Link

Sorcerers of the Magic Kingdom Application
Player Information
Name: (what you wish to be called) Tam
Age: (remember must be older than 16) Ancient
Preferred Method of contact: toomanydogs @ plurk
Contact Info: see above
Number of Characters in the Kingdom: Bugbeverage
Timezone: EST

Character Information
Character Name: Link
Age: 10
Canon: Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time (manga)
Canon Point: End of manga
Gender: fairy boy

Character History
Character History:

In the Kokiri Forest, all the forest children have their own guardian Fairies, bestowed upon them by the Great Deku Tree, except for one boy...

Link never really fit in with the other Kokiri children. He was ostracized by the others (especially Mido, leader of the Kokiri) because he was different. Not only did he change and grow older, but, he did not have a guardian fairy like all of the other children. (Link would later discover that this was because he was Hylian and not a Kokiri.) His only true friend who accepted him was a girl named Saria. He shared with her his dreams of someday leaving the forest.

Everything changed the day he was summoned to help the Great Deku Tree, by his very own fairy, Navi. When Link and Mido discovered that Gohma (a monster sent by a mysterious man in black) had been sucking the energy out of the Great Deku Tree, they challenged her in battle and managed to kill her. Sadly, their efforts were for naught, because the Great Deku Tree died, despite their bravery.

The Great Deku Tree, before he succumbed, told Link that there was a man who wielded terrible power and wished to rule all of Hyrule and make the Triforce (a sacred object of the goddesses) his own. The Great Deku Tree told Link to go and stop him, to leave the forest, to grow and to the princess chosen by the gods and give her sacred Kokiri Emerald.

As Link left the forest, his friend Saria gave him her ocarina.

When Link arrived at Castletown, he met a girl his age. When he told her about his mission, she told him that she knew the Princess. She promised him that if he played with her all day, she would take him to where the Princess was. Link agreed, and the two had a wonderful time together. Their fun was cut short when Gerudo bandits attacked them, trying to take the girl. Link fought them off, but when he looked again, the girl was gone.

They would meet again the next day, when Link managed to sneak into the castle. His new friend was none other than Princess Zelda.

Zelda confided in Link that she has had dreams about a great evil overtaking Hyrule, but also of a boy from the forest with a fairy and a stone. She believed the Evil was Ganondorf, a man from the Gerudo tribe. Her father did not believe her premonitions, and she was worried for the future of her country.

Together, she and Link made a plan to get the remaining Spiritual Stones (one from the Gorons, one from the Zora) and get to the Triforce before Ganondorf.

In their innocence, upon collecting the Spiritual Stones, playing the Ocarina of Time, and opening the doorway into the Sacred Realm, they led Ganondorf right to the Triforce.

Link was sealed away for seven years until he was old enough to be the Hero of Time. When he emerged from the Temple of Time as an adult, the Hyrule he knew as a child was gone. Zelda was gone. The country was in ruins. He had to awaken seven sages and defeat Ganondorf, to return Hyrule to its rightful state and ruler.

After an incredibly difficult journey, and facing many battles, Link manged to make six sages aware of their sacred duties. All of these sages were beloved friends he had met along the way.

With the help of Navi and six sages, he finally found his Princess Zelda. Zelda was the seventh sage, and it would take the combined powers of all seven sages and Link himself to defeat Ganondorf. She further revealed that when Ganondorf had touched the Triforce, because his heart was so unbalanced, the Triforce split into three pieces. Power, went to Ganondorf. Wisdom, went to Zelda, and Courage, went to Link himself.

In a truly horrific battle, Link managed to defeat Ganondorf and free Hyrule from his terrible rule. Zelda apologized to Link for her mistake of having him open the Sacred Realm. She begged him to allow her to return him to his proper time so he could have a real childhood. Link reluctantly agreed.

Link returned to his childhood, where no one knew of his deeds (except the royal family, when he told them), and Navi left him on his own. He saved Hyrule, but at a bit of a personal cost.

Character Motivation:

At the start of the manga, Link wanted to be accepted by the other Kokiri and to be like everyone else. To have a fairy and to just fit in.

But, that isn't the path set for a heroes, and once out of the Forest, Link's true nature is soon discovered.

Link's primary motivation is to help others. He puts others first, not expecting anything in return. This selflessness is hard for his friends to take sometimes, and even Navi, has told him that he's a "sap" and "too nice".

Personality: Link is the living embodiment of Courage. He is selfless, as was mentioned before, kind, friendly, and a little self deprecating when he messes up.

He's not flawless. All that Courage sometimes bubbles up as recklessness, as he is an act first, think later sort of boy. That impulsivity is easier for people to understand when he looks ten and not seventeen.

He is, indeed, a ten year old boy. He likes to fish, ride his horse, climb trees, play games, eat. He'll get into fights if someone else starts them, and he's a little flustered by girls when they flirt with him. Which happens often back home.

Canon Strength/Weaknesses:

Strengths: Weapons, most especially the sword. He is the greatest in Hyrule, even at his age. Puzzle solving abilities. Musical instrument: the ocarina. Link, like many Hylians has an easier time with magic than some other races in Hyrule.

Weaknesses: Impulsive. Not very literate, since he was raised by eternal fairy children and a tree spirit.

Apprentice Sorcerer Application
Class: Hero, because...it's in the kid's title. Hero of Time. He would roll with it. It's his gig, he's used to it.

Fairy, because, he was raised by the fairy children. Malon even calls him Fairy boy, so he'd be perplexed, but, it would fit.

Weapon: Hero/Warrior/Machine class only. If Link has a weapon, it will be a sword. https://nintendo.fandom.com/wiki/Fighter%27s_Sword Would be my suggestion because this incarnation never held it.



Element: Fairy/Monster/Animal class only. If Link is a Fairy class, his element would be Water. Given his little paradox he created with the Song of Storms.

Sample Section

First Person Sample:

[Bright blue eyes peer into the mirror for a moment, before the boy gives a little wave.]

Hi! Um. My name's Link!

They told me that we're supposed to be helping everyone, against this stuff....called Erosion? [Someone unseen corrects him, possibly the child's roommate.] OH! Corrosion, sorry! That makes more sense.

[He pointed behind himself, towards the door to his apartment.]

So, uh, does anyone want to go fight it now? I'm ready, I just had dinner and, I think I can just go ahead and fight now. I don't think I need to go to bed or anything, I mean, if people are in trouble, shouldn't we be helping right away?

[He hesitated and grinned sheepishly]

Oh, I know, I look kinda small, but, I'm really good at fighting, I promise. I've killed lots of monsters and saved lots of people, so, you don't have to worry about me. I'm a Hero! Just--I mean, I am here too, but, that's not what I mean, I mean I saved a world before, so I'm not gonna slow anyone down. And I used to be older! Well, taller, anyway.

See, it's a long story, but, I went to sleep for seven years and then when I woke up, I had to save the world, so, I did, but, then I got sent back in Time annnnd---anyway, I'm tough.

So, uh, just let me know, okay? I'm ready to go as soon as you are!

Um. Bye!

[And he cuts the connection with another little wave.]

Third Person Sample:

https://smk-ooc.dreamwidth.org/15796.html?thread=1283252#cmt1283252

Some of the samples were written with CRAU Link, the one with Nathan was written with canon Link.

Player Information

Name: Tam (toomanydogs)
Age: 30+
Contact details: toomanydogs @ plurk
Other characters: None

Character Information

Name: Link
Canon: Legend of Zelda, Ocarina of Time/Majora's Mask
Canon Point: Post MM
OU/AU/CRAU/OC: CRAU: Three years at the Wake (Nautilus, the City of Change)
Age: 14 (+ 7 years of magic induced slumber)

World Information: Link hails from Hyrule. While he was raised in a secluded forest by eternal fairy children and a talking tree spirit in relative isolation, he became very familiar with the rest of his homeland during his quest to save Hyrule (and Zelda) from Ganondorf. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Universe_of_The_Legend_of_Zelda

Personal History: When Link was an infant Hyrule was in the midst of a civil war. His mother was mortally wounded in this conflict and used the last of her strength to take her son to the Great Deku Tree in a desperate attempt to save his life. The Great Deku Tree recognized Link as having the Spirit of the Hero and took him in for this reason.

He was raised by the Kokiri, a race of eternal children each partnered with a fairy. Link was an outcast, having no fairy himself. He was bullied and never quite fit in.

When he was about ten years old, he started having dreams about a girl fleeing on a white horse, and a truly terrifying man on a black steed.

After having this nightmare he awakes to find he has been granted a fairy, named Navi, who bids him to go see the Great Deku Tree.

Link's joy quickly turns to sorrow, for despite saving the Great Deku Tree from the curse placed on him, Link's adoptive father informs the boy he is going to die. He gives Link the Kokiri's emerald and tells him to go find the Princess.

Thus begins the Hero of Time's Journey.

https://zelda.gamepedia.com/Hero_of_Time

Link has been a child trapped in a man's body, and now he is a hero trapped in a very young body. He's still got much growing and maturing to do, but, he isn't quite the naive child he appears either.

By the time he arrives, Link has been accidentally sealed away for seven years, successfully saved Hyrule, sent back in time seven years to regain his childhood, and has successfully saved the world of Termina. With the time travel and fractured timelines, he is not recognized as a hero in Hyrule, by anyone other than that version of Hyrule's Zelda. This, coupled with never being able to pass on his skills to another, will eventually result in him haunting Hyrule as a Stalfos Warrior after his death.


Personality: Link is kind to a fault, willing to help people at his own personal risk--to the point where others have told him that he's "too nice" and a "sap". He prefers to be outside, loves music, loves to help, loves animals, and detests formal education. He's been pretty badly traumatized, and this pops up in odd ways (such as a distrust of adults 'in charge' and being almost impossible to discipline in the parenting sense.) The distrust of adults comes from being raised by other children, and seeing how adults ignored Zelda's warnings.

He can be at times serious and wise beyond his years, and other times a normal young teenage boy. Waves of seriousness can cross his face like a passing storm, and yet leave him just as quickly. Having had so much asked of him so early on, he is very willing to shoulder any burden asked of him--for the sake of others. Asking him to undertake things for himself, such as his own education or care, is another story. Getting Link to take his own safety and welfare seriously is almost impossible.

To make Zelda happy, he has tried to embrace his second childhood (having slept through the first). But, he struggles at times. He gets along best with other kids and teens, but, he's usually got little to nothing in common with them. Parents? School? Modern items like computers or cars? All very foreign to him, still.

Link tends to take being a hero very, very seriously, and does not understand the concept of superheroes/dual identities. He sees covering one's face as an act of cowardice, and feels people should have access to a hero at any time. This does cause him to be a bit harsh and even cold towards superhero types.

In Hyrule he was incredibly close with his partner Navi. He credits his survival in a large part to his fairy companion. Having Navi leave him at the end of their adventure together is not something Link has come to terms with.

He was close with each of the Sages in Hyrule in various ways. Ruto had a childhood crush on him. Darunia deemed him a "brother" and named his son after Link. Impa entrusted Zelda's safety to him. Saria was his first and best (and possibly only true) friend among the Kokiri. Nabooru considered him an ally. And then there was Zelda herself...

Zelda: the literal girl of his dreams, the princess he traveled through Hyrule and across Time itself for, and for whom he would willingly lay his life down. Their souls are connected through eternity and throughout endless reincarnations---and this incarnation absolutely adores her. She's smart, kind, and beautiful.

Being sent back by Zelda to regain his childhood hurt him, but, he understood that it was supposed to be for the best. Understanding doesn't mean he liked it, merely accepted it, and the pain that went with it. (For he wanted very much to help Zelda rebuild Hyrule.)

Because he has been sent back in time, lost so many dear friends, and was promptly abandoned by Navi, his fairy companion when he arrived seven years in the past--Link has some abandonment issues. He's scared of people leaving him, but, feels the fault is in himself and wishes desperately to fix this flaw. He hates loneliness and wants above all else to have a family someday, and to teach what he's learned to his sons.


CRAU developments: Going to another world was fine by Link. Perhaps he'd find Navi!
Or perhaps the people in the city needed a hero?

While in the city of Nautilus Link was adopted by a mage named Clef, was reunited (and separated once more) from his Zelda, and adopted Shadow Link as his older-brother (/future great-great-great-etc-grandson). During his time there he helped defend the city from threats, and ascended to the rank of Ashura, a fairly powerful "magic" (called "bending" in Nautilus) user. It was in Nautilus that he discovered he hates formal education. He finds having to read books repugnant, but, will happily listen to someone read to him. He claims books are "lonely" and he'd much rather be with someone else, having spent so much time apart and alone as a young child.

Clef's request to adopt him, took the young hero by surprise. No one had even thought of such a thing in Hyrule. The people there were willing to let a young boy with a sword make his own way. Link loves his adoptive father, but, they do clash from time to time. Clef is horrified (rightly so) by Link's lack of concern for his own well-being. During one of these clashes Clef called him an idiot, and Link took the word to heart---and applied it, very wrongly, to his lack of education. This had a lot to do with Link's negative feelings towards education. But, Clef gave Link more stability than the boy had ever had, and in turn, Link tried to get the mage to be more social and more aware of other people in the city.

Meeting Shadow Link was more of a roller-coaster. At first, Shadow had lied about who he was, saying he was just a cousin of a future version of Link. (As opposed to the literal shadow of said hero.) But, after many reality storms, giving both boys AU memories of being brothers, Link quite happily and readily started looking at Shadow as his true brother.

When the truth finally did come out, and Shadow told Link of his part in the destruction of Hyrule, kidnapping of that era's princess, and working for Ganon himself, he'd expected rejection. Despite the fact Shadow had redeemed himself and helped fix those wrongs. Link, being Link, easily forgave him. The boys are close, Shadow taking on an older-brother role, and refers to Link as "sapling".

He was reunited with Zelda for a time as well. Both Hero and Princess spent a lot of time worrying about one another. Link, wanting Zelda to be happy, and to not feel guilty about sending him back in time---and Zelda feeling bad because she felt she had ruined the boy's life. Still, both enjoyed one another's company, and Link was incredibly grateful to have the additional time with "his" Zelda.

Link has met a few superheros in the city. Chat Noir's puns grated on him in battle, when fighting at the other's side. As stated earlier, he does not understand superheros having a secret identity, and feels this makes the heroes inaccessible to the general public. After others pointed out it was to keep their families safe, Link grudgingly has tried to cut the costumed heroes more slack.

All in all, Link likes Nautilus. People come and go, but, he felt there was a reason he was called there.

Key themes: Courage, Love, and Regret

Main Motivation: Depending on the situation: Love or Courage.

Skills: This adorable boy is the best swordsman in all of Hyrule. Link can and will figure out how to use any weapon set before him. He's also a pretty skilled musician and horseman.

He also unintentionally charms the heck out of girls his own age. He's relatively clueless about this.

Bending, a skill he gained in Nautilus, allows him to create items through Willpower. Mostly, Link uses it to make milk from Lon Lon Ranch, bombchus, bombs, and arrows.

Item: the Master Sword. This is the Sword of Evil's Bane. Evil cannot touch it--someone with ill intent would be zapped/burned by laying their hand on it. Only Link (any incarnation thereof) can wield it. Much like Thor's hammer, he's the only one who can pick it up and use it. It can be used to act as a seal (to the Sacred Realm, or to help seal Ganondorf away.) (Depowered as mods deem appropriate.)

Sample:

Link wanted to help. He wasn't too used to cooking over anything other than a campfire with a sharpened stick, but, the boy couldn't think of a better way to show his new friends his appreciation for them. And everyone needed to eat, right?

Right.

Fish stew, Link decided, was something he wasn't too likely to mess up. Just toss water, fish meat, a few vegetables and salt in a pot, right? How hard could it be?

He carefully cut the meat and vegetables into mostly uniformly sized pieces, dropping them into the pot as he did so. Oh--milk! Link grabbed a bottle of milk (it had previously housed an evil spirit and before that a collection of beetles) and dumped it into the mix.

The boy grinned a little, pleased with the way his stew was starting to look like actual stew. He stirred it, whistling cheerfully to himself, dipping a finger in now and again to taste his progress. Occasionally he'd add more salt or milk.

But, wait...didn't cooks add spices and stuff? The Hero of Time eyed the collection of spices, giving a few jars a delicate sniff. They all smelled good to Link, so he added generous shakes of each container.

The stew changed color from pale cream to a murky burnt orange, which, Link assumed meant it had more flavor. He smiled, pleased at his work.

His new friends were going to love it!


Notes: Far too many notes for my taste. And most of them about Christine. All we've heard since we came is Miss Daae's name--

Link had grown since he'd arrived in Nautilus. Of course, that was to be expected of a child of ten, now aged thirteen, but, there was more to it than that. Not only was he older, taller, but, he'd changed in other ways too.

Family.

Clef had adopted Link, and for some time thereafter, the boy had been concerned the mage would "ditch" him if he didn't live up to the man's academic expectations.  Since Link had been sent back in time by Zelda and then immediately abandoned by Navi, his fairy, back in Hyrule, he had more than his share of abandonment issues.  

Gradually, Link has become more confident with Clef, and less afraid to speak his mind with the man.   This means they butt heads more often, but, it is progress in the sense that Link isn't afraid of Clef abandoning him.  Although, the fact Clef is dead-set on facing Ganondorf with LInk if the Gerudo were to Wake, bothers Link greatly.  Link had hoped that if Clef had researched Hyrule, and the reincarnation cycle enough, he would back down.   Clef seems convinced he could take Ganondorf with no problems, and this lack of concern alarmed Link to the point where Shadow agreed to duel Clef so the mage could get some idea of what he'd be up against. 

  Currently, Link is on a personal quest to make sure Clef doesn't try and Unmake potentially "innocent" newcomers to Nautilus.  (Zagato, and, if he should arrive, Ganondorf.)  Link feels that such an action would be almost unforgivable, if not damning to one's own soul.  

Link's relationship with his brother/great-great-great-etc-grandson/part-future incarnation, Shadow, has changed in that Shadow himself has changed and grown as well.  Link greatly values Shadow's opinion and has been trying to seek his opinion rather than making the poor guy play therapist.   Another marker of Link's growth is how he trusted Shadow would return after his visit home this year, as he slowly tries to get over his abandonment issues.

Zelda remains his number one, most important of all, most favorite person ever, and number one source of advice.   He's nowhere near as "shy" as when she first arrived, but, the two still have many, many, issues they both refuse to talk about for fear of hurting the other.   But, as far as progress and change goes, he did left her take care of him when he was ill due to Angelii issues related to an Storm.  

Friends.

Link is closest to Connie and Miguel at this point.   Nita is more of an adult to him now, even though he has grown himself.  So, this is a bit of change from when Link first arrived in the city.   

He's thrilled to have a "guy friend" he's not related to, in Miguel, and Connie has been in Nautilus even longer than him, so he enjoys the common ground he shares with both.  He's much less hesitant about sharing his past with Connie, including the more unpleasant details about being a hero.  When he first arrived he would never have shared so much information.

  Other Heroes   

Link wants to get along better with the other heroes in the city.  He's been making an effort to be less judgmental of them, but, the Pirate Hero nearly drove him to distraction with his jokes in battle.   This is due partially to the last time Link let his guard down and was light hearted in battle, he ended up brainwashed by Papillon in service to Endos.   Since then, Link has taken battle even more seriously, and jokes and puns in the heat of it, instead of lightening the mood, irritate Link, and make him more susceptible to negative thoughts and influences.   

He has tried, however, on Shadow's advice, to be more accepting of the Cat themed heroes.   


Other Important People

Link was saddened to see Me leave, but, has a cool new pet raven that eats Stalfos and Redeads.   Link, has dubbed it "Inky".  Clef is not allowed near it, because, Link fears Clef would try to Unmake Zagato or whoever else he deemed a threat.  

Irene is one of Link's favorite people outside his family.   This respect and admiration has only increased as time has gone by.  

Rose, is someone Link keeps butting heads with, due to her views on family and peace.   Link doesn't fully trust her, but, this is possibly none too surprising, given Link actively liked Me, considering that woman's views on Rose.   This is a change, though, from when Link first arrived, a change in feeling that has happened over time.

Angelii Skills

Link has been able to teleport with ease, see Bending traces, can use Speed, and has mostly gotten over his distaste of flying.   (Although, he still thinks it is far too showy.  Give him Epona any day.  Or a cucco, if he must fly.)

  Summary

Link has grown considerably in the past three, almost four years since he arrived.  He's even grown since he became an Angelii.  He's more mature in some ways, more confident, and trying to actively better himself.   And as long as he remains in Nautilus, he will continue to do so.  

Link sat the plate of manju and pictograph of his parents on the Hylian grave that had appeared near the stables. He moved a few golden flower petals aside, to make room for the offering.

It was easy enough to tell who the grave was for by the inscription alone, engraved in Hylian: "Unknown Man. Unknown Woman." Which, at the very least, let him know it hadn't been meant for Zelda's parents--and honestly, he hadn't gone searching any further to see if there were any more Hylian graves.

He sat beside the stone, resting his chin on his knees.

"Hi."

A long pause.

"I guess this is kinda weird, huh? I wasn't sure what you'd like, so I got some manju for you. I figured we're related so, you might like them since I like them. I was gonna make you fish too, but, there's cats everywhere in this city, and I didn't want them to eat your stuff."

Link toyed with a few petals between his fingers.

"Anyway...I wanted you guys to know, even though I don't remember you, I do think about you. And I hope I'm not a disappointment. I kinda figure there's something wrong with me, somehow, because, most people don't stick around me or keep me around. So, whatever that thing is---I hope it doesn't bug you too much. Or is too much of a let down."

There was another pause as Link gently placed the petals back to spot he'd picked them up.

"I have a family here. Clef adopted me, and Zelda lives with us, and I have a brother here too---which is actually kinda complicated, and involves reincarnation, which I'm--not sure if you knew about or not."

Link gave the tombstone a lopsided smile. "So. I hope I'm not messing up this holiday up too badly. I hope you like the manju. And...yeah, I do think of you guys. So, even if I can't remember you, you aren't forgotten."

Because, oh, he knew how much that hurt.

When Link first arrived in Nautilus he had been looking for his lost friend and fairy companion, Navi. Finding himself in another world hadn't really fazed the boy, he merely took it in stride, trying to learn the new rules that went along with this new world.

At first, Link wondered if he perhaps he should try just being a normal child entirely. And for a short time he attempted to do just that, but, it soon became apparent to him, this sort of change was simply beyond him. Helping others would always be a fundamental part of who and what he was. Still, he made friends with some of the other children in the city and greatly enjoyed having peers his own age.

During the alignment swap Storm, while he wasn't personally affected, Link did his best to fight Asriel without actually harming him, knowing the other boy wasn't in his right mind. The battle had been physically and emotionally exhausting, but, it firmed up his resolve that wherever he might be, he was going to take up the duties of Hero.

In the New Year, Zelda arrived to Nautilus. Soon after Shadow arrived, and Link delighted in having a set of people who he not only cared about deeply, but, also understood him. This also gave him two people to go to for advice, something he found himself doing more than he ever did back home. He kept his happiness largely to himself, but, this turned out to be a mistake.

To his ever-lasting shock, he found he had inadvertently hurt Clef's feelings by not informing him of Zelda and Shadow's arrival. It had never occurred to the boy that someone might be interested in things that were important to him. Thankfully, Shadow pushed Link and Clef into talking about it.

During the Academy Storm, Link had the chance to experience a life that didn't involve shouldering the weight of the world. He and Shadow had been twin brothers, and aside from some very frightening pranks near the end, it had been an oddly pleasant Storm.

More changes took place when Clef expressed an interest in adopting him.

The Hero of Time was an orphan in Hyrule, both of his parents having been casualties of war. He'd lost his adoptive father, the Great Deku Tree, when Ganondorf had placed a curse upon him. He'd been sent back through time as a gift to regain his lost time, only to lose his constant companion, Navi.

At first, Link was extremely uncertain about the idea. Bad things seemed to follow him and those he cared about. He had lost two fathers already, and had been left by yet another guardian. His reluctance was equal parts concern for Clef's safety and concern for his own emotional stability---how many times could a child lose his parents and not utterly break?

He agreed when he was somewhat reassured that Clef wouldn't grow tired of him, and that the offer was also for Zelda and Shadow as well.

Having a family has been good for Link. He has a sense of belonging that he'd never had before. Always before he'd been an outsider in one way or another. Never a true Kokiri and only a Hylian by blood.

Clef had taken it upon himself to see that Link got a proper education. However, while Link genuinely likes learning things, building things, seeing new places, and even playing music, the written word has been a source of great frustration. When he had been very young, Saria had taught him his alphabet and the basic letter sounds, to the point where he can write a crude phonemically based sort of language.

Sadly, at first, Link had no idea his spelling and reading skills were sub-par. It took Clef showing him extremely complex words, as well Link asking the city in general if they could read his writing, before he came to the disheartening conclusion, that his spelling and reading skills were awful for a boy his age. Shadow too, started to help Link with his reading, but, his attempts were far less stressful.

Having to unlearn what he thought was right, and having to work on books and writing in the library was becoming more and more unpleasant for Link. A joke on Link's part made Clef believe that the boy needed more lessons and was going to enlist Jane's help, when Link....broke.

For the first time, Link flat out refused to do something. He felt that he was unintelligent (which was simply untrue) and did not wish for anyone else in the city to know how "stupid" he was, or how he stumbled over words when reading, or how long it took him to finish even a short passage of text.

He came very close to outright quitting lessons altogether, feeling his time could be better spent on nearly any other skill. Instead, he firmly stated he would only be doing an hour a day of schooling. Zelda persuaded him to two hours a few days a week, and he agreed.

Before Nautilus, it is unlikely he would have flat out refused to do anything. But, his confidence that he had a family that wasn't going to just stop caring for him gave him the strength to try and look out for his own feelings.

During the Mirror Storm, Link got to see the outcome of him losing his battle with Ganon. Namely, dying. He was extremely distraught not only because of the obvious, but also, worried for Zelda and all of Hyrule. When things returned to "normal" (as normal as things ever are in Nautilus), Link kept this "third Hyrule" in mind, believing it to be a reality somewhere in the multiverse. While he would like to fix things, he has no desire to save his alternate-self, only to make certain that that Hyrule and Zelda are safe.

For, as much as Link has changed, some things will always stay the same.