Chapter Five
“We Don’t Do Taverns”
“We’re here!” Red exclaimed triumphantly. They had arrived at a mining town built near the base of a mountain. Akari looked up with an exhausted face, “...where exactly is ‘here’?”
Red shrugged, “Don’t know.”
“Figures...” Akari muttered. She looked around and pointed at a tavern, “How about we go in there and check things out? We’ll ask for directions since ONE of us is too stupid to carry a map.”
“You shouldn’t say that about yourself, you’re too negative. Relax. I don’t have a map, either.” Red said, clueless. Akari gave him a sharp disbelieving look, “I was talking about YOU, Red-tard!!!”
“Oh...”
“Anyways, let’s go!” Akari said. She began towards the tavern. When she realized Red wasn’t following, she turned and waited for him. Red didn’t budge. Akari sighed, “What now?”
“Well,” Red began, “I’m not very good with taverns...people in there don’t get along with me.”
Akari, remembering the incident from before, agrees. Of course, she was spying on him during that time, so she replied, “Fine, whatever, I ain’t gonna ask.”
She pointed to the spot Red was standing on, “We’ll meet here in fifteen.”
“Minutes...?” Red asked. “No, Years.” Akari said with cutting sarcasm. Red caught this and sighed, she seemed like such a nice person when they first met.
Given some free time, Red decided to check out the store and see what’s in stock, perhaps buy some things while he was at it. As he reached for the door, the door opened and slammed into his face, knocking him down. The opener of the door gasped and ran up to him.
Red was sitting up on the ground rubbing his nose. He looked up to see a young sixteen year old girl with blond hair and very faint red highlights, you could only notice the red when the light is shining directly on them. Her eyes were blue. He felt like he had seen those eyes before. Around her neck was a red jewel of some sort. The Goron Ruby. She wore a green tinted tunic. It looked worn out from constant traveling. At her waist was a quiver of arrows. Strapped tightly to her back was a bow. On her lower back was a short sword. She slung a travel pack over her left shoulder. She had an orange Popsicle in her mouth. She was holding two canteens of water in both hands.
“Ahr Ooh o-Ay?” she said, with the Popsicle in her mouth. Red stared at her blankly. She slung a canteen over her right shoulder, freeing her hand. She pulled the Popsicle out of her mouth, “I said, ‘Are you okay’? I’m Soooo sorry!”
She stuffed the Popsicle back into her mouth and offered a helping hand. Red accepted and she pulled him up. They still held hands. Neither made a move to let go, something had caught their attention, leaving both frozen on the spot. Red’s half of the Triforce of Courage glowed.
They stared up at each other. The girl’s Popsicle falls out of her mouth.
Akari walked towards the spot she was supposed to meet up with Red. She turned as Red was about to call out to her. She noticed someone with him, suspicious, she asked, “...Who’s the girl, Red?”
Red glanced at the girl beside him and said, “She’s-”
The girl interrupted and bowed, “My name’s Marin, but you can call me Swift.”
Akari nodded slowly and looked at Red, “So...while I’m in a smelly, drunk-filled tavern trying to find a way to get us to where we're going, you walk around and pick up girls?!”
“No, look!” Red said, grabbing Swift’s hand. He lifts it up. Akari’s jaw dropped, “Oh my Gods...the Triforce of Wis-!”
“Shh!” Red interrupted her before she could say anymore, “There are people out here looking for us.”
“What do you mean, ‘us’?” she asked, suspicious at everything now. Red raised his hand and Akari’s eyes widened, “Holy shi-”
“Quiet!” Red interrupted yet again. “Dammit!!!” Akari yelled, furious, “Stop interrupting me!!!”
Everyone around them stopped and stared at Akari as if she were crazy. The crowd backed away a bit. Red sighs. Swift whispers to Red, “Is your friend always like this?”
Red shrugged, “I think it’s a mood swing.” Akari narrowed her eyebrows and points at Red angrily, “Shut it! Don’t act like you know me! We’ve only been wandering around aimlessly with each other for three days!”
Swift whispered to Red, “I think you’re right...that time of the month.”
Akari thought about beating the crap out of both Red and Swift right there, but decided against it. “Look,” she said, “I’m sure someone in there has a map...or at least has a faint idea of where to go.” She points at the tavern, “If I had one other person with me, they’d probably talk.”
She looks at Swift, “Can you come with me?”
“Uhm...I...I don’t do taverns very well...” Swift said with an embarrassed tone. Akari looked at the two in disbelief, “What is wrong with you two?! These are drunken, miserable people we’re talking about! They’re about as harmless as a hamster with A.D.D.!!”
“Sorry.” Swift and Red said at the same time. They both stared at the ground.
They’re like...clones of each other...its scary... Akari thought to herself, “Then how else are we going to find a map?”
Swift’s ears perked up, “A map...To Hyrule, right?”
Akari looked at Swift. Swift pulls off her bag and places it on the ground; she rummaged through it and finally produces an old map.
“You’ve....GOT...to be kidding me.” Akari muttered in disbelief. What were the odds of encountering both the Triforces of Courage and Wisdom? And then getting a map to Hyrule? ...On the same day?
Minutes later, they were on the trail again. The town didn’t have a...respectable place to spend the night, so they decided to camp out when the sun goes down. The sun was still high in the sky, so they had a few more hours to go through.
“We’re going on an adventure! We’re going on an adventure! We’re going on an adventure!” Swift and Red chanted happily. Akari sighed loudly and finally explodes from frustration, “Will you two please SHUT UP?!?!”
Red and Swift both shut up and stare at the ground as they dragged their feet. Akari shakes her head and mutters quietly to herself, “It’s going to be a long....long....LONG journey.”
