#and slightly alien Zelda

[onewomancitadel]

I'll reserve judgement until I actually play TOTK but they did a story-heavy Zelda once which elevated the gameplay and its mechanics and it was great, without leaning into twee anime tropes

[coldgoldlazarus]

Metroid Movie/TV Series Style Options, from most to least likely, because I have brainrot

- Live action with a more 'realistic' sci-fi aesthetic, probably leaning into the Alien influence. Could be really good, especially as a way to honor that inspiration, but could easily fall flat. Most likely to actually happen, but my least favored. If this is the route taken, I just hope it wouldn't go the way of the Halo Paramount show.

- CGI Animated with style and rendering pretty similar to the games, particularly Prime and Dread. The most simple and sensible option and so also very likely, but also a tad boring just because the games are already doing that.

- Live-action tokusatsu show. Not trying for 'realism' so much as coolness, and just really embracing Samus as a Kamen Rider. Maybe not my preferred option, but I would still love to see it just for the uniqueness of the vibes.

- The sort of in-between compromise between 'realism' and tokusatsu approaches to live-action (plus some very obvious CGI) that characterized the Prime and Fusion commercials. Not very likely at all, and would probably not land as well as just leaning fully into one direction or the other, but it would be a fun and unique approach to see, especially if it has the same sort of blend of genuine moody atmosphere and cheesy tryhard edginess as those commercials.

- 2D Animation, Genndy Tartakovsky directing. Would be super cool and stylized, and probably absolutely nail the atmosphere and indirect narrative style best, but I think outside of that one Clone Wars series, the man prefers to work on his own original projects.

- 2D Animation; just a straight-up Metroid Anime. Not impossible, but tbh probably even less likely just because while it's niche over here, my understanding is that Metroid is ironically not really successful at all in Japan itself. Nintendo has called on western developers for basically every game since Fusion for a reason, and so while they could probably call up Studio Trigger or someone to make it happen, I don't think there's too much inclination to take that route. (Especially if Zelda, the way more anime-plausible series, is being given to Hollywood as is.) But it would be pretty cool.

- That specific fucking excellent blended style that characterized the late 90s and early 00s in animated movies. A mix of like, CGI and Rotoscoping and 2D Animation, Mike Mignola influenced character designs, the works. Atlantis: The Lost Empire, Spirit, The Iron Giant, Titan AE, Lilo & Stitch, Treasure Planet, Sinbad, Road To El Dorado, Tarzan, Emperor's New Groove, Brother Bear, ect. A throwback to the Animation Golden Age IMO, basically. (In particular, Atlantis, Treasure Planet, and Lilo & Stitch having the most direct visual comparison/inspiration.) This would be an utterly perfect style for Bionicle, but work slightly less well for Metroid, admittedly, just given the vibe favors grandiosity more than eeriness, and I also don't expect it to happen at all in the first place. But I want it SO MUCH.

[izunias-meme-hole]

Top 15 Final Fantasy Villains

(In My Opinion)

Number 1. Sephiroth (Final Fantasy VII) - Sephiroth is one of the hardest bosses in gaming and a genuine horror villain. He is a tragic monster born from science, and a loyal “son” fo his alien mother, Jenova, but he’s still scary as hell thanks to his god complex, unlimited strength, ethereal vibes, years of experience, his ability to live off of pure spite just so he can make the lives of his enemies (and Cloud) complete hell. His appearance in of itself is creepy due to how beautiful, yet unsettling it is, thanks to his silver hair, green snake-like eyes, and perfect physique which is complimented by a black coat. However the most dangerous things about him are that he’s completely delusional, his strength is unmatched, and just how far he’s willing to go to distort other peoples sense reality, specifically Cloud’s sense of reality. Sephiroth a tragic character and a phenomenal villain.

Number 2. Kefka (Final Fantasy VI) - Were it not for Sephiroth’s existence, and the fact that this clown’s debut game being at the end of an era, Kefka would definitely be number 1 on here, and get more respect. Aside from that, Kefka is basically what Majora is to the Zelda series. A completely insane, and legitimately funny villain with a desire to destroy everything, however the difference is that Kefka is a mere jester with magic powers that became god! Plus he actually did send the world into ruin, but because of a little group of heros with hope, he was utterly defeated. So while Sephiroth is indeed ethereal, delusional as hell, and a horrifying nemesis, Kefka is the better manifestation of the pure unadulterated evil a person can bring, with the right tools.

Number 3. Ardyn (Final Fantasy XV) - Ardyn Lucis “Izunia” Caelum is the near perfect mixture between Sephiroth and Kefka in a way. He’s got the same “funny man wants to watch the world burn” vibes like Kefka, but he’s also a creepy, vengeful, tragic, and very personal villain, much like Sephiroth. Ardyn was once a messiah, a healer who was going to become a king, before he was betrayed by his brother, Somnus, and the gods, and cursed to be made immortal via daemons. So after centuries of imprisonment, he decides to take revenge upon his own kin, AND the gods. A simple motive, but in all honesty the amount of trolling he does in order to achieve  it, is truly gut wrenching sometimes, and it gives you the motivation to plunge your blade into his chest, but at the same time… you kinda feel slightly bad while doing it too for some reason. He's a villain that you love, hate, and pity in the end.

Number 4. Kuja (Final Fantasy IX) - Kuja is one of the more unique Final Fantasy villains because of his personality. He’s a narcissist that wants to destory, which isn’t new for most JRPG villains, but he’s also flamboyant as hell, and talks as if he’s in some kind of play where the world is his stage. He isn’t funny like Kefka, nor is he as intimidating as Sephiroth, but you can feel that wasn’t the route the writers were taking with his character. If anything he’s a pitiable, destructive, and flamboyant narcissist, but the Dissida series expands upon his character a lot in a way that kinda gets you hooked. So yeah, Kuja is unique alright.

Number 5. Ultimecia (Final Fantasy VIII) - This time manipulating witch is all style over substance, but god damn her style is really terrifying. She also has quite the presence, much like Sephiroth before her, so its not like she's sitting on her ass all day.

Number 6. Professor Hojo (Final Fantasy VII) - Wow, another FFVII villain, and it's Sephiroth's piece of shit mad scientist dad, Professor Hojo. This walking mass of complexes is a perfect example of the "Greater-Scope Villain." Never taking away from the Big Bad's spotlight, yet is responsible for almost half of the shit in the narrative. Though responsible for many things, his most noticeable crimes against nature were his experiments with Jenova, and the creation of Sephiroth, whom he also experimented on throughout his whole life. Pretty easy to see why Sephiroth was doomed from the start.

Number 7. Vayne Solidor (Final Fantasy XII) - A politician who wants to give the freedom of choice back to man, and preserve his family’s status and power. Those were Vayne’s end goals, and his personality is that of the ideal of a politician. He’s charismatic, ruthless, and levelheaded, so he’s surprisingly one of the more sane Final Fantasy villains too, but that doesn’t mean he’s the least evil.

Number 8. Garland/Chaos (Final Fantasy) - The first man to go by the title of Chaos. Jack Garland was seemingly a generic princess kidnapping video game villain, and he was the first boss in the first game. Granted he did have a small bit of backstory that explains that he was a former knight of Corneria who went mad, and wanted world dominations, but it wasn't enough at the moment. A couple of hours of gameplay later, along with some buildup of the entity known as "Chaos," we find out that Garland IS Chaos, and has practically made himself immortal thanks to a time loop he created with the Four Fiends, whom he sent into the future. Granted he's still a very simple antagonist if we're talking about goals, but in terms of how he went about it, he set up a standard for other villains in the series to surpass.

Number 9. Exdeath (Final Fantasy V) - Raw menace, ham and cheese, presence, permanently killing one of the main characters, and THE VOID. Exdeath was just a delightfully evil bastard, and it's all explained by him literally just being all of the evil in the universe that was sealed inside of a tree of all things. Bro really was "born evil."

Number 10. Rufus Shinra (Final Fantasy VII) - This man is the literal definition of a "Magnificent Bastard." Calm in almost every given situation, legitimately intelligent and level headed, smug as shit, and has the occasional "pet the dog" moments. Rufus Shinra pretty much has it all.

Number 11. Emet-Selch (Final Fantasy XIV) - He has gone by several names, led two empires, and lived thousands of lives, one of the most prominent antagonists in the entire game, but this man will forever be known as Emet-Selch, a.k.a Hades and Solus Soz Galvus. While he never appeared onscreen at first, we did know him as the founder of the Garlean Empire, and the emperor in the first 2 parts of the game, until we saw him in the flesh in Stormblood and Shadowbringers, and good lord he's surprisingly good. He does share some of Ardyn’s vibes, but compared to that glorious troll, Emet acts like a worn out and bitter old man, which is very fitting when you remember that he constantly reflects upon his great his old life was, and lived in a replica of his former home with the souls of his fallen comrades. Jesus Christ, no wonder his real name is Hades, the man is constantly surrounded by the dead in both a literal and metaphorical sense. Compared to the top picks he isn’t that great, but considering how well done he actually is, in-spite of how much people kinda oversell him, this is a decent placement.

Number 12. Sin (Final Fantasy X) - Ever wanted to see Jaws in a Final Fantasy game? Well that's what Sin was. Granted, it’s goddamn terrifying, unforgettable, and moves the plot, but it doesn’t really have much to it outside of being this eldirch whale monster that was created to destroy. Still it makes the goddamn most out of what it is.

Number 13. Ultima (Final Fantasy XVI) - Oh god where do I begin? There's a great amount of stuff that the writers of this great game got right when deciding to make their main villain a literal eldritch god, and he's honestly fascinating in some areas. His buildup is similar to Sephiroth's, his terror level is 100% its own thing that's worthy of him, and good god the way he operates is honestly something to behold. Yet he falls off the mark in a lot of ways. He isn't a bad villain, and honestly is overhated sometimes, but good god a fair amount of potential was missed.

Number 14. Golbez (Final Fantasy IV) - The first Darth Vader expy of the series, and goddamn he’s surprisingly good. Keyword good, not great.

Number 15. Caius Ballad (Final Fantasy XIII-2) - Another tragic immortal, however this one is a former time traveling protector. My thoughts on this guy are mixed. On one hand, as the main antagonist of FF XIII-2, he's great on a lot of angles. On the other hand he, much like half of the FF XIII trilogy's cast, suffer heavily from its writing. Still, his stripes aren't unearned.

[pocketramblr]

More into the lu au plox? (Just discovered it yesterday)

Into the lu au

Sure have some deets:

Link and Aryll have recently moved halfway across the world with their grandmother to join their uncle in New York as their grandmother is too old to work on her own while caring for children. Their uncle works at Coney Island and Link helps out, though sometimes he just wanders around after hours. He was in a restricted area when he got bit by a spider and you know. Got spidered.

He goes back the next night, trying to figure out what happened when oh no there's explosions because Ganondorf is trying to pull apart reality. Spiderman, aka adult timeline Time, shows up and after meeting and mentoring Link (who is Wind) for a very short time uh he dies. And the device ends up drawing in other versions of him from other universes

Ghost Spider and Wolf Spider, aka child timeline Time and Twilight, come through from their own universe. Ghost is unnerved by the fact that he's dead in this universe and Wolf probably won't exist, but they have their own life to get back to, so he keeps moving. (Wolf actually will be, Malon is unaware she's pregnant at her husband's funeral. This version of Wolf will be mentored by Wind in about ten years when his powers kick in.)

Sorcerer Spider, aka Hyrule, is a gerudo sorcerer who uses an illusion to look like his universe's Spiderman, aka downfall Time, who died saving him among others- so he gets Wind in a way some of the others don't. Four is four thousand spiders in a trench coat who are really good at teamwork. Legend is a cartoon bunny. Sky has a glider he prefers to swinging, Wild is from an apocalypse. Warriors is the only Spiderman who didn't get dragged into the portal on accident. He's from a highly advanced universe that monitors time and multiverse travel, and got the alert that there was a breakthrough. (Sorta spider society, sorta tva, sorta it's own thing). When Ghost refuses to let Wind help, because he's a child, and insists on making the heroic sacrifice to close the portal behind the others, Warriors refuses to let him because it's literally his job- and he lets Wind come along to distract Ghost so he can make sure he gets home safe. This slightly backfires when Wind also tricks Warriors into getting to safety before closing it himself. All's well that ends well, though, so.

(when Ghost took off his mask and Wind realized how similar he looked to his Spiderman he freaked out. Legend deflected by asking about his facial tattoos, which he revealed he got to cover up the scars a symbiote left on him (FD). Wolf has already been lectured to great length about the dangers of symbiotes, but the others get a cliff notes version. However, in a decade, Wind will forget to pass this on to his version of younger Wolf, who will end up involved with and then staying with a symbiote named Midna. (I know I said the Midna in grown wolfs universe is a hacker and she can still be. She's just an alien symbiote in wind's universe.)

There are other spider people, and though they don't show up in this story, Warriors knows some of them from his work. This includes a spider Linkle, a spider Aryll, a spider Sheik, a spider Zelda, a spider First, a spider Ravio, and a spider Ganondorf

[loz-untold-myths]

UNTOLD MYTHS: STONE FATE

A Legend of Zelda Fan-Story by Nocturne

Pre-Adventure Short Story – Destined Encounter

Expand to Read! (Warning: Violence followed by extreme wholesomeness)

Pre-Story – Destined Encounter

A little wanderer, no older than ten, sneaks between the trees of the expansive Lost Woods, the grass crunching beneath his feet. A typical traveler would lose their way in a forest like this, but the boy's every step is thoughtlessly precise. Wearing a small mask of leaves, his eyes see through the mist as if it wasn't there at all. Even without the assistance of the mask, he has lived here long enough to know the navigation as if it were a sixth sense… Today, however, he braves the edge. The outermost ring of the woods is much further out than he's ever been allowed to traverse. Yet… it seems that is the exact path he intends to take.

With the passage of time, the child finds the scenery of the woods growing unfamiliar. Although the change was expected, it still brings an uncertainty into the air. The presence of such a feeling proves ineffective, nonetheless, as he doesn't seem intimidated. His curiosity has only built. The unknown is strangely welcoming to the boy; perhaps it is what brought him here. He does not spend much time at all considering his reasoning either way, recklessly following the mere urge to carry on.

Leaping over logs and ducking under branches, the adventurer's journey remains steady for quite a while. The uneventful nature of it all is underwhelming… almost to the extent of convincing him to turn back. Even so, he attempts to give it the benefit of the doubt. Something could be waiting at every turn. He would hate to find out he's missed whatever awaited just a short stretch ahead… So, he pushes forward.

Eventually, as though the woodland could sense his longing, the brush of the mist against the overgrowth is drowned out by an abrupt shout. The boy halts in his tracks, the tips of his ears perking up ever-so-slightly at the sound. His gaze trails off that way instantaneously, taking a moment to check if it will be repeated. Instead, the voice is echoed by a sort of… growling?

..

What is that? It's… new.

The center of Lost Woods, from which the boy came, is a haven. A sound like that is alien. He quietly follows the continued growls, his fingertips lightly touching the bark of a tree. There's carvings here; something he recognizes from home. The children of the forest leave them as means of directions, communication… warnings. This symbol in particular is not one he recalls: a shape like a skull with horns. He's heard that peculiar things have passed through once or twice, but there's never been one close enough for him to pursue. It's basically an invitation!

Leaning over a bush, the child reaches the clearing he traced the racket back to. Before him, he spots a group of red, pig-like creatures with white hair roaring gibberish threats up to the branches of a tree. It's one thing for those monsters to have even managed to get here, but it's another thing for them to start bullying another one of the forest children! The boy is about to race out of the bushes and intervene, but stops as an arrow goes flying– right into the horn of one of the attackers. It is thrown into the dirt by the direct hit, shadow pouring from where the horn was surprisingly severed. As a result, the monster deteriorates as if it were set ablaze. The other beasts are quickly enraged by the defeat of their ally, gathering at the base of the tree and tossing up their clubs to try and knock down the source of the arrow.

The child is unsure who may be in danger now, as he's never seen a weapon like that… But it changes nothing for him. Regardless of whatever is up there, he can't just leave them in trouble with those things! So, he reaches down into a small pouch fastened to his belt. He removes a round seed, slightly smaller than the surface of his palm, and crushes it in his fist. When he re-opens his hand, the seed has blossomed into a plant with a black bulb in the center. The tip of it strangely sparks a moment later, the boy tossing it over the bush so it rolls behind the monsters. It only continues to spark for a second or two, but… When the spark reaches the bulb itself, the plant explodes into a cloud of orange smoke with a "pop". The creatures let out a yell of surprise, scrambling away with flailing arms. They scatter soon after being startled.

The masked child stretches over the bushes and stumbles into the clearing, lifting his head to look up to the branches. Much to his surprise, a set of blue eyes meet his. Not from a child of the forest, not from a fairy or another monster… but another human being.

…She looks like him.

They stand there in unwavering stillness for who knows how long, neither knowing initially how to respond. In this state of wonder, it's clear that neither has ever seen someone so similar. This soon passes, as the girl suddenly pipes up, "What was that?!" Her eyes remain lit up in awe.

The other child slowly pulls his mask off of his face, seeming a bit shy to talk at first. He holds it close to his head, still hiding behind it despite having removed it, "It's a… bomb plant. My brothers and sisters told me they grow on a mountain." When he finally does talk, he decides it is not as difficult as he thought it would be.

Almost the instant she is given a response, the girl shoves her "weapon" under her arm and climbs down the tree. With this, she walks right up to him, fascinated, "That was so… so cool! I can't believe a plant can do that! I'm lucky you came through here."

"...I can't believe you killed one!" The boy seems genuinely impressed, looking where the severed horn of one of the monsters lies in the grass, "I've never heard of anyone doing that before."

"They started showing up a while ago… but I learned you can hit them at the bottom of their horn to hit a weak spot! Then they don't bother you anymore!" The girl proudly replies, "That's why I was making this." She presents the makeshift wooden bow, showing an unprecedented craftsmanship for her age. The boy curiously kneels to look over it, but is interrupted when the girl spontaneously breaks the silence again, "My name's Lya." He blinks again, looking up from the bow to her again before straightening himself.

After a pause, he realizes he should tell her his name, too. The child can almost hear his guardian in the back of his mind, telling him it's the polite thing to do, "...I'm Link."

"I have a treehouse closeby! Do you want to see it, Link?" Lya offers an outstretched hand over to him, so she may lead the way. A wide grin spreads across her face.

Link's eyes are fixated on her hand only for a brief period, as he's quick to take the offer, "Okay!"

With all the time in the world to waste, Lya pulls Link along to a new ring of Lost Woods. In their elation, the pair cannot help but feel as though an adventure awaits within the growth.

Notes:

What better way to start off than from the moment that sets their fate into motion? This takes place around two years before the main story. Asks are open and I do intend on answering them!

If you're intrigued, here's some concept art I posted recently: Concept Art

And here's the first chapter of something else I've written: The Mage's Lantern

(#loz stone fate)(#loz untold myths)

[flarree]

『Tears of the Kingdom Sequel Project』

So, I'm working on this small [fan] passion project, work I make concepts for a Tears of the Kingdom sequel. The [current] name is The Legend of Zelda: Rise of the Titans.

It takes place ~5 years after TotK, in a slightly more industrialized Hyrule. Purah, as well as several Sheikah and Zonai-tech engineers, have developed devices such as radios, railroads, aircraft, etc. (while still maintaining Hyrules 'medieval-ish' aesthetic).

The focus of the story is set around the Twili, who are rewritten as a civilization from deep space, who have sought refuge in Hyrule as their homeworld(s) have been destroyed by a new race of entities known as the Titans - colossal beings that consume planets and stars.

The Twili's "High Celestialist," Midna guides her surviving people to the planet of Hyrule and allies herself with Zelda and Link to help her subjects and warn them of the Titan threat.

Midna gifts Link an artifact known as the Chain, a two-piece device (one cuff on the wrist; the other on the ankle), that gives him a variety of abilities to fight the Titans scouts and warped monsters.

Additionally, Zelda will be partially playable and accompany Link in certain quests.

This project is still in the early works, so (for the few people who even read this) I'm open to some critique.

TL;DR - im making a totk sequal fanfic where the twili are aliens on the run from hangry space giants.

[wordsgood]

my ocs + their halloween costumes

self explanatory, not an exhaustive list, hypothetical au where all the secondary world characters live where halloween costumes are typical

loreleaf: does not like dressing up (too many layers, too many weird heavy bits, too many accessories, generally Too Much in a sensory way), but more than willing to sew everyone else's costumes.

ashleah: is VERY into halloween and costumes. she goes all out on multiple zelda costumes several years in a row and coaxes loreleaf into wearing very comfortable, casual link costumes to match. zelink shippers do not interact.

lev: she also helps make everyone's costumes (she's more into the hardcore armor/accessories side of it; while she does sew, she goes crazy for some worbla and heat guns) but she LOVES dressing up. she has a great storm costume but her favorites are her series of niche or one-off star trek characters (t'pring is her best). she makes her own phasers and tricorders with light and sound and everything.

chance: was known for his slutty costumes until he had his mental breakdown and realized he hated putting himself on display. after the Lestat Costume Incident of '23 he has sworn off costumes for good and spends halloweens watching early-season supernatural and drinking spiked hot chocolate.

sixes & sevens: have never done a twin costume in their lives. they occasionally do generic costumes (alien, vampire, astronaut, etc) but they are never coordinating. sixes often begs off halloween anyway and is usually the one spiking chance's hot chocolate. sevens is more into halloween parties that aren't about costumes.

adder: they've been legolas for ten years running and are not planning on changing that anytime soon. if the costume fits, the costume fits.

sepheri: always dresses up as his latest video game fixation. a couple years ago it was patroclus from hades, this year it's astarion from baldur's gate 3, a while back it was elliott from stardew valley. he wants to ask adder if they would be cool with him going as aragorn one year, to match their legolas, and it makes him so nervous that most people assume he's stressing about a marriage proposal.

(little does he know that adder would foam at the mouth if they saw him dressed specifically like filthy exhausted door-opening aragorn. they would foam at the mouth and then die of Horny just at the sight of him.)

doli lin: has been "too old" for halloween costumes since he was nine. then he watches hadestown at loreleaf's insistence and decides an orpheus costume wouldn't be too embarrassing. turns out he looks Really Hot in that costume and he gets more attention than he was expecting. it's weird but also incredibly satisfying. maybe he's the slutty costume guy now. who can say.

jatatyla: always dresses as someone with wings. she gets lev to help her build the kind of wings that can move so they look really realistic. one year she's castiel, one she's angel, one she's maleficent, one year she's maximum ride (no one gets it), one year she's Sexy Mothman (everyone gets it and wishes they didn't).

judah: she just puts together some of her old 1700/1800s clothes and goes as a generic gothic heroine, sometimes with a candelabra prop. she's pretty and thin and blond so everyone goes wild even though she puts no effort into it, which kind of pisses her off, so she stops after a few years.

dara: you better BELIEVE she milks the hell out of being a frankenstein girl. she's already got the patchwork body parts and everything! she commits halloween costume contest crimes by entering as literally just herself in a slightly different fashion style ("hipster frankenstein" is her favorite so far) and draws sharpie stitch lines over her actual stitch scars to make them pop. she wins 4 times out of 5.

one year, just for variety's sake, she goes as sally from the nightmare before christmas instead, and convinces judah to get a jack skellington suit. they don't win any awards but it's judah's "oh my god, i like wearing pants" awakening. dara takes it as a win anyway.

[plumbogs]

Cain wanted to throw a party after work. He still needs to make friends with people he didn't just go to high school with, but until then he has no other choice. I guess that's the new plan for the weekend.

Despite the fact that there really isn't anything to do in this apartment, the final score was "not bad". What a thrill. He ordered a pizza. They actually have a decent pile of money so I might move them into a slightly less horrible tiny sad apartment.

Zelda hung out for a single rooftop smustle then went to bed while the party continued to consist of eating pizza on the couch and talking about aliens. Sometimes your roomate just throws the least exciting parties and you need any excuse to not stand around with his old friends or his sort-of girlfriend situation.

[existentialterror]

Streaming Majora's Mask

Majora's Mask has my favorite vibes of any Zelda game. It's spooky, it's weird, it's in a parallel reality, you take on other people's bodies and faces, there are literal space aliens.

But I must confess: I've never actually finished it. I've never even gotten through the first temple. The time loop mechanic was beyond me at like... ~13, when we had it on the gamecube, so I played Ocarina of Time and Windwaker instead.

But I'm older now. I'm wiser. My executive function has improved slightly. I have two monitors, and one of them will have a 2003 IGN Majora's Mask playthrough guide open with the title written in ASCII. And it's October, the spooky month.

It's time. We're doing this. We're beating Majora's Mask.

TWITCH LINK. First stream will be TOMORROW, THURSDAY 10/05 at 10PM EST/7PM PST, probably.

[queer-quester]

Spoiler Warning for like almost all of the second episode of Starstruck Odyssey

OKAY SO I have no one I know who watches/cares about this and the first episode was hard enough but I've gotten to a certain point where I need to express my fucking bullshit internal monologue at all this nonsense so I'm sending it into the Tumblr void, starting with:

IS HIS REAL CHARACTER THE FUCKING PARASITE IM GONNA SCREAM

Rip anyone who was really attached to the Skipper lmao

I can't believe everyone was like wow, Zac is getting to unleash his inner cunt, just like with Lapin, he's breaking the mold from his usual character type- NO! xD we get that for one episode then back to lovely, slightly off but very amicable characters, Zac cannot play just a straight asshole for an entire campaign it's physically impossible the universe won't allow it

God they know, they KNOW the skipper has been body-jacked or some shit and they do not give a single fuck coz by god that funky lil parasite is so much nicer xD

The value of kindness my dudes lmao

"Can we have *insert ridiculous and/or dangerous thing here*?"

"OkAy" *shrugs*

"Roll an insight and deception check against yourself"

Ally: 'do a hotness roll?'

Brennan: *does a hotness roll, winces*

Brennan: 'shes stunning'

'im not gonna brush my teeth tonight just to feel something'

'i psychic dump ✨the feeling of being myself✨ onto you'

'i want to be able to want something without needing someone else to want it too and without thinking of a practical reason'

Cool welp I'm gonna go cry in a corner but everything is fine, Emily how dare you.

Take a shot everytime Brennan says 'want' if you want to die of alcohol poisoning

'gunnie doesn't really own anything because anything he owns is taken by the people he owes money to' LOU IS2G MAN

Do you think like the D20 team were seeing all that love for Skipper after the first ep and just 👀😅 because they knew the second episode was basically just gonna be 'yeah so actually he's a dick, fuck that guy'

(Like I ain't mad at it personally tbh, I think loveable assholes should be loveable in the context of the universe they preside, not just from an outside perspective and like I get it was only one episode but he wasn't seeming too loveable tbh with the way things were going)

Parasite!Skip just saying 'youre important' to Margaret?

IM SOBBING, I love him

You gotta love the like classic 'abstract alien perception' thingie Brendan and Zac have going like, "there is a build up of some internal secretion in your lower appendages" Brennan, my dude, my guy, what the FUCK does that mean xD

Brennan: "You can see your eyes are getting kinda bloodshot"

Zac: "Oh am I forgetting to blink?"

Brennan (who definitely meant he's getting tired): 👀😈 "give me a check to find out"

THE SECRETION IS LACTIC ACID IN HIS QUADS COZ THE DUMB BITCH HASNT SAT THE FUCK DOWN

I love this, truly a crew full of dumbasses and Margret who is I think getting dumber by association, yes, this is how it should be

YES SID! ENJOY YOUR EXPLOSIONS BABY I LOVE YOU!

Right on!!!

I could listen to Mr Mulligan describe fantasy planets all day man, yes please tell me more about the blood red gas giant with swirling diamond dust I'm utterly enamored with this good good visual imagery caressing my brain

(channels Zelda) YES 👏 SID 👏 FEEEEL 👏 IIIIIITTTT!!!! 👏

I would fucking die for Sundry Sidney my poor baby (ಥ﹏ಥ)

Margret's Reddit account:

One post of really important whistleblower documents totally exposing her company and calling for a revolution

Another post (only a day after the first one) that is just a neck down nude selfie

*Guy selling sandwiches asking if Riva has a mouth and a butthole*

The cast: oh no it's a sex thing!

*Guy coming to the conclusion that Riva can eat a sandwich*

The cast: oh, it's a… sandwich thing?

Someone teach Riva about lying please, the poor babey

Put your tongue AWAY sir (can't believe I was saying that to Lou and not Brennan xD)

(Not that Brennan kept his tongue in this this episode, I think I'm just desensitized at this point)

Gunnie on a high is a delight

THE 'MY FARTS SMELL AWESOME' CLIP FROM THE TRAILER WAS HIM COVERING FOR AN (EXPENSIVE) PERFUME BOMB THAT SID UNLEASHED!?

'we didn't take names coz we didn't ask them'

The commitment to them all making it so much worse. I've never seen a group of people collect so many disadvantages on their rolls by just being unapologetically ridiculous

The sudden fucking SWITCH between them all cry laughing at the table and then Brennan saying that one thing about the Barrys and Murph's face just drops, all signs of joy VANISHED

Okay I know we've never met this Princeps Zorch but I think Margret should date them

OH!? Lucienne is nearby? 👀

JUST THE THREE OF THEM CLOBBERING A GUY THAT HASNT EVEN HAD A CHANCE TO STAND UP

He managed to make one (1) dramatic threat then they all fuckin beat the shit out of him xD

Episode ends and their ship is still utterly fucked, beautiful

If I sounded insane this whole time i blaming it on the fact that the episodes released at midnight for me

[rpking99]

"Okay. So... Dune. It is the year 11945AD.... And humanity is extinct." Commander White said, deadpanning slightly

She just... Just had to get this information out.

"Humanity have been extinct for a long time, after having turned infertile. They died during a war with aliens from another world. A war that we androids are still fighting in their place. ... And no other android knows humanity does not exist any more." Commander White sighed "There is a lie, that humanity is living on the mood. I'm hiding. Until we win the war... because... We need hope."

Suddenly a beeping came from Commander White's computer and she sighed

"I did the over explaining things, didn't I? The thing you warned me about... I'm sorry." She sighed, slowly approaching the computer "Maybe you can talk to him? Help him understand.... Zelda?" She offered before hitting a button

And a green light appeared before Dune, taking shape. A hologram of a familiar blonde forming before him

The New Gerudo Legacy

Chapter 1

Closed with @the-blackbird-roleplays

Continued from here

Human? Not entirely... But the man who slowly opened his eyes was certainly the last of his kind and burdened with a dreadful and glorious purpose. The man stumbled from the pod, soft glow of Sheikha-blue Ancient Technology glowing from inside the stasis chamber behind him made his blue tunic shimmer slightly. His sandy blond hair seemed to shine in the light of the station, his sun-kissed skin lightly scarred from battles long past. His eyes were a dull crimson and slightly unfocused, confusion clouding him.

"Milady... Zelda. Where is..." Realization suddenly struck him as he looked around, scrambling for something on his back that... Wasn't there. "Where am I!?" He growled, looking around as if expecting some collosal beast to attack him.

The blonde in white took a series of steps forwards, reaching out to calmly press her hand against his chest

"Please, Dune, be calm." The woman urged gently "I am Commander White, and this is the statlie known as the Bunker. Home to the YORhA organisation of androids." She urged gently and softly, talking to him with a calm and quiet voice

[scrawnytreedemon]

Zelink for the ship bingo? :0 any game!

OH GOD, THIS IS?? Gonna be a doozy. Buckle in.

SkSw:

WW-PH: Link/Tetra:

Spirit Tracks(in theory! I haven't seen the game yet, can't speak personally):

Nearly all other instances:

RIGHT! getting onto individual analysis,

1, SkSw: By far my favourite of the bunch, and a longtime delight. Whether you construe their relationship as romantic or not, doesn't matter-- They've got such a wonderful arc of trust and unbreakable love. Zelda starts off incredibly worried for Link, constantly fretting and deeply unsure of his abilities. She steps in to defend him, willing to go up against Big Boys like Groose to do so. As the game progresses, however, and Link grows, in strength and in character, Zelda, and everyone else for the matter, put more trust in him-- By the end of the game, they're on equal footing, and, oh god, oh man, I'm gonna crybhfgjfhdgkjdjd--

2, WW-PH: Nothing to say except, tough girl, sweet boy? Phuck yeah!

Jokes aside, Link and Tetra's arc is also one of trust and vulnerability, but from a different angle. Tetra's a hard-as-nails, independent, morally dubious young girl who's landed herself as captain of a ship full of Big Boys, and sees Link as little more than a useful, if rather weak coincidence she can use to her advantage. However, as the pair grow,(really as Link grows and Tetra is thrown out onto the sidelines as her royal heritage is revealed and she's forced to take on a 'princess' role, one that notably feminises her and lightens her skin), again there's that theme of growth of trust! They take down Ganondorf together, build a new Hyrule together, and isn't that just what dreams are made of?

3, Spirit Tracks: Nothing much to say, other than the dynamic looks super sweet, and there's an interesting play with gender and presentation on Zelda's end? Love it to bits, 12/10.

Now... Onto the potatoes of this, I think. Get your gravy.

This... There's going to be more objective analysis and criticism, obviously, but alot of this is also going to be deeply coloured by my own personal experiences of heteronormativity and alienation. This isn't a commentary on anyone else's enjoyment of the dynamic-- I hope I've made that clear --But, just... I guess I should get to it.

Link and Zelda,

Zelink.

As one anon put it, the vanilla icecream of shipping.

Mild, sweet,

And incredibly heteronormative.

The Golden Relationship; the one toted by fans and Nintendo alike as "the ship".

Everything else, anyone else, is a deviation. It slots neatly into the expected hero-damsel dynamic that we've had, since, well, the beginning of time, almost. It's almost as dust of the earth as it gets. The issue for me being... They don't spend time much, really. Link is barely characterised half the time as little more than a slightly lackadaisical vessel for the player, and Zelda is a sort of guiding light; a dignified keeper of the plot, Righteous Guardian of Hyrule--

The culmination of all Hyrule presents itself as: wise, smart, beautiful, dainty but compitent, ready to lead a charge should need be... but rarely unruly. Rarely ever. Always right.

Obviously, it goes without saying how Breath of the Wild's iteration of this duo changes it up immensely. Zelda is a far more flawed, and in her attempt to put on a strong face, a far more emotionally vulnerable character than any of her gentle predecessors could ever hope to be. While this pairing and her character fail to hit that particular sweet spot in me, it's deeply intriguing, and I hope, perhaps vainly, that they'll develop her and her relationship with Link even more in the sequel-- Honestly, when it comes to this? An equality between her and Link is, I think, what would be best. A mutual understanding; vulnerability.

I think that's what puts me off from Zelink, on the whole. Link is bound to her, by destiny, by guidance, ever-performing his knightly duties, and Zelda is bound to him for strength, for protection. There's little emotional substance, half the time, save for small, precious moments, many with another face, because it's a dynamic inherently dependent on the war-- On danger.

It's all impartial, situational. There's nothing personal here.

And if that were it, if this were truly explored from that angle(as it is, to an extent, in BotW), then I think I'd like that-- Especially if it weren't romantic, I feel.

But that's not the vibe we're told to get: not from the fans... not from Nintendo.

Nintendo tends to be largely neutral on certain matters, such as pairings-- Honest to god, for the best, in my opinion-- But Zelink is that one blind spot where that ethos falls away. Here, Nintendo expects us to see it as some grand, destiny-bound romance, I feel,

And the pre-Skyward Sword manga, from what I know, cements this best.

It's why, quite frankly, I don't care for the idea of it being canon. Genuinely.

It undermines what little weight Ganondorf via Demise had on all of this, this horrific cycle of blood, pain and despair, always bracing for the next wave, of the sisyphian climb of this civilisation, and turns it all into a grand goddess' love for a boy bound to her by fate and destiny manifest.

I hate that.

For something like this, something where no one has any choice, where greatness is thrusted upon them, this endless state of being used that Skyward Sword even condemned, to be seen as good.

To get onto personal experience, before this blog, and this "persona," as it were, I used to have an art account where I largely posted TLoZ, frequented by my family. My very Christian, somewhat socially-conservative family. I would perform straightness, in the form of either pushing aside or pursuing M/F romance, because I was extremely uneasy about the types of conversations anything otherwise would arouse.

This was at a time where I wasn't even sure if I was bisexual, let alone divergent in my gender, so I felt a constant pressure to tamp it down and keep it out of the spotlight, relegating my explorations via art to DMs with the friends I'd make.

Here, on Tumblr, where peppy-queerness is the status quo, there's this tendency to gloss over unpleasant things and make them soft; sweet.

I think I've talked enough at length why that alienates me.

So, yeah... I guess, Zelink on a wider scale kinda just, sums up my unease about the often hegemonic status-quo of shipping, and on the whole I'm just kinda eh about it all.

Again, I think it should be very clear that this is not a reflection on my opinions of people who create Zelink content, who are attached to these characters. That sort of weirdly-tribalistic thinking is awful, and only brings about needless conflict-- Early 2000s-2010s kinda shit, y'feel me?

I hope this all made sense, kinda. I've just got... alot of feelings.

[livixbobbiex]

Popular BOTW theory debunked!

Hi, Zelda fandom. I’m really sorry this has to be my first post, but I want to clear up what seems to be a very popular fan theory as completely untrue. 

I only got into the game recently, but I’ve seen a lot of people talking about how in the Japanese version of the game, the quests are written from Link’s perspective and in the style of a diary.

Not only is there no actual proof for this (that I can tell), it’s actually quite misleading. No offence to the OP, but there’s a lot of slightly off things being shared. Particularly as I’ve seen big YouTuber theorists also make points based on this “fact”, I really wanted to, as a person who speaks Japanese, clear it up for you. 

Japanese Pronouns 

So the main issue here is that Japanese as a language functions differently from English (plus a lot of other European languages). If you’ve ever taken a Japanese class, you’ve probably started a sentence with “watashi wa~~~~”. The thing is, actual Japanese people rarely do this. 

Pronouns just aren’t necessary in Japanese often. You use context alone to figure out the subject. For example, “I went to the shop” would be more like “shop went” in Japanese. The “I” is clear enough. If the sentence wouldn’t be clear, a name is usually used, but failing even that a pronoun can finally happen. They’re more of a “reserved for necessary times” word function, not one that appears in almost every sentence. 

The issue with Breath of The Wild 

So taking a look at Link’s adventure logs in Japanese (both the main and side quests - I haven’t completed them all on this save file yet but I went through more than the original theory post did anyway), there’s no pronouns anywhere. No version of “I” that I can find, and no “you” either. I spent quite a long time reading them all, and I just don’t see it. 

I think some of the confusion might have arisen from the “tai” verb ending (which means ‘to want’). Yes, this is more associated with first person. It’s not a confirmation though. You can still use it when speaking to someone. 

The main ACTUAL difference with the English (aside from some lines being cut) is that the style is written way more formally than Japanese. That does not automatically mean first or second person. It’s just a very interesting style choice difference from the translation team - who made it more formal in other countries. It’s really funny, by the way. It talks about Link being a hot woman at one point - maybe I’ll translate some at some point. 

Remember how I just explained context? BOTW literally doesn’t have one. It could just as easily be taken as “you” or “I”. So, whilst I think that it’s fine to theorise, it’s quite irresponsible to push the canon narrative here. A lack of “you” doesn’t automatically equal an��“I”. 

Diary? 

The only real incriminating thing is the menu being called something like “adventure notebook/memo/etc.”. That being said, I don’t think this should necessarily be taken literally. It’s not that dissimilar to the English anyway. The actual section headers are more like “main challenge”, “side challenge” which would be out of place in an actual diary. 

Nintendo straight up used the word for “diary” in other places, so I feel like if they really wanted this effect they would have committed more to it. 

Link’s Memories - the nail in the coffin

I know this isn’t the main part everyone seems to have been talking about, but it’s still on the same menu and presented in a similar way. If you go to Link’s memories, they’re pretty much all very explicitly in third person.

Apologies for the zoomed in picture, I was talking to a friend on instagram and I didn’t know I would make this post at the time. It’s pretty simple to fact check though. 

It literally says, clear as day, “Zelda and Link”. Some of the other memories specifically reference Link as “he”. This is all under the supposed “diary” menu, too, so unless you want to argue Link is experiencing some dissociation from his past self- 

What I actually think 

I admit I’m not a long term Zelda fan, however from what I understand Link is really meant to be the player, right? Is that not part of the REAL reason he has no spoken lines? It would be really strange to me for Nintendo to straight up directly spell out Link’s thoughts like that. It seems very intentionally up to interpretation. 

Japanese “I”, when it is used, is problematic because it’s gendered. I’m sure a lot of fans of Japanese culture are aware of “boku”, “ore”, “watashi”. If Link is supposed to be the player, they can’t really use a pronoun like that as it’ll alienate a portion of the audience. 

From what I can see, the origin of this is from quite a small twitter post, where a Japanese fan shares their thoughts on the idea. If the theory was something obvious that spoke for itself, why would they be making a “did you notice this” post? Again this furthers the “interpretation” idea. 

It would be really weird for translation teams to make this much of a change anyway. The formality thing was stylistic, but I doubt they could get away with this severe of a meaning change. I have a LOT of harsh things to say about how much they messed up like most of the cutscenes (for real it’s shocking), but this I don’t think would have been changed so much. From my knowledge of the industry, anyway. 

Summary TLDR 

I’m really sorry, but the original theory is pretty wrong. Well, let me put it this way. I think, if you want to ignore the memory context, you can headcanon that the adventure logs are from Link’s POV. No matter the case, I still think they are represented of his feelings in some way. The adventure log being Link’s POV is a theory only, not a FACT. 

The only way it can actually be proved is if one of the writing staff has actually stated the intent in an interview or something, and I have yet to find one.  

[shifuto]

Zexal Month 2021

since things went haywire in real life, I figured this would be the best way to participate in the event this year. I’ve been doing it since 2018, and it’s been such a pleasure to be a part of this nice fandom, we’re small but still alive! Without any more delay, let’s tackle the first week! @zexalmonth

Week 1: Welcome to Heartland City

Day 1: Who are you? Introduce yourself! When did you get into Zexal? What Fandom are you in at the moment?

you can call me shif, I prefer gender neutral pronouns. I like drawing and writing (especially adult content), video games, music, among other things. I’m extremely socially anxious and can also talk nonstop, go figures hahaha. I like when people talk to me and I promise I do not bite

finally found out when I got into Zexal and it was in 2015. I only ever watched the sub though. I read the manga for the first time last year and it was really fun

Yu-Gi-Oh! (mainly Zexal. Yes, it’s still my “current fandom”). And I’ve been reading Boku No Hero Academia and 19 Days. Early this year, I got into NBC’s Hannibal, and before that, Yashahime (Inuyasha’s spinoff). It’s difficult for me to get into new things, I usually rotate between the few fandoms I’ve been into. I’m mostly a gaming person actually hahaha probably doing something Zelda related when not busy

(did introductions last year and the year before, but there’s always something to add and changes to talk about I guess?)

Day 2: Who would you be in Zexal? Champion? Alien? Tomato? Alternatively, what part of Heartland City’s society do you find interesting?

would be a part of Astral World, but the “bad guys”. Think of the Barians, but before they got kicked out. I do not find Heartland City or the people there particularly interesting because I’m not a huge fan of futuristic/sci-fi stuff. I guess I enjoy how all kinds of people chose that place as their home, from scientists (the Tenjo family, the Arclight family), to adventurers (the Tsukumo family), and I like how that city seems to be the core of interdimensional occurrences

Day 3: What’s your favourite moment or favourite episode in the series?

episode 98 (the Dark Zexal one) will always have its place in my heart, but since I talked about it last year, guess I could talk about other of episodes I enjoy

I love all episodes in which Number 96 appears, all 12 of them T^T... it is such a shame he did not have more screen time: 20, 25 (recap), 37, 38, 89, 101, 102, 110, 111, 112 (dead), 131 (doll), 132 (doll)

I also have a soft spot for Yuma/III focused episodes such as their meeting (ep 46), their dramatic duel (eps 47-49), and when Yuma is depressed after losing Astral and III helps him (eps 112-113)

that incredible Eliphas X Yuma duel, which is one of the best and longest in the series (eps 118-121), followed by Yuma’s reunion with Astral and one of the cutest scenes in the show (eps 122-123)

really liked the episodes with Ryoga/Nasch focus in the last season, in special, his duels with IV (eps 124-126) and Yuma (eps 141-143)

Day 4: Who’s your favourite character? Which Zexal Characters would you like to meet?

oh, tough one! Guess not many things have changed from when I got into Zexal ー In 2019 and 2020, Astral was the one for me ー but maybe some things did change...!

this year I really delved deep into my love for Number 96 and I guess they’re tied in 1st place now hahahaha, I would say I like Number 96 slightly more maybe?!? And, very surprisingly, Yuma grew so much in me! Probably for all wrong reasons hahahaha

Day 5: Zexal has so many cool locations and backdrops. Where would you want to go in Zexal?

Astral World. It’s my favorite location in the show and it’s a shame they didn’t explore it as much since it only appeared so late in the last season

[cyraclove]

I wrote this lil’ Revalink oneshot for my friend @virgll as a part of our Discord server’s New Year Fic Exchange. Having never written these two precious idiots before, I had a really good time exploring their relationship. 

I hope you enjoy! 

_

_

_

Tell Me Where Your Heart Is, Tell Me Where You Keep It

It began with a look.

A stinging glare that lingered in his mind long after; a disdainful sneer that harbored something more than envy, something deeper than resentment. It had been enough to stun Revali into silence, for once, the way the young Hylian’s eyes bore into him from behind locks of sweat-drenched hair.

Link had looked up at the Rito champion from where he’d fallen on the Flight Range landing, a thin stream of crimson blooming from his lip and dripping off of his chin, icy flecks of snow lashing at his face. Something foreign stirred in Revali’s chest as a shiver flew up his spine that chilled him more than the frigid Tabantha air ever had.

Before he could open his beak to admonish Link for his poor form, to spit out yet another biting quip about his performance, Link wrested himself up from the ground. His blood painted the snow when he spoke, delicate pinpricks of red slowly sinking into the dense white.

“Again,” he’d rasped, and snatched his bow up as he stood on shaky legs.

As he watched the young man once again prepare to leap from the lofty landing with paraglider in hand, Revali suddenly and inexplicably found himself wondering what he might taste like in that moment, all iron and salt.

It was infuriating.

Read on AO3

In the weeks that followed, Revali attempted to keep his distance. Avoiding Link wasn’t too terrible a feat, as he was much too preoccupied with Zelda—as recalcitrant as she was royal. The Rito had even discovered her hiding around the village on numerous occasions, seeking a moment’s respite. Her emerald eyes would silently plead with him, and he would leave her be, feeling more akin to the princess than he would have thought possible.

Mastering Medoh needed to be his focus, he would remind himself, not this amateur —this pathetic excuse for a champion. While Revali had spent countless, grueling hours honing his skill, all Link had done was stumble upon a sword. That they both trained for the same battle was the only thing that united them. Had Link not been Hylia’s chosen , Revali thought, he’d be nothing more than a lowly farmhand playing at being a warrior.

In Revali’s mind, Link was still just that. He had to be. The alien ache in his chest from their interaction on the Flight Range would return if he allowed himself to consider otherwise.

Sunrises turned over and twisted into sunsets as Calamity Ganon’s ever-looming shadow spread across Hyrule, swallowing what little hope its people still clung to as time continued to slip away. Revali memorized Medoh’s every mechanism while Link tirelessly trained, both somehow existing together and apart simultaneously. Zelda continued to pray.

They all prayed.

The chill of evening in the village was beautiful, albeit bitter, for the night winds brought with them silence and the scent of the pines. It was the only time when Revali was awarded with some semblance of peace, though he endlessly warred with his own mind—a turbulent sky of relentless thoughts that denied him true rest. To his chagrin, he often found that his most tumultuous thoughts were of Link.  

It enraged him, being plagued by a man so much lesser than he. One sleepless night after another, Revali had managed to convince himself that it was simply because of the injustice of the entire situation. So unfair was it that Link had been awarded a position that he did not deserve, and Revali was merely trying to make sense of it all. It had nothing to do with the way he had felt those many weeks ago when Link’s stormy eyes had locked with his; how his breath had caught in his throat when he heard him speak for the first time.

In fact, he’d all but forgotten about it.

When he heard him speak a second time, winter had settled in entirely, shrouding Tabantha in a shimmering blanket of blinding white. He knelt by the small hearth in the center of his roost, watching the embers softly flicker and die. After a failed attempt at sleep, he’d decided to get an early start rather than wasting more time. He waited in the pitch of early morning for the sunlight to creep above Hebra Peak, a whisper of a breeze gently rustling his feathers.

“You’ve been avoiding me,” a voice cut through the silence.

His heart seized with that unwelcome, startling twinge of something that he had yet to name. Though Revali felt Link’s presence, he did not raise his head, keeping his gaze trained on the dying flames.

“The hero can speak in complete sentences,” Revali drawled, his tone dry. Out of the corner of his eye, Revali saw Link’s jaw clench.

“I speak when I care to,” Link retorted, “and it’s not often that I do.”

Revali scoffed, a mirthless smirk on his face. “To what do I owe such an honor, then?”

“You’re supposed to be training me,” Link said, “but I’ve been trying to figure everything out on my own.”

He let out a squawking laugh this time, cocking his head as he finally looked up. “Are you not Hylia’s chosen champion? He who wields the sword that seals the darkness, protector of the crown and savior of us all, yes? Surely, you don’t need my help.”

“When we first arrived here, you said that you w—”

“When I said that I would show you how it’s done,” Revali snapped, making the end of Link’s sentence die in his throat, “I meant, of course, by besting you. Not by teaching you.”

Link inhaled deeply, eyes flashing beneath his knitted brow. The feathers adorning the shoulders of his Snowquill tunic fluttered slightly in the breeze as he took a seat on the stone floor opposite Revali, crossing his legs and resting his hands calmly on his knees. They regarded one another in silence from across the fire, their faces obscured by sparks of amber dancing above the flames.

“I don’t recall inviting you to join me.”

“Revali,” Link started, the very sound of his own name from the Hylian’s lips twisting the knot in his stomach, “I respect you. Your skill as a marksman is undeniably impressive…but I don’t have to tell you that. What I’m trying to say is that I want to learn from you.” He paused then, his eyes trailing downward. When he spoke, a hint of a tremor colored his voice.

“I need you to help me because I’m not ready. I’m…scared.”

As satisfying as the admission of fear should have been for Revali, it wasn’t at all. Why, out of everyone, had Link chosen him to confide in? Surely Daruk was more of a mentor to him; Urbosa more of a sage than he; Mipha, with her gentle words and kind demeanor, would have been a better choice. The walls of pretense came crumbling down around him and all he felt was shame. Despite the posturing and the honorifics, Link was merely a man —and he was frightened, just as anyone would be.

Just as he was, though he dare not say so.

Before he had a chance to even begin to register a response, he saw Link’s eyes grow wide as they flickered up towards the sky. Something had diverted his attention away from Revali entirely, his mouth parting slightly as he sat there, transfixed. Revali raised a brow at him.

“And here I was thinking that we were having an actual conversation. What could you possibly be staring at?”

“What is that?”

Turning to look, Revali saw familiar, beryl-green rivers of light weaving their way through the twilight. Like a gleaming veil concealing some otherworldly place, the ethereal light hung in the air as if by magic, an ancient mystery to all. Distant stars shone through, accenting the deeply hued sky with pinpricks of white.

“It’s just the aurora,” Revali said plainly, unwilling to admit that he was just as captivated now as he was the first time he’d witnessed it.

“I’ve never seen anything like it,” Link murmured, craning his neck to get a better view.

Revali watched him then, his face aglow with viridescent light. Never had he thought that a grown man could look at the sky with the wondrous eyes of a child, and for a fleeting moment, it was he who was envious of Link. The light that he saw in him was as bright and as brilliant as the light above them, the likes of which he’d not seen in anyone. Perhaps in himself, long ago.

Where had it gone?

“Your eyes,” Link said, the sudden comment causing Revali to startle.

He clucked his tongue. “ What? ”

The corner of Link’s mouth quirked up as he shifted to face him, his expression soft. Revali felt his breath hitch as his entire body tensed in anticipation of the other man’s response.

Link gazed back up at the aurora.

“They’re the same color.”

His damnable heart flew to his throat, any coherent thought evading him. Words were out of his reach now, language a distant memory. Revali’s mouth went dry as he turned away, trying desperately not to choke on his own tongue.

“What a ridiculous thing to say,” he stammered as he rose to his feet. He heard Link chuckle softly.

“Just an observation.”

“Well, in the future, do keep your observations to yourself. It’s nearly sunup; I need to train. And so do you.”

Revali turned to leave, longing to be anywhere else. He could have very easily taken to the skies right then, a powerful gust in his wake. He could be at the Flight Range in moments, his only focus his arrow and its target. Instead, he paused, cursing himself for what he was about to say.

“Flight Range in an hour. We can start with that atrocious form of yours.”

He took off, the force of his gale sending him soaring above the rooftops. Flying swiftly towards the mountains, an odd urge to look back nagged at him in the back of his mind. Relenting, he turned in enough time to catch a glimpse of Link standing at the railing of his roost, watching him.

He was smiling.

_

_

_

[coconi]

Continuation of @pawthko 's request:

15 for any iteration of Zelda/Midna/Link in TP that u ship!!

15. trembling hands

It takes roughly twenty minutes of travel through a relentless blizzard and endless packs of famished White Wolfos for Midna to decide she hates Snowpeak with a burning passion.

Following the scent of a reekfish (which very much lives up to its name) seemed simple enough at first. Link's keen nose has no difficulty following the trail even across bodies of water, and his thick fur protects him from the brunt of freezing temperatures.

Midna, however, has no such luxury.

Her magic helps, of course. If she were a lowly human she would've already frozen to death, and she is powerful enough in her disgraceful imp form to keep something as puny as frostbite at bay. Still, that doesn't mean she enjoys the chill.

She will not be caught dead voicing her discomfort, though. They have a mission to fulfill, and the last thing she wants is for Link to stop on her behalf. She already feels like enough of a burden after Zelda surrendered her Triforce piece to save Midna's life, and the alien thrumming of holy power coursing through her is a constant reminder.

So she clings to Link's fur and rides his wolf form with her belly pressed against his back, surreptitiously attempting to soak up as much of his body heat as possible. As a result, Midna all but topples backward when Link suddenly stops by a cliffside, looking over his shoulder to catch her attention.

"What is it, Link?" She asks in a flat voice.

Link cannot voice a reply, but he nods at her in that way she has come to associate with him wanting to turn back into a human. An odd request, given they are nowhere near their destination, but Midna complies all the same.

The moment Link gets his body back, he rifles through the pouches attached to his belt, frantically searching for something. Midna hovers in midair in her shadow form, immediately missing her source of warmth, and she folds her arms to keep herself from shivering. The rock ledge at their side offers some protection from the storm, but it doesn't work miracles.

"Really, you could've picked a better place to check your little knick-knacks, you know?" Midna teases, her tone harsher than she would like given her annoyance. "I get that you're carrying living fairies in there, but this is rather—"

Link interrupts her by holding a folded length of fabric to Midna's face, eyes bright and eager.

"What... is this?" She asks, taking the offering with faintly trembling hands. The dark green cloth is thick and rough to the touch, and it unfolds to reveal a hooded garment of artisanal make.

"A cloak. For you." Link says, raising his usually subdued voice for Midna to hear him over the howling wind. "I wanted to get it in black, but this is the darkest color they had since... um...."

Midna quirks an eyebrow, eyes narrowed to slits. "Since it's a child's cloak, you mean."

Link winces and nods sheepishly, his long ears drooping slightly. "Won't you try it on? It'll only get colder from here on out."

Midna looks from Link to the piece of clothing in her hands, and she shakes her head with a fond smirk on her lips. She guesses she should've expected something like this from the light dweller.

"Well aren't you kind, wolfie." Midna drawls, her sharp teeth on full display. She throws the cloak over her shoulders and clasps it at the front, keeping the hood off. The temperature difference is immediately palpable, and she heaves a deep sigh in relief.

"Well?" She prompts, twirling in midair to show off her new clothes. Her shoulders give a start when she finds Link staring at her with crinkled eyes and the softest of smiles. He gives her an earnest thumbs up, and Midna bristles.

In the blink of an eye, Midna reverts Link to wolf form without any prompting, and she tugs at his fur to make him run once again. She is glad the hood won't cover her helmet, for she welcomes the biting cold on her burning cheeks. Soon enough, an eerie snorting sound reaches her ears, and she digs her heels into Link's sides in retaliation.

Many claim wolves cannot laugh, but Midna would strongly beg to differ.