#Everyone Needs a Little Hero

[narrans]

Everyone Needs A Little Hero | Trust Talk

Hero spent the better part of the night stretching, loosening his tight muscles from his long day of work. He managed to visit all of his friends in one day, hoofing it from the first floor to the eight in record time.

Now, thankfully, it was time to rest.

Being a hero was exhausting, but well worth the effort. He loved seeing the smiling faces of the humans he helped. It was heart warming to know so many wonderful, kind people were in the world.

What made Hero more excited, however, was getting his partner in crime back.

Rey had slowly but surely recovered from his injury, enough to climb and maneuver properly, and, finally, the two of them would be off helping people in the building.

Hero wasn’t sure where their adventures and helping work would take them, but he was sure they could do a lot of good for both the Borrower and human community.

He drifted off to sleep with these thoughts fueling his dreams.

The next morning, stiff but smiling, Hero jumped out of bed, stretched, and gathered up his things to head out for the day. The teenage Borrower had barely taken three steps out of his room when he spotted his father sitting grimly at the table. No one was nearby, but his father looked contemplative, like he was mulling over something serious.

With his sixth sense, Casper, Hero’s father, turned his head toward his son and smiled warily.

“Good morning Hero. Where are you off to so early?” he asked, turning in the wire and thread chair to face his son.

“Morning dad. Um… I was just going to see some friends. We were going to go exploring today,” said Hero, wincing internally at his half-truths and lies.

“Is one of those friends Rey per chance?” asked Casper, his blue eyes hardening like cold stone. Hero knew his face gave it away the moment his father nodded in his slow, signature way.

“Well, we… we were going to meet up and explore some of the older passages and unused apartments,” said Hero, panicking and adjusting his bag rather than ring his hands nervously. “Dad, I know you said to be careful with their family, but we’re good friends and…”

“It’s alright,” interrupted Casper. Stunned, Hero waited for his father to follow up – which he did. “I suspected you two would get along from the moment he came through the door and some of the community commented on your work helping others with Rey at your side.”

“You… you did?” asked Hero. His father merely nodded before standing up from his seat.

Oh no! Did he find out about his secret and Ashlynn talking to him? The slumber party? How could he know? Did he know?

“I would like to accompany you to Soren’s home. I have a few… things I want to discuss with him.”

Hero’s jaw nearly hit the ground. He was safe! His father didn’t know about him talking to Ashlynn, and it didn’t seem like he knew about the slumber party with Rey. Hero felt his stomach drop all the same.

Go with him?

Out in the open? Or just to Ashlynn’s home to see Soren?

Hero hoped to talk to Ashlynn again, but it would have to wait.

Without choice, Casper gathered his borrowing bag, hook, and a pin dagger before the two of them set off into the rafters.

Hero wanted to ask his father why he suddenly wanted to talk to Soren. The last time Soren came over was after the attack Rey told him about a few weeks ago. Was this a social call?

No…

Hero didn’t think so at least. There was something heavy in the air around his father that loomed like the air before a heavy rain.

What was wrong?

The teen couldn’t work up the coverage to ask his father before they arrived at the secure line that led down to the kitchen. While Hero knew it was completely safe, he watched as his father skillfully took out his own line and carefully descended it. Hero followed a few moments later and landed beside his father who had already pulled out his secondary line and was crouched by the electrical cover, peering out and listening.

The way his hip lamp illuminated his features made Casper look alert and wary. Casper turned to his middle son and gave him a keen look.

“Hero, do you trust Soren and his family? Do you believe them to be honest Borrowers?” asked Casper. Hero wondered why his father would ask him such a question, but responded without hesitation all the same.

“Yes, I believe they’re honest. I don’t think they’d lie about anything. I mean… they told you about being seen, right?” asked Hero, making sure he didn’t reveal he knew more about Soren’s family experience outside of the walls than what Rey might have told him.

Casper nodded in agreement but said nothing else. With a quick twist of his wrist, then lamp extinguished, and he cracked the cover loose.

Immediately, they heard conversation.

“I’m just worried about you leaving, Soren. I don’t want you to get ambushed on your way to talk to them,” said Ashlynn. The distant voice told Hero that they were in the living room.

Hero strained his ears, but couldn’t hear what Soren was saying though the word “ambushed” was alarming.

“Fine, but you know what I’m going to say,” said Ashlynn, whose voice was softer, but much closer than before.

“Hero, get back,” hissed Casper as he pulled Hero away from the cover a few more forceful steps. “Stay behind me.” With a nod, Hero and his father stepped back ever so slightly and continued to listen. Hero could now hear Ashlynn’s footsteps as she approached the counter.

“Yes, I know what you’ll say. Back in an hour or you’ll worry,” said Soren clearly.

“I’ll worry no matter what,” stated Ashlynn. Tension and worry encompassed every word she spoke.

“Then I’ll be back no matter what,” countered Soren. Hero’s heart jumped into his throat. His legs were shaking. This was the closest he had been to a human he was friends with while his father was standing beside him. His father was obviously nervous at being so close to Soren’s home, his body being taut like a drawn bow string. He watched his father’s reaction as light flooded into the wall.

His father’s face was pale and a single bead of sweat dripped down his temple. Instinctually, Casper pulled Hero behind him and took a few more steps backward away from the light as he pulled out his dagger – as if he expected fingers to reach in and grab him.

A lean shadow stepped through the cover and Soren came into view. The light behind him illuminated his hazel eyes, making them look like they were glowing. Hook and lamp on his hip, he stopped dead in his tracks and reached for his own dagger as he spotted the two forms in the darkness.

Soren’s keen eyes adjusted to the light and recognition gleamed in his eyes.

“Oh,” he said reactively as recognition struck him. Hero saw his father’s eyes dart from Soren to the entrance.

“Soren? Everything okay?” asked Ashlynn. Hero felt his father stiffen as he maintained eye-contact with Soren. Soren shook himself free from his temporary stun and looked back over his shoulder at Ashlynn, who was undoubtedly waiting for him to vanish completely into the wall before walking away.

“No, everything is fine. I’ll be right back,” he said as he stepped through the door and closed the electrical cover behind him, leaving the three of them in the darkness and the warm lamp light on Soren’s hip. After a minute, Hero’s father cleared his throat and lowered his dagger slowly, but did not sheath it.

“Thank you for not revealing us,” said Casper quietly. Soren, also lowering his dagger and, like Casper, not sheathing it.

“Of course. I try not to impose my way of life on anyone,” said Soren. The tension was tangible between them, and Hero had no idea what was going on, but it was obviously not good.

Soren’s body relaxed ever so slightly as he spotted Hero just behind Casper’s broad, imposing shoulders. Relaxing a bit himself, Casper straightened up and spoke up.

“I just came to talk,” explained Casper diplomatically. Hero knew this tone. This was how he got when he was weighing the options and trying to make a decision about something.

“Really? Is that the only reason why you came here? Or is it something else? Something to do with the Borrower rules and keeping to myself as I said I would,” asked Soren. There was something knowing in his voice. Whatever these two were privy to, Hero had no idea. What he did know was that his father was serious about the rules and that this was probably the decision he was mulling over in their kitchen.

“Just a conversation about last night. It’s why I came,” said Casper, voice deep and hollow. “Kap came and told me what happened.”

“And what exactly was that?” spat Soren, his knuckles whitening as they tightened around his dagger.

“That he was borrowing and that Ashlynn attacked him – put him in a jar and threatened to crush him. That he barely escaped with his life and that Ashlynn is dangerous,” stated Casper. Hero had seen Soren worried and apprehensive, a spark of fear and anxiety in his eyes.

Never…

Never had he seen Soren tense and grow angry, face contorting in the lamp light to a defensive rage.

“He said that?” demanded Soren. “And you believed him?” Soren took an aggressive step forward, which made Hero take an involuntary step backward while his father remained an immovable force. Soren, in this light, looked truly scary to Hero for the first time since he had known the Borrower.

“That’s why I’m here – to sort out the truth,” clarified Casper.

“I told you that we would stay back from the community after the last time we were attacked,” said Soren sternly. “We haven’t been back and haven’t put anyone in danger.”

“Kap showed me the bruises, Soren,” said Casper. “And you said Ashlynn would just ignore us Borrowers if she saw us.”

“She would have ignored him, but she was provoked into action. He was attacking Rey and she stepped in to save him. I don’t deny she… went a bit far… but she was protecting my family,” argued Soren.

Casper’s eyes narrowed.

“I assume you have proof of the attack?” asked Casper quietly. Hero watched Soren bristle and, without a word to Casper, opened the electrical cover to his left and stepped out onto the counter.

“Ashlynn!” called Soren. The footsteps, which were retreating, returned hurriedly. Hero watched his dad shudder and once again raise his dagger. Casper immediately pushed Hero back further from the outlet.

“Hero, if something happens to me, you need to run. Understand? You get out of ere and go straight back home to tell the others,” commanded Casper hastily in his instructive tone. Hero, heart in his throat, barely uttered a ‘yes’ before they heard the conversation just outside the walls continue.

“Soren? Is everything okay?” asked Ashlynn.

“Would you get Rey for me please?” asked Soren.

Hero didn’t get it. Were they attacked again? They must have been, right? Bruises. Ambushed. Their mention of the rules and the last attack. Did that mean… was Rey hurt again? From what it sounded like, Ashlynn grabbed someone and put them in a jar; but how could that be?

She was so sweet and caring.

Ashlynn was gentle.

Ashlynn saw Borrowers as people. She wouldn’t just grab someone and try to hurt them.

Ashlynn was one of the good humans.

Right?

In a moment, Soren returned to the walls with Rey by his side. Hero felt his heart sink as he noticed Rey’s split lip and the bruises on his face. Soren indignantly stood beside his brother and deadpan stared Casper. Unlike last time, however, he kept the electrical cover open, leaving the light streaming in through into the walls.

“Rey, how did you get hurt?” asked Soren. Hero watched as Rey’s jaw clenched. The Borrower teen, round face and sandy brown-blonde hair flopping to the side as he self-consciously brushed it to the side to try and hide one of the bruises, took in a calming breath before spotting Hero. He smiled at his friend before Rey responded to his brother.

“I was attacked last night by a Borrower,” said Rey. He maintained eye-contact with Casper, which Hero thought was both bold and telling, before continuing. “I went to get a paperclip from the drawer, and he ambushed me. He was hiding behind the sugar dish over there. He got me in the gut before giving me this.” Rey lifted his shirt o reveal several Borrower fist sized bruises on his torso.

“You didn’t see him?” asked Casper.

“No. I thought we were home alone,” said Rey. Hero took a breath and listened to his friend speak. He couldn’t hear any waver in Rey’s voice.

“And where were you?” Casper asked. Soren, who tensed at the question, took a breath before responding.

“Ashlynn and I went out to the movies on a date. We took all the precautions and no one saw me,” admitted Soren.

Casper bristled as he heard Soren’s admission, but said nothing. As they all continued to stare one another down, Casper trying to determine whether Soren and Rey were being dishonest, everyone jumped when they heard Ashlynn’s voice cut through the tense silence. Like shattering glass, her voice was precise and sharp.

“Soren, are… you talking to someone?” asked Ashlynn. Soren, who hadn’t left the entry to the human world, said nothing. Hero’s heart continued to skip like a stone across water. Obviously, Soren was visibly torn between keeping his word on not revealing the location of any of the Borrowers and responding to Ashlynn truthfully, who seemed to have guessed what was going on in the walls inches from her.

Ashlynn took the initiative and spoke carefully, addressing no one in particular, but speaking all the same.

“Look, I don’t know who you are, but please don’t blame Soren or his brothers. Okay? It was me. I acted rashly, and I’m sorry,” apologized Ashlynn.

This act of simply addressing him, Casper, even though he was completely hidden, made him shiver. Hero peered around his father’s shoulder to watch Soren and Rey. What was Soren going to do?

Casper, unmoving, simply listened as Ashlynn continued to speak.

“I get it. I’m a terrifying human and I shouldn’t have even considered using my size as an advantage. I shouldn’t have grabbed that Borrower, but let me ask you something. What would you be willing to do to protect your family? What would you do if it was happening in front of you? Anything? Right? You would do anything to keep them safe.”

At this, Casper turned his eyes to the light of the entrance by the electrical cover. There was an extraordinarily long pause before Ashlynn spoke again.

“I am not your enemy. I don’t want to hurt anyone. I don’t want anyone to get in trouble. I am not looking to capture anyone or turn them into pets or sick stuff like that,” Ashlynn stated. “I am not your enemy, but you can’t tell me that you wouldn’t do the same thing if you were in my shoes. I will do anything to keep them safe – any of you safe – unless you try and hurt them. Please, don’t hold this over them.”

Another agonizing silence settled in the air before Soren spoke.

“I was just about to come and talk to you about the incident,” said Soren softly. “I don’t know what else we can do. We removed ourselves from the community. We’ve stayed on our own with Ashlynn. Still, they – Kap being one of them – came after us.”

“There’s nothing you can do,” said Casper. Soren exhaled a pent up sigh of frustration and opened his mouth to speak when Casper continued. “But there’s something I can do, if you want. Your secret about your… affiliation… with the hu-… Ashlynn… will get out, but it may protect you and your family.”

Hero knew immediately what his father was suggesting – and it was the harshest punishment the community could perform.

“What?” asked Soren suspiciously.

“Banishment,” stated Casper. Soren looked stunned at the word. “I believe I know who the others are, and I can tell them to leave or never bother you again. It doesn’t guarantee your safety, but it will show a stance on the matter. Borrowers attacking Borrowers is unacceptable, regardless of circumstance.”

“Banishment seems harsh, but it’s probably the safest thing for our family. Tell them to leave us alone or else. That’s all I ask,” said Soren.

“Very well,” stated Casper in return. “Now, if I’m not mistaken, Hero and Rey have some exploring to do.”

Hero felt his stomach drop into his shoes as his heart simultaneously throbbed in his throat. Would Rey say something? Hero prayed he wouldn’t and, to his relief, Rey simply tensed and nodded.

“Um… yeah… let me grab my things,” said Rey, spotting the look on Hero’s features. As he left, Soren addressed Casper once again.

“So, you believe me?” asked Soren. Casper merely nodded, obviously tense. As a sign of good faith, he sheathed his dagger.

“I can hear it in all of your voices,” he said. “And, from what I’ve seen while observing your family.”

Soren nodded, sheathed his own dagger, and stepped forward to shake Casper’s hand, which he took after a moment’s pause to make sure no looming and curious fingers would peek through the opened electrical cover.

Once Rey returned and stepped up to Hero, Soren uttered the same words as Ashlynn did not too long before.

“One hour, okay? Then you need to be back,” said Soren.

Rey nodded and stood beside his friend as he climbed, Casper ascending the line last. They waited until Casper was out of earshot before speaking freely. Having the first moment alone, Hero muttered a hushed thanks to Rey.

“No problem. Sorry about all that,” Rey muttered. “That was intense.”

“I know. Dad has only banished a few Borrowers, and that was because they were seen and tried to keep it from the community,” said Hero. “And thanks for playing along. I wanted to come on my own, but dad insisted.”

“It’s okay,” Rey replied. “It’s nice to get out from time to time. I do have to be back in an hour though, so what are we exploring?”

“New apartments and maybe some new humans to help,” said Hero. Rey gave him a long stare before Hero continued explaining. “Don’t worry! I remember the rules. No talking.”

Satisfied, the two boys headed off to the new apartments to observe and evaluate, but Hero had another secret objective.

Her knew humans could be dangerous, but was more determined now than ever to prove it to himself. It felt like his belief was shaken at hearing that Ashlynn had turned so quickly from a gentle giant to a tyrannical terror. Ashlynn acted in defense for her family. She would never hurt Soren or Rey or Dorian or Mayzie, and Hero knew the same was true for other humans.

At least, he thought he knew….

~~~~~^*^*^*^*^~~~~~

Continue

Previous

Beginning

Prompt

ASK ME ANYTHING

[magicpiano]

AU where the justice league finds out that Captain Marvel is homeless. Not Billy, they still have no idea about the captain's secret identity, but the Captain.

Maybe they were discussing a case or something, and he says something that is just a little too knowledgeable. Something only someone who has been there would know. He tries to backtrack when he realizes that he said too much, tries to explain that getting a job and an apartment is hard when you do hero work which doesn't pay (and hopes they don't find out the real reason he can't get a job is because no one will hire a kid).

The league comes to the conclusion the reason he is so secretive about his identity is because he is ashamed he is homeless. Naturally, everyone immediately feels super bad about this and tries to help him much to his dismay.

Identity shenanigans ensue.

[poorly-drawn-mdzs]

Flower Empowered.

[First] Prev <–-> Next

[froggydraws]

Ballad of the fox

[tagarilaghost]

I SWEAR CELEBI'S THINGY IS COMING SOON BUT I REALLY WANTED TO POST THIS ALRIGHT

yeaah... future trio got me too...

and Darkrai is there too, because of course he is.

hey look i drew a cute Drifloon :D

...ignore the rest

whatever started at Darkrai doodles ended in brainrot of future trio + darkrai and I'm blaming @scribz-ag24 for this

[turtleplushi]

Kirbtober Day 2: Revenge

This is so sketchy but I had a vision and started drawing as quickly as possible when I realized I hadn't drawn anything for Kirbtober yet. My hands hurt

[valewritessss]

I’ve seen someone say that Sally was selfish and inconsiderate for telling Percy they need his room for Estelle???

[doodlejoltik]

my favourite writing device is having an un-Rei-liable narrator

[weebsinstash]

Sigh but like ok, ATSV spoilers but, that scene where Miguel is chokeslammimg and saying all that awful mean shit, which is kinda justified because from his perspective what Miles wants to do could, as far as he knows, destroy an entire universe. Well I'm such a sucker for "ok you burned me and betrayed me and now that you want my help or forgiveness, you don't get it" as a trope, so

imagine Reader being in a similar situation and of course Miguel is even starting to kind of catch feelings. You get introduced to him and the society and everything is hunky dory for a few months but, the Bad Thing Happening now has to happen to you, and, you feel hurt, you feel betrayed, you feel like all semblance of choice has been ripped away from you. Wait, you mean this super cool but massive responsibility that took you from a zero to hero... was never supposed to happen to you? You're a mistake? Like imagine you're actually doing an amazing job at being a hero and then running away from the Society, an above average gifted spider, maybe even potentially a mutant, but Miguel pins you down and says those things to you to try and get you to stop and it. Breaks you. Suddenly nothing you have ever done has ever even mattered. Wait, so they preach this horrible thing about to happen to you, that you're forcing you to not stop, THAT'S preordained, but you becoming a hero, you trying to make something of yourself, THAT'S a huge fuck up, a mistake, not supposed to happen? You don't BELONG there?

Miguel eventually comes to your cell and tries to speak to you, but you're just quietly crying and refuse to look at him. You won't talk to Peter or Gwen or anyone else, and they can't even get you to eat until you're practically vomiting from hunger and even then, it's just small, untrusting bites. They try to apologize and cheer you up but you reject any and all forms of communication and especially touch, if any of them tries to hug you, you shove them back, suddenly furious like you're about to throw punches.

You break down sobbing when you're told The Bad Thing happened, and you're asking, can you go home now? You look right at Miguel, look right in his eyes, "so you guys are going to leave me alone now, right? I get to go home and never see any of you ever again?"

That's... not quite what they wanted? You're a talented hero, just a little green! Just because you're kind of, an anomaly, doesn't mean they hate you! This wasn't personal! They realize a little too late that this didn't "forge you in the fires of adversity" or some poetic shit like that, it RUINED YOU. You hate them, you hate yourself, you hate ever donning this costume and risking your life for others only to be told it was all a mistake. You did this because you thought you were making a choice, but how is this any different than being some kind of slave, expected to burn yourself out and suffer for others?

But unlucky for you, there's some canon events Miguel will need your help with in the future, and if that means he has to atone by sticking to you like glue and forcing you to accept his mentorship as he basically drags you around forcing you to be Spiderman, then that's just what he's going to have to do. And if you turn out to be some kind of special mutant or other such creature that isn't affected by canon or shifting dimensions like they are, then, clearly there's no consequence if he wants to scoop you up for himself, right? And that will just be another reason he can have the Spider Society hunt you down with him if you ever escape his clutches

But also imagine you were destined to do something like lowkey amazing like cure cancer or develop groundbreaking tech or become one of the greatest spiders who ever lived and they check back in on you and you've like. Sold a vial of your blood to Osborne or something and you get royalties from whatever drugs he uses it for and you're just. Living a millionaire lifestyle refusing to care about anyone ever again and dont even own your spider costume anymore. Just the punishment and pain and manipulation of them realizing that they should've done things differently and they might have doomed your world in a different way altogether but also feeling guilt because they changed who you were, they don't have that person that was their friend anymore, you look at them with either hatred or indifference and just want to be left alone, and Miguel decides, ok, fixing you all up nice and better is going to become a little passion project of his

[skyloftian-nutcase]

Breath of the Sky Ch 14 (SS meets BotW)

Summary: When Princess Zelda goes to the Spring of Courage to pray, accompanied by her appointed knight, a giant magical cog spitting out a goddess is the last thing she expects, but it is what she gets. Meanwhile, the Spirit Maiden Zelda is trying to figure out what the heck is happening and where her missing chosen hero is.

AO3 link

Chapter 14: A Set Path

The sunlight was being hidden away by the clouds, reminding him strikingly of his days on the Surface a few months ago. It was still warm, almost too warm, but he shivered nonetheless.

Link and Zelda had been given some privacy as they’d walked away from the picnic site, instead standing on a hill overlooking a good portion of the field. In the distance there were many structures, some stone and some wood, some with people and some with strange animals.

“I didn’t think we’d be stuck doing this again,” Link finally commented, feeling Zelda’s fingers interlace with his own.

Zelda sighed solemnly, staring out at the vastness of the land alongside him. “I… didn’t either.”

There was no going home at this point. They both knew it.

“You sure this wasn’t part of your plan?” he asked, glancing at her. Given his earlier accusation, he felt like dirt even asking, but he had to at least have something to cling to.

“I wish it was,” Zelda muttered bitterly. “At least then I’d know what to do.”

Link felt… hopelessly lost. The words of assurance from the captain echoed in his mind, but what good were those assurances when Hylia’s own plan fell through?

Well. It wasn’t like Hylia had been perfect, he thought with maybe a touch too much resentment. He squeezed Zelda’s hand all the more, trying to push that out of his mind. As much as he tried to separate the two, there was no separating them. As much as Zelda insisted she was still the person he knew, that didn’t change the fact that her past was intermingled with something far beyond his comprehension.

That didn’t mean she still hadn’t used him.

What difference does that make? It was for a good reason.

A reason which had failed. But he knew that was his own doing, not Hylia’s.

Link’s gaze drifted back towards the stone pillars, towards the area in the center of the field where the other two sat. His successor and his descendant. The pair were eating quietly, one more eagerly than the other, but both seemed to occasionally remember Link and Zelda were there and would glance in their direction.

He supposed there was no avoiding them now. Not that he minded being near Zellie all that much, but goddesses above sometimes it was just too much hearing about all of it. As for his successor…

“Link, I…” Zelda started to say, her words lost in the wind for a moment. Link looked back at her, heart clenching at the torn look on her face. “I’m sorry. For all of this.”

“Don’t apologize,” he immediately replied. “This isn’t your fault, it’s mine.”

“But it all started with me,” Zelda noted quietly. “It all started with Hylia.”

Link bit his lip. He’d be a hypocrite to argue against her at this point, at least after all he’d said earlier. Goddesses he wished he’d kept silent. He tried a different tactic. “Whoever started it, I’m the one who—”

“Oh, just stop,” Zelda cut in tiredly, releasing his hand and hugging herself. “Please, just—I just—”

“I just wish it wasn’t like this,” Link finished for her, slowly wrapping his arms around her and letting her melt into the reassuring embrace.

They were in the future. The future. They were beholding the fruits of their efforts. Why couldn’t this just be a happy occasion? At least for Zelda – for Link it would’ve been beyond his comprehension, really, overwhelming and amazing and wild and wonderful, but… anything would’ve been better than this sinking realization.

It’s over. It’s finally over.

Zelda’s words, mixed with tears and choking on relief and joy, echoed in his mind. They’d thought it was over.

“What are we going to do?” he asked her.

Zelda shuddered in his hold, burying her face in his chest. “I don’t know. They… they don’t even know if the Triforce still exists.”

Link blanched, pulling away. “What? That was the entire crux of our plan!”

“I know,” Zelda cried. “I know! I don’t understand how—what—they said something about beasts, about those guardian things and the sword—”

“Fi? How’s Fi going to fix this?” Link asked. “Can she—is she even awake? Can she talk?”

He didn’t think she could, honestly – not based on her reaction when he’d held her at the festival. She’d sung, yes, but he should’ve heard her voice. Fi had said she’d go into an eternal slumber for the sole purpose of keeping Demise sealed away.

Maybe that was where they could start, then. Maybe something had happened to Fi.

“We need to talk to them,” Link said firmly, looking back at the pair again. His resolve faltered at the thought of speaking to his successor, as he didn’t really even deserve to, but Zelda’s tears motivated him well enough. If his beloved was floundering, he’d find a solution, because he would never leave her in such a helpless state.

Link’s resolve faded the closer they got to the pair, but it was too late by then. Zellie and the new Hero noticed their approach, watching them. As Link’s steps faltered from shame over his failure, Zelda took the lead, guiding him forward with a gentle hand. When the pair sat across from the other two, the Hero carefully pushed food towards Link.

Everyone stared at each other awkwardly.

“So,” Zelda said, finally taking the lead. “You mentioned guardians and divine beasts would help you fight De—Calamity Ganon. And then… you two would fight him? Right?”

Zellie looked at her Hero and then back at Zelda before nodding.

Link opened his mouth to ask about Fi and then found his voice not cooperating. He looked down, hands balling up his tunic and releasing it in anxious movements.

“And you need help with your powers,” Zelda continued.

The princess visibly wilted, looking down.

Link blinked. “What powers?”

Zellie and the new Hero’s eyes immediately went to him, widened as if he’d spoken some kind of heresy.

“I think she’s supposed to have the magic to seal him away,” Zelda answered hesitantly. “That’s what I’ve gathered, at least?”

The pair switched their horrified gazes to Zelda now. Well… at least Link wasn’t melting under their stares anymore. But why the faces?

“You—you think?” Zellie repeated. “But I—my prayers—”

“Look,” Zelda interrupted. “Let’s get this straight. Whatever prayers you’re saying, or anyone is saying—I’m not hearing them. I’m not—I don’t have that kind of power, to read people’s minds and stuff. And—and whoever you’re praying to, you’re doing it in this era, you know? I’m—we’re from the past.”

“W-well, yes,” Zellie acknowledged a little uncomfortably. But it seemed curiosity got the better of her, her eyes shining. “But—how—what is it like, where you are? Can you sense—I mean, you got here somehow, and—”

“I got here because of Link,” Zelda interrupted before hastily adding, “B-but obviously we were destined to be here, too. I mean—what else are the odds that we learn of the demon king’s survival just as you’re preparing for him? But I—this wasn’t my planning. I don’t know what’s happening. We’re trying to piece it together.”

Link’s gaze drifted towards the Master Sword, and he found himself making eye contact with the Hero wielding it. He quickly looked back at Zellie, who seemed simultaneously worried and fascinated.

“All my life, I’ve… I’ve had to try and teach myself this power,” Zellie said softly, her expression growing despairing, frustrated, before she looked hopefully at Zelda. “If you can… if Your Grace would be so kind as to help me… I…”

“I already promised you I would,” Zelda assured her with a smile. “Knight’s honor.”

Zellie blinked. “Knight’s… honor?”

“Oh. Sorry. Expression,” Zelda chuckled nervously, rubbing her hands together.

“Zelda’s a knight,” Link immediately said. “Not a goddess.”

Well. She was his goddess, but that was beside the point. The point was he knew how much this Your Grace nonsense was bothering her. He’d seen her tolerate it fine with Impa, but that was during her rediscovery of her past. She’d been trying to reconcile it since then, and Farore knew this wasn’t helping.

Zelda sighed at the bemused expressions they were receiving. “I… I am the goddess Hylia reborn. But I… look. I’m just… I was born a human like everyone else. I can barely remember my life as Hylia. I…”

“Why?” the princess asked before catching herself.

Zelda quickly waved off her apology that she was about to splutter. “Because I—Hylia, I mean—was killed. I—Hylia sacrificed herself to seal the calamity away until I could come back to defeat him with Link.”

Here she paused, looking at Link, eyes alight with love, face glowing with pride. Despite his own guilt and shame, Link couldn’t help melting a little at the gaze, smiling at her in return.

“Fascinating,” Zellie whispered.

Zelda and Link lost the girl’s wonder in their own attention to each other before his beloved finally smiled back at the other two. “If we’re going to figure out how to stop the demon king, we’ll need to see everything involved in this plan of yours. And as for your powers… my memories were awakened at the sacred springs. Maybe we could start there?”

It was interesting watching the princess’ reactions to Zelda’s words. She was delighted at first, and ashamed at the end. Clearly, her powers were a point of contention for her.

Link could sympathize. Goddess… he hoped she didn’t feel as he did, but he had a sinking suspicion that was indeed the case. How could she possibly feel such a way? It wasn’t as if her lack of abilities had caused harm yet, right? It couldn’t be any more catastrophic than his own failures – despite the obvious one, he’d also nearly let Zelda die at the hands of Ghirahim. Were it not for Impa in the Earth Temple, all would have been lost due to Link’s ineptitude.

And in the end, what difference did it make?

Link shook his head, squeezing his eyes shut. Stop. This isn’t helping.

He looked ahead again and saw the knight staring at him. Abruptly, he felt his cheeks flush and he looked down at his uneaten food. He hesitantly pushed it back towards the knight.

The pair stared at each other again before their gaze drifted to the plate. The knight hesitantly took the food back, eating it.

“Well, if you want to see guardians, I can show you some at the castle,” Zellie said eagerly, rising to her feet. “But the divine beasts reside in their champions’ domains. I can arrange for all of us to travel across Hyrule! It will—we can stop at the springs as well, but—you’ll see all that we have built, all we have prepared for the coming calamity.”

Link and Zelda looked at each other, surprised, before looking back at the princess. “There’s… more to Hyrule?”

Zellie practically glowed with pride. “Why yes, of course! Come, we must hurry, I’ll prepare everything!”

Well… at least they had a plan. Link rose at the same time as the knight, and the two nearly bumped shoulders, making Link stumbled towards Zelda. He was pretty certain he’d fumbled enough conversations today, so perhaps he’d save asking about Fi for later. But as the four walked, it was immediately apparent he was stuck lingering with his successor while Zellie babbled excitedly in the front of the group, nearly holding Zelda hostage with her conversation. Link found that he couldn’t help but stare at the blade, aching for its warmth, for Fi’s voice to echo in his mind and heart.

He felt so incredibly alone seeing her on someone else’s back.

Zelda stopped abruptly. “Oh! I almost forgot. We have to have nicknames, or this is going to get way too confusing. We have a few already – Dove, you’ll go by Cloud, and he’ll go by Champion. Now we just need to figure out me and the princess.”

Cloud? Link tilted his head to the side, raising an eyebrow at his wife, curious where that nickname had come from. He’d accept it, of course… did this have to do with the cloud barrier? Skyloft? Or was it a joke based on that story at the festival?

He felt a smile pull at his lips. As much as he’d shot down the ideas the princess had brought up about his existence, it was beginning to grow on him. He could at least garner some entertainment from the absolute ignorance surrounding his identity. Besides, he’d promised himself he’d buy into it the next time someone brought it up. It was too funny not to.

Helpfully, he added, “The princess said she’s okay with going by Zellie.”

The knight, Champion, stared at the princess a moment, and though his face was placid as ever, Link could sense some kind of underlying question hidden in it.

“I guess that just leaves me,” Zelda muttered thoughtfully.

“Your Grace… wants a nickname?” Zellie questioned.

“Of course I do!” Zelda answered sincerely. “I mean… we’re going to be friends! I don’t want you addressing me like some distant deity and the like. I may be the spirit maiden, but… I want us to be friends. This isn’t… this isn’t my…”

Zelda faltered, stumbling on words and thoughts, and Link watched her reluctantly. He wasn’t exactly eager to back her up in this instance – she’d spent their entire venture discovering her identity as someone else, and she had been struggling to retain her own self as Zelda since then. He wasn’t going to encourage her taking on a new persona, even if it was just a nickname.

“We’ll figure it out,” he finally cut in quietly just to move the conversation away from it.

Zelda sighed, shrugging, and the princess continued to lead them back to the castle. Link kept up this time, though, so as to avoid looking at Fi any longer. It seemed Champion always remained two steps behind his princess, anyway.

Noticing how the Champion lagged behind, Zelda smiled welcomingly and fell back so she could be in step with him, leaving Zellie and Link in the front. As Link looked around, he found other things to focus on. Like how distinctly open and alive this place felt while simultaneously… lacking something. The more he stared at the world around him, the strangely more apparent it became, and he wasn’t sure why he’d only just noticed it now, or what it meant.

This land of Hyrule was beautiful and vast, stunning beyond all comprehension. But the Surface that Link knew was brimming with something else in the air, the very fabric of the life woven through the land was teeming with magic and energy. Here, it simply… wasn’t. He wasn’t sure what to make of that. It felt like something had been lost while so much had been gained, and it suddenly made him pause. Perhaps this was what was lost when there was no trace of the Triforce, no guidance from Fi, with magic steadily draining from this land.

Link felt all the lonelier for it.

“Hero? Um… C-Cloud?”

Cloud? Oh, yes. That was him. Link looked somewhat reluctantly at the princess, waiting for her to continue. They’d talked so easily earlier, but he’d left that conversation rather abruptly. He hoped he hadn’t seemed too rude. Not that his conversation with Zelda had gone any better, though at least…

Wait. Wait. Had those two… had they been there? If that captain had heard his argument…

Oh goddess.

Despite his own feelings on the matter, the princess’ eyes showed only pity. That solidified his dreaded suspicion, though it simultaneously confused him – given how horribly he’d talked to Zelda, he’d expect disgust or disdain, not whatever it was Zellie was currently conveying.

Despite seeming to be practically overflowing with words to say, the princess faltered in her approach. Instead, she looked down at her clasped hands, wringing them nervously. Link wished he could say something instead, wished that he could maybe figure out if she truly did feel like she was failing because of whatever issue she was having with her powers, but… he could hardly hold on to any kind of assurances for himself; there was little way he could find a way to comfort her.

But Link hated to see her like this. He hated to see anyone he cared about hurting. And by the goddesses, he could see Zelda in every feature of this girl, in her blonde hair, in her intelligent eyes, in her love and pride in her people.

And he could see himself. He could see his sensitivity in her, he could see how the responsibility on her shoulders was crushing her just as his journey had crushed him.

Instinctively, Link reached out, letting his hand rest on her shoulder. Zellie jumped a little, startled, and looked back at him as he smiled at her. Perhaps he didn’t have the words to cheer her up at the moment, but he could at least offer support in other ways.

Zellie let out a soft sigh and smiled. “I can’t wait for you to see Hyrule.”

The words settled in Link’s heart, and he smiled in return. Despite his catastrophic failure, this land had not only survived but grown far beyond his ability to even fathom. And that… that had to mean something, didn’t it? If time and time again Demise had tried to destroy the land, and it had still somehow managed to turn into this, then…

Then maybe it wasn’t such a failure, after all.

XXX

The beauty of the castle gardens was terrifyingly diminished with the howls of anguish and anger coming from the royal horticulturalist as Mipha awkwardly sidled away from the newly tainted silent princess flower bed. She had escorted the Hero of Myth to the others before excusing herself, as she was not at all capable or important enough to be near a goddess, and had sought peace near the fountains in the castle grounds. Given the drama unfolding with other royal attendants trying to calm the woman, Mipha decided it was best to patrol the area.

Seeing Hyrule Castle was always an incredible sight, but the longer she lingered here, the more she ached for home. She missed her baby brother Sidon, she missed her father, she missed the flowing rivers and waterfalls, the diving places and beautiful scenery and mountains. Zora’s Domain was a sprawling city in its own right, but it somehow was far more homely than Castle Town, and it was less stifling than the royal halls. Perhaps it was the open architecture of her home, or perhaps it was the looming responsibility that hung heavily in the air here, a constant reminder of an evil that was coming.

It was no wonder Link had grown to be so quiet and stressed. Mipha would too if she were constantly living here.

The Zora princess leaned against a stone wall, hiding in the shade so she could enjoy the cool a little bit. She would be returning to the Domain tomorrow with her entourage, which was a relief. She would miss Link, but… well… duty came first. For all of them.

Her heart a little heavier, she tried to cheer herself up by finding her guards and attendants, when she instead nearly walked into the path of the goddess Hylia herself, and Mipha bit back a startled yelp as she dove for the nearest bush to hide in. She landed highly unceremoniously, feet in the air as she was caught in branches, hissing as twigs rubbed against her scales, though thankfully they could not cut through them. Mipha wiggled helplessly, at least tucking her feet in as best she could, before she heard gravel crunch and footsteps stop in front of her newfound prison.

When silence prevailed, Mipha turned her gaze as best she could, catching sight of familiar boots. She hesitantly whispered, “L-Link?”

Hands rested around her waist, making her heart speed up far more than it really should have (and oh why did that have to be the case, when they used to be able to laugh and play and push each other and fight as children and never was it so strange or awkward or different), and she was gently lifted out of the bush and placed on the ground. Link’s hold stayed on her as he stared at her, face calm but eyes soft, one cheek sucked in like he was trying desperately not to laugh. Mipha’s eyes looked frantically around them, and she was relieved to see that the rest of the party must have moved forward without him.

“O-oh, I’m—that was so incredibly—I’m very sorry, Link,” Mipha stammered, growing ever more frantic the longer the two of them stood so close to each other. Link’s hands slid off her waist at that, and he took a step back. Mipha cleared her throat and also mirrored the move, giving both of them more breathing room. “W-well. I. Yes. Thank you.”

Link watched her for a while longer, all earlier frazzled energy long gone. He was back to the stoic knight he always seemed to be, or at least most of the time. His eyes caught sight of something, and he reached forward to pluck a leaf out of her jewelry on her head.

Mipha felt herself blush in embarrassment at the reminder of her silly maneuver and even sillier predicament, and she ran her fingers across all her jewelry to ensure she was presentable. Trying to push the matter aside, she asked, “D-did… did everything go well with the goddess?”

Her friend nodded.

“Well, that’s good,” Mipha said with a smile. Then she shifted a little, heart growing heavy once more. “Link, I… I’m going to be leaving tomorrow. I… it was truly wonderful to see you again. I hope, perhaps, we can see each other again soon.”

Another nod was the acknowledgement. Mipha bit back a sigh. She understood, truly. But… well…

There was a way for him to ease up a little. But he had to agree to it.

“I was wondering… before I left… if—if, well…” oh goodness, this shouldn’t be so hard to ask! They used to swim together all the time! “I was going to go for a swim in the moat tonight. Would… would you like to join me?”

Link watched her a moment, and Mipha felt like she could melt into a puddle as he deliberated it. But then he nodded again, and her heart fluttered as a genuine smile pulled at her lips. She gave him a place where they could meet up, and he nodded, continuing along the path where the others had gone.

XXX

To say that he felt sure of anything in his life anymore was little more than a joke. Ever since his wife’s death and the prophecy, King Rhoam had felt like his life had spiraled entirely out of control. He had been an outsider to the royals, marrying into the family, purely there for support of his wife as she ruled the kingdom and served as a religious symbol and leader to their people. Yet her untimely death left him in charge, a man who had not been raised for such a rule, a man who had to do everything in his power to be the steady leader the people looked up to him to be, and to somehow raise his daughter to be just as wise and powerful as her mother.

He was failing, of course. As was Zelda. But Rhoam had continued to persevere, and if pushing his daughter to the breaking point was the way to protect her and help her grow, he’d be the subject of her ire. Despite it all, she had to prevail, even if he was failing.

But by the ancient goddesses, he had never in his life felt so utterly useless and lost. The franticness and demands that Her Grace Hylia had spouted during their conversation rang in his mind like a bell. Words of a mystical Triforce, something that was only remembered through symbolism and threadbare stories, made him feel far more incapable than he thought possible. How could he have failed Hyrule so? The prophecy had spoken of the solution to the Calamity being found under the ground, and the ancient Sheikah tech had been discovered buried in the earth. It had seemed heaven-sent solution, alongside the appearance of the Hero. Rhoam had just needed to get Zelda ready and it would have been fine. But what of the Triforce, then? The goddess seemed downright frantic at his lack of knowledge on the matter, and though she had promised to help Zelda, giving him hope, he still felt like he’d failed catastrophically.

He had to figure this out. A trip to the royal library was in order. To his surprise, the king found his daughter there as well. “Zelda?”

His dearest yelped as she whirled around. “Father! I was just doing some research and preparation. Her Grace, the goddess Hylia, and her Sacred Hero will be accompanying me as I show them the Divine Beasts and—”

The Divine Beasts?! What did that have to do with her training? Feeling his cheeks grow hot, the king interrupted, “You should be focusing on your duty, Zelda, not that of the Champions. Do not waste such prestigious guests’ time. I prayed to Her Grace for your sake.”

Zelda stiffened. “Y-yes, I—I know, Father, I just—they wanted to see them too.”

Oh. Well, then. The king found himself incapable of backtracking after snapping at her, and he felt all the worse for it. “When will you leave?”

“The sooner the better,” his daughter answered, regaining some of her excitement, though it was far more muted. Rhoam truly prayed that Hylia could help his child – the sooner she could discover her powers, the sooner she could be safe, the kingdom could be safe, and maybe… maybe he could attempt to rebuild his relationship with her. “I was thinking tomorrow, perhaps? But I wanted to plan the trip a little first.”

Rhoam agreed that the sooner his daughter could embark on her training the better, but he also felt his heart beat a little faster at the thought of such a quick departure. It wasn’t just his daughter with her appointed knight, a pair who could travel fairly indiscriminately and not attract too much attention outside of towns and villages. The two were safe together. But to include the goddess and her Hero… it felt nearly inappropriate to rush such a journey with them involved. Perhaps he should get the captain of the royal guard and arrange for some kind of escort?

The king left his daughter in peace to prepare, catching movement out of the corner of his eye, but when he looked there was no one there. Filling with anxious energy, he set out to summon the captain and then he could return to his own studies. Perhaps he should save researching about the Triforce for tomorrow… but no. He had to focus on his own duties as much as he pushed Zelda to focus on hers.

The captain of the royal guard came promptly when called for, and he knelt immediately upon entering the sanctum.

“Rise,” Rhoam ordered. “My daughter will be setting out with her knight tomorrow, and Her Grace, the Goddess Hylia, will be accompanying them alongside the Hero of Myth. I want to ensure their security is of paramount importance.”

Captain Abel watched the king a moment, stoic demeanor the spitting image of his son. The boy had come from a fine lineage of knights, and his father was no different. The captain was reliable, and Rhoam waited patiently as the man thought through the process.

“Your Majesty,” he started. “With all due respect, Princess Zelda and Her Grace Hylia are protected by the best Hylian knight in the land and the Hero of Myth and Legend, a warrior created by the goddess for the sole purpose of defeating Ganon. It would be a misuse of resources to send the royal guard, or even a battalion of knights, to go with them. We must stay here and protect you and the royal scientists, as well as their important work on the guardians.”

Ah, and this was where father differed from son. Link was a silent knight, obeying every command given to him. While his father’s loyalty was unquestionable, the man did what he believed was best for Hyrule, and though he would also inevitably follow any command ordered of him, he might offer a rebuttal first. Rhoam appreciated it, as his advice was usually sound.

Such as now. But the king couldn’t help but worry. “Surely we can afford to send at least a few knights, Captain.”

“I will do as Your Majesty commands if you wish it so,” the captain answered with a bow. “Where will they be going?”

“They will be visiting the Divine Beasts, as well as the sacred springs,” Rhoam replied.

Captain Abel remained quiet a moment, considering, and then suggested, “Perhaps we could request the Champions to accompany them? I can think of no finer protection.”

Ah, yes, of course! Although Rhoam had little authority to command certain Champions to act as guards for his daughter, they would be obliged to accompany Hylia, particularly if going to their own domains. Rhoam smiled at the captain. “That is a perfect idea, Captain. Please, summon the Champions to the sanctum. I will make my request to them.”

The royal knight bowed deeply before exiting the sanctum, leaving Rhoam to his thoughts. With the added protection of the Champions, the goddess would be both safe and honored properly. Perhaps it would help his daughter focus a little better too, as she often lost her way when left in charge of an expedition. Nevertheless, Zelda was the commander of the Champions, and it was good for her to travel a bit more with them anyway. Rhoam prayed it was enough. He would research tirelessly on other ways to help, however minimal it might be.

It would be enough. It had to be.

XXX

The sun hung heavily on the horizon as Link and Zelda sat side by side on stone that helped support the highest tower in the castle. After the fairly awkward picnic lunch, the group had gone their separate ways, Champion disappearing entirely upon reentering the castle grounds while Zellie eagerly said she’d plan out their trip and vanished around a corner. Link and Zelda had remained quiet for most of the afternoon, piecing together their resolve while still drawing strength from each other. They had silently grown tired of the confinement of the stone walls and climbed to the highest point of the castle. The air was a touch chillier here, though not nearly clear and relieving enough, but it was still better than being trapped inside.

And Zelda would be lying if she said it wasn’t beautiful.

The scale of the castle was all the more apparent up here, rivaling Skyloft in size, and Castle Town was nearly as large. Beyond the large protective walls of the town was the sprawling green beauty of greater Hyrule, and settlements speckled the area, promising of more to see and more to explore. Zelda could hardly believe it.

Link’s fingers settled over hers as he shifted his hand closer. Zelda glanced over at him, seeing the sunlight sparkle in his eyes as he gazed out in wonder.

This felt like all the times they’d sit together at the edge of Skyloft, having played themselves into exhaustion and silence. Link had always been a quiet one, and Zelda had never had an issue with it, sometimes enjoying the tenderness such silence could bring. She especially appreciated it on days that Groose was particularly loud and annoying.

But looking at her beloved husband right now reminded her of their earlier fight, of his words and the princess’ fears and the king’s request and her own anxieties. She again found herself wondering how she was going to juggle all this, how she could help the princess fight Demise, how they could even defeat him this time. At least with a trip to look at these divine beast things, there was a plan in place. Zelda could work with a plan.

Besides… maybe the springs could hold something for her as well. Maybe… maybe in the past… when she’d been Hylia… surely she’d seen this coming, right?

Right?

Zelda didn’t know what to do. She had no guide. She missed Impa so much it hurt.

At least I have Link with me this time, she thought, though there was a touch of bitterness to it. Of course he was with her this time – it wasn’t like he could escape this wretched fate, either. But honestly… she couldn’t imagine dealing with this with anyone else. As much as she wished Impa was here, she was forever grateful that Link was. If only both of them could accompany her. If only things could make sense.

But never mind that. There was a whole new world to explore. The Surface had been amazingly new and beautiful, and her restored memories had not lessened that. She couldn’t wait to see what the Surface had become now.

She tried to focus on that, tried to reorient her mind to recognizing that this wasn’t just a terrifying preparation for the war to begin anew. It was an adventure, and she would make sure it ended well.

But wait. Someone else had been on their adventure.

Zelda found herself thinking of her own people, of her friends and her father and the other settlers. She hoped and prayed they were alright.

And that they wouldn’t get near the Gate. Surely… surely they wouldn’t. There was no way they could. Groose was injured (Golden Three, she hoped he was doing okay), and no one else dared enter the Sealed Temple.

She hoped the guards she asked for would keep the place safe.

Zelda leaned over, letting her head rest on Link’s shoulder, and her husband settled his head atop hers. Tomorrow was going to be the start of something entirely new, and she was glad they would face it together.

“I love you,” she whispered.

Link turned his head to nuzzle into her hair a little more, and his arm moved to wrap around her. “I love you too.”

XXX

Hyrule Castle hummed with anticipation as the last rays of sunlight seeped out of the sky. Champions genuflected to the king, spoke with their guards and servants, and prepared themselves for the honor of accompanying a deity. The princess of Hyrule sprawled out on her bed, maps and books all over the covers, though they did little benefit as the girl’s head slowly plopped directly on to a book about the history of the Temple of Time, soft snores escaping her. The royal guards protecting the goddess’ quarters grew anxious as no goddess appeared, while two teenagers snuggled high up above the castle, enjoying the clear night sky. The captain of the guard prayed quietly in his quarters, dinner forgotten, as he thought about the trip the next day. The king moved restlessly through the royal library as he tried to find any clues of the Triforce.

Meanwhile, the princess’ appointed knight snuck around the castle walls, looking around the docks before finding a suitable place to strip off his shirt as the Zora princess waved at him.

The water was cold, and Link felt himself involuntarily gasp as he dipped his bare feet into it. Grabbing hold of his resolve, he leapt into the water, knowing the best way to adjust to the temperature was to just take the plunge. He let it invigorate him, startling all the worries of the day out of his mind as he just focused on swimming. Somehow, just floating in the water helped carry his worries away. He always enjoyed it.

Mipha giggled, catching his attention, and he swam over to her, smiling. They hadn’t done this in what felt like years—maybe it actually had been that long. He hadn’t realized how much he’d missed it until just now.

“Oh Link,” Mipha said happily. “I’m so glad you could join me!”

Link’s smile grew, and the princess took that as a cue to continue.

“King Rhoam asked for me,” she noted, catching his attention. “Alongside all the other Champions. He asked us to accompany you and the princess as she took the goddess Hylia around Hyrule. I could hardly say no to such a request, but—oh, Link, how can I even get near such a being? Surely I’m not worthy of that. Do you think she’ll go in a carriage or something? At least that way she’ll never see me.”

Link stared at her a moment, letting the words flow through him like the water. The king wished the Champions to go with them? That wasn’t unreasonable, but it certainly changed things a little. Mostly for the better, honestly.

Except for Revali. Ugh. Great.

But having Mipha around would be nice. And Princess Zelda would appreciate Chief Urbosa’s company. Not to mention Daruk’s company would be nice. Though… Link wasn’t sure how Hylia or her Hero would take it.

But Mipha’s concerns registered in his mind, and he shook his head. In the solitude of the castle waters, he didn’t have to hide himself, though the paranoia persisted despite being with his friend. He pushed himself to speak freely. “She’s… not what I expected. I don’t think she’ll dislike you, Mipha.”

“Perhaps,” his friend agreed uncertainly, eyes looking at the moonlight dancing on the water.

“Nobody could dislike you,” Link reassured her, swimming a little closer and sinking into the water so he ended up in her line of sight. Mipha giggled at him as the only part of him that was visible above water was from his nose to the top of his head. She dove abruptly, and Link followed suit, the pair smiling at each other as they swam in circles. It almost felt like they were kids again, playing in Zora’s Domain while Link’s father was assigned there. It almost made him forget everything that was happening.

Almost.

Though, now that he had stepped away from the others, now that he was allowed to just have some simple fun and be with a friend, his mind felt much clearer. The usual immense weight on his shoulders felt a little less heavy, even just momentarily. While Hylia herself was still quite the mystery, her Hero was less so. And while Link still felt a little intimidated approaching him or Her Grace, he could at least draw courage from the fact that neither of them hated him.

He hoped the trip would be fruitful for Zelda. He truly did. The poor princess deserved it.

But what else would this trip bring? What could Link possibly contribute to it? Nothing, he supposed, except for his protection, as always. He supposed that was enough.

As Link and Mipha breached the water’s surface, he glanced back at the castle, wondering what this journey would bring. The playful moment was gone, Mipha stilled beside him, and then she said quietly, “The Calamity draws ever nearer… but Link… we have so much going for us. It must all end well, right?”

I don’t know. He truly didn’t. But… he nodded nonetheless. Because Mipha didn’t need to worry, and honestly, Link would do everything in his power to ensure that Calamity Ganon would be defeated. That had always been enough.

“I pray it will,” Mipha continued, before smiling gently at him. “I will strive to improve my fighting abilities in the meantime. I hope Her Grace and the Hero enjoy seeing the Domain—oh! Oh, I must send word to my father! We can’t be unprepared over such a visit!”

And just like that, his friend was in a frenzy, fretting about divine visitors and speaking about how Zora’s Domain should be ready. Link followed her back to the shore, somewhat amused—he was pretty certain there was nothing she could do to alert her father at the moment, but he was no stranger to worrying over everything and nothing in the middle of the night—and the pair snuck back into the castle. Link tried to hide his shivers as he crept along, listening to water drip off them both on the cobblestone.

“Oh, you’re freezing!” Mipha fretted, immediately grabbing him and holding him close. Link felt his heart skip a beat and by the goddesses he wished he didn’t—they’d done this as children; all the Zora had huddled together for warmth when exiting frigid waters. As children they weren’t quite adept and regulating their temperature, and they knew that Link himself was not capable. But it felt—now it was—

Link swallowed, feeling his cheeks warm up far faster than the rest of him, and Mipha froze. The two locked eyes for a moment, and the Zora princess immediately spluttered and stumbled back so quickly she nearly fell into yet another plant. Link reached out automatically, catching her by the wrist, and she hastily said, “I m-must go, I’m so very sorry, Link, good night!”

The young knight watched his friend practically flee indoors, and he felt… he didn’t know. Guilty? Sad? Embarrassed? All three?

He sighed as his gaze drifted upward along the castle. The worries from a moment ago bled out of him easily as anxieties over tomorrow filled the void. He didn’t think he would be sleeping much tonight. But the focus was back on Princess Zelda, where it belonged. He was there to fulfill a duty as well, but it didn’t require attention or scrutiny. He could guard and watch. He could do that.

He found himself wondering if the Hero of Legend would do that as well. He found himself wondering what he was even supposed to do with that Hero.

He didn’t know what he was supposed to do anymore, honestly. And while he no longer held any worry that his predecessor hated him, he certainly had little idea of how to help him. Assuming he even needed help.

It was all just… confusing. If this trip was fruitful in any way, he hoped it would at least make things less confusing.

I suppose I’ll find out, he thought as he followed Mipha’s wet footprints inside the castle, slipping back into the façade of the perfect soldier.

[javierduffy]

i need so badly an rdr2 “uncut” version where they never timeskip and you can have full-on conversations through every single long horse ride

[narrans]

A Tall and Small Collection | S2.36 | & Everyone Needs a Little Hero :: Crossover :: Saving Our Hero pt. 2

This was bad!

This was really bad!

There were so many questions, and yet none of them mattered more than the overwhelming declaration that Hero Rafter had just been seen and captured by a human!

Raze Pinch, a Borrower in the community, had seen the whole interaction.

He had been watching this apartment for the past few days, borrowing as furniture and boxes were moved out. He loved when humans moved. They could misplace practically anything and blame it on the move instead of the Borrowing community. He managed to grab an entire box worth of straight pins from the mason jar as well as a couple of popsicle sticks. From the pantry, he snagged five Borrower sized bags each of chips, dried fruit, and some of the dried goods like rice and sugar packages.

He had returned to watch from above because he heard the humans fighting with who he assumed was the daughter. Something about not wanting to move and leaving behind friends and a guy she was interested in.

How dull.

The struggles of humans. They get to bring everything with them in luxury and she’s worried about leaving behind friends.

Just make new ones! Borrowers did it all of the time.

He watched in horror from the top trim piece as Hero Rafter, son of Casper and Prim Rafter, boldly walked out onto the desk and made eye-contact with the human. Raze didn’t know who this “Austin” boy was, but what he saw next was more bone chilling than the thought that someone had mentioned the existence of Borrowers to another human.

He watched as Rey, the boy rumored to be one of the “human pets” to a human known as Ashlynn, managed to get Hero free from his trap in the mason jar.

Alas, it did not last. Raze watched the boys vanish under the desk and then saw the human girl drag out Hero once again. Her finger was bleeding profusely as she held Hero aloft.

“That little rat!” she said as she cursed under her breath and began sucking on her wound like some kind of monster. “And you! You’d better not try that little stunt again.”

Raze heard Hero shout in pain as, with horror, Raze heard him speak.

“N-n-no. Please. I don’t know why you’re doing this, but you don’t have to. Please! W-w-we can be friends!”

“Oh, we’re going to be friends alright. You get to be my live-in friend – and you’re coming with me,” said the girl as she opened the top drawer of her bedside table, dumped the contents onto her bed, and shoved Hero inside.

“N-no! Please!” pleaded Hero as the girl snapped the drawer shut.

Raze immediately ran for the Rafter’s home.

He needed to tell them what he just saw.

They needed to know!

This wasn’t good!

This really wasn’t good!

~~~^*^*^~~~

Soren quickly darted through the walls and across beams until he reached the massive elevator shaft. He didn’t have time to wait. After listening to Rey recount what happened to Hero, there wasn’t much time left.

Soren practically leapt down each set of stairs as he delved down further into the community. He swore he could feel their eyes on him as he passed. There was little doubt the Borrowers who attacked him had spread the rumor that he, as well as his family, were human pets.

Pathetic.

He understood their fear, but couldn’t they put together that if something were going to happen to them by Ashlynn’s hands that it would have already happened? Wouldn’t he have already told Ashlynn where to find them? Wouldn’t they already be captured if that was his deal with her?

Soren didn’t have time to explain everything to them. He didn’t want to try and convince an entire community to accept Ashlynn, despite how much it pained him. He was once like them, believing that humans would only seek personal gain if they were revealed. His mind would not be changed about most humans being dangerous, but it was hard to believe after getting to know Ashlynn and Hero’s tales about Sam and Eliza that all humans were bad.

Now, however, was not the time to argue with anyone that humans had the capacity to be good.

Now was the time to tell the Rafters what happened and offer every ounce of help they could spare.

Soren made his way through the walls and passageways until, finally, he arrived at the Rafter family door. The moment he did, however, he could feel that something was off. He heard sobbing from the other side of the door as well as some of the Rafter children speaking loudly.

A hollow feeling sank into Soren’s middle as he reluctantly raised his fist and knocked on the door. It took a moment, but soon Soren heard stomping footsteps approach the door. It was wrenched open to reveal the oldest Rafter son, Atlas, looking angry and distraught. Soren could see the bitterness in his eyes. There was something loathing in his eyes as he looked at Soren, obvious tear stains on his cheeks and in his eyes.

From just behind Atlas, Soren saw Casper sitting at the table, hunched over and his head in his hands. Prim, their mother, had collapsed onto their Borrower made sofa, sobbing and muttering hopeless nonsense that Soren couldn’t quite understand. Cali, Tiron, and Winnie were all at their mother’s side, tears streaking their faces too.

Soren also saw another Borrower who he had seen around the community standing just in front of Casper, but Soren couldn’t recall his name at the moment. He had wild blond hair that frayed out on either side of his head and made him look like he had been in a windstorm. His pale blue-green eyes were completely fear stricken. He looked at Soren with apprehension before backing away a few steps.

Soren didn’t have time for this. He turned his attention to the eldest boy.

“Atlas, I know now is probably not a good time, but I need to speak to your father,” said Soren briskly. Shoulders shaking with anger and fear, Atlas stood aside and let Soren pass. He shut the door forcefully behind Soren, trapping him in with the distraught sobs of the family.

This was no time to feel out of place. This was the time to act – for Hero’s sake.

“Casper,” said Soren cautiously as he approached. “I…”

“You’re here because of Hero?” asked Casper, his voice hoarse and strained. “Because he was caught?” Soren’s fears were true. This other Borrower, whoever he was, must’ve seen what happened and already told the Rafters what happened to Hero.

“I… I’m sorry, b-” Soren was interrupted by Casper suddenly leaping up, seizing the front of Soren’s shirt, and charging forward until Soren slammed into the far wall. Soren grunted in pain as his chest and the back of his head were slammed into the hard wooden wall. The sudden aggression caught everyone in the room off-guard, and everyone seemed to quiet despite their desire to continue crying.

“Sorry? You parade around as a human’s pet and you come here to say sorry? You and your family infected Hero with the idea that humans are safe, and now he’s been captured!” growled Casper. “I knew I should ha-”

“With all due respect, sir,” interrupted Soren boldly, daring not to grab onto Casper for fear that Casper was one wrong move away from pounding Soren into the ground. “But my family didn’t infect Hero with this idea. He came up with it on his own. We’ve been trying to tell him that humans are dangerous.”

“Liar!” roared Casper and pulled Soren off of the wall only to slam him back into it. Soren dared not fight back and merely tensed, trying to fight off the swirling in his head.

“Why would I lie about it?” grunted Soren, now feeling Casper twisting his shirt. It tightened against his throat. “Hero came up with this idea himself. He’s been talking to humans for a while now. He has humans he considers friends!”

“Shut up!” Casper shouted as he forced his fist higher into Soren’s throat. “It’s not true!”

“If it’s not true, then ask yourself why Hero walked out into the open when a human was in the room. Ask yourself if you know where he’s been going when he says he’s helping the community? Did you ask him who he was helping? Did you ask the other Borrowers if they saw him around?”

Soren was starting to see stars swirl in his eyes. His vision was swimming and definitely trying to fade around the edges. He dared to struggle a little against the father’s grip, which seemed to slacken ever so slightly before tightening again.

“You saying I don’t know how to take care of my family? That I don’t know what my own family is into?” demanded Casper. Soren swallowed dryly as his vision swirled again.

“Of course not. Casper, please, you have to believe me when I say we were trying to prevent Hero from meeting with his human friends. Rey was going with him on his ‘helping the community’ campaign to keep him from going and talking to humans,” said Soren in the most factual, level tone he could manage. His heart was starting to pound frantically in his chest though, and every instinct was starting to flex, daring Soren to try and pry Casper’s hands away from him.

“Sir,” interrupted the new Borrower. “Based on what I saw, it seems to make sense. Hero was the first up, and the other Borrower, who I assume was Rey, managed to get him out of the jar. Rey was hiding and looked like he was trying to get Hero to come back. I… I don’t want to side with the pet, but….”

“I am not a pet,” spat Soren. “And I’m not working for Ashlynn to capture other Borrowers. I’m here to inform Casper that we, Ashlynn and my whole family, are doing everything we can right now to get Hero back from the human.”

There was a stunned silence that followed Soren’s statement. Soren swallowed again and just as his vision was starting to darken around the edges, Casper relinquished his grip. He slumped to the ground, utterly defeated, and sucked in what Soren assumed was about to be a sob.

“My son… my youngest son… captured… talking to humans…” muttered Casper. He turned his blue eyes onto Soren. “You said he has… humans… who he thinks are friends?”

Soren, trying to keep himself from gasping for air, nodded and composed himself.

“Yes. Ashlynn knows one of them, a young boy about Rey and Hero’s age. His name is Sam, and he is apparently one of the good humans according to Ashlynn. Sam isn’t the one who has Hero though. It is apparently some girl who seems to be moving out today.”

Casper, looking hopeless, looked away from Soren and glanced backward at his family. In that moment, Soren knew exactly what Casper was feeling – uncertain. It was the same look Soren knew he had when Brady, his stepfather, left him for dead as Soren was trapped in a mouse trap. It was the dread of the uncertain. It was the hopelessness he felt when he was completely alone, forced to endure whatever was going to happen next.

Soren, taking in several more deep breaths, dared to lay a single hand on Casper’s shoulder.

“We’re working on a plan to get him back. Ashlynn is doing reconnaissance now, but we need help. We can’t do this on our own,” said Soren. “Anyone who you trust, we could use their help. If… if you want to help, we are working out a plan to get Hero back now. We’re stronger together. Will you help us?”

Casper looked Soren deep into his hazel eyes. There was still a hint of distrust in his eyes, but it was understandable. Soren sighed.

It would have been nice to have their help, but we can manage on our o-

Soren’s thoughts were interrupted when Casper forced himself to his feet and nodded.

“I won’t ask others to risk their lives, but I’m coming with you. I’m going to get my son back,” said Casper.

“I’m coming too,” said Atlas. “Don’t even think about stopping me, dad. I should have paid more attention to Hero and his movements. He’s my little brother. I’m helping.”

“Me too,” said Tiron.

“Same. Mom, I’m sorry, but I’m getting Hero back – and then I’m going to box his wooden ears for not listening to our warnings,” said Cali. The family approached one another and embraced. Soren turned away, feeling like he was interrupting some kind of private moment between the family members, before they broke away and turned to face Soren.

“If you double-cross us…” warned Casper.

“I know, and I’m not. Now, get everything you think you might need. We’re going right now,” said Soren. He watched as the family delved into their stores for hooks, line, wires, blades, and a number of other tools that could possibly help. With everything prepped and ready, Prim gave her children another kiss on their foreheads before kissing her husband.

“Bring him back,” she whimpered. “Please, bring back our boy.”

“I will,” said Casper.

With that, Casper and his oldest three children followed faithfully and silently behind Soren. Some of the Borrower community saw them walking together, but many of them dared no approach. The air around Soren and the Rafter family seemed to chill their surroundings. There was a sense of determination filling them as they marched up the stairs and into the hallways leading to Ashlynn’s home.

Soren hoped Ashlynn had some information for them because, if not, things were going to get messy fast. At the moment, Casper and his family were working with him. He didn’t want to fracture their already fraying trust. How long would it last? More importantly, how were they going to get Hero back?

~~~^*^*^~~~

Hero huddled in the back corner of the bedside table drawer. He felt completely sick, but he had already thrown up twice out of sheer panic and anxiety.

What was happening?

Why was this happening?

He just wanted to help.

Why wasn’t the human listening?

Why wouldn’t she let him go?

She refused to give any kind of explanation, only to say again that this “Austin” guy had talked to her once or twice about why he made traps. He was keen to catch one and keep it for scientific purposes.

The thought made Hero sick.

The stories were true. He curled in on himself, tears pricking the corners of his eyes, as the sinking feeling of realizing the stories were true really sank into his mind. His mind was moving a million miles a minute, and there was nowhere for those thoughts to go except to spiral over and over in his head.

Hero looked at the seam of the drawer. He had already tried to pry himself out and there was no way for him to open the drawer by running and throwing himself against the seam of the drawer. His bruised shoulder reminded him of that.

He heard footsteps on the other side and the muffled voices of the girl and another human voice. By the sound of it and the way the girl called the woman “mom,” it was easy for Hero to conclude this was the girl’s mother. For a moment, he thought she was going to show him to her mother, but it sounded like they were preoccupied.

“Mom! I told you I don’t want to go! I’m staying right here,” spat the girl.

“Lily, I can’t change anything about it either. You are going to stay with your grandparents while your father and I move,” said the woman.

“You mean finalize the divorce. It’s what you really mean, right? I’m almost an adult! You can call it what it is!” shouted Lily.

“What your father and I are going through is not the same. Now, start packing your things. You haven’t even started. Corban and Aven are almost finished and ready. You need to set a good example and get ready,” scolded the mother.

“Oh, I need to be a good example? You’re one to talk,” shot back Lily. The two of them continued to argue loudly, each accusing the other of not understanding.

Hero hunkered down and drew his limbs in tight to his chest. Terror forced his heart to skip the next few beats as he held his breath.

So, the girl is moving? That’s why she wants to bring me with her? So, she has someone to talk to? I can’t leave! I don’t want to leave!

Hero felt fresh tears drip down his face as he buried his face into his arms, but not a lot came out. He felt exhausted and dehydrated, mouth dry and feeling like sandpaper. The two continued to fight while he cowered in the back corner. Hero knew he needed to work on an escape plan. He knew he needed to try and fight his way out, but Hero couldn’t summon the energy to even stand.

He felt drained and hopeless.

Everything he thought and everything he believed – that humans would never actually try and trap a Borrower and turn them into a pet once they knew they were sentient – was wrong.

What else was he wrong about?

Were people really not as good as he thought? Who else was like Lily? Ready to change on a dime…

~~~^*^*^~~~

Ashlynn stood outside in the lobby and watched as movers negotiated the main doors. She made the excuse that she was waiting for a delivery herself and kept holding the door open for the movers. In the meantime, she paid attention to who was going in and out of the building.

Based on what Rey said, Ashlynn had a good idea of what the girl looked like. Even if she didn’t have a name, she could still be on the lookout.

With each passing moment, Ashlynn felt sickness plaguing her. What was Hero going through? Was he alright? Was there anything else they could be doing to rescue him?

Ashlynn’s head was spiraling out of control when something caught her attention.

“Oh, hello Miss Ashlynn.” Ashlynn looked over to see Sam exiting the elevator. It looked like he had a key in his hands. Most likely, he was helping out with his chores and retrieving the mail. His bright smile was a momentary distraction, but Ashlynn suddenly felt as though she had been punched in the gut.

Sam didn’t know about Hero. He didn’t know what kind of danger his friend was in.

For a moment, Ashlynn thought about disregarding her notion to tell Sam when a brilliant thought came to her.

Sam could help get Hero back.

Yes, it would require her telling Sam that his friend was in danger, but Sam could also be the perfect lookout. He could ride the elevator and warn if someone matching the description Rey gave came into the elevator.

Ashlynn watched as Sam continued to the mailroom and, as he did, Eliza rounded the corner to her own mailbox. Sam managed to dodge out of the way before addressing her in his sweet voice.

“Hello Miss Eliza,” said Sam.

“Oh! Hey there, Sam. Sorry. Did I almost bump into you?” asked Eliza, withdrawing her white stick and bringing it closer to her body.

“Nope! I mean… no ma’am. I just thought I’d say hello and see how you were doing,” he chirped.

Ashlynn couldn’t believe her good fortune. This was absolutely perfect! Eliza and Sam both knew about Hero, and both would care that he was captured and needed help. Ashlynn hesitated just for a moment. Would the other Borrowers approve? She doubted it, but they needed all the help they could get – and they, as humans, were the perfect distraction for other humans.

Acting on pure instinct and impulse, Ashlynn abandoned her spot by the door and prayed that the person she was looking for wouldn’t arrive at that precise moment. She approached Eliza and Sam, who were discussing the weather, and dared to approach the topic that she swore to secrecy.

“Hey Eliza. Hey Sam,” she said, hoping no one sensed her anxiousness.

“Ashlynn? Hey! Seems like everyone is getting their mail at the same time today. How have you been?” asked Eliza. Sam gave a little wave and a smile to Ashlynn.

“Pretty great until today actually,” Ashlynn replied, keeping her voice low. She saw both Sam and Eliza’s brows furrow in the exact same way.

“Oh? Something wrong?” asked Eliza.

“Yeah, and I’m thinking you two could help,” said Ashlynn, almost whispering.

“Ashlynn, why are you whispering? You’re not in trouble, are you?” asked Eliza.

“Umm… I should…” Sam started, but Ashlynn shook her head.

“No. I need you both. Here. Come over here to the mailroom really quick,” said Ashlynn. Curiously, the two of them stepped back into the mailroom, Sam a bit more hesitant than Eliza. Ashlynn pulled the door slightly shut before looking back at the two of them.

Her heart was hammering out of her chest. She felt like she could barely breathe. There was no going back now. There was no time for doubts, and she had to trust she was doing the right thing.

“Okay, I’m going to cut to the chase,” said Ashlynn quietly. “I know you both know about Hero.”

Ashlynn’s statement obviously took them both off guard. Eliza, looking stiff, tried to play it off.

“I… what? What Hero?” she asked. Sam, looking nervous, kept glancing from Eliza to Ashlynn. It was clear he was trying to keep his word to Ashlynn that he wouldn’t reveal what he knew about the hand-sized teenage boy.

“Eliza, we don’t have time for this. Hero told me that he introduced himself to both of you some time ago. He’s been helping other humans around the building, and now he’s in trouble,” said Ashlynn. There was so much that needed to be said and explained, but there was no time for it. Ashlynn felt her chest tightening with anxiety. This was the first time she talked to another person about knowing about the Borrowers.

“You… know about him? But… how?” asked Eliza. She was obviously working through what Ashlynn said, almost as if she didn’t believe that this kind of conversation was happening.

“Hero’s in trouble?” asked Sam, now disregarding the previous bit of the awkwardness and delving into the heart of the matter. “What kind of trouble?” Ashlynn was more than grateful that Sam was keeping them on track.

“Yes, he’s been captured. There was a girl who saw him and now she has him,” explained Ashlynn. “I’m working to get him back, but I can’t do it alone. I need you two to help me. Please.”

“Wait, Ashlynn. Slow down. How can we help? And how do you plan on getting him back? Can’t you just ask the girl to let Hero go?” asked Eliza.

“I wish it were that easy,” muttered Ashlynn. “Apparently, Hero tried to reason with her, but she wants to take him with her. She’s moving out today and will most likely lie in order to keep him.”

“Count me in!” said Sam. “If Hero’s in trouble, I want to help. What can I do?”

“Wait… how do you know this?” asked Eliza. Ashlynn grit her teeth. She thought something like this might come up. Taking a partial breath, she decided to be just obscure enough while also telling the truth.

“Let’s just say that Hero isn’t alone,” said Ashlynn. “Now, please. Will you help me – us – get him back?”

“Hey! I said I’m in! What can I do?” asked Sam.

“Alright, I’m in too. What’s the makeshift plan?” asked Eliza. Thinking on the fly, Ashlynn came up with the first thing that popped into her head.

“Sam, you have your phone, right? I need you to ride in the elevator and let me know if you see a girl who is older than you, but younger than me. She was wearing a lot of make-up and will most likely be carrying something that will be big enough to carry Hero. When that happens, Eliza needs to run interference. Find some way to distract them and keep them in the building. I’ll be down as soon as possible to try and help.”

“Wait, then where are you going?” asked Eliza.

“I’ll be right back. I have to give an update and then I’ll be right back looking for her. Okay?” said Ashlynn. The two of them nodded after a moment of consideration. “Good. Then man your positions and I’ll be right back. Sam, here’s my number. Plug my number and Eliza’s number into your phone. Call us immediately if you see someone. Okay?”

“You got it!” said Sam, looking more determined than ever. Eliza went back to her apartment to get some supplies, undoubtedly ready to stumble out of her apartment and spill everything to distract anyone going through.

Sam and Ashlynn rode the elevator up to her floor and she darted back to her apartment. She hoped Soren would be understanding that she roped them in. They needed help, and there were no better people to ask than these two. The main question now was how they were actually going to get Hero back.

~~~^*^*^~~~

            Soren and the others marched forward through the walls and over beams to get to Ashlynn’s apartment. It seemed like the most logical choice to make it there before proceeding. At any rate, they needed Rey to tell them where to go and how to get to the right apartment.

Soren felt a terrible guilt knowing he would be subjecting his youngest brother to this horror once again. It felt like the incident with Dorian’s friend all over again, but they had all been close and managed to get his friend back before anything terrible happened. Now? It sounded like this human could be leaving any second with Hero, and if that happened he would be gone forever.

None felt the gravity of the situation more than the Rafters, especially Casper. His mind swirled with every terrible notion and the pain of his child being in pain and danger. How could he have not known what his son was up to? How did he not realize that Hero had been talking to humans for so long? What kind of father was he, to not know what was happening with his youngest son? What kind of example was he setting? What were his children thinking of him now?

No…

That didn’t matter now.

What mattered was getting Hero back home safe and sound.

Soren continued to lead the way silently until, finally, they reached the permanent line that led down into the kitchen – Ashlynn’s kitchen. He quickly descended the line and touched down just inside of the wall. To make room for the Rafter family, Soren went ahead and stepped out onto the counter.

Just as he did, he heard the front door close and the sound of footsteps.

“Ashlynn?” Soren called.

“Soren? You’re back!” Ashlynn returned the call. “Boys, do you want to come over to the counter?” Soren heard a faint “yes” that was undoubtedly from Rey. There was a slight pause before Ashlynn rounded the corner with Soren’s brothers and daughter cupped carefully in her hands.

“How did it go? Did you talk to the Rafters? Do they know?” She asked as she set them down on the counter. Soren nodded before he started speaking.

“Yes, and they knew as soon as I got there. Someone else told them. They saw the whole thing happen,” muttered Soren. Rey’s eyes widened, jaw slackening.

“They did?” he asked, shrinking in on himself ever so slightly. He pulled his blanket over his shoulders a little tighter.

“Yeah,” said Soren. He glanced over his shoulder. Did he just see two of the Rafter children duck behind the electrical cover? “They decided to come and help get Hero back.”

Ashlynn and Soren made eye-contact, hazel against blue-grey, and Ashlynn immediately knew what Soren meant.

“Oh… right… okay… um… well…” Ashlynn stammered. “Well, I have a bit of news of my own.”

“Yeah?” asked Soren. Ashlynn nodded before glancing at the electrical cover and then back to him.

“Okay, Soren, I don’t want you to be angry, but I got a little bit of help,” said Ashlynn quietly. Soren’s eyes widened. He suspected this was coming, but he wasn’t sure the Rafters, who were mere inches away, were prepared to hear something like this.

Sadly, they would have to accept reality quickly if they were going to get Hero back.

“Who?” asked Soren, glancing over his shoulder, hoping the Rafters weren’t changing their minds in helping them get their son – their brother – back.

“Eliza and Sam. I saw both of them when I was down there, and they are helping out right now. Eliza is preparing a distraction and Sam is in the elevator making sure no one matching the girl’s description gets in. He’s going to call if he sees her,” explained Ashlynn. “They were two of the humans who Hero was friends with, so… it was easier to get them to help.”

Soren nodded slowly, only glancing back one more time to see if he could see any of the Rafters.

Then, Ashlynn sighed and folded her arms.

“Okay, let’s just cut to the chase, okay?” she said. Soren felt his heart jumped into his throat, and he was absolutely certain the Rafter family was on the verge of losing their minds with fear and anxiety.

“Ashl-”

“No, Soren. We don’t have any time to lose,” stated Ashlynn. “Look, I know you’re scared. You’re terrified what might happen to your son. You don’t know what’s going on right now with your brother. You have a million questions, but now is not the time. I’m not asking you to trust me blindly or saying you need to trust me outright. What I am saying is that I’m not trying to hurt anyone. I’m trying to help. I’m not the enemy. Right now, we need to work together to get Hero back. You can be angry at me later when Hero is safe.”

The entire time, she was looking directly at the wall cover.

There was complete silence in the home. Soren wondered if the Rafters had gone, left so they could handle the situation themselves.

But they hadn’t left.

Casper and his children were on the other side of the electrical cover absolutely petrified with fear. The human, Ashlynn, was talking directly to them. She revealed two of the human’s names who Hero had become friends with.

Casper felt himself shaken to his core. Hearing it from a Borrower and then hearing it from a human were two entirely different things.

Still… Ashlynn was right…

They didn’t have time.

Casper looked back at his children, who looked at him with the same reflected fear that was in his eyes. He looked back at the electrical cover. An entire world was just beyond the piece of plastic and drywall beside him. Humans and danger were mere feet away, but it didn’t matter now.

What mattered was, for the moment, working together and saving Hero.

Casper looked back at his family, hoping he was making the right decision.

“I know,” said Casper as loudly as he dared. “I’ve been watching all of you… and I know you are just trying to help.” His children looked panicked that their father had spoken directly to a human, but none dared to raise their voices against him. He smiled at them in some wise way before turning his eyes back to the electrical cover.

Then, to everyone’s astonishment, Casper stepped out from behind the electrical cover and stepped out onto the kitchen counter. Ashlynn’s eyes widened as she stared at the older Borrower, daring not to move. “Please,” said Casper. “You’ve earned my trust. Now, help me save my son.”

~~~~~^*^*^*^*^~~~~~

::_____::

A Tall and Small Collection

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A Tall and Small Collection | Soren

ASK ME ANYTHING

::_____::

Everyone Needs a Little Hero

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Beginning

Prompt

ASK ME ANYTHING

[iamumbra195]

You know what I just realized? Jason Todd is the Dabi/Todoroki Touya of the Batman fandom

[sgtcalhouns]

Angels Like You

I know that you're wrong for me

Gonna wish we never met on the day I leave

I brought you down to your knees

‘Cause they say that misery loves company

It’s not your fault I ruin everything

And it’s not your fault I can’t be what you need

Baby, angels like you can’t fly down here with me

I’m everything they said I would be

a short-ish update to the fresh start au, Tamora reflects on recent events. enjoy!

I should’ve fought harder for you.

Wiping the sweat from her brow, Tamora left the gym and headed into the locker room. She’d been hoping that some exercise would help her work through the emotional roller coaster she had been on for the last several days, or at least help her clear her mind, but it seemed she was having no such luck. Every time she closed her eyes she could hear those words and see the look on Felix’s face after he said it; the dread had been easy to identify, but there was something else she hadn’t been able to put her finger on. She had convinced herself that the jumble of emotions she had been struggling to control would make sense if only she could figure out what else had been hiding in his expression.

After a full 24 hours of rumination got her nowhere, she decided to take the opposite approach and try to keep her mind off of it. Felix had been struggling with his emotions that night and the following morning, but he clearly intended to talk to her when he was ready. There was no use continuing to dwell on things. No use inventing explanations for his behavior. All she was doing was torturing herself, she knew. But no matter how hard she tried, I should’ve fought harder for you had taken up permanent residence in her mind.

To make matters worse, the perky little whatshername who worked reception at the gym had immediately taken an interest in Felix.

“Who was that man that came to see you?” she had asked.

Tamora didn’t feel like getting into the details, so she had described him as an old friend. In hindsight, she probably should’ve been more specific.

“He’s cute.”

“Yeah,” Tamora had replied absentmindedly, thoughts already beginning to spiral. “Adorable.”

They hadn’t spoken much, Tamora and the girl at reception. She was nice. There was no reason to dislike her. No reason for the anger that flared in her chest at the suggestion that this girl might be interested in Felix. Lots of people were interested in Felix; he was cute. It shouldn’t bother her so much that someone else had taken notice.

All of her emotions swirled into an unintelligible mess. She suddenly felt possessive of Felix, a feeling that was immediately chased by guilt—she had no right to feel that way when she had been the one to break things off. Especially not after she had caused him so much distress throughout their relationship.

Felix deserved far better than Tamora had to offer. Maybe he should go out with this girl. She was friendly and kind and outgoing like him; the kind of person she had always felt he deserved. The two of them could hold hands and skip off into the sunset and Tamora would eventually get over it, cut herself off from the world, and rest easy knowing she had saved Felix from spending the rest of his life under her dark cloud of gloom. She’d enjoyed her fair share of days in the sunshine that radiated from him—maybe it was time to give someone else a turn.

It was a bitter truth, one she struggled to swallow. If he started dating someone else, she didn’t think she could be his friend. Even trying to imagine it now, the thought made her squirm. She couldn’t stomach seeing him with another woman, witnessing firsthand how every touch, sweet gesture, and pet name was not something he reserved just for her, but something that was written into his DNA. He always had a way of making her feel like the only woman who had ever turned his head, and she had always had a hard time believing it. Seeing him with someone else would cement the truth—she wasn’t special. Not to Felix, not really. Not to the only person who had ever really made her feel special.

As she passed by the neat row of lockers lining the wall, she bit back the urge to slam her fist into the cold metal. It was the most malleable surface within reach, though she was sure it would still do some decent damage to her hand if she gave in. This was a nice gym, she didn’t want to cause any problems. And she really didn’t want to deal with the sort of reputation that would surely follow such a decision. She had worked hard to curate a public persona that was more palatable than the anger and angst that hid beneath the surface.

Here in her new life, she was pleasant and quiet. She had made it out of the military without any emotional baggage, and she used the skills she had picked up there to improve the lives of others. She wasn’t defined by her most traumatic experience, and she was never the subject of pity. If she gave in to the rage coursing through her veins, there would certainly be questions. Why would someone so pleasant and well-adjusted do such a thing? The illusion she had so carefully crafted would quickly unravel, and she wasn’t prepared to deal with the consequences.

Taking a deep breath, she sat on the bench in the center of the room. Part of her wished she could be angry at Felix for popping back up in her life and forcing the emotions she had suppressed for so long to resurface. She hadn’t exactly been happy before, but there was definitely less angst. But deep down, she knew that none of what she was experiencing was his fault. It wouldn’t be fair to blame him for the misery she had brought upon herself. Not to mention the misery she had caused him.

It occurred to Tamora that she could stop this. She had an opportunity to end the cycle of heartbreak that would continue for as long as she remained in Felix’s life. Whether or not it made her happy was irrelevant; her mission was clear. With newfound resolve, she walked out to the lobby and marched straight up to the reception counter.

“Hey,” she said, grabbing the receptionist’s attention. “I have a question for you. About my friend.”

The girl nodded, visibly intimidated by Tamora’s direct line of questioning. The sergeant continued, undeterred.

“Are you interested?”

[starlightbelle]

Don’t get me wrong, everyone is somebody’s fave and I’m glad for the people rooting for the underdogs/less popular characters that their fave made it but I find it kinda hard to believe that EVERYONE in Class A “made it” as a Pro.

Like, yes I know UA is the best hero school in Japan (certainly the most famous and revered) but that doesn’t mean the hero-success rate is a hundred percent

Nobody tried hero work for a while and then realized their passion/calling was elsewhere? No one got injured and had to take a step back? No one started a family? No one graduated but couldn’t keep up with the big leagues and eventually just settled for lower-level sidekick work or just quit heroing altogether?

With a dissolvement of the hero charts I might find it more believable but with the system left so intact as it is, the Pro Hero pool is more competitive than ever…

I get Horikoshi probably wanted to tie everything up with a nice little bow (was never gonna happen if the villains couldn’t be saved) but 20 (21 if you count Shinso) out of 20 becoming successful pros?? 🤨

[fussystreetlight]

Imo, I think part of the problem with antis is that, since most of them are young, they haven't experienced a lot of things so they have a limited pool to draw comparisons from.

We like comparing what we're currently experiencing or about to experience to past experiences.

Is this game similar to other games we enjoyed? Does this show have the same tropes as a show we disliked? Does this moment in this book remind us of something that happened to us?

We like comparisons. They help us quickly find things we like or help us not waste our time by trying things we're probably not going to like or they help us get more invested into a show.

But antis, because they haven't been alive long, haven't seen many shows so they're very limited in their comparisons.

For example, someone I know irl who sadly leans anti-ish plays a certain new and popular farming sim. Farming sims don't have specific "ages" for their characters, but when they have romance systems, all the potential marriage partners are adults, that's a implicit given that really shouldn't need to be said. But when she saw one of the characters she told me that she wasn't going to go for him because he reminded her of a teenager and she didn't want that teenage drama. Because he reminded her of a Fruits Basket character. I haven't played this game yet, but when I looked at his profile, I couldn't see what she saw. I haven't seen FB but I have played and read a lot of farming sims and romances, including some set in high school. This character is just the typical grumpy blacksmith(/animal rancher) that's common in these types of games. Being grumpy isn't inherently a "teen" thing. And he's competitive, but that's typical in a lot romantic comedies where the two leads work at opposing companies or the, usually male lead, is in a high position at the company the female just got a job at, or when the two leads are exes. He's also apparently bad with his feelings. But that's any brooding male lead or male leads in general in older romance novels, like Mr. Darcy. None of his traits scream teenager to me. But that's where her mind went to because she needed to compare him to another character but she doesn't have that many to choose from. And a "teen" character was the closest fit she could get.

Another similar game has a character that antis love to scream is a child. She had a debilitating illness for most of her life until the player character cures her. As a result of not being able to go outside much, she's a little naive (though I hate how anties think naivety is a trait only kids can have) and still gets tutored by another character even after she's cured. She's also the only child of wealthy parents, so you could see how she could be a little sheltered. None of this makes her not an adult. Even in the official artwork she looks like a young adult, a college student, at the youngest. She looks older than the actual "kids" in the game, and is definitely more emotionally mature than them. She just hasn't been able to experience much because of her chronic illness. But just because she's not a super mature business woman who knows everything there is and because she doesn't act the same as this other character her "age" (he's an older brother who works on a farm and has to do a lot of the work himself because his father has a disability, his sister is too young to be able to help much, and his mother has to attend to a shop. People who've had different lives have different personalities also shouldn't be surprising) she's a child to antis. If anything, she reminds me of the female love interest in those old adventure novels for men. The young and "pure" women who have been "trapped" in their stuffy homes who need the manly men protagonists to "free" them and show them the world you know?

Again, we all like making comparisons. It's just that, for antis, they don't have many things to compare to. They haven't had the time or opportunity to do much so their world view is kinda limited. So when they see these characters, they compare them to real people instead of understanding that they're an amalgamation of tropes and character archetypes that have been done again and again no matter how realistic they might look.

I just feel like it's beneficial for people to try a variety of genres. Not that you can't have a preference that you stick with, but just occasionally find something outside of your circle you think looks interesting. Even if you don't like it at least you'll learn what doesn't work for you. And when you encounter something new you'll have a bigger variety to compare it to and won't need to go for the thought that makes other people look like terrible people. Cause speaking from personal experience, that gets draining after a while, and has led to a few health problems. Honestly imo being an anti sounds so unhealthy for your mental and physical health.