Linkguistics

Part 12: Ancient Sheikah Tech Support

Of all the things Link expected in a lighthouse, it wasn't this machine. Getting the flame for it seemed like a small price to pay for answers. Robbie and Jerrin had done their best to study ancient languages. Link appreciated the effort they put in to it because he was able to have simple conversation with someone who wasn't crumbling to dust or asking for money. It was a nice change to be the fluent person.

"You want tea?" Robbie asked Link.

Jerrin was smiling ear to ear and had a stack of papers. "We have studied. Sorry if we don't sound good. Speaking is different than reading."

"Oh yes, please, and seriously, don't worry about it," Link happily accepted the gift; Robbie and his wife were added to the list of people who met his friendship criteria. (They were nice to him and gave him food.) Robbie set some cups down and filled them with tea as Jerrin spread out her notes.

"Thank you for Cherry fix," Robbie said as Jerrin's smile faltered for a millisecond. Link assumed he imagined the slight movement. "I remember meeting you, that was um," Robbie muttered a few words under his breath as he tried to recall the word he was looking for, "...You were interesting."

"I have so many questions and you actually met me? How on earth did I end up in the Shrine of Resurrection? How did things go with the King? How did you find out what language I was speaking?"

"The language easy was. You were doing this," Robbie held a hand out palm up and with the other mimed writing, "Impa gave you a pen and parchment. At first we didn't believe it was ancient script..." Link nodded. That would make sense. He wouldn't have believed it either. "It was when you saw the dig site that we got worried."

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The setting for the flashback is some odd hours B.C., just past the campsite and at the dig site. The Sheikah team has been repairing Guardians as they dig them up.

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Impa quietly pulled Zelda aside along with the other Champions except for Revali. Revali was left on Link-watching duty. Zelda took a quick picture of Link for consultation after some fumbling with the Sheikah Slate. (Link said, "Hav eyo utr ied turnin gitoffa ndo nag ain?") Impa needed to know about what happened before she reported to the king. She'd spotted Link as he was walking by and yelling for Fido.

It was fortunate for Daruk that Impa was much more discreet than others such as Purah. Purah would have been relentless with the teasing. Revali groaned to himself as Purah and Robbie joined him to meet this new guy who was rapidly scribbling along in the old language that so far had only been found inscribed on archaeological finds.

Robbie would have liked someone other than Revali here when he was trying to extract information out of people. He couldn't get anything out of the Rito other than insults against Link. Revali was definitely hostile to this enigmatic Hylian.

"Okay, what did he write now? Death threats against all of Hyrule?"

Purah folded her arms after scribbling a few words down that made Link grin. She was barely containing her excitement at having this new subject to study. Link glanced up from time to time as he wrote and the Sheikah researchers tried to read. "Revali, what is your problem with this guy? He can't be all that bad if the Master Sword picked him. Come to think of it... where did you find Link?"

"Well, you'll just have to ask Zelda. Personally, if you ask me, I think it was just that the pedestal fell apart and the Master Sword is seeeaariosly mistaken." Revali had caught himself just in time before spilling the beans. Zelda trusted these researchers but there might be eavesdroppers. His theory that the Master Sword was sealing this guy's demonic aura made sense to him even if the others disagreed with it. He covered up for his near-slip with something that was probably not a lie. "Zelda wants to tell you herself."

Robbie raised an eyebrow of disbelief before going back to reading. "Amazing! This is a bit different from what you see on the machines, shrines, and temples but is undeniably the ancient language!. Informal language is different from technical writing. How on earth did he learn this language without even knowing the basic language of Hyrule?" Link moved along to a nearby lamp to keep going despite the fading evening light. He looked up from the notepad and did not react at first. "This form of the language has not been a living language for a least a few thousand years."

Link looked up and thoughtfully tapped his pencil against his chin. He tilted his head as he stared at the dig. His smile dropped. "Th atsh rin elooksl iketh eo neswe sta rtedbui ldin g..."

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Revali wasn't sure what triggered it.

One moment he, Purah, and Revali were staring at Link's writing, then the next, Link was leaning against a crate and sobbing. He was being far more talkative than he had ever been but there was no hope given the language and the sniffling. It was undeniably pitiful watching even the possible-demon in this state. Revali kept his bow out and glared unsympathetically.

"Um, what? Look, if you are trying to get us to let our guard down, it's not going to work on me," Revali said.

He watched Purah and Robbie trying to comfort the guy until he couldn't stand it any longer. We should really have just shot this demon through the head. Revali had revised his earlier opinion that Link was definitely a demon and accepted that he was probably a servant of Ganon's or possessed.

It was still absolute fact that this 'Link' was a problematic Calamity of a person who was a total idiot.

Revali heard Purah addressing him as he was praying to Hylia for patience.

"Hey, Revali, can you step over here for a minute?"

Revali muttered and did as Purah asked. He really didn't want to be closer to the weeping Link. He was caught off guard when he felt a gentle tug on his Champion's Cloth. He looked down and screeched in outrage. Link looked up from the impromptu handkerchief which Purah had handed him and a look of horror replaced his distress. He froze with the blue cloth in his hands and released the scarf.

"PURAH! Why did you give my Champion's Cloth to this puerile fiend as a handkerchief?!"

Purah shrugged unrepentantly as Robbie decided to take cover.

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Back in 100 A.C. Link's tea had long since cooled and Link hung off every word. Robbie and Link had been switching back and forth between languages to try and get all the details through.

"...Yeah, at the dig next day you took one look at an activated Guardian and said, 'Please tell me you revealed the enti Malicewore,' at least that is what it sounded like." Robbie said.

Link listened to this statement and then smacked his forehead. "You mean I said 'Please tell me you renewed the anti-Maliceware?'"

"What is Antimalaceware?"

Link gave a deep sigh and buried his face in his hands.