. "Why did you do that? She could have killed you." He remembered how nervous she was, even hiding behind him. Link never expected she'd yell at a Great Fairy like that…
Link's words snapped Tatl out of her own shock. She realized she had been a wave of the hand away from being killed, all because she opened her big mouth and got angry. "I just…got mad, I guess. She couldn't help us and didn't even seem to care!" The fairy herself was surprised at her own viciousness. She had mouthed off to humans before, ones that could crush her in an instant if they got her hands on her…but she had never been stupid enough to make a Great Fairy angry. "I lost control and just started letting my anger out."
Anger? On his behalf? While Tatl had said outright she was warming up to him, he never expected her to go that far. Once more, he couldn't help but compare her to Navi. The other fairy had gotten furious and yelled at people too on Link's account, most notably with Darunia when he wanted Link to clear out the Dodongos. He never expected Tatl to ever get that angry and defend him, especially not against a Great Fairy.
"…I see." Link wasn't sure what else to say for a second. "…I appreciate that you'd do that." And he actually meant it. In a way it almost felt nice that Tatl cared so much about him that she'd lash out in such a manner. Granted, it was easily the stupidest thing she had done since the two met, but that was beside the point. The boy felt like that fairy would like his gratitude, remembering how upset and angry she had been about him keeping her at an emotional distance.
And Link was right, Tatl was surprised, but happy that Link actually said something like that to her! It was one of the nicest things he actually said, thinking of it. The fairy wasn't sure why it meant so much, but…she supposed she maybe liked Link more than she realized. His devotion, his drive to help others, the strength he displayed…some things bothered her at first, but she started to grow to like them…
"Uh, well, it was nothing!" Tatl said, clearing her throat. "It was pretty stupid to do…I'm just sorry she couldn't fix you. I really thought she could…" She thought a Great Fairy could do just about anything…it never crossed her mind that giving Link a new eye was out of her depth…
"I didn't get my hopes too high." Link admitted, also thinking that'd make Tatl feel better. "Thank you for trying." It was more painful than he let on of course, having to accept that he would never be fully whole ever again. In the back of his mind, he thought back to his earlier train of thought about his lack of an eye transferring to his Deku form. Maybe the magic worked in a similar way, things like scars being healed over during the transformation, but something entirely missing like an eyeball was just beyond the power of his three special masks…
Once more, Tatl felt good at Link's words, but quickly moved on. "Well, now that we tried, let me take you to that one place I was telling you about." She hoped it'd help take his mind off of what just happened.
Link just nodded, and the fairy took him to West Clock town. They neared the gate to Termina Field, with Tatl stopping at the establishment closest to the exit. Above it was a wooden sign with…something written on it, as well as two flags next to the door, also with writing on them. "What is this place, Tatl?" The sign was free of any designs to clue him in to what the place was for.
"It's a swordsman's school, called a dojo, and apparently its owner is a master or something." Tatl answered. "I never went in, though, but I'm sure he can help you!"
For a brief second, Link wondered if this man was a better fighter than he was. If that was the case…maybe he could be an ally? He then scolded himself, feeling awful just for thinking about dragging someone else into this. Never mind the fact that he himself was also dragged into this whole ordeal…but Termina was his punishment and no one else's.
"Better than me trying on my own." Link pointed out, opening the door, and entering the building with Tatl. Inside was a very simple room with little furniture at all. There were holes in the floor, but something was filling them, something brown. On the wall was a massive sword, larger than even a fully grown Goron! Beneath the massive blade was a clock, just as seemingly every room in the town held. There was also a strange object, a metal circle that Link didn't recognize as a gong. There was only one other person, a man sitting on a raised section of the room, a man that Link had never seen in Hyrule or Termina before. Most of his face was covered in hair, curly brown hair that reached the floor and met with his facial hair, mainly only letting his large nose be visible.
"A young swordsman hoping to hone his craft! Excellent! How excellent!" The man crowed. Despite his eyes being mostly covered up, he was apparently able to see just fine.
Link was a bit surprised at the man's odd appearance, but at least if he was staring at the boy's eyepatch, he'd never realize. "I wanted to train to fight. Recently I…" He trailed off for a moment, finding it hard to outright say what happened. "…I lost my eye. I need to learn how to fight with the injury."
The Swordsman hummed, stroking his mustache as he stared at Link. "I've never done such a thing. I don't even know if it's possible…but I will try! Ten Rupees per hour, and I will teach you to the best of my ability!"
Relieved the man was willing to try, Link approached him, getting his wallet out. It took him a moment to recall what color was how many Rupees. Blues were five…and two fives…meant ten. Yes, that sounded right. He couldn't add or count much higher than that on his own, and simply gave the Swordsman a lot of the blue gems. "This will cover for most of the day, won't it?"
"You're quite serious about this! This shall do nicely. Never had a student as determined as you…" As he said this, the Swordsman swept the Rupees up and pocketed them. "Now, shed all those unnecessary items like the bow and bags. You'll only need your sword and shield!"
As Link did as told, Tatl flew off to the side, not wanting to get in the way. "Good luck! You've got this!" The fairy encouraged, sitting by the far wall, and watching the training unfold.
Once he had his sword and shield ready, Link was instructed to stand in the middle of those holes in the floor. As soon as he did, a log sprang from one of them, clearly meant to be cut. Immediately, he slashed at it, but to his surprise, the swing came up an inch short, leaving the log untouched.
"No! No!" The Swordsman scolded. "You can't just lash out like that, you have to concentrate! Do it again, but right this time!"
How was he supposed to concentrate? He didn't have time for that in battle! The fact he was being yelled at just made Link uneasy. Aside from Tatl, the times someone yelled at him within the last two years could be counted on his hands. The gentle way his friends treated him really made him sensitive to being screamed at. Still, he didn't let it show.
Tatl very nearly yelled back at the Swordsman for scolding Link but held her tongue. He was the supposed expert, after all. Maybe he knew what he was doing. She watched as Link kept striking at the logs, the hairy man shouting out whenever he missed, but also offering equally enthusiastic praise when Link sliced one in half. It seemed the Swordsman didn't want Link to stop and think about his actions, only to strike out. Yet whenever Link did immediately attack and missed, he was scolded. Didn't the guy realize that Link's depth perception was all messed up?
Again, it was frustrating for the fairy, but she chose not to interfere. She was sure it'd be embarrassing for Link if she fought all his verbal battles for him. It was hard to resist doing such a thing since he was such a pushover when it came to social interactions. Even when that freaky salesman strangled him, he barely resisted! So, she was going to sit back and let the training unfold, even if the smelly looking instructor got on her nerves. "Stupid old man…" Was all Tatl could muster, whispering it so quietly that no one heard her.
And the hours slowly went by, the training not stopping for more than a minute or two at a time to clear any cut logs. It was repetitive and exhausting for Link, who had to slice log after log after log on the Swordsman's command. At no point was he allowed to actually stop and focus, only lash out at his next target. His limbs started to grow heavy, and sweat started to coat his entire body, but he still kept going and pushed back the exhaustion.
Tatl tried to keep Link motivated, but as time went on, even just watching the boy train made her exhausted. After about three hours, her eyelids grew too heavy to keep open, and despite the sounds of her friend's cries of effort, she fell asleep…and when she later awoke, she was startled at the scene before her.
Without windows and the clock above her and out of eyesight, Tatl had no idea how long she had napped for. All she knew was that there was a drastic change in what was going on. Link was still training, yes, but he was far more exhausted and deeper into things than before. His hat and tunic had been discarded, leaving only his shorts and boots as he kept his sword and shield at the ready. Sweat covered his body, and his face was red from exertion. She had seen him shirtless before, but she always wondered about the scars that adorned his body, all faded and clearly granted to him long ago.
Yet, there was a difference now.
There were now large, nasty bruises on his torso and shoulders, yet Link didn't seem to let them hinder his stance as he readied himself. Tatl then noticed that there were new types of logs present, ones that were hanging on chains from the ceiling. Just what was happening?! She flew up, about to yell out, but the Swordsman beat her to it.
"Now, try to block again!" The man commanded. "You cannot block until the last moment possible! Now…go!" With his word, through means unknown, one of the logs swung at Link!
The boy turned to the incoming object; his shield lowered as he looked at the log intently. As it was about to hit him, he started to raise his defense, but he was too slow! The piece of wood slammed into his shoulder, causing him to fall flat on his back, the air knocked out of him as he hit the floor!
"Wait! Hold on, what's happening here?!" Tatl yelled out, causing the boy and teacher to look at her. "Link, are you okay?! I…I fell asleep…" She sheepishly admitted before the anger and worry rekindled in her again. "What did I miss?! What are you doing?!" The fairy directed the last question at the Swordsman alone.
This didn't deter the man in any way, who even scoffed at Tatl. "It's training, of course! If this boy cannot time his guards efficiently, he will die in combat! You don't want that, do you?" He rhetorically asked, no sympathy or mercy in his voice.
"Link…are you okay with this? You're all bruised up! When was the last time you took a break?!" It was clear he was pushing himself far beyond what he should have. The poor boy looked like he was going to pass out at any moment!
The whole thing had been the most exhausting experience Link had been through. Yes, there had been fights in his past that brought him to the brink of death, but working so hard for hours on end was something he wasn't used to. It really shocked him that he even had the energy to train for as long as he did, given how drained he felt all the time, especially lately.
He felt sore from the tip of his head down to the tip of his toes, and he swore even his hair was somehow pulsing with pain. Given a moment to rest, Link began realizing the room was spinning, and his entire body felt hot and slick with sweat. His limbs were so heavy, he felt he could barely move his arms and that his legs would give way at any moment. This wasn't mentioning the bruises that adorned his body, having been hit by the swinging logs more times than he cared to count.
Catching his breath, or at least trying to, Link nodded as he spoke between heavy breaths. "I…don't remember my last break…" Did he ever even have one? So much of the last few hours was a blur. "I need a break…"
The Swordsman let out a "Hmph!" of disapproval but shrugged his shoulders. "If that's what you want. You should come back tomorrow and keep up the training! You're improving, but you have much to learn!"
"Tomorrow? Not later tonight?" Tatl couldn't help but ask. It had clearly been a few hours, but she knew Link was stubborn and would push himself to go back later in the night.
"It is tonight. Foolish fairy, how long do you think you were asleep?" The Swordman asked, pointing at the clock.
Startled, Tatl looked at the clock and saw it was a quarter past six! It had been, what, over eleven hours since the two entered?! The detour to the Great Fairy wasn't a very long one, it couldn't have been past seven when they arrived! "Oh, that's it! We're out of here for sure! Come on Link, we're getting some food!" The fairy demanded.
Unable to read the clock, Link was just as surprised as Tatl was at the time. Eleven hours? Really? It hadn't felt that long! He didn't even reply to his companion, numbly nodding as he gathered his things, Link didn't even notice as the Swordsman shook his head in disapproval. When he had all his things and his clothes back on, Link looked at the hairy man. "Thank you, sir. I appreciate your help."
"Hmph." The Swordsman replied, more amused this time. "Think nothing of it. It's been an interesting experience. Now go, rest if you must, and then return!"
Tatl held her tongue until the two were outside, the cool air being a welcome change from how warm and stuffy the dojo was. "Man, that guy is nuts…" The fairy nodded as soon as Link closed the door. "He didn't even let you have a break!"
"It was so he could help me. That's worth it, I think." Link responded, his body aching with each step as he slowly made his way to East Clock Town. It only dawned on him at that moment that he never registered at the inn, so he'd have to go back in time to get a proper rest in a bed. After the day he had, he wasn't about to sleep outside…
"What was he even doing in there? He kept yelling at you whenever you took more than a second to cut the log!" Tatl pointed out, finding the hairy sword master to be pretty grating…
At first, Link had been pretty confused too. As time went on, though, he started to understand the man's method. "It's because he doesn't want me to stop to look, because my missing eye makes things too hard to see right." He was trying to explain things in a way that Tatl would understand…and that he himself would understand too. "He wants me to rely on my instinks and attack without thinking."
Tatl paused for a second, trying to fathom if he just said 'instinks' instead of 'instincts'. That was almost adorable, even though he was too old for that sort of mistake. Then again, he couldn't read, so he clearly wasn't educated…
Thoughts for later.
In any case, his explanation did make a bit of sense. Rather than stopping in the middle of a fight to figure out if the enemy is closer or farther than they appear, Link was being trained to simply know how close his opponent is by feeling alone. The blocking thing he was doing at the end was probably the same thought process. Link couldn't stop to think if the enemy's attack was as close as he perceived it. "I think I get it. Some sort of battle instinct."
Wait, was that the right word? Link inwardly winced, hating it when he got words wrong. His inability to read didn't bother him, but not being able to do a lot of math and mixing words up did. He was also surprised Tatl didn't even poke fun at him for it. She really was changing! Reminded him of Navi and how she'd gently guide him when he didn't know something. Though Navi wouldn't have fallen asleep during his training, and would've made sure he got plenty of breaks…
He had to stop comparing the two fairies…
"Yes, that's about it. After we eat, I want to go back in time and get a room." Link declared as the two started to cut through South Clock Town. The usual bustle being totally absent was cathartic to him. He could walk right through the main part of the town without issue…and that's exactly what he did, taking a slightly longer route rather than just going around the Clock Tower. This meant he passed by Mutoh, who stubbornly looked up at the Moon, shouting at it to just fall, along with some colorful sounding words Link didn't know the meaning of.
When the pair got to East Clock Town, they entered the nearest eatery, and Link nearly fell asleep the second he sat down. His entire body was heavy, and he felt if he closed his eye fully for more than a second, he'd pass out. He was so exhausted that he even failed to notice the man taking his order giving his eyepatch a worried glance. Tatl ordered for them, just getting the first thing she spotted on the menu.
There was no conversation between the boy and fairy, the former too quiet to say much and the latter wanting him to rest. The meal was eaten quietly, Link feeling just a bit better after getting some food in his stomach, but when they paid and left the restaurant, he immediately sat against the wall by the door.
"Come on, Link, don't just sit there! We have to go back in time, remember?" Tatl chided, flying in the boy's face to try and keep him awake. She did feel pretty bad for him, though, he had to be entirely drained of energy.
Alas, he was just too tired. If he went back in time, he'd have to wait two hours for the inn to open anyway, and he knew he couldn't last that long. "I just need a nap." Link insisted, struggling to keep his eye open. "Can you wake me up before morning?" He didn't want to get rained on, after all.
Tatl had started to realize the same thing. Even if they went back at that moment, they'd still have to wait two hours, and the poor kid wasn't going to make it. "Geez…alright fine, I won't let anyone step on you or anything, okay?"
Link said nothing as he closed his eye. Within just a few seconds, he was asleep, his body relaxing after half a day of vigorous training and a great deal of stress. It was the only time he ever looked at peace. Sure, when he was awake he wore a stoic expression a majority of the time, but something about him just seemed so wound up. Even when he slept, Tatl noticed he tossed and turned, clearly having nightmares of some kind, so even in his slumber he wasn't truly at peace…
The fairy sighed, unable to really be mad at Link for needing instant rest. Next time they went to the dojo, she was going to put her foot down and insist he take regular breaks. At that thought, she chuckled to herself, almost feeling like she was dealing with Tael when the two were younger. He always needed her to look out for him and make sure he ate or slept enough or was just safe in general. It was still sort of the deal, but…not as much, at least.
Her moods shifting a great deal, Tatl frowned with worry as she looked up at the Clock Tower. If she squinted, she could just barely see a speck standing atop it, the Skull Kid. Despite her efforts, she could spot Tael. Either he was too tiny or maybe he was asleep, his light dimmed. Did the Skull Kid let him sleep? What did the two do up there for three days?
It was a subject that Tatl forced herself not to ponder too much. She worried deeply about her brother, but just thinking of him up there with that imp who used to be their friend…it just hurt too much. There were times she couldn't help herself, and she was even tempted a few times to fly up there and talk to him and the Skull Kid. Convincing the masked child to stop his sick games was assuredly pointless, that accursed mask's corruption would never allow that to happen.
Maybe, though, she could keep Tael company, or even get him away from the Skull Kid somehow. Would he pursue the fairies if Tael flew away? Thinking of it, there was never any point where she or Link saw the Skull Kid leave his perch, and it seemed he truly stood there atop the tower for three days straight…
At least she understood Link when he mentioned the people he helped having their troubles reset along with the Cycles. Even if Tatl managed to soothe Tael or get him away from the Skull Kid, it wouldn't even matter. Once time reversed, her brother would be right back at the top of the tower…
Sighing again, Tatl forced the thoughts out of her head as she watched over Link's sleeping form. Even if she couldn't help Tael, she could help her newest friend, who desperately needed it despite never admitting to it. The more time she spent with the human, the more she pitied and cared for him and wanted him to have a happy ending. She may never know his life before Termina, but she wanted the best for him anyway…
A few hours went by, Tatl's earlier nap keeping her awake as she kept watch. People passed by frequently, it wasn't so late that the town was empty after all, and she'd tell them to keep moving if they looked like they were going to stop. Around midnight, the fairy woke Link up. The boy still looked absolutely exhausted, but he still felt good enough to turn back time like the two agreed to.
Once the clock was reversed, the two beelined to East Clock Town, going the way near the Clock Tower to avoid the crowd. Link was just too tired to try and get through them that morning. As they waited outside the inn, the boy leaned against the wall, and even then he nearly fell asleep.
When the inn's door audibly unlocked, Link jostled fully awake and quickly went inside. Anju was just barely getting back to her desk by the time he entered, and to his frustration, she let out a small gasp at his appearance.
"Oh! Um, what can I do for you?" Anju asked, her eyes filled with unrestrained pity. She wanted to ask him what happened, not that she said so, but the look on her face made it explicitly obvious to both Link and Tatl.
Holding back his annoyance, Link went up to the desk, holding his hand out. "I have a reservation for the Knife Room. My name is Link. I won't need room service." He absolutely didn't want to be disturbed…
Anju was mildly surprised, looking in the book on top of the desk. "I see, I just wasn't expecting…well, it's none of my business." She fished the key out from under the desk, handing it to the child. "Here you go, sir, your room is right at the top of the stairs. I hope you enjoy your stay." The innkeeper gave a professional bow, but frowned in worry the second Link turned his back to go upstairs.
The boy didn't even shed his gear when he entered the Knife Chamber. He merely closed the door, flopped on the bed, and passed out. Tatl couldn't blame him, going over to her side of the room and resting on the other bed's pillow as she took a small nap herself. Even when she woke up, he was still fast asleep, and he stayed that way until the sun set when he finally, slowly pushed himself off the bed.
Tatl hovered over to Link, watching as he finally started to take his bags and weapons off. "How do you feel? You were out like a light!" That had to have helped, a nice full sleep rather than just a nap.
"Better." Link bluntly answered, stretching a bit once he got all his things put on the floor. "I'm going to take a bath next." It was a shame the inn only had cold water, but it was better than nothing. The warm baths at Hyrule Castle were some of the only bits of physical comfort he regularly got…
"Good! You really smell still…" The fairy jabbed in a lighthearted manner. "I'll just wait here. You're not going to go back to the dojo tonight, are you? You just got all rested up! I don't want you going there for hours and hours like that again…"
Link did appreciate her concern, not wanting to repeat what happened today either. Even with the small bits of rest he got after training, he felt dead on his feet until his rest in the Knife Chamber. "I won't go back right away. I won't stay so long next time either." The boy swore.
"I'll hold you to that." Tatl promised back. "…So, do you think that training helped? Did attacking or blocking those logs get any easier?" It was only one day, so she didn't expect any miracles, but…
He stopped to think, the training session becoming more and more of an exhaustive blur as the hours passed. "I think so. Near the end, I was making a lot less mistakes." Link knew he had to keep going back until he made zero or almost zero mistakes. If he was going to survive in Termina, he couldn't get in a close confrontation without being as prepared as possible…
"I'm just happy my suggestion worked. Now go on and take a bath, just hop in with your clothes or whatever, they probably reek too!" Tatl insisted, only half-joking.
Link went to the inn's bath and actually did as Tatl said, just hopping in with all his clothes on, having brought his second pair of clothes to change into afterward. During his desperation to have the Woodfall Temple permanently cleansed, he got his spare clothes blessed by the Great Fairy as well.
As he lowered himself into the cold water, letting out an involuntary shiver, Link considered what he'd do next. The next dojo visit could certainly wait, that was for sure. As he pondered, he kept thinking of the way Anju looked at him just a few minutes ago. He didn't pay much attention to the crowds of the town, the Swordsman's eyes were obscured, and he hadn't even noticed how the server at the restaurant looked at him. Yet he knew as he went on his quest, more people would look at him like Anju did. A sense of pity and worry, or at the very least they'd stare at his eyepatch for an uncomfortably long time. Heck, maybe even Tatl did it, and he just wasn't able to tell due to her light. One friend, however, he knew wouldn't look at him like that.
Epona.
The poor filly that was stuck at a foreign ranch in a foreign world, spirited there by a nasty imp. She'd never look at Link with concern or pity, that much he knew. Despite being just a horse, Link felt attached to Epona, largely due to her connection to Malon. On top of that, she was his only friend that he knew wouldn't judge him or ask him difficult questions. And despite their recent reunion, he found himself missing her again…and with that, he made up his mind.
Quickly, Link finished his bath and swapped clothes, going back upstairs where Tatl was waiting. Laying his soaking clothes onto the table in the center of the room, he looked to the fairy as she flew over to him. "I want to go back to Romani's Ranch." He bluntly stated, starting to gather his things.
"What? Why? There's nothing for us to do there!" Tatl pointed out, knowing that it couldn't be to try to go to the Great Bay again. She knew Link could be stubborn, but he wasn't this stupid!
"I miss Epona, and I want to see her." He confessed, deciding it was easier to just tell Tatl the truth. Having to deal with Romani and Cremia was a nasty thought, but Link was willing to muster through their presence if it meant seeing Epona again…
Tatl couldn't help but feel a small bit of guilt, knowing Link forgave her for the horse theft. "That makes sense…okay, we'll go right now then." She did have to wonder if it wasn't also to see Romani too. After all, the redhead was the only girl Link's age that they encountered, but…maybe she was just jumping to conclusions.
With a nod, Link finished getting his things, leaving the wet clothes behind and left the Knife Room. He rushes passed Anju, almost glad she was in his blind spot before going out the door, ready to see an old friend once more…
A/N: Not too much going on here, but I do promise some sidequest stuff will go on next chapter. I almost included the Rosa Sisters, but the only time Link and Tatl would encounter them was after the training, and Link would've been way too exhausted to bother with them. Speaking of the dojo, I found this to be the only reasonable way for Link to start to recover his fighting ability without having to rely on the Spirit of the Hero. I used it for his sword and bow skills, but I feel like if I use it for everything, it'd be too overpowered. I of course won't turn the next half dozen chapters into some big training arc, I feel no need to go into further detail of his training sessions than I did in this chapter, so I feel the "Missing Eye Saga" will be done with after very soon after some Romani Ranch stuff is settled.