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Ascension Essay
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.
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.