Memories and Moments:LoZ:Ch.11

Chapter 11: A Ray of Hope?

"Did you hear me scream?" Link asked his shadow.

The two Links had a hard time to stand up, their feet wobbly. Their hair and clothes were in total disarray, as if they just woke up from a nightmare.

"Yes… yes I did…" Dark laughed, although sounding drunk from dizziness and nervousness during their flight. "You were like, ohmigodohmigodohmigodohmigodohmigodohmigod…"

"Hahahah…" Link laughed at this, also sounding a bit drowsy.

"Well now, enjoy the flight?" Gufuu approached the two, now in his Hylian form.

"I WANT MY COMPLEMETARY PEANUTS!!!" Dark shouted in demand. He really sounded like his head was still in the clouds. "Heeheehee… oh, Fuu-chaaaaannn~"

Gufuu raised his brow again and felt rather annoyed when Dark wrapped his arm around his shoulder and touched his head.

"Fuu-chan was hornyyy~" Dark said, still in a daze, trying to entertain himself. He looked like he drew an imaginary curved line which resembled Gufuu's crescent horn. At this, Gufuu stared at him questionably.

"You two sound sooooo drunk. Tell you what; you harlequins are not funny anymore. So if you please, we have a poor robin lost in the woods."

After hearing what Gufuu said, Link suddenly regained his sanity once more. He remembered that he still had little hope to look for Vaati. It was little hope in his opinion, but there is still hope; it shouldn't be put to naught.

"Let's go. We're not sure, but we just have to find Vaati…" Link gulped and hesitated, but continued. "…dead or alive."

Dark frowned at Link's unusual not-so-optimistic mood. The hero did have a point, but it just didn't feel right for him in his opinion.

Link went ahead of them as the two just followed him like what shadows normally do. After a while, they split up and went to and fro the area where Vaati may have fallen. If one thinks about it, it wasn't that high, so if proper treatment was to be done immediately after recovering the Minish, he might have survived.

"No sign of him…" Dark said, once the three met up again from searching.

"Same here." Link said, scratching his head in desperation.

The two Links seemed to be troubled… but of course, Link the hero seemed much more troubled than his dark self, considering that the Minish was much closer to him.

"Whatever. Can we go now?" Gufuu complained yet again.

"Fuu-chan, you do know that once we've confirmed that he's gone, you wouldn't even be standing here, right?" Dark said, quite annoyed by now.

"What?" Link said, a bit puzzled and tried to make out what Dark meant. 'Wait, does he mean… no way!'

"C-correct…" Gufuu replied. "But still! Still…"

"You mean to tell me that Vaati is really alive after all!" Link exclaimed, his eyes sparkling in hope and joy. "You did say that you guys depend on us for life, right?"

Dark smiled, happy that Link finally reached to a conclusion.

"Right you are, Link!" he said. "That's why I was so happy seeing Fuu-chan. That means Vaati is still alive!"

"…So that's what you were excited about, huh…?" Gufuu narrowed his eyes. "And here
I thought…"

Dark's eyes widened as he waved his arms. He felt awkward hearing those words from Gufuu.

"N-no! That's not what I meant, I…"

"Oh, please!" Gufuu said, strutting off furiously. "Spare me the details."

Dark sighed and scratched the back of his head. He really felt horrible for giving the wrong idea to Gufuu. He felt like a jerk, but much more of a jerk than he regularly was.

He felt like a genuine jerk.

"Meh." Dark said, smiling wryly. "Let's just go and find Vaati. It's just good to know that he's fine and well, eh?"

Dark went ahead, following his shadow friend. Link eyed him as he went away.

"Vaati… we're coming for you." Link said hopefully, running off to follow Dark and Gufuu.

***

"And so, the boy found his parents and lived happily ever after."

"Wow, Daddy! Read it again!" exclaimed the young boy.

"You should go to sleep, Vaati. It's getting late." the father said, tucking his son into sleep.

"B-but I'm not sleepy…" the young boy yawned.

The father just chuckled at this and decided to tuck his son to sleep.

"Say, daddy?" the young boy said, looking up at his father. "Is your name really 'daddy'? If it is, then you have a lot of people named like you…"

"Haha, no. Of course not. Daddy has a real name." the father said, chuckling.

'I never did get to remember what my father's name was… until I saw that signature. But still… it was unreadable… it was a long time now… I couldn't even remember my father's name… does he still remember me…? Will he recognize me… in this form…?'

***

"Nnnnhhh… nhhh…."

Vaati looked around. He found that he was in a dark room, sitting on a cozy bed. He could not see much, but he could make out some objects once his eyes got used to the dark.

"L-Link…? Link? Dark? Are you guys here?" he called out from his bed. "Goodness… what a nightmare. Am I home?"

It was then that he saw the door swing open. He was eager to speak with Link and Dark again to share his horrible nightmare.

"Link! Am I so glad to see you, I had the strangest nightmare, and…"

The lights were switched on, and he found out that he was talking to…

"W-Who are you?" Vaati backed away, holding the blankets closer. He found out that his clothes were strange. He never recalled wearing this particular tunic-like nightgown before.

"…"

There was a man who stood by the doorway. He had chestnut brown ponytail and his hair was parted at the center. Despite his seemingly young appearance, signs show that his age may be in thirties or so, since he looks older than Vaati by some years. His emerald eyes were slanted but looked calm and peaceful. He wore clothes that of a traveler's, judged by the taste in clothing; boots, pants, and bolero alike.

He looked at the confused boy on the bed. As he went closer, the more Vaati backed away, until the boy felt the headboard against his back.

"No… don't worry, I won't hurt you." assured the man with an assuring tone.

Vaati continued to whimper, fearing strangers of all kinds. He never met a kind 'stranger' ever since he met Link. After that, he feels that he could trust no one else anymore.

The young man sat on Vaati's bed just next to him. The boy was frozen in fear, not knowing what the stranger wanted from him. It was then that the stranger lifted his hand…

Vaati, being scared, closed his eyes and waited for the worst. 'What is he going to do with me…?'

He then felt something warm caressing his head. Wait… is it? Yes, that's the very same feeling when someone pats his head to cheer him up or to assure that he's safe. He looked up and saw that the young man was smiling at him, and was indeed petting his head gently.

Feeling a bit more comfortable, Vaati tried to calm himself down, although he still had a feeling of nervousness.

"Young man, what's your name?" the stranger asked him.

"S-sir… I…" 'Wait… I shouldn't give my name! He's a total stranger!' "A…ah… Fuu." he said, feeling a bit horrible that he lied to someone who seemed nice.

"Fuu… that's a cute name." the stranger said. "I'm…" he paused for a while. "… Just call me Robin."

"R-Robin… what a wonderful name." exclaimed Vaati, obviously pleased hearing the name.

"Really? I thought it was nice too." Robin smiled at the young boy.

Vaati moved a bit to ease his position, but found out that his body really hurt. He moaned a bit, calling Robin's attention.

"You shouldn't move too much." said Robin, assisting Vaati. "You were unconscious by the woods a while ago. Just what happened to you? You… you had a lot of wounds."

Vaati could not believe what he just heard. He thought that all of it was a dream… his friends coming down to his rescue, his fall, the camping. He was confused with a reality for a moment. But now it was finally coming clear to him that the incidents did indeed happen.

He felt that he could narrate the whole story to his newly found friend.

"I'm sorry to hear that." the young man was troubled hearing Vaati's story.

"No, I'm sorry I had to trouble you like this!" Vaati countered, feeling guilty that everyone he meets has to help him in a way.

"No, it's okay." Robin shook his head. "It's not your fault. Really."

Vaati smiled as a sign of relief. Somehow, he felt light… though he met this person for the first time. It felt like he was making friends with another Link. Now all he was waiting for was another Dark to come in his life. 'Another Dark? Haha… as if. Wonder if there's anyone as crazy as him?'

"Oh! I'll go down and get you some chicken soup. I just found some cuccos on the way, and…"

"Cuccos…?" Vaati remembered a certain 'Robin' in his life that made him feel sorry for cuccos' short lives.

"Yes…" smiled the man. "Or are you vegetarian?"

"No, but…" Vaati stuttered, feeling like he wants to cry. "D-did you just make it…? W-when did you get those cuccos…?"

"Shortly after I found you."

Vaati broke into tears and buried his face in his pillow. Robin immediately ran to his side, confused by the boy's sudden reaction.

"S-so… they died for me…?" whimpered Vaati, his voice muffled by the pillow.

Robin began to get worried. 'YES. But I can't tell you that…' "No, I needed to have food for myself too, you know. It's a bit hard living in the woods." 'Gee, that was so convenient! I DID need something to eat, too!'

"R-really…?" Vaati lifted his face up. "I… I'm glad that they didn't have to die all because of me…"

"You're quite the animal lover, aren't you now?" smiled Robin.

"Y-yes… I'd never want to harm them…"'They never did harm me ever again after I almost dominated the whole of Hyrule… that still sends shivers down my spine!'

"In any case, I'll go get you some soup. I'm sure it'll make you feel better."

***

Gufuu began to sneeze.

"Bless you." Dark said, not seeming to mind.

Gufuu sneezed again, but this time not breaking the combo. He sneezed in chains!

As soon as he stopped sneezing…

"Could I say 'Gesundheit' now?" Dark said, in a sarcastic smile.

"Hey, 'tis not my fault that you had to drag me all the way out here where there is rain all around!" Gufuu embraced himself. "And it's getting dark and cold too, Dark…"

Dark smiled and wrapped his arms around Gufuu, trying to keep him warm. He looked around to hoping to find some kind of a light source to let Link see much better; beings of darkness didn't need light in order to see… they did well on their eyes of darkness alone.

"Well, Link? Do you see anything?" Dark asked the hero, still embracing Gufuu.

"Not yet." Link said, feeling hopeless. "He must be here, but where? Is Gufuu still alive?"

"What kind of a question is that, hero?!" Gufuu's eyes glared into Link's.

"The best." he replied, trying not to make the fiery sorcerer act up again. "Well, we have to keep searching."

"Link, it's 10 in the evening. You sure you can handle this? 'Cause I know WE could." Dark said, referring to him and the shadow sorcerer.

Link yawned… but the thought of seeing Vaati again made him energized and determined to continue.

"Gufuu, how's about you go up in the air again?" he suggested.

"...And become devoid of beauty once more? I don't think so. I never liked myself like that anyway…"

"What if something bad happens to your light self? You'd be gone too."

"You're the second one to tell me that." Gufuu said, his voice trying to keep in his anger within as he scowled at the hero. "At the very least, stop being tactless!"

For the first time, Link felt guilty about what he just said to his former enemy. Sure, Gufuu let out a lot of mean words, but hey, that's how he was brought up… or was he even brought up by someone… or anyone… at all? And the thought of himself being mean to others… just didn't feel right.

"I'm sorry." he said without hesitation as he bowed his head, with his usual calm disposition.

"…" Gufuu merely stared at him. "Hmph. Fine."

Dark smiled. At last, he could feel that the two are getting along a bit better.

"Well, we can be sure that Vaati's fine." Gufuu responded. "Of course, he should be… I just feel my body hurt a bit… but just a bit."

"Yeah… maybe it's because you materialized already. Just when did you come here anyway?" Dark asked.

"I was already in the tent a long time before you two first arrived from the rain, so I already knew what was happening.  I decided to hide in the mirror where I left its portal open so I could hear the two of you come in the tent." Gufuu explained himself. "But then I got bored, so I went back home and tried to sleep there… but it didn't work either!"

"I see…" Link said. "That's quite a story."

"Anyway, you two have a point." Gufuu pointed out, while still shivering in Dark's arms. "W-we have to find Vaati."

"Alright!" Dark winked at the both of them.