Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

There was a loud bang, followed by some childish laughter, and Time stuck his head out the window to see a six year old child being chased by an angry teenager with cucco feathers covering him. He sighed, not for the first time, wondering what he was going to do with these kids, both the literal one and the figurative ones. Turning back from the window, he returned to the paperwork Malon had ‘convinced’ him to do.

They’d been here at the ranch for three days. It was three days since that portal had opened up at their feet, after a battle that had seen a member of their team regressed in age. The wizzrobe that had cursed Legend was long gone, but the effects still lingered. Lullaby had come by incognito yesterday, after Time had gone to see her about this, but she’d been unable to do anything. She’d theorised, however, that the curse would likely reverse on its own in due time.

When exactly that would be though, was anyone’s guess.

At first when they’d arrived at the ranch, there had been confusion from the kid. Explaining things had been left up to him (of course) and he’d somehow managed to reassure the boy that he was safe with them. Legend had nodded sagely, and been really quiet the rest of the day and that night. They’d all decided to just call him Link, since he really wasn’t ‘Legend’ right now, then retired for the night.

Link’s quiet demeanour had changed the next day when they’d all awoken, and they’d been introduced to a little gremlin.

Time sighed long-sufferingly just thinking about that chaotic first morning. Link was overly rambunctious, had a seemingly unending supply of energy, and was a bit of a troublemaker. The only positive was that Time was quite sure that he himself had been much worse, so he was sure they could all manage. Link was also a happy child, when he wasn’t acting up, seeming to wear his heart on his sleeve, his emotions easy to read. This was such a huge difference between his childhood and his usual snarky, nineteen year old self. It really brought home to Time just how much their veteran hero had been through in his life.

The door downstairs slammed open, and Time heard Hyrule yelling for Link to ‘get your butt back here, you little brat!’. Footsteps thundered up the stairs, and Legend burst into the room, a shit eating grin on his face, one that disappeared the instant he saw Time’s swiftly put together stern face.

“Uh…”

Time raised an eyebrow at him. “What happened?”

“Nothing!” Link spoke quickly, then turned a little sheepish. “I mean… There might’ve been somethin’ with a cucco, an' some grain in Roolie’s hat, but… It wasn’t on purpose, I swear!”

A lie Time naturally saw right through, and a moment later, Hyrule burst in. “Link, you little…! Uh, Time, sorry to bust in on you like this.”

Time waved his concern away. “No worries,” he reassured him. “Why don’t you go check to make sure everyone else is fine, I’m sure the mess with the cuccos has them all a bit startled. Link can stay here with me.”

“Oh-okay,” Hyrule said, then, after giving Link the stink eye, left them alone.

Time sat back down at the desk, indicating for Link to come and join him. “Are… Are you mad at me?” Link asked.

Time sighed. “I’m not… mad,” he admitted. “More disappointed. What on earth possessed you to set the cuccos on poor Hyrule?”

Legend… no, Link… (had to get used to that!) shrugged. “I dunno,” he mumbled. “But… it was fun…”

The kid side eyed him, and Time sighed. “Come here,” he ordered, and Link came, clambering up onto his lap and wrapping his arms around him. Time felt a pang, then a voice (sounding suspiciously like Twilight’s) calling him such a Dad, but he resolutely ignored it. Link looked down at the paperwork on the desk.

“What’cha doin’?” Link asked.

“Inventory,” Time told him. “A dull, but necessary part of owning a ranch.”

Link scoffed. “Boring!” he declared in agreement. “Gramps an' grandma are always trying t' get me to do boring stuff at the farm, too.”

“You live on a farm?” Time asked, intrigued. They naturally knew nothing of Legend’s past, since he never really spoke of it, but ‘Link’ here seemed willing enough to share.

Link nodded and said, “For a while now. Was sent there after mama an' papa went away, though I don’t know why. I miss my sister…”

“You have a sister?” Time asked, surprised.

Link nodded as he snuggled into Time, eyes drooping closed. It was about that time for an afternoon nap for kids, after all. At least, according to Talon. His father in law often regaled him with tales of what Malon was like as a child, one of those being how much she’d hated afternoon naps. But Link wasn’t done talking yet, and his next words surprised Time.

“Zelly stayed at th’ castle, though I don’t know why I couldn’t too,” he mumbled. “I wanna go see her, she’s… she’s all alone now, an' I don’t know how to get back there…”

Zelly… Zelda?! Was… Was Link royalty? Time looked down at the now sleeping child in shock. Carefully, he stood, cradling Link in his arms. He carried him out of the room and down the hall to the main bedroom, laying him in his and Malon’s bed. He’d learned so much about the kid in the last ten minutes, more than he just knew that their veteran hero would ever want anyone to know. And because of that, Time wasn’t going to be the one to tell his secrets.

After making sure that Link was settled, Time returned to his dull paperwork, even though his mind was no longer on it, instead focusing on the life of the small child sleeping down the hall.

Chapter Text

Sky was helping out by cleaning up the mess that Leg- er, Link, had made with the prank he’d pulled on Hyrule. Wind and Wild had found it hilarious, and even Four had had trouble hiding his amused grin when the cucco feathers had gone flying. Warriors had bolted the instant the cuccos had looked like they were riling up, and they might have, but Sky had stepped in to help calm them. Twilight was off somewhere checking the perimeter of the ranch at the time, and Malon and Time were both in the main house.

Sighing, Sky swept up the mess of feathers, feed and mud that had been left in the wake of the prank. The cuccos were clucking happily now, having seemingly forgotten their misplaced ire at Hyrule. Said hero was staying well clear of the cucco pen either way, Sky had seen him deliberately skirt the area to get to the bull pens. Once he finished fixing everything, Sky sat down, leaning against a fence post, just relaxing. A cucco came over to peck near him, and he absently reached out to pet it.

From where he was sitting, he had a good view of the main house, and saw when Link came outside. It had been a few hours by then since the incident, and he’d heard that Time had put the boy down for a nap. It was now barely half an hour until sunset would occur. Their de-aged companion saw Sky, and came over to where he was sitting. As soon as he was on the ground, two of the cuccos went straight to him, and Link pet them. It was so different to how Legend reacted to the birds, that it took Sky a moment to process it all.

“So…” Sky began. “Do you like cuccos, Link?”

Link nodded. “Gramps an’ grandma have some,” he said, then let out a small giggle when the cucco he was petting cooed and fluttered its wings at him. “They’re my favourite. Then th’ horses.”

Sky had realised that Link’s words were kind of like a mix of Warriors’ cultured tones, and Twilight’s country drawl. Almost as if he’d lived in both a bustling city, and a farm as well.

“Oh? What other animals do your grandparents have?” Sky asked.

“There’s cows, an’ the cuccos you know ‘bout, an’ the horses, the’ pigs, an’ there’s goats, an’ sheep too! An’ ducks ‘n geese, an’ a whole lotta others!” Link was grinning enthusiastically as he babbled, listing all the animals he could.

“Sounds great!” Sky said with a grin of his own.

Link nodded. “Grandma is teachin’ me stuff, and Roji th’ farm hand is too!” he said. “But I love feedin’ the cuccos best of all.”

“I really like cuccos too,” Sky told him, Link’s were bright in wonder. “You know, where I’m from, we don’t have cuccos.”

The child’s eyes went wide in shock. “No cuccos?” he gasped in horror. “How do you stand it?”

“Well, we have other animals,” Sky told him. “There’s loftwings, for one. They’re giant birds that we ride in the sky.”

“The sky!?” Link was utterly hooked on the idea of that, Sky could tell, and he grinned.

“Yup,” he grinned. “My home is in the sky, and we have to get around somehow, don’t we? Everyone gets a loftwing as their partner when they turn six, though no one’s allowed to actually fly with their bird until both of them are trained and ready, and that can be a few years.”

“Can I have a lof’wing?” Link asked, hope shining in his eyes. “Please!? Pretty please? I’m six, jus’ like you said!”

“Maybe,” Sky told him. “If we ever go to Skyloft while you’re… I mean, I don’t know. We could try, I guess. If one even comes…”

Would a loftwing come to Link? They hadn’t had a bonding ceremony for a while now. For that matter, would they even get to his time while Legend was still Link? Time and Warriors were already planning for the inevitability that they would get pulled through a portal with a small child (though a lot of the chain were in denial that Hylia would allow that, himself included). And yet, even if they did, it wasn’t like they could bring the bird with them afterwards. And what about when (not if) Legend was back to normal?

But Link, just like any other child, took his hesitant maybe as a firm yes. “Yay!” he cheered. “I can’t wait! Thanks Sky!”

“But!” Sky sighed as Link picked up a cucco, holding the fluttering and squawking bird over his head, running around and miming flying, he guessed. “I didn’t say yes,” he grumbled, but was pointedly ignored by the happy child.

“He looks happy,” came Twilight’s voice out of nowhere, startling him. “Whoa! Sorry Sky.”

“No, it’s fine,” Sky said. “I just… I guess it’s good he’s happy right now.”

“It is,” Twilight said. “He… He’s just a kid, and the difference between him and Legend, it’s overwhelming.”

“I know what you mean,” Sky muttered.

“Anyway,” Twilight said, “I’m out here for a reason. Wild and Miss Malon are cooking dinner, and the Old Man wants everyone inside now.”

Sky nodded, noticing that the sun was almost down now. “I’ll get the cuccos back in their pens and be right there,” he said.

“Link!” Twilight called, and the boy rushed over to them, dropping the cucco in an instant. “It’s time to head in now, dinner will be done soon.”

“What’re we havin’?” Link asked, grinning up at Twilight.

Sky saw the look in Twilight’s eyes at the sight, and had to hide his own grin. It seemed the Rancher was a softie for little kids. Twilight reached down and hoisted Link up to his shoulders, the boy letting out a surprised gasp, then a delighted giggle as he clung onto Twilight’s hair.

“Why don’t we go find out?” he suggested, and after giving Sky a brief nod, the two headed off.

Sky smiled as Link cheered all the way back to the main house, then turned to round up the cuccos before heading inside himself.

Chapter Text

The next morning, there was a portal.

There were collective groans and no shortage of worried glances at Legend. Whoops! He meant Link. Sheesh! How long was he going to have to call the Vet that? Warriors carefully packed the last of his belongings into his bag, then headed out to join the others. Everyone was rather pointedly giving Time and Malon a private moment to say goodbye, so he joined them.

“Where’re we goin’?” Link asked, pulling at Sky’s sleeve.

“We, uh… We have to go through that portal over there, see it?” the Chosen Hero said, pointing at the pulsating, purple portal.

Link looked over at it and frowned. “I don’ wanna,” he whined.

“Well, we wish that we didn’t have to take you through it either,” Twilight said. “I really wish we could leave you here with Miss Malon, where it’s safer but…”

But Link had felt the pull of the portal too…

Time came over then, having finished his goodbyes to his wife. “Are we all ready?” he asked.

“Yes! Let’s go!” Wind exclaimed, then rushed for the portal.

“Hey! Wait for me!” Four called, following him.

The two disappeared into the portal, and Warriors suddenly felt a pair of small hands grip his leg tightly. Looking down in surprise, he found Link clinging tightly to him, eyes wide at the sight of Wind and Four vanishing into the portal. He’d obviously backed away from Sky and Hyrule, who were the next ones to step through.

“Where’d they go?” the boy whimpered.

Wild went next, Twilight one step behind him with Epona. Warriors bent down and hoisted Link up onto his hip. The boy clung to him, turning his face into his shoulder so that he was no longer looking at the portal.

“They’re in the next era we’re going to,” he told him. “Don’t worry, Time and I will be going through with you, we won’t let anything happen to you.”

“That’s right, Kit,” Time said, using the nickname Wild had come up with the previous night over dinner. “We’ll be right here.”

Link turned his head to stare at Time a moment, then he sniffled, nodded, and clung even tighter to Warriors. They’d already explained a few times what it would feel like going through the portal, but Link was understandably nervous and distressed. As they passed through the arch of the portal, he could feel the tiny shivers the kid’s nerves were causing, and Warriors gripped him closer in response.

Once through, they found the others already engaged in a fight. Warriors groaned. Why did this have to happen now!? He readjusted his grip on Link, glad that at least his dominant hand was free. He exchanged a look with Time, then quickly withdrew himself from the battle. They’d all decided on this the other day, whoever was closest to Link would be the one to get him out of harms way. And Warriors had plenty of experience getting child sized gremlins off a battlefield when he’d had to haul a pint sized Time away from a fight.

At least Link wasn’t constantly squirming and biting to get back to the battle…

Link was crying and shaking, but soon enough, Warriors had them past the fighting. Keeping Link safe was the priority, but he couldn’t deny it rankled that he wasn’t out there fighting as well. He put some distance between them and the fight, before they came across a large tree with exposed roots, perfect for hiding under for the moment.

Sounds of the fight still reached them as Warriors sat them down, with Link on his lap and wrapped in his scarf. He took out a book that Malon had given them, one that was apparently popular with the kids in Time’s era. She’d made them all promise she’d get it back once Legend was returned to normal, of course. The story was one about a brave knight who fell in love with a princess, but then was cursed.

Link was reading it, sounding out the words he knew, and tracing a finger over the pictures. “W’as this word?” he asked, pointing.

Glancing down, Warriors told him, “Knighthood.”

“W’as that?” Link asked.

“Well, do you know what a knight is?” Warriors asked, and Link nodded. “Well, knighthood is the rank and title of a knight. A princess or a king might give someone the title of knight, granting them knighthood. Er… Do you understand?”

Link shook his head, and Warriors sighed. “Papa was a Knight,” the child said. “‘Afore he met mama.”

Really? That was… that was interesting. Considering the view Warriors knew the Vet had about knights, that was surprising to say the least. They’d all heard his (and Twilight’s) rather vocal opinion on the knights of Hyrule, which wasn’t flattering in the least.

“Do you know what, er, rank, your papa had?” Warriors asked.

Link shrugged. “Dunno really,” he said. “But mama was once so mad at ‘im, she told ‘im that she’d have ‘im sent back to the bar- barekks, er…”

“Barracks,” Warriors supplied, and Link continued on after nodding.

“Bah-raks… She told ‘im he could start back at th’ bottom again.” Link giggled. “Me an’ my sister thought it was sooo funny, but then papa said summin’ to mama, and she didn’ send him off.”

…Sister, huh? “You know, I’m a knight,” Warriors told him. “A royal knight. I serve my Kingdom and her Princess… Well, she’s Queen now…”

Link’s immediate reaction was the widening of his eyes in awe. “Really?” he asked, and Warriors nodded. “I wanna be a knight sometimes, but mama always says I’ll prolly change m’ mind when I’m older. I dunno though… Papa was the bestest knight, even if he’s ree-tie-red now. But he promised me I could if I wanted to, an’ gramps even said that I could be a knight, too, since ‘pparently we’re dis-cin-ded from a famous Knight.”

Link sighed, then leaned his head against Warriors chest. “I wish mama an’ papa would come back, so I could go home,” he mumbled. “I miss ‘em…”

Warriors hugged him. “I’m sure they will,” he said, wondering if they were…

His ears perked, the sounds of the battle had ended. Heavy footsteps were headed their way, but he wasn’t too worried about who or what it was, because he could hear Wind’s voice from a mile away.

“OI! CAP!” the Sailor yelled. “WHERE ARE YA?!”

“Is tha’ Wind?” Link asked, untangling himself and hopping off his lap.

“Sounds like it,” Warriors said, standing up and holding out his hand to him. “Let’s go see what all that yelling is for, shall we?”

Link grinned and nodded, taking his hand as they made their way back to the others.

“Oi Wind! What’s with all the racket?”

Chapter Text

After the fight, Four looked around and his eyes lit up.

‘We’re in our era!’ Red cheered.

‘Our house shouldn’t be too far from here,’ Vio said as they looked around. ‘Hmm… yep! Two hours, tops!’

‘Smarty pants,’ Blue jeered, then sighed. ‘It is good to be home.’

‘It sure is,’ Green agreed.

Out loud, Four said, “This is my Hyrule, everyone. We’re not far from my place, we should get there in about two hours.”

“Lead the way then,” Time said with a smile before he did the rounds to check and make sure everyone was alright.

‘Pffth! He’s such a Dad.’

They had to fetch Warriors and Link, as they’d gone in completely the opposite direction, but soon enough, they were headed off to his house. Along the way, he saw a few Minish who waved, and he discreetly waved back (didn’t want anyone thinking he was crazy, waving at ‘nothing’). Four was walking next to Wind, who was chattering away about how the forest reminded him of the one on his island near the great fairy. They were at the head of the group, since this was Four’s era.

He could hear Link behind them, also chattering excitedly to Warriors, who was still carrying him. Once he’d been assured that the danger had passed, and he was safe now, Link had lost his terror and was returning to the gremlin-y, happy kid he’d been before. (he was yanking rather hard on poor Wars’ hair, if that pained whining was anything to go by… stop laughing, Blue!)

Eventually they reached his house, and Four let them all in. A quick check told him his grandfather wasn’t there (the note on the kitchen table was the giveaway) which was a shame. Everyone settled in, Hyrule chasing down anyone he felt was still hiding an injury, and Wind and Wild were already going through his stuff. That was… fine… he supposed. As long as they stayed out of the forge.

Four himself went outside under the premise of checking out the perimeter, but instead, he headed straight for the upturned pot around the back of his yard. He wanted to check in with the Minish, to see if they’d heard anything more about the infected monsters they’d been fighting. When he found them, they all greeted him happily, showering him with impromptu nose kisses, and a few flower gifts. Then when he talked to the local elder of this particular family, he found out that it was probable that the monsters they’d fought when they’d landed here were the only ones around for now.

Returning back to his house, once he was his proper size, Four made his way towards to go inside, but a giggle stopped him. That sounded suspiciously like…

‘Is that Link?’

‘…I think it is…’

‘Do the others know he’s out here?’

“Link?” Four called out, then saw a small head poke out from behind a storage shed.

“Four!” he greeted. “Look what I found!”

He came over to him, hands cupped in a way that had the Smith convinced about what he held, and sure enough, a moment later he opened his hands to reveal a Minish chattering away in his palm. Four peered at the Minish, who didn’t look too worse for wear, and held out a finger to the small mouse like being. He recognised her, her name was Inz.

“It’s a Minish,” he told Link. “Have you seen them before?”

Link nodded, and let Four take Inz gently from his hands. “We have them at th’ farm,” he said as he watched the Minish with wide eyes. “And at th’ castle. Zelly loves ‘em.”

Zelly? Zelda then? So, Legend knew his Zelda when they were young too, just like him?

“Do you know what Minish do?” Four asked curiously.

Link nodded. “They ‘elp by putting rupees in grass and pots,” he said. “And they help people in other ways too, I forget ‘em, though…”

“Well, we should let Inz go home now, don’t you think?” Four asked, and Link nodded.

The two of them waved to Inz as she left, though not before giving Link a kinstone and chirping happily at them. Link held the gift to his chest, a look of awe on his face.

‘He looks so cute like that!’ Red cooed.

‘Hard to believe him and the Vet are the same person.’

‘I think all of us are changed in some ways from our adventures. We certainly are.’

‘I liked him better the other way.’

‘…Of course you did.’

Four looked over to where Link was still staring at his kinstone. “Four?” he asked. “Whaddya do with this?”

“It’s a kinstone,” he told him. “There’s another one out there somewhere that’s the other half of this one, and if you can bring the two of them together, then something good will happen.”

“Really?!”

“Yup,” was the reply. “We can look for one later, if you’d like, but for now, how about we go back inside. The others might be worried about you, did you even tell them you were coming out here?”

Linked turned a little red and shook his head. “I’m s’pposed to be sleepin’,” he admitted sheepishly. “But I saw the Mi-nish and wanted to follow her!”

Four sighed, then again when he heard the sounds of someone yelling out inside the house. “Alright, little guy,” he said, holding out his hand, which Link took. “Sounds like they’ve found out you did a runner. Let’s go show them you’re okay, shall we?”

Link nodded and the two went inside, where they were immediately ambushed by some very worried heroes of Courage.