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Legend wasn’t eating.
No. That wasn’t true.
Legend was eating.
He took the food from Wild’s pot offered to him, put it on his plate, into his mouth, chewed, and swallowed it.
But Legend wasn’t eating.
He had skipped breakfast today.
And the day before.
And the day before.
And the day before.
And
His portions were smaller.
He normally ate a full plate.
Now it was barely half a plate, and he had started skipping lunch too.
Legend used to eat almost as much as Wild.
But Legend wasn’t eating.
Legend moved a lot during battle.
It was the way he fought.
Constantly on the move.
His pegasus boots allowed him to almost be in two places at once.
But Legend wasn’t eating.
He wasn’t getting the necessary nutrients he needed to keep that style up.
Legend was already thin.
He was easily one of the thinnest.
He had no extra fat like Time or Twilight.
But Legend wasn’t eating.
There was no visible change.
He looked the same.
His face didn’t hollow.
His wrists weren’t growing boneyer.
His hair didn’t fall out in clumps.
Legend looked nothing like the things Hyrule described around the fire in the dead of night when the topic turned morbid.
But Legend wasn’t eating.
It was obvious in the way he moved.
Legend no longer relied on his superior speed and skill.
He was now using his large inventory of items to overwhelm his enemies.
Relying on his magical endurance, where his physical endurance was failing.
Because Legend wasn’t eating.
Legend was less present.
Things that he used to scoff at caught him off guard.
More near misses.
More close calls.
Because Legend wasn’t eating.
Legend took longer to respond to questions.
His snappy comebacks were replaced with thinking silence.
Quick wit rotted by brain fog.
Leaving only the most barebones of Legend’s notorious ingenuity left.
Because Legend wasn’t eating.
Legend was meaner.
He wasn’t normally cruel.
He didn’t usually act out of malice.
His insults typically had a joking tone to them.
Not meant to be taken seriously.
That was no longer true.
Because Legend wasn’t eating.
Legend’s insults drew blood now.
Snide remarks absentmindedly sharpened to a point.
Topics that he used to tactfully ignore were now free-range.
Soft spots were impaled, and Legend always remembered to twist the knife.
Because Legend wasn’t eating.
Legend was sleeping more and less all in the same breath.
He rested constantly but woke up soon after.
He’d exhaustedly lay down and close his eyes, only for it to become obvious hours later that Legend hadn’t been sleeping.
Because Legend wasn’t eating.
Legend was cold.
He constantly blew hot breath at his fingertips.
He wrapped his bare legs in a blanket.
Warriors had pointed out Legend’s constant chill.
Legend has switched out all his rings that night, dressing each hand differently.
He no longer asked for blankets, and he got hurt more.
The slight blue aura that simmered around him during battles was missing.
Warriors didn’t ask any more questions.
No one did.
And Legend still wasn’t eating.
Legend was only getting enough food to avoid starving and that wasn’t eating!
That's not healthy! That's not safe!
No one was saying anything!
No one else fucking noticed!
Not Time!
Not Warriors!
Not Four!
Not Twilight!
Not Wind!
Not Hyrule!
Not
And Legend still wasn’t eating.
Legend wasn’t eating like that meant something.
Like he could starve himself in some sort of sick fucking protest.
He was being stupid!
Idiotic!
What gave him the fucking right!?
To harm himself in a way that puts the whole group in danger!
He was acting so fucking selfish!
How dare Legend!
What did he think this would fix?
This couldn’t help S
Sky wasn’t moving.
There.
He said it.
No, wait, that was an exaggeration.
Sky was moving.
Sky’s chest rose and fell with his breath.
His blood thrummed under his skin.
Under his eyelids, there was the slightest activity.
But Sky wasn’t moving.
They were on a random island in not Wind’s world.
They didn't have a boat.
They didn't have a raft.
They could swim away from the island, the stronger swimmers letting the weaker ones hold on to them.
But Sky wasn’t moving.
The island has no caves.
It had an inactive volcano in the middle.
But it was small, the whole island was small.
Honestly, they should have left days ago.
But Sky wasn’t moving.
It was an ambush.
They came from the sea.
A horde of monsters.
An army of monsters.
Legend had been attacked by the monster’s leader.
Noticing the island getting overrun, Legend had started using his most powerful items.
Saving much of the group and drawing the ire of the strongest of the enemy.
It was some sort of an underwater Stalmaster.
Cracks in its bone dripping with black marrow.
Legend wasn’t a duelist.
He was exhausted from using his medallions.
Sky was a duelist.
But Sky wasn’t moving.
Sky was a duelist and he fought well.
Of course he did.
He had dueled the God of Malice to the death and won.
Of course he was doing well.
Sky had never protected someone during battle.
All his important fights were one on one, with no bystanders to protect.
Even when he saved someone, it was from mindless blin’s.
Nothing like the Stalmaster.
Sky tried his best.
But Sky wasn’t moving.
Legend had once sat down and explained his medallions to the group.
The Bombos Medallion rained fire.
The Quake Medallion shook the earth.
The Ether Medallion ripped energy from monsters.
Apparently Four owns two of those medallions.
He didn’t bring them with him because the sheer magical cost was too high.
Just using one nearly knocked him out.
Legend could use all three at once.
Not without consequence, but not with passing out.
But Sky wasn’t moving.
Legend had used all his Medallions at once after a shout of warning.
It had destabilized the enemy forces.
It had given them a fighting chance.
And left Legend using his sword to support his weight.
The Stallmaster saw his weakened state, and Legend could barely stand.
Sky saw this.
Sky went to save him.
But Sky wasn’t moving.
Sky wasn’t used to fighting an enemy while protecting someone.
Legend had enough strength to walk and not much else.
The Stallmaster took advantage of Legend’s weakness and Sky’s inexperience and it was raining and storming and the screams were drowned out by thunder lighting and swords... and… and no one else knew what happened till it was too late.
Because Sky wasn’t moving.
Sky was slumped on top of Legend.
Not dodging the Stallmasters incoming killing blow.
Legend, barely strong enough to move his body, is trapped by Sky’s.
Because Sky wasn’t moving.
Legend screamed.
No one knew he could scream so loud.
Because Sky wasn’t moving.
Most of them froze in shock.
Most of them were so caught off guard by Legend screaming that they stopped dead.
But Wind and Warriors were fast.
Wind was suddenly next to Hyrule taking over his fight.
Screaming something at the Traveler till Hyrule held his shaky hands out, sword abandoned.
A red-orange glow surrounded Legend and Sky.
The Stalmaster’s claymore hit the barrier and nothing else.
The Stalmaster’s head was knocked clean off.
Because Sky wasn’t moving.
Warriors had once mentioned being blessed by Din as the Hero of a War.
It had never made sense until that moment.
Underneath Warrior’s tunic, was a glow.
An intricate tattoo with Din’s symbol in the middle shined bloody red.
War magic wasn’t supposed to be used directly on the body, at least not without a proper base in the land.
Yet the light from Warrior’s blessing shone brightly.
Because Sky wasn’t moving.
Warriors moved with speed and skill unparalleled.
In a flash, he had ended the Stalmaster.
Soon he was on every corner of the battlefield, giving the group enough space to pick up Sky and Legend and run.
Leaving a powered Warriors, enraged Time, and determined Four behind.
Because Sky wasn’t moving.
Sky was being carried by Twilight.
Legend being carried by Wild.
They had a camp but there were no caves on this island.
Hyrule had shown off his survival skills by building them a shelter with Twilight’s help.
Which was lucky.
They needed somewhere warm and dry to put Sky.
Because Sky wasn’t moving.
Wild put Legend down and Wind soon was right next to the inconsolable Legend.
Letting him sob into Wind’s hair as the Sailor hugged Legend.
Wild rummaged through everyone's bags for a potion.
Because Sky wasn’t moving.
Sky’s head was cracked.
Blood seeping out of the split in his skull.
Twilight soaked a cloth with potions.
Ineffective, but it was the only way for Sky to use a potion.
Because Sky wasn’t moving.
Hyrule poured every drop of magic into Sky.
Hands nearly stained green with magic.
Hyrule only stopped to drink a stamina potion.
It went on like this for a full hour.
And Sky still wasn't moving.
Hyrule announced that Sky was healed.
Completely.
Not a single injury on him.
And Sky still wasn't moving.
Warriors came back aching.
Time came back silent.
Four came back in pieces.
The enemy was defeated, Blue had told them, nothing left to harm them.
And Sky still wasn't moving.
Wild wasn't sleeping.
Oh, sure he caught a few hours every now and then.
But he wasn't sleeping.
The Four System was hit the hardest.
None of them were ok.
They normally preferred to stay together, according to Green, but now they weren't even talking to each other.
Blue had sat next to Sky and refused to move.
Eyes closed, Skys hand in his, a silent vigil.
Red was curled up next to Legend, crying the tears that had run dry for everyone else.
Vio had taken post next to Warriors, offering his company and vigilance where the Captain could no longer rely on his own.
Green was fine.
Sorta.
Mostly.
In a way.
Green had explained who he and the rest of the colors were.
He looked upset about Sky, of course, but he wasn't distraught.
Green had a sad emotion cap.
He didn't have the capacity for strong sadness, it wasn't what he was made for.
The group learned this after a very aggressive argument between Green and Wind.
Despite being ignored, in the middle of the night, while on watch, Green tried to cheer up the other colors.
Or at least get them to talk about how they were feeling.
In private where others couldn't hear them.
But Wild wasn't sleeping.
Red just started crying more.
Blue and Vio refused to respond.
Wild spent time with Green.
Wild never cared to hang out with Four often.
But now he spent his time trying to keep the color company.
He clearly wasn't used to being alone.
Green had cuddled up to Wild when he slept like Four used to do with Sky.
But Wild wasn't sleeping.
Twilight spent his time bug hunting.
They had run out of potions.
Warriors was bed ridden from full-body pain.
Wild could make more potions.
Wild didn't have the correct bugs to make a health potion.
Twilight went bug hunting.
Surprisingly Vio went with him.
They left early in the morning and got back late at night.
The correct bugs were very rare.
After two days they had enough for Wild to make an incredibly weak potion.
But it was enough to allow Warriors to walk for short bursts.
So they stayed outside for long hours.
Looking for the sole things that could help their friends that could be helped.
They had talked about what they're doing once.
Early in the morning, when Wild was laying in a tree.
Vio had point-blank asked if Twilight wanted to talk about the emotions he was avoiding.
Twilight asked Vio the same question back.
They didn't talk and they didn't spare a second glance to the hero sleeping in a tree.
But Wild wasn't sleeping.
Once Warriors was able to move again he went back to what could vaguely be considered normal.
He sat next to Wind and told intricate stories about the war magic on his back.
Time had taken everyone outside to get some air.
The shelter wasn't a cave, but it blocked out the sun.
Wind, Green and Wars were clearly not doing well being away from the sunlight.
Warriors wanted to walk outside himself, without help, and Vio offered to stay behind.
To make sure Warriors didn’t hurt himself, and to wake up Wild.
Wars had stumbled in standing up.
Using the cave wall to steady himself.
Vio went to wake Wild up and Warriors told him there was no need.
Because Wild wasn't sleeping.
Time sat in front of the shelter during the day.
All-day.
They killed the army of monsters from the sea but there were always stragglers.
Twilight and Vio would come back early if they were too many for them to handle on their own.
Time would stand up and leave to help them handle it.
Any monsters that came too close to the camp were taken out quickly and efficiently.
Time handled any monsters.
The group only usually noticed them by the time the monsters were screaming in pain.
Then Time would walk back into the shelter, and sit down at the entrance watching the tide.
Warriors often sent people after Time.
It was a revolving door of who would help they're leader fight this time.
Because if Time was alone, Time could get hurt.
And if Time got too hurt...
No one wanted to even think about that possibility so anyone who could fight just listened to Warriors.
Time often woke up in the middle of the night.
He takes over watch from whoever had it at the moment.
He takes out his ocarina and play the same song over, and over, and over again.
After an hour of this Wild always took watch from Time.
Sending they're leader back to bed, after he's calmed down a bit.
Time always smiled and thanked him.
Then Wild would sit at the mouth of their shelter staring at nothing.
Because Wild wasn't sleeping.
Hyrule was sleeping most of the time.
He'd wake up, eat breakfast, heal Warriors or Sky, then pass out from exertion.
Warriors tried to stop him but Hyrule wasn't in the mood to be argued with.
And Warriors was still very injured and exhausted.
He woke up, ate lunch, ask Wild for a stamina potion, heal Warriors or Sky, then pass out from exertion.
Eventually, Wind had stopped him.
Hyrule had woken up for dinner and moved to try and heal Sky, only to have Wind in his way.
Wind was handling it well, all things considered.
He cried and talked about his feelings with Warriors.
And he was there, standing between the Hyrule and Sky.
The argument was loud and vicious.
It put Legend's worst arguments to shame.
Wind and Hyrule nearly came to blows.
He's healed, Wind screamed, you said that your damn self. What do you think you're accomplishing by straining yourself so hard you can barely stay awake.
He's not waking up, Hyrule hissed back, I was clearly wrong. What the fuck are we supposed to do, just sit here when Sky hasn't woken up at all in nearly two weeks.
The argument had lasted hours until Hyrule had broken down sobbing.
Muttering about how he was a healer, he had to save Sky.
Wild had wrapped his arms around Hyrule and walked him to where he and Green were sitting.
You're not doing much better you know, Wind said.
Low and accusational.
Because Wild wasn't sleeping.
They were lost in a Hyrule no one recognized.
They were all angry, sad, edgy, and emotional.
The monsters that had risen from the ocean could come back at any time.
The group needed to be in working order if they wanted to survive the next battle.
And Wild still wasn't sleeping.
Wild wasn't sleeping because when he closed his eyes all he could see was his own corpse.
Charred and destroyed.
He didn't want it to come to that.
He didn't want that shrine to become an option for Sky.
Sky was still asleep and he wasn't getting any better.
Wild wasn't sleeping because he needed to keep an eye on his friends.
They were all upset and handling in radically different ways, and Wild couldn't wake up and find that one of them had wandered off and died while he was asleep.
Again.
Wild wasn't sleeping because he was scared and sad and worried, and he started putting extra food on Legend's plate; like that could help the situation.
Wild wasn’t sleeping.
Sky wasn’t moving.
Legend wasn’t eating.
And nobody said anything because they couldn't.