Shadows of the Past

 A/N.:  Soooo, I did this a little while ago, presenting my followers on Fan Fiction with a Halloween gift for them. Finally forced myself XD I really have no idea why nobody did this yet, even though I had to pick between two of my ideas for the story line. This is kinda a spin off of my latest chapter of TAOAH (Link via description)
 

Ashley once more felt that damp thing hit her stomach. It was just like the time she appeared in Skull Island, only then she was unconscious. This time she was prepared- her eyes were shut as her body went through the mystical vortex. She soon roughly hit the ground, getting dazzled, but not knocked-out.

The young swashbuckler let out a faint breath of relief as she opened her bright blue eyes to see the soft green grass on which she was lying. For a second her muscles went limp, her vision clouded...Ashley pushed herself on her back, turning to the sunlight, emerging through the trees above. The girl raised her hand to cover the eyes and tried to think.

Ah yes, Carlos was using her to practice a witchdoctor spell- teleportation. But...this didn't feel like Cool Ranch, or Skull Island, or Earth for that matter. The sun was...brighter and even the air felt different. It was more pure, easier to breathe. And that combination was making her sleepy. Such peace...

But then she heard the birds singing, a couple flew by to drop their shadow on the relaxed girl. Ashley's mouth corners made a short smile, her hand lowered and her head fell back to enjoy the environment. But as she tried to capture the sweet bird songs, she also heard a breathing. The thing didn't seem too far. Ashley lied a little bit longer, observing where it might be coming from, then jumped up, her hand on her rapier's pommel.

There was nothing insight, but raising her eyes to a tree, she saw a person sleeping on it's strong branches. Ashley tilted her head, making out the figure. It appeared to be a boy, at least four years older than she. He wore a green tunic with what seemed chain mail under it, white tights, leather boots and...and a weird, but familiar, green hat. pointy ears stuck out of it. Ashley couldn't quite see the boy's face, due to the fact that the bright yellow hair covered it from her.

And he wasn't defenceless: he had a long sword on his lap, it's metal shown brightly against the sunlight, along with a shield. There were some symbols on it, but it was impossible to make out from such distance.

Ashley's appearance didn't do much to wake him up. Heck, even the birds are enjoying the day on his shoe tips and head. The girl wanted to laugh, but she let out a snigger and turned to leave. But after the fist step, she paused.

This was a forest...a forest?! She didn't encounter any forests in the Spiral ( well, besides the Shady Hallow where it's a true paradise for the undead.) Did Carlos just send her to another unknown world to her? Hmm...Sarah once talked about Avalon. Apparently that world had a forest, but...this didn't match the description. Some of the trees went up pretty high, no sign of any Fire Elfs, no ruins...

And there we go again, Ashley thought. Back to the lost girl act. Terrific.

The swashbuckler turned to the sleeping boy.

'' Hey!'' She shouted, but he didn't budge. '' Oi! Sleepyhead!'' Nope, nothing. Wow, and I thought Antonio enjoyed a good nap...

Ashley rubbed her chin in thought, her eyes locking up on the tree the pointy-eared guy slept on. She knocked on the bark, realising that with a good amount of energy- she might be able to shake the tree and with that, the lazy boy. This is going to be fun.

The girl thought on using the old roll-and-hit-a-tree tactic. She and Ben used to have so much fun with that trick while playing Zelda games back on Earth. Who knew one day it would come in handy?

Ashley calculated her speed and distance from the tree, enough to make sure she hits it at least with her back. She gained speed and rolled towards the tree, painfully hitting the base. The birds got alarmed from the sudden attack and among their cries, the boy also shouted in surprise and, after a second, in pain.

While the girl was rubbing her spine, the boy comically fell to the grass carpet on his face. His reaction was quick: he got up, spit out the grass and grabbed for his sword. Ashley, noticing his move, quickly drew her rapier in defence. But their weapons didn't slash...the teenagers stared at one another instead, one looking more shocked than the other.

'' Holy Mother...'' Ashley whispered, realising at whom her rapier was pointing. Her jaw dropped and her eyes were wide in disbelief. Now that the hair was out of the way, she could see the familiar face she saw so many times on the TV screen: High cheek bones and that handsomely pointed chin, also wide-in-surprise blue eyes, the medium-built body was tensed and ready for battle, although it soon settled down slightly, realising it was facing a girl.

Link. Hero of Time, Hero of Legend...whatever you call him these days, it was him standing right before Ashley, with the, now lowered, legendary Master Sword.

'' You're kidding...please, tell me I'm in a reality show or something,'' Ashley muttered. Her mouth went dry on the encounter and her lungs were out of air. Link obviously heard her, but couldn't seem to understand. As he tried to say something it was only a strange blabber.

Ashley frowned. Different languages. He was probably speaking in Hylian, which Ashley could never understand. Not even the alphabet.

'' Ooo...'' She lowered her weapon in frustration.'' This is going to be a difficult conversation,'' by saying that, she only made Link look more confused. He said something else, followed by a head shake.

'' Well I can't understand you either,'' Ashley replied, her guess on what the elf said. She tried to gesture talk, saying she couldn't understand a word. Ashley learned to talk that way with Oscar, her friend buccaneer who was missing a tongue. Link seemed to get Ashley's hand gesture and now seemed to also be thinking on their communication problem.

Ashley turned to look around the forest some more, hoping to find a solution. Hitting your head to the tree might help you forget if you do it hard enough...I doubt it would change my language. That little crazy thought made her smile, but didn't solve anything.

The swashbuckler senses told her that Link was closing up on her. She let him softly place his gloved hand on her shoulder, and that's when she felt needles in her ears. The painful noise, like a vampire bat was shrieking right into her ear drums. The girl was covering them, but it didn't help, until the pain stopped as quickly as it started.

'' Dang, what...'' Ashley tried to held back the tears. Link was holding onto her arm.

'' What's wrong?'' He asked, sounding concerned. Wait...he asked! The girl raised her eyes to him.

'' I can...understand you! Holy mother of Zorro, now that's what I call magic!''

Link blinked at her.'' I...you can speak!''

'' Of course I can,'' Ashley laughed, but it soon faded as she remembered to whom she was talking.'' I er...''

'' Mind if I ask who you are? I've never seen you around these parts,'' Link said. Ashley's head spun, she shook that off and tried to answer.

'' One of my friends was trying out a teleportation spell. I expected to end up further than needed, but...this,'' She gestured to the trees.'' It's a long story...''

'' We have time,'' Link replied, picking up his shield and strapping it on his back, along with the sword. Now Ashley could see that it was the blue Hylian shield, with the Triforce and something like a red bird symbol etched on the surface.

'' Much longer than you think,'' Ashley warned him.

'' Once again, we have time. The one that wakes me up doesn't get away that easily,'' Link turned to her with a smile. Ashley felt her temperature getting warmer. She hoped it was only the sun.

'' My name's Link,''

'' Ashley Holystone,'' the girl managed. Wake up Ashley, she thought to herself. There were more important stuff than wooing over a video game character. '' I'm...kinda lost,''

'' There's a reason why this place is called the Lost Woods, you know''

'' The Lost Woods. Really?!'' Ashley sniggered. The took another scan of the forest.'' Heh, I imagined it a bit more shady,''

Link's eyebrows knitted.'' I thought you're not from around here,''

'' I'm not, but that doesn't mean I don't know anything about your world, now does it?''

'' Your tone sounded a bit mysterious...who are you?''

'' Ashley,'' the girl knew to what Link was referring to, but since he laughed at her a few times, Ashley figured to play along.

Link adjusted his question.'' Okay, where are you from?''

'' Yeeeaaahhh...'' Ashley rubbed her neck.'' That's going to be a lot more difficult to explain,''

'' Long story?'' The elf guessed.

'' Yep,''

'' Well, in that case,'' Link turned around and started walking into the woods.'' You can tell me all about it near the fireplace. Come on,'' he gestured for Ashley to catch up. As he took slow steps, Ashley still looked at him in disbelief. This had to be a dream...but the tree she hit a few moments ago felt pretty real.

Ashley sighed and followed the hero to wherever he was leading her.