Work Text:
Twilight was… very concerned, to say the least.
The last thing he remembered was having to dimension travel again, bringing up the back of the group behind Legend. He had noticed an odd hazy tinge to the portal he wasn’t used to, but it was magic, who was he to question it? For all he knew, he was right where he was suppose to be and everyone else wasn’t.
W-was he in the right place? He hoped he was. But wouldn’t he be with the others if he were? Goddess, he was so confused. He didn’t know if he could deal with Time’s disappointed stare again, especially after the last time.
He had landed in what looked to be a small clearing with two stumps facing each other, one small enough a child could climb on while the other was the size of a small tree. Oddly enough, the clearing was surrounded by walls of dirt with trees on top that seemed to block out all of the light. The air around him seemed stifling, and he couldn’t shake the feeling of being watched.
“Time? Warriors?” Twilight hesitantly called out. He could feel his hackles raise in the back of his mind, the feeling growing stronger. He stepped forward, “Hello?”
The air grew more oppressive as he crept into the clearing, reaching its peak as he stopped in front of the smaller stump. He skirted around the stump, trying to find a way out of the clearing to no avail. The eyes followed his every move, urging back to the small stump. Hesitantly, he stepped onto the stump, the feeling dissipating immediately.
“Yahaha! You found me!” A young childish voice spoke up from the taller stump. Twilight’s head shot up to find a Skull Kid across from him, a skull mask resting on their face. Twilight felt his mouth go dry, memories of his adventures rising to the forefront. Although similar in size, this kid wore looser clothing that appeared to be made out of plant material, and shorts instead of tights. The leaf cape was missing as well, and the hat looked like an oddly shaped sun hat made out of straw.
“Oh?” The Skull Kid cocked their head to the side, “You’re not the hero we’re used to! In fact,” a devious grin stretched across their face, “you’re not meant to be here at all.”
Well. That answered that question.
The air, previously childlike and carefree, grew oppressive like before. Twilight’s body felt like lead, the only part he could move his head. The darkness of the forest seemed to advance upon them, the only thing illuminated Twilight and the Skull Kid. The kid’s grin seemed to grow, taking up a majority of the lower half of their face. Their glowing eyes grew brighter, the yellow gleam reminding Twilight of a wolf’s. The urge to flee, run far away, never look back (such a foreign concept to a predator) grew stronger as those eyes seemed to stare into his soul until the only thing he saw left was that grin.
“Better leave before you forget how.”
Twilight shot up with a start. Where was he? Where was the clearing? The Skull Kid? Was he alright? His panicked thoughts kept circling in his head making it impossible for him to realize there was someone shaking him.
“Twi! You’re okay!” The person gripping him turned out to be Four, his concerned eyes staring into the taller man’s. “Nothing is happening to you!”
Twilight gasped for breath, “Four?”
“Yeah?”
Twilight stared into Four’s eyes, “W-what happened? Where are we? Where’s the Skull Kid?”
Four’s eyebrows creased in worry, “Skull Kid? Twi, why would there be a Skull Kid? We just got to Time’s house!”
Now that Twilight had calmed down, he could feel the warm blanket Malon usually gave him wrapped around his shoulders as he sat on a comfortable bed, a warm glow from the outside world streaming into the farmhouse room. Four sat beside him in a wooden chair that must’ve been from the kitchen, none of the worry leaving his face. Twilight’s frantically beating heart finally slowed down as he observed the room, the crippling feeling of danger from before nowhere to be found.
A set of footsteps alerted the two to Time’s presence in the doorway, who was obviously listening from outside, “You suddenly collapsed as soon as we crossed over. Are you feeling alright?”
Twilight nodded cautiously, “Yeah, I feel fine. Had a weird dream, I guess.”
Time’s look turned concerned, “Weird? Not bad?”
“I wouldn’t say it was bad, no, just really confusing. I was in a clearing without any way out, dark enough I could barely see. It was boxed in by walls made of dirt and in the middle were two stumps, one much smaller than the other. When I stepped on to the stump, a Skull Kid with a half skull mask on appeared in front of me. They mentioned something about me not being the right hero, and then I woke up.” With every word, Twilight saw Time’s visage get paler, shock and bewilderment in the older man’s eyes for a split second before they vanished, Time’s body under control once more. In fact, if he hadn’t been paying attention to Time, he would’ve missed his reaction entirely.
“Wow,” Four blinked, “Almost sounds like you met a dark spirit.”
Twilight nodded, “Yeah, it does.”
“Glad it was only a dream then, or else we might’ve lost a team member.” Time finally spoke up with a faint grin. Distantly, covered by false cheer, Twilight noticed a slight waver in the man’s tone. “Do me a favor, by the way? I forgot to mention this before, but—well, there’s some woods somewhat close to the farm. Rumor has it that if you go in uninvited, you’re lost forever. Try to stay away from it, please.”
Four laughed, “Really? It almost sounds like you’ve experienced it yourself!”
Time shook his head with a grin, “No, not me, I’ve only heard the rumors. But still, please don’t go into them, we can’t afford to lose anyone, false rumors or not.”
“Will do, Time.” Time nodded in approval before turning back to the young wolf. “Well?”
Twilight shook himself out of his thoughts and smiled, “No objections from me. I’ve had enough of dark and spooky forests in my time.”
“Good. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I have to tell the others that dinner is ready. I’ll see you two in a few minutes.” Time left, leaving the two teenagers behind.
“Bit of an odd request, but nothing that bad.” Four stretched his arms above his head, getting out of his chair. “I’m starving. Hope you’re hungry for some cuco!”
Twilight slowly got out of bed and watched the smaller man leave the room, faint exclamations of thanks coming from the kitchen. Time’s warning, while not the most normal thing in the world, certainly wasn’t anything too out of the ordinary, especially considering what they all had gone through to become who they are today. And Twilight would’ve let it go, honestly, he would’ve! Except when he glanced down at his hands, he noticed something odd.
On his right palm, as if he were shaking it with someone else, was a bruise the size of a child’s hand.