Quest 01 (Open)

[newmemorywhodis]

i. Flotsam: Scouting from the sails
In any new place, Link's first instinct is always to go up. Get high, get somewhere he can see, and then paraglide to the next point of interest. Well, with no paraglider, he couldn't do the last part. But he could do the rest.

So Link will just casually climb up the mast of whatever ship he happens to be on. If there's a ladder, he'll use it. But if there isn't, he'll find a way to scamper up anyway. From there, he'll perch on the edge of the sails, looking out over the armada of ships that make up the Flotsam.

And if you don't spot him when it's up or - or feel like braving the heights to join him - well, he's gotta come down sometime. He might drop down next to you.

ii. Flotsam: Floating markets
Link can't afford anything here, but already he loves this place.

He's already mentally making a long list of things he wants to buy - that wickedly long spear! That exotic spice! The weird glowing rock that would probably be useful somehow! But it's the clothes shops that Link ends up spending the most time in. Something with a bit of protection would be best, but he can't help but also be drawn to some more decorative options. Like that nice flowy white blouse, that reminds him of the Gerudo style...

iii. Flotsam and/or the Vault: Sword practice
On the deck of one of the ships - or sometimes in the Vault's armoury, if he's feeling like a change of scenery - Link finds runs through a sequence of sword forms. They're smooth and practiced, leaving no openings or visible weaknesses in form. It's clear from the way he moves that these movements have been ingrained over many, many years.

When the sequence comes to an end, he lists up his sword and looks at it. It's not the Sword that Seals the Darkness. It's not even comparable to most of his other weapons. But it's serviceable enough. Link can fight with a stick if he has to - he can certainly make do with this.

Comments

[newmemorywhodis]

Link hums softly in response, faintly wistful. Not so much for himself - Link is more of an occasional reader - but for Zelda. She'd love seeing all these books. She'd spend hours and hours here, wanting to take a big stack home with her...

But Zelda isn't here, Id is. So Link gets to work, scanning the spines until he finds something useful. Which...is where Link realises they might have a problem.

"...Can you read them?" he asks, after staring blankly at the titles on the spines of the books. None of which he can read. Link might have picked up much of the spoken language by now, but he's barely learnt anything when it comes to the written one.

[fray]

"Yeah. I'm better at reading than talking," Id pauses and answers without hesitation, believing it's entirely true. He's not a confident conversationalist in his own native language though, so it isn't a very high bar to clear. "Spent my downtime learning."

Being assigned as a guard had a few advantages, among which was a rigidly set schedule. It meant Id could plan time to study, and his literacy was deemed useful enough to permit, if not promote. That allowed him to read instructions and missives without assistance.

And he wasn't exactly shy about borrowing what was available at the time.

"What about you?" It seems polite to ask, rather than assume, even if the dubious way Link looked at the spines suggests a clear answer.

[newmemorywhodis]

Downtime? Link hadn't ever had much of that. They'd always kept a close eye on him, because he'd managed to get away at first. And honestly, Link just hadn't actually made much of an effort to learn the written language. It just...hadn't been a priority.

And now he was surrounded by books, and he couldn't read any of them. Not even the recipes.

There's a long silence, as Link stares at the spines which don't mean anything to him.

"...I can't."

[fray]

Id's own attempt at escape failed, yet his ability earned him some distinction...and some scars for good measure. That was assuredly meant to deter him, but what curbed further attempts was the thought of others facing similar correction when they tried.

Now here they are, perusing books. The normalcy of it almost feels surreal, but there's nothing for it but to press on. Id considers Link's reply with a thoughtful frown. Link had seemed so interested in the prospect of a recipe book, the idea he wouldn't be able to use it seems a shame.

"...Would you want a hand with it? I was thinking about asking you for some pointers anyway, so..." He trails off, unsure whether he ought to call it a fair trade or something else. Phrasing aside, being able to offer something useful in return is preferable to asking something for nothing.

So Id reasons, despite being that guy who will do something for nothing.

[newmemorywhodis]

Link looks at Id, feeling a faint flicker of hope.

"...You'd read the recipes for me?" When they found the recipes, that is. But at least if someone else did read them out for Link, he write them down himself, in Hylian. That's what he'd done for most recipes he knew anyway.

[fray]

"Sure I would, if you want." Id may have been thinking he could help Link learn to read if he was interested, but the guy could probably do that himself if he wanted to. Saving him some time in the immediate future's easy enough to do, and recipes shouldn't be hard to read.

He picks up another book, as they've still got to find recipes first. "I made some money doing odd jobs, so we just need to find it."

[newmemorywhodis]

"Thank you," Link says. And then he nods, turning with full focus back to the task once more - finding recipes.

He can't read the titles, so that makes things a little hard. But he knows what recipes should look like; knows how they're usually structured. So even if he can't read the words, he might still be able to make a good guess.

And there's the covers, as well - so he focuses on anything that looks like it might have something like food. Any book that looks likely, he opens it up to get a look inside.

Finally, he finds one that he thinks has recipes - which he brings back to Id, looking at him with a questioning look. Has Link gotten it right?

[fray]

If there's one thing Id's learned about Link, aside from how food is extremely important, it's that the guy dives right into tasks. He'd seen it with gathering and he sees it here too, as Link comes up with a find before he does.

What Id had found instead was apparently a whole pile of romance novels. Not what he's in the market for, and he sets another down just as Link returns with something else. He turns promptly to read the title. "Hm. Bread & Cake: from Savory to Sweet. The bit underneath says it's different dishes you can make with those, so... Definitely a recipe book."

Thick as it is, there must be a broad variety of recipes in there. Id's never thought about creative uses for bread, so it's news to him.

[newmemorywhodis]

Bread! And cakes! Link's eyes widen.

Yes, he's definitely keen to try those. He gazes at the book with renewed interest.

And then hops back to where it found it, looking back at Id as he gestures towards the shelf.

"It was here," he says. Maybe there are others in the same place?

[fray]

Id trails after him to peer at the bookshelf. Sure enough, there's a wealth of books on the subject of cooking. "...Yep, more recipe books." So many more than he might have anticipated, in fact, considering where they are. "Still want to find something that'd tell us what's safe to gather here, but I can get us a couple of these."

He phrases it that way because while he may not fancy himself a cook, he's keeping in mind that he'll be the reader.

Id skims over the array of spines, then pulls out one he thinks would be particularly useful on Flotsom. After flipping through a few pages and seeing colorful drawn illustrations of several dishes, he offers it over for Link's inspection. "This one's seafood, how's it look?"

[newmemorywhodis]

Well, Link can't read any of it. So he can't really tell how good it is. But he glances through it all the same.

"Pictures are nice," he offers. "Ingredients are probably easier." Because for seafood, they could just go looking off the side of the boat for much of them. But Link didn't yet know how easy it would be to find the things cakes and bread needed, like flour.

[fray]

It seems the thing to do, Id reasons. Letting Link weigh in on something he'll ultimately get the use out of feels right to him, even if it's only based on what kind of dishes are included. "That's true. Never been fishing, but we're out at sea." All the time at that, from what he understands.

"That first one mentioned crab, even," he mentions as he glances over the selection again. Some titles repeat, others reference fine dining, which is probably beyond their means. "This one's breakfast foods, this one's some regional stuff I think? More fish, baking, this is soups, stews, and...whatever chili is..."

As Id reads each title and summarizes, he taps the books accordingly so Link can know which is which. Since the guy said he didn't have a particular favorite, it seems like the simplest way to let him decide what he'd prioritize.

[newmemorywhodis]

Link stares intently at each one, as if by looking at it hard enough he will magically develop the ability to understand them. Which one to get?

"Seafood book," he says after a few moment's deliberation. The rest sounded interesting, and Link wanted them too...but if he had to pick one, the seafood book was what they'd get the most use out of.

[fray]

"Seafood then. Let's see about a guide..." Id crouches to have a look at the lower shelves, a low, thoughtful hum in his throat. Something like that would help them avoid winding up ill from picking the wrong mushrooms or something.

After some concerted skimming, Id pulls a book out to flip it open. Descriptions and more hand-drawn illustrations line the pages. Flowers, leaves, local fauna... "...People don't actually eat gryphon meat here, do they?"

He's fought those belligerent things, back home. Seeing as his task was just to fend them off, he'd never known what happened afterward.

[newmemorywhodis]

Id probably doesn't want to know Link's usual method to figuring out how to avoid the wrong mushrooms; i.e. trial and error.

Link does lean over Id's shoulder. Sure, he can't read anything, but he can still look at those pictures.

"Gryphon meat...?" he asks, glancing at Id. Not a word Link knows. Which one of the illustrations was that?

[fray]

He'd prefer not to play mushroom roulette, it's true.

Id looks right back at Link for a moment, before it occurs to him that Link isn't questioning the kind of meat like he was. Maybe his world doesn't have gryphons? There must be a wealth of differences, come to think of it.

"This one here," he clarifies, tapping the illustration of a quadrupedal winged beast with fierce talons and a sharp beak. "They're a pain to fight where I'm from. Doubt they're any easier to deal with here."

[newmemorywhodis]

Link leans forward, studying the illustration closely. 'A pain to fight', Id had said - so they were monsters? They did look like they would be formidable enemies.

Still...he can't help but note the body of them. They look so much like horses, albeit ones with wings and very bird-like heads. And Link did like horses...

"...Can you ride them?"

[fray]

What a question. Id eyes him skeptically, debating if this falls under the broad category of jokes he doesn't pick up on, but Link seems serious. It sounds like a genuine question, albeit one he finds strange.

If such creatures are foreign to him though, is it really that odd to ask? "Honestly? Never tried. They're aggressive, so it'd be dangerous... Unless they domesticate them here, or something."

The thought just leaves him with questions too.

[newmemorywhodis]

Link makes a soft noise of interest. The fact that they are 'aggressive' and 'dangerous' doesn't really seem to be much of a deterrent.

But then, Link had also ridden bears before. And also lynels. (Although in the case of lynels, it wasn't so much 'riding' as 'jumping up on their backs for a better vantage point to hit them from'.)

So Link's standards for what counted as 'ridable' might be...a little off.

[fray]

Id thinks he knows intrigue when he sees it. "...You'd try it anyway, wouldn't you?" He only knows bits and scraps about Link, but he's certainly forming a certain mental image of the guy.

That mental image might be more wild mountain man than royal knight, but he wouldn't think more or less of either one anyway. The guy's pretty brave if he'd try to make a beast like that into a mount.

[newmemorywhodis]

Link nods. Of course he would.

And who says Link can't be both royal knight and wild mountain man? He can multitask.

[fray]

"...Guess if we find one, we'll skip this recipe." Id might think it's a little crazy, but he can't claim that Link couldn't do it. It's also not really his place to try, for that matter, though he finds himself concerned.

There's not much point ruminating over it though. Id flips through more pages until he comes across something a little more (theoretically) safe. "Looks like this place has crabs too." He turns another page, then another. Illustrations of various crabs with distinctive features adorn each page. "...Lots of them."

[newmemorywhodis]

Link hums in response, noncommittal. Sure, if the gryphons were like a lot horses, he probably wouldn't want to eat them. But...maybe they weren't like horses. In which case, he'd go for it.

"I know crab recipes," Link says, staring intently at the pictures. Sure, he'd have to adapt a bit, with the different herbs and spices of this world. But he could make it work.

[fray]

"Works out well then," Id responds, at last closing the book and adding it to their modest pile. Three may not be a library, but it's enough to start with, and he should have just enough. With these, they can help that guy who works in the kitchen. So he hopes, at least.

Rising to his feet once again, Id turns to the merchant and hands over...the whole of his funds, a modest drawstring pouch that clinks as it changes hands. The merchant counts the funds within with a practiced efficiency before nodding, thanking them for their business, and encouraging them to come again.

Id's about three paces away before he realizes he may have overpaid, but...it's fine. The books are worth it, useful as they are. "I'll read these for you whenever you like." He assures Link of this, fully intending to keep up his end of their agreement. "And you can probably get that shirt if you show up here early in the morning. They'll pay for someone who moves as fast as you to help them set up for the day."

Odd jobs have never left Id lacking.

Shall we wrap up here?

[newmemorywhodis]

Three might not be a library, but it was a start. And besides; it was probably going to take a while for Link to try all of the recipes anyway.

So he nods, more than happy with Id's proposal. Maybe once Link's managed to find a few crabs, he'll find Id and get him to read one of the seafood recipes.

(And he might have to try Id's suggestion of getting up early to help the shopkeeper, too. Maybe he could get that shirt after all...)