"Stupid, stupid..." Navi muttered while flying across the plains. "Why did I say that? I know that he and I can't be together... he already has enough girls who like him... I would be betraying Saria... we're not even the species... we're not even the same SIZE..."
In the middle of all her babbling, she didn't even watch where she was going. Suddenly, she hit an obstacle she hadn't seen. It was soft and cushioned her impact, but it still stopped her dead in her tracks.
"Ow! What's this, I wonder?" a melodic voice asked. "Is it raining pebbles?"
Navi rubbed her nose. "Oh, I'm s-s-so sorry, sir... I was so in thought, I didn't know where I was going... huh?"
The man she had flown into wasn't very big... in fact, he wasn't really bigger than a child. And he also was glad in green, from the tip of his pointy hood to the legs of his tight pants. Only a small part around his hips was colored red. Navi would have mistaken him for a Kokiri, if it wasn't for his deep voice and the middle-aged, bearded face that looked at her from within the green hood.
And the look he was giving her was a look of astonishment. "Oh... can it be? A f-f-f... a f-f-f..."
Navi blinked. "A fairy?"
"A FAIRY!" the little man gasped. "After so many years of searching, a fairy finally found her way to Tingle... what a glorious day! What happiness!"
Navi sweatdropped at the weird antics of this man. "Um... excuse me, sir, but... who are you?"
"Me? I am Tingle!" the short man smiled. "And my biggest wish, as you are doubtlessly aware of - otherwise you wouldn't have come to me - is to become a fairy myself! Tell me! Tell me! When do we leave to your fairy kingdom?"
Navi didn't know if she was supposed to laugh or to run away in fear... but even in spite of his silly antics, this funny little man, with his ever-smiling mouth and his gentle eyes couldn't be dangerous.
"I'm sorry... but I'm someone else's fairy," Navi said.
"Oh dear, what are you saying?" Tingle gasped. "Is Tingles dream coming to an end? But no! I must not give up! Certainly, out there, there must be another fairy waiting for me... and it will bring me to my own Rosy Rupeeland, yes, yes..."
Navi chuckled. "You are a strange man... but I've seen worse."
"Tingle will see this as a compliment, miss!" he said and gave her a short bow. "But what must I see? Are those stains of tears on your pretty little face? Whatever could have made you cry, I wonder?"
"Aw, it's nothing..." Navi muttered. "I don't want to burden you with it..."
"Tell me, tell me, Tingle is a wonderful listener." The stout little guy crouched down next to her. "Tell me what ails you, and you will see, you will feel better afterwards!"
In the end, Navi relented. Maybe this funny little man was right and she would feel better afterwards. She sat down on a big stone and let her wings droop. "Well... there's this guy I like..."
"Aaaaah, a romantic story!" Tingle sighed. "I have a little weakness for such tales... Go on, go on!"
"Well, but... he knows next to nothing about love... and how girls feel... and then again, there already are plenty of girls who like him..."
"A real heartbreaker, I assume," Tingle said.
"Well, not because he tries to charm the girls, that's for sure," Navi sighed. "But... he is cute, and he has this innocent naivety around him... I guess that makes us girls drawn to him... But, unfortunately, one of these other girls is one of my best friends..."
"Ah, I can see how that is a problem," Tingle nodded.
"Yes, and see, he has all those responsibilities, and is destined to become a great hero... and I could never distract him from those duties. Besides, he and I aren't even compatible."
"Why would you say that?" Tingle asked in a surprised voice.
She winced. "Because he's a Hylian, and I'm, well, a fairy. How could I fall for him in the first place if we aren't even the same size? And today, I even blurted out my feelings to him, and I got so scared that I flew away..." She sniffed. "A great guardian fairy I am... abandoning my Kokiri... that is... Hylian... oh boy!" She held her head with a groan. "I'm so confused..."
"Poor little fairy," Tingle murmured. "But still, love isn't measured by body size or species... look at me! Would you believe my first love was a Gerudo?"
Navi had to chortle from that image. "A... a Gerudo?" she giggled.
"Yes, an unlikely match, I agree," Tingle nodded. "And at first, she never even wasted a single glance at me. Like any proud warrior, she wanted a strong man, someone who could best her in combat... I couldn't do that, of course, but I wasn't ready to give up. I gathered all my charm to win her over, I showered her with flowers and chocolate hearts... and even though she did not return my love, she admitted that she found my efforts cute. That was enough to warm my heart, and in the end, she agreed on one date... one single date, if I promised to leave her in piece afterwards."
"And you... agreed?" Navi wondered.
"Indeed I did," Tingle nodded. "Under the full moon, we took a romantic dinner at the banks of Lake Hylia... I picked only the most fresh roses to decorate our table... and I hired a violinist to play for us. We ate a Hylian Roach, seasoned with Gerudo Valley pepper, and garnished with a bouquet of parsley. And with it, we drank a dry red wine, Hylian late vintage... it was wonderful..."
Navi sighed. "I can imagine... and afterwards, what happened?"
"What she said," Tingle shrugged. "She told me it was a nice evening and she had a great time, but her tribe's laws would never allow her to accept a husband like me..." He sighed. "I will never forget her eyes of disappointment when we parted ways... I guess, in the end, I did make an impression... oh yes, love is the most powerful force in the world, little fairy... that's why you should never give up! Even though you know your love is doomed, stand by your feelings! Let him know about how you feel and keep in mind that he might not return the exact feelings..."
"If he doesn't love me... I don't want to lose him as a friend..."
"You don't have to! If he tells you that his heart belongs to another girl, then wish him best of luck! It will hurt, true, but in the end, you can tell yourself: I have done the right thing!"
"I don't know... if I'm strong enough to do that..." Navi muttered.
"Trust in the power of love, little fairy, and all will turn out good," Tingle smiled.
"Well, I can at least give it a try," Navi sighed. She fluttered back up into the air. "Thank you, Mr. Tingle, I really feel better now! I must leave now, or else my friends will miss me..."
"Before you leave, let me give you a present," Tingle said. "A sign of our everlasting friendship... Behold! My hands are empty, but not for long! And now... Tingle, Tingle... Kooloo-Limpah!!!"
And with a dramatic gesture, he threw some confetti up into the air... and in his hands, a small scroll appeared.
He smiled. "These are the magic words Tingle created for himself. Don't steal them!" He winked and gave Navi the scroll. It was small enough for her to carry.
Navi took a look at it and her eyes widened. "Th-this... this is..." She stared at Tingle. "Where did you get this?"
"Incredible, isn't it?" Tingle smiled. "According to legend, this little map will show you the way to the Great Fairies of Hyrule! I don't know if I will ever have the time to see them myself... but you are young, quick and can fly. You can have it!"
"But... but... if becoming a fairy is your biggest dream, then... I can't accept this!"
"Take it, take it!" Tingle smiled. "Tingle is a good at making maps. I made a spare copy, you see? You can have the original, as a token of my friendship!"
"I... I... I don't know what to say... thank you!"
Tingle grinned. "It was my pleasure! Now, go to your friends, and always remember my words: Love... will find a way! Farewell, little fairy! Tingle will never forget you!"
"I won't forget you either, Mr. Tingle!" Navi said as she flew off. She turned around one last time and waved at him. "Goodbye!" Then she flew the way back she came.
'I've really been silly,' she scolded herself. 'If Link likes me or not, I know what my feelings are. And I will tell him about it, and then he can choose who he likes, no matter if it is me or Saria or Malon or Ruto or Ukyo... and no matter what, I will be able to live with it, just like Tingle did. I will be strong!
Now, if only they haven't left yet...'
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(Posted Sat, 24 May 2008 19:22)
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