#looking directly into Ganon's eyes as I say this

[nicki0kaye]

this is jumping the line in all the other stuff I've worked on to stay sane because fucking look at them

[librarygarten]

I’ve been thinking about the infodumping to the chain about Zelda games post and all I want to do now is tell them about the speedrunning in botw 💀

Like imagine looking Wild dead in the eyes and telling him that he could’ve beaten Ganon with a pot lid and a spoon completely naked not even a day after he wakes up habdmdvsusjsbd

Even better, imagine the potential angst if the boys DID use speedrun strategies... because of Isekai! Reader. Reader is their player, and the line between their control and the boys' free will is incredibly blurry at best >:]

#1 Chain x Speedrunner! Deity! Isekai! Reader - Who's in Control?

Part 1 includes Wild, Four, and Warriors Part 1 (you are here) ✿ Part 2 ✿ Part 3

When you first fell through the portal and joined the chain on their quest, you had revealed that they were only stories in your world. It had taken a while for them to understand the concept of a video game, and even longer for them to come to terms with the fact that some of the most traumatic events of their lives were reduced to children’s entertainment. However, as they talked with you, they came to another horrifying discovery: YOU were their “player.” Your actions in your world, the decisions you made while playing the games, directly influenced their own lives. What’s more, you were a speedrunner.

Wild

It was a peaceful day in camp. You were sitting near the fire, watching Wild cook, chatting about nothing in particular. Suddenly, his head snapped up, as if he suddenly realized something important.

“You made me fight Ganon in my underwear.” he says. He stares at you. You stare back, unsure how to respond. Anything you could say dies in your throat. He continues. “I couldn’t beat Ganon back when the Champions were alive. Back when I had the Master Sword. But you managed with a pot lid and a spoon.”

“Well, that was still you.” You can feel the sweat run down the back of your neck. “The line between what’s me and what’s you is kind of blurry. It didn’t feel like you were being controlled, did it?”

“No. I just remember thinking I had to get to the castle as soon as possible.” Wild looks down at his hands, contemplating his next words. “I did things without thinking, really. When I jumped around and shot that arrow, I didn’t know why. It just seemed… natural.”

You were aware of what he was talking about. A common way to skip Windblight Ganon. The only things needed were some well-placed jumps and an arrow. Shooting the arrow at just the right place would make it get stuck in Windblight’s head, essentially one-shotting him.

Wild turns back up at you.

“You made me fight Ganon in my underwear.” He emphasizes the last few words, as if he still can’t come to terms with this reality.

“I’m sorry?” You really don’t know what to say. Nothing could possibly make this situation worse. “It would have made a difference, really. I wasn’t planning on getting hit, so armor was pointless.”

“That’s right. I didn’t get hit once.” Wild looks shocked. “I dodged everything.”

���So everything worked out!” You smile nervously.

“But why?” He asks incredulously. “Wasn’t it hard? Why would you go straight to the castle?”

“Gotta go fast?”

Four

Another busy day at camp. There was food to cook, clothes to mend, weapons to fix. While the others went out to gather materials, you and Four kept yourselves busy, trying to get as much done as possible before they got back.

“Y/N. You played my games, right? You kind of influenced what I did and stuff?” Four asks out of the blue.

“Yea, why?” You put down the shirt you were mending and looked up at him. He was staring into the distance, as if lost in thought.

“Are you the reason why I could walk through that wall?” He turns to look directly at you. His gaze is almost paralyzing.

“Which time are you talking about?” You laugh nervously. “There’s a couple areas in The Minish Cap where you can glitch through walls into other areas.”

“The Octorock!” He exclaims, “I pushed a pot into the wall and went through the wall! Did that actually happen? I thought I was going crazy!”

“Oh, yeah. The Octo Clip is essential for speedrunning.” You explain. “It’s one of the few glitches available in your game for the 100% category.”

“Speedrunning?” He tilts his head, confused. “What’s that?”

“It’s a thing people do when playing video games. It’s like a challenge to see how fast you can beat the game. People compete to get the fastest time.” You pick up your needle again, praying that would be the end of the conversation. Talking about the nature of the chain’s free will was uncomfortable to say the least.

“Did you win, at least?” Four asks. He could understand competition; one of his games was mostly a competition between the colors.

“Ugh, not even close. I messed up the timing on the final boss so the fight took way longer than necessary. I ended up missing the top ten by a whole minute.” You lament.

“I think I remember that. I was fighting Vaati, and suddenly started panicking. I thought I was just scared.” He points an accusing finger at you. “But that was you, realizing you messed up?”

“I guess?” You shrug. “It could be both. Like, maybe you just happened to feel fear at the same time I realized I messed up? Or maybe you felt fear, causing me to mess up? It doesn’t have to just be me influencing you. It’s the multiverse. You probably influenced me too… right?” You try not to sound too desperate with your question. Surely, this connection went both ways. Otherwise… you don’t want to think about the possible implications.

“Maybe.” Four nods, but you can tell he doesn’t really believe it. With nothing more to say, you slip into silence.

Warriors

(I legit cannot find speedrun glitches for his game??? Let’s dive even deeper into the nature of freewill lmao.)

Warriors was silent as you walked along the trail. The rest of the group had run ahead, apparently excited about something they had spotted over the horizon. The last thing you heard was Wild shouting something about Hinox toenails. You were glad to have a moment of silence. You loved the boys to death, but they were a bit much at times. Unfortunately, the silence was short-lived.

“I’ve been talking to the others about their adventures. Now that we know about you, some things are starting to make sense.” Warriors’ voice is quiet, his voice low. Almost threatening. You don’t say anything. He continues. “Four told me you like to do something called speedrunning? Where you try to beat the game as fast as possible.”

“Yeah,” you say. You can feel his gaze on you. “I’m not very good at it. Most of my times don’t even get on the leaderboard.”

“And your behavior during the games influences our world.” It’s not a question. He knows.

“I guess?” You chuckle nervously, suddenly finding the dirt beneath your fingernails very interesting. “I’m still trying to figure that out. Multiverse travel be wild.”

“Was it worth it?” His voice is laced with venom.

“What?”

“What is worth it?” He repeats, then scoffs at your confused expression. “You wanted to beat my game as fast as possible. You’re the reason Zelda and I were constantly trying to push forward. Even when our supplies were low. Even when we knew we were outnumbered. That. Was all. YOU.”

You don’t know when you stopped walking. You only realize when you notice the small wet spots on the ground in front of you. You wipe your eyes, trying to stop the tears. It doesn’t help. Warriors only watches.

“I’m sorry.” Your lip trebles, but you keep looking at the ground, using your bangs as a curtain to hide your face. You don’t want him to see you start sobbing. That wouldn’t help anything.

“Sure you are.” He continues walking, leaving you standing in the middle of the path, completely alone. Before he’s out of earshot, he turns to look over his shoulder, and sarcastically remarks, “Glad you had fun.”

[lucky-clover-gazette]

The Big Picture

(Four Swords Manga Adaptation)

Chapter 6: Stone Arrghus | 5818 words

The gang fights a giant rock. Vio learns something about himself. Shadow tries his best.

Read it on ao3 or under the cut:

As the solar eclipse reaches totality, Stone Arrghus’s power swells. Its form begins to vibrate and expand, unimpeded by the natural light that normally suppresses it. It extends this power to about a dozen nearby rocks, beckoning them to orbit its body.

And then it turns to Shadow Link

“An eclipse?” the shade asks, slaw-jawed as he stares directly at the black sun. Arrghus had only wanted to please his master, back when its thoughts had been simple. But without the sun’s oppressive effects, it has found itself newly enlightened. 

Show me some real power, Shadow Link had told Stone Arrghus. Hell, kill the heroes yourself and Ganon will probably give you my job.

“Master,” it says in an unfamiliar voice. It sounds chilling and monstrous, a far cry from its previous simple repetition.  

Shadow Link turns to face Stone Arrghus, his jaw dropping again at its transformation. “What the—” 

An orbiting stone knocks the shade on the side of his head. Stone Arrghus chuckles as all five feet and two inches of Shadow Link crumble to the ground. 

─────────────────

“Erune… she’s gone!” 

Vio sighs and places down his journal. 

Green’s shouts are clear as day through the window. Clear as… not day. It’s dark outside, Vio realizes, as he gets to his feet. It’s not supposed to be dark. And the shadows beneath the trees, they’re shaped… 

An eclipse, Vio realizes, drawing from his own basic knowledge of natural science. 

“Search the grounds!” Green hollers, as more footsteps pound against the wooden porch. “Look for clues!” 

Vio stretches and grabs his sword. This should be interesting. 

He makes it downstairs, following the same path both Red and Blue appear to have taken to speak with Erune. And there they are, all three of them, on the porch—but Erune is nowhere to be found.

“It’s dark,” Red whimpers at Vio’s arrival.

“I noticed,” he responds. Vio turns to Green. “What happened?” 

“I was right there with her, but then Blue had to pull me away—” 

“Don’t blame me,” Blue huffs. “How was I supposed to know the world was gonna get all freaky?”

And to his credit, Vio can confirm that the world looks rather freaky. It’s not just the eclipse anymore—there’s almost a visual distortion to the town square surrounding them. Ripples in reality itself, dizzying and surreal. 

“It looks like the village,” Vio says, “warped through a bad dream.” 

“Through a nightmare!” exclaims Red. 

Vio narrows his eyes, scanning the area. “It’s a lot like the real thing, but subtly different. Sort of like we are.”

Before they can ponder that notion any further, the heroes are distracted by the sound of laughter. Children’s laughter, echoing through the village, leading back to a group of distant silhouettes. 

“The missing children,” Green says under his breath, and then he’s off. Reluctantly, Vio follows him with the others. Green reaches the children first (“Hey, kid!”), reaches for an oddly stiff arm, and—

“Yes, Mister?” 

Vio stops himself in his tracks. The children’s voices come from painted mouths, belonging to life-sized toys. 

“This is a land with no adults,” the toys say in unison. There’s a stuffed bear, a clown, and a soldier, as well as a brightly-colored toy box beside them. “Just us kids, and we get to play all day long. All play and no work means we’re just like toys.” 

“You never get hungry or tired,” says a different voice, this one much more familiar. “You can play forever. It’s fun!” 

Erune sits against a tree, her eyes vacant and her limbs stiff. She has been transformed into a doll. 

Vio feels sick to his stomach. 

Green draws his sword. “Show yourself, Shadow Link! You’re behind this!” 

A large figure emerges from distant fog, and it is definitely not shaped like Shadow Link. It’s a giant circular rock, with a bloodshot eyeball in the center. Gleefully, it taunts them from… the eye? Is that its mouth too? 

“Shadow Link should be the least of your concerns!” the monster exclaims. “I am your enemy now!” 

“Tell us what happened to Shadow Link,” Green demands. “Is he dead?” 

The monster seems annoyed by the question. “He has been… neutralized.” 

Ah, Vio thinks with mild disappointment. Just unconscious, then. 

Blue raises an eyebrow. “What, did you hit him with a rock or something?” 

The monster does not respond to this question at all, which must mean… 

“Wait, really?” Vio smirks. “That’s all it took?” He imagines that overconfident freak getting knocked out by a paperweight, and he smiles. 

“Guys,” Green scolds his teammates. “Focus.”

And it’s good that he said something, because Vio has just enough time to prevent a small rock from knocking him out too. It clangs against his shield, shaking him where he kneels, and then retreats to its orbit around the monster. There are about a dozen of these smaller rocks at its command, and a single hit to the head could probably take any one of the heroes temporarily out of the fight.

“We’ll never get near the main eye this way,” Vio tells the others, who also kneel behind their shields. He would judge their poor show of heroism, if he wasn’t also doing the same exact thing. 

“Everyone grab a weapon,” Green commands, inching backwards towards the toy box. He pulls out a bright yellow boomerang.“Start with the smaller eyeballs!”

“But they’re just toys,” Blue says, grimacing at the box’s contents. 

Vio is quick to grab the bow and arrows, giving the string an experimental twang. “I’ll take this one,” he announces with a grin. He likes the idea of himself as an archer—Link hadn’t been skilled with a bow, which makes Vio all the more interested in proving himself superior. 

“Oh, I see!” Red exclaims, reaching into the box. He withdraws a slingshot. “Dibs on this!”

Blue shoves him aside and begins rifling through the remaining items. He finds an insect net, some flippers for swimming, and then finally… 

“This’ll do nicely,” he says, raising a gigantic mallet in the air. Vio narrows his eyes at the comparatively small toy box, wondering how the hell the hammer could have fit in the first place. 

His thoughts are interrupted by another volley of flying rocks. 

“Let’s get ‘em,” Green tells the group, throwing his boomerang at the orbiting stones. It targets each of them in an arc, locked onto their precise locations. A hit from the boomerang seems to stun each projectile, keeping it still enough to—

Green slices his Four Sword through one of the tiny rocks. His sword’s blade glows as the two halves drop to the ground. 

Force energy, Vio thinks. Green seems to realize much the same, and begins slashing at several more stunned rocks. Vio has to hand it to him—in this kind of environment, Green really does thrive. Between his stunning-and-slashing and Red’s slingshot volleys, the orbiting rocks don’t stand a chance.

The big eye appears to be reaching the same conclusion, darting frantically between the heroes surrounding it. 

“There’s nowhere left to hide!” Blue taunts, already raising his mallet. The eye begins to tremble—surely not from fear? 

It bursts into gushing tears. While Vio, Blue, and Green are able to sidestep the flood of murky liquid, Red slumps right beneath its torrential downpour. 

“I m-made all those little r-rocks,” the monster sobs, “and now they’re gone!” 

Red sniffs, his hat acting as a sort of umbrella. The rocky tears pool at his feet. “Really?” he asks the creature trying to kill him. “That’s so sad… now you’re making me cry!” 

Vio puts his face in his palm. 

“Huh?” Red gasps “The tears!” Vio watches as the rocky water solidifies around his feet, essentially rooting him where he stands. “They’ve dried like cement!” 

The monster laughs, and rears itself for an attack. “I’ll crush you, hero!” 

It doesn’t get the chance. Vio jumps in front of Red and unleashes an impressive hail of arrows upon the eyeball’s soft flesh. It’s almost like he moves in slow motion, perfectly focused in a way he hardly ever is. There’s just Vio, the target, and his weapon. He has one goal, and he possesses the skill to succeed. 

Take that, Link, Vio finds himself thinking. I’ll do this my way. 

Maybe he might enjoy being a hero, after all. 

“Ow!” the monster actually cries, its eyelids swollen shut. The arrows poke out between them, like really bad artificial lashes. “I can’t see!”

In its confusion, it slams itself down on the same cemented substance keeping Red in place. “I’m free!” Red cheers, as Blue lifts his hammer above his head.

“Look out!” he warns the others, launching himself into the air. “Coming through!”

Vio watches in awe as Blue slams the hammer down onto the stone monster, splitting it right in half. 

And just like that, the monster is slain. They did it, together. 

“Look,” Green says, holding out his hands. “It’s raining force crystals!”

Vio glances up at the eclipsed sky. Well, what do you know. As the others fight over the tinier shards of force, Vio watches carefully for a larger crystal. Just as snowflakes vary in size and shape, these seem to come in varying degrees of power.

He spots his target and catches it effortlessly. 

“Shut up, I fought too!” 

“Guys, can’t we all just share—” 

Behind Vio’s back, someone is definitely punching someone else. He just smirks and studies the giant force gem in his hand. 

“Hey, give it back!”

“Do you wanna die next?” 

What an ugly display. 

Vio smirks and shakes his head, more than satisfied with his own prize. 

─────────────────

Shadow regains consciousness just as the eclipse ends. He grimaces as he gets to his feet, his hand reaching for the welt on his forehead. The shot of soreness at mere contact with the injury makes him hiss. 

The town square is back to normal. The sun shines brightly in the sky. Rock dust formerly known as Stone Arrghus litters the ground. What a fool, Shadow thinks of the creature. Not a very touching remembrance, he knows, but the stony bastard did try to outrank him. 

And the heroes… they must be alive, if Stone Arrghus has fallen. Even in its most powerful state, brought on by the solar eclipse bridging the dark and light worlds, the monster had been no match for its opponents. Shadow is almost grateful for the heroes’ swift defeat of his former servant—after all, he can’t have someone else succeeding where he himself has failed. 

Shadow Link retreats into the darkness from whence he came, slightly battered but not nearly beaten yet. 

─────────────────

The Eastern Temple smells like sandalwood and fresh grass. Vio breathes in deep as Red, Blue, and Green hack away at the crystal containing the Yellow Maiden. The ethereal woman emerges with a bright smile, opening her arms to them all. 

“Link!” she exclaims, which Vio supposes is not an inaccurate thing to call them all. “You must have defeated the terrible monster, Stone Arrghus!”

Green steps forward. “Yes, we did. The Village of the Blue Maiden is now safe.” 

“Do you have a village, too?” Red asks the Yellow Maiden, eyes wide. Blue elbows him. “Sorry.”

She makes a weird face. Clearly it’s a sore subject. But then her eyes land on Green’s sword, and she’s all smiles again. 

“And the Four Sword shines as it did before,” the maiden observes. “But it’s still not powerful enough to defeat Shadow Link.” 

Vio smirks. Maybe a pebble would do the trick.

The Yellow Maiden extends her arms, revealing an object that does actually resemble a pebble. “Please,” she says, “take this Moon Pearl.” The glowing orb floats into Green’s hand (of course), its coloration milky-white with flashes of yellow and blue. “When struck by moonbeams, it opens a gate to the Dark World.” 

Oh, shit, Vio thinks. Now we’re getting somewhere.

“About that,” he says, as Blue rolls his eyes. “When the village was overtaken by evil, and we fought Stone Arrghus… were we in the Dark World?” 

The Yellow Maiden eyes Vio curiously. “Yes, Link, I suppose you were.” 

“It’s Vio.” 

“Why didn’t you say something sooner?” Green asks Vio, clutching the Moon Pearl in his hand. 

Vio shrugs. “It was just a theory.” He turns back to the Yellow Maiden. “You suppose?”

“You were not fully transported to the Dark World—that would only be possible through a very powerful gateway. At most times, even the Moon Pearl is unable to sustain a connection strong enough to transport a person between the worlds.”

“But it blurs them together,” Vio guesses, remembering the way the town square seemed to fluctuate before his eyes. “It messes with the realities, making it easier for us to comprehend dark forces.” 

“And kick their asses,” adds Blue. 

“Also that.” 

“But we didn’t have the Moon Pearl when we fought Stone Arrghus,” Red says. “How were we able to beat him, then?” 

It’s a good question. Vio tries to answer it for himself. He retraces his steps, placing himself back inside the room with Red and Blue. He’d been writing in his journal about… something… and then there was a rock, and Blue went to heckle Green because he was talking to Erune… but that was all normal. That’s not what made things weird. Things only got really weird when— 

“The eclipse,” Vio realizes aloud. He looks to the Yellow Maiden for confirmation. “It has something to do with the eclipse.” 

She nods. Vio feels smug. 

“During certain solar and lunar events,” the Yellow Maiden explains, “the dark and light worlds blur together. Non-native creatives reach full power, and denizens of both realms can more clearly perceive each other.” 

Vio glances at the Moon Pearl. “And that thing produces the same effect on command, in any conditions.” 

“Exactly, young hero.” 

He sours at the name, but at least she didn’t call him ‘Link again. And actually, you know what—Vio is a hero! He shot that monster in the eyeball, and it was fun!

Blue looks from the pearl in Green’s hand, to the maiden, and then back to the pearl. “Okay, fine, I guess that makes sense.” 

They turns to leave, but Blue isn’t quite finished speaking. “But, like… why does he get it?” 

Vio rolls his eyes. 

─────────────────

Vio finds Red, Blue, and Green outside of the tavern with Erune. After their visit to the Eastern Temple with Stone Arrghus, the heroes had been finally free to enjoy some well-earned sleep. Now, at the break of dawn, they’re just about ready to hit the road again. 

Just about. 

“Has anyone seen my journal?” Vio interrogates the group. “I’ve searched everywhere. It’s gone.” 

Green makes a placating gesture. “Calm down, Vio.” 

Vio grits his teeth, balling his hands into a fists. He is being calm, he’s just—

“Are you suggesting that one of us took it?” Blue asks, roiling his eyes. He’s probably trying to act all cool in front of Erune, that piece of—

“It’s okay, Vio,” Green says, taking him by the arm. “We can get you a new one.” 

Vio rips his arm away. “It was a journal,” he hisses. “You can’t just replace it.” 

And there are things in there I don’t want anyone to see. 

Green sighs. “Okay, Vio. I’m sorry.”

“Stop saying my name!” 

He doesn’t even know where that comes from. Doesn’t he want people to use his name? Green is only trying to help—albeit condescendingly—yet Vio still gives him hell. What is my problem?

“What was even in there,” Blue says, “to get you so riled up?” 

Vio turns to him sharply. Normally his words are quick and clever, but for some reason he feels a need to be cautious around the subject. He has experienced many sensations, since becoming himself—but this kind of shame is something entirely new. 

It was stupid of him, to put anything in writing. His thorough investigations and reflections, things that make him feel vulnerable and raw. Now, they’re just… out there. Somewhere. And he can’t even explain himself, or the things he wrote, and Hylia knows what someone would make of the hero—

“I’m sorry,” Erune tells Vio, glancing up at the room above the tavern. “I keep a diary, too. It would make me very sad to lose it.” 

Vio can’t bring himself to dislike her. He may not be smitten like the others, but he admires her persistence and desire to help the children of her town. It’s his gut impulse to diminish anyone who makes him feel unsure of himself—but just like Red, Erune is simply too earnest to deserve his ire. 

Whatever frustrations Erune represents to Vio, aren’t her fault at all. 

“It’s fine,” he mutters, rubbing the back of his neck. “I’ll get a new one.” 

He’ll work through… all of that… as soon as he can put pen to paper again. He’ll figure out his problem. There has to be an answer, and Vio is confident that it lies somewhere within himself. 

He just has to know where to look. 

“Heroes!” calls a new voice from within the tavern. A man, about Arcy’s age, bursts onto the front porch. For one fleeting second Vio thinks he might be holding his journal—but it’s just a box of baked goods. 

“For your travels,” the man says, handing the box over to Green. Then, he turns to Erune. “I hope you know that we’re very proud of you, my dear.” 

She blushes and looks slightly away. “Dad…” 

Something happens in Vio’s heart. Would the Captain even like him, knowing that he’s one of four strangers who replaced his beloved son? 

He shakes his head. Save it for the journal. 

“He’s right,” Vio tells Erune with a smile. “Without your determination to find the true cause of the children’s disappearance, I’m pretty sure everyone would still be trying to break down the knights’ door. You saw past their panic and figured things out for yourself.”

“But I didn’t do anything,” Erune protests. “I just got myself turned into a… well, you saw.” 

“Of course you did stuff!” Red exclaims. “You gave us really important information, even though you were nervous to share it. And you showed us hospitality. Thank you.”

Before Erune or her father can respond, another man bursts onto the porch. He wears an apron covered with various food stains, suggesting to Vio that he must work at the tavern. “I found this,” he says, revealing another object—not Vio’s journal, damn it—from behind his back. 

“Rosie!” Erune exclaims, running over to claim the doll. She kisses its forehead and holds it close to her chest. “Where did you find her?” 

“Behind the tavern,” the man says. “She was resting against a tree. She says she missed you.” 

Vio finds it sweet that he brought the doll to his boss’s daughter. That’s definitely not in his job description. 

“Thought you were too old for such childish things,” Green teases Erune, kind-heartedly.

“Nope!” the young woman chirps with a smile. “And we both are very grateful for your help.” 

She doesn’t seem to be referring to all the heroes. There’s something more to it, Vio thinks, something he isn’t quite catching—but Green appears to understand well enough. He smiles back, a bit of blush spreading onto his cheeks. 

It’s happening again, Vio realizes, as he watches the fond interaction between them. Just like before in the tavern, and when he was talking to Red and Blue… there is just something that Vio doesn’t get, that everybody else somehow naturally does. He can still be a hero without it (which is all he’s been made to do anyway), and he does admittedly tend to overthink, but still— 

“Good find, love,” Erune’s father tells the other man. And then he kisses him on the mouth. 

Vio’s jaw drops. 

Red gasps. “Erune, is that your other dad?” Erune nods, and Red beams. “Hi, Erune’s other dad!” 

Vio desperately searches his memory—Link’s memory, whatever—to try and connect the dots. He remembers two knights in a supply closet, deeply annoyed with Link as he attempted to retrieve a mop. They had been kissing, too. Link hadn’t thought anything of it at the time, but right now Vio… Vio thinks quite a lot of it, actually. 

And then he realizes that he doesn’t have to think at all, because this just makes sense.

Something inside of Vio, in this moment, seems to just fall into place. But it can’t possibly be that easy, right? It doesn’t solve everything inside him, not even close—he’s still missing his journal, and unsure where he belongs, and there is of course the matter of what happens when he outlives his heroic purpose… but this. This, at least, is a start. 

“It’s nice to meet you both,” Vio tells Erune’s dads, standing with better posture than before. Normally he doesn’t care what people think of him, but right now he feels a sudden and irrepressible urge to be understood. 

“Thank you for protecting our daughter,” one of the men tells Vio, reaching for his husband’s hand like it’s a reflex. Vio’s eyes linger on the gesture for perhaps a second too long, and then he looks away. 

“Yes, thank you!” calls another voice from behind Vio. And then there are several more voices, expressing their appreciation. Vio… could get used to this part of heroism. 

Townspeople crowd the main square in droves, eager to see the heroes off on their travels now that they’ve left the inn. Vio watches as the adults of the town keep their children close, visibly shaken by recent events. The children, meanwhile, just smile at Vio, Green, Blue, and Red. Vio wonders if they even remember what happened at all. If he had no concern for social niceties, as opposed to the minimal concern he normally has, he’d probably just ask. 

Erune smiles back at the children and then turns to the other heroes. “I’m glad you visited our village. It was very nice to meet you all.”

“Us too!” chirps Red. 

Blue rubs the back of his neck, trying to be aloof. “I guess it was nice,” he tells Erune, and Vio has to hold back a smirk.

“Thank you for your help,” Vio tells Erune. He extends his hand for a shake. She seems a little bewildered by the gesture, but happily obliges. 

“Oh! And please,” Erune tells the four heroes, “do try to get along. It’s dangerous out there, and you need to look after each other. If I’ve learned something from the past twenty-four hours, it’s that the world is a much scarier place than I ever could have imagined.”

Vio’s smile falters at that. Is Erune, like… okay? 

“We always get along!” Red lies, before Vio can weigh the merits of asking. 

And then Erune’s eyes fall on Green. He steps closer to her, extending a hand—but it’s not exactly professional, like Vio’s had been. It’s more familiar, more natural. Just like Erune’s dads. 

“Looks like this is goodbye,” he tells her, and his words make Vio’s feel… something. Green seems to fully accept the nature of his existence, which includes the inevitability of his own dissolution. That statement, coming from him, carries a surprising amount of darkness—in all likelihood, this really is goodbye. Not just for Green, either, but for them all. 

Vio shakes his head. Save it for the journal. 

“Link,” Erune calls Green, and he doesn’t disagree. 

Save. It. For. The. Journal.

“Yes, Erune?”

She looks away shyly, and then plants a chaste kiss on Green’s cheek. “Safe travels.” 

When she pulls away, Green wears the strangest expression. He blushes and smiles, but there’s something in his eyes… it almost looks like guilt. And Vio supposes that would make sense, if Green views himself as a mere copy of Link—Erune isn’t Zelda, after all. 

Maybe Green should get himself a journal, too. 

─────────────────

The four heroes travel in contented silence as they exit the Eastern region. The weather today is lovely—not too hot, not too cold, with the perfect amount of clouds in the sky—and even though his journal is probably gone forever, Vio can’t bring himself to feel totally rotten. 

And maybe… he doesn’t need to be so evasive about its contents. 

His mind wanders to his conversation with Red and Blue in their room above the tavern. He’d been so hostile towards them, when they spoke about their feelings for Zelda. At the time he couldn’t even imagine why, other than his usual overall sense of contempt, but now… 

“Hey, guys?” Vio hears himself say, his heart pounding in his ears. 

Green stops in his tracks. “Yes, Vio?” 

“I don’t think I like Zelda, in the way Link liked Zelda.” 

Now Red and Blue have stopped walking too. 

“Oh!” Red exclaims, his eyes wide and sympathetic. “That’s sad. Is there anything we can do to help?”

Vio shakes his head. “That’s not what I mean. And it’s not important, not really—“ 

“Does it have something to do with your journal?” Blue groans, his typical bluntness earning Green’s measured disapproval. 

Vio defaults to Red as his primarily point of contact. Red is the kindest of them all, even if he’s a little… simple. If Vio has to make himself vulnerable to someone, it makes the most sense to focus on him. 

“I think I’m like Erune’s dads,” he tells Red, and by extension the rest of the group. “If that makes sense.”

Blue raises an eyebrow. “You want to own a tavern? Sorry, man, but we’re on a mission here.”

Vio pinches the bridge of his nose. “No, that’s not what I—what I mean to say is… the way Link felt about Zelda, and you guys acted around Erune… I’m like that too. Or at least I suspect that I could be, except for me, it’s… different. I don’t think I feel that way about girls.”

Vio watches as Red’s brain works overtime. “But if you don’t feel that way about girls, that means you…” 

Vio nods. “Just like Erune’s dads.” 

The kitchen timer inside Red’s skull finally reaches 0:00. “Oh!” he repeats, this time with a smile. “That’s so sweet!” 

“But how would you even know?” Blue asks, furrowing his brow. “We’ve only been… ourselves… for like a month. And I’m pretty sure we would have noticed, if you were taking detours during our quest to flirt with boys in the woods.” 

Vio isn’t sure how to answer that, because it’s true—he hasn’t kissed a boy, or even met a boy he’s felt specifically drawn to during their travels. Which, to be fair, have been very insular and brief thus far. His most consistent male company has been his current company, and the idea of kissing any of these idiots makes him want to gag. 

But when Vio thinks of the way it made him feel to see Erune’s dads together, or to remember the knights in the closet, or to fluster slightly at the handsome vampire in his book… there’s definitely something happening there. 

“It’s just different,” Red had mused yesterday, “when it’s a boy and a girl, I guess.” 

And Blue had immediately agreed—“It’s only natural that he felt that way.” 

Vio has an idea. “Okay,” he says to Blue, “but have you flirted with any girls on our quest?” 

He scowls, blush flooding his cheeks. “Of course not, we’re on a quest.” 

Vio could easily argue that he has, given the Erune of it all, but that isn’t really the point. “Then how do you know you like them?” 

Blue flounders at that. “I,” he begins to say, but then stops. Vio finds himself smirking, just a little bit. I’m waiting…

He doesn’t have to wait for long. Visibly resigned to his own confusion, Blue meets Vio’s eyes again. “I just do.” 

“Well, so do I,” Vio shrugs. “But about guys instead. Admittedly, I won’t know for sure unless…” his voice tapers off. Unless what?

That, at least, seems to strike a chord with Blue. Maybe he’s more aware of their situation than Vio gave him credit for. “I get it,” Blue tells him. “Not sure why you were so worried about anyone finding out, but it’s cool. Makes sense. Just about as much as the rest of it, anyway.”

“Thanks.” 

“And now that you’ve spoken your truth or whatever, will you stop being such a smug asshole all the time?” 

“Probably not,” Vio admits. “Especially if you’re still going to be a brutish oaf.” 

“Fair enough, I guess,” Blue says, and Vio recognizes it for the acceptance that it is. 

“But I’m still confused,” says Green, scrutinizing Vio like a particularly difficult dungeon puzzle. “Link didn’t like guys.” 

“And we’re not Link,” Vio replies, crossing his arms over his chest. “Funny how that works, huh?” 

Green isn’t laughing.

“Let’s go,” Blue tells them both, glancing further down the path. “We should hit the next town by nightfall.” 

“Great,” Vio and Green say in unison. They regard each other for a moment, and then they look away. 

  ─────────────────

A little further down the path, Red falls back from the others to walk with Vio instead.

“Hi,” Red says in greeting, using a quieter voice than usual. 

Vio gives him a lazy wave. “Hey.”

I think it’s really cool that you know that about yourself. It must have been scary to tell us, with the way Blue and I were talking before.”

“Yeah, well,” Vio shrugs. “Triforce of courage, and all.” 

“Still,” Red insists, meeting his eyes. “I’m sorry that we assumed.”

Vio smiles in a way that he hopes is reassuring. “It’s really okay, Red. You couldn’t have known. I didn’t even know.”

I still don’t know for sure—and if we continue on our quest, I probably never will. 

“And I just wanted to say,” Red continues, even quieter now, “that, well, me too.”

Vio raises an eyebrow. “Really?” 

“Well, kinda. I think I like everyone, not only girls. But I didn’t really notice it, until you shared your thing. So thanks!”

Vio doesn’t know how to respond to that. “You’re welcome?”

His answer seems to satisfy Red just fine, at least for a second. But then he sighs. “You know,” Red says, his volume just above a whisper. “I’m glad that we’re not Link.” He then immediately winces at his own words. “I mean… well. I’m not sure what I mean.”

“That’s okay,” says Vio. 

Red glances at Green, farther up the path with Blue. “Don’t tell the others I said that last part.” 

Vio regards his friend in a slightly new light. “I’m glad we’re not Link too,” he tells him, and means it. “Now let’s go catch up with the group.” 

─────────────────

Shadow wonders how Vaati even writes emails without hands. 

“Stupid windbag,” he mutters, setting his work-issued laptop aside. He crosses his arms over his chest as he leans against a hard stone wall. 

His bedroom in the Tower of Winds is not nearly as glamorous as what he’s seen of Hyrule Castle—but it has walls, a floor, his laptop, and the Dark Mirror. There isn’t much else Shadow actually needs to exist. He’s been created for a very specific purpose, after all. 

One he is currently fumbling spectacularly, apparently, according to his direct supervisor. Vaati had made to sure to end his berating email with a not-so-implicit threat: if Shadow cannot manage to be more present and dedicated to the cause, he will tell Ganon what happened with Stone Arrghus. 

Shadow doesn’t even know what that would mean for him. Would Ganon destroy and replace him, or would he simply punish him for his failure? Either way, he does not intend to find out.

There is another item in his room, newly acquired, that Shadow picks up now. A leather journal, looted from the heroes’ bedroom while they were asleep. Shadow had retreated into the darkness after the eclipse for his own safety, but he’d still been able to return in the darkness of night. 

He supposes he could have hurt the heroes while they were in such vulnerable positions, or try to steal the swords they kept at their bedsides, but he didn’t want to risk alerting them all by waking just one. Even in the darkness, he knows he wouldn’t stand a chance against the four heroes as a team. And honestly, he’d already embarrassed himself enough for one day. 

Shadow sighs as he runs a finger down the journal’s spine. It belongs (belonged) to the purple hero, the one the leader had called ‘unheroic.’ Shadow opens it to the first page and scans a few lines, chuckling at the its owner’s handwriting. The messy scrawl suggests that the purple hero thinks faster than he can physically write. If Shadow didn’t hate him so much, he’d almost find it endearing. 

As Shadow subjects himself to the purple hero’s maladjusted musings, he begins to realize what a powerful weapon this book could be in his hands. Violet Link has recorded everything here—his own weaknesses, gripes with his teammates, their travel plans, even the exact way they power up their swords. There’s some personal nonsense too, but Shadow mostly just brushes over it. Although he does pay close attention to the few times the hero mentions his enemy, the Shadow Link. 

With this much free intel, Shadow can almost forgive the purple hero for calling him a “smarmy self-aggrandizing bastard,” and a “floor-crawling cretin,” and a “raucous magpie,” and—perhaps even most insultingly of all—a “thespian catastrophe.” He’ll show this sour grape that his evil is anything but a performance. The only catastrophe this hero will witness is his own tragic defeat. 

What is my problem?, Violet Link had asked himself on the journal’s most recent page. Such a sad place for the story to end—for him, anyway. Shadow is having a great time. 

He places down the journal and rises to his feet. In front of the Dark Mirror, he frowns at the small welt on his forehead from Arrghus’s well-aimed projectile. 

Shadow Link closes his eyes and pictures the purple hero. When he opens them, he sees Violet Link, and not himself, in the mirror.

“You have no idea,” he tells his reflection, “how spectacularly you’ve failed.” 

Shadow leans down and grabs the journal, displaying it to his mirror image like a prize. “What’s your problem?” he asks Violet Link with a chuckle. “I’ll show you your problem.” 

He restores his own image, wielding the journal of secrets with a devious grin. The welt on his forehead has disappeared completely. 

“Sour grape,” he repeats, tasting the insult on his tongue. Violet Link wishes he was half as clever as his Shadow. 

[spaceistheplaceart]

anyone else constantly thinking about how Zelda puts her self-worth in how well she serves her kingdom and others. About how since she was a young child all she ever heard from her father was to awaken her power or she amounted to nothing. that she had to focus every waking moment on that goal and anything she was interested in for herself was worthless. and that she tried so fucking hard and it didnt work until the one friend she had was killed in front of her eyes. then she sacrificed 100 years of her life to holding back ganon for her kingdom while also guiding link to her. and then immediately after being freed from 100 years of torture she began to rebuild the kingdom. she cant take time for herself, she cant just relax and give up the princess title. she must help others. she must help the kingdom. anyone else constantly thinking about how after all that when she finally found happiness she was sent back in time and determined that it was for a reason and that reason was that she had to sacrifice her mind, body, soul, everything, for 10,000 years, for eternity, practically killing herself, for links sake. for the kingdoms sake.

because if she is not fulfilling her destiny like her father wants. like the prophecy says. like her bloodline dictates. then she is worth nothing.

EDIT: ohhhhhhh i just noticed something

when she goes into the past, in memory 13, rauru tells her there was a reason she was sent to them. rauru is absolutely like a father figure to her, and once again, is telling her she has a Destiny- a Purpose. That there is a Good Reason why she is being put through so much torture. I know Rauru likely did not mean it this way, but I believe this is how Zelda took it. I mean look at her face directly after Rauru tells her there was a Reason she was sent here:

she's silent. and frozen. for like a good few seconds before she murmurs "The Reason… am here…"

and it was a real big factor in her decision to swallow the secret stone and essentially kill herself for her Destiny. for her Purpose. Sacrificing herself once more for her kingdom.

ZELDA BABY PLEASE I PROMISE YOU DO NOT DESERVE ALL THIS SUFFERING

[dilfmansion]

Eclipse ~ Post-TotK Zelink

words: 2k

read on ao3

Nightmares are nothing new to Link.

He’s had them nearly every night since waking up. He doesn’t remember dreaming when he slept then, drifting weightless in that pool of blue fluid, but every time he’s shut his eyes since has been fraught with visions.

Even now, after all that has happened, after the Calamity and the Upheaval, after losing everything and finding it again, he still can’t seem to shake the worry that follows him into sleep.

The dreams are not the same from one night to the next.

Sometimes it’s about his arm.

The feeling of it rotting away while still attached, the flesh infected with malice and death. The way his nerves fry and his grip on the master sword slips as muscle is worn through and rendered useless.

Sometimes it’s Ganon.

Red hair corded like sinew, eyes so full of calm hatred that Link’s hands start to shake if he looks for too long. His hands wrapped around Link’s head, squeezing like he’s trying to burst his skull.

Zelda sleeps with him now. It had been something silently agreed on when she came to stay in Hateno and just never left. It helps, a little— having her there. He likes waking up to the smell of her hair, the press of her hand to his chest, soft murmurs of assurance as she coaxes him back to sleep. It’s a vast improvement from silence and an empty home. It doesn’t stop the dreams, but they seem easier when she’s there.

Today the nightmare is something new.

It begins with the blood moon. Hung low and bright in the sky, it casts deep shadow across the landscape that seems to twist and writhe everywhere it can find darkness. Link blinks. It feels slow, uncoordinated. He recognizes this place, he thinks. A vague approximation of the ruins of Sanidin Park, slightly distorted and stained red from the light of the moon. 

Link steps into the vision. It feels dull, like tepid water lapping against his skin. Strings of malice seep up from the ground and dissipate. It would almost be beautiful, if he didn’t know what it was. What it could do.

He thinks to look up, drawn by some invisible string to the statue of the horse that sits in the middle of the rotunda. Link’s breath stops in his throat.

Zelda stands there. Barefoot, staring up into the bloody sky. She looks like some homage to the Goddess, clad in robes dyed pink and brown by the light of the moon, 

It’s beautiful, isn’t it?

I missed you , Link responds, though he doesn’t remember speaking.

Zelda turns to him slow. Like they’re underwater. 

At the same unhurried pace, Link feels an echo of discomfort at the very fringes of his mind. Something is not right, though he can’t place what. 

The princess picks her steps carefully as she steps towards him. She moves stiffly, like her legs aren’t quite limber enough to carry her. Link frowns. Doesn’t move from where he stands as she approaches.

You are so loyal.

She’s right in front of him, suddenly.

Kneel .

Link does– his legs turn to liquid under him before he can choose to obey. When did she get so close to him?

Do you know why I like you, knight?

He doesn’t like the way she says these things. She speaks to him like he’s a child, but there’s something missing. The words are hollow. Absent of tone. Link swallows down a question– she’s already asked him one, requested an answer. He stays silent for a few beats.

I serve you .

He blinks and Zelda is gone. 

No .

Her voice returns, directly in his right ear, sharp where it should be soft. Link is pushed forward by the force of the word and something he cannot name. He trips over himself to look back at her.

Zelda smiles, the expression dying before it reaches her eyes. 

Silly boy . She rises from her low bow. You’re a fine warrior, but you’re quite dim, aren’t you?

Link’s brow creases, his eyes searching her face. It holds no humor, no sense that she may not be telling the truth. She wears an expression of utter indifference. And Goddess, that hurts .

You would do anything for me, if I asked.

It’s true and Link knows it. Maybe that’s why he falters.

You would kill for me , Zelda continues. Her feet begin to lift off the ground. Black pools flood her eyes in place of vibrant green. You would die for me . You have, before.

Fear crawls into Link like an animal. It begins to gnaw at his bones, make his breath come quick and his hands seize up. He squeezes his eyes shut, praying to the Goddess that that will make this go away, make everything normal again, bring the real Zelda back so that she can laugh and take his hands and tell him kind things.

Link is awarded no such luck.

When he opens his eyes again it’s not to Zelda. It’s to Ganon, looming massive and stifling above him, mirroring the red moon.

You will die again .

Link is ripped from the dream like a bandage from a fresh wound, raw parts of him sticking to its fabric.

He wakes up crying.

The blankets are shoved off as he scrambles to sit up, clawing at his heaving chest, breath catching in his lungs before he can take in enough air. His throat aches and sweat sticks his bangs to his forehead. Streaming in through the window, just as vicious and unwelcoming as it was in his dream, is the light of the blood moon. 

“Link..?”

He responds to the soft call of his name instantly, wild eyes snapping up to find where it came from.

Zelda is standing there at the top of the stairs. She looks almost out of breath, like she had run up them, and pure, soft worry has set creases in the lines of her face.

All Link sees is the Zelda from his dream. Her dead eyes, the way she moved like her limbs were not her own. He hears what she had said to him. How true it had sounded. Like his stupidity was a fact, like all he was good for was following her around like a stray dog and barking only when she commanded it. Link starts to shake his head, his tongue caught.

Zelda moves towards him, slow, careful. She had learned quickly what his nightmares are like, how scared he can be when he wakes up from them. Most nights she is already there next to him, cupping his face in her hands and carding fingers through his long hair and telling him everything is okay. Tonight is different. This is new territory.

“It’s alright,” Zelda is quick to assure, concern creasing her brow as she comes to rest at the side of the bed, kneeling to bring herself closer to Link’s level. “You’re safe, Link, it was only a dream.” She reaches out to him. A hand on his knee, nothing more, but the gesture makes him jump as if he’s been burned. Link recoils, pressing himself into the corner where the bed meets the wall. His breaths begin to come faster, tears spilling down flushed cheeks and fingers trembling where they’ve latched onto a fistfull of the bedsheets.

Zelda’s eyes widen– that had been mistake, evidently. She withdraws her hand, eyes searching Link’s for any sign of what went wrong. What he’s seeing that she’s not. She is a scientist. This is what she does best.

It only takes a few moments for her to notice it. Link is tracking every movement she makes. Every time she blinks. Frantic, hesitant. Assessing what she might do next. Zelda sees it on his face. Slowly, painfully, realization dawns. 

She is a threat.

Zelda ignores the ache in her chest that flares up at that thought. Gingerly, so as not to frighten him more than she already has, she turns around, never raising herself higher than Link’s eye level. She sits with her back to him, a universal act of surrender and trust. Placing the control in his hands. 

“I’m sorry,” she says, soft and level, eyes cast down to the floor, “I didn’t know.”

It doesn't feel like enough. Zelda wants to wrap her arms around Link, press soft kisses to his forehead and show him just how little of a threat to him she is. But now is not the time.

Minutes pass in silence. Eventually Link’s panicked breaths begin to slow, and the light of the blood moon graduates to a softer red as the night passes its peak. 

“It wasn’t you.”

His voice is startling in the quiet. Zelda lifts her head, taking a moment to sit with the words.

“In your dream?”

She doesn’t need an answer to know she’s right. Link has told her about what happened during the Upheaval before, on nights not unlike these. When his hands move feverishly with the weight of words he cannot say. He’s told her about the other Zelda. The figment of malice and deceit that Ganon had seemingly crafted for the sole purpose of destroying Link’s will. Of shredding any hope he had left. It had worked well, if this was any indication.

Zelda moves slowly as she angles herself back towards Link. He’s still backed into the corner like a feral animal, but some of the fear seems to have subsided. Now Link sits there, hand curled in the hair at the back of his neck, miserable and exhausted . Dark circles cast his eyes in shadow, lids only halfway open and lashes wet with clingling tears.

“I know it wasn’t.” Zelda extends a hand again– slower this time, making sure Link sees exactly what she is doing as she places it palm-down on the bed at least a few inches away from him. He watches, makes no change or indication of discomfort. Progress , Zelda thinks. “I’m sorry for frightening you.”

Link shakes his head. He lets his hand fall from his hair, reaching across his lap to let his own hand rest near hers. Not quite touching. 

“I missed you.” 

His voice is so small it hurts. Zelda bridges the gap between them, fingers lacing together in a small promise of assurance, comfort. 

“I will always come back to you.”

That’s all it takes. Link’s face cracks and he looks up, finally meeting her gaze as another round of tears well up in blue eyes. He unfurls himself from his hiding place, stretching out towards Zelda, towards solace.

She meets Link halfway and catches him as he all but falls into her arms. Zelda holds him close against her as she smooths his hair down against the back of his head, chest hitching with ragged sobs. His fingers curl in the back of her tunic. 

They hold each other fast there for far too long to count. Hours, maybe. Until Link breathes steadily again and his fingers loosen in the fabric of her clothes. Zelda only moves when her legs begin to grow numb beneath her. She joins him in their bed then, limbs tangling together as they curl into one another, as close as they can be without taking up residence beneath each others’ skin.

It’s late– early, rather, and they both need rest. Link breathes out against her, long and soft. Gentle. At ease. He reaches out until he finds her hand, calloused fingers cradling hers as he turns it palm-up to face them and begins to write against her skin. The slow drag is warm and familiar. I love you. Zelda smiles, kisses the side of his head.

“I love you,” she returns, a whisper against Link’s temple, and it’s so earnest because it’s true. She would give her life for him in a heartbeat and take care of him until the word ceases to spin. He is the bravest person she has ever met. The strongest, the kindest, the most honest. He is a thousand perfect things, and he will hear every one if it takes her a lifetime to speak them all.

As the last rays of the blood moon fade, and the sky cedes to the dim light of morning, Zelda feels the soft imprint of his smile press against her collarbone.

[spaceless-vacuum]

Hi I really love your work

Can I request a yandere playtonic botw Ganon x fluffy naga reader ( like she a fulffy furry naga baby ) and he found her before he went to take over Zelda and the Kingdom and he says she his child now cuz she impret on him and he can't say no to hom

So she sleeps by the heart where he kept in a little nest not ageing a lot cuz she in hibernation cuz her daddy is being kept by zelda but she wakes up for food and he talks to her.

And when link gets ready to fight him he see the reader and gos to attack her but GAGON like step away from my child and wins.

Malcie swept up from the ground and wrapped around Hyrule castle. Ganon roared and felt some vindictive satisfaction slowly gain hold over him. As long as he reigned over the castle the princess was trapped and Hyrule could not recover. His form swept up and circled the tower until he was over the tallest peak. He let out another cry as he could feel Zelda start to use her sealing powers. A golden light swept up to stop him. He hadn't seen her yet but he could feel her waking up whenever he did. It wouldn't be long now. She was growing tired and weak as he only built his strength.

Despite how her powers kept him in a weakened state it was difficult for even the goddess' own bloodline to keep all of his power at bay. He was waking up- not even she could stop that. Even now as the hero swept across the halls she could not stop him from following him through the castle and watching Links movements. No one was here in the castle except for two soon to be corpses and his followers who took up fort around the castle. In less than a day he would start his plans to take over Hyrule and he and his minions would make this land their own. All he had to do was kill the two vermin invading his nest.

:readmore:

Zelda called out some jumble of words that were incomprehensible, but it sounded like the hero responded, saying that they had no legs. The princess said something else but it was too soon to pay attention to such things. Once more she used a bolt of her power and he could do nothing as it tore through him to try and put him back to sleep. Link moved around staring at the ground at his feet before staring at something curled up against the wall away from him. The castle was always full of strange creatures but you were the strangest.

Ganon’s ghastly form recollected and he pulled away the apparition from around the top of the caste. He wanted all of his power in this fight to stop these two. Zelda pushed forth more effort as he did the same. Recollecting himself into one spot gained him more awareness in this room. He glanced around the pit of despair he had created in the heart of his prison. The heart-like cocoon moved and beat as both light and malice poured from it. He turned his gaze directly downwards at the lowly worm who dared to disturb his sleep. He saw the hero standing proudly, sword in hand about to strike down at someone… you. The ungrateful hero must have moved to attack you and that was what woke him up.

Ganon was careful to always keep an eye on you especially. Once the blood moons started it became easier and easier to watch over you. You looked up at him eyes wide and slowly you curled in on yourself more. The malice ridden beast knew you were scared and possibly wounded by that miserable wretch. His poor child, you weren't old enough to fight let alone be able to be any real threat. The hero knew this and had made a choice to hurt you anyways! Righteous anger, the type he hadn't felt in years due to the sealing magic, flowed through him. It served as a reminder. Who he was all those years ago, a testament to how much he cared, and a sign that Zelda’s power was waning.

She was no longer strong enough. Not after seeing what was done to you. Link was no longer allowed to leave this room in one piece. Not if the gerudo still had any pride left in him. One last glance around and he felt something, a wave of emotions and the support of a more solid form as Zelda's power waned and his power grew. Ganon tried to speak but nothing but a deafening roar that echoed throughout the central chamber came out. That idiot would never have had the chance to move towards you had he not been distracted by Zelda. He will never, ever let his guard down again! Link was too busy keeping his eyes on his child to look up and pay attention to what was going on. 

Ganon looked down at you, his sweet child, bathed in the golden yellow light from the setting sun that was streaming through the ruined windows. You were his to care for, his kin, and no one else got any say in what happened to you. The most extreme case of worry and anger came over him. Without realising it he had been distracted and you could have been injured! Or worse- killed. You slithered away as the opening to escape presented itself. Link was now distracted, part of the goddesses golden light flowed down in front of the cocoon and the hero finally looked up as he heard a very familiar voice.

Zelda spoke, calling the hero's pathetic name and reminding him how weak she had gotten. He scoffed and tracked your form as you moved to the farthest corner of the room. Already aware of what was going to happen you were moving as far away from the point of impact as possible. Link backed away from the centre of the room trying to get away from where Ganon would burst forth. The room and castle shook under the weight of the power being thrown around and the power Zelda was throwing at him did nothing to stop Ganon; who dropped to the floor as the floor shook and started to give way.

The floor beneath their feet collapsed and dragged everyone down to the next level. Link used his glider to gently float down from above and Ganon righted himself. Turning around on his legs and getting a feel for this lower chamber. His body was contorted and feeling like something so familiar yet so strange. Robotic arms moved to turn as he looked up and saw you, his baby up there looking down at him.

He would win this fight for the two of you and afterwards? Who knows, maybe the two of you could take a walk in Hyrule field again like he promised all those years ago.

Link enjoys exploring and would have visited the castle before this fight started. In fact he enjoys going there to explore, fight guardians, discover more about his past, shield surf around, and collect materials. He would have seen you around before I think. Seeing you slither around the central parts of the castle and running away rather than getting into a fight is curious but he can hardly blame you, you are a kid after all. He leaves you alone but is really curious. Are you an enemy? You look like one but you don't act like it. He sneaks around and watches you run back to your nest under the heart of the calamity. 

He could see your nest and while he registered you as part of the castle he was more confused as to why you're here more than anything, but the growls and deep ominous warning of the malice spreading as he got close to you kept him from getting any closer to you or your nest. He could understand that the calamity did not want him approaching you.

At the start of the fight he only pulled his sword on you because you rushed him. When he entered the room you ran at him and hissed. Maybe you were going to attack, maybe not, but lucky for you, you didn't have to do anything, this was all end game anyways. Zelda couldn't hold Ganon back anymore and with the hero right there threatening you? Nothing was going to keep Ganon asleep, especially not when it would have meant you possibly getting hurt.

Being part beast you experience gained power during blood moons and at night. You tend to stay away from going farther than the castle walls because you're always napping; however, if you ever get hurt, the blood moons will help you respawn and you'll be healed around this time period. Ganon knows that you'll be fine if anything bad happens but hates it so much. He can't stand the idea of you getting hurt and always keeps you in the castle. You can't leave the front gates without him calling for you to come back. Doesn't matter if you'll heal or be revived, he treats you differently than the other monsters. Refusing to let you leave is a way to keep you safe.

The guardians dont see you as one of them but they can sense the malice in you, a part of them is malice and that malice comes from Ganon so they don't attack you. In fact they'll let you crawl up on them and curl up, the bigger ones may step too close and almost hit you but they aren't used to naga kids slithering around their legs.

Speaking of this malice, other creatures are the same to varying degrees. Keese have no reactions but the ones up in the rafters in the castle often scream and fly away from you if you're too loud. Boblokins are always fun because each clan has different reactions and the moblins love to try and pick you up. The best ones are lizalfos but you don't get many of those around. Before you went to the castle you travelled with a pack and they saw you as one of them.

Because of your fur you have to brush it, and while it isn't an issue Ganon likes to feel like he's taking care of you and a part of your life so he'll often have a lynel or moblin do it. He doesn't want you to feel like you're alone here while he's asleep and even though you're sleeping too he has to raise you well, which means being more active when you are.

After you start to grow up and become more confident and old enough to feel adventurous you start to leave for longer periods, go farther, and take more risks. He sees this every once in a while and puts rules in place. He can't just tell you to be careful and to not leave the castle grounds. He can't enforce them himself, and can't take the sad look in your eyes, so he has the Lynels do it for him. Grabbing you by the tail and bringing you back to the castle so you can nap. He'll often have them drop you off by him as he can at least keep an eye on you for a bit longer.

He loves hearing you talk and even if he doesn't respond with words he hums and makes noises to let you know he's listening. You share everything with him and he's glad you feel safe enough to open up. It helps because while he's trapped your stories make him feel hope and remind him what it is he's fighting for.

[rawliverandgoronspice]

"…minimize the toll of time taken on both of them the same way it did for Zelda, especially since they semi-turn to stone immediately after. There are a lot of dialogue bits that feel like they are here for damage control and reassure us that the nice things are nice and the bad things are bad…"

So much yesssss. I honestly wonder if they did that because the story plays in a way where Link at no point feels like an active participant in any of what is happening.

Like "Oh yes there are consequences… but don't worry nothing is really gonna happen until we're in the present time with Link." It's weird how it almost feels like the game doesn't even acknowledge calamity Ganon. Not saying we need this huge cutscene about it, but imagine just showing Calamity Ganon being born at the same time as Zelda turns into a dragon. Showing the immediate negative consequences, and how Hyrule now has to wait millennia for totk-Link to finish what was started.

Hey, thanks for the ask, and sorry for the wait!

Yeah, I think there *was* a way to connect past and present more efficiently --using the past as revealing new information to guide objectives in the present-- but I think it would have gone against their open world philosophy (which didn't really mesh with the kind of story they tried to tell). As a consequence, nothing in the present really happens either honestly? The consequence to restoring a region involves giving you a tactical advantage and having some key players moving to the main Lookout Camp, but fundamentally you could skip all of it and lose almost nothing plot-wise, because the philosophy is: you can beat the game in any way you want.

And while I think it worked for BotW, where rediscovering that world you lost is never mandatory but it does give you emotional stakes in the fight ahead on top of helping you prepare your final battle, here it just feels... meandery? Your main goal is to find Zelda, but you don't actually have to find Zelda. You can finish the whole game without having invested a single thought into finding Zelda beyond the tutorial area. The overarching objective to Destroy Ganon worked in BotW because it remained the core pillar all the way, literally staring you in the eye from all across the map: every other quest objective is nested in the first one and optional by default, and it is made abundantly clear what the game expects of you while guiding you to opportunities to make your journey easier and more grounded as you rediscover Hyrule (gradually mastering the land, your own abilities, and your understanding of your place in that land to give you the best possible chance --mastering the Wild and becoming part of it, if you may).

But here? The game *tries* to hide its core objective (which is to Destroy Ganondorf: this is what actually triggers the ending credits sequence, not finding Zelda, which triggers... nothing at all actually) in a mystery the game... isn't actually that invested in gameplay-wise.

For example: you go handle the issues in the various regions because there are problems to fix and maybe you'll get information on where she is, which is honestly an assumption that is kind of based on... nothing? Why would the ritos facing an unnatural ice storm or the gorons facing a drug problem give you a clue on Zelda's location? Like yes, surely there is something weird going on and it might be linked to the same phenomenon that made Zelda disappear, but what makes you think going there will give you any hint of where she is? Honestly, the Lucky Clover sidequests almost feel like they should be the main quest given they actually involve Zelda sightings directly, but the fact that the game extra-diegetically categorize them as sidequests lets you immediately know these are all red herrings before you actually complete them...

But honestly: it would make sense to go look for her.... where she was last seen. Which is under Hyrule's Castle. And I didn't go there immediately, not because the game convinced me it was not necessary, or was too dangerous and I wasn't prepared yet, but because I knew for sure it was where Ganondorf would be, and so I pretended to be stupid so I would let the game lead me to its interest points while ignoring the glowing red hole under the core landmark of Hyrule where I had last seen Zelda and Ganondorf.

Sure, there was a glowing red boar in BotW screeching into the night, but. The game told me it's where the final boss was. Immediately. It was not trying to surprise me with that information. TotK, on the other hand, does an awkward little song and dance being like "oooooo I wooonder what you'll have to dooooo neeeext" and... it's pretty damn lame that I need to consciously course-correct the bad job the game does at leading me places to have a good time with it, using game design literacy to assume what I should and shouldn't do not to ruin my own experience as I play (same could be said for the Dragon's Tears as well, and it does an even worse job at it since I *did* spoil myself almost immediately, because I trusted the open world philosophy to carry into the memories like in BotW --and the fact that they are linear??? somehow?? without telling you and it's the only linear thing in the entire game?? is just so so so Not Good).

When I say the quest design of this game is a complete mess, I do mean it. It's layers upon layers of these baffling decisions, and I don't understand why they didn't apply any of the lessons learned in Breath of the Wild, given they were genuinely good and interesting lessons that have guided open world quest design ever since the game was released.

[sombersummerskies]

A Champion's Love: Chapter 14

Chapter 14: The Melting Point Word Count: 4621 CW: None

Want all the chapters? -> Masterlist

~~~ <> ~~~

You quickly run back to the tent and peek inside, gently shoving Sidon’s shoulder to try and rouse him awake. The prince grumbles a little, before slowly opening his eyes and gazing around. His eyes meet yours and he gives you a very sleepy grin, which in turn makes you smile back.

“Good morning, little one. I must say,” he begins, moving to sit up and get off of the grass, “that was some of the best sleep I’ve gotten in quite a while.”

“Well that’s good to hear, and, I think there’s something else that might make you even happier,” you reply, and he gives you a slightly confused look, “c’mon, there’s something in the water that you need to see.”

His eyes light up curiously and he quickly moves to get up and out of the tent, following you as you walk back over to the cliff edge. Once he’s standing beside you, you lift a hand and point toward the sun’s reflection on the ocean, moving your finger down the ‘path’ it makes over the sea until you’re both staring at the blue light at the bottom.

“Incredible,” he murmured, taken aback by the sight, “but… what is it?”

The question made you laugh, and you turned around back to the campsite to go and grab the Sheikah Slate. Zelda had left it with you, just in case you would’ve needed it.

“Well, it looks like something I would’ve found within a shrine. One of those shrines scattered about Hyrule, I had to complete many as part of my preparation for the fight with Ganon.” you explain, looking over the map on the slate to see if you were given any information on the light down below: there was none.

“Alright,” you decide, putting the slate on your belt and turning to look at the prince, “I’m going to paraglide down there and investigate. If something having to do with the trial occurs, then join me down there, but if not, stay up here until I can return, yeah?”

“Of course, I only ask that you stay safe down there, _____,” he agrees, giving you a soft smile.

You nod your head and run back to one of the supply bags, rummaging through until you find your paraglider. You grab a few other items as well, strapping the Master Sword’s sheath around you, as well as a bow and a quiver of arrows.

Once you’re ready, you unravel the fabric and take a running start, sprinting past the prince and jumping off the edge of the cliff, letting out a yell of excitement as the wind whips past you.

You stick your arms up and let the paraglider catch air, and eventually you’re gliding down towards the sea calmly, floating past the islands. After a few minutes in the air, you’re hovering above the blue light. It lets off a faint humming noise, and you can just barely make out some ancient Sheikah symbols within the light. 

You brace yourself before closing the paraglider and landing in the water, touching the blue light as you do. You keep your eyes and mouth shut, not wanting to take in any salt water as you swim up to the surface. 

As soon as you breach the water, you see that the blue light is gone. Confused, you try and look around, before a loud rumbling sound quickly catches you off guard. The rumbling is coming from directly below you in the water, and before you can react, something sturdy is at your feet and lifting you out of the water.

You gasp as you’re pushed up, and it takes you a moment to register the fact that you’re now sitting on a small island that appeared out of nowhere. 

You get up to your feet and turn around, astounded by the structure before you. A sort of shrine, similar to the ones scattered around Hyrule, is there on the island. Its door is locked and its lights glow orange, but unlike the other shrines around Hyrule it seems to be built slightly differently- somewhat taller than what you were used to seeing. Quickly, you unhook the Sheikah Slate and walk up to the pedestal, scanning the slate across it.

The door of the shrine opens up and its lights turn blue. With a grin, you turn back to the mainland and lift up the slate, flashing a light in hopes that Sidon will get the message to come down to the sea and join you.

Evidently he does get the message, because the next thing you know a blur of bright red had jumped off the cliffs and was falling towards the water at top speed. You briefly wonder if even the Zora can survive a jump like that, but your concerns are quickly diminished when you see the top of his fin speeding through the water, cutting the waves as he swims towards you as fast as he can.

Within a minute he arrives at the tiny island, climbing onto land to stand beside you. His scales glistened in the sunlight, as did the rest of his accessories and adornments. You assumed he’d taken the time to get ‘dressed’ while you’d been paragliding down. “Well hello there, little one, good to see you made it down here safely,” he greeted you, smiling widely like always as he shook off the spare water droplets that’d been clinging to him after his swim.

Meanwhile, you were still soaked in sea water, but as it was warm and the sun was shining down on you, you ignored it for the time being. “Could say the same for you. I didn’t even know Zora could survive jumps from heights like… well, that.” you reply, gesturing to the tall cliffs the two of you had previously been camped on.

Sidon chuckles, turning to look down at you. "Oh, you know the Zora are the strongest swimmers in all the land. I was born to perform acts such as that one... however, I will admit that it was slightly intimidating looking down at the sea from hundreds of feet above it,” he explained, his confidence wavering slightly towards the end, before he quickly shook his head and gazed up at the structure, “this however, this is astounding! Pulled right out of the ocean. This is one of those shrines as you call them, yes?”

“I believe so,” you say with a nod, “though it looks different than all the rest around Hyrule. You know the one that’s in Zora’s Domain, just beneath the throne room? This one’s taller than that one. And the insignia up top is different too. Normally it’s the Sheikah symbol- that eye shape. But this… I don’t recognize this one.”

As you had pointed out, the insignia at the top of this shrine was a sign you’d never seen before. Some sort of symbol that broke off into four lines, and at the end of each of these lines was some kind of head of sorts. An animal’s head. You were able to piece together in your mind that each line represented a Divine Beast, meaning that these shrines were designed for the beasts and their pilots’ trials in mind.

“Well, the only thing to do now is go inside and see what this part of the trial is,” you say with a smile, clapping your hands together, “majority of the shrines I completed were all puzzles of sorts. They made me think and use the tools I had at my disposal. A small few of them were physical training where I was pitted against a guardian scout and had to defeat it in order to complete the shrine. I’m hoping this isn’t one of those, but if it is, I already know you and I make a great team.”

Your compliment at the end gets a laugh out of Sidon, making you grin in response. “Alright, little one, go on and lead the way. You’re the experienced one,” he says, gesturing towards the open door of the shrine to allow you to walk ahead of him.

With a skip in your step, you hop onto the floor of the shrine and step inside its hollow interior. Sidon follows, having to hunch over slightly once he’s inside the enclosed area. You giggle a bit as you push your hand against the single button on the shrine’s control panel, and the next thing you know the two of you are descending beneath the small island.

After a quick elevator ride down, where Sidon had been making amazed comments about the technology, the two of you are able to step out into the actual shrine room; and immediately, you’re freezing.

“W-why is it so c-c-cold,” you ask with chattering teeth, wrapping your arms around yourself in an attempt to keep warm. You hadn’t dried off after your dip into the ocean, so the wet clothing was by no means helping with the chill in the room. 

Sidon steps behind you and places his hands on your shoulders, rubbing them gingerly in an attempt to offer you some warmth, “it appears that this room is filled with many, many giant blocks of ice. Is this how these shrines usually go?”

A blush finds its way to your cheeks as you lean into his touch somewhat, grateful for the assistance. “N-no, never. Usually it’s s-s-some kind of pu-puzzle… maybe t-this is one t-too?” you reply, looking around.

“Perhaps the ice must be melted, but it’s far too chilly in here for them to melt naturally,” the prince suggests, absentmindedly rubbing little circles on your shoulders with his thumbs.

You hum, thinking for a moment before suddenly gasping and reaching for your quiver. Sidon watches curiously as you grab a handful of red tipped ones: fire arrows.

With a grin, you sling your bow off of your back and set the arrow within it. As soon as the arrow touches the drawstring of the bow, the tip lights a small flame. “Astonishing,” he gasps.

Despite your shivering, you’re able to raise your bow and aim at one of the blocks of ice blocking access to the rest of the shrine. You take in a breath, relax your shoulders, then let the arrow loose.

It whizzes through the air, a trail of red light behind it before it lodges in the frozen block. Very quickly, the ice begins to melt from the extreme heat of your fire arrow, and eventually it leaves enough room for both you and the prince to walk past it.

“T-ta-daa-aa,” you say with a laugh, still shivering as you sling the bow across your back once more.

“Very impressive, little one! Now then, let’s complete the rest of this puzzle, yes?” Sidon asks with vigor, placing a hand on your shoulder and looking toward the now unblocked path. 

You nod, walking besides him as you walk across a path of icy blocks submerged in water. You pass by the block you’d shot and remove your arrow from it, its singing heat still melting the outer layers of ice.

“A-alright, w-w-what next?” you ask aloud, teeth chattering as you balance the arrow in your palm.

Ahead of you was a tall wall, far too high for you nor Sidon to climb alone. To the left was a button on the floor, and you quickly pad over to step atop it. The button slides into the place with the help of your weight pressed upon it, and there’s the shink of metal as some sort of mechanism whirs to life.

A few feet away a slot opens up in the ceiling and a brand new block of ice drops, slipping down a curved slide before stopping in front of the tall wall.

“Perhaps… it must be melted to an exact size?” Sidon offered as he walked to stand besides you.

“S-so,” you began, “we m-make a m-m-makeshift staircase?”

“Precisely!” the prince grinned, running up to the ice block and using his strength to push it forward so it sat snug against the wall.

You grab your bow off of your back and set your fire arrow on its string yet again. You shoot, and it’s lodged in the ice yet again, quickly shrinking it down as it begins to melt.

The Zora moves quickly, gripping onto the ice and climbing up the side of the block as soon as it matches his height. Slinging your bow, you jog over and grab his hand as soon as he hands it down to you, and you yelp in slight surprise as you’re lifted up into his arms and atop the ice block.

The prince keeps his arms around you as he hops onto the wall, meaning you’re pressed close to his chest as he finds safe footing to set you down on. Being held by him certainly helped to lessen the chills that the shrine caused you to feel, and there was a pang of disappointment in the back of your mind once he let go of  you.

Continuing on through the shrine was more of the same, solving various puzzles which involved the melting of ice blocks. The final step involved you using the cryonis rune within the Sheikah slate, something Sidon marveled at with much excitement. (“Creating ice simply by touching the tablet! How fascinating!”)

This time you were the one to climb ahead first, setting foot on the final platform. You lean over the edge and reach a hand towards the prince, and he’s quick to grab it. You grunt as you hoist him up, finally acknowledging how heavy he is for being a Zora twice your size. 

You overestimate how hard you’d have to pull, and as soon as he’s able to climb atop the platform you lose your balance- and accidentally tug him down to the floor as well.

Your back hits the hard floor of the shrine, and before you know it Sidon is splayed out across you as well. You both stammer out quick, panicked apologies, both of your faces flushing red.

“Little one, I- Hylia above, my apologies,” he says, stumbling over his words somewhat as he moves to get off of you. He pulls his hand away, which had previously been gripping onto your waist when he’d fallen on top of you, and his knee was awkwardly positioned between your thighs.

You let out a nervous laugh, shuffling backwards before pushing yourself up and off the floor, “n-no worries, it was an accident,” you reply hastily, face feeling as hot as a thousand suns.

As soon as you look back up at the prince however, his gaze is cast beyond you, seemingly entranced with an object out of your sight. You turn around to see the end of the shrine, one of the many ancient monks who’d been awaiting a chosen hero to complete their puzzle and receive their reward.

“Is this… quite normal?” Sidon asked curiously, gesturing towards the decrepit monk.

You smile, “yeah, don’t worry, there’s one in every shrine. They grant you a reward. In most shrines they give me a token which I can use to pray to the goddess Hylia, and in turn she blesses me with strength and dexterity. This… isn’t a normal shrine though. I have no idea what you’ll be given.”

The Zora nods as he takes a handful of unsure steps until he stands before the monk’s seat. Cautiously, he touches the blue barrier sealing the monk away. The barrier shatters, and an ominous toll rings throughout the shrine as a light emits from the monk’s hand.

A blue token appears and you nudge Sidon’s arm, encouraging him to grasp it. He does, taking the token in his hands and holding it out for you to examine. This token, unlike the others, bears the emblem of the Divine Beast Vah Ruta, rather than the Goddess Crest of Hylia.

The prince looks at it curiously, passing his thumb over the embedded emblem. Like magic, the monk before you disintegrates into ashes and fades away, leaving its seat empty before you.

“Interesting,” you murmur, “you can’t exactly pray to Ruta… so I wonder what this is for. Maybe Zelda will know.”

“Yes, perhaps. We really should be getting you out of here, however. You’re still shaking like a leaf, little one,” he teases, handing you the token so you can pocket it safely.

“Y’know normally I’d reply with something sarcastic, but I really do want to get somewhere warmer,” you sighed, tossing him a look before walking away from the monk’s pedestal, “c’mon, let’s get back to the entrance.”

…

One quick elevator ride later and both you and your Zora companion emerge from the shrine’s entrance. You take in a deep breath of salty sea air, relishing in the feeling of the sun’s warmth shining down upon you as soon as you walk out.

“Goddesses above, I’ve never craved sunlight more than I do now,” you laugh, feeling all the chills in your body melt away.

You hear Sidon chuckle as he walks to stand besides you, his bright red scales reflecting the light. “I don’t believe I’ve seen such a brilliant smile on your face such as this before now. However, I do believe we must find a way to return to the campsite. As brilliant of a swimmer as I am, and as skilled of a climber as you are, I don’t believe either of us will be able to scale those cliffs,” he ponders aloud, looking back towards the mainland.

You purse your lips, before unhooking the Sheikah Slate and holding it up to him, “well… there is a way we can travel with this.”

This piques the prince’s interest.

“The slate has a map, and each shrine and tower gets marked within its map. If I so desire, I can travel to any of the point’s on the map by simply touching the screen,” you explain, revealing the slate’s map of Hyrule to him, “it will only take a matter of seconds, the only downside is that it can be kinda disorienting. I know the princess really dislikes it.”

“Fascinating,” Sidon marvels, curiously taking the tablet into his hands, “so we simply select the marked point nearest to the campsite and travel from there?”

“Exactly,” you smile, “and judging by what I’ve marked, the Dah Hesho shrine looks closest, we’ll just need to travel on foot for a bit. There’s no river for you to swim in that’ll take us to the edge of the land, sadly.”

“So long as I have you by my side, no distance traveled shall be too great, nor too boring,” he replied with his signature grin.

You blush but push the comment aside, “alright, hold that side of the tablet and don’t let go no matter what.”

He does as you say, and both of you grip either side of the Sheikah Slate tightly. Once it’s secure between the two of you, you gently tap the glowing point labeled ‘Dah Hesho’.

Your stomach did a flip as your feet were lifted off of the ground. Your grip on the slate tightened, and you gave Sidon a reassuring smile as blue streams of light encircled both of you. Your field of vision blurred and the view of the ocean melted away. Deep blues shifted into vibrant greens as the lights continued to wrap around you- and then all at once, it was over.

Your feet touched the hard surface of the shrine platform, and you wavered momentarily as you got a hold of your bearings. The Zora beside you was kneeling, eyes shut tightly.

“You alright?” you ask curiously, gently placing your hand on his shoulder.

He nods, clearing his throat and pushing himself onto his feet, “yes, no need to worry, little one. My head felt as though it was spinning momentarily.”

You giggle, “yeah, that’s usually how it goes the first time around. It’s how you know it worked though. From here we just need to head east back to the campsite. If Zelda and Muzu aren’t already there waiting for us, we can meet them at the stable instead.”

The prince gazed around, taking in the new surroundings, “Well, this shall be quite thrilling. Aside from our journey on horseback yesterday, I’ve never been so far north of the Domain in all my life.”

“Really?” you reply, stepping off of the shrine and setting foot in the soft grass, “I would assume royalty such as yourself has been all over the kingdom.”

He shakes his head as the two of you begin to walk towards your destination, “no, actually. After my sister’s passing and Calamity Ganon’s triumph over Hyrule Castle, my father and the council as a whole became rather protective over me, understandably so. It wasn’t until my adolescent years where I was even permitted to leave the castle to enter the upper lands of the Lanayru region. 

Once I’d completed my training for battle and my schooling in academics, that was when I’d heard of the Octorok in Hateno Bay terrorizing the local Hylians. After discussing it with my father, and quite a bit of persuasion on my part, I was permitted to leave the domain for the first time; of course I was accompanied by a squadron of guards. Since then, however, I have very rarely left home.

While the Calamity was still ravaging Central Hyrule I would have never even dreamed of heading anywhere west of Zora’s Domain, but eventually with the torrential rains caused by Ruta I tagged along with the council’s hired search party to enlist a Hylian to help us. And well… this is when I met you, little champion.”

You listened as he spoke, a small smile gracing your features as he explained. Quite honestly you loved listening to the prince speak, not only did it allow you to learn more about him, but his way with words was so eloquent that it left you yearning to hear more.

So you listened on, enraptured by each and every story the prince had to tell, using the slate’s map to guide you along the way

…

After three or so hours of walking on foot, your campsite was in sight. You could see that Persephone had, somehow, managed to loosen the rope which had kept her tied to nearby the camp and had been wandering around grazing in the grass.

You grin before raising your fingers to your lips to whistle loudly. Immediately, the equine’s head perks up and she looks towards you, before whinnying and dashing over. 

“Hello big girl,” you greet her once she trots up to you. You hook the Sheikah Slate onto your belt and reach up, petting her mane and neck, “did you miss us? And were you nice to Sidon’s horse? If you weren’t I’m gonna have to have a strict word with you.”

You could hear the prince chuckle at your banter, “well, I suppose since your equestrian companion has arrived we no longer have to walk on foot.”

“Smart,” you complimented him before turning back to Perse, “think you can handle the both of us?”

If she’d understood your question, a simple neigh was her answer. Gripping onto her saddle you hoist yourself up, swinging a leg over her back and getting comfortable before holding a hand out towards the prince.

He offers you a sharp-toothed grin before taking your hand in his, pulling himself up onto the saddle and getting situated behind you.

You force yourself not to think about the fact that you’re sitting snugly between the Zora’s legs as you grab Perse’s reins. You nervously clear your throat, realizing that if you also lean back too far you’ll be flush against his chest.

“You uh- comfortable back there?” you ask.

“As comfortable as one can be on horseback,” he replies promptly.

“Noted,” you laugh, before lightly snapping Persephone’s reins. 

She responds in turn, heading towards the coast in a steady gallop. The ride is peaceful, the ambient noises of nature and the warmth of the sun accompanying the both of you.

At some point, however, Persephone jumps over what must’ve been some sort of dip in the path.

You yelp upon feeling the Zora’s hands grasp onto your sides.

“S-Sidon?” you stammer out, face beet-red, “you okay?”

He loosens his grip and immediately apologizes, “I’m so sorry, little one, I momentarily lost my balance. I can let go now if it’d ease you-”

“No, no, it’s okay. You’re fine,” you quickly say, interrupting him without meaning to, “I don’t mind… all too much.”

Neither of you say another word as you continue along the trail, and you’re acutely aware of every subtle movement his fingers make on your sides. After that it’s not very long until you’ve returned to the campsite, with good timing too, as you can see Zelda galloping towards you on the back of her own horse.

“_____! Sidon!” she calls out, practically jumping off of Storm’s back once she’s closeby. 

You pull back on Persephone’s reins, halting the horse. Just as you begin to shift your legs, you feel the prince’s hold on you tighten very slightly. “Allow me to help you, little one,” he murmurs, and you practically feel your heart skip a beat.

He dismounts Perse first, and you smile shyly as you swing a leg over and are taken into his arms. You're set down on the grass, and before you even get a chance to thank him you feel another pair of arms get thrown around you in a hug.

“Oh, we were so worried!” Zelda says to you, holding onto you tightly. 

You reciprocate and wrap your arms around the princess, rubbing your hand across her back to soothe her nerves, “it’s alright, princess. We’re alright.”

“In all honesty, saying we were worried is an understatement. I was afraid Muzu was going to faint when we got here in the morning and neither of you were in the camp. We had no idea what might’ve happened, we were afraid bandit’s might’ve gotten to you in the night but all your belongings were still at the camp and there was no sign of a struggle-” she rambled on, but you were able to stop her.

“Zelda, look at me,” you said softly, and she did, her bright blue eyes brimming with worry, “I’m here. We’re safe. You’re safe. We’re all safe. Sidon and I were in the shrine-”

“Shrine?” she interrupted, her curiosity getting the better of her.

You smile, and both you and Sidon take turns recounting the events of the day. The path of the light, the shrine in the water, the ice puzzle, and the token with the divine beast’s emblem on it.

The princess nods and listens along intently, “may I see the Sheikah Slate?”

You quickly hand it over to her, and she looks over the map, “fascinating, only two glowing points remain. Sidon, I believe this means you’re one step closer to becoming Vah Ruta’s new pilot.”

The Zora prince perks up at this, a beaming grin taking over his features, “wonderful! What shall we do next?”

“Well, first we need to let Muzu know you’re both alive and well,” Zelda answers with a small giggle, “then we can go to the next marked point. Luckily both of them are far closer to Zora’s Domain.”

The three of you take your time to pack up your makeshift campsite, feeding your trio of horses before picking on a glowing point and setting off, bouncing around ideas of what the next two trials may hold with excitement.

~~~ <> ~~~

Previous Chapter

Next Chapter

[legendary-pancakes]

Translation Shenanigans: Part 3

Hey everyone, welcome back to BotW translation chaos, except it’s not BotW, it’s TotK! This is a collection of all the different trailers for the game with a side by side French/English translation comparison and analysis via myself and @twist-dg!

Trailer #1:

There’s… no dialogue…

Trailer #2:

Frn!Ganon: Montrez-vous, mes fidèles serviteurs. Mettez le royaume à feu et à sang. Detruiser Hyrule, et quiconque s’allierait à sa cause. Ne laisser aucun survivant!

Which directly translates to: Show yourselves, my faithful servants. Put the kingdom to fire and blood. Destroy Hyrule, and whoever would ally themselves to their cause. Do not leave a single survivor!

Eng!Ganon: Rise, rise my servants. Sweep over Hyrule; eliminate this kingdom and her allies. Leave no survivors!

Analysis:

Frn!Ganon calls his servants faithful, where Eng!Ganon does not.

—

Frn!Zelda: Mais Link, puissant come il est, je craint que tu ne puisse pas le vaincre.

Which directly translates to: But Link, he is so powerful, I fear that you won’t be able to vanquish him.

Eng!Zelda: …but Link, I am not sure you’ll be able to stop him.

Analysis:

Frn!Zelda mentions Ganon is powerful, Eng!Zelda does not. This line appears to be in the middle of a larger section of dialogue.

—

Frn!Zelda: Je t’en prie, confie-lui le don que tu possède!

Which directly translates to: I beg you, entrust him with the power you have!

Eng!Zelda: Please… lend him your power!

Analysis:

Frn!Zelda uses informal pronouns, English doesn’t have that differentiation.

Trailer #3:

Frn!Zonai Sage?: Zelda. Il restera ton chevalier, le jeune homme à la lame purificatrice. Si nous échouons, tout reposera sur lui.

Which translates directly to: Zelda. He will remain your knight, the young man with the purifying blade. If we fail, all will rest on him.

Eng!Zonai Sage?: Zelda. We rely on your knight, and that legendary sword he carries. Our last line of defence will be Link.

Frn!Zelda: Link..!

Eng!Zelda: Link..!

Analysis:

Frn!Zonai Sage? mentions the possibility of failing, who the “we” is remains to be seen (them and Zelda, them and the Zonai, them and PAZ?).

—

Frn!Zelda: Je pense pouvoir vous aidez. En faite, je suis la seule à pourvoir le faire.

Which directly translates to: I believe I am able to help you. In fact, I am the only one who can do this.

Eng!Zelda: I know why I am here. It’s something only I can do!

Analysis:

Frn!Zelda seems more unsure of herself; she says “I believe” where Eng!Zelda says “I know.”

—

Frn!Ganon: Ouvre grand les yeux. Le véritable roi renaît. Sois témoin de l’avènement de son monde. DreahhHHHHGGG!

Which directly translates to: Open your eyes wide. The true king is reborn. Be witness to the coming of his world. DreahhHHHHGGG!

Eng!Ganon: Do not look away. You witness a king’s revival… and the birth of his new world! NrauRAHGGGGGGGG!

Analysis:

Potential parallel between Frn!Ganon saying “open your eyes wide” and Zelda saying “open your eyes” at the start of BOTW.

—

Frn!Tulin: Allez Link! On y va!

Which directly translates to: Come on Link! Let’s go!

Eng!Tulin: Okay, let’s go!

—

Frn!Riju?: Toutefois, tu n’es pas seul justement.

Which translates directly to: Nevertheless, you are not alone

Eng!Riju?: …but, you are not alone.

Analysis:

We have NO CLUE who this is, but it might be Riju (or PAZ???) since she is shown around this time in the trailer and seems to be older. This line appears to be in the middle of a larger dialogue.

—

Frn!Zelda: Link… tu est notre dernier espoir.

Which directly translates to: Link… you are our last hope.

Eng!Zelda: Link… you are our final hope.

—

Frn!Zelda: Link… je t’en prie, retrouve moi!

Which directly translates to: Link… I beg of you, find me!

Eng!Zelda: Link… you must find me.

Analysis:

Once again, Frn!Zelda is a bit more dramatic/passionate when she speaks; she has more of a flourish with her words.

Bloopers:

“Gamon”

That’s it, that’s the bloopers.

[beetleye]

To Feel

A scream tears out of me, but it seems to fall on deaf ears, the heroes’ looks of determination unwavering. I glance to Vio, praying to the goddess that he’ll make it stop, that he’ll stop the agony and come back to me. But that never comes.

[ wordcount: 1,029 words ]

A small blurb on the process of shadow getting resurrected through the mirror and after :D

The beam of light that flows from their swords hits me directly in my heart. It feels as if white-hot metal is resting on my chest, melting through me.

A scream tears out of me, but it seems to fall on deaf ears, the heroes’ looks of determination unwavering. I glance to Vio, praying to the goddess that he’ll make it stop, that he’ll stop the agony and come back to me. But that never comes.

I watch the wisps of shadow I had been composed of vanish as the light tears through my skin. I can’t help but watch as my skin and blood and organs all fade from existence, any blood that had threatened to spill quickly evaporating.

The process is by no means slow, yet I feel every moment of it as the seconds play out in slow motion.

My torso is gone, and the light goes to eat away at my limbs and face, and, as the light hits my eyes, I’m met with stark darkness and deafening silence.

What should be a comfort, is nothing but the opposite. I wave where my hands were in front of my face. Whether I have hands or not is indeterminate as I can’t make out a thing.

My mind is numb, I can’t think or do anything. “You’re dead,” a voice in my head supplies. I try to wave it away. “No, the mirror should have kept me alive! I.. can’t die..”

I sit there unfeeling and cold for a few minutes, or hours, or days, before a booming voice rattles me to my core.

“Shadow.”

I twist around, searching for the source.

“Quite a disappointing performance, I must say,” the voice booms. “You have an unlimited supply of darkness, yet you lose to the light? You had a single purpose, which you failed.”

“Ganon,” my mind provides, “you failed the Dark Lord.”

“I.. I apologize, my lord,” I supply. I can’t help but notice how small my voice is.

“You have another chance. Don’t fail”

I’m about to respond, but my voice is cut short as I feel my body begin to reform. It hurts like hell. Not nearly as bad as the light, but still enough to draw a cry from my throat.

I look down and am met with the sight of a heart, my heart, pumping empty air. I watch as bones form, white and brittle. The darkness around me comes to form my veins and lungs, disgusting and pink, the tissue wet with nothingness. My veins spread throughout my body, branching out like roots from a weed.

My intestines and stomach come next, as my skin begins to cover my chest, the thick ropes of gore coming to sit within my gut. I feel my limbs coming to be, as I watch my fingers materialize. Suddenly, the blood rushes into my body, filling me with warmth and feeling. I hadn’t realized how cold it really was in the middle of nothing.

As my body has finally come to be, I watch the darkness come to swirl around me, cloaking me in what I had been wearing previously. The black tunic mirroring the heroes’ stitched itself around me, as well as the matching cap.

I blink, then stare into the nothing again as something pierces the darkness. A gate, engraved with the markings of the mirror. I reach out, pausing. “Thank you for your forgiveness, my lord,” I stammer, plunging my hand into the gate. It’s much slicker than imagined, and it leaves my hand wet and dripping with darkness.

I begin to crawl out, gravity hitting my body and sending me to the floor, damp and weak. My vision is blurry as the Dark Lord greets me again, “You are not forgiven, you still have your part to play,” I cough as the pain sets in as I enter the light world, my chest throbbing at where the light had hit.

“Rise again, Shadow. While the dark mirror exists, you live. Now go defeat those heroes!” I can’t choke out a response as I’m met with the agony echoing through my bones. I begin to cry, sobs wrecking through my body as I crawl along the floor.

I look up tears streaking my face, and am met with the sight of the princess, gazing down at me with a look of sorrow and.. pity.

“I.. don’t need your pity, princess,” I spit out, glaring up at her. She keeps looking at me, as if sorry I weren’t going to help her. “Move it!” I shout, “Get away from me!”

“Shadow link, don’t you see?” she says, ever so gently. She holds out her hands as if I were an animal she was trying to calm. “The light won’t hurt you. You are a Link too. Deep inside, you’re really a hero.” She smiles down at me with a pitiful gaze.

As much as I want to shout and scream, deny her and spit lies, I know her words hold truth. Watching the heroes through the mirror sent only electric pangs of longing through my veins. How I longed to talk to them by a dying fire, to spar with Green and Blue as Vio read and Red cooked, to travel paths stretching all throughout Hyrule. How I’ve yearned to feel.

Tears begin to fall again as I turn away, looking out to the clouds surrounding the tower. Suddenly, a dark cloud comes through the balcony, wisps curling around Zelda and taking her from where she stood before me. Her eyes flutter shut as she falls into the smoke.

“D-Dark cloud, halt!” I stutter, “What are you doing with the princess?” The dark cloud stops for a moment, shadowy mist blooming around the princess. “A world of darkness starts with her demise,” the cloud whispers in its impossible voice, “we must kill this last light of Hyrule!”

“No, s-stop!” I rasp, but the cloud has already carried her up and away from the tower, laughing maniacally.

Tears begin to fall again as the weight of Zelda’s words come back to settle within me. “…You’re really a hero.”

Mind set, I stumble over to the stairs, body still aching. I need to set things right.

[drazzilder]

Geurdo Gems

Chapter 2: Frist Day 

This morning has gone a lot better for Zelda. Woke up on time, got ready and left her apartment on time. No need for the private ride to work this time, she makes it on time to the office building. Now a new hirer, she goes through all of the boring HR requirements. Papers signed, contracts gone over, and a brand-new badge with her smiling, yet awkward, face on it.

Urbosa welcomes her assistant to her floor with a gentle hug. “How are you this morning? Haven’t encountered and giant red heads, have we?” 

Zelda looks up and smiles nervously. “Much better today Ms. Naboris. And no, I haven’t seen him today. Thank goodness. I don’t know if I could manage that again.” 

A gentle laugh comes out of the CFO “Understood. Now let’s get you started today. Normally someone else would show you what to do, but I like your attitude and with that Ganon situation, I’m not leaving you alone just yet. You never know if he would show his pretty face around here.” She goes around to the back of secretary desk. Showing her everything from the computer system, paper works that needs managed daily, and even the proper way to start a phone call. “And the last thing you need to know is this.” She presses an unmarked button on the phone. “This will ring my cell directly if you need anything. Emergencies, change of plans, or even arguments between employees which has happened on more than one occasion. The last one ended up with someone getting a black eye and a few ruffled feathers.” She laughs. 

“Thank you, Ms. Naboris.” Zelda says while still trying to write down everything she has been taught. 

Urbosa turns Zelda to face her. “Please, call me Urbosa. I don’t like to be called Ms. Naboris. It feels too formal. Now that you got the ropes. I have meetings and other odds and ends to take care of the for the rest of the day. If you need anything, I will be at my computer so just email me your questions. Got it?”  the young lady just nods her head silently. “Good. Now you have a good first day.” Urbosa smiles as she heads into her officer and gently closes the massive doors. 

The office is quiet for a few hours. This gives Zelda time to go over everything she has learned, take time to figure out the computers and check all of her emails from HR. Her tunnel vision is in full effect so she doesn’t notice the elevator doors slide open, or even the large footsteps heading towards her desk. Zelda’s train of though is broken by a booming voice. “Good morning Mrs. Hyrule” 

The young lady is startled from her work and looks up to see Ganondorf standing above her. His towering presence intimidating by itself, let alone when he speaks. The deep baritone practically echoing in the room even at low volume. She can’t help but stare like a deer in headlights at the man before her. This time, she is a little more prepared and can speak. “Good morning Mr. Dragmire. What can I do for you?” She asks with a slightly shaky voice. 

The red head takes off his glasses and pulls a handkerchief from his breast pocket. He speaks again as he polishes his glasses. “Tell Urbosa that the latest jewelry designs will be ready for viewing in Sidon’s office at 3.” Zelda quickly pulls out a pen and paper to quickly jot down what she just heard. She looks up and sees Ganondorf putting his glasses back on. She doesn’t know why but she can’t help herself and ask. “Is there anything else you need?”

The man looks back down at her. Adjusting his cufflinks, Zelda notices the numerous rings on his hands and even a bracelet on his right wrist. “That will be all.” He states blankly as he turns to head for the elevator. Right as the golden doors open up, Urbosa exits her office. She puts a hand on her hip and smirks at the man leaving. 

Heading towards Zelda’s desk. “You could have entered my office instead of frightening the new girl with your presence.”  Her smirk now changed to anger. 

The man turns and presses the button for his floor. “You always tell me I am interrupt too much, so I’m going through the proper channels.” He states with eyes closed. Then a wide grin grows across his angled face. “Plus, this way is more fun.” The smile doesn’t fade as the doors close. 

[demonkingsamends]

“Ah....forgive me...I’m all too often startling people now and then, I’m still quite learning this whole ‘Magic’ thing!”

He appears before her, directly before her.

He towers over her, and the first view of him she gets is his chest....until what should be an intimidating man falters, sputtering in a small, worried panic, and backs up.

“Eesh! Sorry, as I said I am still working on this whole thing, I should have taken into account my own size and stepped back!” Dark eyes gaze into hers, yet if looked into, the soul behind them gives off a gentle, sweet air to him, and he has what could only be described as the smile of a nervous boy whos meeting a girl for the first time. Anxious and worried about what he’s saying.

He’s a dope.

“I, ahm...I am from another Time. I was merely wandering through the sands of the hourglass when I noticed a familiar face from one of my past lives, yours! So...I...Thought I would come say hi....check in....make sure you are well...”

“Oh, Din, my manners.”

HE lowers HIS head to HER.

“Some call me Demise now, but you know the me in this time as Ganondorf, but most people just shorten it to Ganon, I kind of prefer it shortened too! It’s much easier on the tongue, wouldn’t you say?”

Skin tan like an actual Gerudo, and a personality like that of a young, spry, dumb Voe that has no idea what he’s doing.

And his name, is Ganondorf.

The voice comes from nowhere, but all around her at the same time.

Deep, yet soft. Silky smooth and gentle on the ears.

"You...I recognize you, Gerudo. You hail from the Era of the Ocarina."

"Nabooru, was it? I recall a fair few amusing moments with you....it's not often I get to reminisce anymore....It's good to see an old face."

-DemonKingsAmends

(No she cant see him yet, yes he will show himself. The man is big but the man is shy lmao.)

Nabooru squinted, hands shifting to her dual blades. Sharp eyes scanned the gloom around her. An eerily familiar, but unrecognizable voice. Whoever it was, knew her, an unsettling revelation to exacerbate her discomfort.

" Who are you? " she demanded, focusing on the direction the voice came from. " Show yourself. "

[catreginae]

The Chance to See You Again - Chapter Two

This chapter got too long so I had to split it up. Maybe I can finish it in three chapters but who knows? Certainly not me.

[Chapter One] - [Chapter Two] - [Chapter Three]

Just as promised, Link was able to stay with the captain until the sun dipped below the horizon and Lana came to retrieve him. The portal Lana made for him dropped him off outside the Lost Woods, just to kick him while he was already down. He didn't know if Lana could chose where the portal took him except for the fact that it was his Hyrule, but he liked to think that wouldn't she purposely remind him of some of the things he lost. The fact that he was taken to the woods had to be incidental.

He couldn't help but to feel lost though. He couldn't go back to his big brother obviously, looking for Navi landed him in the nightmares Termina faced, and the Kokiri Forest was no longer his home. He wasn't even sure if he would be welcomed as somebody who was never a kokiri in the first place.

Well, there was one place he could go to, at least until he figured out what he was supposed to do with the childhood Zelda gave him, he supposed.

With a sigh, Link balanced his small bag of belongings onto his shoulder and headed towards the ranch.

× × × × × × × × × × × × × × × × × ×

“Where have you been?” Malon asked as they split lunch – some bread with cheese melted on top and milk. They were sitting on a blanket close to the house and Link had some recollection that Malon once called eating outside on a blanket a picnic. The captain didn't have a special name for it, but they weren't sitting on blankets either. “Epona came back without you, so we were worried.”

It wasn't Link's first day at the ranch but his third. Thankfully, Talon had no problems with him sticking around, something about how Malon should have somebody her own age to talk to. However, he largely avoided talk of where he's been – he hadn't seen Malon since he first returned from Termina, then he was in the war shortly after and he just didn't feel like talking about that. It was simply too soon. He wasn't even sure how long he was actually gone for but apparently it was enough for her and her father to notice. Malon was the only one to directly ask though.

“It's hard to explain,” he eventually said. “I don't want to talk about it.”

Malon frowned. “Okay,” she said simply. “Are you going to stay now?”

“I'm not sure.” He wanted to stay, he didn't want to be on another big adventure, but he just couldn't make any promises. What if he got dragged somewhere else against his will? again “I want to though,” he added quickly to try and make that frown on her face disappear.

“I hope you stay,” she said quietly. “It's no fun when you're not here.”

× × × × × × × × × × × × × × × × × ×

A month in his stay at the ranch, where Link helped out as much as he could with small chores to show Talon he was worth keeping around, he found his notebook with all his lessons from the captain.

The writing on the page became smudged from tears.

× × × × × × × × × × × × × × × × × ×

The captain never really left Link's mind when months turned into a year and a year turned to several. He kept with the lessons to the best he could with Malon and Talon's help. When he encountered a problem, he tried to think about what the captain would do to get around it. He tried his best to embody the best traits from the captain too – his loyalty, his friendliness despite everything he went through, and the way he checked and doted on people he cared about.

But there was one thing about the captain that hung heavy on his shoulders.

The fact that he didn't truly get to say goodbye. The older Link wasn't awake to hear his goodbye and Link didn't get one in return. It didn't really count, not when Link didn't know if his big brother ever opened his eyes again or if Ganon took him away too. Not to mention, he wasn't the first person Link had a messy parting with. Navi left without a word or explanation. The Deku Tree couldn't be saved and died despite all of his efforts.

A great deal of his relationships ended with partings and messy ones at that. Even though he spent almost a decade at the ranch, leaving only for short trips to go deal with a monster or two or sneaking in visits at the castle so he could see Zelda, his life at the ranch still felt horribly... temporary.

Link had his notebook in his hands again, reading through the last entries he and his big brother filled in together, back before either one of them would learn how much worse his condition would get. Although he could see the words in his messy handwriting that resembled the patterns that cuccos would scratch into the dirt, especially compared to the captain's swirling letters, he wasn't reading any of them.

Malon challenged him to be more open.

Malon was challenging his past experiences, carving a spot for herself into his life in a way nobody else had the opportunity to do. Most of his experience with relationships were partings but his childhood friend had yet to leave.

“I'd like to know,” she said once.

He closed the notebook and set it down gently. He couldn't believe he forgot his own promise to his brother – that he would try to live his best life too.

× × × × × × × × × × × × × × × × × ×

Marriage felt like a natural progression of his relationship with Malon, much like how dating didn't feel much different from what they had before. Of course, dating didn't have any legal ramifications like marriage did, but it still felt nice to sign that piece of paper in Castletown.

Neither one of them were the type for big affairs, so they invited some friends over – mostly Talon's friends but Malon had some friends from Castletown too – and had an outdoor feast to celebrate.

However, he couldn't help but to be a little disappointed that his big brother wasn't there and he couldn't help but to mull over it while trying to fall asleep. The older Link would have been thrilled that the kid he called a gremlin and “simultaneously the best and worst thing that ever happened to him” actually got married and was talking about having gremlins of his own one day. Not anytime soon, of course, but Malon wanted to have a family. The older Link would have loved to make some sort of speech, fuss over Link's outfit or the decoration, and he would have made sure the everybody there knew all the embarrassing stories. Link would have liked to share a drink with him.

His older brother would have loved to celebrate one of the most important events to Link.

He frowned and drummed his fingers against his chest as he laid in his bed, with Malon sleeping soundly next to him. He hadn't given his older brother much of a thought as of late until he realized what said brother was missing out on. Did the older Link ever find happiness like he had? Did he ever find a place he could call home like he had? How old was he now?

Assuming he survived.

Maybe Link was experiencing all of the things that his big brother never lived long enough to do himself. Maybe he some fucked up, twisted way, Link was afforded the life that the captain didn't get to have. What good was a tool you no longer needed?

He pushed those thoughts out of his head. He might have just gotten married but that didn't mean there wouldn't be any chores in the morning.

[lucky-clover-gazette]

The Big Picture

The Four Swords manga, adapted/retold using both canon and additional scenes, with a focus on Vio and Shadow's individual characters and ambiguous relationship.

Chapter Two: Who Are You? (Part One)

Link glances down at his own tunic. So that would make him…

“Purple,” Red says, although he doesn’t seem quite satisfied with the title. Link—not Purple—crosses his arms over his chest. “No… Violet? Maybe just Vio?”

“Isn’t that a girl’s name?” Vio mutters, although he’s already subconsciously using it for himself. Red either pretends not to hear his question or simply decides it isn’t worth answering.

Read the rest on ao3 or under the cut:

As rare creatures who thrive in both the Dark World and realm of light, the dragons have been invaluable to Ganon and Vaati’s grand evil plan. It had taken some negotiation with the union leaders, but sure enough, Shadow basically has an entire fleet of them at his disposal. And look at him now!

“Fly! Fly, my dark ones!” he calls to his minions, perched atop the strongest of the bunch. “Tear down Hyrule Castle!”

The dragons cover the castle in darkness, alerting the guards outside. Shadow steadies himself on the lead dragon’s back, reaching out an arm for balance. The loose sleeve of his undershirt flutters in the wind. “There’s a new Link in this chain!”

Shadow’s dragon opens her mouth wide, politely informing the guards that there is a fireball in her throat. The cowards drop their spears at once, literally running for the hills. Shadow hopes they’re singed on their way out.

He still expects some resistance inside the castle. During mandatory research he’d learned all about the royal knights, whose forces are lead by the hero’s own father. And he knows the four heroes will show up, too, eventually. How could they not? Those idiots are courage personified.

But so is Shadow, and he actually has the guts to get his hands dirty. Their strengths may match his strengths, being cut from the same cloth, but they have four times the weaknesses. In a way, the Four Sword’s bizarre magic only makes Shadow’s chances better—not that he’s ever needed fate’s intervention in the first place.

He glances down at his tunic, focusing his magic on its many interwoven threads. One by one they shift from black to green, making him the spitting image of Hyrule’s savior.

“Well?” he asks the dragon, putting his hands on his hips. “How do I look?”

She shakes her disapproval with only a second’s glance.

“Missed something, huh?”

The dragon huffs.

“Where’s a Dark Mirror when you need one, am I right?” He runs a hand through his hair, very proud of the quip. “Oh, my hair!”

Purple locks shift to blonde, red eyes to blue as a final touch. Shadow clears his throat. “Okay, what about now?”

The dragon’s nearest deadly claw curls into a thumbs-up.

“Thanks,” Shadow says, and means it.

─────────────────

It would be a beautiful hike, if not for the circumstances.

Link stands directly beneath a rainbow, the cool spray of a waterfall hitting his back. The four have made good time through the sprawling overworld, trekking through dense woods and climbing down a scenic cliffside.

“Are we there yet?” Link asks, second-closest to the front of the group. Of course the one in green takes the lead, as he clearly enjoys doing, while the other two lag slightly behind.

“We should see it when we cross the river!” answers the leader, while someone pants loudly behind them both.

“Can we rest a little?”

That was definitely the Link in red. Link turns his head and sure enough, the guy is on his hands and knees like he just singlehandedly took down an entire hinox. But if we’re all echoes of the same person, Link wonders, how is one of us more easily exhausted than the rest?

Throughout the quiet hike, he’s found himself questioning many aspects of the others’ and his own personhood. It’s a bizarre feeling, to know you’ve been alive for nineteen years, but you’ve only been yourself for less than a day. He is simply not the same Link who drew the Four Sword from its pedestal, which is a difficult reality to accept when that former self is the very foundation of his existence. All of his questions have led back to this: where does Link Prime end, and where does he begin?

“We don’t have time for that,” their unofficial leader tells the Link in red. “We’ve got to tell my father about all this as soon as possible!”

His father? Our father? Link isn’t quite sure. He has memories of the captain, of course, all the way from childhood to young adulthood. But just as with Zelda, there’s a certain distance he can’t help but feel. Link watches the memories in his mind like an actor is playing himself. He can recall the hero’s past, but lacks the emotional and sensory details of actually experiencing it.

The most brutish of the four clears his throat. “First, we need to make a decision.”

“About what?” asks the Link in red, who seems to have caught his breath. Guess he got his rest after all.

“Names! Names!” hollers the Link in blue. “We can’t all be called Link, we need nicknames!”

At first Link bristles at the thought of this—that’s his name!—but quickly realizes that the conviction just isn’t there. Maybe he doesn’t feel like just Link anyway. He wonders what the almighty Goddesses would think about that.

“I wear red clothes,” says the Link wearing red clothes, “so call me Red. You’re Blue…”

“Huh?!”

Link glances down at his own tunic. So that would make him…

“Purple,” Red says, although he doesn’t seem quite satisfied with the title. Link—not Purple—crosses his arms over his chest. “No… Violet? Maybe just Vio?”

“Isn’t that a girl’s name?” Vio mutters, although he’s already subconsciously using it for himself. Red either pretends not to hear his question or simply decides it isn’t worth answering.

“And Green! Whady’a think?”

Green runs a hand through his hair. “It’s weird, but it makes sense. I guess.”

Blue, meanwhile, is less willing to accept Red’s idea. “You can’t just change people’s names,” he fumes, pointer finger outstretched. “I won’t answer to anything other than Link!”

“It’s a great idea!” Red enthuses. “I’m a genius!”

“You’re an idiot!” Blue shoots back, stepping up on a rock for just a little more height than others. “Look, just ‘cuz we look alike doesn’t mean we’re gonna be buddies!”

“You’re no fun...”

“Riiiiiiight,” Vio says, finding that he quite enjoys being a snarky contrarian. “Hanging around with you fools is dangerous to my health.”

Blue grabs him by the collar, but he remains thoroughly unimpressed. “You callin’ me a fool? I oughta…”

“Oh, c’mon! Stop it!” shouts Green, his eyes sparkling with self-righteousness. “We’re all copies of the same person! Do you really want to hurt yourself?”

Distantly, Vio wonders how exactly that would work—do they feel each other’s pain? Maybe if he can goad Blue into actually throwing a punch, he’ll—

“Don’t say this guy is the same as me, or I’ll pop you too!” Blue growls, now pointing at Green. “You three can call each other stupid nicknames!”

Vio smirks and slides away, making a mental note to investigate at a later time. Having observed Blue’s first few hours of existence, he expects many more violent outbursts to come.

“My nicknames aren’t stupid,” Red says quietly. Vio knows he should say something reassuring, but it doesn’t come as naturally as it once did. And before he can figure out the right words to say, the conversation has already moved forward.

“If there’s a main Link,” says Green, “it’s me! Everyone knows Link dresses in green!”

Blue stretches his tunic as if searching the fabric for any hint of greenish pigment. “Rats.”

For a second Vio thinks this is a sign of resignation, but then Blue launches towards Green in a new fit of rage. “You think you’re better’n me just cuz you wear green!” he shouts, grabbing at Green’s tunic. “Take it off! We’re switching tunics right now! And hats, too!”

Vio can’t help but smirk at the absurdity of it all. Red, meanwhile, seems genuinely confused. “Why isn’t ‘Blue’ me more laid-back and mellow? If we’re all the same person, why are our personalities so different?

Green shoves Blue away, his tunic still completely intact. “Because we’re each a part of my… errr… Link’s whole personality,” he tells Red, ignoring Blue’s indignant huff. “Green is focused and motivated,” he says of himself, and Vio almost has to respect his unearned confidence. “Blue is hotheaded and aggressive—”

“What?!”

“Red is innocent and optimistic,” Vio interjects, patting the poor guy on the head. See? He can be nice. He’s great at being nice.

“Oh, I see!” Red exclaims, turning to Vio with a smile. “Vio is super cool.”

Vio finds himself glancing away, bangs falling over his eyes. Is one backhanded compliment all it takes to earn this simpleton’s respect? It feels too easy, too shallow. Red can’t possibly respect him if he doesn’t understand him, and none of them understand each other in the slightest. “Hmmm…. I’d prefer calm and collected.”

Before he can gauge Red’s response, Vio spots two familiar women climbing up the cliffside. The others see them too, finishing each other’s thoughts aloud:

“That’s…” Blue says, his voice low.

“… Arcy…” Vio mutters, the name familiar on his tongue.

“… the castle cook!” Red exclaims, and now Vio remembers why.

“Hey, Arcy!” Green calls out, hands cupped around his mouth.

The others rush towards the women, ignoring Vio’s motion to stop. “Idiots! Not at all once!”

“Arcy,” Green repeats, “thank goodness! We got lost trying to find the—”

Arcy wields a stick like a sword, pointing it right at the four. Beside her, the young girl looks absolutely petrified. “Stay back,” Arcy warns, “you monsters! How did you find us all the way out here?”

Red wipes at a tear. “Monsters? That really hurts!”

Green continues to talk when he really should just shut up and let Arcy explain—although Vio is already piecing things together himself. “Listen, Arcy, I drew the Four Sword and got split in four. But inside we’re all the same Link!”

“All the way out here…” Vio mutters, too busy contemplating Arcy’s words to disagree with Green’s demonstrably incorrect explanation.

“I used to think you were a good kid!” Arcy cries, holding onto the small girl for dear life. “But those things you did… you’re a demon for sure!”

Blue looks incredulous. “What did I do?”

“Wait,” Vio says, meeting Arcy’s panicked gaze. “Do you mean a dark, shadowy Link?”

She gives him the smallest of nods. While Vio just rolls his eyes at the reminder of that purple-haired freak, Green lunges for the poor woman.

“The castle,” he demands, grabbing desperately at Arcy’s wrists. “What happened at Hyrule Castle?”

[ashwolffe]

H/C prompts - “Show me where it hurts.” with... Are you the one with the dadGanon au? Something in that if I'm right. Presumably with Ganon, and whichever other character you fancy.

Thank you for the ask!! I'm sorry it took so long, I've been really busy lately.

Prompt "Show me where it hurts."

Ganon sighed. He was tired from the tension between him and half of Wind's friends. He understands why they're suspicious of him. (Ganon finds himself cursing his past reincarnations because of this) But.. maybe it would be better for the group to stay at the inn. 

"Is this seat taken?" A soft voice questioned. Jolted from his thoughts, Ganon looked up to see one of Wind's friends standing next to him. 

"Ah, I didn't see you there." The young man smiled at him. 

"I don't believe Wind introduced me yet. My name is Four, but you can call me Smithy if you want." He offered his right hand while he held a journal in his other hand. 

"A pleasure to meet you, Four. I'm afraid you already know my name." Ganon had a wry smile on his face while he shook the hero's hand. Four's eyes twinkled in amusement at the comment. 

"And to answer your question, no. You can sit there," Ganon gestured to the rocking chair next to him. Four sat down and slowly started rocking it. 

"You know, I don't mind you being Wind's dad. He's done nothing but sing your praises these past few weeks. I can see that you're not evil." Four sighs sadly and stares directly into Ganon's eyes.

"But I'm afraid the others can't make the connections that you're not their enemy. I talked to Time and he agreed with me." Ganon blinked in surprise as he mentally processed what he had just heard. 

“I agree with you. I could mention there isn’t much room in the house and that it might be better for your group to stay at the inn.” Ganon mused as he stroked his beard.  

“I think that would be for the best.” Four agreed. They sat together in silence until Aryll announced that breakfast was ready. He was glad to see that the atmosphere was much better after everyone had finished  eating. Time cleared his throat to get everyone to pay attention. 

"There isn't enough room for all of us to stay here. I'm grateful for you offering us a place to stay, but I think it would be best for us to stay at the inn." Thankfully, there wasn't much fuss about this suggestion. But.. the look on Wind's face. 

"That's only a small part of it!" Wind snarled revealing sharp fangs. 

"He's my dad, and you're treating him like he's a monster!" 

Ganon stiffens at his son's words. He glanced at Aryll whose eyes were round in surprise. He could see tears slowly start to form in her eyes. 

Aryll hardly ever raised her voice, she was always the quiet child. So what came next, shocked everyone in the room. 

"BIG BROTHER STOP IT!" Tears started to spill from her eyes. 

"You promised not to fight! You promised." She started to cry and bolted out the back door with Wind hot on her heels. Ganon sprang to his feet, planning on following until Granny tugged on his long sleeves. 

"Leave them be. They'll work it out, they always do. Once Link has calmed down, go look for him." Ganon briefly pondered her words before nodding in agreement. 

"Alright. I'll go feed the animals while I wait." He replied. Ganon grabbed the feeding pail and headed towards the pig pen. 

Aryll returned as he was feeding the new piglets. She wrapped her arms around his left arm. A sad sigh escaped his lips when she started sniffling.

"Why is big brother acting weird?" She questioned as tears started to leak out of her eyes. 

"It's not my place to say." He gently tucked her bangs behind her ear. 

"Can you go feed the cuccoos?" She sniffs hard before nodding her head. 

He watches as Aryll walks off to the hutch before going back to feeding the pigs. It didn't take him long to finish feeding them. 

"I'm sorry," Ganon turned to see his son standing behind him. His eyes bloodshot from crying. 

"It's alright, but don't do it again." He kept his tone stern. He wasn't pleased with Link's behavior. Everything had been going well until he started being nasty. But he understood where his son was coming from. 

"I'll try." Link's voice was thick with his emotions. Ganon hummed in acknowledgement before hugging his son. 

"Hiiii big brother!" Aryll called out as she ran over the uneven ground. 

"Aryll don't run there! The grounds are too uneven." Ganon reminded her but the reminder came too late and she tripped. Link raced over to his sister and knelt down.

"Show me where it hurts, Aryll." He gently wiped away her tears as she showed her scraped up knees. Ganon knelt down next to his kids. He gently placed his hands on her knees, his healing magic flowing onto her scrapes. Ganon kissed her forehead when he finished.

"All better," He picked her up and ruffled his son's hair. 

"Shall I read a story to you?"

"Yes, please!" His kids echoed.

[mamichigo]

Revalink Halloween Week

Day 1: Ancient armor & Cursed //

i.

"We did find the Hero," the Princess told him once, voice quiet in the autumn afternoon. "The one chosen by Hylia."

"What, and you didn't make him a Champion?" Revali scoffed. "That's a surprise coming from you."

Zelda ignored the jab. She tucked her hair behind her ear, eyes uncertain. "We couldn't."

"Why not?"

"We were not sure he was even human anymore."

ii.

It was hard to say what sparked his curiosity, but Revali would be lying if he said the lost Hero hadn't piqued his interest. There was very little to be found about him (at least not without digging into Royal secrets that would cause him more trouble than not), but Revali did eventually learn his name.

Link. The boy who was consumed by ancient technology. The one who was meant to fight Ganon. What a joke, that the chosen one of all people had fallen before his destiny could catch up to him. This was why he hated fate and those born into it.

Revali closed the book he had been looking into, shutting away the single picture of Link hidden inside.

The Hero might as a well be dead, and Revali had no intention of disturbing his rest.

iii.

Although he lacked the Princess' fascination for the Guardians, Revali could see why she was so fond of them. They were nothing compared to Medoh, but a tool was a tool, and he wasn't about to place a complaint for something that would aid their victory.

He stood by the field, watching the Guardians as the Princess prattled on about their functionality. He wasn't listening.

So when one of them charged up, Revali barely registered the red dot aimed directly at him. A commotion broke out around him, the Princess yelled as a high pitched whine reverberated.

Then, suddenly, nothing. Revali blinked, not quite understanding what happened. The Guardian stood still, staring at him. It didn't move. It let out a series of beeps then a garbled noise he couldn't understand.

It watched him with a blue eye.

iv.

The image seemed to haunt him at all times: an expressionless face, painted on a lost page. Blues eyes and golden hair.

Blue eyes and golden hair, blue eyes and golden hair--

It was hard to see in the dark battlefield. Medoh was still far away, and the world glowed red. Revali clicked his tongue and forced another arrow out with aching wings. It landed squarely in the eye of a Guardian.

Red eye.

He shook his head, trying to focus his thoughts. He counted the Guardians stopping him from reaching Medoh. In the middle of it all, a scream that sounded like a loading gun. Revali whirled around.

Among the Guardians, a humanoid form stood, looking at him. Without meaning to, Revali froze, long enough for a beam to hit his wing. He fell with a sick crunch and a pained yell.

The person, if it could be called that, followed him, glowing sword in hand.

Blue eyes and--

Around him, a dozen Guardians whined as they charged. The person opened his mouth, talking in garbled sounds. Revali tightened his talon on his bow as the world lit up blue.

v.

Revali hated fate those born into it.

They were all doomed to be nothing but faded pictures inside a book, without a chance of being saved.