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Zelinktines 2023
Stats:
Published:
2023-02-27
Completed:
2023-02-27
Words:
9,985
Chapters:
2/2
Comments:
23
Kudos:
93
Bookmarks:
22
Hits:
793

Reading Between the Lines (../.-../---/...-/./-.--/---/..-)

Summary:

Such an unusual statement made him curious. They wanted to catch a hot footed frog. How peculiar. A telegraph operator, an adult. He could understand a child or perhaps even a teenager wanting such a thing, but he wanted to know why an adult might want to…
So, without really thinking about it, he began tapping out a response.

Written for Zelinktines 2023 Day 27: Anonymous

Notes:

Well, when I tried the link to the post that inspired this fic, it was dead, so that sucks, and I cannot recollect what it said exactly, but... romance between two telegraph operators was an actual thing that happened. And why not make it Zelink?
UPDATE two and a half years after posting this but shhhhh I happened to run across the post on my tumblr dash and thought I'd share it here. Specifcially the last reblog was the inspiration if you care to check it out.

I tried doing some research for historical accuracy in the later part of the writing process, but none of it helped me understand things any better than what I've picked up from reading books from the time period, so here are the relevant rules that I used for the telegraphs themselves. "Stop" is the end of a line, that I used like a period, and "end" marks the end of a message. Just making sure in case people aren't like me and just keep reading until they figure out themselves.

And thanks of course to my lovely beta, cooking_with_hailstones, for looking over this!

(See the end of the work for more notes.)

Chapter 1

Chapter Text

05/25 11:03 I WONDER IF I COULD CATCH A HOT FOOTED FROG

05/25 11:07 WHAT WOULD YOU DO WITH IT ONCE YOU CAUGHT IT END

05/25 11:14 I WANT TO SEE THE EFFECTS IT HAS WHEN INGESTED END

05/25 11:16 DONT STOP THEY TASTE TERRIBLE END

06/17 15:25 YOU ARE STRANGE FOR EATING FROGS YOU KNOW STOP BUT YOU WERE RIGHT THEY DO TASTE TERRIBLE END

06/17 15:28 I TRIED TO WARN YOU STOP THERE ARE A LOT OF THINGS I WILL EAT BUT FROGS ARE NOT ONE OF THEM END

06/17 15:33 MAYBE I COULD HAVE JUST ASKED YOU WHAT HAPPENED THEN RATHER THAN MAKING THE MISTAKE OF TRYING IT MYSELF STOP WHAT EFFECTS DID IT HAVE ON YOU STOP I WASN’T ABLE TO TELL AT ALL BECAUSE I COULDN’T MANAGE TO STOMACH IT END

06/17 15:36 I FELT… FASTER STOP QUICKER WHICH IS A LOT BECAUSE I WAS A BOY WITH LOTS OF ENERGY TO BEGIN WITH END

06/17 15:38 HOW LONG DID THE EFFECTS LAST END

06/17 15:41 A FEW HOURS STOP I DONT REALLY REMEMBER TOO WELL END

06/17 15:46 YOURE AWFULLY CONCERNED ABOUT SUCH TRIVIAL DETAILS FOR A FROG FANATIC END

06/17 15:48 THATS MS FROG TO YOU THANK YOU VERY MUCH END

06/17 15:49 AND WHO ARE YOU CALLING FROG FANATIC WHEN YOURE THE ONE THAT ACTUALLY ATE A FROG END

06/17 15:51 THATS MR FROG TO YOU THANK YOU VERY MUCH END

06/17 15:53 ONLY IF YOU CALL ME MRS FROG IN RETURN END

06/17 15:56 ALRIGHT MRS FROG END

07/02 08:34 TO MRS FROG YOULL NEVER BELIEVE WHAT HAPPENED TO ME OVER THE WEEKEND END

07/02 08:36 MR FROG DID YOU NEARLY DIE AGAIN END

07/02 08:40 MAYBE

07/02 08:42 MR FROG I

07/02 08:43 UNBELIEVABLE

07/02 08:44 IT IS A MIRACLE FROM THE GODDESS HERSELF THAT YOU ARE ALIVE WITH THE COUNTLESS STORIES OF YOUR RECKLESSNESS

07/02 08:45 END

07/02 08:48 SO DO YOU WANT TO HEAR THE STORY OR NOT END

07/02 08:50 I DONT THINK I SHOULD ENCOURAGE SUCH RECKLESSNESS STOP

07/02 08:52 BUT YES PLEASE TELL ME END

07/02 08:56 SO I FOUND THIS LYNEL

07/02 08:56 WHAT

07/02 08:57 WHILE I WAS ON A HIKE BUT I WAS ACTUALLY TRYING TO BE RESPONSIBLE AND GO BACK INSTEAD OF CONFRONTING ON MY OWN STOP YOU KNOW LIKE YOURE SUPPOSED TO DO STOP NOT THAT I USUALLY DO STOP

07/02 08:59 I CANT BELIEVE YOU NORMALLY WOULDNT STOP BUT WHAT HAPPENED ANYHOW END

07/02 08:59 SHH PLEASE JUST LISTEN SO I WAS LEAVING WHEN I HEARD IT ROAR BECAUSE IT HAD SPOTTED ME ALREADY STOP SO I TURN AROUND AND TAKE OUT MY HUNTING KNIFE AND

07/02 09:00 SEE RECKLESS

07/02 09:00 CHARGED AT IT BEFORE DIVING TO THE SIDE AT THE LAST SECOND SO THAT I COULD JUMP ON ITS BACK STOP BUT OTHER THAN THAT THE LYNEL IS NOW DEAD AND IM NOT TOO HURT FOR IT END

07/02 09:05 MRS FROG ARE YOU STILL THERE OR DID YOU GET ON A REAL TELEGRAM END

07/02 09:07 OH IM STILL HERE IM JUST NOT SURE HOW TO RESPOND TO YOU JUST TELLING ME YOU KILLED A LYNEL WITH ONLY A HUNTING KNIFE STOP

07/02 09:09 I HOPE YOURE ALRIGHT END

07/02 09:12 NO NEED TO WORRY IM AS FIT AS A FIDDLE AS ALWAYS STOP JUST A BRUISED BUTT AND A BRUISED EGO END

07/02 09:15 GOOD STOP GLAD YOURE NOT DEAD STOP I THINK I LIKE YOU TOO MUCH FOR THAT END

07/28 13:19 TO MRS FROG I HAVE A VERY IMPORTANT QUESTION FOR YOU STOP ONE THAT IS MORE IN YOUR AREA OF EXPERTISE THAN MINE END

07/28  13:21 TO MR FROG YOU HAVE CAUGHT MY ATTENTION STOP NOW PLEASE DONT LET ME DIE OF CURIOSITY AND TELL ME END

07/28 13:25 IVE HEARD THAT CERTAIN GEMSTONE ACCESSORIES CAN HAVE EFFECTS TO WARD OFF CERTAIN THINGS STOP IS THAT TRUE END

07/28 13:28 THEY DO HAVE EFFECTS THE SAME WAY EATING CERTAIN PLANTS OR ANIMALS DOES STOP WHY DO YOU ASK ARE YOU TRYING TO DRESS YOURSELF UP PRETTY END

07/28 13:29 I WISH

07/28 13: 32 BUT NO SOME FRIENDS AND I ARE GOING TO GO HIKING IN THE MOUNTAINS THIS WEEKEND AND THEN I SAW THE WEATHER REPORT IN THE NEWSPAPER AND GOT WORRIED ABOUT HOW COLD IT WOULD BE END

07/28 13:35 PLEASE TELL ME YOU HAVE A FULL RUBY SET WITH A CIRCLET NECKLACE BRACELET AND MAYBE EVEN EARRINGS IF YOU’RE DOING SOMETHING THAT CRAZY END

06/28 13:37 I

07/28 13:38 HAVE SOME RUBIES

07/28 13:42 THE CUT OF THE GEMSTONE DRAWS OUT ITS EFFECT FAR BETTER THAN JUST THE GEMSTONE ITSELF STOP THE PROXIMITY TO SKIN HELPS WARD OFF WHATEVER THAT PARTICULAR GEMSTONE DOES WHICH MAKES IT BETTER TO BE IN THE FORM OF JEWELRY STOP THE PROCESS TAKES PRECISION AND TAKES TIME BUT SINCE SUPPLIES ARE ALSO AN ISSUE MOST JEWELRY MERCHANTS THAT SPECIALIZE IN SUCH ACCESSORIES WILL GIVE A DISCOUNT FOR SOMEONE BRINGING IN THE KIND OF GEMSTONE FOR THE TYPE OF ACCESSORIES THEY WANT END

07/28 13:47 THANK YOU

07/28 13:48 DO YOU LIKE JEWELRY THEN END

07/28 13:48 I LIKE KNOWING ABOUT THINGS ESPECIALLY USEFUL THINGS IN GENERAL STOP I CERTAINLY ENJOY MY IMPRACTICAL INDULGENCES THOUGH NOTHING AS EXTREME AS SOME OF THE STORIES YOU TELL ME END

07/28 13:51 WELL I LIKE HEARING YOU TALK ABOUT ALL THE THINGS YOU KNOW STOP AND IF YOU LIKE TO HEAR MY CRAZY STORIES I AM MORE THAN HAPPY TO TELL THEM TO YOU END

07/28 13:53 THE SENTIMENT IS QUITE RECIPROCATED

07/28 13:54 THOUGH I CANNOT HEAR YOU END

07/28 13:57 MAYBE WE’LL HAVE TO CHANGE THAT AND ACTUALLY MEET EACH OTHER END

07/28 14:00 I THINK I WOULD LIKE THAT END

08/18 09:47 TO MR FROG I SIMPLY MUST TELL YOU ABOUT WHAT I LEARNED IN THAT EXPERIMENT I WAS TELLING YOU ABOUT END

08/18 09:52 MR FROG ARE YOU THERE END

08/18 09:54 IM HERE MRS FROG IM HERE

08/18 09:55 ITS JUST BEEN A 

08/18 09:56 ROUGH DAY END

08/18 09:59 OH IM SORRY STOP

08/18 10:00 DO YOU WANT TO TALK ABOUT IT END

08/18 10:05 YES THAT WOULD BE NICE STOP

08/18 10:06 IT ALMOST JUST SEEMS TOO SIMPLE TO SAY STOP

08/18 10:08 BUT ITS BEEN EXACTLY A YEAR SINCE MY MOM DIED END

08/18 10:10 OH

08/18 10:11 AND EVERYTHING SEEMS TO MAKE YOU THINK OF HER AND MAKES YOU MISS HER THAT MUCH MORE DOESNT IT END

08/18 10:13 YES I

08/18 10:15 IT SOUNDS LIKE YOU KNOW WHAT ITS LIKE STOP WORDS CANT REALLY EXPLAIN IT CAN THEY END

08/18 10:18 NO THEY REALLY CANT END

08/18 10:20 WOULD YOU MIND TELLING ME WHAT IT WAS LIKE STOP WHEN YOU LOST A PARENT END

08/18 10:23 I SUPPOSE

08/18 10:24 I WAS A CHILD WHEN MY MOTHER DIED STOP HER BEING GONE HURT FOR A LONG TIME ESPECIALLY SINCE MY FATHER DIDNT KNOW WHAT TO DO WITH ME STOP

08/18 10:27 IT MUST HAVE BEEN A LOT HARDER TO DEAL WITH AS A CHILD END

08/18 10:29 IN SOME WAYS IT WAS STOP BUT IVE HAD A LONG TIME TO GET USED TO IT END

08/18 10:31 DOES IT GET BETTER END

08/18 10:33 YOU THINK ABOUT IT LESS OFTEN END

08/18 10:37 THANKS STOP I FEEL BETTER NOW THAT IVE TALKED ABOUT IT END

08/18 10:39 NOW WHAT WAS IT THAT YOU WERE SAYING ABOUT YOUR EXPERIMENT END

09/08 16:10 TO CENTRAL HYRULE ELECTIONS OFFICE A VOTE FOR URBOSA NABORIS

09/08 16:10 TO CENTRAL HYRULE ELECTIONS OFFICE A VOTE FOR URBOSA NABORIS

09/08 16:11 TO CENTRAL HYRULE ELECTIONS OFFICE A VOTE FOR RUTO ZORANA

09/08 16:12 TO CENTRAL HYRULE ELECTIONS OFFICE A VOTE FOR URBOSA NABORIS

[A BREAK]

09/08 16:16 TO MRS FROG ARE YOU THERE END

09/08 16:18 TO MR FROG YES I AM STOP

09/08 16:19 WE HAVE BEEN BUSY HERE WITH ALL THE VOTES FOR THE UPCOMING ELECTION STOP I CANT WAIT UNTIL ITS OVER SO I CAN TALK WITH YOU AGAIN END

09/08 16:22 SO THATS WHERE YOUVE BEEN STOP I WAS WONDERING IF ID HAVE TO GO FIGHT A DRAGON OR SOMETHING TO FREE YOU FROM WHATEVER HAD BEEN HOLDING YOU CAPTIVE END

09/08 16:23 TO CENTRAL HYRULE ELECTIONS OFFICE A VOTE FOR URBOSA NABORIS

09/13 08:13 TO MR FROG ARE YOU THERE END

09/13 08:18 TO MR FROG ARE YOU THERE END

09/13 08:23 TO MR FROG ARE YOU THERE END

09/13 08:25 MR FROG PLEASE ANSWER END

09/13 09:03 TO MR FROG ARE YOU THERE END

09/13 09:12 TO MR FROG I CAN TALK TO YOU NOW CAN YOU PLEASE ANSWER END

09/13 09:20 MR FROG

09/13 09:34 TO MR FROG ARE YOU THERE END

09/13 09:44 THIS FEELS POINTLESS

09/13 09:53 IF YOURE NOT GOING TO ANSWER ANYWAYS I SUPPOSE THAT I MAY AS WELL SAY WHATEVER I LIKE

09/13 09:56 I THINK IM IN LOVE WITH YOU MR FROG

09/13 09:59 NOT THAT YOULL EVER KNOW NOW

09/13 11:12 TO MR FROG ARE YOU THERE STOP

09/13 11:13 PLEASE TELL ME YOURE THERE PLEASE TELL ME YOU WERE JUST BUSY THE OTHER TIMES I TRIED TALKING TO YOU THIS MORNING AND THAT YOULL TALK NOW

09/13 11:15 I MISS YOU

09/13 11:16 END

09/13 13:09 TO MR FROG ARE YOU THERE END

09/13 13:13 THESE MESSAGES ARE POINTLESS

09/13 13:33 BUT I SUPPOSE I STILL HOPE THAT YOULL RESPOND IF NOT TODAY THEN PERHAPS TOMORROW BECAUSE YOU JUST WERENT THERE

09/13 14:08 TO MR FROG ARE YOU THERE END

09/13 14:18 TO MR FROG ARE YOU THERE END

09/13 14:54 TO MR FROG ARE YOU THERE END

09/13 14:55 MR FROG ARE YOU

09/13 15:37 MR FROG

09/13 16:03 TO MR FROG ARE YOU THERE END

09/13 16:44 TO MR FROG ARE YOU THERE END

09/13 17:13 TO MR FROG ARE YOU THERE END

09/13 18:06 TO MR FROG ARE YOU THERE END

[END OF CORRESPONDENCE]