---:--- Chapter Notes ---:---

Thank you, and welcome to the first chapter of Peritus Psye! Just FYI, the title VERY roughly translates to "To Break the Mind" if that gives any indication of what this story is about.

For the record, this references Ocarina of Time (and some Majora's Mask.) Elements from both the game and the manga (by Akira Himekawa) are present and very important throughout.

This is probably the...oh, 3rd or 4th time that I've reposted this first chapter alone. That being said, I plan to be taking a lot of stock in this story, so any and all polite but constructive criticism is HIGHLY encouraged!

So, please review- not just for my jollies, but for the sake of a well written story. Remember, only you can keep poor grammar of the internet.

.

===----%----===

.

Do you dream?

Of course you do. Everyone dreams. Dreams are what tell us that we are we, with intelligence, emotion, imagination. Everyone dreams.

Where do you go when you dream?

Why, we go to Dreamland, of course! But, despite the simplicity of the ideal we have grown accustomed to, it is somewhat more complicated than that. You see, it's true- Dreamland does exist. But there is a special name for it, as well as a special way to reach it.

We live in the Corpoliae.

That's the physical world. Pinch yourself, and that would be an activity that affirms this. The Corpoliae is everything you can touch, feel, smell, taste, hear, see....in the present time. At this very moment, without the memory attached, what you experience is Corpoliaen embodiment. Your body is the vessel by which Corpoliaen experiences are held- pleasure and pain, sickness and health, life and death in it's most terse and literal definitions. Quite simply, it is. I am. You are. And that's that.

But wait, you say! There's certainly more than that, for I do have emotions and memories, and surely experiences must be built upon for us to gain and keep any experience from them. Well, you are most certainly right. And that is where we touch upon the Mentiae.

The Mentiae is the mental world. That's right, the world in which your mind exists. It's everything you know, you think, you don't think and don't know, and all of the elements of that in between. You may go as far as to say "your own little world," except that it's not your own- it's everyone's.

Yes, the Mentiae is everyone's mindset rolled into one. There is a special phrase to describe this: Universial Consciousness. How you view your world is right on target in the Mentiae, because it is what YOU think and structured by YOUR thoughts. All that is, is born of you...and everyone else as well. But when everyone's world is placed together into one endless realm and allowed to mix together like a poor man's stew, ideas converge and gain power. God, Gods and Goddesses are born, live, grow powerful, become weak, and wither away. Fears are manifested, and desires come to life. What you believe, is- and what you don't, is not. Unless you do. Unless you don't. It is simply a matter of who's opinion you're listening to, and how many of those opinioners feed the opinionee.

I do hope this concept hasn't been lost upon you, as it is a very complex concept. For simplicity's sake, think of it like this: the Corpoliae does not bend to your will whether you like it or not, and the Mentiae bends to yours (and everyone else's) will unyieldingly- whether you like it or not. And then, there's the Somniae.

The Somniae is Dreamland.

In the Somniae, the world is at your fingertips. It is the eternal forum, where you may play and learn as you like without consequence- usually. Here, one can explore himself or herself, express themselves as they please, even see and meet people- essentially, to do whatever is wanted. Of course, few know how to control themselves within, hence they often will land themselves into trouble; but such is the proper way to learn, as few rarely die within this world. On the other hand, for those who maintain their control, the Somniae is indeed a powerful tool- a most sacred realm.

Beyond the Somniae is- well, nothing. Or everything. Quite simply, it is a matter of personal interpretation.

Do you believe in an afterlife?

By afterlife, I don't mean just religion or idealistic. I'm not asking what you believe in, nor am I trying to impose a belief upon you. I simply ask: After one has physically deceased, is there something left that is separate from the body? Energy, a soul, a spirit?

A good majority of everyone agrees, yes, there is. And because of this overwhelming majority, beyond the Somniae lies the Phasmae- the spiritual realm. The world where spirits and souls reside and return from, where angels sing and from where messiahs watch to see if anyone actually listened to what they had to say while they were alive. (Most are slightly disappointed.)

To use a rather narrowed term, this is Heaven.

Now, understand- this world does exist just as well as the previous three discussed. But it is not to say that, if you do not believe in such a place, that your opinion does not count. Indeed, if you do not believe in a heaven or afterlife, then there is no such place as the Phasmae for you, and there remain only the three- plus a blank slate. But as I said before, there is an overwhelming populice of those who believe in a spirit world- a populice which counts those from the past, and will include those in the future. It is this overwhelming population with a share in such a similar belief that give the Phasmae the power to exist as world all on its own. (A power which stems from the Mentiae.)

Why am I telling you all this?

Knowing such can help you- after all, knowledge is power. And such worlds can and do have a tremendous effect upon your life. When did you use a memory to protect yourself? When did you last recall a dream?

A story of a familiar figure proves this moral. For him, it started with a dream or two which he too reigned little control over. From there, a series of events would unfold that would carry him out of his body and lead him further and further out of his mind.

.

===----%----===

.

"......mmmm?"

It felt like he was floating. Where was the ground?

He shifted, and there it was. It was soft, so soft that he could hardly sense it was there. Everything was soft, like the lightest silk upon his skin.

Eyes opened, and he was met with a deep night sky endlessly dotted with points of starlight. Wafts of purple air swirled around him- he was cradled in a cloud, accompanied with a storm of pleasant sensations all over his body. It tickled him intensely in a fashion that brought warmth to his face and further down. Without inspection, he realized he was naked. How could he not be? The muslin of his shirt and hose would never....but that didn't matter. He was stark, bare as the day he was born. But rather than feel shame, he felt liberated. It was wonderful to feel free and comfortable here, especially with little gusts that gave him his newly heightened sensations-

"Link."

He turned his head towards the sound. Simple and sudden as it was, it was also pleasant and inviting and...sultry? So familiar too...the sensations intensified, ever so slightly.

He slowly rolled onto his hands and knees, and loosely pushed himself to his feet. Cloud fingers threaded between his toes and played with the soles of his feet. He stepped forward one, two, three, four; with each step, the air cleared from the path that his foot created, moreso with each step. Upon his fifth step, the air before him cleared and he was confronted by a crouching figure. A pale figure with long, pale hair and a pale presence. The figure lifted its head.

A blank face.

"Hello, Link."

He was confused. Who was this person, or lack thereof? It couldn't be a bad person- not with the communal feelings he felt, or the curls of warmth that rippled in his belly. He ventured, "Would you like me to help you?"

"Yes...yes!" The figure said, with growing feverocity, "Yes, help me! Help me, Link, help me!"

"What," He swallowed, "What do you need help with?"

"Lift me," the figure commanded.

It was all becoming strange, but as something to anticipate rather than suspect- and he was in no position to deny her urging manner. He bent forward and gently slipped his hands under her arms, past her breasts, and pulled her up towards him where he stood.

"Ah-!?"

The woman had placed her hands on his rear.

"What- what are you doing?" Despite the indignation he tried to present, he shuddered with pleasure. From one simple grope came a river of tingles and feelings that he wasn't sure he could hide.

"Link," The woman commanded, "look at me."

He turned his face up. The woman's pale hair, first limp over her face, was flung back to reveal herself. The action was momentous- it turned the white strands into flying rays of gold, eyes bluer than the ocean on the brightest summer's day, lips pink, plump and moist, skin pearly and buxom... he was shocked.

"Zelda?!"

And it was. The princess, in full beauty and glory- and fully naked as well- with her fingers curled around his bottom; sliding around his torso; caressing his neck; teasing his fingers, teasing his nipples, teasing his skin, teasing, teasing...

His body was wracked now. He shivered openly, unable to control himself; the curls of heat in his belly was now a lake of fire; he felt he was in a million tiny pieces, and yet strangely built up with nowhere to release his pressure, and all the while she was teasing, teasing, teasing!

"Ze-ahhh! Wh..what are you-!?" He gasped, unable to speak her name fully but he was full of, so full of, so incredibly full of-

"Touch me."

His heart stopped.

"Link," Zelda persisted coyly, "touch me."

Considering how little control he believed he had left, it was surprising how quickly he was able to bring his shaking hands to her. The feeling of her skin shocked his fingertips- a little intake of her breath left him weak. And then furiously he touched her, with little abandon, cupping and squeezing, venturing his fingers over her skin- his hands were on an unstoppable track, grabbing and pinching and tracing lower and lower and- she gave an elated giggle that set his fingers and mind aflame. Ohhhh.....just knowing she craved it as badly as she did, what that did to him....

He tried to pull away.

It was too much, too much sensation and too much...too much of her. He couldn't do this, not to her- he wanted it so badly, every fiber in his body in yearning for her, but he couldn't...not to her, not to her.

But....but he couldn't pull his hands away! She had her own gravitational pull, a cloud of overpowering lust that simply refused to let him go without having its sweet satisfaction.

He tried, one more time. "Zelda....I...." He panted out. "I cannot...."

Her hands enveloped him.

There were no words. Nothing could stop this now. He couldn't, there was none of that, no stopping this. He was on fire- blazing, prickling past pleasure into a zone of utter surmounting beautiful pressure, this fully a raging desire; He wanted her, he wanted her! He wanted to have her, and to her, and her, just her just to have her and he wanted to take her! All else be damned, he wanted to just take her and have her and to reach this mounting peak, he had grabbed her now and her moans now, he was almost deafened by his heart pounding, he could feel himself now hard and hot for her and hot all over for her and on her and in her and for her and by her and he was going to lose it soon and she would be the cause and say my name, what is my name Link, hot and roaring with pleasure and the fire, oh he was almost there, no control, say it and he was there, he was there he was there say it ohh please Link say it-

"Zelda-a-aaaaa-aaaaAAAAAAAHHH!!!"

==--==

The orgasm ripped through him, throbbing, throbbing.....the sensations slowly died away, buried themselves, leaving him shaking and uncomfortably wet.

Orgasm?

Link was awake now. He sat up, rubbed his eyes and cheeks, and looked around. The room was dark, but ordinary and familiar. His blankets were slightly warmer than usual. The ropes in his bed were loose- he must have thrashed about when dreamed...

Oh Goddesses, the dream. Link felt the shame and embarassment rise from where it had been hidden in his sleep. What kind of perverted mind did he have, to be thinking of his...of such things? He pondered this as he sat up out of bed, cringing at the slimy feeling between his legs, and removed and replaced his white hose. He was still slightly erect, which made him frustrated for being so wrongfully lustful.

He looked out the window. It was very early- there was the tiniest bit of light peeking over the horizon, though the sky was not nearly as brilliantly lit as in his starlit, star-crossed dream.

Link shook his head. No more thoughts of the dream! It was over now, and he'd make sure that it wouldn't happen again.

He returned to bed- no point in being awake til dawn. But he was unable to sleep, hugging his pillow and trying hard to both forget and recall the images he had created in his mind moments ago.

.

===----%----===

.

The day was average. Sunny, but there were clouds overhead. The air smelt of fresh grass and market activity. Cuccoos, cows, and pigs alerted their presence with high pitched calls to each other as they were hearded across the dirt roads. Homes of wood and clay were set about in a random pattern, in the strangest of styles; One would think that each man built his home as a homage to himself and his train of thought. Children played in the streets, men worked overhead and underfoot, and women bartered and bought every kind of good under the sun.

This was Kakariko Village.

Link walked parallel to a wooden cross-fence. One hand flapped against the fence as he dragged it along. His other hand was tucked around a fat blue cuccoo. The cuccoo was clearly disgruntled, clucking under its breath and occasionally kicking out in defiance to being carried in such an undignified manner.

"Oniichan!" A small black-haired boy drove himself into Link's leg and held on for dear adoration. He lifted his round face with a huge smile.

Link laughed. "Aref! How're you this morning?"

"Good!" A grubby hand attempted to console the cuccoo, who responded by pecking out angrily. Said hand quickly retracted.

"How's your mother and sister?"

"Mum's good. Onita too, and prettier than ever." A childish wink caused Link to roll his eyes. It was true that Onita was the belle of the town, but there was no need to emphasize anyone's attractiveness on this particular day. "What're you doing with that cuccoo? Doesn't he belong to Juna?"

Link looked down at the feathered nuisance. "That he does- but he seems to prefer my yard to her's. Considering the size of his family, I don't blame him." Link turned his eyes to Aref. "Have you seen Juna today, kiddo?"

"...Yes..." Aref shifted uncomfortably, "She, uh, got into a fight with the potions master today, and so she never got her usual stuff."

"Uh oh. Doesn't sound like she's the kind that you'd want to hang around right now."

"Ha ha! Nope, sir!" agreed Aref.

Link secured the grumpy cuccoo under his arm. "Either way though, I'm going to have to go give this thing back to her. Tell your mother I give my regards."

"Onita too?" Aref grinned. "I bet she'd love to hear that from you."

"Sure...Onita too." Link sighed.

As soon as Aref had run off, Link continued on his way. As he walked, the active but serene village world played itself out around him. Indeed, it was wonderful- where he had once found peace and solitude within a war-quartered country, was now normalcy for him. And he loved it. It was quinticentially home- there was family, small and large and larger; there were animals, and more animals; there were plants and earth and water that created a moist, delicious atmosphere of plenty, constantly reminding one that there was no fear of lack, and no fear of lavishness- the bait of evil.

It truly was a beautiful place to live- though it naturally couldn't hold up against the Kokiri Forest. There, he had his closest friends- including Saria, who was perhaps more than just a friend to him- and he had the Great Deku Tree, of whom was the closest to a father to him than anyone had ever been. He had been the one to give him guidance and shelter- and discipline (but only whenever Mido was around)- and all the while gave him the ultimate sense of security. Indeed, it was partially this security that had fueled his desire to go and seek adventure outside the limits of the forest. But having done that- helping to secure victory in the War of Time, and fulfilling his destiny as the legendary Hero- having done that, there was no going back to the forest. After all, he wasn't a child anymore, or even a Kokiri for that matter- but a full grown adult, a Hylian warrior, a man.

When peace had returned to Hyrule, he had reemerged as a child again- but a child with an adult's mind, an adult's memory. It was strange, seeing the world at peace again. The world was as though it had never change, though it was also never affected with the evils he had known too well. Very little was different- perhaps the world was slightly more prosperous, a little larger, a little bolder, the people a little more welcoming.

But he knew that he was not a Kokiri, and though he tried to rationalize it in his mind a thousand times, he knew in his heart that he could not return to the forest.

He traveled far, trying to find old friends and strike new fortunes with which to rebuild his life. What's more, he found new friends and invaluable holy treasures worth more than the whole of several countries. But it simply was not what he wanted. He wanted a home, familiar faces- perhaps someone to embrace- but if anything, he wanted the sense of stability that he was never granted.

Hence, Kakariko Village. It was the next best thing to home that he could think of, besides the Kokiri Forest. He had returned as a young man, with a humble modesty unbecoming of a wealthy, famous young hero. Purchasing a small property that included a small house and enough land to grow food, he tried very hard to build a life that mirrored that of all his neighbors.

But it was so, so hard.

He was, as some would call it, "shell shocked." During the day, it was easy to forget that everyone else was comparatively ignorant, having only experienced the war from the perspective of an almost-captive community, and to simply enjoy a pleasant life in a picturesque village. But at night, he had vivid dreams night after night, alternating with horrifying nightmares, each one different, but with reoccuring themes: old faces, old places, monsters and weaponry and magic black and white, colors and sounds that would rock the world of anyone else and was simply all-too-familiar for him.

It happened every night.

Including last night, Link remembered with a shudder. He hoped that he'd at least be able to keep those particular dreams at bay. Not only did he personally think it disrespectful to the princess herself- once a dear friend, and now simply his sovereign; But it was also rather mortifying having to wash his bedclothes repeatedly under spectulation of his neighbors.

Shortly, he found Juna. The redheaded lady in her yard, keeping herself busy with cuccoos. Counting, then recounting them, feeding them corn, counting again and feeding again- her memory was as faulty as her love for the feathered babies was dear.

"I believe this is yours?"

She turned, and her face lit up. "Corjiro!"

Link smiled. "Heh, he was in my yard again. You should keep him in a taller pen Juna," he said, trying to carefully place the squirming mass of blue feathers into the cuccoo pen. The new arrival was greeted with a flurry of feathers, to which Juna instinctively covered her nose and mouth with her hand.

"Right you are! I keep meaning to build a new coop, but because of my allergies, I do tend to procrastinate." Juna smiled widely. "Thank you for bringing Corjiro back. I'd have gone to get him myself, but he gives me terrible allergies."

"Yes, you told me," Link replied, amused.

"He was my brother's cuccoo, you know. That's the reason why his name is Corjiro."

"Yes, I know. You told me that too."

"I did?"

"Yep. It was yesterday, when I brought Corjiro back."

"Oh yes, thank you for doing that, by the way. Isn't he lovely? It's a shame that I can't touch him, cause he's so lovely, but I get terrible allergies when I do."

"Yes, I know."

"Do you know why his name is Corjiro?"

Link quickly changed the subject. "Did you hear that the potions master has a new potion? Supposedly it helps to improve your memory. He claims that the longer he brews it, the more potent it becomes until you may very well be a living tome."

No sooner did Link speak, did he wish he had not. He may very well have steered a glass cart into a stone wall, for all the good the change in topics did.

Juna glowered. "That man," she stated tightly, "is as masterful as a bag of moldy deku nuts. He has been brewing 'new potions' for years, but has yet to be able to prove that a single drop of one actually works. It doesn't matter how long he lets it sit on the flame, I'm certain it won't hold any value at any temperature!"

Link winced. An angry Juna was rare enough, but not one to be trifled with.

"Not a single potion has worked?"

"Well I don't know for sure," Juna admitted, "I haven't actually seen or tasted them myself. But the whole thing seems rather fishy to me. Not like cuccoos, they're as unlike fish as I've ever seen-"

"I guess he would be fishy if he couldn't prove it," Link interjected, steering the conversation again.

For a second Juna froze, and Link wondered if she was about to do something...irrational, for a lack of better wording. But then she laughed out loud, a happy and amused sound. "Everyone around here is a little fishy. You can't really help it; It's just the way things are, here in Kakariko." She gave a snicker. "There's a saying, 'Everyone's ka-cuccoo in Kakariko'."

It was Link's turn to laugh, however apprehensively. Even then, he couldn't help but agree; ever since he moved to the bustling little village, he noticed that so many residents had very blatant personalities. There was the fishy potions master... the loud and egotistical construction master and his slothful men....the aloof, cat loving witch....Dampe, well, as himself....and of course the temperamental but adorable and ever forgetful cuccoo lady, Juna.

"I must say, life is much easier with you around, Link," she said. "I used to have to pay the children a rupee a day to catch my cuccoos, and then sometimes they would forget. Then I would have to pay them again to make sure that they would remember. And then sometimes they'd forget again." She sighed. "It's incredible how thoughtless children can be."

"Yes, well...." Link squirmed. "Thank goodness things changed."

"Hey now, I have the most wonderful idea!" Juna exclaimed suddenly, "You should come work for me!"

Link paused. "...What?"

"What's what?" Juna asked.

"Were you saying something?" Link tried to divert her attention.

"I believe I was saying....yes, saying that you should work for me!" She repeated. Link inwardly groaned. "I'll pay you to round up my cuccoos and bring them back to my yard! It's a perfect deal for both of us: I'll get my cuccoos back, and you'll get the fun and satisfaction of catching them!"

She was so excited at the prospect, Link almost felt guilty for saying no.

Her face fell. "Why not?!"

"I'm very....very busy....yes, and I have to tend to my own...affairs," Link replied carefully. What affairs he meant, he had no idea- and thank goodness, neither did she. "But perhaps you could find another person to do it for you?"

Juna scowled and pouted. She did not appreciate losing out on such a good deal. But just as quickly as she put out her lip did she slowly begin to draw it back into a menacing smile. "You know," she started, "I heard a rumor going around too!"

"Oh? What's that?" Link asked with blind curiosity.

"A rumor of...affairs."

A pause. What was going on now? "Who's affairs?"

"My neighbor, you know him well," was her eager reply. "He seems to be having a secret romance. I heard it last night! I was sleeping, but I stopped as soon as I heard. It was quite the sound to hear, so joyous and freeing..." She paused for effect, "...and so downright wanton!"

Link froze. His stomach turned to ice.

"It was a very familiar name. I should be surprised if no one would recognize it."

No...

"Strange to hear it in one of the shacks around here," she sneered, "I would think it below someone of her stature..."

Oh, hell no...

Juna was savoring this. "What was that name that he so longingly called out into the night?"

No, NO, NO!

"OH yes, I do believe I recall it to be her majesty's namesake Zel-" She was interrupted by a hand clapped desperately over her mouth.

"Juna!" Link hissed. "For the love of Din, be quiet! Please, just shut up!" Link could feel his whole face heat up like a furnace, and in his peripheral vision he could see his face turn red as fire.

Juna pushed Link's hand out of the way. "You can't touch a lady like that! It's rude and improper! Although of course, I'm sure you touched upon a lady much higher than me, in a much ruder manner!" Juna burst into laughter.

Link held his head in his hands. Shame constricted him. It was all over- he had cried out so loudly that people could hear him through several layers of wooden walls. They heard him scream out his passion, knew of his nightly dream-romps. As if knowing he had those dreams at all weren't shameful enough...

Would anyone else tell him? Berate him?

"I must say though, you've some gall to think yourself so entitled to such a property. After all, I believe one must be royally invited to such an event first." She laughed again, almost maniacly. The cuccoo lady was not so adorable anymore.

Did anyone give him a knowing look this morning? Did Aref's wink mean something other than he had interpreted? Who else had heard him? Who else knew?!

"Juna-"

"What?"

"Does...." He gulped. "...Does anyone else....know?"

"I believe I am the only one. No one else who lives in our section has spoken of it, nor did they respond agreeingly when I asked."

Link's eyes widened. "You asked them about it?!" Far be it for someone to hold her tongue!

"Indiscretely!" Juna reassured mockingly. "I simply asked if they heard anything...suspicious in the middle of the night. No one suspects anything of you, although certainly a few people are wondering about wolves hiding over yonder hills. But you're safe." She leaned in with intention. "...For now."

He took a small intake of preparation breath. At least it was only one person, and hopefully no one knew of anything yet. But certainly Juna was not someone he would want knowing details of his embarrassing personal life...though he could perhaps handle having one person know.

Of course... there was another pressing concern.

"Now, are we not we going to discuss payment?"

He stared at her. "Payment?"

"For my silence."

Link blanched. "You're.....you're blackmailing me?!"

Juna giggled. "Well, I'd certainly be a silly fool to let an opportunity like this go to waste!"

Link was livid. "You traitorous-!"

"Excuse me?"

He grit his teeth, but held his tongue. A flare of anger could mean the end of his reputation, a life of hermitry while his windows were pelted and jeers slipped under the door. He didn't want to test her ability to keep a secret, knowing that she was already bursting at the seams to spill the beans.

"I suppose I should be thanking you." She pinched his cheek. "You're quite a treasure trove of useful information."

He sighed. "What do you want?"

"Want?"

"What do I have to do for you," Link clarified, "for you to keep your mouth shut?"

Juna smiled sweetly.

"My cuccoos have flown the coop again..."

.

===----%----===

.

"Lady Impa!"

A young servant ran through the richly guilded halls of the castle. She was the very definition of desperation, with an unladylike sweat upon her knitted brow, and horse-wild eyes. Terror struck a cord with each cry she uttered

"Lady Impa!!!"

"I'm right here." A tall, matronly woman responded to the calls of distress. "Calm yourself. What ails you? Why art thou so out of sorts?"

"My lady, I were cleaning her highness' chamber, and I didn't notice anything at first, but I didn't realize there was something to notice, you see- but I was tidying and went over to the bed and- oh goddesses! What I saw!"

"Calm thyself!" Impa demanded. "What did you see?"

"Lady Impa, it's the princess!" the servant moaned.

Impa started. "What of her?"

"Lady, she's dead! The Princess Zelda is dead!"

.

===----%----===

.