#maybe he could go live out with Talon? help on the ranch?

[skyward-floored]

Shadow is giving me some real grief in the IAU, I know how he shows up and some of what he does after that but I have no clue what to do with him after the stuff in the second movie occurs

[attllhak]

I 100% blame @kagrenacs entirely for this. This is your fault. You gave me Ideas.

Also, @tortilla-of-courage I promised I’d tag you in this. Here’s that crack fic I talked about where Mario is Malon’s step-father.

Behold, a crack fic.

----------------------

Link had been dating Malon officially for about three months when the letter came.

Link had arrived at the ranch about the same time as the postman left, having just got back home from another adventure trying to help clear out a temple that had been invaded by monsters that the regular soldiers were struggling with. He went so Sheik wouldn’t, as apparently Zelda was needed at the castle for something else.

Malon was waving goodbye at the postman as Link and Epona trotted up, the boy leaning to the side of the saddle to blink at his girlfriend.

Epona snorted and nudged Malon’s head to get her attention.

“Oh what, Epona!” Malon laughed, reaching up to stroke her hand along the mare’s face. “And that means,”

Link waved at her with a smile.

“Link!” Malon grinned, coming around Epona’s side to meet him. “You’re home!”

Link nodded as he leaned down to kiss her hello, feeling much better now that he was back at the ranch, even if he was still bruised and achy and very possibly bleeding. Malon almost made him feel the way the forest did, like he was home.

He swung over and dismounted the horse, smiling as Malon pulled him into a hug.

Malon then pushed him away and spun him around. Link was confused for about one second before,

“Are you bleeding?”

Link shrugged, not entirely sure himself.

Malon made a strangled noise and then she was dragging him inside. “Honestly, Link. What part of ‘be careful’ do you not understand? You know, I’d appreciate it if you didn’t show up here bleeding sometimes,”

Link just smiled at the back of her head, not affected by her berating in the least. She’d lectured him on this before, and would do so again in the future, and he knew she wasn’t as mad as she pretended to be. At this point her yelling was as much standard fare as her patching him up was.

Link hopped up to sit on the kitchen table, watching as Malon dropped the letter on the table next to him before digging out the first aid kit she kept stocked in the room.

In lieu of anything else to look at, Link glanced down at the letter next to him. There was a red seal on the back, not dissimilar to the ones Zelda used when writing letters, though instead of the Hylian crest this seal had the image of a mushroom on it. Flipping it over saw words in neat curling letters in an alphabet Link didn’t recognize. This wasn’t surprising, as up until a year or so ago he still struggled with written Hylian. He set the letter down when he heard a door open in a different part of the house.

“Malon!” Talon shouted through the house. “Did you know Epona was out front? I thought Link had taken her,” he stopped when he turned into the kitchen and saw his daughter standing up with a first aid kit and the mentioned adventurer on his table. Link waved. “Link! You’re back!”

Link nodded, smiling at Talon as Malon opened the first aid kit on the table and started sorting through the contents.

“Link just got back a minute ago,” Malon informed her father as she had Link pull off his tunic. “He’s bleeding still, so I’m going to patch him up before he fills us in on his latest adventure,” she paused, then picked up the letter that she’d received when Link arrived. “Oh, and we got a letter from mom,”

She handed over the letter to her dad, Link watching the paper with curiosity. Malon’s mother? She’d never mentioned her mother to him before, and he’d never pried. He assumed her mother was dead, since she wasn’t around and no one talked about her, but he was also pretty sure dead people didn’t send letters. Pretty sure, not totally sure. Considering what he’d already seen on his adventures, he wasn’t ruling it out as a possibility.

Talon grumbled as he opened it, Malon pulling Link’s attention to her as she went about patching him up as best she could. A few minutes passed, Link occasionally hissing as Malon applied a disinfectant, and then Malon declared him patched up, wandering over to look at the letter over her father’s shoulder.

“What does it say?” She asked, crowding him as Link shrugged back into his tunic.

“It’s an invitation,” Talon handed it to her to read herself. “Some kind of Star Carnival or something, happens every couple of years. She’s invited us to come,” 

Link slowly raised his hand, then waved when he noticed no one was paying attention to him. Talon looked up, then nudged Malon to get her attention. Link waved his hands at the letter then at the two of them, then threw his hands up in confusion. True, he could have signed, but he only thought of that afterwards.

“Oh, right,” Malon bounced over to sit next to him to hold the letter where he could see it. He looked at it, then at her. Malon scoffed. “It’s an invitation from my mother to come to the Star Carnival in the Mushroom Kingdom,”

Link blinked, then sighed ‘Mushroom Kingdom’ back at her with his face twisted up in confusion.

Malon blinked at him, then snapped her fingers. “Oh right, I never told you about my mother, did I? She lives in a neighboring kingdom off to the west, and her and dad had a bit of a falling out a few years after I was born. Dad and Ingo moved to Hyrule, and mom remarried. I have a half sister over there now,”

Link nodded slowly, then waved at the letter again.

“Oh, mom will occasionally invite us back for festivals and stuff. It’s her way of keeping up with us, while respecting that dad moved away for a reason,” she paused, then her head snapped up and turned to him so quickly he had to lean back in order to not get hit. “You should come with us!”

Malon blinked at him, wide eyed and grinning. Link couldn’t possibly say no. He nodded.

Malon made a giddy sound and wrapped Link in a hug, then slid off the table to hand the letter to her father. She came back to grab his hands and pull him off the table too.

“Oh, you’ll love it, Link! The Star Carnival is great, there’s all sorts of games, and events, and everyone comes out for it,” Malon chatteled off, dragging Link with her so she could keep talking at him while she finished up her chores.

Link completely forgot he was supposed to tell Zelda about the temple.

About a week later Link found himself next to Malon in an oddly mushroom shaped carriage her mother sent to collect them for the carnival. Apparently this was normal for these trips, but the fact the carriage had nothing to pull it but still moved confused Link. According to Malon this was how most things worked, but he wasn’t convinced he liked that.

The trip was uneventful, except how Link kept jumping every time the carriage bumped. The little mushroom person (“He’s a Toad, they’re the race that makes up most of the Mushroom Kingdom’s people,” Malon told him) kept up a steady stream of talk, pointing out everything he saw. Link was very glad he’d managed to convince Malon to let him take one of his swords and the mirror shield with him, he felt much more comfortable armed.

His discomfort was overshadowed, however, when the site of the carnival came into view. A big red and white striped tent, with booths and stalls set up throughout the whole grounds. There were people streaming all through the area, humans, toads and some other things as well. Link found it incredible, and Malon had to pull him back into the carriage before he fell out the window.

Eventually, the carriage came to a stop at the entrance to the grounds and the three Hyruleans stepped out. There were a few long moments as Link looked around in awe, and confusion, at some of the things he was seeing. There were moving paintings positioned around the grounds showing some guy who was mostly hat and blaring his voice across the area. Malon called these moving paintings ‘video screens’, and that they were looking at something happening in a different part of the carnival. Link didn’t understand that, but they were moving along fast enough that he didn’t linger on it.

He was snapped out of looking at some star shaped pastries at a loud squeal, head snapping up and on alert. He relaxed when Malon laughed and waved in response.

“Malon!” A higher pitched voice called, belonging to a taller woman with bright blonde hair wearing a very big pink dress and long white gloves. She had a crown on her head. “You made it!”

“Of course I made it,” Malon laughed as she hugged the other woman. “Why would I miss this?”

Malon then switched to hugging and greeting another woman closer to her age, also wearing a crown but dressed in blue, her hair covering her right eye. A little chubby star creature floated next to her and waved.

Link blinked and watched the exchange, hovering off to the side.

“Oh!” Malon abruptly remembered him and turned to tug him up. “Link, I want you to meet my mother, Queen Peach, and my half sister Rosalina. Mom, Rosy, this is my boyfriend Link,”

Link managed to get himself out of his ‘Malon’s mom is queen???!?’ confusion loop long enough to bow, trying to be polite.

 “Oh no, please don’t. No one has bowed to me in a very long time, and it’s weird to see now,” Queen Peach giggled lightly as Link straightened up, the tips of his ears turning red. “You didn’t mention you had a boyfriend,”

“Uh, surprise!” Malon waved her hands as she gave her mother and sister a sheepish grin. “I have a boyfriend! His name is Link,” 

“It’s a pleasure to meet you,” Rosalina extended her hand, and Link took it to shake. 

Link nodded and grinned, then signed back ‘it’s nice to meet you too’ at her when she dropped his hand. Both women blinked at him and for a second he thought he’d done something wrong. He slowly lowered his hands and blinked at them too. Maybe they didn’t speak Hylian sign? He’d never encountered someone who couldn’t understand him, but outside of Hyrule it wasn’t impossible.

“Oh,” Malon jumped in, waving at him. “Link is mute, so he uses sign to talk. I should have mentioned that,”

“Oh,” Queen Peach brightened up again. “Of course. Well, it’s very nice to meet you, Link. I hope you enjoy the carnival,” she signed as she spoke, and Link blinked at her, then matched her grin.

Link nodded happily, letting her know it wasn’t like anything he’d encountered before, but that he was enjoying things so far. 

Queen Peach offered to show them around, which Malon accepted for them, and they went about walking through the grounds while the queen pointed out different attractions. Most of these involved events she called minigames, though a few featured other attractions. Apparently minigames were part of a big event called a Party, which was a competition people could compete in for prizes. Malon had very quietly dissuaded him from participating, as apparently she was worried a few of the minigames might mess with his trauma if he were to play them. Also, apparently Hylians weren’t as durable as the people of the Mushroom Kingdom.

“Oh!” Queen Peach bounced over to one of the video screens and grinned. “It looks like a Party is starting!”

Wandering up to join the toadstool queen, Link blinked up at the moving paintings on the screen, still confused as to how that worked. The man who was mostly hat introduced a group of four, a stout man in red with blue overalls with a very big mustache named Mario, a brunette woman in a yellow dress named Daisy, a stal-like creature that resembled the creatures Malon told him were koopahs who was introduced as Dry Bones, and a tall lanky man in purple who introduced himself as Waluigi. Queen Peach was grinning, and Malon was laughing a little at this.

Link tapped Malon’s shoulder and asked her who those people were.

“Oh, well Mario is mom’s husband, and Daisy is his brother’s wife. Dry Bones is a friend, I think, and Waluigi just shows up for events like this,” Malon explained to him, pointing as she did. “It can be hard to keep track of who’s friendly and who isn’t all the time, things change so often,”

“They don’t change often,” Queen Peach giggled. “The only time anything changes is when Bowser kidnaps me, then we’re briefly enemies, but we go back to being friends when Mario comes to rescue me,”

Link blinked at her, face scrunched up. She talked like this was normal. Apparently, this was quickly explained to him, it was. It was just the relationship those three had. Link wasn’t sure he’d ever understand that concept, but was willing to push it aside for the moment.

They stood and watched the Party, and Link was glad Malon had encouraged him not to try any of the minigames. She was right about a few of them not meshing well with his trauma. He’d actually had to turn away during one because of how much it reminded him of fighting Volvagia in the Fire Temple. It was pretty easy for Malon to work him down again, and he was ever so grateful for her and her patience with him, but they didn’t turn back until after the minigame was over.

Once the Party was over, Queen Peach eagerly dragged them over to something called a warp pad in order to greet her husband when he got there. Apparently, she wasn’t the only one.

Already waiting at the pad was a very large individual. He looked vaguely like a koopah, but was much bigger, and his shell was studded with spikes. Helpfully, Link’s mind supplied him with the theory that the koopah might be like the Zora, with the ruler being much bigger than the rest of their people, and so this might be their king.

He was right, he’d soon learn.

What had him stopping dead was the man next to him. Almost eight feet tall, bright red hair, black armor. The man was distinctly Gerudo, and looked identical to Ganondorf. Link reached out and grabbed Malon’s arm, pointing out the man to her and signing as fast as she could keep up. Malon had his shoulders in her hands, and was trying to talk to him slowly, the same way she did when working him down from a panic attack or a spike in anxiety. Maybe he was freaking out, he certainly didn’t feel calm. But Ganondorf shouldn’t be here, Zelda’s father had him executed. He shouldn’t be alive, let alone here.

“Is something wrong?” Queen Peach popped up in Link’s peripheral vision, but he was too busy trying not to panic to respond to her.

Thankfully, he had Malon.

“Kind of, Link’s had some, uh, adventures that have messed with his head a little. Bowser’s friend over there happens to look like a man named Ganondorf who tried to kill him more than once, with quite a bit of effort,” Malon rubbed Link’s arms as she spoke, glancing back at him every once in a while. “He’s a little freaked out to see someone who looks so similar, even if this can’t be Ganondorf, since Queen Zelda’s father, the late king, had him executed for trying to kill the royal family and steal Hyrule’s crown about ten or so years ago.”

“Oh, I hadn’t realized,” Queen Peach paused, glancing back at Bowser and maybe-Ganondorf, then back to the two of them. “If you’ll give me a moment,”

She ducked out, and in the meantime Link managed to wrangle his breathing under control. Eventually, he felt confident enough in himself to not immediately try to stab maybe-Ganondorf, but he did pull the mirror shield onto his arm. He felt better when he had it out.

Link specifically kept his shield between himself and maybe-Ganondorf as they approached, Malon keeping a hand on his arm. The conversation petered out as they made it up.

Maybe-Ganondorf clapped his hands together, which had Link pulling up the shield and tensing. The maybe-Ganondorf paused, then spread his hands.

“I understand that someone who looked like me tried to hurt you in the past?” The man, who even sounded like Ganondorf, asked. Link was then hit again with the fact that in this timeline Ganondorf never actually tried to kill him, and even when he had it was both his past and future for a while. He nodded, not willing to dwell on the details of his seven year sleep and subsequent return to childhood. The man grimaced. “I am truly sorry then. My name is Greg, I am a good, friend, of Bowser’s, and I can assure you I am not the same man who wanted to see you come to harm,”

Link narrowed his eyes, but did peek a little further over his shield.

There was a long, tense moment where Link just looked over Greg, trying to decide how he felt about him. After several heartbeats where Link found nothing but honesty, he nodded and lowered the shield some. He didn’t put it away however.

Greg grinned, nodding back.

“You can probably put the shield away now,” Queen Peach offered gently.

Link just tightened his grip on the reflective defense and pulled it closer to himself.

“I don’t think that’s happening,” Malon said gently, squeezing his arm some. “It’s just, well, I’m sure it just makes him feel a little better, what with the situation and all. I wouldn’t be surprised if he never got better around male Gerudo,” she tried to laugh.

“What’s a Gerudo?” Greg asked.

Link dropped the shield to his side and made a face.

(---)

The rest of the day was spent being introduced to a few others of Queen Peach’s friends, and then later avoiding Greg as best he could, and even watching Malon play some of the minigames with her sister.

Link felt a little bad about avoiding Greg, but he looked so much like Ganondorf that he really didn’t trust himself not to hurt the man. Better to just avoid him.

They were invited to spend the night at Peach’s castle, after which they’d return to the carnival the next day.

Somehow, between meeting Mario and crashing for the night, the plumber convinced him to agree to a race.

Link didn’t know how to use any of the racing machines they had.

He spent a great deal of time, at length, bemoaning his impulsivity to Malon, who eventually got tired enough with him to track down her stepfather and get him to teach Link to use one of the machines. Mario, to his credit, was surprisingly understanding and more than helpful.

It didn’t take long to decide Link would do better on a bike than in a kart.

Link also needed to help repair a wall later.

These are related.

“Alright,” Mario rubbed his hands together as he coached Link through the basics. “This-a thing here? That’s-a the brakes. You pull on-a those to slow down. This-a piece you twist, and that makes-a you go! You see?”

Link nodded slowly, pulling on the lever for the brakes and twisting the handle.

“Okay, let’s-a do one lap around the track, and-a see how you do,” Mario nodded back waving at the track. “Let’s-a go!”

Link gave a sharp nod, taking a deep breath as he did. This would be his fifth try at this.

Malon gave him a pair of thumbs up from the sidelines, grinning at him. He was glad she was more confident in him than he was.

He slowly twisted the handle, the machine puttering to life (a phrase Link was distinctly uncomfortable with) and eased forward gently. After a few moments he was increasing speed around the oval track, getting more comfortable with using the bike. He avoided the jumps he could, but managed to not wipe out on the ones he couldn’t. Slowing to a stop in front of Malon and Mario, he felt distinctly proud of himself for not crashing.

Malon jumped up from where she was sitting, clapping happily as she bounced over to hug him.

“You didn’t crash that time!” She grinned. “You’re getting better!”

‘I am,’ Link grinned back, a group of bees set loose in his chest alongside the happiness.

“You’re-a doing so much better! Now, let’s-a maybe think about getting better with the jumps, hm?” Mario clapped as he approached.

Link nodded, signing his response slowly. Mario knew Mushroom Kingdom Sign, but not Hylian Sign, and the two had some differences. This meant communication was slow going, which was partly why Malon was there.

They spent a few more hours, and a lot more crashing, practicing the jumps. Apparently there were a lot of jumps in these races.

By the time they decided to take a break for lunch, Link was covered in bruises but could also reasonably be trusted to not crash every time he attempted a jump, which was much better than he was when they started.

“Oh my! What happened to you?” Peach gasped, looking over the group as they arrived to join the queen and the rest of the family for lunch.

‘Learned the jumps,’ Link signed at her, grinning maybe a bit wider than he needed to.

“The bruises were self-inflicted,” Malon told everyone, dragging Link over to sit between Talon and Rosalina with her. “He’s gotten very good at crashing. And at not crashing, but that skill’s taking longer,”

Rosalina started giggling. “Well, it seems we all have a type,”

Link looked at her in confusion while he let Malon set up plates for them.

“What do you mean?” Peach asked.

Rosalina pointed at her mother. “You married dad, who is prone to extreme spots. And turns sports that aren’t extreme sports into extreme sports. I have never seen someone make golf a full contact sport other than him,” she turned her finger to Malon. “Malon has brought home a boy who is firstly more than willing to participate in said extreme sports, and, Mal you said he works for your Queen, right?”

Malon nodded. “He’s technically part of the royal guard, but really he’s just sent out to go deal with monsters when Her Majesty can’t do it herself. He comes back bleeding a lot,” she sent him a halfhearted glare. He smiled innocently in response.

“Right,” Rosalina nodded. “He’s prone to come back bleeding. And the last time I saw Sammy, she was also bleeding and bruised because she got in a fight with a robot that nearly kicked her, erm, butt,” she cleared her throat and paused until she got a nod from her mother, then continued. “Right, so, my point is we have a type, and it’s the same one,”

“And that type is?” Malon asked.

“People who are prone to getting hurt,”

Link felt mildly like he should be offended by that, but Malon was just nodding along so he decided to drop it. It wasn’t like he could argue, after all.

“Oh, is your girlfriend coming?” Malon asked, handing Link a plate but focusing on her sister.

Link didn’t know what some of the things on his plate were, and lightly poked at one of the mushrooms. This is why he decided to let Malon grab food for him.

“She should be, she told me she’d try at least,” Rosalina nodded. “But, well, you know how busy she can be sometimes. Her job doesn’t allow her a lot of free time,”

Malon nodded. “I get that. It can be hard dating someone who spends so much time away getting in fights,”

She gave Link a side eye and he paused halfway into a bite. Was she mad at him? Or was this one of those joking jab things? He couldn’t quite tell the difference yet. She didn’t seem like she was mad at him. Maybe she was trying to relate to her sister? Wait, what did her sister’s girlfriend do that he’d be a comparison?

He figured he’d ask.

Apparently Sammy was a mercenary (“She fights things for money,” Malon told him. “Kind of like you do, but you work for the Queen and she works for herself,”), and that meant she spent a lot of time away and then coming back injured. Like Link did.

“You’d probably get along with her really well,” Malon offered, subtly adding more of the thing he’d already cleared off his plate to his portion. “You can bond over killing things and getting hurt and worrying your girlfriends about the fact that you’re out killing things and getting hurt all alone,”

Link frowned at her and narrowed his eyes. The worst part was that he couldn’t even argue, she was right. He did spend a lot of time killing things and getting hurt and worrying her, and he did do most of it alone.

That thought sort of made his chest ache. He wouldn’t be alone if he still had Navi, but he hadn’t been able to find her yet. He didn’t want to sour the atmosphere though, so he pushed that thought to the side and shoved Malon’s shoulder in retaliation.

Malon shoved him back, laughing, and Link didn’t bother fighting the grin on his face. It was moments like this that made the trauma and the longing easier to deal with.

They spent some more time practicing the jumps for the race Link had gotten himself roped into and introducing him to the ‘power ups’, and then wandered around the festival grounds until dinner, where they retired to the castle. Link found out quickly that the power ups were made with people way more durable than him in mind. A conversation started about finding an item or something that might help protect him a bit.

Malon had pulled out a health potion she insisted Link drink to heal up the bruises he’d acquired when they heard the, whirring? Link didn’t know what to make of that sound, but he did know he should figure it out.

Which is how Link ended up carefully crossing the entryway of the castle, eyes on the front door, Malon frustrated and following behind him.

Rosalina came barrelling down a stairwell just as Link got to the door, startling him.

“Don’t mind Link,” Malon rolled her eyes. “He’s just never heard the sound of a ship landing before,”

Ship?

“So that was her ship I saw!” Rosalina pushed past Link, who made a strangled noise as she did, and ran out the door.

Link followed, hand on his sword, just in case, and froze.

Someone was standing on the bridge to the castle, wearing dark orange armor and standing easily as tall as a gerudo, maybe taller. Link couldn’t make out much more from that, since the armor covered them head to toe, and their helmet covered their entire head and face. It also looked shinier than any armor he’d ever seen before.

This person caught Rosalina when she threw herself at them, lifting her up and spinning them both around. A sort of mechanical laugh came from the armored person.

Link turned to Malon.

“That’s Samus, Rosy’s girlfriend,” Malon explained. “Come on, let’s go say hi!”

Malon headed down the bridge to where Samus had set Rosalina down. Link stayed where he was, the Luma that followed Rosalina around coming up to float next to him. Luma yawned, and Link offered it a small smile. They must have been getting ready for bed when Samus arrived.

“Link!” He turned at Malon’s shout, seeing her wave at him. “Come meet Samus!”

Samus had pulled off her helmet, revealing tied back blonde hair and pale skin. So, not gerudo, just tall.

He offered Luma a sympathetic shrug and wandered over.

“Link, this is Samus,” Malon waved between them as Link came up. “Samus, this is my boyfriend, Link. He’s mute, so he speaks using sign, but he can hear you just fine,”

“Hello, Link,” Samus offered him a smile, signing in very choppy Hylian Sign as she spoke, and then offered her hand to shake. “It’s nice to meet you,”

Link signed slowly as he replied, figuring Samus might appreciate it, and then accepted her handshake.

They didn’t stay standing there for long since it was already getting quite dark. Link offered to help Samus move in some of her things, since she was apparently staying for a few weeks between jobs, which is how he found himself pulling on his golden gauntlets to pick up a very heavy suitcase to carry inside. Samus had the other very heavy case, and Malon and Rosalina helped carry in the rest of it.

Once Samus was settled Malon resumed her crusade to get Link to drink the rest of the health potion.

(---)

The next time Link ran into Samus was right before his race. They hadn’t found something to help with the power ups yet, though he did receive a racing suit to wear in case he crashed.

He stopped mid-sign as something heavy dropped round his neck.

He turned to look down at the item, some kind of medallion on a chain. There was some kind of bird on it, and some kind of writing he couldn’t read, though he didn’t expect to be able to. It didn’t feel magical, but it did sort of, hum in his hands.

He turned around to blink up at the person who dropped in on him. Which turned out to be Samus.

She wasn’t wearing the armor, instead wearing just a skin-tight blue outfit that showed off her abs and the muscles in her arms. She had a lot of muscle. Link started doubting his conclusion that she wasn’t somehow part gerudo.

“I heard you were worried about being durable enough to compete,” Samus explained when Link made a confused motion at the medallion. “That should help,”

‘How?’ Link asked.

“It’s an old bit of tech I picked up but haven’t needed in a long while,” Samus explained.

Link spent a moment finger spelling out that word and trying to remember where he heard it before.

“It’s like magic, but not magic,” Rosalina appeared to lean behind Samus, who towered over her even when she was standing straight. “Sammy you need to remember they don’t even have video screens in Hyrule, you’re going to confuse him,”

“Oh,” Samus blinked, looking between them. “Uh, sorry,”

Link waved her off and assured her it was fine, and then asked for more clarification on the item she just gave him.

“I figured it would solve your durability issue,” Samus explained. “For the race,”

Link nodded, turning it over in his hands for a minute. He tucked it under the suit, the metal oddly warm despite having only just put it on, and thanked Samus for the help.

She promised to be cheering him on, which was met by a huff and light shove from Rosalina, who was also racing.

The medallion did help. It didn’t quite put him on par with the native residents of the Mushroom Kingdom, but it did keep him from getting seriously hurt by some of the more extreme power ups.

Seriously, some of them were just insane.

He didn’t win, but he did come about middle of the pack, which he was quite proud of.

Samus let him keep the medallion, since he could probably get more use out of it than she would, and then Rosalina dragged them all out to get some star pastries to celebrate the fact she won.

Samus ended up far more confident in her Hylian Sign by the end of the day, mostly due to her and Link being dragged about the faire by their girlfriends as they competed in a few minigames. Samus had asked for some help practicing when she noticed Link was a bit uncomfortable with some of the minigames.

Link decided he liked Samus.

He especially liked it when their girlfriends got back and Rosalina had fake-whispered to Malon “Oh no, they’re teaming up!” and all four of them started laughing.

They stayed for a week, the length of the carnival, but they did have to get back to Hyrule. It didn’t help that Sheik had likely tried dealing with everything himself, and as such the kingdom had to deal with the Queen slipping out to fight things.

Once they’d said goodbye, with promises to write between Malon and her family, they climbed back into the little carriage thing they’d arrived in and Link turned to Malon immediately.

‘You’ll bring me with you next time too, right?’

Malon laughed, and agreed to bring him with the next time they were invited.

Neither of them had fully expected Link to get a letter a few weeks after they got home, but sure enough, it was his name written in the alphabet used by the Mushroom Kingdom.

It was decided that they should probably teach him how to read that alphabet after that.

The small package he received from Rosalina a few years later with her and Malon’s grandmother’s engagement ring after he’d proposed with a little note that the ring he’d found was way too flashy was probably to be expected. Even he and Malon had agreed on that the day before. They did switch out the rings, and though the old Queen’s ring was still a bit fancy for a farm girl, it wasn’t going to accidentally blind someone.

He figured he’d pass off Queen Peach’s offer to plan their wedding to Zelda, who had also already decided she wanted to plan it.

Let people who actually knew what they were doing plan it, he’d focus on making sure he was mostly uninjured come the day of. He’d just help with the invitation list.

This, he learned later, was a very smart call.

[maxskulline]

Max has had an issue with narcotics for a long time. But she always managed to control it - to not fall into addiction. She uses strong alcohol and the occasional drug (her drug of choice is Ketamine for the numbing and dissociative effects it provides, but she also smokes weed and takes party drugs from time to time), as a means to numb herself to the onslaught of guilt and self hatred that she always carries within her - even as a teenager - and to numb the pain of, well, simply existing. The same goes for sex: it is a device Max has learned to master because the bliss of pleasure is a short-term relief, because it helps her forget and ignore the everpresent shadows in the back of her mind, digging in their talons until every meager ounce of self-esteem has been torn to ribbons. 

But it gets worse from there. And there is a point in Max’s life where the leash on her habits slips, where it is all she can do not to fall apart completely - or maybe she does it solely for the hope of falling apart to begin with? 

I already explained that Max finds a purpose on Paniola Ranch before she and Rosie ultimately ship off to Galar. But what happens before the ranch? How did she end up there? 

After the events on Aether Paradise, a few months pass before she ever sets foot on the ranch. In the first, initial month, Max is bedridden and recovering from the poisoned wound Gala inflicted on her during her battle with Guzma. She doesn’t know what horrors had happened to Rosie until a while later, but it is a demon of guilt that starts nagging and nagging until she can’t take it anymore. Even looking at her friend will result in Max wanting to double over and puke, or run to the next window and fling herself out of it, that is how unbearable the guilt weighs on Max. 

For letting this happen to Rosie. For letting this happen to her best friend. For letting her Pokémon be almost killed by the man she thought she had loved. For letting Guzma get to this state to begin with. For being so weak that she could not protect anyone - anyone she loves. For killing that Pokémon, so many years back. For being an utter, disgusting failure, a waste of a person.

Failure failure failure failure failure failure failure failure failure failure failure failure

Max never, ever lets these demons show. It is a battle she fights with herself, silently, and mostly at night when the memories come to the surface - memories that she spends so carefully forgetting, dissociating until the daggers barely scrape her. Rosie does not know of the battles she fights, because Max doesn’t tell her - ever. She cannot bear to burden her friend any more, and she can’t let anyone see how much she utterly hates herself. 

But the demons begin showing in other ways. Because when Max is well enough again, she begins to frequent bars, and when she comes home she is pissed out of her mind. If she comes home at all. Latter doesn’t always happen. Sometimes, Max finds herself waking in the middle of a park, or in the bed of a stranger, unable to recall their name or how she had gotten there. Leaving Rosie with Plumeria, where they’re currently squatting at, unable to imagine that Rosie could be possibly worried about her. Because why would anyone be? Why would anyone want to even see her alive- she is a failure, a wreck, weak - Guzma had shown her that she was nothing. That she never meant shit to him, too. Her inability to save her friend or her Pokémon showed that her parents had always been right.

So she drinks, and she fucks, and she dances, drowning out the thunder in her head for a few hours. Leaving Rosie worried, neglecting her Pokémon and irritating Plumeria. Hitting rock bottom. Clinging to the blissful numbness in those precious few hours where Max lets go and forgets, even herself. Max loses weight again during that month, and it becomes very obvious to others that this girl is slowly killing herself. That’s when Plumeria’s patience snaps - and that’s when she finds out Rosie is pregnant.

It does not take a second for Max to piece it all together. How this had happened - where, and when. Feeling trapped in what feels like an event horizon, a bottomless pit of darkness that she cannot escape from, because this is her fault, too. 

Plumeria knew about Rosie before Max did, and could sense what the information would do to Max. That’s why she had arranged a setup to get them both settled into Paniola Ranch, where Rosie would be safe and taken care of, before the news cracked. Max could not go on like this - Plumeria would not see it happening. If it seemed like a cruel decision, Plumeria could rest well with the knowledge that it came from a place of love, and worry. If she let Max go on like this, she’d last no longer than a month. She was withering. But she could not be the one who snapped her back into reality, give her cold turkey - it had to be a more drastic measure, of giving Max a purpose, something she currently absolutely lacked of. And, because Max was so intent of pushing everyone, including Rosie and her own Pokémon, away, Plumeria reached a treshold with her patience, too. 

The news did not go down well with Max, of course. A nasty arguement ensued, in which things were said that drove a temporary rift between her and Plumeria (and is one of the reasons Max initially cut all ties with her when she left for Galar). Plumeria compared her to Guzma - and while she spoke the truth, it was the wrong thing to say to her. 

Max and Rosie left for Paniola Ranch, because Max was given an ultimatum. Either go, or leave - without Rosie, who would always have a place with Plumeria as long as she needed it. Max, who did not ever want to live on the streets again, had no choice but to take the bait. It would not be until many, many months later that she saw Plumeria’s actions for what they were: to save her life. 

For the first two weeks on the ranch, Max could not bring herself to leave her room. Had locked the door and shut the windows, and she would only eat the food she was brought every other day. If her depression was bad before, now it rendered her motionless - incapacitated. Unable to leave her bed, with nothing but the roaring silence around her, and the shadows in her mind. Telling her what she told herself, over and over: she is worthless, she is a bad friend, she is weak, she is useless, and she utterly, utterly failed Rosie. The distance she put between them were for two reasons: to avoid Rosie’s disappointment at seeing her like this, and to keep the girl away from herself because she brought nothing but trouble to her. She could not fathom the idea that Rosie might need her more than ever, and she could not be that person - for anyone. 

Rosie met Rocky around this time - unbeknownst to Max, he would prove an anchor to the both of them, although even more so to Rosie. 

Eventually the Ranch caught up on her shit, and she was practically forced to do her share of work. It was hard at first, due to the detorriation of her body, both from malnourishment, alcohol abuse and because she was still recovering from the Golisopod inflicted wound. She did not manage any heavy lifting and started to tend to the Pokémon instead. Cleaning out their boxes, feeding them, all whilst keeping her distance from other people still. Until Rosie introduced her to Rocky - with such a sunny, carefree demeanor that it was very, very hard not to feel comfortable in his presence. Seeing Rosie befriending him did something to Max. Some sort of relief washed through Max - despite everything that had happened to her friend, she was still capable of forming connections. And shame. Shame for not being there for her like she should have been. That someone else started to fill this role. It took her another week to process it, and finally, finally show some semblance of change everyone was desperate to see in her.

Max left her room more often to spend tentative time with Rosie, although she never discussed anything that had ocurred on Aether Paradise. Keeping it casual, as easy as she could, Max did try to mend the bond between them. But the nightmares still haunted her at night, reminding her of how close she had been to losing everything she cared for. Rocky could sense it - through whatever empathy he had within him, he could sense what sort of demons haunted Rosie’s friend.

And offered to train her, and her Pokémon.

For so many years, Max had been behind the training of her Pokémon. It was the sole reason why Guzma had come so close to killing them - killing her, even. And the offer did scare her, a lot, because it is hard to shed the level of overprotection Max held over her team. Still, if there was one thing Max knew she could never let happen again, it was this:

She would not be weak anymore. Her Pokémon deserved to be prepared for everything. Her Pokémon deserved to be trained.

So she accepted. Every morning, for two hours before her work started, she would meet Rocky and train with him. And when she finished work and he was busy, she would take her Pokémon to the fields and do it herself. It was the one purpose she had missed in the past two months, a void that slowly filled, a sense of doing the right thing. The healing slowly began.

But, even years down the road, Rosie will still not know that the guilt had never left Max. It is the one truth Max swore to take into her grave. 

[myssamyss]

Wings and Horses Pt 1: Expecting

Summary: Because sometimes a family is you and your wife and the eight reincarnated versions of yourself across time that you picked up on your travels. The Hero of Time and Malon face marriage, pregnancy, loss, and happiness.  

Fits within the LU cannon (all credit for the universe to https://linkeduniverse.tumblr.com/), basically my headcanon about what was going on off-screen.

TW: Blood, loss

Part 1: Expecting

2 years before LU

Malon hummed a familiar tune while chopping greens to garnish dinner. It was the first day in many weeks that she hadn’t felt ill, and she was going to make the most of being out of bed. A queasy feeling still lingered deep in her middle, but she ignored it. She had been growing restless from all the rest. There was so much yet to do.

She glanced around the kitchen and smiled. It was a good thing they weren’t fancy folk, she thought to herself, as there weren’t any breakable heirlooms to put away. Maybe some of her husband’s weapons would need to find new homes somewhere higher up and out of reach. Of course, it would still be over a year before they had to worry much about that, she reminded herself gently.

She shook her head and giggled. She really was getting ahead of herself, wasn’t she? Still, she dreamed of when their kitchen would be filled with more laughing voices. She longed for little ones to gather around the well-worn wooden table while she made stew for more than just three people. Maybe even for five, six, or seven? Link hadn’t seemed opposed.

The back door opened with a familiar creak and Link strode into the kitchen. His good eye crinkled warmly as he beamed at her, crossing the room in a few large steps to gather her into a hug.

“How are you feeling, darling? Better?” he asked excitedly. “That smells delicious,” he added. He gently placed a hand over her abdomen. She stacked her hands firmly atop his, accentuating the small bump that had finally made its appearance a few weeks before.

“I think we’re doing good today,” she told him as she burrowed into his arms. “I might’ve finally convinced this little sweetheart to stop making me so sick, seems like they’re learning how to listen,” she joked.

Link chuckled in the back of his throat. “Please. Our kid? Listening? Doubtful.” He kissed the top of her head playfully.

Link smelled of sweet grass and horses and sweat. For a boy who didn’t have much experience with farming, her husband had settled into days on the ranch as if he’d never done anything else. Even the silent sadness that gripped him some nights was becoming further between, swept away by the loving years of their marriage. It was the perfect time for this child to come into their lives.

She beamed up at him. “Alright,” she said, “wash up, I’m almost done here, and could you grab my father and let him know soup’s gonna be- oh,” she stiffened and let out a small gasp of pain.

Link’s eye widened with concern, briskly moving his strong hands to hold her shoulders. “What?” he asked.

Malon took a few breaths and steadied herself against the counter. Then she brought a hand to her belly and laughed.

“Guess you were right. This kid’s gonna be a little punk,” she said affectionately.

Link let out his breath and smiled. Reassured, he wrapped her in another quick hug then left to get ready for dinner.

 As Malon dished out the soup, she was dismayed that her pain only grew more intense. At least the pain was more manageable than the nausea, she reminded herself. She could work through pain.

She turned to place the steaming soup bowls on the table and felt her head spin with the movement. She did her best to set the bowls down with care before sinking into the nearest chair. Her vision darkened for a moment. She felt her heart beating in her throat.

More water, she told herself, that’s what she needed. It shouldn’t come as any surprise that she was still a little woozy after being sick for so long. She hauled herself to her feet and finished setting the table.

Soon Malon, her father, and Link were taking their seats around the table. The last rays of the day’s sunlight were streaming into the cozy kitchen. Her father talked of business in town. Link complimented her stew. They all laughed as her father made a good-natured joke about Link’s cooking, which they had been subsisting on for the last few weeks that Malon had been unwell. The two men began to tease each other gently as she grew quiet.

Malon felt warm, as if she had taken too much drink. The pain inside of her was worsening. She felt her eyelids flutter closed. Then a sudden, stronger pain shot through her abdomen.

“Malon?” Link called out. His voice held a surprised concern. He sounded far away.

She wanted to reach out to him and calm him as she usually did, but she couldn’t find him in the sea of black that had overtaken her vision. She was falling. She barely felt the floor as she made impact.

“Malon!” Link yelled out again, full of fear. She heard his chair clatter to the ground.

“Talon, there’s blood, there’s blood here!” he shouted. “Malon, darling!”

She had never heard so much panic in his voice. He was shaking her shoulder.

Her father’s voice came next, sounding equally terrified. His words poured out rapidly.

“The doctor. You’ll have to ride to him,” Talon said.

“I’m not LEAVING her!! MALON!” her husband cried out as if in pain.

“Link! You’re far faster on a horse than I am. You must!”

“I-“ Link protested.

“GO. We need the doctor to stop the bleeding, you can’t help her!”

There was silence.

“Yes. Alright.” The words were short and steeled.

She heard the door slam. Then she lost consciousness.

***

Malon awoke in her bed. A deep fatigue and an aching pain gripped her. She struggled to open her eyes. Moonlight filtered in through her window.

She slowly turned her head to see Link sitting at her bedside.

His head hung in his hands.

“Link...” she struggled.

He glanced up. He tried to force his face into an encouraging smile, but she knew him too well. She had seen the depth of sorrow in his expression before he could conceal it.

“Malon, I love you,” he whispered as he reached out to comfort her. Silent tears began falling from his eye.

Malon wept.

[katedoesfics]

Shadows of the Yiga | Chapter 31

Link hated Zelda’s ‘sit and wait’ plan. He didn’t enjoy sitting around and waiting for anything, especially when hero work was involved. It was in his nature, now; he wanted to do everything he could to keep not just Hyrule safe, but Aryll, Rusl, and his friends. Now more than ever with his little time left. His father’s appearance occupied much of the day before, but now that things had settled, his mind raced with thoughts of the Yiga Clan. What were they up to? What was Dorian up to? Were Paya and Purah safe? Would the shrine have the answers they needed? And what if they didn’t? Would he have enough time to stop the Yiga Clan?

All the unanswered questions and all his worries weighed heavily on his mind and the anxiety of it all only made him feel sick to his stomach. His friends seemed just as agitated as he was, and they even took to acting out like misbehaved children. Revali and Kit occupied their time by teasing the goats, and running for their lives when the goats had finally had enough. Daruk seemed to be more concerned with staying out of sight of Talon’s three hounds, who always seemed to sniff him out and chase after him in search of affection and treats. Riju kept Mipha and Urbosa on their toes, often wandering out to the far back side of the pastures to use her power in hopes of finally being considered one of the Champions. Aryll was the most behaved among them and took to helping Talon with the animals and other various chores around the ranch.

For lack of anything else to do, Link joined his sister as she happily made her way to the barn. The animals had all been fed and were let out for the morning, and Aryll was all too eager to muck the stalls and clean around the barn. She cranked the volume on the dusty radio in the barn and danced and sang along with the music without a care in the world. When they were finished, they made their way to the back pastures where they found their father cooing to one of the horses.

Aryll perched herself on the fence beside her father and grinned. “So, that’s where Link gets it from,” she said. “You’re a sucker for little fuzzy animals.”

“No,” Rusl started. “Just the ones that could kill you with a single kick.”

“You know.” Aryll straightened proudly. “I could teach ya how to ride. I’m the best. Way better than Link. I win every time we race.”

“Oh, yeah?” Rusl raised a brow at his daughter. “I’d like to see that.”

Aryll hopped down from the fence and made her way over to her favorite horse. She climbed onto the horse’s back and kicked him forward. “Let’s do it!”

Link crossed his arms. “Get down,” he hissed. “You’re not going anywhere.”

“Well, you know what?” she said. “You can’t tell me what to do anymore.”

Link sneered at her. “Yes I can. You’re not going out, and that’s final.”

“Hey, fuck you,” she barked. “You’re not my father.”

Link turned a helpless gaze to his father and Rusl laughed.

“No, no, you’re doing great,” he said. “You really have the Dad thing down pat.”

“Fuck you,” Link muttered.

Rusl hopped the fence. He patted the horse’s neck, then climbed easily on it’s back.

“What are you doing?” Aryll asked. “You need a saddle. You don’t even know how to ride.”

Rusl grabbed mane and pressed his heels into the horse’s side. The horse moved forward, and Rusl directed him around in a circle. “Ah, I think I’ll be fine.”

Aryll narrowed her gaze on him. “You can ride?”

“I guess we’ll find out,” he said. “Let’s go.”

Link stepped in front of the gate as Rusl leaned over to open it. “Will you quit it?” he hissed.

“Stop being such a party pooper,” Rusl said with a grin. He kicked his horse on and Link had no choice but to step out of the way. As soon as they cleared the gate, Rusl kicked his horse again, and they broke into a gallop.

Link muttered under his breath. He whistled sharply for his own horse and climbed on as Aryll, too, galloped out of the pasture to follow their father. Link kicked his horse forward and hurried to catch up with them.

To his surprise, his father was well in the lead and had managed to stay on. But Aryll was not messing around, and she urged her horse faster still until she caught up to Rusl, leaving Link to bring up the rear. When they reached the tree line, they slowed slightly, and just as Link caught up to them, Aryll pushed ahead. She veered off the normal path, taking the other path around as she usually did to jump over the fallen trees that blocked the path. Rusl followed close behind, and he and his horse easily cleared the logs behind Aryll.

Back on the main path, Rusl caught up to his daughter once more, and the horses galloped neck and neck until they broke out of the tree line and across the meadow. They didn’t stop until they reached the top of the hill, turning the horses as they waited for Link to catch up.

“Wow,” Rusl said sa Link finally reached them. “You weren’t kidding. He does suck.”

Aryll crossed her arms. “Yeah, but not that much,” she said. “He was holding back.”

“So, what’s your excuse?” he said, turning to his daughter.

“Me? My excuse?” She scoffed. “What’s your excuse? How the hell do you know how to ride like that?”

“I grew up on a farm,” Rusl said simply.

“Since when?” Link asked, narrowing his gaze on his father.

“Oh, I dunno,” he started. “Since I was around ten I guess.”

“Your parents had a farm?” Aryll asked eagerly.

“Hell, no,” Rusl said. “My parents were trash. They went to jail when I was eight and I was bounced around in foster homes.”

Aryll frowned. “Really?”

“I was a terrible child,” he continued with a grin. “I stole and crashed a car when I was nine. Among other things.”

“I guess that’s where you get it from,” Link muttered to his sister, but Aryll was not amused.

“I wasn’t the one driving!”

Rusl narrowed his gaze on her. “You crashed a car?”

“N-no,” she stammered. “Cremia did.”

“Because you were all drunk,” Link said.

“You what?” Rusl sneered.

“Hey, shut up, you weren’t there!” She quickly tried to turn the subject back to him. “I’m way more innocent than you were.”

“I would hope so,” Rusl muttered. “That’s how I ended up on the farm. No one wanted me around.” He smiled. “But there was this woman who apparently loved to take on all the trouble kids and put ‘em to work. Her name was Telma. And she didn’t take shit from anyone.”

“I don’t believe it,” she said.

“Not everyone had a perfect childhood like you did,” Rusl pointed out.

“Perfect is a stretch,” Aryll said. “I’m pretty sure the government would have taken me away if they knew I lived on peanut butter and banana sandwiches and pizza.”

“But did you die?”

Aryll smiled. “So, Telma. How come we’ve never met her?”

“She died when I was twenty,” Rusl said.

“Oh.” Aryll hesitated. “So, you were a troubled foster child who lived on a farm with Telma and learned to ride horses.”

“Yup.”

“And then what?”

Rusl sighed. “And then what?”

“Clearly we know nothing about you,” she pointed out. “And I know even less about Mom. I want details.”

Rusl paused to think. “There isn’t anything else to tell,” he said. “I joined the service when I turned eighteen. I met your mother when I was twenty-two. For some reason, she agreed to marry me, and we had two pain in the ass children together.” He grinned. “The end.”

“Wow,” Aryll muttered. “Some life story.”

“It wasn’t that exciting.”

“That can’t be true,” Aryll said. “Something exciting must have happened. Like a top secret mission when you were in the army!”

Rusl hesitated. “There were a few times the Yiga Clan ambushed us,” he said simply. “When we were in Faron.”

“What was in Faron?” Aryll pressed. “A secret Yiga Clan base?”

“No,” Rusl said. “But we lived there for a while. After Link was born.”

“You did?” Aryll frowned. “Why did you leave?”

“Because the Yiga were after Link,” he said. “Impa promised us she could protect us in the city, so that’s where we went.”

Aryll considered this for a moment. “The Yiga Clan attacked you guys?”

“Yup.”

“But you made it to the city?”

“More or less.”

She narrowed her gaze on him. “What’s that supposed to mean?”

“Your mother made it with Link,” he said.

She narrowed her gaze on him. “What about you?”

“We had a convoy across the kingdom,” he said. “They were with one of the Sheikah and I tailed behind. There were quite a few of us to throw the Yiga off in case they were following us. But they found your mother and Link and tried to drive them off a bridge.”

Aryll’s eyes widened. “No way. You’re full of shit.”

Rusl narrowed his gaze on his daughter. “The Yiga don’t fuck around,” he said. “I’ve told you they’ve been a pain in my ass for years.”

Aryll hesitated. “So, what happened?”

“Your mother got away safely.”

“How?”

Rusl sighed. “I drove my car into them and we flipped off the bridge.”

“And you lived? ”

Rusl laughed. “No.”

Aryll blinked at him. “What?”

“We fucking went into the lake,” Rusl said. “No one lived.”

“But… you’re alive.”

“By some dumb fucking luck,” he muttered. “Dorian saved me.”

“Wait. And the Yiga Clan dropped it? Just like that?”

Rusl shrugged. “Guess they figured we all died. Link included. And in the end, that’s what they wanted.”

“Unless Dorian went back and told them the truth,” Link said. His gaze was narrowed on his father.

Rusl shrugged. “Maybe he did. Maybe he didn’t. Regardless, it kept them quiet for a while. They spent the next few years preparing for Ganondorf and opening the portals around Hyrule.”

“That was them?” Link sneered.

“Well, who else would it be?”

Link hesitated. He pulled his gaze away from his father. “We should have dealt with them ten years ago,” he said. “If I had known -”

“There was nothing you could have done,” Rusl said. “And I certainly wasn’t going to let you try to stop them. Not after you barely survived Ganondorf. The Master Sword needed to be returned before the Yiga Clan could get their hands on it. And that’s the best thing you could have done at the time. You were safe under Impa’s ward; the Yiga Clan weren’t getting their hands on you as long as you remained in the city.”

“That’s how they found us?” Aryll asked softly. “Because we left the city?”

“Yes.”

Aryll hesitated. “So, after everything you did for us, we fucked everything up.”

“It was bound to happen sooner or later,” Rusl said with a shrug. “Link would have eventually found out about the Yiga Clan and he would have gone out to try to stop them. There was nothing I could have done to prevent that. Even faking my own death, apparently.”

“You did that… to stop Link?”

“I was their captive,” Rusl said. “I was MIA. Roham had no choice but to tell you I died. And you were better off believing that. When I got out, I couldn’t go back. I would have brought the Yiga Clan right to you both. And there was no way I could have come back and explained what had happened. Link would have learned the truth, and he would have gone after the Yiga Clan. He would have walked right into their hands, which is exactly what they wanted.” He shrugged. “I don’t even think they bothered to look for me. They wanted me to go back. Anything to lure Link to them. I didn’t have a choice if I wanted to keep you both safe.”

“They got us, anyway,” Aryll muttered.

“Yeah, they did,” Rusl said slowly. “And that’s why I came back. You were in too deep. If I wanted to protect you both, I couldn’t stay in hiding. I knew Link would try to take them on himself, so I had to stop him from getting himself killed, again.” He turned to Link, emphasizing the last bit, but Link rolled his eyes and turned away.

“This is all fucked up,” Aryll said. “No wonder Link doesn’t trust anyone.”

“Welcome to your fucked up family,” Rusl said. He turned his horse around to head back into the forest.

“I don’t know if I’d say you’re fucked up,” Aryll started. “But certainly unique. I don’t think anyone could top a hero brother and a father who came back from the dead.”

“You’d be surprised,” Link muttered. “Give it time. Something else is bound to pop up.”

Rusl grinned over his shoulder. “You really don’t want to get any deeper than you already are.”

Aryll frowned. “How much deeper can we get?”

“Depends on how much of the truth you want to know,” Rusl said. “Hyrule is built on secrets. Hylia even has her own secrets.”

“How so?” Aryll asked, her gaze narrowed on her father. “She’s a Goddess. How can you possibly know she has secrets?”

“It’s our job to know,” Rusl said. “Hylians are the embodiment of Hylia.” He glanced at his daughter. “Maybe you haven’t noticed, but we’re not like everyone else.”

Aryll hesitated. “Well, yeah, I guess.”

“That being said, we’re not exactly like Hylians once were, either. The bloodlines have changed through the generations. There are very few true Hylians left. Even those that remain do not carry the same power that Hylians once had.”

“What are you saying?”

“Hylians are dying out,” Rusl said frankly. “The Sheikah are dying out. And once we do, so will Hylia. No one believes in her like they once did.”

Aryll frowned. “So, what secrets does she have?”

Rusl glanced at his children. “It’s not important,” he said after a moment.

Link narrowed his gaze on him. “It sounds important.”

“It’s not,” Rusl insisted. “The point is, this war gets deeper with every rebirth of the hero. With every generation, Hylia’s powers weaken.”

“What does that mean?” Aryll pressed.

“It means that Hyrule is coming to its end,” Rusl said. “Not in our lifetime, but soon. The Hylians will be extinct, and as a result, the spirits of the hero will not be reborn. Ganondorf will rise and Demise will return to power.”

“So, what’s the point of all of this if he’s going to get his way in the end, anyway?” Aryll sneered.

“That’s not for us to decide,” Rusl said. “Whatever happens in the end is beyond our control. All we can do is buy Hyrule time. We stop Ganondorf every time and hope that somewhere down the line, there is a way to break the curse.”

“You’re leaving the entire future of the world up to chance?” Link sneered.

Rusl turned to him. “What do you think you can do about it?”

“I wouldn’t stand around and do nothing.”

“The Sheikah have been trying for years,” Rusl assured him. “No one is standing around and doing nothing.”

“What in the hell did we do to deserve this damn curse, anyway?” Aryll muttered.

“The Goddesses took everything from Demise,” Rusl explained. “This world belonged to him.”

Aryll blinked at her father. “That’s… that’s not true!”

“It is. Whether you want to believe it or not. He was originally intended to keep the Triforce safe, but he abused that power. That’s when Hylia stepped in to stop him and sealed him away.”

“The Triforce belongs to Demise,” his father said, his voice strong. “It has since the dawn of time. We’re here to return it to its rightful owner.”

Link stared blankly at him for a moment, then narrowed his gaze. “What are you talking about?”

“Hylia has covered this truth throughout the ages. That’s why Sheikah have abandoned the royal family. That’s why the Yiga Clan exists; to bring back the truths of this world.”

Link searched his father’s gaze desperately. “You can’t be serious…”

“The Goddesses thought they sensed evil intent in Demise, so they took the Triforce from him and entrusted it with Hylia instead. They wrongly accused him and sealed him away. That’s why Hyrule has fallen to his supposed curse. That’s why Hyrule belongs to Demise.”

Link’s stomach knotted sickeningly. The conversation he had with his father was so vivid. He had brushed it off as a hallucination at first… but was it real? Was this his father’s plan all along? To push himself into their lives, regain their trust, and send them to their deaths?

“Hyrule doesn’t belong to him,” Aryll insisted. “Not if he had evil intent.”

“You’re right,” Rusl said. “But that’s how it was. That’s why things are this way.”

“And there’s nothing we can do to prevent this?” Aryll asked softly.

“It’s nothing you need to worry about,” Rusl said.

“But we should be worrying about it,” Aryll said, raising her voice. “We should be doing something!”

“The Sheikah have dedicated their lives to this,” Rusl said. “If there’s a way to change Hyrule’s future, they will find it.” He looked over his shoulder, noticing then that Link had fallen behind. His horse was grazing happily, and Link’s forehead was creased as he stared at the ground, deep in thought.

“Look,” Rusl started. “I’m sorry I said anything. I wasn’t going to because I knew you would try to make this your problem. But I promised no more secrets.”

Link looked up and met Rusl’s gaze. No; it couldn’t have been real. If it were, then they would have already had this conversation. Rusl would have remembered - would have known that he said what he said to Link - and never would have showed up in their life like he did, otherwise Link would have taken him out himself. Link would have known him to be a traitor. It was only logical, then, that his conversation with his father was a hallucination. Still, it didn’t explain how he could have imagined such a conversation when he never knew this information to begin with.

“What’s wrong?”

His father’s face was creased with worry.

“You told me this,” Link started. “When I was there.” His brows furrowed and he looked down at the ground. “Except you were working with them. You tried to get me killed.” He hesitated. “If it were just a hallucination, how could I have known that?”

His father didn’t seem fazed by Link’s words. “It’s part of who we are,” he said. “It’s a subconscious kind of knowledge. Like the power of the Triforce. You really didn’t know it was there until you needed to know.”

“The voice of Hylia,” Aryll said softly. “That’s what they say, right? That only Hylians can hear her. We just don’t really listen anymore, do we?” She frowned. “We’re responsible for our own demise.”

“Maybe, maybe not,” Rusl said. “Even the Sheikah can’t know for sure what the future holds. There’s almost always more than what meets the eye.”

[anotherlifefic]

Chapter 35: A Trial of Friendship

 I was walking through the forest, watching the sun send it‘s beams through the leaves of the trees. It was warm, and comfortable. Judging by that, it must have been late spring or early summer. Taking a deep breath, I walked over to a bush in full bloom, plucking a few flowers and weaving them into a flowercrown. Maybe I could make Link wear it once I rejoined him. Then I heard a giggle from beyond the trees in front of me. Curious, I stepped forth, only to find Link sitting at the edge of a small pond, watching a very naked Jenna dance around in the water. I dropped the crown, and all I managed to produce was a long, tormented wail.

„Rebecca?! Rebecca, wake up!“ I woke with a start, only to find Jenna and Link crouching next to me. Link grabbed my shoulders and pulled me into his arms. „We woke up from you crying and feared that we had been attacked!“ „I… I‘m sorry. I just had a nightmare.“ I wrapped my arms around his shoulders. Jenna averted her eyes. „We have to get going“, she said after a few seconds. Link let go of me, but still helped me get to my feet. „We should already be close to the border of Hyrule.“ „But we haven‘t seen any sign of the shard yet!“, Jenna said. I looked at around… and then at my companions. „I… I think we did. We just didn‘t know.“ „What do you mean?“, Link inquired. „The illusion we saw yesterday. Jenna‘s perfect reality? Maybe that was it.“ Link crossed his arms in front of his chest. „That would require Ganondorf to know that we would be travelling with Jenna.“ „Maybe it wasn‘t directed at Jenna, per se. Maybe it just showed the perfect reality of the first person to look at it. And that just happened to be Jenna. I mean, thus far, all of the traps Ganondorf laid out for us were designed to somehow mess with out minds. And who knows what this fake Link would have told us if we had stayed to listen.“ Jenna stared at me blankly, then looked away again. „So I will be able to see him again?“ I sighed. „Yes, but we need to be careful. VERY careful.“

We retraced our steps back to the farmhouse, and while we walked, Jenna asked:„So what was that nightmare about?“ I bit my lip. „It was… it was nothing. Say, Jenna… do you think we could really be friends, you and I?“ She was quiet for a moment, but her hand was tensing up around mine. „It would be difficult.“ She looked at Link, who was still walking ahead of us, and continued in a low voice. „I still love your husband, after all.“ I lightly squeezed her hand back. „No hard feelings about that. You‘re far from the only one. I‘ve gotten used to it.“ More or less, I added mentally, still trying to forget the image from my dream of Link watching Jenna bathe.

Once we reached the farmhouse again, the other Link came running up to us, grabbing Jenna and pulling her away from Link and me. „Oh Jenna, my love! I am so happy that you returned to me!“ Jenna tensed up in his embrace, her hands tightened into fists. „Are you really my Link?“ „Of course I am, my beloved!“ He covered her face with kisses, and as he did so, the children came running out of the house again, screaming „Mommy Mommy!“ at the top of their lungs. I continued to hold onto Link and just watched the scene unfold. Jenna in the arms of a copy of my husband, and their children around them. There was something strangely peaceful about it. Link lightly squeezed my hand. „That‘s not me“, he assured me. „I‘m here and I love you.“ I sighed softly. „I know. I just thought that it‘s so cruel that we can‘t let Jenna have that kind of happiness.“ „Hmhm...“ Then he pulled me past the loving family. „Come on. We should search the house while the illusions are still distracted.“

The house was nicely furnished, with a lot of decorative cushions and elaborate carvings in every wooden surface. Link and I split up, hoping that we wouldn‘t get lost. He went up the stairs while I searched the downstairs area for any sign of the shard. While I did so, I always looked out of the window to see if Jenna was still keeping the other Link occupied. My heart grew heavy when I saw her like this. She deserved this kind of happiness… but how could she get it if I was married to the man she loved? For the probably millionth time that annoying little voice in my head told me that everyone would be happier if I had never met Link. Everyone but me that is. But I just had to be selfish and put my happiness over the happiness of everyone else… I shook my head and continued my search, going through chests and drawers and even an ice box that seemed to just be cold without anything keeping it that way. No luck. And while I rushed past the entrance door to check around the fireplace, I overheard the fake Link say: „You do not need any friends, my darling. In fact, they are probably just using you. And what will happen if you continue helping them? They are going to take you away from me.“ „But Link… my love… They are...“ „And that shadow bearing my face“, the other Link continued. „You love him, because he looks like me, right? What am I supposed to think about this, Jenna? That you just run after every man who looks even a bit like me? If you truly loved me… the real me, you would get rid of this imposter and his little wife. And then you and I could be together forever, and live our life here, with our darling children. For you and I, we belong together. We complete each other.“ I rushed on, hoping that Jenna wouldn‘t fall for it. Either that, or Link and I would have to snap her back into reality later. But right now, I needed to focus on finding the shard… A few seconds later, Link came rushing down the stairs, a sharp, v-shaped piece of metal in his hands. The tip of the Master Sword. „Got it! And now let‘s get out of here!“

We left the house and were faced with Jenna, standing next to her Link, who was regarding us with naught but coldness in his unnaturally blue eyes. „There they are, Jenna. Now show me that you love me and that you will not stand for some imposter acting as me.“ Jenna was shaking so badly she almost dropped her weapons, her eyes darting from her Link to the real one and back. And then she looked at me. I returned her gaze calmly, and then I said: „Do you really want to spend the rest of your days in an illusion, Jenna? Live without friends, bound to this place?“ „Do not listen to her, Jenna!“, the fake Link hissed. „She would try and seduce me, given the chance! Just look at this harlot! How can you call her a friend when she takes everything you wished for for herself and won‘t let you have any happiness?!“ Jenna‘s hands tightened around her phoenix circles. „You will not speak of my friend this way.“ The blades of her weapons cut through the fake Link like he was smoke. He dissolved, and so did the children, and the house, until it was just the three of us, standing in a clearing of the woods. Jenna dropped her phoenix circles and ran up to us. To my surprise, she threw her arms around my neck and hugged me close. She was crying into my shoulder. I hugged her back, resting my chin on her shoulder. „I‘m so sorry, Jenna.“ Link came up to us and wrapped his arms around both of us, closing his eyes and sighing. „Come on. We should continue our journey. Do you want to continue travelling with us, Jenna?“ Jenna looked up from my shoulder. „I… I don‘t think so.“ „Are you sure?“, I asked gently. „You‘d be more than welcome to come along.“ She smiled hesitantly. „Thank you, but I really need some time to myself right now.“

Jenna accompanied us to the edge of the woods, where our horses were still waiting. She hugged both Link and me one last time before retreating back into the forest. She had mentioned wanting to help the Kokiri rebuild their village. „Will she be alright?“, I asked as I watched her slender frame disappear between the trees. „She made it to the village once, and I‘m sure she can do it again“, Link said confidently while lifting himself into Epona‘s saddle.

Our next destination was Kakariko, where we suspected the final two shards of the Master Sword. We rode past the ruins of LonLon Ranch again, and the sight made me tear up. Wherever Malon, Talon, Ingo and Matthias were… I hoped they were alright.

We didn‘t know what to expect when we entered Kakariko. But certainly not the entire town on their knees in front of a little, brown haired boy, who was sorrounded by a group of Gerudo… and Cassandra was with him, too. My heart leapt into my throat when I heard him speak:„That‘s right! Kneel before your prince, peasants!“ He looked at a woman kneeling among them. „YOU THERE! You‘re not bowing low enough!“ Then he turned to the tallest and probably eldest of the Gerudo around him. „Dahlia! Show her what happens when someone disrespects me!“ Dahlia… what a strange name for a Gerudo. Said Gerudo shook her head. „Don‘t forget that even as a prince, you‘re still my little brother, Gareth.“ And then she wacked him over the head with the blunt side of her naginata. „I don‘t have to take orders from you.“ „HOW DARE YOU?!“, Gareth exploded. „Father will hear of this! I will have you thrown in the dungeon! ALL OF YOU! MOTHER! Mother, tell them to do as I say!“ My heart broke at the sight. No way my son could have turned out like this. No way. My sweet little baby, the precious bundle of innocence Link and I had brought into this world, would never end up like this. We approached them further, until Gareth turned around. „And who are you?! On your knees, or do you want to spend the rest of your days in a dungeon?!“ I flinched away, and Cassandra came up to Gareth, grabbing his shoulder firmly. „Gareth, that is enough.“ He turned to Cassandra. „But Mother, these peasants won‘t respect me! Aren‘t I the prince of Hyrule? Don‘t I deserve respect?“ Cassandra gave me a somewhat apologetic look, until one of the Gerudo exclaimed:„Aren‘t these two the ones Father had been looking for? Mother, if we bring them to him, he will-“ „You will do no such thing, Adaira“, Cassandra cut in. „From now on, I want you to disregard all of your father‘s orders as much as you can without putting your safety in danger.“ Then she turned to Link and me. „Come. I think we have a lot to discuss. Come, Gareth.“ „But Mother...“ „No ‚but‘.“ She marched towards the inn, sometimes looking back to make sure we were following her. And we did. Hopefully, she could provide some answers now...

[mymind--themess]

Sugarbean -- Chapter One

It had been a week since your meeting with Ashe, and you still couldn’t get her out of your head. Work for you had been rather slow this past week due to two of your usual clients being either incarcerated or dead, and you were back up north, residing in New York state once more. You lived in a fairly large city; It wasn’t New York City, but it was second in size -- Buffalo, New York. It might as well have been NYC considering the hustle and bustle of the two cities were quite alike, as were the crime rates. Currently, you were nestled by the fireplace in your small apartment, lounging casually. Sure, you could definitely afford a mansion with all the cash you made in weapons dealing, but you preferred this adorable apartment and staying low. You were on the phone with a dear childhood friend who you had met at the best orphanage you had resided in, Marianna. (A/N: If you’ve ever read my reaper x reader, you will know exactly who she is)

“How was that trip down south to Deadlock Gorge?” Marianna asked knowingly.

“Hot,” You mumbled with a scoff as you unconsciously began to rub the beautiful necklace she had gotten you and B.O.B had been the one to give to you. “How’s Italy? Beautiful like always?”

“You know it; Although, it has definitely been a weird trip. So much has happened; I really cannot wait to see you and tell you everything at the annual reunion! You’re coming in this year, right?”

“Of course! That orphanage has been my home since I was 13; I wouldn’t miss reunion week for the world.” You replied as you smiled.

“Great! Anyways, how did the cowgirl casanova look?” Marianna said slyly.

You moved your hand to your chest in a mock dramatic gesture. “Finer than a bottle of wine!” You declared, causing Marianna to giggle.

“I don’t get why you two aren’t a thing yet; Just make a move!” She chided you through laughs, totally serious even though her tone was full of laughter.

You sighed in embarrassment. “You know I can’t! You remember our rule?”

“(Y/N)! That rule doesn’t apply if you like a cowgirl! There are no rules when it comes to cowgirls — She’s a modern day outlaw.”

You sighed, biting your lip. Maybe you should make a small mov-, no! What if she totally disregarded how you felt? You would be so damn embarressed! What if she wasn’t even in to females? “I don’t even think she’s into females.”

Marianna could be hear scoffing over the phone. “Oh no, she definitely swings the female way. Back when her and my brother Jesse were close, she told him all she fancied was girls.”

“Elizabeth Caledonia Ashe did not say fancy.” You replied in disbelief.

“You don’t know her backstory at all, do you?”

“Do... do you?”

“Jesse simply told me she was rich; Like — My grandmother’s level rich. Filthy rich.”

You thought on that for a moment. Well, it would certainly explain how she’s able to afford the weapons you sell. You were one of the most expensive dealers around because you dealt with high end clients. You never really thought of where they money came from; It dawned on you, she must’ve been pretty wealthy for the amount she could buy at a time. Which made her even more powerful in your head. You had always focused on just Ashe, never about where her money was from. “I hadn’t thought about that.”

“Because you were too busy thinking about her ass.”

You scoffed, “No... well once, but no! I was thinking about her eyes to be honest.”

“... You sound as sappy as my sister gets over her girlfriend; It makes me want to chug vodka until it drowns out you two.”

You smiled, “Hey, Marisol got her girl; Knowing Marisol she’s probably as sweet as pie. She’s ahead of me by a few steps.”

Marianna sighed, “Yeah, actually her girl is a hacker for Talon. So sweet as pie my ass. You two have always had this thing for someone screaming the word Badass.”

You couldn’t help but snigger. “Can’t wait til someone bad comes your way.”

“I’d like to see them try.” Marianna sighed. “Well, I gotta go. See you at the reunion?”

“Unless I’m wherever you are before then.”

“Pretty sure you won’t be wherever Talon Headquarters are, heh. But hey, I will be back and forth between there and my lab on the Lunar Colony! Come take a trip to the moon, maybe? I have some new gadgets of mine for you to inspect and sell,”

You nodded, sitting up from the couch as your other phone gave off a sound to notify you of a text message. That was your “business” phone. “Sounds like a plan; Just text me when you’re about to leave a few hours in advance and come scoop me up!”

“Okay! Ciao!”

“See ya!”

The two of you hung up as you picked up your other phone to see “ASHE DG” pop up. You practically almost dropped your phone from momentarily jumping for joy.

Oh!

OH!

It was her, and so soon!

“She must’ve really went through those new bombs quick.” You mumbled aloud as your heart rate calmed somewhat.

With a quick sigh, you unlocked your phone and read the text message.

Ashe 5:08 p.m. : Hey Sugarbean~

You 5:09 p.m. : I didn’t expect to hear from you so soon, Ashe. How can I help you?

You sent the text with a deep breath. You really had to stop acting like this with Ashe, you just had to! It was making you so vulnerable with your emotions, and heaven forbid she died or something! You’d be such a mess!

Soon, the notification went off again, and you quickly read the message.

Ashe 5:11 p.m. : Maybe I missed ya, darlin’. Just texting because I have a special proposition for you.

Typing a response, you raised an eyebrow as you mumbled the response aloud.

You 5:13 p.m. : Ha ha, very funny Ashe. What’s the proposition?

Ashe 5:16 p.m. : The boys and I are having a little New Year’s Eve bash. B.O.B wants you to come and I wanted to talk to you about looking into some more of those modified weapons; I’ve got the first stick-up of the year planned as somethin’ special.

A New Year’s Eve party, eh? Well, honestly, you didn’t see a reason to refuse. Go to the party, find out what Ashe wants specifically, go to the Lunar Colony to ask Marianna to build it, and then go for reunion week. It actually worked out perfectly — it was a win-win in your mind.

You 5:20 p.m.: Sounds good to me! Where’s the party going to be?

You held your breath for the response, impatient at best as you waited for the details to arrive to your phone.

Ashe 5:25 p.m.: At my ranch, which I just remembered you haven’t been to yet, Sugarbean. It’s in South Carolina, and one of the many spots I own. It’s very big and pretty hard to miss; the Desert Rose Manor. I’ll have B.O.B send you the location.

You sucked in a breath. “Wow, she really is that rich.” You said softly, biting your lip. Oh, man! You figured you had no shot in hell with Ashe.

You 5:27 p.m.: Alright, see you then!

Meanwhile, in one of the various places Ashe owned somewhere near Route 66, Ashe grinned wildly at her phone as her men stared to her in anticipation. “Did ya ask her boss?!” Charlie whispered anxiously. They all just had to know, y’know? Even B.O.B had sat down for this: everyone was trying to anticipate how the situation would turn out. This could either be very good, or very bad. If you said no, Ashe would be sad as all hell and hide it under anger she would lash at everyone else. If you said yes, you’d be practically answering the guys’ prayers for Ashe to be in a good mood before going back to the fierce leader she was in the morning.

Ashe looked up as she recieved your last text, placing her phone down and looking to her gang. “Bring on the liquor boys; Suagrbean said yes.”

Cheers errupted as B.O.B clapped for his master before walking up to her and tilting his head as if he had something to show Ashe. Ashe knew that look and gave a small pout. “Is it bad?”

The robot shook his head no and turned to walk into another room, away from the loud sounds or riled men and bottles popping open. Ashe followed and closed the door behind her. “What is it?”

B.O.B pressed his arm a few times until a voice capture popped up labled (Y/N). Ashe’s eyes widened. “B.O.B, did you... did you put a mic in the necklace?”

B.O.B stared at his human. Was it not clear for his mistress? Perhaps he had overstepped a bit, but he just hated seeing her miserable and longing for you. Especially when he could tell you felt the same. He swore to God, humans were weird.

Ashe smirked, “B.O.B, you absolute sneaky devil! I love ya! What’d she say?”

Lo and behold, B.O.B had set the mic to capture when Ashe’s name was brought up as well as Deadlock Gorge. B.O.B had your whole phone call with Marianna recorded and he played it back for Ashe until she blushed a bit with wide eyes. You hadn’t known she was rich from the jump, and didn’t even care? You weren’t afraid of who she was, just of the heartbreak of her denying you? You were just as afriad to screw this whole thing up as she was? You got lost in her eyes like she found herself getting lost in your own (e/c) orbs?

This changed everything. There was no more playing games now.

Ashe was going to have you.

And nobody else would.

Not ever.

“Thanks B.O.B, really. You always know just what to do to wake me up.”

B.O.B nodded and gestured back to the gang as if to ask Ashe if she’d like to go back in.

Ashe thought about it, before shaking her head as she crossed her arms. “Nah, not really thinking about drinking right now. What if I drunk text? I might send a nude to my Sugarbean and as much as I know now she’d enjoy it...that’d be a dumb move. Come on now, I don’t want her to think it was a drunken decision. I will win her over by being a gentlewoman to my Sugarbean. I might be a lot of things, but you didn’t raise a complete heathen.”

Ashe smirked, fixing her hat as she looked out of the large windows and down upon Route 66. “I am one hell of a winner though, and I know exactly how to play this card you’ve just dealt me.”

[morningstar-writes]

Running Out Of Time

For an event on Pkmn-Adventures. c: Zicore is part of their fakemon starters!

Flu hits the city, and Surge is hit the hardest. With her on the brink, the Pokemon team up to take on the challenge of finding the flower. But, with battling another Pokemon and time running short, will our heroes make it in time?

It had been a long journey. A very long journey. But the Zicore wasn't willing to give up. Not yet. He skidded down the mountainside, clawed feet pushing him off every so often, avoiding the boulders. Behind him, Epice was keeping pace, the flower stuck deftly in the bag against his chest. This had been such a long journey... And if it wasn't one thing, it was another. Surge had been sick for almost a month now, and the journey to get the cure had taken such a long time. Weeks had bled together, as the Pokemon battled it out. And, to top it off, Gabriel had learned his trainer was now dying. Without the flower, she wouldn't make it. He took another leap, wings opening up to catch the wind. Perhaps flying would make it faster. Epice followed suit. Wings caught the air, and they both gave a powerful beat, feathers flying. The Zicore could almost taste it. He could almost sense it. Snide had come to warn him, and now, the white and black Zicore was beside Gabriel's side, flying as fast as he could. "I can't believe it took so long!" Snide cried, as their wings beat, "And it was such a far journey!" "Yes," Gabriel answered, "I am almost certain someone has been trying to get people sick!" "Well, I have seen a couple of theives running about!" Snide answered, "Team Rocket. But a bioterror sorta thing? Nah. I think they're just trying to get the Pokemon now that people can't stop them." "How are they doing on that?" Epice asked, "Isn't there someone who has been stopping them?" "Surge," Snide answered, "But she got even sicker. She's got a weak immune system. So, I mean... she's dying. The doctor said to get there as soon as possible." "I wish we had known sooner!" Epice barked, "We'd just have not wasted the time and sent someone faster! I dunno, maybe we'd have found Celebi or something! I'm sure that Pokemon was closer!!" "Calm yourself," Gabriel answered, "It is not Surge's fault. We knew all of this already. That's why we've been doing this. And not just for her, but for the others as well. The unhatched eggs and the Pokemon that are there right now." They were silent for a while, following the stream that leads toward the city. Aerie was far from the mountain, but they hoped they would make it by sundown. Finally, just as the sun peaked over the city, they saw it. "Look!" Gabriel cried, "It seems people are beginning to get better!" "Are those cars moving?" Epice asked, "I thought people were still sick." "Well, there were a lot of Pokemon looking for the flower. So surely they must have found it." Gabriel answered, landing on the ground and trotting into the city. All around them, people bustled and worked hard, trying to make up for lost time. It seemed some had recovered on their own, and all the while they had their Pokemon by their sides. Gabriel couldn't believe it. Maybe... just maybe, they would come home and find Surge alive. Padding toward the ranch, they watched as people sped by on bikes, trainers preparing for the gym battles, and even Professor Amethyst working. She smiled at them as they passed, and Gabriel nodded at her. Passing the gates to Morningstar ranch, the Pokemon were greeted by a tearful ground. Erased whimpered, and Redemption looked down at the ground. "What's going on?" Gabriel demanded. "Surge has taken a turn for the worst," Talon growled out, "She's too weak to open her eyes! And she can't even move anymore. It's bad..." "Well, we're here now," Gabriel answered. "Let's go," Epice said, pushing past the crowd and hurrying up to the main building. Doctors and nurses milled about, and someone padded in after him. Professor Amethyst looked down at Epice, a sad smile on her face. "It's good to see you back from your journey," She said softly, "Do you have the flower?" Epice pulled the green flower from his pack and placed it in her outstretched hand. She sighed, "I... Epice, this is the wrong flower." "WHAT?!" Epice cried, "We... We failed?" His tail tucked in between his legs, as the other two Pokemon stepped in. "I'm afraid so," Professor Amythest answered, "We'll figure something out, don't worry!" "Don't worry?!" Epice cried, "But... she's going to die... she's going to..." He took off, and Gabriel chased after him. Tears filled Epice's eyes and he stifled a sob, pressing toward the forest. It wasn't fair! Why did their trainer have to die?! Why'd she have to get the bad luck?! He stopped in front of the shrine, dedicated to Suicune and Solgaleo, the Guardian's of the ranch. Gabriel stepped beside him, sniffling, "What are we going to do?" He asked, "I don't think we can save her in time!!" "I don't either!!" Epice shook his head, "What can we do, Gabe?" Gabriel looked up at the shrine, tucked his tail between his legs and whimpered out an offered prayer. "Please, guardians. Solgaleo and Suicune... Please... Please help our trainer!! She doesn't deserve to die!! She doesn't!!" "We offer ourselves in her stead!" Epice added, "Just... please let Surge live!!" "Well now, I was already planning on doing that," A voice spoke up above them, and they jumped. Solgaleo landed on the ground, Suicune beside him. "I didn't think we'd let anyone die. Not yet, anyway." Solgaleo answered, "But... you have our blessing. She will be healed." "Yes," Suicune said, "I know you tried hard. We've been watching you. You tried to do everything for your trainer. So, we have brought a blessing." Pushing something forward, the Pokemon looked down. The flower... the one they had been searching for, was there. "Thank you," Gabriel whispered. "Yes," Solgaleo smiled, "ANd we don't require a sacrafice. This was a test. And you two have proven so strong through out it. Now... let's get you back home!!" A flash of white light, and the Pokemon shilded their eyes. Looking up, they were beside Surge's bed. The flower right in the mixture. Amythest looked surprised, but then smiled, administering the medication. "She's improving!" She beamed, "Within a few days, why... she'll be healthier than she's ever been! But, how did this medicine even get made?" "Er... we made it," Gabriel grinned, "With a little help." "A little help?" Surge wheezed out, cracking her eyes open, "I thought... I thought..." "Shh... rest," Epice grinned, "We'll explain it all tomorrow."

[spiffyb]

Annabelle’s Totem

Deep in the Ya Ha Tinda, forests filled with firs and aspen trees are punctuated with fields of wild horses, Mustangs running free in the wind which shakes the tall, coarse grass.

           Annabelle gazed out the window of the cherry red pick-up truck, which was firmly closed to stop the dust getting in, as she drove along the dirt road to nowhere. Her GPS had cut out over a mile ago, and she wondered how she was going to find the ranch in the first place. Luckily, all the roads were in grid out West, which made things easier, and there was no traffic to speak of. But there were also no gas stations. The nearest one was in Sundre, so she just had to keep driving. She wasn’t lost yet.

           Finally, the trees cleared and a log cabin on a hill and a sizeable red barn, bordered by a wooden post-and-rail fence, appeared in the distance. Annabelle turned the truck into the driveway, putting it into park and climbing out to clumsily open the gate with a hand-carved sign inscribed ‘Lucky Diamond Ranch’. Sounds like the name of a Casino. After closing the gate, she pulled up right by the cabin, and looked around for signs of human life. The air was rich with the smell of horse hair, horse dung and silage.

           ‘Howdy,’ a lean man wearing a Stetson, worn-looking leather cowboy boots, Wrangler jeans and a blue plaid shirt swung one leg and the other over a fence and jumped down like an agile cat. ‘I’m Lenny.’

           Annabelle introduced herself, reluctantly shaking Lenny’s rather dirty outstretched hand. Lenny and his brother Bryn, who was really his half-brother, ran the ranch. Bryn happened to be a veterinarian, and was out on a farm call at the time. Something about a cow with a prolapsed uterus. Annabelle said she didn’t want to know.

           ‘You want anything? Coffee? Some Jack Daniels?’ Lenny offered. Annabelle had almost stepped in some horse apples.

           ‘Coffee, please.’ She followed Lenny inside the log cabin, which consisted mainly of one room, with paintings of country scenes and all manor of animal heads hanging on the walls. She took a mug of tar-like substance that smelled something like coffee in her hands, and thought better than to drink it. Lenny just smiled. He was handsome but, Annabelle thought, wasted on this solitary existence. What kind of man lives out in the boonies with his brother and other animals, anyway?

           After exchanging few words, Lenny lead Annabelle out to the paddock. The horses stood around, their coats gleaming in the bright Alberta sunlight, swishing their tails back and forth. One, a buckskin gelding, nuzzled Annabelle’s palm. ‘He likes you,’ Lenny said, ‘That one’s Joey.’

           Annabelle regarded the beast. He was around 15 hands high, probably a quarter horse and young, maybe three. ‘Is he broke?’

           ‘Yeah, he’s a fine animal,’ Lenny beamed, ‘Strong, though. Not suitable for beginner riders.’ He gestured to the gelding’s flank and powerful quarters.

           Annabelle rolled her eyes. ‘Can I take him out?’

           ‘What, all by yourself?’

           Annabelle said of course by herself. As a girl, she loved watching the show jumping at Spruce Meadows, and she had taken lessons in dressage as many years ago. Lenny shrugged and went to the barn to get a saddle. As he hoisted the leather saddle onto Joey’s gently curved back, fixing the girth in place, Annabelle noticed Lenny was smirking and shot him a questioning look.

           ‘Out here we call you folks “Coca-cola Cowboys”.’ Not funny. Annabelle found it about as amusing as she found the horn at the front of the saddle, and she unwillingly found herself imagining what sorts of injuries a person could sustain from that appendage. She said nothing while Lenny continued saddling her horse fluently. ‘Do you know how to neck-reign? No? Well, you can pony-reign if you need; most horses understand it.’ He gestured a neck-reign demonstration, which looked rather as though he were miming how to change gears in a stick-shift car. Annabelle drove automatic for a reason.

           Having mounted the horse with some elegance, Annabelle gathered the smooth, brown leather reigns in her right hand and sat straight with feigned confidence. Lenny told her to go straight across the field to the west of the ranch, and head along the well-worn path through the forest towards the Blue Mountain, said the ride took about an hour there and back.

           Commencing at a walk, Annabelle rode Joey through an open barb-wired gate into a lush green field, with hills and forests in the distance. She nudged him gently with her heels to guide him into a trot, but also squeezed him slightly with her legs, prompting Joey to burst into a gallop. His long, beige legs propelled them forwards with ease, as his hard, black hooves danced rhythmically across the field. He moved so smoothly, Annabelle felt like they were flying.

           After a while, Annabelle left the city behind and relaxed her shoulders. This expedition felt like the most natural thing in the world. For the first time in weeks, Annabelle forgot about Eric. She could have gone to a spa or done yoga in a comfortable studio with a hardwood floor and a vast window overlooking the mountains. Eschewing luxury, she opted to get as far away as possible, which the Ya Ha Tinda promised. In reality, she found herself in the middle of nowhere: the antithesis of glamour. She thought of Lenny, about how ridiculous he must have found this yahoo with her designer handbag and brand-new Levi’s.

They came into a clearing in the forest, where a large elk stood wearing a crown of great antlers. Annabelle didn’t see the elk, and neither did the horse at first, so she was unprepared when her mount leapt sideways with all four feet in the air.

           ‘Whoa, boy!’ the command came forth instinctively. ‘Whoa! I said “whoa”!’ Surprise became panic, as the horse kicked his hind legs towards the sky, bucking like a bronco at a rodeo. The rider flew into the air, and fell onto the forest floor like a bird shot out of the sky. The elk had already dashed into the woods. Annabelle picked up a small, smooth stone and threw it at the horse, who whinnied and took off down the trail. ‘Stupid animal!’

           Annabelle started to shiver slightly, and she looked up at the sky, blue streaked through with crimson, lilac, flame orange and pink, like a painting of meadow flowers: Indian paintbrushes, fireweed and pale pink Alberta roses. She pulled her denim jacket around herself. It was still Spring and the nights could get cold. Having shaken off the shock of her little misadventure, she scrambled to her feet and walked slowly to the edge of the clearing, hoping to find the trail. Appraising the ground, she couldn’t make out any hoof prints. Deer, elk, and coyote prints all mixed together. If a horse had walked there, Annabelle didn’t know. Tears sprang from her eyes, running down her cheeks like the Red Deer river which roared in the distance, too far away for her to hear.

           Grasshoppers clicked their legs, chirping softly. A small bird, high in a Balsam tree sang chick-a-dee-dee-dee, chick-a-dee-dee-dee. Compared to the city, it was so quiet, but Annabelle hated the silence and every noise the forest made. When a coyote howled like a ghost, Annabelle thought it was a wolf, great and grey with menacing fangs. In the clearing, bushes decorated with bright red berries clustered around. Although her stomach growled, she dared not touch the berries for fear they were poisonous. What Annabelle didn’t know was that these fruits were named bearberries, and the grizzlies who feasted on them were somewhere in the mountains enclosing the Ya Ha Tinda’s Western perimeter. For a moment, Annabelle took her cell phone out of her pocket and laughed. That was useless out here. There was no way to call for help. If, in her panic, she cried out frantically for help, there’s no telling what creatures she would awaken. If she climbed up a tree, there’s no way she could get away from a mountain lion, with its sharp talons and unnatural speed.

           Stick to the trails and be back before dark.

           As the sun disappeared, the painted sky turned inky black, dusted with stars. Far from the city, you could see every star with clarity, and a group of stars gathered in the shape of a ladle. And at the tip of its handle was the North Star. And if Annabelle had known this, she could have found her way back through the thick forests, down the hill and across the grassy plain. But the forest was forbidding, a sea of trees standing still like totem poles.

           Annabelle turned around. Something rustled in the bushes, heading towards her. Two brown eyes peered at her from the dark forest. Suddenly the beast burst into the clearing.

           ‘Joey!’ Annabelle cried, startled. Moonlight revealed the familiar outline of a horse. The animal had appeared like a spirit from the forest, a shadow of the history of the Stony tribe who once wandered these plains and mountains. The western wind moved through the trees, gently tousling Annabelle’s auburn mane like waves on the sea. Surrounded by this wonderful wilderness, she paused and hesitated mounting on the horse. She was lost in a dream. While her feet were planted firmly on the ground, she stood on a higher plane. While the wilderness was filled with mystic, it managed to simplify life. Before, Annabelle had only imagined that such places still existed, untouched by the urban sprawl.  Joey lowered his head and strolled shamefully towards Annabelle, who hugged his neck, as he bent his neck towards her, hugging her back. Joey looked different somehow, Annabelle thought, almost human. His big brown eyes were filled with apology. ‘I’m sorry too, boy,’ Annabelle said, gently stroking his nose. Sliding one foot in the stirrup, Annabelle got back on her horse. For a moment, she remembered she was still lost with no idea how to get back to the house.

           As they traversed the woodland in search of the trail, Annabelle breathed in the scent of lodgepole pines, listening to the call of a barn owl asking who-who-who? She couldn’t see a darn thing. The odd Alberta rosebush pricked her legs, and when Joey walked too close to a poplar she felt its corrugated bark against her calves. The young horse ambled along cautiously, until they eventually reached the edge of the forest. The night sky illuminated the field; its reflection played on the waters of a lake, so that it was impossible to differentiate the Earth from the atmosphere. Under the starlight, Joey galloped in the direction of an artificial light glowing in the distance.

‘Annabelle’s Totem’ by Barbara (Wilson) Drury (c)

[wandering-chronicler-blog]

The Wolf of Farore - Chapter 36

An Ongoing Zelda/Witcher Fusion Fic - Updates Wednesdays/Thursdays

War has come to The Kingdom of Hyrule.  The people cry for a savior as monsters and spirits stalk the once green fields of the provinces.  Famine grips the populace as the Gerudo Tribes and their blin allies strike along the borders.  Hope for peace begins to drown in the blood spilled in No Man’s Land.  But Hyrule doesn’t need another hero.  It needs a professional.

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CHAPTER 36:  OUTSIDE HELP

An hour had passed since they’d signed the contract and Link was in one of the small guest rooms connected to the commons room, tending to his wounds. It had a single round window near the ceiling that let in the dying sunlight in as he sat on the simple and very low bed. He was no doctor, but was able to at least wrap some of the damage to his body in bandages and a red potion made his body repair any broken bones. As it worked, he buckled over, realizing that the blast of magic that had landed in his chest had cracked a couple ribs. Scabbed wounds healed over in minutes. He was thankful at least that he didn’t need the entire vial and corked it. In his head, he thought about how he was going to approach talking with his sister. How he was going to tell her he was no longer an agent of The Crown. One thing he knew though was there was no way he could tell anyone who Tetra was. He forced a huffed laugh and shook his head. If they managed to have a civil conversation, the first thing he was going to tell her was her disguise needed work.

He pulled at the wolf charm around his neck to look at it a little. Midna had said that it could be used to communicate with people only if he wanted to as opposed to his old charm which was open to anyone at The Tower. He was about to try it to see if he could talk to her if she had any advice on their current situation when there was a banging on the door. He let go of it and it landed against his chest once more. “Just a sec!” he said. With a little effort, he forced himself to his tired feet and pulled his shirt on over his head. He pulled the door open. Aryll stood there, arms folded and a piece of paper in her hand.

“You have time to talk?” she asked. Her face was in a state of surprise.

“Yeah.” He moved aside so she could enter. Instead, she handed him the paper. Link looked at it. He saw a drawing of his face on it. It was identical to the one that Linebeck had shown him earlier with a 15,000 rupee reward for his capture. “Well… This is what I did want to talk to you about…”

“That my brother, a hero of The Crown is now the most wanted man in all of Hyrule?” she growled.

Link took a deep breath. “It’s a long story and involves a lot of state secrets.” He folded the wanted poster back up. “But you remember some of the letters I sent? How you said sometimes it looked like pieces didn’t line up right? Or were missing pages?”

She nodded. “Especially after that whole mess with the monsters last year.”

“There are things that can’t be told to the public. Things that if they knew, it’d cause a panic. Like The Conjunction.”

“The what?’

“The monsters that fell out of the sky in some places.” He mentally kicked himself for referring to the incident by name. “I was directly involved in stopping it. And if the towns and villages all over Hyrule knew a lot of the details I do, there’d be chaos. One or two people is one thing. But a mob?”

“…I see your point.” She let out a sigh. “There was enough worry at the ranch when those shrieking dark beasts started killing livestock.” Aryll looked back up. “Still, you left The Crown? Was it all those secrets or something else?”

“There was a massacre. Refugees fleeing the desert. One that could’ve been prevented if we’d looked at our information a bit closer.” He folded his arms and leaned in the doorway. “With everything else and feeling like I was just being used to keep the people in power and not actually helping the people who needed it, I couldn’t keep working for them.” He motioned slightly to her. “I’m sure you’d have seen some of it as well if you went to town. Especially before or during the early parts of the war.”

She nodded a little after a moment and looking away. “We took some cattle up to Castle town around the time a lot of the raids started near Lake Hylia. A lot of people were wanting to string some people up, calling them traitors and spies for The Tribes. And I saw some of the guards egging the crowd on even rather than trying to keep the peace.”

“I was there. Me and a couple other Chosen helped get some people out before the rioting started.” He looked down at the floor for a moment. “It’s become such a mess. But I’m still working. Trying to find a way to end this war.”

“By yourself?”

Link shook his head. “I’ve got help. But it’s an uphill battle I’m seeing.” He looked at the folded wanted poster in his hand. “They’re afraid I’m going to give state secrets to The Tribes I think. Among other things.”

Aryll looked like she had begun to relax a little. “Like with Medli.”

“Once I solve the missing courier problem.”

“Like when you two worked in the seas then?”

He nodded. “Yep.” Link looked back at her then and smiled a little. “I’m still trying to be that hero. But there’s people who need my help other than just The Crown.”

“Why I came here. Heard from Quill that they were missing several couriers. So I volunteered to come help however I could.” She yawned. “Besides, it was getting a little boring on Outset.”

“Glad you got there safe.”

“The letter you sent me said to get out before The Tribes reached the region. So I did just that. But only after we made arrangements with Talon to help keep the cattle safe.” She smiled. “It was good to see Malon again.”

“Saw her recently too.”

“You did?”

He nodded. “Had to make sure Epona was safe somewhere. Helped them out with a problem with their goats too.”

“Oh?”

“Yeah. It was a sort of vampire going after the goats. Didn’t kill any of them.”

“You killed it?”

“No, actually… He was cursed. So I tried to break it. Doesn’t look like it worked, but it bought us time to try and find another way.” Link rubbed his eyes then, closing them for a moment. “I have someone I can talk to about this sort of thing too. Maybe they’ll have some ideas on how to break it.”

“Aaah.”

Link glanced down at the crossbows on her hips. “Where’d you learn to shoot?”

“Would you believe Gorman’s Traveling Carnival?”

He shook his head. “No. The bows used in their shooting galleries have a lot less draw on them than repeaters like what you have.”

“Well I learned to aim at least whenever they came through.” She smiled a bit. “Did so well, was able to get entered in a couple competitions. Came in really helpful when we had to watch the cattle and there were blin raiders or monsters though.”

Link smiled a little back, seeing how proud she was of her skills, but felt a little sad hearing the news. He remembered the scared five year old girl hiding behind him in a torn blue dress with pink flowers on it as they struggled to find shelter and food with the flood of other refugees fleeing the war in the islands. Or the cold nights in the alleys of Aboda and stealing food. “I’d hoped you’d never have to pick up a weapon, Aryll.”

“I know.” The smile became a little said. “But with everything going on around us, it may have been inevitable.”

“Yeah.” He shifted his weight slightly to be a little more comfortable against the door frame. “We’ll be leaving tomorrow. Guessing you’re going to stay here?”

“No, actually.” She looked to the left for a moment. “I talked to Miss Tetra. And because I’m technically not part of her crew, I’m free to leave.”

It fit a bit with some of what he actually knew about her. At the same time, he was surprised she’d agreed to let his sister go. Link instantly wondered if she knew the relation or if the other pirates had brought it up while waiting for Tetra’s arrival earlier. “So, back to Outset or stay here and help out the mail service?”

“I was actually going to go with you.”

He moved off the doorframe and instantly was standing at attention. “What? Aryll, you heard everything they talked about in there and-”

“I know,” she interrupted. “But you’re going to need all the help you can get. And you even said in some of your letters when you were getting frustrated with some of the rough days that you wished more people would stand up and actually try and emulate the Hero of Legend.” Aryll waved her right hand outward. “What does it say about me if I’m given a chance and I don’t take it? And that my brother is one of those people that has spent his entire life working to live up to The Hero’s Ideal?” Her hand dropped to her side. Link spotted Aveil emerge from her room nearby in her new suit of armor, inspecting the fins on the forearms before he glanced back to Aryll. “There’s plenty of things I could do that doesn’t put me in the fight too if that’s what you’re worried about. I can handle charts, a steamship like Linebeck’s is going to need to have coal fed to the boilers, lots of other things too. Could use a cook too I’m sure.”

Link let out a long sigh and shook his head for a moment. “Aryll, I’ve done all this-”

“I got that. I know. But you also kept saying how important it was in those letters to help people who needed it. And… And we’re the only family we have. I know we’ve not actually grown up together, but we did send lots of letters. And there were a couple times we did see one another in those early years.”

“Yeah.” He did smile a little at it. In the face of the turmoil in his home and what they were going to face, he was torn. On one hand, she had proven herself capable. On the other though, he still saw her as the little sister he’d vowed to keep safe. And Tetra’s crew wasn’t going to get directly involved if what he reasoned she was doing came to pass. Even if her actions might have ultimately stopped the creature. He glanced down the hall again for a moment. Aveil was there talking with Linebeck then. The smuggler had a box in his hands with supplies. She took it from him. “Linebeck!”

“What?” he asked.

“When you’re done with that, go back to Zauz’s and tell him we need more silver bolts.” He looked Aryll over then. “Aveil, can you take my sister and get her some better armor?”

“She’s coming with us?” she asked.

“In a noncombat role, but I’d rather be sure she’s safe.” Aryll’s face broke into a wide grin and she threw her arms around him. He laughed a little and hugged her back. “Just promise me you’ll not actively try and get in a fight.”

“I promise,” she said, letting go.

“Alright.” He let go as well. “Go get anything else you might’ve left with the pirates too.”

“Right. I’ll do that right now!”

“Meet Aveil after though! You’re going to need armor.”

“Will do!” She waved as she ran down the ramp. Soon as she was gone, the gerudo and smuggler approached him. The smuggler put the box down.

“This a smart idea?” Linebeck asked.

“I’d welcome an extra hand honestly,” Aveil started, “she was damn good with those bows. Long as she stays directly out of a fight and plays support with those bows if we are in one, I think we’ll be okay.”

“I’m hoping that’s the case,” Link said. “I saw her perform an impressive grouping on a geozard’s heart. If she’d been using silver bolts she’d have killed it in a single shot.” He looked at Linebeck then. “What’re you worried about?”

“Well, Medli did say they could’ve been Hyrulean Privateers…” Aveil added.

The older man gave Aveil a look at her feigned ignorance. “They are. Seen plenty of other privateers in my days. Real pirates wouldn’t be negotiating like they are with the chieftain. They’d ask for the entire treasury and their ship repaired before going off. They might not’ve been so keen on your sister joining us too. And on the other hand, they could have been planning something.” He glanced down at the poster in Link’s hand. “They clearly know who you are. And it’s probably only because of their captain not wanting to piss off the mailmen that they’re not trying anything.”

“Just another reason to get her away from them,” Link said. He was going to have another conversation with her later. He’d already decided it, but was going to have to make sure one of the topics was Tetra. Link looked back at Linebeck then. “Will we be ready in the morning to go?”

“Not a problem. Just need to get a couple more things now that we’ll have another. Medli said she’d be getting you two some of your drinks too.”

“Drinks?” Aveil asked.

“Our potions,” Link said. He looked at her for a moment. “I saw you get ones that’d kill someone if a normal person drank them back on Windfall.”

“If we’re going after something like Bellum, we need every advantage we can get,” she said.

“Agreed.”

Once the details were set, Link returned to his room with a yawn. He reached behind with his hand to rub the back of his neck and stretched a little before sitting back down on the bed. Given what they were up against, they were going to need every advantage they could get. Link looked out the window again, seeing the twilight peering through. He lifted the wolf charm around his neck to look into its emerald eyes before squeezing his fingers around it.

“Hello?” he asked through his mind and focusing magic into the charm. “Are you there?” He heard no response. “Midna?”

“Just a sec,” he heard her say.

“Okay.” He leaned back on the bed then and closed his eyes in time to see a flicker of light and shadow. It formed into a tall figure standing before him wrapped in silk robes while shadow wrapped around her arms, chest and right leg. The markings on her arms glowed brightly as her crystal floated over her shoulder. Her hair was up in a style he’d only seen once before, along with an elegant long hairpin in the back. Resting on her forehead was a spiral piece of jewelry with a precious stone in the middle of its top. He didn’t realize it, but his jaw had fallen open.

“Alright. Just got out of a meeting,” the Twilight Princess said, glancing through a parchment that floated next to her. “Been in them almost constantly with other clan diplomats since getting back and...��� That familiar smirk of hers played on her lips as her eyes went to him. “Still speechless I see.”

He’d only seen her dressed as such once before and mentally kicked himself for repeating the same reaction. “Uh, y-Yeah,” he managed to say. Her grin only grew wider. “Sorry. I... you look good.”

She laughed for a moment as the parchment vanished into magic. “Well, I am a princess. Even if I don't look the part when running all over with you!”

“Fair. Fair enough.” Link smiled sheepishly.

“Mmm.”

He took a deep breath, composing himself. “You doing alright since,.. everything?”

“Yeah. I am,” Midna replied with a nod. The smirk faded from her painted lips. “There's… there's been a lot of stress though since I got back. Clans discussing The Light World all over again and what should be done.”

“Anyone ask the question you don't want to hear yet?”

She rolled her eyes. “Was one of the first damn questions today.” Midna shook her head and sighed as she moved to a reclining position. He wouldn’t be surprised if she was using her magic to float wherever she was. “Thankfully was shot down fast as not being a productive area of discussion.”

Given what they were up against, the possibility of having a sorceress with them was too great to not pass up. “Any chance that-”

“No. My father has made it very clear. Travel to other worlds is forbidden for the foreseeable future.”

“Oh.”

She smirked at him, even though her eyes looked a little more apologetic than the rest of her features, if even only for a moment. “Don't worry. I'll still get you your book.” She reached up and gently removed the hairpin and pulled her hood back. “He's worried that what happened could cause someone to come looking. Hell, when you and Ravio were with me in The Twilight, first thoughts were you two were the vanguard to an invasion.“

“Yeah.”

“I think too I can convince him that having someone who can communicate with some people in Hyrule and Lorule would be in our best interests. So the ban may end up just for people who aren't cleared.”

He raised an eyebrow. “Do you guys go back and forth often?”

“No. You've seen me set up the spellwork for moving between worlds post-conjunction. Takes a lot of training, time and magic to do it. Unless you have a damn good reason for it, a twili isn't going to hop between worlds. And since The Conjunction we've been watching the fabric of our realm for breaches. So if someone does try it, we'll know.”

“Smart.”

Midna chuckled a little then. “I doubt you called me up just to discuss transdimensional magic. And I know you didn't to talk politics. Soooo...”

“I need your help with some research,” Link said plainly. “And for better or worse, you’re the only person I know right now with access to a massive library of magical and mythological information.”

“Pfft. Well, let me get right on that like your girls in The Tower! I'll head right down to the library and get back to you in ten minutes with a complete history on whatever you’re looking for! Do you want it abridged or complete versions with cross references to the Ikanan Magic Codices? ”

“Mid...” he groaned.

The smirk was back on her lips. “Heh. Had to. If only for the look on your face. Y'know. I really can't spend hours doing that though like they could’ve.”

Link nodded a little. “I know. But with what happened out here earlier today, we need all the help we can get.”

She noticed the change in his tone and how his shoulders slumped. How there was a flash of worry in his eyes even and she grew serious. “Gods, Link. What's going on over there?”

“Got some help from Medli getting out of the country,” he explained. “But the Dragon Roost rito are in a little trouble. Their couriers are going missing. And we were just today attacked by monsters. But these things were heavily altered by magic. Turned to smoke and ash when killed. Not twili magic though. Don't know of any of your ancestors ever turned a sperm whale into a flying monster.”

“That sounds like some insanely powerful magic. Like the sorts even one piece of The Fused Shadows could be capable of.”

“According to one of the rito elders, it was an old demon god by the name of Bellum.”

“Bellum?” she asked, brows rising.

“Sound familiar?”

“Vaguely from a class on deities predating The Golden Goddesses.”

“Lines up a little with what we were talking about earlier.”

“Oh?” The parchment appeared again and her crystal darted down from her shoulder. He could see teal light flickering through it as it worked, taking notes.

“Sky spirit and ocean king buried Bellum under an entire continent. Sounded like Din, Farore and Nayru were nowhere to be seen.”

“I see.”

“We're heading off to find someone who may know something about all this first thing in the morning. But we have so few facts to begin with.”

“How long you think it'll take you to get there?”

“Three? Four days if Linebeck doesn't run the engine into the ground?”

The sorceress nodded to him as she casually waved a hand towards the parchment. It vanished once more. “Okay,” she said, looking him in the eye.

“Okay?”

“Yeah. I'll do some digging here and there while I fight your book. It's proving an issue. But I'm down there anyways.”

Link smiled softly. “Thank you.”

“Yep.”

“I'll let you know when we're there and what's going on. See if we can get to the bottom of it. And hope it's not as bad as it sounded like.”

Midna let out a small laugh as she shook her head. “What, Bellum breaking out of having a continent dropped on top of him?”

“Exactly.”

“Well,” she began, reclining back and slipping her hands behind her head. “We've both had instances of opening our big mouths before about stuff like this...”

“...Damnit, you're right,”

“Why yes I am.”

“Heh.”

Her expression changed and she looked over her shoulder. “Hang on.” The twili vanished from his vision then. He was left alone with his thoughts, though still squeezing the wolf charm.

“Yeah?” The minutes passed. He began to wonder what was going on. “Mid?”

She reappeared to him then, eyes narrowed and a frown on her lips. It reminded him of the expression she usually had worn their very first weeks together. “Damnit,” she muttered.

“What?'

Her eyes looked up at him. “Sorry. I have to cut this short.”

“Everything okay?”

“Zant's here,” she said bluntly and without any sense of humor.

He didn’t know all the details, but knew at least that she did not get on well with one of the most powerful clan lords of The Twilight. A million different theories had been in his head as to what had happened, but suspected many of them had to do with The Conjunction. “Oh.”

She sighed as she pulled her hood back up and slipped the hairpin back in place. She adjusted the sleeves of her robe carefully to make sure they looked straight before reaching up and making sure her jewelry was in place. “And I was having such a lovely morning.”

“So much for your sunny disposition,” he snarked, offering her a small grin.

The annoyance on her face left for a few moments as she snickered slightly. “Yeah, laugh it up, wolf-boy,”

“You already used that one, trough bather.”

“You used that one too earlier,” she said, pointing a finger at him.

“Darunia interrupted us before I could finish.”

“Alright fair.” Midna sighed and shook her head. “Well, time to go deal with the self-serving idiot.”

“Aren't you so happy I'm a noble one?”

“Heh. Yeah.”

He smiled back at her then, thankful for at least getting some additional help on the upcoming mission. “So, see you later?”

“Yeah. See you later.” She waved a hand to him before her image vanished from his mind. Link opened his eyes then and was left alone in the small room once more.

[anotherlifefic]

Chapter 38: Happy Days

We returned to our home in the city after the party. For the first time in what seemed like years. And after that, everything seemed to go back to the way it was. Link made a full recovery, I continued to attend my fighting lessons at Ashanti‘s school once a week, during which I would leave Gareth in either Link‘s or Sanna‘s care, and worked on Malon‘s wedding dress. Navi soon left us to return to the forest, promising to come back if we ever needed her. The chill of winter slowly faded into the gentle warmth of spring, which was then replaced by the heat of summer approaching. And when the first day of summer arrived, I spotted a familiar wagon while out shopping.

Link and I were walking side by side, talking about whatever trivial things came to our minds. Link was holding Gareth and I carried the basket. While I let my eyes wander over the stalls on the marketplace, I stopped and called out:„Jenna!“ Link must have heard the excitement in my voice, because he gave me a puzzled look. „Why are you so excited about her being here?“ Oh right. I hadn‘t told him. And he would have to wait for an explanation. I just grabbed his sleeve and tugged him towards Jenna‘s wagon. „Come, let‘s go say hello to her!“ Gareth, sensing my excitement, cooed and stretched his tiny hands out towards where we were headed. He was four months old now and much more aware of his sorroundings. Jenna poked her head out of the wagon when she heard my voice, and gave me an annoyed look, until she saw Link. She gave him her usual bright smile and waved him over. „Link!“ Link looked at me doubtfully. „What...“ „I‘ll explain it later“, I assured him and stepped in front of Jenna. „Hello, Jenna. Good to see you again. How have your travels been?“ Both Link and Jenna seemed equally baffled by my cheerful attitude. They looked at each other, then at me. „It‘s been… nice. Always good to see a lot of the world“, she sputtered, caught completely off guard. „That‘s good to hear. Hey, Link and I were planning to make baked salmon for supper. Why don‘t you join us, so you can tell us all about what you were up to?“ She looked at Link again. „Sure. I‘d love to.“ „Great! See you at six!“

„What was that?“, Link questioned as we moved on, occasionally stopping in front of stalls to browse their wares. „I met Jenna in the erased future“, I replied, and then explained what had happened. Link was quiet for a long time after I finished, just silently rocking Gareth in his arms. Then he finally asked:„So you think you can become friends with her now, based on what you experienced during your time-travel.“ „I know I can. Jenna has a good heart.“

That evening, just when I got the salmon out of the oven, there was a knock at our door. Link went to open, and a few seconds later Jenna stepped into our dining area. She wore an exquisite blue dress made of silk, with a low neckline and fine embroidery on the seams. Her hair was done up in a crownbraid. „Ah, just in time!“ I placed the food down on the dinnertable. „Make yourself comfortable!“ She sat down at the table, still looking at me suspiciously, before she turned to Link. „Oh, your house is beautiful, Link! It must be so nice to live here!“ „It is.“ „Though I kind of expected you to have a bigger home“, she continued. Before Link could answer, Gareth, who was sitting in a crib we had placed in the dining area so he could sit with us while we ate, started fussing. I took him into my arms and rocked him until he calmed down. Jenna slowly turned her head to look at him. „...Is this your child?“ „Yes“, Link replied, his chest positively swelling with pride. „That‘s my son.“ I could almost see Jenna‘s heart break. She looked at the toddler in my arms with her mouth slightly open as if to say something. I wanted to comfort her. To say, or do anything to make her feel better. So impulsively, I stretched out my arms. „Do you want to hold him?“ She swallowed, but took Gareth, holding him close to her chest. „So cute“, she mumbled. „I wonder what you would look like if I was your mother.“ I reached over, but only to stroke Gareth‘s cheek as he dozed in Jenna‘s arms. „I‘m sure you‘d have the prettiest babies, Jenna.“ She looked at me, bit her lip and looked away. „Well I guess we‘ll never know.“ With that, she carefully placed Gareth back in the crib and started eating. After a while of quietly enjoying our meal, I tried to get the conversation going again:„So where have you been, Jenna? You were gone for almost a year, so it must have been far away.“ „I went to a lot of different places“, she replied, pulling the fish apart with her fork. „I went back home for a while, and then travelled through the Faron region just east of Hyrule‘s border. Have you ever been there?“ I sighed wistfully. „Unfortunately not. The only time I ever left Hyrule was not too long ago, while I was… looking for someone.“ Link and I exchanged a quick look. „But even then, I was still fairly close to the border.“ „Oh, Faron is a beautiful region. Most of the trees there are palm trees, and you can find all kinds of exotic fruit and animals if you know where to look. But it‘s also fairly dangerous. There are thunderstorms every other day… the locals say it‘s because there‘s a dragon living in the region. I never saw it, though.“ Jenna‘s demeanor had brightened considerably. „And what about your homeland? What was it called? The Great Lebian Coast? Where is that?“, I asked further. „It‘s very far to the west. You see, north of the Haunted Wasteland lies a region covered in snow, called Hebra. Now if you go further west, you eventually cross the border to Labrynna, and right behind Labrynna is where the Great Lebian Coast is.“ In between two bites of potatoes, she continued:„I technically still own my parent‘s farm, but I was so lonely living there alone and I couldn‘t run it all by myself. That‘s why I became a merchant. I hoped that travelling around would help me… find a good husband. Someone to continue my family‘s legacy with.“ „I‘m sure you will find someone eventually“, Link said with a smile. „You are a sweet girl, Jenna. Someday, someone will see that.“

As the night went on, Jenna told us more about the many places she had visited. Countries I had never even heard about, with odd people and even odder costums. And the more I heard, the more I wished to travel myself. When it was finally time to say goodbye, Jenna was smiling at us. „Thank you for the invitation.“ „You‘re welcome. And feel free to visit us whenever you like while you‘re in the city.“

I didn‘t have much time to think about travelling after that. The days leading up to Malon‘s wedding were busy, to say the least. As the matron of honor, I was in charge of most of the preparations. I helped the bridesmaids decorate, I oversaw the preparation of the food, and I finished Malon‘s dress and veil just in time. She looked beautiful in it, like a princess. „Matthias will love this“, I told her as I finished some adjustments due to her advanced pregnancy. „I know I do“, she replied, a bit misty-eyed. „Thank you, Rebecca.“ I lightly booped her nose. „Anything for you.“

And then, finally, the day had come. I held back tears as I saw Malon walk down the aisle, holding onto the arm of her father, while Matthias beamed at her. I had made sure that LonLon Ranch was properly decorated. Flowers of all colours were wound around the arch, and the aisle was covered in petals. For this day, the ranch had been turned into a fairlytale bathed in flowers. Once Talon handed her over to Matthias, I took Malon‘s bouquet and listened to the words of the priest. It was the same kind of sermon he had giving during my wedding; the standard for most couples. Malon and Matthias were looking at each other the whole time, as if only they existed in their own little world. „I, Malon, take you, Matthias to be my lawfully wedded husband...“ „To love, to cherish… „...in sickness and in health...“ „...until death do us part.“ They exchanged the rings, and then kissed. The whole wedding party cheered, some were crying. Talon was probably the loudest, blowing his nose into his hankerchief.

The reception afterward quickly became a big party, with all of the guests drinking and dancing. I mostly stood by the side with Link, watching everyone have a good time. At this point, I was quite happy just watching. I was exhausted from the preparations, but it felt good to see everything come together in the end. Link took my hand. „Reminds me of our wedding. Our reception wasn‘t quite as lively, though.“ „Well… we kinda got married in a rush because of the approaching war.“ He nodded thoughtfully. „Do you think we should have another wedding? A proper one this time?“ „I mean, we could technically renew our vows at some point… but I think it‘s a bit early for that.“ „That‘s true. Maybe a few years down the road, then.“ Now that I was finally a bit calmer, I looked over to him. „Actually… there‘s something I wanted to talk about.“ He raised his eyebrow. „Oh?“ I was quiet for a moment, not quite able to find the right words. But then I just blurted out:„I want to go travelling!“ „Travelling? But what about our home? What about Gareth?“ „We can take him along. He can grow up seeing all kinds of different places.“ I held onto Link‘s hand, begging for him to understand. „I‘m not saying we should leave Hyrule forever. Just… see a bit more of the world. Without the threat of certain doom constantly on our minds.“ He took a deep breath. „I… I‘d be lying if I said that I haven‘t thought about this before. But are you sure?“ „Absolutely!“ I insisted. „All of the places Jenna mentioned… and much more! I want to see them all with my own two eyes!“ This was ridiculous. I felt like a child begging for candy. Link thought for a few more seconds. „...We‘ll have to wait until after the coronation and then ask Zelda what she thinks about it. It may be an unofficial title, but I‘m still the protector of Hyrule.“ That sure as hell didn‘t bother you when you left ten years ago, I though but didn‘t say it out loud. I didn‘t want to start a lover‘s spat at my best friend‘s wedding. Speaking of best friend, Malon walked up to us, a wide grin on her face. „Hey there! I hope you enjoy the party!“ „Sure we do, Malon“, I assured her. „What about you?“ „Oh it is everything I ever dreamed of.“ She hugged me and kissed my cheek. „Thank you, Rebecca.“

The coronation was not long after the wedding. Link and I were standing in the throne room, somewhat off to the side, while we watched Zelda walk down the red carpet up to the throne her father used to occupy. She now wore an elaborate gown of white and purple, with the emblem of the royal family stitched down the front of her skirt. It was noon, and the sun‘s rays that were falling through the window above the throne hit her hair and almost made it look like she had a halo around her head. The sages were gathered around the throne, as they would be her vassals during her reign. She bowed before them, and they reciprocated; a sign of mutual respect. Rauru stepped forth. „Zelda, once Princess of Hyrule, do you vow to protect Hyrule and its people?“ „I do“, she replied. „Do you vow to keep the peace, to rule justly and with mercy?“ „I do“, she replied again. Now Rauru turned around. „Will the representatives of the races lend our new Queen their power?“ „By lake and stream, sea and river, us, the Zora, will grant Her Majesty our loyalty“, Princess Ruto replied. „By mountain and hill, rock and stone, us, the Gorons, will grant Her Majesty our strength“, Darunia added, pounding his fist against his chest for emphasis. „By darkness and shadow, by secrets to be kept, us, the Sheikah, will grant Her Majesty our protection.“ Impa gave a small smile as she said that. „By forest and meadow, and all things green, us, the Kokiri, will grant Her Majesty our friendship.“ Saria beamed up at Zelda. It was good to see how much the once so reclusive Kokiri had become part of the kingdom. „By sand and spirit, blood and steel, us, the Gerudo, will grant Her Majesty our support.“ Rauru nodded, then turned to Zelda again. „And I, Rauru, grant Her Majesty the blessing of both her ancestors and the Goddesses they served. May Her reign be long and prosperous.“ He took the crown that had been resting on a small table next to him, and gently put it on Zelda‘s head. The gemstone on the middle of the piece flared up in the sunlight, and Zelda turned to the people. The hall erupted into cheering, its echo so deafening that I had to cover my ears. But I smiled. Zelda would be a wonderful Queen.

The coronation party lasted for hours, which Link and I spent dancing and talking to the sages. But once it all died down and people started to go home, we could finally catch Zelda alone. „There you are!“, she said. Then she looked around. „I hope you enjoyed the celebration.“ „It was grand, Your Majesty“, I replied, not sure if I could still call her Zelda now that she was Queen. „Rebecca“, she said gently, taking my hands. „It‘s still me. I‘m still your friend. Me being Queen doesn‘t change anything.“ Then she leaned over and planted a gentle kiss on my cheek. She smelled sweet. Of lilac and roses. „There‘s actually something we wanted to talk to you about“, Link said, nervously shifting his weight from one foot to the other. „Rebecca and I have been thinking about going travelling for a while.“ It wasn‘t hard to see that this revelation hit her. „You want to leave? Now?“ „Not… now. There‘s still a lot to be prepared. But sometime within the next year.“ „What about your son? And your home? What about m-… “ She stopped, stuttered a bit. „What about Hyrule? Link, you are our most powerful warrior. What if something happens while you‘re gone?“ „We won‘t be gone for long“, Link promised. „We‘ll be back before you know it. With a lot of new stories to tell.“ Zelda faltered. „I can‘t stop you, can I? No. You were always a restless spirit, Link. Alright then. But do stay in touch.“ „We will“, I promised and kissed her hand. „We will always return to you. No matter how far away the wind takes us.“

[anotherlifefic]

Chapter 6: A Home to return to

I don't know what I had been looking for. Given how rich Link seemed to be, I had expected a mansion or at least a very, very big house. But the building we arrived at was just a regular-sized house with a nice wooden facade and a bunch of empty flowerpots underneath the windows. Just big enough for a small family. Link pulled a key from his pocket and opened the door. „I almost expect the key to disintegrate every time I use it“, Link quipped. I raised my eyebrow. „Why would you think that?“ We entered the living room as he answered:„Because the keys in the dungeons I had to go through during my adventures did just that, and for every locked door, I had to find another key.“ „Sounds annoying.“ „It was.“ The furnishings were quite simple. A table with four chairs was standing in a corner of the main room, next to a small stove and oven with firewood underneath them. On the other side, there was a fireplace and a couch in front of it.  A green rug with a leaf-pattern covered the floor. In fact, all of the furniture felt like it belonged in the forest. The wood was only polished if it really needed to be, and the side of the table still had bark on it. „It might not be especially fitting for a house in the city“, Link said as he noticed my questioning gaze. „But it reminds me of my home back in Kokiri Forest.“ He sounded so sad as he said the name of his former home that I couldn't help but hug him. „If you loved the forest so much, then why move to the city?“, I asked as we sat dow on the couch. He was quiet for a moment, staring into the unlit fireplace before starting to talk. „You know, I always felt kind of out of place in Kokiri Village. Sure, most of the Kokiri were very kind to me, but I always felt that I was different. And now that I'm fully grown, I feel even more out of place there.“ He sighed wistfully. „Kokiri Village is not made for adults, Rebecca. Even if I managed to somehow build a house that fit my size there, nothing else would.“ I took his hand. While quite small for a man, it was still bigger than mine and I could feel how rough his palms were from handling weapons. And yet he seemed so soft right now. I wondered how it must have felt to him. Learning that he never belonged to the place he had thought of as home. Not being able to stay there, for whatever reason. He must have felt so alone. „Hey. Don't look so sad.“ He gently grabbed my chin and lifted it up so I was looking into his blue eyes. He smiled and planted a kiss on the corner of my mouth.

After a while, we went back to the marketplace, as Malon would soon return from the castle to pick me up. We were only standing at the fountain for a few minutes, when I heard a voice behind us. „Rebecca!“ I flinched and tried to put on a brave face as I turned around to face my mother. „Hello, Mother.“ She did not even greet me. „I thought you were working at that ranch.“ „Malon just went to the castle to deliver milk, while I went to visit a friend.“ She looked at Link in very much the same manner one would regard a particularly large bug. Then she turned to me again. „Running about with random men will only give you a bad reputation.“ Hot fury shot through my veins. How dare she talk about him like that. Time may have erased his deeds, but that didn't change the fact that she owed him her life. All of us did! I took a step toward her, and she must have seen the anger in my eyes, because she backed off. „You have no right to talk to us like this. I spent my entire childhood in fear of your judgement. But that's in the past.“ I took another step. „No. More. You hear me?“ „Now see how you talk to your own mother!“, she spat. „I knew working at that ranch would taint you.“ I did not know what I would have done if Link hadn't grabbed my arm in that moment. He cast my mother a blank look before whispering to me:„Don't. This isn't worth the hassle. The best thing you can do right now is walk away and continue doing the things you love.“ I took a deep, calming breath before turning away. Just at that moment, I saw Malon's carriage approach. „There's Malon. Come, we'll meet her halfway.“ Link led me away from my mother, who as all but steaming with rage.

„Hey, there you are! How was-... what happened?“ Malon stopped the carriage and jumped off of the coachman's seat. „We met my mother“, I said dryly, knowing that that was all Malon needed to know. She hummed in sympathy. „She didn't change her stance on anything, did she?“ „No.“ „She certainly won't be invited to our wedding“, I heard Link mutter under his breath. I turned to him, blushing and alarmed. „W-what?“ „Uh... nothing.“ He hugged me one last time. „I hope I'll be seeing you again soon. Goodbye!“

I was still slightly shaken when we arrived back at the ranch. The encounter with my mother had reminded me of why I had left my childhood home to begin with. I knew that she meant well, or at least that's what I told myself over and over so I wouldn't start hating her. She just didn't know any better. But she also refused to learn. I tried to forget about it. Instead, I wanted to think about what Link said before we parted. He spoke of a wedding. So he wanted to get married? My anger disappeared at the thought, being replaced by giddiness. During supper, I let my imagination go wild for a bit. I imagined myself in a beautiful white dress and Link in the silken tunic I had made for him, and all of our friends gathered to witness us being joined together in holy matrimony. Malon must have noticed how lost I was in my daydream, because next thing I knew, she poked me in the side and whispered:„I hate to interrupt whatever you were thinking about right now, but your stew is getting cold.“ I flinched. „Ah! Sorry, I was just... just...“ „Thinking about what Link said?“ Malon grinned. „Wait, you heard that?“ „Of course I did. I'm not deaf.“ She rested her chin on her folded hands. „I bet you were already thinking about what kind of dress you'll wear when 'it' happens.“ I lowered my head, staring at my still full bowl. „Well... yes, who wouldn't? I know it's too early to think about it, but...“ „Hey, nobody can stop you from daydreaming.“ She grinned. „But you really should get to eating your stew.“

After supper, I retired to my room, my gaze falling onto the bolt of silk Link had bought for me. I let my hand run across the fabric, taking in how soft it was. Then I looked out the window. There was still some time before I had to go to bed. If I started now and worked on it every evening, one bit at a time, maybe the dress would be done by the time Link and I were ready. And if it never came to that... at least I'd have a dress for special occasions. I wanted it to match Link's tunic, with vines embroidered on the seams. Long and flowing, something normally fit only for a lady of standing. I kept working on the dress until it was almost midnight, then I collapsed onto my bed and fell asleep almost immediately.

The next few weeks went by without anything special happening. Link occasionally came to visit, and whenever Malon had to deliver milk, I would accompany her to visit him. I spent the days working to the best of my ability, and the evenings working on my dress. The days got hotter and more humid as summer finally fully arrived.

One day, Link came to visit quite early in the morning. I saw him talk to Malon and Talon at the entrance of the farm while I was on the pasture with Glory. Then he came up to me, still on Epona. „Rebecca! Come, take Glory and follow me!“ I looked at him as if he had lost his mind. „As much as I'd love to, I can't. I still got work to do.“ His eyes twinkled with mirth. „I just asked Malon and Talon if they could spare you for today. They said yes. So I thought we could ride down to Lake Hylia to cool off.“ A date at Lake Hylia seemed tempting indeed. I looked at Glory, who nudged my arm as if to say „Go ahead!“ So I smiled at Link. „Okay then!“

We rode along the road at an easy pace. It was too hot for the horses to go any faster, but we weren't in that much of a hurry, anyway. For a bit of the way, we held hands. At about noon, we arrived at the lake. We rode right up to the waterfront and dismounted, letting our horses drink and rest while we took off our shoes and walked in the shallow water to cool our feet. Link took my hand and smiled at me. „So, how have you been doing lately?“ „Missing you whenever you were gone“, I admitted. „But apart from that, I was fine. How about you?“ „Pretty much the same. Missing you, but otherwise okay.“ Then he stopped and turned to me. „Hey, I want to try something. Close your eyes.“ I did, and then I felt his arms around me and his lips on mine. This time, he was a little bolder, his tongue tracing the line of my closed lips until I opened them. The kiss was still a bit clumsy, but better than it had been, and before I knew it, I was clinging to him like a drowning person would cling to anything that keeps them afloat. We were slightly breathless when we parted, looking at each other with red cheeks and wide eyes. I was the first one to regain my speech. „See... it's all a matter of practice.“ He smiled. „And I'd say we still have a bit of time to practice before we have to go back to the ranch.“ I giggled and let him pull me closer. It felt amazing, having his body pressed against mine, feeling his warmth and his lips on mine. I buried my hands in his hair, allowing the soft blonde strands to flow in between my fingers. When we parted for a moment, a soft, happy sigh escaped my lips. This was too good to be true. It had to be a dream. But no, it all felt real. We sat down in the soft grass and watched the sun paint glistening shapes onto the waves of the lake. Link pointed at a small island in the middle of the lake and said:„One of the temples I visited during my quest to defeat Ganondorf is right underneath that island.“ I leaned forward to see better. „Really? Wow. What was that temple like?“ „Wet. And annoying. In fact, I would rather go through the temple at the graveyard of Kakariko again than ever go back to this one.“ He shuddered. „And trust me, that means a lot. The problem was that fighting underwater is pretty difficult, unless you're a Zora. Which I'm not, obviously.“ Then his face grew sad. „And it's one of the many places where I lost one of my friends. Princess Ruto of the Zora.“ I had heard that the Zora princess had disappeared seemingly without a trace. I leaned on his shoulder, wrapping one arm around him. „Do you want to talk about it?“ He sighed. „As I already told you, Ruto was the Sage of the Water Temple. I only saw her shortly after entering the temple, then she just.. disappeared. I later learned that to become a sage, one must give up their mortal existence. The only sage this didn't apply to was Princess Zelda. I don't know why. Maybe because she has a special kind of status, even among the Seven Sages, or maybe her Triforce of Wisdom helped her remain in this world while also being able to fulfil her duties as the seventh sage. I don't know. I just remember thinking that everything would go back to normal after I was sent back in time again. But it didn't. The Sages remained in the Sacred Realm, robbing almost every part of Hyrule of an important figure. A friend, a princess, a leader. And nobody understood, because nobody remembered. Only Zelda and I did.“ He buried his face in his hands. „Ruto... she deserved better than this. And now she's gone. Gone like all of them are.“ Then he was quiet for a moment, before saying:„I'm sorry. This was supposed to be our first real date. I really shouldn't be talking about these things...“ I hugged him, resting my head on his shoulder. „No, it's okay. It's clear that you needed to talk about this.“ He looked at me with slightly misty eyes and a tortured smile. „Thank you, Rebecca.“