#Hyrule's entire world about to be turned upside down

[ihatelink]

Trust Fall (Revali X Reader) - Part 1

Word Count: 2,780

Pairing: Revali X Reader (Female)

Fandom/Universe: Legend of Zelda (Breath of The Wild)

Themes/Content: Romance (Slow Burn), Fantasy, Action.

Warnings: None

Synopsis: You visit your friend in Rito Village in order to escape the sense of dread looming over your home of Castle Town as the prophesied doomsday slowly grows closer. It is here on your visit that you meet a Rito warrior who turns your world upside-down.

Authors Note: Finally got round to writing this! Since he's not mentioned in TOTK at all I just had to start a fanfic for him. I miss him so much. I'm uploading this from my laptop so if the formate is weird or there needs to be more paragraphs just let me know! I don't consider myself a pro on Zelda lore so I do apologise for any mistakes. Also, this fan fiction will have two endings! (One canon to BOTW and one canon to Hyrule Warriors) Other than that, I hope you enjoy! - I don't know what to call myself... should I go by my username? What about something stupid like Loafus?... I don't know... I'll work on it 🪶🤎

Rito Village was your second home. You felt so much comfort and associated the place with such a feeling of warmth, it was surprising you hadn't made it your permanent residence. When it came to Rito Village you only had positive memories.

This was mostly due to your best friend, Frita, being a rito. The two of you had met at a very young age and had been best friends ever since, visiting each other every couple of weeks or whenever you had spare time. She would teach you about the ways of the rito and you in turn would teach her about hylians. Frita truly was like a sister to you, and you loved her more than words could say.

"Daydreaming again?", her voice broke you from your thoughts, her bright blue eyes sparkling with joy. You blinked a few times, finally registering her words, and you couldn't help but giggle to yourself. "Yes, I guess I was". "What we're you daydreaming about?", she asked, turning her attention back to the salmon sizzling in the village's communal cooking pot, the aroma swirling through the air, making your mouth water in anticipation. Later in the night was the perfect time for cooking here as most ritos had gone to sleep; Their poor night vision meant that many would retire early in the evening. "Just thinking about flying", you confess sheepishly and Frita rolled her eyes playfully, responding with, "You're always thinking about flying". "I can't help it whenever I'm here. You all look so majestic and free", you gushed. "I would love to be able to experience what it's like to fly for myself instead of having to be on your back". "Perhaps if you pray to Hylia enough she'll allow you to become one of us", she chuckled and you couldn't help but laugh along with her. Frita eventually added the tebantha wheat to the pot and the goat butter as the two of you talked about everything under the stars. "Are you still planning on moving to Hateno Village?", she asked as she began to plate up your dinners. "Yes, unfortunately. It means I'll  be further away from you", you mumbled and Frita's face fell in disappointment. "It's the best option as, if this impending doom really is to show itself one day, the city centre is most likely one of the first places to be attacked. If I could, I'd love to live here with you". "Well, why don't you?". You shook your head. "You know I'd stick out like a sore thumb here. I wouldn't be able to pull my weight or help the village in any way. I'd be more of a burden than anything". "Perhaps not! If I could find a way for you to easily integrate into life here, would you move here?". The more Frita spoke, the more you felt a warmth spread through your entire being. "You'd have me, you'd be well protected- our warriors are exceptional, there's plenty of food and resources in the area… just don't make any final decisions to move just yet. Allow me a chance". You chuckled, taken aback by your friends willingness to help you and keep you by her side. "Okay, I'll give you a chance".

You cut yourself short when you noticed movement out of your peripheral vision. The gentle padding of talloned footsteps grew closer and bright emerald green eyes encased in bright red watched from the darkness. Finally a rito came into view. "Rather late to be cooking, don't you think?". His tone was sharp and precise, you couldn't tell if he was making small talk or if he was irritated with the fact that the two of you were occupying the cook pot. Did he usually use it at this time? "Oh! Revali! Sorry, did you want to use the cooking pot", Frita asked, a light quality to her voice as she politely addressed him, yet an awkward silence seemed to settle over the three of you as his eyes travelled from her to settle on you, staring down his beak right into your very soul. "Who is this hylian?", he asked bluntly. "This is my best friend. She's visiting for a short while", she informed him of your name and that you were from Castle Town. "Would you care to join us?", you then offered, cutting through the awkward pause in conversation. "We have plenty to go around". Frita cut you a glance, surprised by your sudden offer, but did not protest, adding "Yes, do join us! I'm assuming you've just finished practice? You must be famished". Revali opened his beak but quickly shut it, perhaps to reject the offer but thought better of it. He took a moment to smooth out the cream scarf around his neck. "Well, if you insist, I suppose I could join you", he hummed, making his way to sit across from you.

As he took his seat, he placed a beautifully crafted bow to his side, coated in vibrant colours and intricate designs, a scrap of teal fabric tied to one end. He held himself with pride, sitting tall, spine straight, shoulders squared. With the fact that he was taller than you, it was a little intimidating. "Have you visited our village before?", he asked, and it took you a second to realise his question was directed towards you. "Oh yes, plenty of times. I've been visiting since I was a child. That's how I met Frita", you explained, gesturing to your friend as dinner was being dished onto plates chiselled from stone. "Hmm, surely I would have met you by now if that were the case", he muttered as he was handed his food, "it's interesting how our paths have never crossed". You shrugged unsure of what else to say, other than, "Perhaps we weren't meant to meet yet. Us meeting now may be fate?", you laughed lightly, amused by the thought. Revali scoffed in response, "I believe we are in control of our own fate. For example; I didn't become one of the greatest rito warriors through fate and sheer dumb luck alone". "And so modest about it too", you joked which caused Frita to just about choke on her food. She tried to excuse herself as calmly as possible, covering her beak with her wing while still coughing her lungs up. Judging by her reaction, you considered how you may have overstepped a boundary. Not everyone knew when you were joking upon first meeting you. You often sounded more serious than you intended. "I'm only teasing", you clarified, playing with your food on the end of your fork absentmindedly. "I'm sure you're  more than deserving of the title", you tried for your most sincere smile you could conjure, yet Revali didn't seem convince.

Finally, Frita had caught her breath, tears in the corners of her eyes. "No no, Revali really is the greatest of our warriors. Our people gave him that title", she croaked, her throat sounding raw from coughing. "He's the pride of the rito", she insisted, dropping her voice to a more serious tone. Your face contorted in amused disbelief before you began to wrack your brain for any information that would help you deduct the truth. "So he is the rito that's won the annual archery competition for the past five years? He's that same-…", you began to trail off, recalling the conversation you had with your father.

You came from a wealthy family, both your parents working for the King and late Queen of Hyrule . Your mother was the royal gerudo correspondent and your father was the royal rito correspondent- this being the reason you spent so much time in Rito Village growing up, as well as Gerudo Town. You remembered the past few years you couldn't make the annual archery competition held in the village, since you were either accompanying your mother on business trips or doing your own work, but you father had come home stating how the rito 'Revali' had won again. He would then follow up by talking about his superb skills and how his talent for aerial combat were superior in comparison to his peers. Your father claimed that the rito was unmatched and unrivalled, as well as claiming that he may very soon be known as one of- if not the most skilled warrior in all of Hyrule. (Which was very high praise coming from your father, since he was rarely impressed by anyone).

It was like a shock wave was sent through your body. "In the name of Hylia! I didn't realise it was you! I am so sorry! Please forgive my rudeness", you blubbered, putting your half eaten dinner aside, stumbling over your words as you rushed out your apology. "So you have heard of me", he lulled before an amused smirk graced his features. "I suppose I can forgive you since your rudeness was more disbelief than pure ignorance". "Thank you”, you breathed a sigh of relief. “I have heard a lot about your skills and I-… well…", once again you had trailed off. You looked to Frita for reassurance, yet she seemed as nervous as you; her posture was stiff as she sat with a straight spine, her eyes glancing between you and the navy rito. "From what I've heard, you're an incredibly skilled archer", you approached the conversation cautiously, hoping this angle would amend any bitterness you may have caused. Revali looked a you and you felt your breath catch in your throat as you locked eyes before he let out a gruff chuckle. "I suppose you could say that".

You and Frita ate in a comfortable silence while listening to Revali drawl on about the countless competitions he's won along with his many talents regarding aerial combat. Before long, your mind began to wonder.

You couldn't help but think of home. How it was slowly being consumed by a festering anxiety. There was a heavy air across the whole of Castle Town as you all prepared for this prophesied impending doom. The army had began vigorously training since last month. Some of those warriors were your friends- people you had grown up with. It was terrifying to think how some of them you may never see again once the Calamity strikes. Some were beginning to research the ancient technology that had recently been unearthed to see if they could be used to defend Hyrule. These were called guardians, and then there were also the recently uncovered Divine Beasts. At times, it was all a bit much, being at the central hub of Hyrule where there is no escape from the looming sense of dread. Things were moving so quickly and it seemed as though you may never escape the ever present anxiety that hung in the air of Castle Town. But here, in Rito Village, people seemed more relaxed. Many ritos believed that their home would not be effected by the foreseen Calamity. This made the village a nice escape from daily life back home. Here, you weren't reminded of what was to come. You weren't reminded of your duties. You could just breathe easier here in the village nestled into the rocky pillar.

"I do love it here. Rito Village is such a beautiful place. I don't have a single bad memory while being here", you gushed, earning a raised brow from Revali at your comments about his home, his interest now piqued. "Is that so?". Before you could stop her, Frita spewed, "Yes, in fact, she might move here". You shot her a look, a signal to keep that information between the two of you, to which she sheepishly dipped her head in response. You didn't want others knowing of your plans to move just yet, especially since you hadn't even mentioned it to your parents. "A hylian living amongst ritos?", Revali questioned, an amused undertone laced within his words as his luminous eyes narrowed a fraction, as if trying to read your expressions for some sign of the truth. "Hylians aren't equipped for living here. You would struggle". "Yet so many visit and get by just fine", you bit back, sharp tongued yet it was all said with a simple smile across your lips. What he said was true, yet you disliked how he assumed you would struggle when Frita, a fellow rito, believed you could easily adapt to life in the village. "Visiting and residing are very different though", he then shot back, cocking his head to the side as he examined you and your heart began to pound slightly. You felt a pout develop on your features, brows furrowed. He made a point you couldn't argue against. It was the truth. "Well, I'm taking it upon myself to help her integrate into the village before she permanently moves here", Frita chipped in, sensing some tension settling in the air. "If you truly want to move here", Revali began, capturing your attention once more. He wore a smug smirk before he finished, "You'll have to prove yourself".

"Prove myself?", you parroted. "Yes. You'll have to learn our ways and prove to us that you belong here". Revali studied you for a moment, as if he hadn't been doing so all night already. "Firstly, the women of our village are know for being beautiful singers and us men are talented archers. Tell me, can you sing?".

Being from one of the wealthier families of Hyrule Kingdom, you did have the privilege of music lessons from a young age. Your parents wanted the best for you, so consequentially, you had many lessons in a multitude of subjects and areas; Geography, horse riding, music, dance, literature, cooking, etiquette, biology and more.

"I have had many singing lessons", you informed the feathered man matter-of-factly. "It's more a matter of personal taste weather you believe I sound good". "Perhaps you could sing for me tomorrow then. After my training, well meet at the flight range. You can showcase your voice there", he challenged, the smirk across his features growing as he stared down his beak at you. "After all, it would be rather nice to have something to help me relax after such strenuous training", he teased. "And if my voice is to your liking, what do I receive then?". There was a slight pause. "What do you mean?", he tilted his head slightly, perplexed by your response. "Well, if my voice is to your liking then that would mean I have somewhat proven myself worthy of living here amongst your kind", you began, Revali's attention honed in on you, "Which I believe would be worth a reward". "Your reward would be living amongst us", you ignored his comment, pressing on. "That being said, if I prove myself, then I would like to learn archery". "What good would that do you?", he asked. "It's always good for a woman to be able to defend herself, wouldn't you agree?". "But if you were living in Rito Village you wouldn't need to defend yourself", he argued. "I'd have to say it's always good for a woman to know how to use a bow", Frita affirmed your point, edging a little closer to you as she joined the conversation. "Especially a hylian. They are smaller than most races, so it's most likely that any threat they face will be larger than them and could over power them", Frita continued, delving more into her argument. "Exactly, Frita! Meaning wouldn't it be beneficial to have a long range weapon in that instance? Surely, with your knowledge on combat as one of the greatest warriors of our time, you'd agree, Revali". You couldn't help but notice how the feathers around his chest plate plumed in reaction to your words. You'd noticed many ritos would unintentionally do this when feeling prideful, being boastful or being frustrated or angry. Perhaps it was a subconscious way of asserting dominance? Like how a Hylian may square their shoulders to appear larger and more confident in front of others. "It would be an honour to have you teach me".

There was a pause.

"I suppose it would be beneficial for you to have the most skilled archer teach you…", he mused looking off into the night, as if he barely acknowledged your being , like you were nothing more than a speck on his radar.  A nuisance. "Alright, you have yourself a deal; continuously show your willingness and progression to integrate into our society, and in turn I will teach you how to use a bow". "And you swear not to go back on your word?", you quirked a brow in Revali's direction. "I swear".

[lyrabythelake]

Have a very unfinished fic I began for fun starring Four and Warriors

Four started it. 

Enemy defeated, worlds saved, the heroes were wandering Hyrule with weighted footsteps in unspoken suspense for that last portal that would send them their separate ways. 

Except time drew thin, the portal never came. By the time they reached the inn, they counted an entire month treading a land unfamiliar to all of them but Legend without clear purpose or direction. It was driving them all a bit insane.

So when Four slipped the innkeeper a small, rectangle piece of parchment from the top of a stack tied carefully in twine, Warriors latched onto it as a single, tiny mystery to be solved in a whirlwind of boredom.

“Can I see that?” he asked, eyeing the papers Four was hastily shoving back into his bag. The innkeeper slid his own under the bar after studying it with vague interest.

Four’s face grew red but he handed them over without further persuasion.

A neat border of repeating patterned inked swords framed the words:

Heroes for Hire Evil warlord got you down? Monsters driving you mad? We’re here to help. (Additional services include smithing, cooking, sailing, pot clearance and more)

“I just thought we could all do with a project or two. I think everyone’s been feeling a bit… lost these days.” Four rushed to explain.

The night before, Wild had used his fusion ability to attach a block of butter to one of his shields then slid around the camp on it for two hours. ‘Lost’ was probably an understatement. 

“You know what?” Warriors said cheerfully, handing the card back, “I think it’s a really good idea.”

Warriors had slipped over three times while getting ready that morning; Wild had turned their entire camp into an oily booby trap.

Fours face grew even redder.

“Yeah?”

“Yeah! I think what we’re lacking is a sense of purpose, you know? We all miss our homes and this could give us a good distraction.”

They didn’t really talk about why they were still here all that much. None of them were the type to air the worries and concerns out in the open, but they all knew they were thinking the same thing. It was as if the Goddess had abandoned them here now they had fulfilled their usefulness. She couldn’t even be bothered to get them all back to where they belonged.

“How many people have you given these to?”

“Just that innkeeper,” Four said. “And one of the farmers we passed on the outskirts of the village.”

No sooner had he spoken those words than a young boy ran into the inn, eyes huge beneath windswept hair.

“Are you the heroes for hire?” he asked, his breath catching between words.

With an impressive swish of his scarf and a blinding smile, Warriors stood before him.

“Why yes, as a matter of fact, we are.”

“At your service,” Four added, if only to prevent Warriors from taking complete control over the idea that was Four’s in the first place.

“You gave my father your card earlier,” the boy said. “The Zora have flipped our sheep again. Dad said he’ll give you two blue Rupees if you give us a hand putting them right before it gets dark.”

“Did you say the sheep were flipped?” Four asked. Warriors elbowed him hard.

“We’re happy to help.”

“This isn’t really what I had in mind,” Four told Warriors as they strained to heave the third sheep onto its feet. “Why do Zora even do this, it seems very petty.”

“Legend said there’s been civil war between the Zora and Hylians for hundreds of years around here. It’s mostly died down now, but Hylians still fish in Zora territory so the Zora do things like turning sheep upside down to show their defiance.”

“Still, it’s not exactly the ‘evil warlords’ I was expecting”

“Patience, my small friend!” Warriors declared just as they managed to push the sheep onto its feet, “everyone must start somewhere and our business is only a few hours old after all. Small beginnings make for the best hero agencies, as they say.”

“You just made that up,” Four muttered dispassionately.

[bambinella]

Sulking

A/N: I have, like probably everyone else, been obsessed with Tears of the Kingdom, and while brainstorming a little with @otomiyaa​ I thought of this cute idea! Enjoy!

Summary: Link is depressed after being separated from Zelda yet again, and Rauru wants to motivate him a little.

Word count: 2186

Link was sitting on the ground in front of the Temple of Time, and he was sulking. One moment he had been exploring the ruins underneath Hyrule Castle with Zelda, the next moment his entire world had turned upside down. Zelda was gone. The Master Sword was gone. Ganondorf – or rather, the Lich King??? – had returned after being imprisoned for who knows how long. He had almost died, again. But worst of all? His whole right arm was gone. His fighting arm. All his abilities, skills, everything he had trained for, all of it was gone. And it had taken zero effort for the Lich King to do so. So in the end, he was just weak. Link clenched his fist tightly and bit his lip. He looked down at his new arm, which Rauru, the very first King of Hyrule, had given to him after saving his life. It felt… foreign. And while it was supposed to be powerful, it seemed to have lost its power as well. Perfect.

Rauru noticed Link’s sour mood and sighed. He couldn’t exactly blame him for it, though. The boy had had one hell of a day. He sat himself down on a rock next to Link, not sure what to say. “Are you alright, Link?” He asked. He could tell that the Hylian was depressed.

“...” 

“... Right, that’s about the answer I expected,” Rauru said with another sigh, and Link let out a grunt. He should be more amazed that the literal ghost of the very first King of Hyrule was talking to him, but he couldn’t get himself to care right now. After finally being reunited with Zelda, he had lost her yet again. What kind of knight was he, as he had failed to protect her for a second time now. Rauru looked at Link for a long second, almost sensing his worries. “You shouldn’t beat yourself up like that. Zelda’s going to be alright, Link. She’s alive,” He said, causing Link’s head to snap up. 

“Are you sure?? How can you know?” He asked, looking straight into Rauru’s eyes. There was an ancient wisdom in those eyes, and secrecy. And for some reason it gave Link some hope. 

“I just know.” Rauru said with a smile, and Link felt like he had been holding his breath for far too long. He let out a sigh and mustered a small smile. If Rauru said Zelda was alive, then he was willing to believe him. He was willing to do anything at that point.

“... Thanks, Goat Man,” Link said, his smile growing a little wider as he saw Rauru’s eyebrow twitch.

“Goat ma– ahem, you’re welcome Link. Now you must focus on what’s in front of you. You need to strengthen your new arm, by visiting and conquering the Shrines to seek out the Sacred Light,” Rauru said, and a frown reappeared on Link’s face. He was about to face about a thousand trials again, he realized. 

“Right… no time to waste, then,” He said, standing up as he made his way towards the first Shrine. He had done something similar a few years ago, it couldn’t be that hard right? Apparently it was that hard. While easily mastering half of the shrines and gaining new abilities, Link hated the Sky Islands, and they seemed to hate him just as much. He had lost count of how many times he had almost fallen off the edge at this point. He had been climbing on boxes, and suddenly those boxes had turned into a giant monster. And he didn’t even want to think about all the times he had created items, to help him on his way, only for them to flow off the edge by a sudden gust of wind. Needless to say, by the time he had reached the third Shrine, his sour mood had returned. Rauru, who had been waiting for Link there, raised an eyebrow. “You really need to smile more, you know,” He casually said, earning another grunt from Link who just walked towards him. “Shut up Goat Man,” He grumbled, stopping next to Rauru. “You didn’t fall off a boat made of logs, to swim after it while it sails away, only to fall off of it again at least three times in the past ten minutes.”

“I understand what you’re going through, truly. But you’re going to be alright, you just need to gain a little more control over your new arm and become stronger,” The King assured. Link rolled his eyes.

“Not to be rude, but I don’t think you know what I’m going through right now, Goa–” Link started, only to be interrupted by Rauru.

“Call me a goat again, see what happens,” He said, and it made Link look up for the first time. There was a serious look in Rauru’s eyes, but there was also a smile on his lips and a hint of… playfulness in his voice. And it sparked something within Link, who was usually known for being a menace with his childlike behavior from time to time. While Link hadn’t had the best of days so far, he couldn’t resist the little challenge in that sentence as a smirk tugged at his lips.

“Or what? I don’t think there’s much you can do as a ghost, you know… Goat Man,” Link said while putting his hands on his hips. Rauru shook his head while giving him a once over. The boy in front of him was naked except for an old skirt and some wear-down sandals, and he decided to push his luck? He had to give it to Link, he was courageous.

“Well… I did warn you,” He said, before making a single move with his arm. Link immediately felt, and saw, his new arm react to it, and before he knew it he was laying down on his back, his new arm attached to a boulder. Wait what.

“H-hey! Wha– how did you do that?!” Link cried out in surprise, tugging at his arm to free himself. Nothing, it didn’t budge at all. Rauru chuckled at that, kneeling down next to him. “Did you, perhaps, forget that this arm once belonged to me? I may no longer have a physical body, but that doesn’t mean I no longer get to control it. At least, control it enough to do that,” He said, casually pointing to Link’s position.

“... And why exactly did you do ‘that’?” Link managed to ask, raising one eyebrow at the former King. This earned another chuckle.

“Because you dared to challenge me, and you really need to smile more,” Rauru said, before using both his ghostly hands to dig into Link’s sides. The Hylian let out a strangled gasp and tried to hold his laughter, one of his arms immediately reaching down to grab Rauru’s wrist, only for his hand to go straight through it. Oh that was so unfair.

“W-wait! No stop! Hohohohow?! You’re a damn ghohohost!” Link almost growled as he fought to hold back his frantic giggles, his free hand hitting the air where the ghost was sitting. And for the first time Rauru grinned widely at him.

“Who do you think you’re talking to, boy? I have been here for much longer than you can imagine, I do have some tricks up my sleeve. Besides, I was sitting on a stone earlier without falling through it, you really should have noticed,” He smiled, moving his large hands up and down Link’s flanks. The ghostly touch was feathery light, and it made Link’s skin tingle wherever it got touched. 

“Bwaahahaha! S-stohohop! Dohohon’t tihihihickle mehehehehe!” Link had no chance of holding back his laughter any longer. His skin was on fire because of the phantom tickles, and a blush spread on his cheeks. He had been ticklish for as long as he could remember, and while Zelda discovering this little fact had been one of the happiest moments of his life, right now it was biting him in the ass.

“Oh but I strongly feel like you need this,” Rauru countered, moving his hands under the swordsman’s arms. Link let out an undignified shriek and burst into loud laughter, his arm immediately wrapping around himself. This, however, did nothing to stop Rauru, although it felt weird to squish a ghost’s hand.

“NOHHOHOHOHO STOHOHOHOP! IHIHIHI’LL KIHIHIHILL YOU!” He cried out while thrashing on the ground, realizing a little too late it was probably a stupid thing to threaten him. How did one kill a ghost in the first place? None of his thoughts mattered as the ticklish sensations continued to bombard his brain, sending him into a helpless fit of renewed laughter.

“Oh? Kill me, hm? Did you also forget that I’m a ghost? And how exactly are you going to kill me if you can’t even get up from the ground, Sir Giggles?” Rauru asked with a teasing smile, scribbling his ghostly nails a little faster into his armpits. When Link couldn’t properly threaten him anymore due to laughing too fast, he pulled his hands away to grant the boy a break. “Ohoho fuck… ahaha… you suhuhuck!” Link whined with a giggle, panting slightly as he caught his breath. Stupid goat. The King let out a laugh at that and shook his head again.

“Even in this position you’re still throwing insults, huh? Guess you don’t know when to quit, although that seems to be a positive side of you,” Rauru said, earning another eye-roll of the Hylian. He took a moment to take another good look at the Hylian in front of him, especially his shoulder and chest. While it had only been a few hours, Link’s body had already completely absorbed and adjusted to the new arm, despite Link not having full control over it yet. Link didn’t look tall or strong or intimidating, but his ability to adapt and overcome was his true strength. Rauru was pulled out of his thoughts by the sound of giggling, only then noticing that his claw was gently tracing the dark lines on his chest and ribs.

“Stohohop! Dahahamn you gohohohoat! Thahahahat tihihickles!” Link cried out in protest, embarrassed about the fact that a simple, light touch was enough to make him burst into giggles. Rauru noticed and smirked.

“My my, you really are ticklish, huh? This is enough to make you laugh? What if an enemy learned of your sensitivity, however would you survive?” Rauru teased, speeding up his fingers to really tickle him. Link cackled and threw his head back, attempting to wiggle his new arm side to side to try and dislodge himself from the boulder. However, whenever he got close to freedom, Rauru snuck his claws into his helpless underarm and tickled him until he lost concentration. The tips of his ears were red from both laughter and blushing at the teasing.

“Yohohou’re– AHAHAHA! You’re kihihihilling meehehehe! Lehehet me uuuuhuhuhup!!” He shrieked, once again reaching for one of Rauru’s hands with his free arm. Before he managed to do so, though, he felt his wrist being pinned.

“Hm, should I let you up? I might need to think about this for a while longer,” The King pretended to consider it, while raking his claw up and down Link’s taut stomach. If Link had been laughing and struggling before, it was nothing in comparison. The knight let out a roar of laughter while arching his back, kicking his legs wildly as he tugged at both his arms. Zelda loved to randomly tickle his stomach, since it was his most ticklish spot and it would send him into a giggle-fit if caught off guard. He usually never fought back, because he enjoyed being tickled, but now he was fighting for his life.

“PLEHEHEHEASE! I CAHAHAHAN’T! IHIHIHIT TIHIHICKLES!” Link howled with laughter, yet genuinely looked happy as he had a massive smile on his face. While Rauru was starting to feel a little sorry for him, he couldn’t help but smile at the expression and decided to keep going for a little while longer. When Link no longer had the energy to struggle and was simply laughing his heart out, Rauru finally pulled away.

“Now, I hope this taught you a little lesson. Are you done sulking?” Rauru asked with a smirk as he moved his hand, releasing Link from the boulder. The knight didn’t move and let out a huff, yet still smiled.

“I guess… thanks, Rauru,” He mumbled with a blush. The King blinked, before smirking a little wider.

“You take a minute to recover from this vicious attempt to kill you,” He playfully jabbed, earning another huff from the Hylian. “I’ll be waiting at the next Shrine for your arrival. Oh, and Link?” He said, turning around to face the knight, who had stood up.

“Hm?”

“I gave you that arm for a reason, you know. I truly believe you will manage.” He said with a smile, before vanishing. Link stood there for a moment, carefully considering those words, before moving on towards the next Shrine. Yet this time he wore a smile and a look of determination. 

[shinjisdone]

Reasons for Link(s) To Be A Yandere

In Relation to this request I did (rather the reblog reblog)

Link is hard to pinpoint since he's a vessel for the player. Headcanons Based on the game's worldbuilding/lore, a bit of their mangas and very much lotsa imagination from my side.

(Romantic)

SS! Link: His constant worry for Zelda's safety, unknown of Hyrule below, too naive, seems like a good boy, unexperienced, someone who might long for ACTUAL connection since Fi is a bit too much beep boop master linkkkk

OoT! Link: Very much naive and still childlike when sent into the future, confused by all that is happening and needs an anker of reality (maybe even an escape to simpler, childish times since he doesn't want to face all the actual real horrors, daydreams a lot), BEARS THE BURDEN OF THE WOOORLD, wishes for some kind of positivity/sunshine, you might think he is weird for his age, protective since he doesn't know what this future has in store for him, ALL THAT HE KNEW AND CHERISHED IS GONE NOW

TP! Link: GUY GOT TURNED INTO A WOLF, IMAGINE JUST; YOUR ENTIRE LIFE IS UPSIDE DOWN FROM HUMAN TO BEAST ALL THAT YOU KNOW WILL NEVER BE THE SAME AGAIN YOU HAVE TO GET USED TO LIVING THE REST OF YOUR LIFE AS SOMETHING ELSE AND THEN YOU DIE

THE PEOPLE YOU KNOW, YOUR FRIENDS, YOUR FAMILY DON'T KNOW WHO YOU ARE, THEY FEAR YOU AND PRBLY THINK YOU ARE DEAD OR WENT MISSING. AND ON TOP OF THAT YOU ARE EXPECTED TO SAVE THE WORLD

ITS A LOT OF STRESS.

Maybe naive, aware of his strength and ready to protect others, courageous to the point nothing will stop him, maybe bit of a Country pumpkin, soft, so soft he holds animals like babies, internally frustrated and scared? Unsure? NeedING COMFORT AND ASSURANCE? ONLY HAS A FEW LOVED ONES. Needs acceptance.

BotW! Link: My man has SO MUCH LORE. Survivor's guilt? Amnesia? Unsure if he remembers everything correctly? NOT SURE IF HE STILL FEELS THE SAME AFTER LEARNING ABOUT HIS PASSED LOVED ONES? Unexperienced and curious, open and lets himself be amazed by the world, letting all the pain that he doesn't even remember (YET) go and just live the life he couldn't have? A part of him not wanting to go through everything all over again after finding out the truth? Doubting his abilities and believing he'll fail again? Slowly becoming his old, stoic, mute and emotionally closed off self through time? Yes to all the above.

Also talks more at the beginning, eats a lot, happy to help and learn new things. Tries to distract himself from reality.

(Platonic)

LA! Link: You're probly in the island too, just as his imagonation however. A memory of a friend he knows and missed? Cannot EVER see again? Well, you are here, in this mystical, fun island. He can be here with you. Indulges in the dream and pretends its the life he wanted to have with you. Friend, best friend, sibling, whatever, it's you and him now forever. No destiny or Calamity can keep you apart when he is dreaming. Will not listen to the owl. He was forced to grow up when defeating evil but here he can indulge in whimsical, childish games. Fishing, stomping on weird creatures (he finds them funny and names them goombas!) Getting all kinds of funny knick-knacks...all with you. Might shape the dream you to make you into the 'you' he remembers, or worse, desires.

FS! Link: uh-oh four Links is double the trouble. Something might have happened during the Split and each of Link's best and worst characteristics show. Your friend gets agGreSSiVe then overprotective, cheery and kind and then clingy and emotional. Smart and giving advice only to be possesive the next. He struggles to maintain his emotions/doppelgangers and it makes it even worse when he tries to hide his true feelings from you. Each Clone might just spit out a thought/opinion they have of you without thinking that has been residing in Link's heart forever. Each get jealous on who gets to spend more time with you (although they're the same person).

MM! Link: Has the wits and maturity of a grown-up and finds it hard to let himself indulge in anything. Lonely since no one understands him and kids 'his age' are too immature for him so he can't find any friends, any connections. Has immense feeling of duty and responsibility that HE is the hero of everything and everyone. When a Problem arrives, HE must solve it. HE must endanger his life to save others. You must be special to have any connection with him. Longs for a normal life but thats not possible anymore. Zelda unwittingly gave him another terrible fate.

[sapientiiae]

@hyruleanlegends asked: (last kiss): unsure if they will see each other again, sender kisses the receiver before distracting enemies so receiver can escape. royal, fantasy romance & spice

It was difficult evading Ganondorf for seven years while Link's soul slumbered in the Sacred Realm, but the challenge grew significantly once Link awakened and needed to be guided to the temples. Sitting by doing nothing for seven years had been painful, and she’d be damned if she allowed herself to continue to do nothing while Link and Shi risked their lives. 

So she intervened—more so once Impa was revealed to be the Sage of Shadows. Her Sheikah nursemaid had made it clear just how opposed she was to Zelda stepping out of hiding, but she’d at least trained her well in the years leading up to that moment. Now, with no one to loom over her shoulder at all hours, Hyrule’s Princess had grown more bold.

Or perhaps it was more reckless. 

She’d wanted to help wherever she could, and Ganondorf was growing more demanding of Shi, making it harder to relay information amongst their unit (Zelda from the shadows, since Link hadn’t known she was actively a part of that unit to begin with). They were close, with only the Sage of Spirit left to awaken—too close to give up now. If she could only help to carry some of their burden, they might still have a chance of saving Hyrule.

They’d arranged to meet under the cover of night, thinking the darkness would help conceal their coming and going. The edge of the Lost Woods had seemed like the best choice of their limited options since they could use the thick canopy of the trees to further camouflage themselves from the prying eyes of Ganondorf’s spies (ironic considering Sheik was one of those spies). 

She’d thought their meeting was going to plan; they were exchanging their last bit of information between one another before they would part ways. So she hadn’t anticipated a Club Moblin would show up to put a kink in their plan, not here anyway. They were too far from the entry to the Forest Temple for her to have thought to worry about such a creature, and yet she swore she felt the earth tremble beneath their feet as it charged towards them.

It’s grunts and world shaking shockwaves seemed to attract the attention of its companions, and before long they had two Moblins added to their chase. Goddesses, was this the end? Had they made it so far to fail here? At the hands of three Moblins of all things?

Shi seemed to understand her thoughts — register the flash of panic in her stormy gaze. Lips parted as she prepared to tell him they would go down fighting together, but his mouth was on hers before she could utter the words. It took the Hylian by surprise, now frozen in place by something entirely new (and dare she say comforting, despite their current situation). His lips lingered over hers for a moment—two—before pulling away. When they parted, Zelda speechless, she found his crimson gaze filled with a mix of resignation and determination.

And then he’d pushed her.

The sudden shove onto a separate path felt as if her world was flipped upside down, eyes wide as Shi angled his body between her and the three enemies she’d intended to fight alongside him. Even from this new distance, she watched the determination fade from his eyes as he took one last look in her direction, softening to what was unmistakably an apology.

He knew she’d be livid, and her anger might very well pick her apart later, but he’d chosen to use himself as a sacrifice to distract their foes so she could escape. 

A strangled sob was all she could manage, watching as Shi turned back to charge towards the three beasts without hesitation, leaving her no choice but to honor the sudden plan he’d set in motion for them both.

And so she fled.

[neverchecking]

That's the word I was looking for! Efficient! Sweetpea is more efficient since while he did have backup, he was/is left on his own a lot and Tia basically pounded it into his head when he first woke up to end fights as quickly as possible. So Sweetpea is more efficient while Sage is more flexible in the way that they fight. Sweetpea prefers to use the same kind of sword and bow while Sage is happily using farming hoe to gut a hinox.

(I like to think this leads to fun little squabbles over what weapon is better. A royal broadsword fused with a dragon's horn or a Moblin club. Aaliyah thinks they're both idiots and proclaims bombs to be the superior weapon. Sage agrees but Sweetpea )

Sweetpea did get the vows and his arm was mostly saved rather than being written off entirely. Instead, Sweetpea got all those bands around the arm that act like magical braces and tourniquet for the gloom. Still hurt and drained him of a lot of his strength (which he got pissed about even with Tia's warning. His appreciation for Tia goes up again when he sees what could've happened.) So he gets to join in on the little sages' secret clubroom.

Tia's Hyrule is absolutely bullying their 'new neighbours' into this community thing because 'we didn't survive the Calamity by being little bitches. Play Nice or Shut the Fuck up :)'

Natura is having her whole world turned upside down and she's blinding herself to it. She tries to order the knights and soldiers around but they all just ignore her because she's not the one who saved them. Some of her original people do listen but they are so out numbered by people who either recognise Tia as the ruler or are so tired of the conflict they follow Tia because she explains and listens.

Not to mention the house in Hateno is now definitely not hers. It's Link's and his sister Ariel's home and several villagers get very protective over their hero's little sister who's only like 14. (I went with the concept art where she looks about 8ish). (Weirdly, Link's twin and sister-in-law live in Tarrey Town. Nice place.) Natura is brought back to the castle until they can get Urbosa.

Tia feels kind bad for dumping her on the former chief but, Urbosa is the only one who'd be able to get through to Natura and is probably the only one who'd have enough patience and understanding to separate Tia's personality from Natura's and vis versa.

Sweetpea probably has more traditional training while Sage's goes as far as 'Fuck around and find out'. Which makes for an...interesting dynamic when it comes to battle fronts. Like when it comes to those pirate ships, Tia's trying to figure out a plan and Sage is going in, flame sword flying with little remorse for the WOODEN SHIPS.

(These are probably more than little squabbles. Like they're trying to scale a mountain and they're throwing rocks at each other to prove a point while the girls are so over their shit. Aaliyah is right, bombs are superior, but Sage will be damned before admitting she's right. He loves her, would kill for her, probably has, but he would be damned by the big three themselves before ever admitting that. That's one line he won't ever cross.)

Sage is glaring at the arm the first time he sees it bc like?? HOW COME HIS ISN'T LIKE THAT?! Aaliyah is just 🙄 the whole time, like 'Suck it up'. And Sweetpea is praising Tia for everything under ythe sun.

THE SAGES SECRET CLUBROOM- I LOVE THAT.

Tia's hyrule is beating the others in submission with kindness. They learned from their princess. They're just :))) 'you don't wanna do that lmao'. And they're just 'Here's a gift basket full of all the nice things you can make if you GET YOUR HEAD OUT OF YOUR ASS'

Natura is having a bad time. Or she would be if she chose to look at her problems in an effort to fix them. She strikes me as the type to like, throw a fit when things don't go her way. Stomp her foot and yell louder to try and force them to listen. Some of the original soldiers, like you said, do listen, but the other are just 😒'are you done? I have a patrol to get back to.' I like the idea that she almost gets a rebellion going before they see the harmony that comes from Tia ruling. They see the different races finally coexisting, forming relationships beyond just what they can do for the other and are just like 'this is kinda nice'.

And now that house is returned to its rightful owner, it doesn't have as many bad memories! Which is good! Sage and Aaliyah probably visit Hateno a lot more to see Ariel and Sweetpea-- which is good because they like to help out at the farm and bring mushrooms to Cece. And with Natura no longer there, the hostilities between the older generation and the newer one definitely simmer down as well. which works even better.

Urbosa is the best chance to get through to Natura and Riju can report back using her Sage to talk to either Link or even Aaliyah (I think with the Sage of Spirits, she can probably talk to the other Sages through their secret clubroom). So while Tia probably feels bad, she has no reason to. Which Aaliyah and Sage are quick to remind her. Natura is still their Zelda, so while she should be their responsibility, they're not nearly patient enough to deal with her shit.

I also like the idea that the longer and more time Sage and Aaliyah spend with both Tia and Sweetpea, and their Hyrule and their people, the more the kind of mellow out. Like, they won't ever be the prim and proper type, but they don't immediately bite people in a form of defense.

[gintrinsic-writing]

Imagine how terrifying it would be for Hyrule if he suddenly found himself unable to run or protect himself from the monsters. No one to help him. :3

I love that you ended that scary idea with a casual ":3", very bold. CW blood, violence.

-

It started with a paper cut. A single, unambitious bead of blood.

As he stumbled into an abandoned cabin, Link distantly marveled at how much terror could be found in crude banality. It was better than focusing on that wretched drumbeat—on the hunting song that had chased him for the better part of two days now. Every rhythmic, booming vibration settled under his skin like a fever, at odds with the frantic beating of his own heart.

Link could hear the shuffling and snarling of a dozen monsters outside the cabin. He knew it was only a matter of minutes before more arrived. Exhausted, he braced himself on his right leg and leaned back against the door. His vision blurred, but it was easy to see the way his hands shook, the ulcerated blisters against the palm of his sword hand. His blade was coated in thick, viscous lines of monster blood, and Link realized that somewhere along the way—through all the hacking and slashing and fleeing—he had lost count of the number of monsters he had slain.

It didn’t matter. He had no food, no water, and no magic left.

He was alone, and the hunt was coming to an end.

A horn blared from outside the door, long and piercing. One of the moblins roared, and its fervor was matched by a cacophony of guttural cries.

Link closed his eyes briefly and whispered a short prayer to whomever might be listening. Looking down at his left leg, where bone was visible through a tear in his pants, he grimly knew there’d be no answer. His fate was sealed.

The hunting song picked up in intensity, causing Link to grit his teeth. He wondered why they didn’t simply force the door open, then he smelled smoke and understood.

They planned to burn him out.

Link laughed mirthlessly, despair settling like a veil as his vision slowly tunneled. Wisps of smoke curled against the roof of the cabin, and the back wall began to pop with unseen fire. He waited for the first tongue of flame, waited until fresh sweat dripped down his forehead, until heat stung his skin. And Link knew, then, that he didn’t deserve to be called the Hero of Courage, because fear was too deeply rooted in his heart.

A brave man would let the fire take him. A brave man would rather burn than allow his blood to be used in a ceremony for evil.

Link turned toward the door, shoulders slumped but gaze level, and resigned himself to cowardice. He opened the door and faced damnation with his sword.

It was quick, of course. He managed to maim a few monsters, kill another, but between one breath and the next, Link was disarmed and thrown to the ground. He thrashed under eager claws, but one of the bokoblins purposely stomped on his broken leg, and Link was so overwhelmed by pain that his entire worldview narrowed down to black spots and a horrible, wordless keen he only belatedly realized was his own scream. Moments later, his arms and legs were bound, and he was reduced to frightened, agonized gasping.

The ritual was a short affair, aesthetic sacrificed for practicality. Link’s clothes were ripped from his body, and bright, watery blood was streaked like paint across his skin. The symbols glowed as they were completed, seeping into him with an unnatural chill. Behind him, as if to provide sensory dissonance, the cabin was swallowed by flames.

A large bowl was set in front of Link, its wide rim flecked with gold. He knew, with terrifying certainty, that he was about to be exsanguinated. A single drop of his blood plopped into the bowl, and for a split second, every mark upon his skin sizzled as if to brand him. He might have fled the fire, but it seemed he would burn all the same.

A wizzrobe approached with a short, curved knife, giggling sadistically. Link’s head was tugged back by his hair, and he bared his teeth as he screamed—voicing every ounce of his defiance and fury and gut-wrenching fear. He stared up at the hazy sky, alone and defeated, and waited to feel his throat split open.

The drums stopped. The air grew electrified. A portal suddenly appeared on the other side of the bowl, and from its depths appeared eight well-armed Hylians.

And Link, battered and broken, spent of everything but the simple, desperate desire to live, wondered if salvation was, in fact, real.

[bokettochild]

Day 4 - Trust Fall

Went with the prompt 'taken hostage' for this one, and I'm quite pleased. I might follow it up from another prompt on the list, but I quite like how it ended.

Suffer :)

There are many people who hate the Hero of Warriors.

It was a well-known fact, and something that had haunted him since the ends of the war, but he couldn’t exactly blame the folks who did. After all, it was for lust of the hero that Cia had killed so many, and there were families all across Hyrule who had lost loved ones because the hero had refused the affections of one lonely, corrupted woman.

Zelda had tried to tell him it wasn’t his fault, but that changed nothing; people had still died because of Cia’s lust, and still more had died because of his own over-confidence. So, when he walked the streets of Castletown and the people who wanted to thank him faded to the background as a single soul would stand and spit insults loaded with venom more poisonous than a deku baba, he would take their words and let them speak, never once challenging them, even when his men would protest and beg for permission to reprimand his attacker. Zelda had pleaded for him to stop, claiming that he lowered the moral of the army by not carrying himself strongly and with honor, but how could he rob someone of their voice when he’d already robbed them of everything else?

There was one upside to it all though; when Warriors met Legend, there was nothing the younger hero could say that could truly hurt him. Legend would huff and complain and tease and jab, but his insults were a gentle nudge in comparison to the hearty shoves into boiling lava that he’d seen from his own people, and he welcomed the verbal sparring with the other hero. It was nice to be able to speak back without having guilt rise in his chest, and he enjoyed getting to tease and bother the veteran hero in return.

In that manner, an unlikely friendship had formed between a hero who hated soldiers and a soldier who hated being a hero.

He was close to all of the others of course; Sky, Wild and himself would spend hours discussing their worlds and the systems of knights and training and the like. Time and Wind, his boys and the pride of his heart, would mess around with him and it warmed him body and soul to offer them advice or comfort after a long day (and having the two of them cuddle up when they thought no one was looking was an extra warm bonus on multiple fronts).

Four was- well, there was no words for the relationship he shared with the smithy. It was a relationship of exchanged looks and mutual silence. One of two brothers who knew each other as well as if they’d actually been born to the same mother, and who could read the others actions as if they were reading their thoughts. It was them flopping over each other and Four climbing onto his shoulders to reach things, it was him throwing the smithy bodily up towards high places and leaning on the top of his head when he was drained or feeling playful.

Wild and Hyrule were his baby brothers, the chaotic ones who he was helping to bring up right, the boys who needed a guiding hand and a firm voice to push them and guide them, but who reveled in warm hugs and teasing or encouraging words.

And Twilight? Twilight was his sparring partner, his closest brother and the one he’d probably end up socking in the face one day. There was enough said on that front. Legend very nearly made the same rank, except...

Except Legend was, truth be told, as much a kid as the others and despite their verbal battles, he didn’t think he could actually ever hit the kid for real, no matter how often he cuffed the pink head or pushed the short vet over in jest, he didn’t think he could ever cause the younger hero harm. Yeah, yeah, so maybe it was the big brother and father in him that said he wouldn’t live with himself if he hurt the kid, but it was also the soldier and captain that saw a reflection of every cocky recruit he’d ever trained and a certain mask wearing child in the vet’s painfully rare smiles and much more common snarky comments.

And he just couldn’t bring himself to hurt a kid in the first place.

No matter how much of an ass they were being.

“Seriously though, how have you not died?” Legend was scoffing, but the vet’s arms were wrapped tight around himself as the kid rolled his eyes. “I mean, one bokoblin? How is that the first time an enemy has ever grabbed your scarf?”

Warriors would have laughed it off with a tease about the vet’s lack of leg protection, but he could see the worry shining in violet hues and feel the tender bruising that wrapped around his own neck. He hardly remembered the last battle, adrenalin and the concussion had seen to that, but legend had been weirdly snappish with him since, yet simultaneously clingy in a way that was painfully uncharacteristic of their salty veteran. “Most monsters are just dumb.” He’d shrugged off at last, but Legend hardly looked contented, picking at his tunic and scowling at his boots as if there was something more he wanted to complain about or say, but he lacked the words to say it.

Oh goddesses, the vet really was like Mask, wasn’t he? All bashful worry and fussing disguised as insults and annoyance, but underneath just a kid who desperately needed the assurance that the people around him weren’t seconds away from death.

“I’ll be fine, you grouchy little bumblebee.” He scoffed, tugging at one of the vet’s long ears, just as he did with Time when the now older hero was getting to wrapped up in his head. “We’re in my world anyway and the monsters here are dumber than rocks.” Usually he’d just say ‘dumb as rocks’ but they’d met a talus in Wild’s Hyrule and he couldn’t honestly think of that phrase the same way since.

“Black blood makes them smarter.” Legend huffed, batting his hands away with a scowl, nose wrinkling up in an almost adorable manner as he sidestepped a swipe at his hair. “And I just fixed that thing for you, I don’t want to have to do that again.”

So much like Time had been, did the vet see it? Just like his middle kid and it was messing with his brain in a way that wasn’t entirely unpleasant. How upset would Sky be if he gathered Legend in amongst his boys as well? The Skyloftian wasn’t particularly possessive of his descendants and he might not mind sharing responsibility over the vet. He’d have to ask, but only once he was sure Legend was out of earshot, the kid was barely tolerant of Sky coddling him, and even then, usually only when he was sleepy or scared shitless.

“Are you listening, Captain? I’m not mending that scarf again this week, you ass.” Legend flicked his ears, irritation at being ignored coloring his face with a scowl that quickly faded into surprise as a blue heap of fabric settled over his head and shoulders. Of course, the surprise disappeared too once Legend’s face was covered with the tail end of the scarf, and he had to grab the back of the vet’s tunic to stop him from tumbling to the ground as he tripped over the rocky path.

“What the heck, Wars?!” The teen squeaked, fumbling with the fabric as the captain let a laugh rumble up through his chest into his throat.

“You keep fussing about the scarf, yeah? Well,” He reached out to tug the loose end down, chest thrumming with warmth as the pout on Legend’s face beneath the scarf and a fierce blush. “So how about you keep it safe for me, just for a bit.” He shifted the fabric again, arranging it to lay better around the veteran’s thin shoulders. “You can give it back after the next battle, yeah? Then you’ll know it’s not damaged.”

The pink-haired hero rolled his eyes at that comment, but Wars didn’t miss how the kid nestled in amidst the blue fabric with a soft hum.

Oh yeah, despite all the teasing, it was clear Legend liked the scarf as much as his other boys. He hoped Sun and Sky didn’t mind sharing too much, because there was no going back now.

“Dramatic arse.” Legend huffed, but despite the vet tugging the scarf up over his nose and mouth he still saw the grin the lay beneath.

Somewhere behind him, he could hear Time and Wind exchanging whispers while Twilight grumbled something exceedingly rude and fond all at once.

“Should we split up to find supplies then?” Sky asked, pointedly ignoring Twilight’s comment as he addressed the group as a whole, earning a thoughtful nod from Time.

“Probably best.” The man hummed out. “Groups of three, Hyrule and Wind, you’re with the vet, Four and Sky, you’re with Wars, Cub, Pup, I want you two with me, if something happens I want a responsible adult on every team, as well as someone who knows this Castletown well.”

Agreement thrummed over them as they split up, Wind catching his party members by their hands and pulling them off towards the tailor and apothecary shops so Legend could restock on thread and fabric and Hyrule could gather more healing supplies. Time’s group turned the opposite way, heading off into the main market square so Wild could restock on food stuffs and a new haversack for the traveler as Hyrule’s had had a hole worn in the corner that even Four doubted he could fix. Warriors himself led his team towards the fletchers and the forge, with the intent of buying more arrows and getting Four permission to repair a few of their weapons.

The chatter of the town was cheerier than usual, and to his surprise, not a single person spoke to him beyond the occasional inquiry about directions or an apology or insult after bumping into them. It was like he was invisible, or very nearly, and even those who made a point of calling out thanks or insults only waved cheerily to him as if he was just another passing soldier.

At the smithy, the Master Smithy, Gaepak, blinked in surprise for a good minute when Wars had approached to ask for use of the workroom. “Gen’ral? Is ‘at yew?”

He cocked a brow at the question. “Yes? Is there a problem?”

Gaepak boomed a nervous laugh, motioning to his own short neck with a faint flush on his face as his ears twitched lightly. “’Ard to tell you apart from yer men wit’out that scaaf of yers.” The man apologized, and the apprentice at the blacksmith’s side nodded nervously.

He couldn’t help back slip into a disarming smile (although he had to fight not to slip into their heavy accent as well when he spoke). “Quite alright, gentlemen. I’ve just let it out to one of-”

“Yer boys.” the smith nodded knowingly, earning a snigger from their own short-statured smithy and a light chuckle from Sky.

Warriors flushed slightly. Really, the people of Castletown knew him too well. “Yes, one of my boys.”

“An’ a moighty fine father ye are.” Gaepak drawled with a grin. “Use the forge ta yer ‘eart’s content.” The smith added, moving back to his own workstation with a cheery wink. “Jist moind ye clean it up when ya done.”

Four had shouted something of a reassurance before moving to the offered work station with shining hazel eyes and fingers already flitting over the available tools to familiarize himself with them. In the meantime, Sky had shot him a knowing smile, eyes twinkling as the captain had flushed softly.

Four was deep into his work and the two of them had already finished a lengthily talk and a trip to the fletchers when Wind and Hyrule had burst in, heavy breaths heaving through the two and a healthy flush over two sets of rounded cheeks as wild eyes had turned to the two adults.

“Wind, you can’t bust into a forge! Four shouted over the clang of metal. “It’s dang-”

“Legend was kidnapped.” Wind blurted out, voice strained and barely holding onto the collected and controlled report method Warriors had drilled into all of his soldiers during the war.   Four’s hammer froze mid-air as the three had whipped around to face the two younger heroes, both knights stiffening instinctively as all laughter left their faces.

“What happened.” Warriors demanded, stepping forwards, jaw set and eyes hard as he met the sailor’s wavering gaze.

The aura of peace faded in instants, and soldier met the eyes of soldier as Wind snapped a neat salute. Unnecessary, yes, but trained into the kid by the other soldiers and probably a comforting sort of habit to revert to in the moment (Warriors felt the same about standing at parade rest as he listened to the kid’s report). “We were just entering the apothecary when a couple of folks approached Legend outside the door. He waved us inside to do our business while they talked, and Hyrule and I did as he asked. We gathered the needed supplies- that doesn’t matter though- the point is, when we were at the counter ringing up-”

“There was shouting outside!” Hyrule interrupted, fingering the strap of his faded satchel. “We thought it was just Legend being Legend, you know how he is but-”

“But then there was something of a scuffle and some bangin-”

“- and when we finished at the counter, because the man wouldn’t hurry up and refused to let us leave ‘till we’d been rung up-”

“Legend was gone!” Wind exploded, eyes shining with near panic as they met his own.

“Where were you exactly?” Wars demanded, mind already flitting across the list of people who were likely to have taken the vet. There weren’t many people the kid would have interacted with here, especially not alone, and saving the soldiers he’d accidentally embarrassed a couple of switches back (kid needed to wear some pants if he didn’t want to mistook for a girl) there wasn’t anyone he could really think of that would have cause to try anything. Sure, Legend’s winning personality might earn him a blow to the face from some of the rowdier townsfolk, but at worst he’d be left on the street on in an alley with a bruised face and a fractured rib or two, not taken away entirely.

As he considered, Four was already tidying up behind him only to have Gaepak wave them off with a worried look. “Moi boys will see to this ‘ere mess, don’t botha. Yew got a kid missin’ you go fetch ‘im, goodness knows Gen’ral that yew don’t need to be suff’rin’ that again.”

It was a bitter reminder, but he’d nodded his thanks all the same and grabbed ahold of Wind’s hand as he led the charge back into the street, Hyrule and Sky tagging along as Four made arrangements to come back later for the still cooling weapons before scampering out after them.

Searching Castletown’s streets would take hours, but after they’d run into one of his men, Bav, he’d filled the soldier in on the situation, and hardly had the words ‘my kid’ been out of his mouth before the other was nodding and agreeing to get the rest of the squadron to search the town. They’d found the others not long after, and the trio had dropped everything (even Wild’s slate for a hot second) to come rushing after them, their now two groups weaving in and out of alleyways and streets.

“Your wife?” A painfully familiar farm-wife had tutted. “First your poor daughter and now your poor wife. I’m sorry, luv, but I haven’t seen a thing.” Wind had crooked a smile at the groan Warriors had barely stifled as he led their group away, Sky and Hyrule both staring at the duo in confusion as they pressed further into the crowd.

Continued asking had brought up nothing, and after hours of trotting through the streets in a growing panic, Sky at his side and Hyrule nearly fluttering along with them, they’d finally been pulled aside by one of the soldiers and made to sit down in a guard-station long enough to drink some water and be caught up on the soldiers’ findings.

“Nothing yet, General Link, but we’ll keep looking. Until then, you should take a rest-” He’d moved to protest only to be cut off by a frown from one of his mates. “You’ll be run ragged by the time we hear word, and if the scamps intend harm of any sort, you’ll be in no state to help.”

He’d had to agree after that, but it hadn’t stopped him pacing while Sky held the other two close, rocking them softly and humming soft reassurances to the two smaller heroes that he’d bundled in his cape. The other four joined shortly after, Time demanding that Bav tell him what was happening and Twilight bundling over to grab Hyrule from Sky and curl up around him, the rancher’s nose buried in Hyrule’s curls as Four had settled between him and Sky, the smithies callused hands gently rubbing both their arms as he murmured soft reassurances to the others.

It was Wild that pulled him down to rest, flinty blue eyes sparking dangerously as the kid pulled him down to the ground and thrust something edible into his hands. Vaguely, he processed eating it, but his mind was too lost in spinning to take note if it was hot or cold or even what it tasted like.

When word finally came, it was with Bav’s face drawn and the entire guard having had to leave the post in wake of the nervous energy that flowed out from the exhausted heroes.

“Well?” He’d snapped to his feet, jostling Wild on accident as he did so and making the kid nearly toppled over with his sudden movement.

“An ultimatum, General.” Bav replied, clipped and carefully emotionless, even if there was pain in his eyes. “It’s addressed to General Impa, but-”

The note was snatched from waiting fingers before the other soldier had a chance to finish, and he was already breaking the seal as the man stepped back with a shake of his head and a murmured ‘poor man’.

The text that stared up at him stank, copper assaulting his senses as looping crimson script stared mockingly up at him. “General Impa,” The note read. “We have in our possession your branded puppet; the ‘hero’ of the war. We write to you now with a warning; should Hyrule and her queen not repay the debt owed to those fallen and forgotten, he will not be the first to pay the price.

“Repay that which is due, and release the prisoners who you hold unjustly under the claim of treachery. If this is done, your ‘hero’ will meet a kinder fate, and we may even allow you access to the corpse.”

The note was left unsigned, save a spattering of blood over where the signature ought to have been.

“A threat.” He choked, furrowing his brow and shaking his head. “It’s only a threat.”

“I wish, sir.” Bav’s eyes were downcast. “But they sent this as well.” A bundle, already unwrapped by the soldiers was offered to him. “But based on your description, that kid- I'm sorry, Sir.”

Trembling fingers tore aside the stained brown paper as he stared at the contents within.

A blood-soaked blue scarf stared back up at him.

[thesacredtwink]

Sugar Cubes

Time knows fairies. Knows them as well as he knows himself, so from the moment he meets Hyrule, the one-eyed hero has an inkling of the secret the Traveler is keeping. Its a good thing he is good with fairies.

@iamyourchair @lollybliz @brichan132 @bits-and-pieces-of @sapphic-loser16 @amamillalatortilla @kir404 @bokettochild

Want to be added to my writing tag list? Comment on this post with the fandom you are interested in!

Special thanks to @bokettochild for inspiring me to finish this fic! You are right. The world can always use more Time bonding with members of the chain that aren't warriors, wild, or Twilight.

It's a day like any other when Link's world is thrown upside down for the fourth time. He is making his usual rounds in Castle Town, dropping off fresh milk and collecting the empty canisters from the local businesses. It's one of the necessities of the farm, and the more he and Malon can keep the turnaround of the product going smoothly, the better it is for everyone.

He pulls the door open on his way out of the hotel, an empty milk canister perched on a shoulder, and promptly trips someone on their way in. It takes every ounce of skill and instinct he has to not drop the heavy metal jar or to crush the smaller person. He ends up clinging one-handed to the doorframe, body tilted forward at a precarious angle, and legs spread wide in an awkward straddle that only narrowly misses crushing the stranger's hand. The one-eyed man blinks down at the colorfully clothed child who scrambles to pull themself off the ground.

“Sorry,” the boy says, dusting himself off.

“No harm,” Link replies with a shrug, righting himself and stepping back to allow the boy to enter. The blonde child nods in thanks, and Link catches a quick glimpse of a feather earring before the boy steps past him.

By the afternoon, Link had completely put the incident out of mind, busy making the last of the day’s deliveries. He is loading up the last of the empty glass bottles into the back of the cart when a voice from behind calls out.

“It’s you!”

Link turns, not entirely sure what to expect, but finds himself smiling when he sees the boy from before along with a companion.

“Me,” Link agrees.

“Sorry again about earlier, I wasn’t expecting anyone to be going out as I was headed in.”

The one-eyed man chuckles.

“That makes two of us,”

Now that he can get a good look at the small blonde, Link finds himself revising his initial assessment of the person's age. Though short, it's clear the young man before him isn't a child. He would be hard-pressed to guess an actual age, but the set of the shoulders and the way he speaks gives Link the impression of someone on the cusp of becoming an adult.

"Actually," the second teen pipes up, voice soft, "Could you help us? We're a bit lost."

Link nearly misses the second half of the sentence due to the wave of fluttery magic that washes over him. It's soft and comforting and feels like home in a way that nothing else ever has, and it is incredibly out of place in the hustle and bustle of Castle Town. Link knows this magic– knows he would know it even if he were laying half-dead in a ditch because he has been half-dead in a ditch and was still able to recognize it for what it is:

A fairy.

He almost checks the nape of his neck out of old instinct, but the feeling is coming from somewhere else. Someone else. Link follows the feeling of fairy magic to its source and has to physically keep himself from starting when his eye lands on the taller of the two boys. He pulls himself out of his confusion, but not before his distraction is noticed by the two teens.

“Are you alright?” the second teen asks, and Links shakes his head, his responding smile not quite reaching his eyes.

“ -‘m fine,” he responds. “You said you boys were lost?”

“That's right,” the colorful teen says.

“Well,” Link shifts, pushing the small glass bottles further into the cart, “this is the central square. You can get just about anywhere in town from here.”

The two boys share a look that has Links suspicions rising. Suspicions that only grow stronger when they turn back to him and with a casualness that can almost pass for natural says.

“No, see, we aren't from around here. Where are we, exactly?”

“Castle town. Castle town, Hyrule.” Link says slowly, watching the two for any further reactions. The two turn their back on the one-eyed man and bow their heads close to each other.

“Link,” the colorful one whispers to the brunet.

“I know.” Is the response.

“But if that's true-”

“I know, Link!” the brunet says again, this time more panicked.

It's a good thing their backs are turned, otherwise, the two teens would have caught Link choking on air. He must have misheard. Surely these two teens can’t both share the same name as him? Except…

It’s happened before. In another world, in a different lifetime. Why not again. That would be his luck.

“Well, if there's anything else I can do for you boys,” Link hears himself say, but it's distant, like listening through a wall. His mind is full, and he beats a hasty exit from castle town, not even stopping to collect the last milk cartons. When he pulls the wagon to a stop just inside the gate of Lon Lon Ranch, Malon is waiting.

Link hops down without a word, reaching one hand out to his wife and pulling her close. Without missing a beat, the red-head wraps her arms around him. It's good to be held, and it though it doesn't quiet the thoughts swimming about his head, it does give them space to mix without worrying if they will cause him to come crashing down.

When he pulls back, Malon is looking at her husband with one eyebrow lifted ever so slightly and gentle concern hanging around the corners of her eyes.

"Link?" She asks, "What's wrong?"

Link shakes his head and presses a hand to his forehead.

"I just found out what it was like for the people who had conversations with us during my third journey."

There is a moment where Malon processes what Link has said, then she takes in a sharp breath.

"Hero things?"

Link nods.

"Hero things."

Link lowers his hand and opens his eyes, and is greatest with the pursed-lipped expression that he has learned means his wife is thinking.

"Will you be leaving?" Malon asks.

Yes , his mind supplies, resigned and a little bit bitter with the taste of the past.

"I don't know," he says instead, and Malon nods in acceptance.

Later that night, he lays out what happened over dinner. Talon nods along good-naturedly, offering his opinion even though Link knows the other man doesn't fully believe the story, but never once letting that disbelief cloud his advice. Malon listens intently, asking questions when appropriate, but keeps her thoughts to herself.

They are laying in bed that night when she rolls over and looks at him.

"You are going to go with those boys, aren't you?"

"I am." He confirms, propping himself up in one arm to better talk to the woman beside him. He doesn't want to go, but then again he never did. Not on the first journey, not the second, and not even the third. Wanting has never had anything to do with it. But when he thinks of the two teens, he knows he can't let them go on their own. Link sighs.

"Malon, I'm sorry. But-"

"Fairy Boy," she cuts him off, "I know who I married. Even if getting to know him was harder than breaking in a Bronko at times."

"I thought I was a mule," Link teases, earning a light slap on his chest from Malon.

"That too," she laughs before growing serious. "I know you, Link.so you do what you got to do, and you come home. Alright?"

"Alright," he smiles and wraps himself around his wife. Holding her tight and memorizing the feel of her in his arms until the next time he can hold her.

He wakes early the next day and pulls on armor he never thought he would wear again. He tries to be quiet and allow the rest of the house to sleep, but when a pair of small, work calloused hands take over tightening his pauldron, Link knows he has failed. Malon works silently, and Link lets her, turning around when she is done to press his forehead against hers.

"You be safe," she murmurs, circling her arms around his armored waist.

"I'll do my best."

It's the only promise he can make.

Malon sees him off at the gate to the ranch, her red hair catching the wind as Link presses one last kiss to her lips in farewell. He takes off across Hyrule field, by chance or by fate arriving at the drawbridge just as the two teens are exiting the town.

"You," the blonde says with wide eyes, and for a second Link swears he sees the teens' eyes flash blue-green-red-purple.

"Me," he confirms.

He watches as the young men take in his appearance, the way his armor glints in the morning light, and the sword strapped to his back.

The brown-haired teen tilts his head, and Link feels fluttery magic brush against him. He wonders if the teen can feel his magic the same way.

"What do you want?" The blond teen asks, eyes somewhere between blue and purple.

"I was wondering how two young men could be so surprised to find themselves in the heart of Hyrule Kingdom."

The two share a look, a silent conversation that plays out in a matter of seconds before the brunet shrugs and looks back up at Link.

"It's a long story," he says.

Despite himself, Link smirks.

"Try me."

---

It is not the most unbelievable story he has ever heard, and in the months that follow his team up with the two teens, what Four and Hyrule described comes to feel mundane. There are nine of them all counted, and somehow Time - as the others have taken to calling him- has found himself in charge of the group. Time can almost hear Malon's laughter when he writes his first letter home, and he supposes he sees the humor too.

He doesn't realize how deeply he has come to care for the eight younger men until it's too late to do anything about it. Part of him recoils at how close he has let the others become, old instincts that even now rage against the unfair impermanence of life. The rest of him, the parts that have taken a lifetime to learn how to express, want to fold them closer. To keep these wonderful and unique men safe from harm.

This, time knows, is not possible. But that doesn't mean he won't try.

They are moving as fast as they can, but when the rumbling starts in earnest, Time knows that even at top speed, it's not enough.

Why any of them had thought that the cave system would make for a decent shortcut is beyond the one-eyed man, and now it's as if the earth itself has decided to challenge the heroes for their hubris. He doesn't even have the energy to spare to curse their collective luck as rocks ranging in size from fists to boulders crash to the ground. Times heart pounds in his throat, his breathing almost as loud to his ears as the crashing of rubble around him. No one speaks as the chain of heroes charge through the rapidly crumbling tunnel, their footsteps pounding against the ground.

For a moment, Time lets himself hope when the faint glow of the exit finally comes into view. It is a scant hundred feet away and from his place at the back of the group, the one-eyed man can almost smell the clean air of the outside world. But then Wind trips and Time watches in slow motion as the youngest hero falls to the ground. Time grunts from the effort it takes to halt his momentum so that he doesn't go flying past the downed boy. The cave rumbles again, and even larger pieces of rubble crash to the ground. He looks from Wind to the exit, and in the pit of his stomach, he knows that even were he unencumbered by the weight of his armor he could not make it to the exit in time. Scooping up the child, Time charges towards the exit and just as the opening starts to give way, throws the hero of the Wind as hard as he can.

Someone is screaming his name, voice raised in horror and panic, but the one-eyed man can't be sure who. He has just enough time to see the sailor roll across the ground before his vision is obscured by rocks and soil. A weight collides with his back and between one heartbeat and another, the world goes dark.

The sunlight is warm on his face, perfect after emerging from the cold waters of Lake Hylia. Link supposed it could be refreshing, but after so long inside the water temple, being dry sounds like heaven itself. The nine-year-old sprawls his short limbs out on the grassy shore, uncaring that his feet remain under the surface. It feels good to rest. He closes his eyes against the bright light, and between the exhaustion and fading adrenaline, the beckon of sleep is alluring.

He has almost drifted off when something small bounces gently off his forehead. Link groans, half-heartedly batting a hand at the thing, earning a musical sigh in response.

"Link, it's time to get up."

The boy cracks an eye open and peers up at the blue fairy hovering above his face.

"Five more minutes," he whines, aware that the fairy isn't likely to give him that time, but trying all the same.

"Only if you want to be stranded in the middle of Hyrule field at sundown,"

There is a pregnant pause as Navi's words process, and Link sighs in defeat. She is right, as usual, and even a handful of minutes can mean the difference between making it to a safe place or fending off a horde of stalchilds.

"Fine," Link whines and the fairy hums triumphantly in a way that the boy thinks might be fond.

"That's what I thought, now up!"

The last word echos, setting the boy's world spinning into darkness, the pitch rising and falling until the fairy's voice has taken on an edge of panic. It isn't right, setting his sense of danger on high, and the blonde claws his way through the darkness towards the borderline frantic fairy.

“-Up! Please, wake up!"

“Navi?” Time mumbles when he regains consciousness, and immediately succumbs to a coughing fit that sends white-hot agony surging through his left arm.

The pain is effective in pulling the man from the depths of his memories, and gradually the world resolves into a faint pink and brown glowing mess. The first thing Time notices is pain radiating from his left arm. The next is his pounding head and ringing in the ears. Blinking his good eye, Time struggles to pull the world into focus but between the dim light and his disorientation, the shapes around him stubbornly refuse to take on any meaningful forms. The memory of the collapse filters through the fog in his mind, and given the high likelihood of a concussion, it is perhaps understandable that the last thing to register is the realization that no light should be penetrating the gloom.

“Time?” the worried fairy voice once again calls, and the pink glow resolves itself into a small flying orb hovering worriedly above his head. Time tilts his head as he observes the fairy above him, the magical trace both comforting and familiar all at the same time. It takes him a moment to place why but when it does, both of his eyes open in realization.

“Hyrule?”

In the air, the fairy sags with relief.

“Oh thank the goddess. Are you hurt?”

Its...odd hearing Hyrule speak in this form. No fairy has a voice in the way hylian's do, the bell-like language comprehensible only because the magical beings want them to be. The words, if they can even be called such things, coalesce in the back of Time’s mind as distinct impressions and images that work just as well if not better than mortal speech. Yet even with the magical haze and musical quality, there is something undeniably Hyrule about the way the communication feels inside Time’s mind.

“I’ll survive.” Time croaks out in response, “And yourself?”

The glowing pink orb flits from side to side, and the tinkling sounds hum a low negative. The older hero sighs in relief and gingerly hauls himself into a sitting position, leaning heavily against the cavern wall. As soon as he is upright, the hero-turned-sprite lands on Times shoulder, and almost instantly the magic that radiates from the creature begins to soothe the injured man's pain.

“Stop that,”

Time means for it to come out as an order, but the words slur, undermining any authority they might have had.

Though as a fairy Hyrule does not have a face propper, Time can feel the incredulous look the other hero is giving him.

“Absolutely not. You are hurt and I can help.”

“And I know what kind of energy it takes for a fairy to heal someone my size, so knock it off.”

There is a musical sigh and after one final pulse of magic, the power radiating from the sprite dims until it is background noise. The effect of the magic lingers and with each second Time’s mind clears and the throbbing pain from his head lessons. It makes it easier to think and recall the events leading up to his current predicament. For a second time both of the elder hero’s eyes widen, this time as dread shoots through his system. As fast as he dares, Time looks over at Hyrule.

“I thought everyone else made it clear of the cave in.”

“They did.” Is Hyrule's immediate response, and some of the panic that has made a home in Time’s throat dissipates. He can’t help but wonder at the other hero’s presence inside the pocket cave, but just as Time is about to open his mouth to voice the question a grinding crunch comes from the rubble wall.

“Time?” A muffled voice shouts through the debris.

“I’m okay,” The man in question shouts back, wincing as his muscles pull and aggravate his arm.

The faint sound of several voices filter through the rock, and someone that Time assumes to be Twilight calls again.

“Is Hyrule with you? We can’t find him.”

Between one moment and the next, the magic surrounding the sprite on Times shoulder compresses, and before he can blink the pink glow vanishes plunging the cavern into darkness. Air displaces, and Time can feel as someone reforms at his side.

“Yeah!” A once again hylian Hyrule shouts. “I’m here, I’m okay. Time is a little injured but I will see what I can do.”

“Good, that’s...that’s good.” Probably Twilight says, relief evident even though the rubble swallows most of the sound.

For a few seconds, silence permeates the inky darkness, then the sound of rocks shifting echoes in the small space, and Time braces himself just in case the debris decides to move again. The sound stopped after a moment, and both Time and Hyrule let out a breath of relief.

“We are going to work as fast as we can,” a new voice - Four, Time thinks - shouts. “But this stuff is really unstable and we don't want to bring the whole thing down again.”

“We appreciate it,” Hyrule responds for both of them, a touch of amusement in his voice despite the real danger.

The conversation trails off, leaving the two heroes in pitch black. Time makes the mistake of shifting his position. Unable to track his movements in the dark, the older man rams his injured arm into the wall, and a strangled gasp of pain escapes his lips before he can stop it.

Soft hands find his arm in the dark, fingers sticking to the blood-soaked fabric.

"This feels bad,"

"I have a red potion in my bag."

Inwardly, Time sighs. He knows he is being a touch unreasonable, and that as the groups resident healer Hyrule is more than qualified for handling the break in his arm. But it's different now, knowing that the source of Hyrule's magic is himself. It's one thing to use magic from an amulet or an outside source, but for a being that is made of magic? Time would rather explore every other option before asking Hyrule to give out more of himself than the Traveler needs to.

There is a pause as Hyrule weighs Times injury against the one-eyed man’s stubbornness, followed by a soft exhale and the pulse of magic as the Traveler turns back into his sprite form. The light isn’t much but it does allow them to locate the bag and the Biggoron Sword.

In his current form, Hyulre is too small to be able to bring the items to the injured hero. Instead, he waits near the objects, having turned golden allowing Time to come to him. It has been a long time since any fairy has offered this kind of support to the one-eyed man, and Time hopes that in the dim light the tears that well at the corner of his eyes will be mistaken as a result of pain and not the memories that the act has drawn to the surface. Time half-crawls, half-drags himself to his buried bag and sword. The act of reaching his items is draining and by the time he makes it to them, Time has to pause to catch his breath and will away the pain. One tug on the Biggoron sword is enough to confirm his suspicions that retrieval of the weapon will have to wait, but the bag moves easily. It takes a few more tugs to dislodge the pouch completely, and when it comes free Time can't help the sound of victory that escapes him. The celebration is short-lived as the red liquid seeps from the seams of the canvas bag, and Time mourns the loss of the red potion and bottle.

The task completed, Hyrule flys back to Times side once again a soft pink, and the one-eyed man can feel the disappointment radiating off the magic-user.

“I can still heal you,”

Looking down at the pooling potion, Time weighs the pain in his aggravated broken arm against the stubbornness of the hero beside him.

“Fine, but just my arm and not in fairy form.”

There is a moment's pause before the traveler bobs in acquiescence. For a second time, the soft light given off by the magical form of the other hero vanishes as Hyrule changes back into his hylian shape. The cave is just as dark as it was before, and Time ignores the slight wave of dread that passes through him as the darkness presses in. Hyrule’s hands are gentle as he examines the broken bone, and Time focuses on the explorative tendrils of healing magic that the traveler uses to knit the wound.

Healing the bone is a slow process, and the longer it takes the worse Times control on his anxiety grows. Today seems to be the day for old memories, and in the total darkness, they drift unimpeded across his mind's eye. Gibdos and Redeas shamble out of the darkness, and the sound of rocks and earth shifting conjure the sensation of Infinite Hands clawing their way out of the dirt and over his skin. They press in, narrowing the world to damp tunnels and false walls. It's like crawling through the well and shadow temple all over again, and the air feels stale in his lungs as Time struggles to maintain even breathing. He clings to the feeling of Hyrule's magic, the only anchor he has against the storm of images his mind has brought to torment him.

A bright flash of magic and light drag Time’s attention away from his panic, and when he finally manages to open his eyes (and when did he close them?) he is met with a very concerned fairy hovering inches from his face.

“S-sorry,”

“It’s alright,” Hyrule’s bell-like voice responds, “Just breathe with me. In-” The light given off by the traveler grows, “and out-” and then dims. The process repeats several times, and Time does his best to match his shaky breathing with the pattern the other hero has set. Eventually, his heart slows to a more reasonable pace.

“Thank you,” he whispers and Hyrule flies to his shoulder, resting himself against the side of Times neck in a comforting manner.

As he becomes more aware of his surroundings, Time realizes how much dimmer the cave looks. He sits up, and cups two hands around the dimming fairy, and pulls Hyrule into his line of sight. Up close, he can tell that it's not his imagination, and more than the overall color of the fairy is showing signs of exhaustion. Hyrules' wings droop ever so slightly and the pulses of magic that naturally radiate off of all sprites is growing weaker. Now that he is paying attention, his head feels clearer and his vision, though struggling with the low lighting, is sharper than it was before. Time curses softly.

“I thought I told you to just heal my arm.”

In his hands, Hyrule shifts unapologetically.

“And I had the opportunity to heal you properly without any nagging, so I took it.”

Time wants to scoff, to chastise the other man, but it's been so long since someone has called him out like this, and Time finds himself laughing instead.

“Someone save me from the stubbornness of fairies.”

Time’s good eye lands on his red potion-soaked bag, and an idea comes to mind. He can only hope that none of the boys had found his secret stash, and he carefully replaces Hyrule to his shoulder.

“About that…” Hyrule starts, his magical voice hesitant inside Time’s mind. “You don’t seem surprised about me.”

“I had my suspicions.” Time confirms, pulling his battered bag to him with a slight grunt as the motion utilizes still tender muscles.

“You never brought it up.”

Time snorts in amusement as he digs through his bag, careful to avoid any of the broken glass, and side-eyes the pink being.

“Boy I was raised by fairies, I know better than to push where any of their secrets are concerned.”

The sound of Hyrule’s laughter is musical and bright, and the inherent magic of it warms the cold stone around them. It does wonders to soothe the remaining anxiety that coils in Times' stomach, and he is about to remark when his fingers find the edge of the jar he was looking for.

“Ah-ha!”

The small container is slick with the spilled potion but a quick inspection reveals that none of the bitter liquid has compromised the contents. Moving slowly, Time flicks open the latch and shakes out two of the items into his palm, and offers one to Hyrule.

“Sugar cubes?” The traveler asks with curiosity.

“I won’t tell if you don’t.”

Hyrule accepts the offered sweet without further comment, taking the object and the one-eyed man smiles as he pops his own cube into his mouth. The effect of the sweet on the fairy is rapid; his color and brightness returning over the course of minutes rather than hours, and Time allows himself to hum in satisfaction. It is not a perfect solution to the depletion of the others' reserves, but the older man feels better knowing that he has done something to help.

---

It starts a tradition between the two of them. After battles and other times where Hyrule's magic has gotten more than its fair share of use, Time does his best to find a quiet moment to slip the magic-user a sugar cube or two. In the grand scheme of things, it doesn’t amount to much, but it doesn’t stop Time from hoping that the simple act means as much to the younger hero as it does to him.

Things had been going well as far as Time was able to tell. The last few days had consisted of easy traveling and minor battles, and spirits had been on the rise as a result. They make camp by a river, far enough away that should the weather turn they won't find their bedrooms flooded, but close enough that water -good freshwater- can be gotten en-masse.

The chain of heroes is rated around what will be a fire once it gets dark enough. Sky, Hyrule, and wild are engaged in a conversation, the cook and the knight dominating the chat while Hyrule watches them both intently. Across from Time, the rest have made themselves comfortable and things seem like it will be an uneventful night.

So when the Traveler chokes on a sob stands up without warning, and sprints from the camp, everyone is taken aback.

"...what did I say?" Sky asks, eyes wide and horrified.

"I'll go after him," Warriors offers, already climbing to his feet when a small red orb shoots into his face, the bell-like voice of the fairy sour.

The captain nearly trips over his own feet as he backs up.

"I don't think she wants you to follow him," Wind offers, eyes wide as the Sprite continues its assault on the Captain.

The fairy blows a raspberry in response as Warriors is backed against a tree.

"No shit, sailor."

"Little one," Time tries, coming to the Captain's aid, only to have the fairy turn her full attention on him.

He has to duck as the Sprite dives for his head, barely avoiding having a lock of his hair snagged by the magical being. If possible, the fairy turns even redder, her voice raised in anger in a way that Time has not heard since the Know It All Twins played a prank on Mido and faced the swift retribution of the Kokiri's companion fairy. With each incomprehensible sour note that the fairy hurls his way, a stomach-churning dread grows within the one-eyed man. Whatever it is that has caused Hyrule to run, it is their fault. And going off of the anger being directed at them by the traveler's pseudo-sister, Time is afraid of how deeply their friend may be hurting.

"Little one, we don't know!" Time shouts, shielding his eye from the intense light. He waits for the impact of the small being against his arm, but after a few moments where nothing hits his skin, Time cautiously lowers the appendage.

The fairy is watching him, her body still pulsing with furious red light, but listening. Not about to waste the opportunity, Time talks fast.

"We don't know what's going on, but we are worried. Please, just tell us- is Hyrule all right?"

The fairy's light loops through several different colors, caught off guard by Times earnest question. Eventually, her color settles on a sickly blue and her voice rings with morose tones. The flashes of emotion and vague images that her tones elicit are encouraging but only slightly, and Time nods sadly.

"What's she saying?" Wind whispers loudly.

"I don't think she's actually saying anything," Warriors responds, succeeding in actually keeping his voice quiet. "Not all fairies can talk, but that doesn't mean they can't communicate. Wait, Old Man, can you understand her?"

"Uh, sort of?" Time responds distractedly, his attention momentarily split between processing the two different languages. It's’ only because he looked over at the main group to answer the question that the eldest hero sees Sky approach.

"Miss?" The knight asks, and the sprite quickly darts into the other hero's space, once again red though not as intense as before. Time finds himself impressed at how well the younger hero maintains his composure when faced with the angry magical being only a foot away from his nose. Sky does not flinch when she advances, nor does his voice ever change from the quiet worry he introduced himself with.

"Would you be willing to take one of us to Hyrule? Please-" he adds on quickly, seeing how the sprite quakes in the air. "If he asks us to leave him alone we will, but I think I speak for all of us when I say that we would like to check on him ourselves."

The fairy pulls back and flies around to each of the other heroes in turn, checking the veracity of Sky's statement for herself. Even once she has gotten the last confirmation from Wild she does another pass of the assembled group, her color a neutral white before pausing in the middle of the camp. Without warning, the fairy turns a bright yellow and flies directly at Time. He jumps slightly when she bounces off his forehead lightly, then nods.

"Right,"

He grabs his bag from the ground and spares enough time to lay a comforting hand on Sky's shoulder before following his guide. The fairy leads him on a winding path through the trees and underbrush, and though Time has his suspicions that there must be a more direct route, he keeps quiet and lets the magical being put him through his paces. Eventually, she stops at the trunk of a gnarled old tree and circles it twice.

"Thank-" Time begins, but is cut off when she flies one last time into his face, bright red, and gives a deep warning sound. She flies off without another word, and the hero sighs deeply.

Looking up into the branches, it takes the one-eyed man a moment to spot the green-clad traveler hidden amongst the boughs and when he does, his heart breaks. Hyrule looks wretched, wedged between two branches in such a way that he won't fall, face streaked with tear tracks that reflect the dappled sunlight.

It has been years since the one-eyed man has climbed a tree, but some things are impossible to forget. Squaring his shoulders, Time takes hold of the solid wood before him and starts to climb. It's slower going than he would like, and at times his armor prevents him from being able to move in a certain way and reach the next grip, but his childhood spent living in a forest does not fail him and before too long, Time draws level with the wayward magic-user. If he thought Hyrule looked wretched at a distance, up close is worse. The brunet's eyes are red and puffy, and twigs cling to him from when he went crashing through the underbrush. His hair is a mess and his skin is pale, and every angle of his body is curled into itself in order to be as small as possible.

"Your sisters are out for blood. I haven't been yelled at like that since the first time I was nine and tried to climb Death Mountain without a proper shield."

Though he won't meet Time's eyes, Hyrule laughs once at the absurd (and entirely true) statement and Time counts it as a victory. Mindful of the added weight of his armor, the older hero slowly maneuvers his way as close as he dares.

"Why'd you come?" Hyrule mumbles into his arms.

"We were worried."

"You shouldn't be. I'm not one of you."

It is one of the most preposterous things Time has heard in years, and that's accounting for all the things customers have told Malon and himself in order to try and lower the price of milk. But he can feel the genuine distress behind the words so strongly his teeth hurt.

"I'm not a knight or some fighter. I'm just- I'm just some guy. I wasn't even the one Impa was searching for, just the one who found her. I hadn't even picked up a sword before, an old man had to give me one."

Wherever this self-deprecation is coming from, it's crushing to hear expressed, and time wants to kick himself for not seeing the signs of the other's distress sooner. He knows he is not the most tactical of the Heroes of Courage. That honor goes to Sky, whose friendly and comforting touches are doled out as easily as his kind words and smiles. It has taken years for the one-eyed man to become comfortable with giving even the most casual of touches. But as he listens to Hyrule expound on his perceived inadequacies, Time wants nothing more than to either shake the younger man or hold him till the blatant falsehoods have left Hyrule's consideration entirely. It is probably for the best that their current placement in the tree makes acting on this impulse impossible.

"Hyrule," Time says softly when the other hero runs out of steam. "None of us were qualified for the job we were given."

He thinks of Warriors, still a knight in training when he was made Captain. Of Wind who had never left home before his sister was taken. Of Twilight and the curse that was placed on him almost from the outset of his journey.

"None of us. And if being a knight or a fighter were the basis of being a hero of courage, then many of us wouldn't be here - not Wind, not Four, not Legend, not even myself."

Hyrule looks up, surprised, and Time nods in confirmation.

"I don't know what it is that makes us heroes, but you belong amongst our numbers."

There is more, so much more, that he wants to say but he doesn't know how to say it. The feelings jumble together and clog his chest - a twisted knot of pride, sorrow, love, and honor that stick to those parts of himself that Time once tried so hard to keep from seeing the light of day. He cares — cares so much it's almost physically painful and yet defies words.

The wind changes and Time is reminded of the pouch hanging from his shoulder when the canvas item catches the breeze. Careful not to overbalance himself, the older man reaches into the bag and retrieves a now familiar object. The jar of sugar cubes is almost empty, and unless the chain of heroes can find a town soon there will be little chance of getting it refilled. He feels silly holding out the offered sugar cubes, the small things inadequate to convey all the thoughts he can't put into words. But when Hyrule takes the delicate sweet -rolling it between his fingers, puffy eyes guarded and searching- maybe, Time thinks it's not so inadequate after all.

Hyrule looks up at Time, and though the others perceived faults still float behind glossy eyes, there is a tentative hopeful smile tugging at the corners of the young man's lips. It's warming, like the first hint of sunlight after a blizzard- a promise that though things are not better this instant, they can be.

[linktheacehero]

Not on anon but for the curious asks: who is your favorite Zelda character? What do you love about them? <3

ok here we go

cracks knuckles in preparation

My favorite Zelda character is Ocarina Link and here is why

Im going to be using examples from both the game and manga for this

Ocarina Link has always been a very interesting character for me and one who I find myself relating to a lot. The kindness and generosity he has for others is very sweet and I love how he always is willing to lend out a helping hand to those in need, even if he's very busy. I think the Anju and Kafei sidequest in Majoras Mask is a very good example of this imo because the quest requires a full 3 days to complete. Meaning that Link spent all of his time in these 3 days helping them get together knowing that he could have instead continued on his main quest.

His determination and courage is very admirable because it stems from his desire in protecting the people he loves and cares for. Like how in the manga when the Great Deku Tree gets attacked by Gohma, Link is the first person who decides to go inside to defeat her because of the fact that his father figure is in trouble and needs aid. He faces countless trials and horrors in both Hyrule and Termina and still continued on so that the people may live peacefully because he cares for them. Even when the battle is intense and terrifying, he will keep going for the sake of others.

Overall his story is something i think about a lot.

He was a child who was born during a civil war and lost both his parents in that war. He grew up knowing nothing about his origins, dealing with feeling like an outcast by Mido's bullying and only having few people he could really rely on like Saria. Then with no warning his life turns upside down and loses his father figure and goes onto the world to begin his destiny, where he faces immense trials and is forced to grow up quickly. And after it's been said and done, he was sent back to his original time, in a body that no longer feels like his own. And then he lives on to become a spirit who lingers on the earth waiting for the next hero so that he could try to ease his regrets.

His entire life is so full of tragedy, and all he wants is to be at peace.

[eerna]

Do you have any more general ideas for the botw fma au?? I'm dying to know more

SURE THING I AM SO GLAD YOU’VE ASKED here’s some other stuff I haven’t yet been asked abt mixed with already known things assembled in a chronological order to make it easier:

Ed and Al are country bumpkins. They grew up in some far away corner of the country, their dad is a travelling ancient relics enthusiastic who everyone considers a weirdo. But then the prophecy arrives, and the castle is suddenly super interested in what he has to say, so he gets roped into the entire thing and leaves.

Ed and Al are cute little wild kids who spend their days running around hills and putting the knowledge they’d collected from their dad’s leftover materials to test. Their love for exploration peaks when Izumi Curtis, an insanely talented swordswoman and magic hobbyst, arrives in their town and one day they convince her and their mom to let them join her expedition to the Hyrule Forest. During the trip, twelve-year-old Ed discovers and wields the Master Sword, and his life turns upside down.

Ed is catapulted straight to the castle to begin his training as the Hero under the watchful eye of Captain Mustang. Al has traveled with him since the castle was en route to home anyway, but he seems to follow in his now-famous dad’s footsteps so the research team take him under their wing so he gets to stay and learn, too.

Winry is a feral little thing. I’m p sure I’ll leave her an orphan, with her paternal grandma as a queen regent until Winry’s 17 and old enough to rule herself. Anyway, she is totally lost in the entire goddess spiel, and focuses more on the passion she DOES get to study- ancient tech and mechanics. When the ticking time bomb in the shape of Ed appears, she automatically dislikes him for being a reminder and also the ease with which he seems to adapt to his role.

Now, Ed is very loud, very proud, and very annoyed at no longer being the master of his own destiny. He’s reckless and cocky, which leads to the accident leaving him without one arm. Rehabilitation, training.

I have no idea who the rest of the champions should be. I’m toying with the idea of Riza being Winry’s Urbosa, though, that would be cute. Armstrong could be Daruk.

Fast forward a couple years. Al is now a true member of the research team and since he and Winry are close in age and just as hungry for knowledge, they develop an easy friendship. Ed travels and trains with the rest of the knights. One day he does the Thing with protecting Winry and Al from a haywire guardian, and since it’s yet another reminder that time is running out, it earns him a position as the princess’ personal guard.

Anyway, now they are forced to hang out and spend weeks with no one but each other for company. They are both explosive and kinda bitter, since they’re representations of each other’s frustrations. Stubborn mules.

It gets easier with time and near-death situations they keep finding themselves in on the road. Ed is the only other person in the world who has knowledge of what Winry’s dealing with, since he’s the only other wielder of the goddess’ power, so they try and figure it out together. It leads to her composing the idea of automail- a mix of technology and magic.

And then, on her seventeenth birthday, the world ends.

Ed wakes up in the shrine of resurrection with no memory or left leg. Not that he remembers losing it, so whatever. Mentored by a small angry ghost of a grandma, he makes his way to this countryside lab ruled by no one else but a blonde six-year-old and his assistant. He discovers it’s Al, who has accidentally youngified himself in attempts to live long enough to see Ed awake again.  The assistant is Mei, who spent her life listening to Al go on and on about his heroic brother who will wake up and save them all from the apocalypse only to be presented with this small underwear gremlin suspiciously smelling of fire. Poor girl. They outfit him with another piece of automail for his leg, and from then on out they will be his mechanical support, since the true mechanic is currently indisposed.

k this is getting really long but ye I could talk a LONG time abt it lol. tysm for indulging me

[fuckit-hero-of-trains]

His Predecessor

ao3 link:https://archiveofourown.org/works/23391448

Summary:“In a time long, long ago, before the Gorons settled in Mount Crenel and renamed it Death Mountain and before the Zora swam up from downstream to claim their Domain, there was a kingdom called Hyrule. And in that kingdom, there was a very special boy.”

“And that boy’s name was Link.”

After that, Saria would come back every few nights to tell him the story of the Hero of the Minish.

Before he even met any of the others, before he stepped through the swirling violet portal, dread pooling in his stomach, before he said goodbye to his wife, memorizing her face in case he never saw it again, before he met eight extremly stupid boys and before his family expanded to include said extremly stupid boys, Time knew there were other heroes.

Before any of this had happened, Time knew there were at least three others who shared his spirit. Who shared his terrible fate.

The first, he had met in person.

Stumbling from the Lost Woods disoriented, years older in mind if not in body, still missing the friend he had sacrificed so much to find, and tired, just so so tired , Time hadn't cared where he was walking as long as it took him farther away from the forest.

He wanted to be as far away from his old home as possible, the fear of being pulled into another world, another adventure burning in his heart, spurring his tired legs onward.

He didn't know his attempt to save himself was futile at best and downright stupid at worst. Because, regardless of how hard he struggled, how far he trudged along on bruised legs, there was no escaping the fact that he had walked out of the wrong Lost Woods.

However, It didn't take Time long to figure it out. Death Mountain was in the wrong place. His Hyrule didn't have a large, floating island hovering over the land. His Hyrule didn't have a section of land covered and odd floating black...whatever it was.

His Hyrule wasn't at war.

And, perhaps most obvious of all, his Hyrule had him, not the cocky scarf wearing man who looked like an older, probably prettier version of him.

And so Time met the Hero of Warriors, the Savior of Hyrule, and his impromptu, wartime big brother.

The second, Time did not meet in person.

Not in the flesh anyway, if he was permitted to make such a joke.

Time had been plagued with dreams his whole life.

Dreams of the past. Memories of monsters, of bones snapping into horrifying, inhuman positions, of days repeating repeating repeating. They punched him awake in a cold sweat, cries of pain on his lips, his scars aching, the marks on his face burning.

Malon could talk him down easily enough, her voice soothing him like it could any skittish horse.

Perhaps more concerningly, however, were his dreams of the future.

Sometimes they were innocuous. He knew how many eggs the cuccos had laid before he checked the coop. He knew when a cow was going to pass weeks before the poor thing started showing warning signs.

Other times they were dire, like the one he had so many years ago, the night before his dreams of having a fairy came true. Before his life was turned upside down and shredded into an incomprehensible mess.

Or like the ones he had experienced for months a few years ago.

In these dreams, his body was not his own; skin gone, bones bleached white, and wearing a set of armor that had long since been reclaimed by nature, sprouting moss and pulled apart by vines.

In these dreams, he could not control the body that was not his body in any way. He was a passive observer from behind spectral eyes.

In these dreams he saw a boy. Some may have argued that he was a man, but Time knew he was a boy. Could see it in the fear in his eyes, the untrained grip on his sword, the desperation to prove himself, to save the people he cared about.

And so Time met the Hero of Twilight, the Savior of Hyrule, and the boy he would grow to love as a son.

The third, Time had known about for a long time. Almost his whole life, he would say.

When he was young in all the ways that counted, he used to have a hard time falling asleep. The forest around him was too loud, too alive for him to rest peacefully.

“It's because you don’t belong here!” Mido had spat at him once when Time had decided to tell Saria about his problem after his third night without sleep. “Everyone knows only fairies and Kokiri are meant to be in the forest, stupid.”

The bully had ignored Time’s insistence that he was a Kokiri, even if he didn't have a fairy yet.

“It’s because you’re not magic,” Fado had agreed matter of factly as Time had stomped back to his house angrily. “Look at the bags under your eyes. You’re turning into a Stalkid. Soon you’ll be nothing but bones.”

“It's because you’re special, Link,” Saria had assured him as she sat down next to his bed that night, a small book in hand as she tucked him under the sheets.

Apparently she had asked the Great Deku Tree for advice in helping Time to sleep and the giant tree had recommended telling him stories.

The girl had leafed through the pages until she found the chapter she had wanted and then turned the entire thing around so Time could see too.

There, splashed across both pages, was a painting of a boy. He had daisy colored hair, just like Time, though it was longer, shoulder length where Time’s was a close chopped bundle of hay on his head.

In the painting, the boy was kneeling, a sword floating above his outstretched hands, small figures in red and green gathered around his feet.

After Time had gotten his fill looking at the book, Saria had flipped it back toward herself so she could read.

“There once was a boy who was just as special as Link,” she had begun and Link had giggled swatting at her.

“Those aren’t the words!” he had said, the words interspaced with laughs.

“Okay, okay,” Saria had agreed, laughing as well.

She cleared her throat and started again.

“In a time long, long ago, before the Gorons settled in Mount Crenel and renamed it Death Mountain and before the Zora swam up from downstream to claim their Domain, there was a kingdom called Hyrule. And in that kingdom, there was a very special boy.”

“And that boy’s name was Link.”

After that, Saria would come back every few nights to tell him the story of the Hero of the Minish.

At first he had loved them; the stories of heroism, of saving the princess and defeating the evil had easily lulled him to sleep, Saria’s high, lilting voice soothing in the dark hours of night.

But as Time got older, the story started to sour. Little things, little details about the hero started to push at Time’s mind. It was like having a pebble in his shoe; uncomfortable and grinding, leaving him feeling tender and sore.

“The hero had a faerie companion, but not like the ones we have. His companion was named Ezlo and he was a Minish.”

“So he got to have a faerie even though he isn’t a Kokiri?” Time had asked, feeling something gross like mud and biting like hunger rise in his belly.

Saria had blinked at him from over the book, her face going from surprised to guilty.

“W-well, he-”

“No!” Time shouted. “That’s not fair! I’m a Kokiri and I don’t have a faerie! Why did he get to have one?”

Saria had nothing to say to that so she said nothing, closed the book and blew out Time’s candle after he refused to hug her goodnight.

And so Time had been left alone to stew in the darkness, angry and unable to sleep.

What’s so special about him? Time had thought, angrily.

The hero was just some stupid kid. He wasn't even a Kokiri or anything, just some Hylian who happened to be friends with the princess. There was nothing special about him, so why?

What does he have that I don’t? Time would ask himself, curling tighter into his blankets

Saria had said the different faeries, the Minish, loved the hero. They welcomed him into their communities, into their homes, into their circle of family and friends with love. They gave him the power to become one of them, the power to shrink and live among them.

Why? Time had asked as his pillow became wet under his head.

He rolled over and ignored it.

Why does he get to be a hero and not me?

And so, Time came to know and hate the Hero of the Minish and the Four Sword, Savior of Hyrule, and the person who had everything he had ever wanted.

And that hatred didn't abate even when he had started his own journey.

When he had first stepped from his home, leaving the shade of the treeline for the first time, he had tears in his eyes. His father was dead. The Great Deku Tree asked Time to save him and he wasn't fast enough.  

The stupid Hero of the Minish never had to face this. Never had to face this heartbreak to be allowed to leave home, perhaps never to return again. Never had to face anything like this to be a hero.

He was handed his stupid adventure on a stupid silver platter with a stupid warm bed to go back to every night if he wanted it. He remembers. Saria had said so.

Why did he get it easy? Time had asked, scrubbing his face until it was red as he stumbled out of the woods and toward the looming castle from his nightmares dreams.

It wasn't fair! It. Wasn’t. Fair.

From then on, Time couldn't help but feel his bitterness toward the Hero of the Minish grow with every step he took.

When he was in Dodongo's Cavern, he recalled Saria’s tale recounting the other hero’s journey through the Mines of Mt. Crenel. He remembered how the forest girl had spoken about old minecarts the hero traversed the cavern in, adding her own giggling scream sound effects as she mimicked the fun the other had while in the Cavern of Flames.

There were no minecarts in Dodongo's Cavern. There was skin searing lava. There was air that was almost too thick and heavy to breath. There were Beamos and Armos and Lizalfos armed to the teeth, baying for blood.  

When he was swallowed by Lord Jabu-Jabu, he remembered that the Hero of the Minish completed many of his dungeons– though Time had started to wonder if any of them could be considered dungeons. Stupid Minish Hero and his stupid easy quest– in his smaller, faerie form.

While surrounded by pulsating walls, acid, and horrific smells, Time had wondered if the Hero of the Four Sword had ever faced something like this.

Probably not. He had thought derisively. He would run screaming if he saw all this.

Even at the zenith of his adventure, Time hadn’t been able to stop thinking about the other hero.

Stupid Minish Hero, Time had spat in his mind, arms ladden with the gems necessary for unlocking the sword of evil’s bane.

His and Zelda’s plan was nearing its completion. He was almost done. And then he could go back to Saria and show her how much better of a hero he was that undeserving moron.

A hero a million times better than that wimpy Hero of the Four Sword.

I mean, how dumb can you get? Time had thought smugly as he fitted each Spiritual Stone into place. Falling for that shadow’s ploy? Taking a sword of sealing? What an idiot.

I never would have made that mistake.

Time pressed the Ocarina to his lips and played the Song of Time, just like he was supposed to.

Before him, the door had opened, and beyond their massive stone edifices was a circular room with a pedestal in the middle. Jutting from the stone and gleaming in the fractal green, red, blue, and violet light of the stained glass windows, was the Master Sword.

He approached the blade, Saria’s story once again ringing in his ear.

“The hero went to pull his magical sword from the stone,” she had said. “He was desperate to save Zelda.”

Time remembers how she would always pause for effect. When he was younger he had loved it. When he was older, he would roll his eyes.

“But something was wrong,” she continued, voice growing hushed, adding to the drama. “Vaati, the sealed wind mage, had corrupted the blade during his imprisonment. He tainted the pure elemental magic, warping it to hurt the hero as soon as he drew the sword.”

“So, when the hero pulled the blade from the pedestal....”

“He shattered.”

Time snorted as he strode up the small amount of steps toward the altar. Toward the sword. Toward success.

Toward his fate.

He imagined the boy from the painting from so many years ago. He imagined the blade that had floated above the boy’s hands and then he visualized it thrust through a rock. He imagined the boy with hay colored hair that was nothing like the daisy yellow that was his own struggling to pull his own stupid blade from the stone.

He imagined the boy falling apart, limbs crumbling to dust, head rolling away on the floor.

What kind of hero is destroyed by their weapon? Time had thought, sick vindication filling him as he laid his hands on the pommel.

It was too big for his hands.

A bad one. He thought.

And then he pulled, the sword coming free in his hands as he was enveloped in light.

...

It wasn’t until he awoke seven years later to a destroyed kingdom, a missing princess, and a body that wasn't his own that Time spared a moment to wonder if the shattering the Hero of the Four Sword had undergone was mental, not physical.

[scaredofheroin]

Captain N - Chapter 3: It’s Dangerous To Go Alone

Pushing the large doors of Peach's Castle open, Captain N feels a new invigoration within him as he looks over the horizon. The sunlight on his face and the breeze brushing across his skin felt new in no way these senses ever had before. The rolling green hills, the almost cloudless blue sky, the hills in the distance formed in the shape of upside-down U's, the few birds flying around through the open air, the small mushroom-shaped houses. A completely new, unknown world packed to the brim with adventure and discovery. For the first time in his life, Captain N felt truly alien. By his side is a bird-pilot, a winged angel wielding a bow, and a magic Princess from a faraway kingdom. Behind the grand, wooden doors he just exited are currently a stern, stone-faced God of thunder, a gentle, angelic Goddess of light, and a bright and pink Princess of this kingdom. And the vehicles! While on his home world, Captain N's species have been limited mainly to cars and trucks, but within fifteen minutes of his arrival, he's seen a spaceship a fraction of the space shuttles of Earth, and mighty airships carrying immeasurably powerful armaments. Within a couple hours, Captain N has seen more impossibilities made possible than ever before in his entire, eighteen-year life. And to top it all off: the prophecy. This great revelation planted a swirling storm of emotions deep inside the newly dubbed hero. While he's finally achieved the level of greatness and importance he's desired for so long, it came packaged with more responsibility than he's ever held before. From hereon out, the lives of countless innocent men, women and children are counting on Captain N triumphing over an evil force he's only just been introduced to. Bowser, King K. Rool and King Dedede, and the armies they command. Gazing into the distance, Captain N imagines what else he could discover in this strange, new world named Yamajiro. Adventure will lurk around every corner, as will danger. He'll be thrust into more life-threatening situations than ever before, more risk than he could ever have imagined he would ever be trapped in. But at least he won't be alone. Looking to his three newfound allies, Pit radiated a positive determination to save the day, Falco seemed slightly bitter and ready to face the evils of Yamajiro head-on, and Princess Zelda displays a readiness to escape the confines of the castle and help in changing the world for the better.

"Are you ready, Captain?" Zelda asked, snapping Captain N's wandering mind back to the present.

"Ready as I'll ever be." He responded, fearing his nervousness seeping out of his words.

"Right, first stop: The warp zone!" Pit announced, pointing to a nonspecific point in the distance.

Captain N could hear Falco grumble about not being able to get to New Leaf Town in his trusty Arwing, but fortunately didn't complain to the group. Pit didn't seem to notice, however, and led the group on with determination. Zelda and Falco followed directly behind Pit, with Captain N in the back, still taking in the foreign scenery. Few conversation was shared as the group trekked through the grassy plains, eventually going through a small town of mushroom-shaped houses. Looking back, it concerned Captain N a slight bit more to see Peach's Castle, a symbol of fortitude and currently occupied by the two powerful deities Palutena and Raiden, shrink further into the distance. Not wanting to sink further into worry, he turned his attention to the strange houses. Some of the houses were only a single story, with the roof replaced with a red mushroom cap with white dots, while other houses were two stories tall. As Pit led the group through the town center, a small marketplace could be seen, but what was noticeably absent from the entire town were actual townspeople.

"So... what happened to everyone?" Captain N asked, breaking the silence.

Zelda sighed forlornly before turning to answer him.

"Once the airship raids began, the Toad people were evacuated to other, safer places, from New Donk City to the Kanto region. Fortunately, only the castle was targeted by the airships, but panic ensued nonetheless." She explain to Captain N, the slight waver in her voice illuminating that the memory is still a sore spot for her.

"Some of the braver Toads stayed behind to help Princess Peach, Raiden and Lady Palutena in any way they could." Pit added on, his voice more chipper in comparison. "Falco, Princess Zelda and I would do what we could, as well, but now that you're here, we could do a lot more good than wait around and wait for Bowser and crew to show their ugly faces!"

"Hey, uh, that reminds me: ...who are you all?" Captain N nervously asked, addressing the elephant in the room. With the group realizing that this was a good question to ask, the three turned to face him.

"Well, you already know that my name's Pit, but I'm also the captain of Lady Palutena's royal guard!" Pit announced, taking pride in his title. It did sting Captain N a little that Pit actually earned the title of captain, rather than taking it because it sounds cool. "I mainly use this here bow, but I'm proficient with pretty much any other weapon out there!"

"Name's Falco, currently the best pilot on this whole planet and I used to be with Star Fox squadron before they... vanished. Now I've just got my Arwing, my blaster, and my wits." Falco spoke up, leaning against a nearby light post. "You've got us too, you know!" Pit noted eagerly. Falco simply shrugged and responded with "Yeah, I guess so.". Zelda rolled her eyes a bit before introducing herself.

"And I am Zelda, Princess of the kingdom of Hyrule and ancestor of the mortal incarnation of the Goddess Hylia." Zelda introduced herself in a very curt and proper manner. With everyone properly introduced and their importance made known, Captain N felt even more out of place. His footing suddenly felt uneasy as the three pairs of eyes turned to him. "Why don't you introduce yourself to us?" Zelda suggested. Captain N's mouth felt dry, trying to figure out what best to say to make himself sound worthy of the prophecy.

"Well... my name's Peter Lavancha, and, uh... I'm... Captain N." was the best he could do, adding a slight shrug to the end of his sentence. Falco snickered to himself, Pit raised an eyebrow and Zelda seemed more confused to anything else. "...Is that it?" Zelda asked, prodding further. "...Kind of, yeah." Captain N meekly replied. "That can't be it! You're the chosen one for a reason! Are you good at fighting or good with weapons?" Pit asked, hoping to alleviate the awkwardness. This failed however, as Captain N shook his head in response. "You some kinda tech whiz, or know how to pilot? You had that weird car back there." Falco noted, referring to Captain N's currently wrecked car. "Not really, everyone my age can do that." He replied, with slight shame in his voice. "Perhaps you're a dedicated leader? Someone who can inspire people towards a common goal?" Zelda asked, eliciting only a "No, sorry" from Captain N. "Have you at least been in a fight?" Falco asked Captain N. In response, all he got was an embarrassed "...No". Falco leered at Pit, silently saying "THIS guy's gonna save the planet?". But before Falco could verbally make a snarky comment, Zelda spoke up once more.

"Well, then, if you're not currently a warrior, then surely you could become one along your journey. The weapon you're holding means you're the one who can defeat Bowser, Dedede and K. Rool." Zelda insisted, motioning to the laser pistol Captain N was holding. He wasn't feeling brave enough to stick it in his pocket yet. Captain N nodded in agreement, eyeing the pistol. "...Yeah, destiny can't be wrong, can it?" He replied, feeling a bit more upbeat. "That's the spirit!" Pit cheered, grateful the mood's lightened. Captain N eyed a road sign a good distance away from him before getting an idea. "I should get comfortable with using this thing, right?" He noted, raising the pistol and aiming at the sign. Holding his breath, he closed his left eye, looked down the sights, pulled the trigger, and a flash of light later, there was a small blast mark singed on the upper right corner, not the center he was aiming for. Captain N felt thrown off by the complete lack of recoil when he shot the pistol, due to there being no kinetic force involved in shooting lasers.

"Well, I'm sure you'll get plenty of time to practice soon." Falco noted, unimpressed with Captain N's lack of marksmanship. "For sure!" Pit added. Captain N only sighed to himself, hoping he'd do a little better. Turning back to the group, he examined the pistol further. "I think I'll call it the Zapper." He declared, admiring how the sun gleamed on its shiny surface. "You can name it whatever you want, but we really should be getting to New Leaf Town." Falco reminded him. Hastily nodding, Captain N joined Falco and Zelda in following Pit to the warp zone.

The group hike continued past the town and through the same green hills, with Captain N being too preoccupied taking in the scenery to converse with his teammates, as well as still feeling too out of place to consider them more than co-workers. Eventually, a group of large, green pipes sticking out of the ground came into view, with a vacant tollbooth in front of the pipes and signs next to each pipe. "Here we are!" Pit announced, turning back to the three others. "So... what do these do?" Captain N asked Pit. "Oh, right! It's simple, you just jump into one of them and it'll take you to where you want to go!" Pit explained. "...That's it?" Captain N asked. "That's it! Simple as that!" Pit answered.

Zelda walked over to the pipes, reading the signs. Falco idly looked inside the tollbooth, finding nothing of note. Captain N followed Zelda, getting a better look at the pipes. Despite how closely he looked, they were just big, green pipes. Apart from their sheer size, nothing stood out about them. They were smooth to the touch, so either they're made of some tough material or they get cleaned regularly. "Found it! Come here!" Zelda announced, motioning towards a specific pipe. Pit, Captain N and Falco quickly gathered, where Captain N noticed the sign read "To New Leaf Town". "I'll go first!" Pit declared, shooting up in the air and diving down into the pipe before anyone could object. A strange gulping sound accompanied Pit descending into the pipe, which made Captain N even more uneasy. "Looks like Cap here's got some cold feet, so I'll get going." Falco stated, climbing up the pipe and then diving down into it, the same gulping sound coming from the pipe. Captain N was left awkwardly standing with Zelda, wanting to go ahead, but not so sure about it. "...I'll go next." Captain N eventually spoke up, still standing in place. Zelda moved to look Captain N in the eyes, clearly concerned. "I completely understand your situation, Peter. I can't imagine how lost and alone you must feel, but I assure you we will be here to guide you on this quest." She spoke, sympathizing with him. Captain N nodded, climbed up the pipe, summoned the nerve to stick the Zapper in his right pocket, and after saying a silent prayer to himself, he jumped down.

The descent down into the warp pipe was incredibly rapid, and soon Captain N's view was pitch-black. The gulping sound only repeated three times, and after that the only sound to accompany the venture through the pipe was the air rushing past his ears. The further down he went, the colder the air around him became. He tried not to panic, being trapped in this seemingly never-ending pipe. Captain N closed his eyes and tried to send his mind to a more pleasant place. But before he could decide to focus on either his Middle School graduation or his last trip to the beach, the air around him suddenly became much warmer, the three gulping sounds ringed once more, and Captain N shot out of the pipe, falling on the dirt in front of the pipe. Thankfully, the Zapper had remained in his pocket throughout his little expedition, and hadn't been shot either. Taking a moment to adjust his eyes to the sudden sunlight and making sure which direction was down, Captain N carefully stood up, finding Falco and Pit standing close by.

"I'd give that a 3, what do you think, Pit?" Falco remarked. Pit shook his head, frowning at Falco.

"It was his first time using a warp pipe, I think he did great!" Pit shot back.

"Oh, really?"

"Yeah! He could've vomited!"

Before they could keep going, Zelda emerged from the pipe, landing much more gracefully than Captain N. "That wasn't so bad, now was it?" She asked Captain N. In response, he mulled over the overall experience briefly before concluding that, yes, all things considered, it could have been worse. Nodding in agreement, Captain N removed the Zapper from his pocket and joined Zelda, Pit and Falco on the small hill nearby. The view from the grassy hill revealed a steep decline, with a small town visible in the distance. "That's New Leaf Town, we'll find Simon Belmont there." Zelda informed Captain N.

"Wait, so who's Simon Belmont and how do we know he's here?" Captain N asked the group.

"Simon Belmont is a famous vampire hunter, who's defeated Dracula tons of times before!" Pit replied eagerly, turning to face Captain N.

"Dracula? Really?" Captain N asked, surprised by hearing a familiar name for the first time since arriving.

"Yup! Why, is he in your home world too?"

"...Kind of. Back where I'm from, he's a fictional book character."

"Well, here he's the real deal, so you better watch yourself." Falco warned.

"As for how we know he's here, Simon is a common visitor to New Leaf Town, and his arrival is commonly followed with a delivery of copious amounts of steak. Deliveries to New Leaf Town must pass through the Mushroom Kingdom first, and we found a large amount of raw steak in the most recent delivery, a few days ago." Zelda further explained. "How can Dracula be defeated more than once? I'm really confused." Captain N asked further. "Dracula can be revived after a period of time, so it's likely we'' run into him in Castlevania if we're not careful. Now, Castlevania's exact location can be difficult to determine, but again, it will be made simpler with Simon's aid." Zelda answered. Falco was leaning against a nearby tree, clearly impatient to keep going and get to town.

"I'm sorry if I'm asking a lot of questions." Captain N apologized meekly. "Hey, no worries! This is all new to you! It's good you're with us!" Pit interjected, with Zelda nodding in agreement. "Besides, there has to be a point where you're not asking questions." Falco snarked over his shoulder. "Save your comments, Lombardi." Zelda shot at him. "Whatever, let's just get going." Falco shrugged, turning back to New Leaf Town. After being joined by Zelda, Captain N and Pit at the tree, the four carefully make their way down the steep hill towards New Leaf Town.

[jadeender]

Regaining whats Lost

As Four and his Shadow, Maverick, set off the others brought Hyrule back in and decided what to do.

“We can’t just wait here and hope for Maverick to come back with answers.” Legend said as he and the others bickered. “Not that I don’t trust him but I’m not going to put everything in someone else's hands.”

Sky looked around at his friends, all he could feel was nothing. He was trying, ever since he had separated from Stygian he thought this feeling would go away but it hadn’t. Thinking back to his adventure with Zelda he had an idea.

“We need to be purified.” Sky said.

“What?” Wind asked. “What does that even mean.”

Turning his face to everyone Sky began to explain. “Back at the beginning of my first adventure I escorted my Zelda to these purification shrines so she could awaken her full power. That's what we need, to get rid of whatever darkness is lingering around inside of us.”

Time considered it for a second. “It’s worth trying, we need to put that behind us and get rid of any undesirable qualities we may have picked up from the darks.”

“I don't know.” Warriors started. “What if it harms us instead, after all we weren't just being possessed or something, it went all the way down to our souls. Going to those spring could burn away at our very souls.”

“I don’t think they will.” Sky said. “We’re still us, and if burns our souls it’ll only burn the dark parts left. I’ve been in one before and I was fine.”

The end of statement turned out much more pointed than he’d intended but the others understood and agreed pretty easily; after all, no one else had any better ideas other than wait around.

Night feel and after Curse and Maverick had gone into the dark world everything was ready to travel the next day, Tempest after much convincing had agreed to try and travel them through the dark world though the task was going to be harder for him to complete on his own without another dark to help pull some many people through, but it was either that or spend days wandering across Hyrule and hopping whatever cosmic power that was linking the hyrules allowed them into Sky’s hyrule.

Sky sat alone as everyone drifted off to sleep, being idle was not their style but when they were they all tended to fall asleep quite easily, the stress of being a hero and the day to day battles were hard enough. Normally Sky would be the first to sleep, since Hylia knows he loves naps. But not now, still he felt stygians presence though the dark was gone. He didn’t feel his emotions like he normally did, he had become so accustomed to living with a strong emotion to fuel him it felt odd to feel so empty.

Ever since the merge, fear, despair, and worry kept him going and fought off the apathy but now as he had within the fortress it reigned over him. 

As sleep drifted closer to him Sky found himself praying a short prayer, please let me feel again please, to feel love or anything. And as his consciousness ended he felt the soft touch of something near his mind, any old friend returned.

____________________________________________________________________________

The next morning everyone woke up and readied. There was very little to do in the house since Ravio was going to be staying there.

“You’re sure you don't’ want to come Ravio? You went through the same thing as us, you could use it.” Legend questioned his friend.

“I’ll be fine, I’m not like all of you I’m Lorulian. I can deal with a little bit of darkness, I have before.” Ravio assured him.

“If everyone is ready then?” Twilight asked looking over the group.

Hyrule as usual was quiet, his excitement for life had been dimmed by shame about Callous. Four and Wind other hand were peppy and Wind was chattering with Warriors as they gathered outside. Twilight, Wild, and Time were a unit as usual and Legend gave his friend a hug before reminding the bunny man not to sell any of his stuff.

Tempest looked at the trees and grimaced before turning back to the lights. “Look, I’m only doing this because you helped me get away from Callous. I'll get you there and then I’m leaving, I have somewhere else I need to go.”

The lights nodded, no one had particularly expected Tempest to stay around with them for a long period. Sky shifted slightly feeling impatience rise, it had never been one of his virtues.

“I’ll take you over three at a time, it’s easier on me this way.” Tempest looked at Sky and gestured. “You need to be one of the first because im going to need a guide to get there.”

“Of course.” Sky stepped up along with Four and Time for the first trip.

“Ok, where is this place?”

____________________________________________________________________________

Tempest and his passengers stepped into the shadows of the woods around Legends home and reemerged in the heart of Faron woods near the entrance to the Skyview Temple.

“This is as far as I can go. Some sort of magic or something is preventing me from shadow traveling directly inside.” He informed the others. “Stay here while I get the rest.”

With that the young dark disappeared into the shadows again and Sky starred down the Temple, he had been here many times. Thinking of the times he spent on his adventure back when everything had been new and simple stirred his heart. Chasing after Zelda as she went of to purify herself and bring back her memories of being Hylia. Feeling a twinge in his heart as he thought of Zelda was exciting, the feeling was real and it felt almost like love.

“Where are they?” He asked quietly pacing in front of the door.

“They’ll be along in a minute. I know you’re anxious to get this done.” Time replied in characteristic patience, something his age had provided. 

After Time spoke Tempest reappeared with Warriors, Hyrule and Legend in tow. He turned around without as much as a word and disappeared.

“So this is the place.” Warriors commented walking around. “I didn’t get to see this part of your hyrule last time.”

“Last time?” Legend questioned. “We’ve never crossed through Sky’s Hyrule before. Not since we picked up Sky and that was before we found you.”

“During my own adventure. Chasing down my zelda, fighting ganon, I traveled to the other dimensions. I went to Wind, Twilight and Time’s Hyrules as well.” Warriors clarified. “I don't really know how I got there I just kind of did.”

“That’s great but I’d like to get moving.” Sky said, he was getting jittery knowing what they were searching for was so close by.

“Heres the last ones.” Tempest shadow traveled in with Wind, Twilight, and Wild. “I’m going now.”

Before Tempest could leave Wind grabbed his arm. “Wait, I know where you’re going and I want to go with you. Please just wait till after we do this and let me come with you. I want to see them too.”

Tempest starred Wind down and the two passed a look of recognition as they shared some sort of secret they weren’t yet willing to share with the other lights.

“Fine, but don’t take forever. I’ve already been waiting years since I’ve been back.” Tempest considered. “Try and keep up with your baby sitters short stack.”

“I don’t need a babysitter.” Wind shot back at the dark confidently. “Try not to sulk the entire time I’m gone. I know I’m the only light in your life.”

“I’m going.” Watching Wind and his dark bicker was funny but they had somewhere to be and Sky wasn’t willing to wait any longer. 

As he entered the door memories once again flowed, memories of Fi guiding him as he made his way through the temple. He went quickly through the temple, cutting down the spider webs with ease and pushing past the puzzles. Watching the enemies he was supposed to kill he instead hit the switch and progressed. The others almost had to run to catch up as he cleared the puzzles with ease.

Sky cut down enemies and used his slingshot to finish things out of reach. He hurried past every unnecessary trial and opened chest. Every step drew him closer and more and more he started to feel things, wistful feeling of missing someone, excitement at the end to this journey and determination flowed through him. 

Finally they reached the door to the spring, no longer guarded with a goddess seal as it had been, Sky pushed the door open as the other heroes jogged to keep up. A few times he hear calls for his name and to slow down but nothing would stop him now, not when he was so close.

The area looked as he remembered it, several waterfalls fell into the pool below and the water shone as the sun hit it.

“We’re finally here.” Sky breathed as he bypassed the stepping stones and barreled directly into the water. 

Sky knew the others must have followed him into the water cause he heard the vague sounds of splashing but he quickly went as deep as the pool would go and just laid down into the water. Something inside him started to shift and started to change, he could feel his apathy and anger, all the emotions that had bent upside him straining to get out disappeared as calm and tranquility rooted in its place.

For the first time since they had met the darks Sky reveled in a moment of contentedness.

[katedoesfics]

Shadows of Hyrule | Chapter 70

It was late in the morning when Link finally trudged out of his room, dragging his feet across the floor as he made his way downstairs. He had hardly slept - for obvious reasons - and only managed to catch a few hours after Mipha made her sneaky escape. On the plus side, he was officially on summer vacation, and he had the entire summer to sleep.

With the exception of Ganondorf’s ominous return.

His sister sat at the table, her legs swinging under the chair as she colored in a coloring book. Link sat himself with a sigh beside her. His stomach was growling, but he wasn’t ready to put in any effort into making food. He looked around, noticing then his father’s absence.

“Where’s Dad?”

“He had to run to work for a little bit,” Aryll said without looking up from her coloring.

“Oh.”

“I wanted Mipha to make me breakfast,” she continued as she scribbled away.

“Why would she do that?”

“Because you were having a sleepover and I wasn’t invited.”

Link practically jumped up in his seat. His gaze narrowed on his sister. “How do you know that?”

“Because I saw her. Duh.”

“Don’t tell Dad,” Link snapped.

Aryll paused her coloring, meeting Link’s gaze with a frown. “Why?”

“Because he can’t know, okay?” he said, flustered.

Aryll looked at him curiously. “Why?”

“Because - Just - Because I said so, alright? Just keep your mouth shut.”

Aryll crossed her arms. “That’s not very nice.”

Link rolled his eyes. “Promise, please, Ary?”

Aryll’s gaze narrowed on him for a moment, then she shrugged and returned to her coloring. “Fine,” she said. “But only if you let me paint your nails.”

Link groaned, but agreed to her terms. He found the energy to make himself a bowl of cereal, and once his stomach was silenced, he moved to his room to dress, returning to the living room to await his fate. Aryll already had the nail polish out, organizing them on the coffee table in rainbow order. Link slouched on the couch and clicked on the tv as his sister set to work painting his toes.

She had finished one foot when their father entered, but Aryll took no notice, too busy painting her brother's toenails in lively colors.

His father took one look at his son, snorted, and grinned. “Ah, how the tables have turned, Sucker.”

Link rolled his eyes.

“Link said I could paint all his toes if I kept my mouth shut about Mipha sleeping over in his room.”

Link yanked his foot back from her angrily. Her jaw dropped at the realization that she had spilled the beans. She jumped up suddenly, spilling the contents of the open nail polish bottle, and jumped forward towards Link, narrowly missing his groin as she pulled at his shirt.

“I'm so sorry, Link!”

Link grunted, his hands moving to protect himself. “Get off!”

But she continued to pull and shake him. “I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry!” After a moment of this, she flung herself on top of the couch, her arms dangling as she regarded her father with an apologetic look on her face. “I fibbed, Daddy,” she said. “Don't ban Mipha from coming over ever again!”

Their father looked between them for a moment, still standing in the kitchen as the spectacle took place before his eyes. After a moment, he grinned, laughed, and moved across the room. When he passed his son, he hit him upside his head. “At least he won't die a virgin,” he said to seemingly no one as he rounded the corner to make his way upstairs.

Aryll turned to her brother questioningly. “What's a virgin?”

“Nothing,” Link muttered.

“It can’t be nothing,” Aryll said stubbornly.

“Are you done with my damn feet?”

Aryll moved to pick up the nail polish bottle that was on the floor. She hurried into the kitchen to grab some towels, then returned to attempt to clean up the spill she had caused. Most of the polish simply smeared and would require additional efforts, but Link couldn’t have cared less at that moment. When Aryll finally gave up, she looked up at her brother with big, sweet, innocent eyes, and stated “I still have some more toes to do or they will look funny.”

“They already look funny,” Link said with a sigh as he settled back into the couch. “Hurry up.”

Aryll sprang up gleefully and sat herself on the couch, taking her brother’s foot once more and set back to work. “Are you gonna show Mipha later?”

“Yeah,” Link said with a roll of his eyes. “Sure. She’ll love ‘em.”

Aryll nodded, still concentrating on painting her brother’s toes. “Almost as much as she loves you.”

Aryll spent another half an hour perfecting Link’s toes and blowing them dry before finally releasing her brother from the torture. He wiggled his toes in faux admiration, then got up to retrieve his phone, dialing Mipha’s number.

“You know,” she said, answering the call. “You’re supposed to wait three days so I won’t think you’re needy or something.”

Link grinned. “I’m needy.”

“Clearly.”

“I just had my toe nails painted by Ary,” he whined. He chose to leave out the bit about her spilling the beans to their father. “I need an excuse to get out of here before she starts braiding my hair.”

“So, now I’m just an excuse?” Mipha feigned being hurt. “And here I thought we had something special.”

“Okay, goodbye,” Link said.

“Wait,” Mipha said quickly. “I promised Urbosa we could hang out today.”

Link’s gaze narrowed as he spoke. He was sure that could only mean gossip. “So you can give her all the juicy details?” If a blush could have been heard, Link heard it.

“What?” she started, then laughed nervously. “No. What? Goddess, Link. No. What. No. No!”

“You’re a good liar. But if you could at least work in somewhere that I’m a proficient and passionate lover, that would be great.”

“Proficient?” Mipha repeated. “That’s a big word for you. Who you trying to impress?”

“Just trying to give myself an edge in the dating world for when you find something better.”

“I thought you were a catch?”

“Well, I sure like to think so.”

“Alright, Fabio,” Mipha said with a sigh. “I guess you can tag along.”

“Great,” Link said. “Let me just put on my heels. Ary did an excellent job painting my toes.”

*****

Mipha made sure to warn Urbosa in advance that Link would be with her, and thus blowing their plans of gossiping all together, but as it worked out, Riju had insisted on tagging along as well, quickly and easily convincing Revali that they needed a rematch against Link. By the afternoon, Hyrule’s six Champions, including Riju, Teba - and now that school was out - Suki, had found themselves between the park and the soccer field, Riju bouncing a soccer ball from knee to knee. She looked up just as Mipha and Link approached, making the group complete.

“Finally!” Riju shouted, drawing the attention of the group to Mipha and Link. They were hand in hand and either in the midst of conversation, or simply staring lovingly into each other's eyes, which the group assumed to be the more plausible explanation. Riju's outburst brought them out of their gaze, however, and they turned their attention curiously onto their friends.

Riju bounded up and down, clapping her hands together. She pointed to Mipha and Link, then to herself, then back to the new couple excitedly. “I called that, you guys, you heard it, I called it. I knew it! I told ya! I did that!”

Urbosa put a hand on her hip and shook her head, grinning. “Yeah, sure, Riju, you called it.”

“So, this is finally a thing, now?” Zelda said. “Officially? The ship is sailing?”

Mipha's brows knit together, her cheeks turning a soft shade of pink. “The ship?”

“Apparently everyone knew it but the two of you,” Teba said with a tone of disinterest.

“I was starting to wonder if Link would be single for the rest of his life,” Revali said with a smirk.

“That doesn't say much for me,” Mipha muttered. Link elbowed her playfully in the ribs.

“Ignore them,” Urbosa said, waving her hand at them.

“I’m not here for gossip,” Revali said, clapping his hands together. “I’m here to kick Link’s ass.” He grabbed the ball from Riju and grinned devilishly at Link.

“Shirts!” Riju yelled. “Me and Revali, you and Daruk.”

Link turned a helpless gaze to his friend. “Can’t you just punch him?”

“I’m not losing to Revali,” Daruk said. “And definitely not Riju.”

Link sighed, pulling his shirt over his head as he jogged after the four of them onto the field. Once the game started, Teba and Suki had wandered off, leaving Urbosa, Mipha, and Zelda alone to watch the game.

Urbosa put a hand on her hip and grinned at Mipha. “You hit that.”

Mipha yelped lightly and buried her face in her hands.

Zelda turned to her in surprise. “You hit that?”

Urbosa nodded. “She hit that.”

“Can we stop saying that?” Mipha muttered.

Urbosa shrugged. “You fucked? Screwed? Made love?” She bent over and grinned. “He put his dick in your -”

“Urbosa!”

“You promised me details!”

“I hate you,” Mipha muttered.

“Remember last time?” Urbosa said, reminiscing happily. “We were right here when I told ya you needed to get laid. And you finally took my advice.” She patted Mipha’s head. “My little girl is all grown up.”

Mipha groaned loudly. She turned her attention on the game, which had apparently stopped for a moment while Urbosa was teasing her. A group of young children had swarmed the field, jumping up and down around the players. One made a muscle with his arms, and Daruk was clearly pretending to be impressed with the little guy’s biceps. Another made shooting motions with his arms, as if shooting a bow, and Revali was in all of his glory as he signed an autograph for the child. A couple more were fighting with imaginary swords, while the other was telling an apparently very thrilling and animated story to Link, judging by the way his hands circled around him and made what appeared to be explosion gestures. Riju shared in this child’s excitement, engaging just as excitedly in the conversation.

“You’re totally gonna have his babies,” Urbosa said.

Mipha met her gaze. She hadn’t realized she was smiling while watching Link.

[lozbotwstuff-blog]

Bad Ideas

Summary: Sometimes, you have bad ideas. Some end worse than others, this one in particular.

Title: Bad Ideas (Pt. I of ?) Word Count: 1 484 (between a drabble and a fic, woops) Warnings: Cursing, boulders, falling. Characters: Revali, Reader Relationships: None, yet.

Author’s Note: I WROTE MOST OF THIS AT ONE AM IM SO SORRY GUYS - mod q

Maybe this was a bad idea. This was probably a bad idea.

This was totally a bad idea.

Maybe you should have realized that before you ended up hundreds -- thousands? -- of feet above Hyrule, sitting on a boulder with your last octoballoons on their last legs. In the distance, the dragon, Naydra, made the descent toward the soil from the heavens, and you watched your perch. The crisp morning air bit at your pointed ears, and your arms and legs had long since numbed from how cold it was up here. You had run out of cold resistance elixirs, and your traveling clothes weren't nearly as warm as anything made for temperatures this low.

Your breath clouded in front of your face, and you put another octoballoon on the boulder just as another popped, and you stood and balanced as it swung. That was your last octoballoon. Another pop and you didn't have another to replace what was. You hopped over to where the last balloon was, not at all ready for it to pop. In fact, in your desperation to continue living, you started talking to the damned thing.

"Hey, little octoballoon. Please don't pop. I really, really don't want to die today. I have a lot going for me! I'm smart, good-looking, and clever! You really shouldn't pop, so that I don't die. Like, seriously don't-"

It popped.

And down you and the boulder went, with you screaming for dear life and clinging to the damn thing. But soon the cold air seared your throat, and you merely grit your teeth and separated from the boulder. If you died, you didn't want to die clinging to a damn boulder. No, you would spend your last moments messing around in the air as you fall to your death.

So, for what felt like a long while, you 'sat' in the air, thinking about the world soon approaching that you would leave behind once you squished against it. Like a cucco egg being dropped. Above, the boulder was falling, since you had dove down lower beneath it simple because you wanted to. Only about a two hundred feet until you hit the ground, you could assume, when you saw a figure soaring through the sky. Immediately recognizing the wings of a Rito in the place of arms, you dove toward the flying figure, hoping you wouldn't take both of you to your death.

Luckily for you, they were just below you, and it was a straight dive toward them. It was then you felt a tug at your back, and you realized your glider was catching the wind. Your glider!? How had you forgotten your recent acquirement? Smacking yourself in the head angrily, you immediately spread it out and glided lazily, no longer risking death. Perfect.

That is until you remember there's also a falling boulder, and that both you and the Rito are in its sights. Yelling towards them, you swore when your warnings were caught and carried off by the vicious winds. In a quick movement, you switched your legs into the loops of your glider, somehow tilting your hips so that you could steer. Thank goodness you learned to somehow fly like this when you first got the glider, for some odd reason.

The wind rushed you toward the Rito, which you observed to have dark, stone blue colored feathers, and you grasped his sky blue scarf in your hand. And steered your glider in the entirely opposite direction, dragging the Rito by his scarf. You felt bad for having to choke him momentarily by his scarf, but you knew a temporary strangling was less than a permanent death.

Grabbing his waist instead of his scarf, you slowed your panicked speed in favor of a steady glide. It was then the Rito regained his senses and began struggling in your form grasp, his bow knocking into your face frequently. "What are you doing!? You nearly killed me!" he yelled right into your face, and you cringed backward. Before you spoke, you steadied your grip on him so that he didn't fall. Sure, he could probably save himself now, but he didn't deserve the stress.

"Look I'm sorry, but I'm sure you wouldn't want to be squished beneath a boulder," you quipped back.

"What boulder!?" he, for lack of a better word, squawked into your face.

It was then the massive rock came whizzing by, impacting the earth with a thundering boom that rocked the landscape. Luckily, you were in the open wilderness, where the open space was void of anything but the random bokoblin camp or rock structure. Sighing in relief, you steered the glider to a landing space, still upside down and holding the unnamed Rito in your arms.

"Still, really sorry for grabbing you like that, but I'm pretty sure you would prefer me to that boulder, right?" you asked, before pointing out silently that they were incoming toward the ground. "Just stick out your legs like a normal landing," you hummed, and as he touched the ground, you let him go. Deciding it would be best if you landed now and fully explained yourself, you spread your hands out and, grasping the ground with gloved hands, kicked your feet out of the glider's holders and righting yourself, before picking up the fallen glider.

You brushed your windswept hair from your face, momentarily resting your hands on your knees before standing straight. The Rito was now standing straight and looking at you with a look that could kill the mightiest moblin. It was then you recognized who he was, and physically slammed your hand into your forehead, before falling back onto the grasses. "I took Revali, Champion of the Wind, Captain of Vah Medoh, and best archer of the Rito out of the sky. Good job, me," you said, loud and sarcastic.

"Well, at least you recognized my prowess and many titles. But I don't recognize you, or why you just fell out of the sky, followed by a FALLING BOULDER!?" he yelled, and you sighed. Looking to your far right, you could still see the grand monstrosity that had almost killed you both. A breathless laugh on your part, before you let your head fall back again.

"I'll give you a few hints, and you can put it together. Two hundred octoballoons, a big boulder, a stupid adventurer who initially forgot they had a glider on them," you say, before punctuating your words with a groan of pain. Your muscles ached, and you were sure walking would be a pain in the ass. Literally.

"You're not kidding about the stupid part," Revali voiced and you cracked an eye open to manage what could be somewhat called a glare. You didn't know anymore. Honestly, you just wanted to sleep, and you were sure this pain would last a very long time if you didn't do something about it now. Finally sitting up, you looked around the area.

"Um, is my bag anywhere? My legs hurt and I have some healing stuff in there," you said, standing up on your feet and looking around for it. You knew you had had it with you on the boulder, where else would you have gotten the two hundred octoballoons? Oh god, was it still up there? Groaning, you looked up, and sure enough, a dark blob was hurtling downward, right toward where Revali was standing. Groaning again, you warned him, "Hey, you might want to move backward a bit. My bag is about to fall on top of you."

He gave you another look, before warily stepping back, and sure enough, down splattered your bag. Cracks and the sounds of shattering glass resonated in the air, and you sighed in exasperation. "So much for my healing stuff. Anyway, I'm really sorry for.. grabbing you out of the air while hanging from my glider by my feet, but I guess you can cross that off your bucket list!" you apologized, the air soon ringing with your nervous laughter. Now, this was awkward. Grabbing your bag from before his feet, you slung it on your back and gave an awkward wave. "Yeah, I'm.. going. I don't have a place to be or anything, I'm an adventurer after all, but um, this is super awkward and if looks could kill I'd be dead a hundred times over."

With that you turned and ran, escaping his brutal stare despite your aching legs. You whistled loudly, and your horse came running beside you, to which you leaped onto it and galloped off. At least a mile away, you leaned back in the saddle and sighed. Oh god, that had been bad. Sitting back up, you looked to the horizon. Almost dusk, you concluded, and you were beat. Trotting away from the awful encounter, you nearly rejoiced with relief, glad that was over.

Oh, how wrong you were.