Heroes of Dreamland, Book 7: Kirby and the Battle for Dreamland (OLD)

The Legend(s) of Zelda, Link, and Hyrule

Clerk's POV:

Finally after what feels like an eternity, Link seems to notice us two visitors. First he looks at me and seems to frown for a second, but then he notices Sakura. "Ah, Sakura," he grins. It takes me awhile to remember how they know each other, but then I remember something about him showing up in the Home Dimension and dueling Sakura. (She won.) Right after that, he borrowed some of my clothes, and ended up stealing my second favorite hoodie and nicest pair of jeans. Wonder if he ever even uses them anymore, humph.

For the first time in hours, a small smile appears on Sakura's face. "Link. Good to see you again," she greets him as she goes over to him and accepts a kneeling handshake. "How have you been since the Final Battle?"

"Good," he tells her with a firm nod, but then gives her a questioning look that clearly asks, 'Why are you here?'

Her grin disappears again as she grows very serious and professional. "We need to speak to you and Princess Zelda right away. There's a new terrible threat to everyone's safety on all the points and some unfair rumors going around about me and my fellow heroes from Dreamland. I know it's late, but would an audience with her Highness be possible?"

"Of course," he nods and then looks over at me. Finally he seems to recognize me and grins. "Clerk. Hello."

"Yo," I nod at him, arms crossed. Sure, the guy's cool and all, but I've never been that excited about him. I guess you could say that I'm a bit jealous of him, since he's kinda everything that I wish I could be: heroic, courageous, not a coward, good with the girls; you know, all that jazz.

Now Link gives Sakura a curious look, probably wondering why she brought the traitor along, but rather than ask anything, he beckons us to follow him. Within a few minutes, he's led us to a quiet dining room-looking room, where there's no one but a girl Elf sitting in a wooden chair at the table and snoozing quietly.

"Fell asleep polishing again," Link chuckles, giving the girl a fond look, before turning to Sakura again. "Stay. I'll be back with Zelda."

As soon as he's left, I sit down by the fire and start to warm up a bit (it's a chilly Midautumn night, after all.) Sakura goes and starts stacking a few books on one of the chairs in case she needs to use it, since she obviously doesn't want to have to be offered a high chair or anything.

Minutes go past before I finally comment with an ashamed sigh, "Well, at least Link doesn't seem to mind being around the traitor that almost got him turned into a guinea pig."

"Link has no idea about that, and neither do most Other Dimensioners. It's not like I go around broadcasting other people's shortcomings to the world," Sakura rolls her eyes and tests the height of her book pile before clambering down and grabbing a few more. "I'd hate it if someone ever did that to me. Besides which, it's not like everyone needs to know about that whole mess. Well, they didn't need to back when it first happened, but the fact that you seem to be becoming a habitual traitor is a bit worrisome."

Blushing, I mutter as I pull my knees to my chest and rest my head on them, staring down at my sneakers, "Maybe they should know, I guess, but thanks for not telling them as of yet. Not that I deserve your being so nice about it, or anything."

Before Sakura can reply, the girl Elf snorts awake, knocking the tray of silverware she was probably supposed to be polishing onto the floor. "Aw, Lon-Lon Milk," she groans as she kneels and starts blearily picking it up, and then notices my and Sakura's presence. "A Star Warrior? And a Human-dressed Elf? What the Goron is going on here?"

"How does she know what I'm dressed as and what you are?..." I wonder blankly, but Sakura explains right away.

"She's probably the non-hero Rinda. It's a good thing you're here, Rinda. The non-heroes should probably know about what's going on too, those of them who we can get ahold of and who aren't already against us, anyway.."