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Yunobo is the first to spot them when they walk through Goron City’s gate.
“Link!” he rolls down to greet them, unfurling and opening his arms wide. Daruk’s blue sash hangs off his body. “It’s been so long since you were here!”
Before Link can say anything he’s engulfed in a crushing hug that steals the breath from his lungs. All he musters is a strained gasp of, “ Can’t breathe- ”
“Oh!” Yunobo drops him, stepping back. “I’m sorry, goro! You’re so strong I always forget you’re just a Hylian! Who’s your glowing friend?”
“My-” Link turns around and sees the golden glow crawling up Zelda’s neck as she stares at Yunobo. “Zelda?"
She blinks as if startled, looking at him, and the glow disappears.
"Oh, yes, um-" she holds her hand out to Yunobo. It trembles the slightest bit. "My name is Zelda."
"Zelda?” Yunobo echoes, frowning and scratching his head as he shakes her hand. “Like the princess Lord Daruk fought with? The one who’s been holding back Calamity Ganon for a hundred years?”
Shit , Link thinks.
(It’s a Bad Day and Link had a father and he didn’t know the Gorons had no idea about the Calamity being gone-)
Zelda weakly smiles. “Yes, exactly like that.”
The young Goron stares at her for a long, quiet moment. Then his eyes widen and he gasps so loud it draws the attention of the entire city.
“Boss!” he lets go of her hand and spins around, curling into a ball and taking off towards Bludo’s house. “Boss, wake up! I know why Rudania fired that laser three months ago!”
Surrounding Gorons watch him go before looking at them in confusion.
Link tells Zelda, “Yunobo is Daruk’s grandson.”
“I know,” she whispers. “He looks just like him with the sash.”
(Link was someone’s grandson, right? Does Fi have any memories of a grandfather locked away? Does Link look like his grandfather like Yunobo looks like Daruk?)
Zelda takes his hand, and together they walk to Bludo’s house, where the Goron Elder is hobbling outside and grumbling to Yunobo about his back.
“Boss!” Yunobo repeats, waving his arms in excitement. “Boss, Link is back! Look who he brought with him!”
“Okay, okay, relax,” Bludo rumbles, stopping Yunobo’s arms. He stretches, wincing. “Where-”
Bludo’s eyes land on Link and Zelda. Zelda holds her breath.
“Link,” Bludo greets with a nod. “Who’s your friend?”
“Boss! Are you serious?”
“What?” The Goron Elder squints at Zelda. “Have we met before?”
“No,” Zelda is visibly relieved as she exhales and lets go of Link’s hand. “No, we haven’t. My name is Zelda.”
“Princess Zelda,” Yunobo corrects.
Bludo blinks. “Like the dead one?”
“But she’s not dead! She’s alive, goro! Which means Calamity Ganon is the dead one!”
“What was that?” A nearby Goron nearly shouts. “Calamity Ganon is dead?”
“What?” Another Goron. “Calamity Ganon is dead?”
It’s a very loud domino effect of the residents of Goron City learning of the Calamity’s demise as Zelda explains it all to Bludo.
The Gorons have not changed much from previous eras, Fi says, humming on Link’s back. At their core, they are still more brawn than brains.
He ignores her. He doesn’t want to think about what their last conversation entailed.
I am your father before I am your commanding officer.
(She said in Zora’s Domain that he had a father. He didn’t know the man apparently cared for him in a way that reminds him of Rhoam’s gentle, stern teachings on the Great Plateau.)
Good soldier.
(Is it possible to mourn someone you never knew existed?)
Master, Fi whispers. If you’d like, I could tell you where-
“This is a cause for celebration!” Bludo cries, snapping Link out of his thoughts and cutting the voice of the Master Sword off. “Lord Daruk has finally been avenged! Calamity Ganon is gone!”
“Um, Bludo, sir,” Zelda clears her throat. “I was hoping, before we do that, I could talk to you about rebuilding-”
Gorons-When were they surrounded by Gorons?-roar in approval, punching their fists to the sky.
Zelda itches the back of her right hand, and they’re swept up in the sudden rush of a quiet, normal city turning itself into a festival. By the time it’s all set up, the sun is setting and they still haven’t gotten the chance to ask Bludo, who’s distracted by reports about the mines, about rebuilding.
The shops are closed and everyone is gathered in the streets, taking out drums to play and Rock Roasts to devour while lanterns are hanged off fences and the roofs of houses. Kabetta and Heehl of the Goron Brothers, the ones who gave Link a test of heat resistance to unlock a shrine, drag out their hot stones and challenge other Gorons to the same, quickly garnering a line. The third Brother, Bayge, gathers the young Gorons and tries teaching them how to complete the Gut Check Challenge by having them climb houses in a certain amount of time.
(It seems the Gorons, like the Gerudo, know how to party.)
Link and Zelda stand next to Bludo and Yunobo, watching it all unfold.
“ Bludo ,” Zelda tries again for what must be the millionth time. “Can we-”
“Say, Princess Zelda,” Bludo strokes his beard, and Link resists the urge to hit him. “You guys killed the pig, right?”
“I-Yes,” she nods. “Why?”
“Well?”
Link asks, “Well what?”
“How was it?”
Link looks at Zelda, and watches the shadows enter her eyes.
(The last time that happened on a Bad Day, she took the slate and left.)
His fight against Calamity Ganon, while intense, took at most twenty minutes, albeit the longest twenty minutes of his life. Compared to Zelda, it took two seconds.
He decides on answering with, “Violent.”
“Come on, Link,” Bludo’s grabbed the attention of the surrounding Gorons with this topic. “You gotta give us more than that, brother. Us Gorons are warriors!”
“Um, Boss,” Yunobo’s noticed Zelda staring off into space. “Maybe-”
“Yeah, Link!” Another Goron says. “Did it bleed?”
“Yes,” Link answers.
“Did it howl in pain when you sliced it with that sword of yours?”
“How many hits did it take to die?”
“Where’d you kill it? In the castle?”
“I heard it was on Hyrule Field! Are there still remains?”
Link closes his eyes, trying to drown out all of the questions.
(He doesn’t like to remember it, either.)
But then-
“Princess Zelda, you fought it for a hundred years, right? How was that?”
Silence. Link opens his eyes.
Zelda is staring down at her boots, her hands clenched into trembling fists by her side. The Triforce flickers on the back of her right hand.
Death Mountain rumbles overhead, shaking the ground beneath their feet. Nearby lava pools bubble, hissing and popping, churning as if they’re about to burst.
“Zelda,” Link quietly starts.
“Excuse me,” she chokes before turning and walking off.
Death Mountain goes quiet. The lava settles.