The wind was blowing harder than usual today, and sun was preparing to set over the open ocean. It was a beautiful night, and the loneliest soul on Hyrule was spending it with the seashell next to him. Sitting cross legged with his hands in his lap, the Zora sat in the sand, looking longingly out onto the ocean. "Ever feel like just swimming as far out as you could, and never coming back?" Taint asked the seashell next to him. Silence filled the air for a brief moment, as Taint grabbed a stone, and tossed it out onto the water, where it skipped a few times before sinking. He sighed, and kicked his legs out, leaning back in the sand. "If only I could drown... I'd have a reason to swim that far."

He turned and somberly stared at his companion. The seashell seemed to be looking out at the ocean as well. "Ever wish you had someone special, little seashell? Ever think that maybe... if you had someone to hold on to... someone to tell that everything would be okay... someone to tell you that you're not alone... life wouldn't seem so..." He trailed off, and stared back at the ocean. "I like the name Lilly... How about you?" Silence again filled the air. A tear, followed by a few more drained from the Zora's eyes, as he turned over in the sand, and tried to find sleep on a heart as empty as his stomach.

"Life sucks."

That was a faint sound that was mumbled by someone else on the beach of Parapa Desert. These words came from yet another Zora sitting on the beach. His shirtless body had a single tattoo; it was something that resembled a dragon on his left arm, but wasn't completely a dragon. His torn pants were a sign of his past: horrible. Fighting and pain was all he knew.

He sat on the shore of the beach close enough for the waves would hit him. He took clumps of sand from time to time and threw them into the waves and watched them crumble. He soon got sick of that. "Why?" he asked himself. "Why are people so cold hearted? Why do they kill over petty things? Why do they kill at all?" As he thought through these things he laid down.

For several minutes he remained in that same position thinking. He thought about his struggles in life. Everyday he would watch people die. Kids and elderly women. He tried to defend them, but he was never a match for the bandits. They would always get past him, then kill entire villages.

He couldn't stand it anymore. The Zora stood up. He would do something about this. He picked up his sword and strapped it on his back. With a deep breath, he began to walk over to the exit of Parapa. As he walked, something caught his eye. he wasn't alone on these shores.

He approached the other Zora and looked at him. He seemed lonely out here. The Zora walked over to where Taint was at and sat next to him on the side opposite of the seashell. "My name's Kurushimi. What's yours?"

Taint almost didn't hear the voice that seemed to materialize next to him- or rather he didn't believe it. Never had anyone just walked up and offered their name. He slowly opened his eyes, thinking maybe it was possible that someone was actually nearby, and speaking to him. Turning around, he stared up into the eyes of another Zora. He stood up straight, and immediately answered. "My name's Taint! Good to meet you... Kuri...sushi?" The Zora felt like an idiot for not being able to remember the name mere seconds after he'd heard it. As if not humiliated enough, the hunger panes struck him down like a solid weapon. He fell to the ground, gripping at his stomach, crying out in pain. The tears came again, making their way down his face, and making dark spots in the sand beneath his head.

"Why do the Goddesses hate me??" He cried, his stomach cramping worse than ever before. He hadn't had anything to eat in several days. One would guess he was attempting to end his own life through starvation. "How?! How did I become such a loser?!" He cried harder now, not caring who saw or what they had to think. Suddenly, something occurred to him that made him stop crying. He sat up, despite his horrible pain. "I... Who... When did I..." He stammered, realizing something odd. He couldn't pinpoint when he had become so poor, or anything about himself! He started breathing heavy. "These earrings!" He began making sense of things. "How could a bum afford earrings like these?!" His eyes widened. "I can't even remember my childhood!!" He cried, panicking. Suddenly- something hit him like a building on wheels.

Taint's Memories wrote: "Here... I want you to have these." The Zora woman handed Taint a pair of glistening blue earrings, two for each side. Taint looked down at them, and back to the woman. "I'll never forget you... don't get yourself killed now." She spoke softly, as she slowly backed up into the house she was standing in front of, and closed the door.

The nomad's eyes went blank as the vision ended, and his earrings glowed for a split-second before his head hit the ground, and all went blank.

OOC: You sir, happened to stumble upon the beginning of all that is Tainted, or so to speak...

"it's Kurushimi," the Zora said, correcting Taint's mistake. To Kurushimi, the mistake didn't matter, it was just better if his name was known. He stood up. "It's nice to meet you Taint," the Zora said. He was about to speak again, but Taint began to cry out in pain. Kurushimi stared in awe at what was going on before his eyes. He had never seen anything like it in his life.

He gasped when the Zora fell into the sand. What was happening? What was with those earrings? Did that matter? Taint was almost dead! Why should he worry about jewelry? Kurushimi put his hands on the Zora's back and began to shake him. "Are you alright? Do you need some food?" he asked, trying to help. He wasn't good at helping people medically. He usually relied on others to do that for him. "Don't die!"

Go figure... As soon as I meet a- The Zora winced as his vision faded to white. He awoke standing over his body. He stared at his lifeless unmoving body for a few moments, before slightly grinning. "I died." He spoke in a calm voice. It seemed to echo off of nonexistent walls around him. His wish had come true. He'd died. Taint stood there expressionless, sort of in shock. His sword was gone from his back, and he was barefoot. He stood on the beach, somewhat disorientated, and his lifeless body was turning a pale blue color. Taint smiled as he began to walk away- out into the ocean where he'd spend the rest of his spiritual days. With the rest of the spirits that danced on the sea, he would join them in their ghostly festivities. Finally something he would have in common with someone- death. Suddenly, something hit him harder than before.

Taint's memories wrote:A mustached man stood holding a sheathed blade in front of a blacksmith's house. "Here. Its my best work. Good luck out there, and try to stay alive..." Everything was like an old film, grainy, and white. The man handed him the blade, and stepped inside, closing the door. Locks could be heard on the other side- and then silence. Unsheathing the blade, it glistened in the light that was available. The sky was a dark tint, and the wind was blowing hard. A few soldiers rushed by him, one stopping to call out to him. "Taint! Oh wonderful! Lead us to combat!" He took a knee, as did the other returning soldiers. Sheathing the blade, all went blank white.

Taint found himself, still in spiritual form, at the water's edge. He stopped, wide-eyed, and looked back at his body. Taint's eyes widened even more as he realized something-

Kurushimi wrote:"Don't die!"

The Zora he'd just met was shaking him violently, worried for his safety. Worried. -Somebody cared. Finally- the Goddesses had answered both of his nightly prayers at once! He'd made a friend... and died. He watched as the sword on his body's back started glowing a bright light. Just as soon as it had started glowing, it had stopped. "Are these... my memories?" Taint thought, his spiritual body tensing up. "I have a past... What happened to me? Who am I?" He began to question. All of these things he'd never know if he chose to die now. Once in history, it would be curiosity that brought someone back to life! The Zora's eyes narrowed, and looked down at his body again. "I can't die here. Not now. Not after the things I've seen." He started in a run back to his body. He dove as if into a lake or river into his body.

Suddenly, he turbulently jerked back to life, throwing up a bit in the process. He opened his eyes, and was relieved to find himself back in his body. He placed his hands on the sand, and pushed himself up. He coughed a few times, before sputtering out, "Sorry for the scare... Kurushimi." He got to his knees, and stood up, still a little wobbly. "The quickest way... to get to the forest... where I can catch some food..." He paused, and took a few gasping breaths. "Is through the ocean to Tantari." He pointed out to Parapa's twin sister that was visible in the distance. "Luckily for us...(wheeze) the sun is setting. The desert will be a little cooler by the time we arrive." He motioned to follow. "Up for a swim?" He dove into the water, and began propelling himself across the ocean. He felt a little rejuvenated, fresh water coursing through his gills and skin. Just hang on a little longer... He kept thinking to himself. Just stay alive a little longer...


OOC: And I'll be posting the next topic at Tantari Cafe, It should be up soon. Thanks for participating. This story should be interesting.