⊰ OOC ⊱ ▴▲▴ ⊰ character info ⊱

[skyhero]

WARNING - SPOILERS BELOW.


History:

world prologue ; story

Changes:

Fundamentally, Link's (♀) experiences growing up and developing into the person she is were not extraordinarily different than that of her canonical counterpart. She still grew up without any influence from either parent*, she still held aspirations to become a Knight of Skyloft, and she still remained good friends with Zelda as she matured into a young lady. While she was not the only female student enrolled in the Knight Academy (in-game, there was one upperclassman), she was the only female in her class ... and it didn't save her from being ruthlessly bullied (not so much because of the fact that Zelda favors her company -- moreso because of her lackadaisical disposition and connection to the Academy).

The unveiling of Link's destiny (which, as stated, is KIND OF A BIG DEAL) is the primary focus of where the change in my interpretation can be found. The guilt of not having reached Zelda soon enough -- according to Impa -- is something that didn't really reverberate in an outward kind of way on screen. I believe that moment was a major turning point for Link and every hope of things going back to the way they were died in those scolding words. There is nothing in the land or sky that matters more to Link after that point than fulfilling her destiny.

* precisely what happened to Link's parents is never stated in-game. I will be playing her under the assumption that she grew up under the watch of the caregivers at Skyloft's Knight Academy -- an assumption that is somewhat supported by the fact that Link and Zelda (whose father is the Headmaster) were close childhood friends.

Personality:

╰△╮hero's strength.

There is a reason why Link is Hylia's chosen hero, and it goes beyond just physical ability. Even with that kind of dazed expression and her seemingly aimless steps, there is a highly efficient soldier with a blindingly pure heart and all the good intentions in the world.

Link's segment of the Triforce is that of Courage. This does not necessarily mean that the girl is completely devoid of fear -- quite the contrary. She gets scared just like anybody else and undergoes several trials to overcome her fear throughout her journey. And, as they say, courage is not the absence of fear, but the conquering of it. If faced with opposition, she will not falter, she will not run, and she will not give up. It is that aspect of Link's nature -- her choices, her actions, her dreams, aspirations, and determination -- that marks her as a hero.

╰△╮free bird.

... With the integrity of Link's constitution in mind, it's time to explore her temperament. In the very small, very close-knit community of Skyloft, she has something of a reputation as a bit of ... well ... a dingbat. It's not her fault -- the girl isn't stupid, per se, just a daydreamer. And the downside to being a daydreamer to Link's degree is that sometimes she needs a bit of extra guidance to turn it off.

For a regular person? That's totally fine! For a Knight of Skyloft? ... Not so much. When it comes to everyday practice and training, it can be hard for her to get on the ball if she's left to her own devices, despite having a natural affinity to swordplay, combat, and flying. That being said, it's shouldn't come as a shock to know that her rare Crimson Loftwing" can be a bit of a nightmare, showing much of the undisciplined tendencies of its owner but none of her docility. Unless your name is Zelda, of course.

╰△╮internal war.

In a pseudo-militaristic environment where hard fists, sternness and a brave face means everything, it's no wonder at all that much of her 'bigger' emotions get boxed, labeled, and internalized. She smiles often, but doesn't laugh much. Likewise, if something has upset her, you can expect quite a bit of moping and sulking ... but no tears or over-the-top dramatics.

One thing that the Knight Academy has taught her is to fight her own battles. Period. Despite being actively harassed and bullied by Groose and his gang on a pretty regular basis, she never opened up to Zelda about those difficulties -- much less any upperclassmen or instructors, even though the caliber of their aggression often elevated to a physical level ... and almost cost her the graduation exam. It was only by Zelda's own observations that Groose, Cawlin, and Strich were brought to justice on the latter occasion.

╰△╮clumsy humanitarian.

Examining her regular, everyday person-to-person interactions, most people view Link as a naive, thoughtful soul cleverly disguised as a battle-hardened warrior. During her harrowing adventures both in The Sky and on The Surface, she's been known to take occasional breathers to do favors and run errands for the residents of both places. These tasks range from delivering a bowl of soup from a restaurant to a fellow Knight of Skyloft to traveling back in time to retrieve ancient parts and ingredients to fuel a man's aspirations of reviving a prehistoric robot.

Both animals and the races of The Surface seem to have a natural trust when they encounter Link for the first time ... generally speaking. Her demeanor and many of her mannerisms are inherently nonthreatening -- at a glance, there isn't very much about her that says 'demon killer' or 'divine hero'. She doesn't talk much, she's a little slow on the pickup, and it's pretty easy to verbally disarm her.

╰△╮instinct & impulse.

To be frank, Link is a simple girl with simple tastes. She eats when she's hungry, sleeps when she's tired, and is generally very easy to please because she finds joy in ... well ... the simpler things in life. One of the girl's hobbies is taking that Bug Net of hers and sneaking up on butterflies and beetles, for Pete's sake. As someone who boasts a very active imagination, something as mundane as stargazing can captivate her for hours if she lets her mind wander unchecked.

The unexpected upside to this is that she's an amazingly difficult person to phase or psych out before a fight. Less rationalization and overthinking prevents her from falling victim to any mental traps or psychological warfare while allowing her to throw all of her weight into sheer force of will.

Abilities:

strength & stamina.

Surprisingly, Link's physical prowess isn't really that outrageous. Her stamina is pretty jaw-dropping, being able to jog long distances and participate in very demanding battles over an extended period of time, but her actual raw, physical strength? It's what you would expect from a Knight. She can push and pull wooden crates, statues, and the like that are as big as she is, lift, slowly carry, and throw barrels and large pots, and drive a sword through the body of an enemy with some effort.

The trait that sets Link apart is the divine blessing of the Goddess, which allows her to see and communicate with the entity of the Goddess Sword, call holy light to empower her weapon, and other such related capabilities.

adaptability.

For as bull-headed and absentminded as she is, she is a very fast learner. Like ... it will make your head spin. She can pick up a brand new item, toy with it for a few minutes ... and then after that period of messing around, utilize it in a meaningful, competent way as a weapon, to solve complicated puzzles, or both. Simultaneously. I do not recommend underestimating Link's resourcefulness.

melodic ear.

As it turns out, she has a real ear for music. After being given the Goddess's Harp -- a musical instrument that she had never even seen before until her graduation examination -- by Zelda, she's able to listen to follow Impa's lead and strum out complicated scale runs to harmonize a song. And not just any song. A very specific tune that has magical properties when played correctly.

weaponry & items. **

Goddess Sword ***
Goddess's Harp
Iron Shield
2 empty bottles
Bug Net
Slingshot
Seed Satchel + 20 seeds
Bomb Bag + 10 Bombs
Gust Bellows
Beetle

[ medium wallet (362 rupees inside) ]

** List of items and equipment are given in direct correlation to her canon point: right after she was given the Goddess's Harp by Zelda.
*** Fi's spirit has vacated the blade of the Goddess Sword.

http://dear-mun.dreamwidth.org/254622.html
http://dear-mun.dreamwidth.org/255773.html?thread=5952541#cmt5952541