[center][h1][color=lightblue]Link[/color] & [color=green]Frog[/color][/h1][/center]
    
    [center]Word Count: 1273 [/center]
    [center][color=00aeef][b]Level 4[/b] [/color] - (18/40) +  3[/center] 
    [center][color=green][b]Level 3[/b] [/color] - (1/30) +  3[/center]
    [center]Location: Limsa Lomiscuttltown ~ The Drowning Wench → Limsa Lomiscuttle Port[/center]    

[hr][hr]

Blazermate, after an explanation of what a robot was, quickly left to follow after Ms. Fortune. All that remained was Link, who gladly started tucking into the food the Cadet had left over, and a more confused Frog then ever. Of course that confusion soon gave way to seriousness. At the amphibians request to just listen Link respectfully set down plate of shrimp he had been sucking up, sat back, and gave Frog his undivided attention. 

Frog continued on with his tale without hesitation, and his tone sounded melancholy as he told Link the event that lead to his unfortunate transformation "Our liege Queen Leene sent both I and mine closest friend Cyrus to retrieve this blade," he unfastened the sheath from his side, placing Masamune upon the table "Our hopes rested upon mine friend and mentor to have thine blades spirits Masa and Mune to accept their wielder whilst to mine surprise he proved himself to hath a hero's heart much like thyself." he told Link with a sad chuckle.

[center][b][h3]* * *[/h3][/b][/center]

He explained the events that transpired following the acquisition of Masamune in brief, describing everything that lead up to the showdown with Magnus. "Magnus slew Cyrus with an unholy wind yet naught before he begged that I protect our liege and escape with mine life," Frog sighed shaking his head slightly "I failed to keep mine promise and failed...Thine form is mine penance paid as a testament to my failure." he couldn't meet his friends gaze as he finally finished telling his story to Link.  

Link frowned as he took it all in. "So that's what she meant by a terrible fate." He said. The story had filled him with an odd, nostalgic frustration. A young man, life turned upside down by duty, a magic sword, and the machinations of a dark power. To say he had been there would be the understatement of a lifetime. Through it all, though, there was a detail that jumped to he forefront of his mind.

"Your queen. She yet lives?" Link asked. Frog in answer slumped his shoulders "Prior to thy invasion of light a rumor spread that she twas missing and after years living the life of an exile," he told his friend as an aside. "I decided if I couldst find our beloved queen then I would be forgiven for letting the world believe their hero Cyrus yet still lived...Alas the lights invaded and the queen twas never found." Frog told him with a slight tinge of disappointment in his voice.

"No. Not never." Link stressed. "You mean she hasn't been found [i]yet.[/i]" He leaned back in his chair, sighing his regret into the air. "Do you want to know how long I made my princess wait for me? One. Hundred. Years. I spent a hundred years asleep while she held down the monster I was meant to slay. When I woke up, I had nothing. No clothes, no weapon, not even any memory of my long dead friends. But I was alive, and so was she. And so long as she was out there, waiting for me, my promise to protect her remained unbroken."

Link leaned forward, putting a hand on the mans shoulder. "I'll say it as many times as you need to hear it. You aren't a failure. I'll bet my life that it was that red in your eyes more than anything that kept you here, in this town, instead of scouring this world for her. Frog nodded solemnly looking to his friend with an indecipherable look "Dost thou really think that?" it was true and deep down the amphibian knew it but kept denying it while blaming himself to no end "Link thou arte a good man," he said appreciatively "And prithee I beseech thou to call me by mine true name, Glenn."

Link smiled. "Gladly, provided you don't go telling everyone that I'm an old man." to which the amphibian Glenn heartily laughed in reply to his friends comment "As I hath learnt when speaking to a lady 'one mustn't ask a woman her age' I believe the latter at least applies to omitting thy own age correct?"

"I'll have to remember that for when we find Princess Zelda." He replied. Glenn nodded sagely in response "Yes tis sound advice however methinks we shouldst stretch our legs," he stood stretching his sore muscles with a sharp exhale "Shall we?" the swordsman asked Link, while picking up his ruined buckler and strapped it to his wrist.

Link did a quick double take, his eyes darting uncomfortable from Glenn to the food and back. "Are you sure you don't want to take anything with you? It's going to be another long day tomorrow. It'd be a shame to face it without a full belly." For a moment he considered those words and then shrugged "Thou bringest up quite a good point," he admitted taking a seat still feeling the weight of his tired arms and legs weighing him down. 

"Here." Link said. He picked up his remaining onion rings, piled them onto the side of a piece of expertly fried fish, and pushed the whole over to the knight along with one of the drinks that had been included in the Cadet's order of 'everything.' He grabbed another one at random and held it up to Glenn. "Toooo..." he started, then paused. What did you toast too? As far as he knew he had never done this before. "What do you toast to?" He asked. 

Glenn raised the glass he had been given, cocking his head to the side very slightly "To our new friendship and the adventures ahead!" he toasted clinking his glass against Link's.

"Yeah! Friendship and adventure!" Link said, clinking before drinking his entire glass. He took another piece of fried fish, lifted it to his mouth, and downed the entire in a single gulp bones and all looking no worse for the wear because of it. If he wanted to he could have finished off this entire table by himself, but eating with friend wasn't a pleasure he had gotten to indulge in often. The last time had been...Cia, technically speaking. He would gladly take the opportunity to overwrite that memory with a finer one.  

Glenn downed his drink, then contentedly set the glass on the table with a light thump of the wood. It had been much too long since he had last shared good food and drink with a friend, as it was the last meal he once took part in with Cyrus. However this new reality gave the troubled swordsman some relief, and while he sat with his companion Glenn took a look around cherishing this fleeting moment of true friendship. It was a memory he would hold tightly as long as he lived till the end of his days.

[center][b][h3]* * *[/h3][/b][/center]

[center][b][i][h1][color=lightblue]The Following Day...[/color][/h1][/i][/b][/center]

It was early morning and the sunrise lit the wharf reflecting shining rays up on the hulls of boats tied to the dock, seagulls cried in the air breaking the silence of the fleeting tranquility that would be cut short by the dockyard workers that would be arriving shortly to ready the ships for deployment. Today would be another challenge to face.

Glenn had stayed with Link until the heavy weight of exhaustion set in, with full stomach the amphibian settled into the room the Princess had booked for everyone.