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Chapter Text

"Who's turn is it?" Wind whispered as he leaned in to Time, his eyes darting around the group. He couldn't help but feel a pit in his stomach as he studied each one of the others. Warriors had his turn this morning, he was certain of that. Legend had taken care of it the night before. He began to feel almost as though he was being choked as he began to suspect more and more that...

"It's not mine." Time whispered back. Even though he was usually pretty good at keeping his emotions in check, Wind caught the worried look in his eyes as he subconsciously looked at what might as well be a monster in that moment. It certainly made Wind's fingers twitch for his sword at least, even though the danger was one not even the Master Sword could evade.

"It's Roolie's turn to cook." Twilight spoke up from the other side of the fire, startling the youngest Hero. How had he even heard the two of them, anyway? He had hardly heard Time, and he was right next to them! He glanced at the old man, who had visibly flinched.

"Oh, it's my turn?" Hyrule asked, his face lighting up as most of the others darkened instead. He chuckled to himself as he exclaimed, "I almost forgot!"

Legend elbowed Twilight right in the stomach as hard as he could, putting on a not-terrified grin as the other broke into a coughing fit. "Oh, I almost did too! That would have been bad -- but uh, if you're too tired to--"

"Are you being nice?" Warriors scoffed. He thought that he'd never see the day, unless maybe it was to save his life. But then again, maybe this was a life threatening situation after all. "I mean-- You did use up quite a bit of energy healing Four, so maybe you should rest."

But to each of their horrors, Hyrule actually crouched down to set up the pot over the fire. "No, I'll be alright. Thanks, though." He beamed.

"Er-- what if I help you?" Four asked reluctantly, raising his hand in a way that made his shoulder pang with pain. If this was inevitable, at least maybe he could soften the blow. A few others nodded encouragingly.

But the Hero only shook his head. "I've got it. You should rest; don't want to strain your deltoid any more than you have to. Besides, I've got such a great idea!" He grinned as though he didn't have a care in the world. As though he wasn't just about to end it with his two hands that now carried innocent-looking ingredients.

"Well, if you're going to make dinner, then I'm going to offer up my evening prayers in the meantime." Sky sighed, getting up from his spot.

"Oh, I thought you just got back from them?" Hyrule hummed as he added one last thing to the pot and began to stir.

Sky's eyes shifted. "I have decided that I need to ask for... more protection."

"You mean in battle?"

"No-- I mean yes!" And the Hero nearly dashed off.

"That idiot better be back for dinner." Legend grumbled under his breath as he set his feet up on the stump in front of him. If the rest of them had to deal with this mess, so did Sky.

✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ:*:･ﾟ✧*:･ﾟ✧

"My dearest, blessed Hylia, I pray for your esteemed guidance and wisdom in these trying times. You see, my Goddess, the Hero of Hyrule has once again taken it upon himself to ready one of our meals to empower our bodies and minds for the trials that lay ahead. I understand that you, highest of high, have blessed us, guiding us to the ingredients that allow us to survive another day. You have my utmost gratitude for providing us with our daily needs. It is because your tenderness and care that you watch over us, and lead us where we are to go. But my Goddess -- you must understand-- your hero, the Hero of Hyrule, has been tainted with what can only be described as a curse. He obtains the most wonderful ingredients and what he creates with them -- they, well, in my most dire time of need I once have taken the meals of the servants of Demise. Demise knows no bounds in its wickedness, this I know well, even in its cooking. And yet, my Goddess, somehow the Hero of Hyrule makes the crumbs of the most gruesome bits of the food from Demise's servants seem like sweet, sweet blessings the likes of which I have never known. My Goddess, please, spare me from his hand! If there is some injustice I have caused against you that requires repentance, if this is a punishment from you above, please inform me so that I may turn from my wicked ways. I am your humble servant; you know this. I am at your very command. Please spare us all mercy and -- if I may be so forward... None of your other esteemed Heroes-- myself included-- know how to transform the food you provide us into edible substance. You know that I am faithful to you. You know that I do my best to use what I have been given, and I am glad for the companionship from seven other of your chosen. You bless me greatly, and I try to not ask for more. But my Goddess... All my heart longs for is one single person in this damned group to know how to cook! I mean, come on, you'd think out of eight people there'd be one?! All I ask is for one new member! One who can cook! He doesn't even have to know how to hold a sword, I just want to eat again without worrying that something will come crawling out of my mouth!"

Chapter Text

At the end of the seemingly endless maze, Legend finally found the heart.

"Good thing you came." The voice, if it could even be called that, jeered. Legend only huffed, rolling his eyes. As if that blackened, formless nightmare even cared how he had felt. As if he even cared how he felt. As if he cared about anything anymore.

Once upon a time, all those years ago, he had been so eager to protect Zelda. No, not just her, but the world. To say he cared about such things anymore just simply wasn't true.

As the monster attacked, his body nearly dodged on its own. It was a dance that was woven within his muscles, bones, every fiber of his being.

Clutching his sword, Legend let out a yell as he charged, plunging his sword into the creatures weak spot. It hollered as it retreated back, the black substance spilling down his sword. Yes, the only thing he cared about was destroying this thing with every bit of strength he had, nothing more, nothing less. It was time to end this little fantasy.

What would happen after this fantasy ended? If his other Journeys had taught him anything, he'd be praised by the kingdom. Then he'd sit around, no one would want him around. He'd be a nuisance until the kingdom was attacked yet again.

Though, would he really be praised for this? Doubtful.

Did it even matter which one of them won? The creature launched at him, and he didn't quick get out of the way. He gasped as he felt his leg burn with the black substance, causing him to fall. He quickly got back up, ignoring how his ankle protested.

He wiped the sweat off his brow.

No, it didn't matter who died here. It didn't matter who fell.

The concept of "good" and "evil" wasn't as clear cut as Legend had once thought. he had been naive when he began his first Journey. Wide eyes and pure, eager to play the part of a hero. Such simple concepts, black and white. But things were never that simple. Too many shades of grey lay between the two. Or maybe, he considered, they were more like comparing colors to one another.

Turning on his bad ankle, he narrowly avoided another attack. He hissed in the pain that occurred from the maneuver, but even so he forced his body to spin, transforming the dive into an immediate attack in one fell swoop.

Yes, colors. Which was more evil? Red or blue? Green or yellow? It was all subjective. One may say one is evil, while another person may argue it differ. As long there was an enemy in front of him, he was the enemy in another's eyes. Yet no one seemed to realize that.

The nightmare lurched at him once more, it's blobish form leaping over him. He leaped, trying to use his momentum to slide across the floor but it wasn't enough. He felt the crushing weight fall on top of him, producing a CRUCH that rippled across his entire body. He inhaled sharply as he felt what likely was a few ribs breaking. Great. That's just what he needed. Talk about adding insult to injury.

But even so, with a sigh as he swiped his sword to free himself, he realized he didn't hardly care anymore. So what if the land disappeared? So what if he disappeared? To die, to waste away here. He didn't care anymore. It didn't matter what the outcome was, he decided. He'd just let his body move on its own. If he won, so be it. If he lost... well, he didn't care.

Something stung in his eyes as he managed to get back on his feet, getting into a defensive stance. Had the monster hurt his eyes too? Or had...? No, they were definitely hurt. Obviously. That was the reason. For sure.

Almost to deny that, his memory awakened her song. A gentle, bittersweet tune. The quiet mornings they had spent together, the ocean's breeze singing along as it ran through their hair. Hair the color of the sunset, eyes that twinkled like stars.

Another memory. The sound of another song. A princess — no, a kingdom needing rescuing. Her golden locks spilling over her shoulders.

A mysterious coward, sliding off his rabbit hood. The eyes that met his were identical in shape, but not in color. From him he received a shy smile, a thank you.

His uncle's soup, hot off the fire... it was a taste he could have never recreate no many how many times he had tried.

Once upon a time, those kinds of things were what he would have wanted to protect. He blinked the sweat from his eyes as he shook his head and jumped off to the side to avoid an attack he wouldn't have dodged so narrowly if only his mind was in this.

These precious things, one by one they were breaking away.

"Focus," Legend muttered to himself, almost slapping himself as he danced with his opponent. "I just have to destroy you with everything I have."

That was his fate. To destroy. Good, bad, whatever. To prosper. The Goddess willed it into being. This was just the latest iteration of her will.

And if he lived past this, without hardly saying a word, he'd disappear from the sights of the people he had met along the way. Go back home, as though he no longer existed. Wait until the next Journey.

Wasn't that what being a hero is?

Pulling his sword out of its eye, he had realized that his body really was moving on its own. Mentally, he hardly could consider himself present in this.

So maybe he was the "good guy." So maybe he was the "bad guy." Whichever of them that was left standing in the end, surely they would be considered the hero. Whoever faded away would be branded the villain. Would this be a story of a valiant escape? Or would this be a tale of defending against the destruction of everything? The victor would spin the tale.

It didn't matter if the land was destroyed. For that matter, it didn't matter if he was destroyed, either. Nothing here mattered.

And with one last swing of his sword, the creature shrieked. Everything began to shake, the egg beginning to crack and break. The island itself began to splinter and shatter, the ending he had sought was coming true.

In the moments following, Legend woke with a start, his shivering form clutching a piece of his broken boat. He had opened his eyes just in time to see the Windfish leaping through the water.

Yes, he had saved himself, but could he truly call himself the hero when he had committed such a deed against Marin? Against all the villagers on the island? 

Chapter Text

The Chain had all been traveling together for a few months before, for the very first time, Wild and Hyrule found themselves alone with one another. With a large group of nine, there wasn’t many chances that they dared to split up into pairs for extended periods of time. The closest they usually got were the night watches, where in particularly dangerous areas, they may double up on shifts. But in any case, for whatever the reason, this was the first two these two in particular had been left alone together. With no current mission since they were once again dumped into a new era without explanation, the group had decided to gather resources and intel in the meantime. Wild had been eager to run into the forest to gather more food and take pictures on his slate, not even waiting for permission. It had been Hyrule that had chased after him, knowing that no member should ever be alone for extended periods of time. 

For awhile, the traveler merely followed Wild; for never being in that era, the man sure seemed to know exactly where he was going. He tore through the brush the same way he did in his era. True to his name, he was almost like an animal that fit in the wilderness perfectly. Hyrule didn’t even have time to really think of speaking, or remembering where he was going for the matter, because he had to nearly sprint to keep up. He stumbled through the rocks, twigs and uneven ground where Wild seemed completely unfazed. 

When Hyrule was finally able to catch him, Wild had his knees bent, leaning over some plant as he took a picture of it on his slate. “How do you… move so fast… and still know where you’re going…” Hyrule huffed, leaning over as he tried to catch his breath. He was grateful that he at least had a few moments to not feel like he was in battle with the terrain itself. 

“Oh, I don’t.” Wild only shrugged, turning to show his friend a smile, as though he didn’t have a care in the world. 

His words made Hyrule pale. “Wait, then… how do you remember which way we came from…?” He asked, suddenly feeling a bout of nervousness growing within his stomach. Something told him that the answer was…

“Oh, I don’t!” Wild somehow grinned even wider, even chuckling to himself. He stood up. Holding up his slate for the other to see rather himself. His fingers started tapping. He was so familiar with the action that he didn’t even have to look to know what to press. “You see, my slate has a map of the entirety of Hyrule! I never need to worry about getting all mixed up, so I can wander to wherever my heart desires!”

But Hyrule narrowed his eyes at the screen, the nervousness building inside of him although he tried to ignore it. He poked the screen a few times as he tried to make sense of what he was seeing. “But… Wild, how do you…” He cleared his throat. He may be unable to read maps, but something about the pixelated sea of white, gray and black seemed off to him. “Is that really what a map looks like?” he asked, prompting the other to hum in confusion. 

The hylian swiveled the screen towards himself and then gasped in surprise. The sound made Hyrule flinch, his worries confirmed. “I– I forgot the map function doesn’t work when I’m away from home. Uhhh….” His blue eyes slowly lifted up, peering into Hyrule’s own. “H-hey Roolie…?” 

The man’s eyes widened as he paled even more. “H-hey uhh…. Did the others ever tell you the time I took a wrong turn and ended up two hours North-South from everyone?” He let out a breathless chuckle, averting Wild’s gaze. Wolfie had to track him down, and Time lectured him for quite awhile after that. 

“Uh, I think you mean Nouth.” Wild hummed, causing the other to puzzle. 

“Is that what it’s really called?” A nod. Hyrule shook his head, reminding him that stupid directional terms he barely understood weren’t important right now. “Well in any case, Time told me if I ever get lost again, I should stay put and wait to be found – that way, they don’t have to chase me going the opposite direction.” 

But Wild only shook his hand, chuckling to himself as he clipped his slate back in. “But we’re not lost, Rule! We’re taking a detour! We can just do some exploring while we slowly meander back. Surely, it can’t be that hard to find the way back, right?”

“Right…” he replied, trying to smile in a way that didn’t look like he was about to get mauled. Without waiting for anything else, Wild began walking again in a direction Hyrule could only hope was the right way. Something in him told him it wasn’t, or wouldn’t be soon, that they were hopelessly lost already, but he tried to reason: surely, no one had as bad navigational skills as him? Right? Right?! 

What was it that Time had told him in that lecture? Oh yeah, leave a trail… He silently grabbed a pinecone and began breaking pieces off, dropping them about every few meters or so. He did so in silence for a few minutes before he figured he should say something . “Hey Wild?” he asked, earning himself a hum in response. “I was thinking… You know, as the healer, maybe I should learn how to make potions. I mean– it’s great that you do, but it would be nice for multiple of us to know how to in case you get hurt.” he explained. 

He couldn’t help but notice how yet again, he was trailing behind someone, just assuming they had more of a clue where they were going. He stopped when Wild did, peering up at a distinctive tree. He glanced to the left, and then to the right as if debating which way to go. “Say, do you remember–?” He began to ask, but Hyrule was quick to shrug. “Left it is then.” He pointed before heading that way, Hyrule just internally grimacing. With that settled, Wild returned to the conversation “Well, I suppose it would be a good idea, but I’m not sure if you’d be able to.” 

“How come?” Hyrule tilted his head.

Wild only shrugged. “Well, I’m not saying that I can’t try to teach you, but I’m not sure how much precision it takes. I relate it to cooking personally, but I’m not sure if being a bad cook automatically makes you a bad brewer.” 

“Ah…” Hyrule hummed with a frown. 

“You know what? Screw it. Let’s grab the ingredients for a potion and we can see for ourselves. We have the time.” Wild grinned, causing his comrade to break into a smile as well. 

“What first, then?” He asked.

“First we need a bug. Just grab the first one you see and we can make do with what monster parts we have on hand.” Wild replied, patting his slate almost affectionately. 

“Wait– you mean when we drink potions, we’re actually drinking–?!” Roolie almost gagged at the very thought of drinking bug and monster juice of all things. Maybe this wasn’t such a good idea, after all. 

“Yup!” Wild only laughed, pausing to place his hands on his hips. How he could be completely unphased by this was beyond Roolie’s understanding, but he forced himself to calm down as Wild began to race away again. “Now come on, I see a butterfly over there!” 

The two of them would spend the next half hour gathering various bugs before they settled down by a campfire to attempt to create potions. By the time two hours had passed, they had 3 healing potions, two electric potions, an underwater potion, two stealth potions, and a disgruntled wolf followed by six rather disappointed-looking heroes. But despite the oncoming lecture, Hyrule couldn’t help but cradle his very first potion to his chest, smiling softly. Maybe him and Wild ought to wander off together more often.

Chapter Text

It was loud. Too loud. It had been all day. Four’s eyes darted around, internally feeling how their irises were nearly pulled back and forth in a game of tug of war. 

‘There is no way we’re eating that shit. Is he trying to murder us?’ Blue hissed, looking down at the bowl of whatever Hyrule had made. It nearly appeared to be some sort of chuchu that had been burnt to a crisp with some sort of pockets of green bubbles. Whatever it was certainly didn’t seem like it should be consumed. 

‘Blue, this is our dinner. Like it or not, we need to eat something.’ Green retorted, glancing up at everyone else. It seemed as though everyone else had settled down, eating the substance albeit with pained expressions. They were talking amongst themselves about… something. With the voices in his head so loud, the pieces of Four couldn’t focus on any of it. 

‘But– But Greennnn!’ Red begged, looking back down at the monstrosity. It wasn’t just how it looked, either – the smell was enough to almost tear him up. If it wasn’t for the three others, Red certainly would have. 

“Guys. Focus.” Vio pressed all three of them. ‘Just gag it all down as fast as possible so we don’t taste it.’ A soft sigh fell from their lips before they could stop it. Fighting about every little thing all day had left them winded with a headache and to say that they were tired of it was an understatement. Between Red’s being overly emotional, Blue’s complaints and insults, Green trying to placate them both and Vio fighting for control above them all so they didn’t look insane, they were all sick of it. 

“Er– yeah?” A voice spoke above the noise that was Four’s mind. Quickly looking over at the person, they found Twilight staring at them, spoon in hand. No – scratch that, Green noted as he looked around the fire. All of their comrades had stopped eating in favor in hearing what they had to say. 

‘Goddess! Which one of you idiots spoke out loud?’ Blue asked. 

‘I uh–?? Shoot, what did we just say?!’ Green asked as well, forcing Four to gulp to buy themselves a few spare moments to get themselves in order. 

‘Was– was it me?’ Red asked sheepishly. The tears burned behind Four’s eyes, and the others had to fight to make sure they stayed there. 

‘Red, I swear if you make a fool of us right now.’ Blue hissed. If Red wanted to cry, it couldn’t be right now. 

‘They’re staring at us…’ Vio hummed, trying to mask the growing panic quickly growing in all of them. 

‘Fine, fine… Let me just handle this.’ Green only sighed, impulsively letting his hand grab their throbbing forehead. They were arguing about the food… it likely had to do something with that. “Sorry – we were just wondering what you made us, Hyrule.” He let out an awkward chuckle as he directed his gaze at their healer. 

“Well, I tried to cook some birds Twi shot earlier, mixed with some of these herbs I found along the way.” Hyrule replied, his brows knitted in confusion though he didn’t voice it. 

‘There’s no possible way that’s true.’ Blue shot immediately, their gaze narrowing with a grunt. ‘Not unless he just ripped grass out and called it good.’

“What’s this we? ” Legend asked, his arms crossed and his bowl discarded to the side. At first, Four thought that he was talking to his successor, but then his stern but confused gaze turned to the four. “You’ve just been staring off into space and ignoring all of us!” 

‘We–? Green, you said we!’ Vio exclaimed.

“I– Legend’s right. You’ve been rather… spacy, today Four.” Sky frowned. His voice was further away than it should have been, much like most of what everyone said today was. His head tilted, concern showing through his confusion. “Are you… okay?”

“Now you’ve gone and done it, Green! Get Sky worried and we’ll never recover. You better fix this or–” Blue was interrupted by a gentle but firm hand on his shoulder. They all instinctively looked up, finding Time gently smiling at him. 

“Four, what’s this about green?” The older man asked. Unlike the other heroes, worry, confusion and annoyance weren’t painted all over him. Just a genuine look of wanting to listen to what they had to say. 

“Hyrule’s cooking is green!” Red blurted before anyone else could, trying to brush the situation aside. The urge to cry coming from that corner of Four was growing to be almost unbearable, and it took all the insults and swear words Blue knew to have the strength to keep it all back. ‘Guys, they’re going to find out!’ 

“Well, yes.” Time let out a nervous chuckle, exchanging looks with everyone else. “But what does that have to do with Sky exactly?” 

‘This is going to be hard to get out of…’ Vio admitted, getting preoccupied by holding back the urge along with the other three. A few moments were passing, silence ringing through the camp as they all awaited a response. 

‘I guess this is up to me…’ Green huffed, accidentally making Four sigh as well. He could hardly keep up with both the outside and the inside, but no one else was stepping up; what was he supposed to do? There was a reason why he became their leader. “Sky uh– cooks herbs too?” He tried, trying to force a smile. Their lip only held it for a few moments before it quivered and broke into a frown. 

“Four, if something is bothering you, you can tell us.” Time countered, not even trying to pretend that he bought it. That was it; Red’s dam broke and tears began to form in their eyes. 

‘Red, you are not crying!’ Blue scolded. ‘Not now– what are you thinking?! Do you want them to think that we’re insane?!’ 

But Red just couldn’t help it. He bit his lip, shaking their head as he tried to put an end to his tears. “But – but we do seem a little…” He shook his head. The others raced to sush him, Time’s gaze giving away that he had heard what was supposed to be a monologue. 

“I– I mean–” Green began, reeling back. 

“Shut up, Old Man! You don’t know what you’re talking about!” Blue tried, ripping off Time’s hand from their shoulder. 

“Er– we– I mean, I’m okay? Really.” Vio tried to salvage it all, giving what had to be an awkward, teary smile. 

Time’s eye clouded in confusion for a few moments before it was exchanged with worry, and then it cleared. “Four… are there others in your head?” He asked directly. 

Chapter Text

Wind was happy to be home. After months of traveling, exploring different pieces of land that seemed to stretch even further than the oceans, he was finally home. As fun as it was time traveling and meeting new friends to pull pranks on, he had grown to miss the open air ruffling through his hair, the taste of salt upon his tongue and the ever-changing color of the sea. He had begun to almost wonder if he would never see it again.

When he had first gotten his bearings of his surroundings, he couldn't help but squeal in excitement. He had spent the rest of the day dragging his three other companions throughout the island he called home, having them meet everyone that raised him and he grew up with. His grandma generously hosting the heroes, and the islanders did their best to help supply them for their upcoming journey. By morning's first light, they were ready to set out on the open sea to search for whatever Hylia had brought them over here for.

"This is my trusty ship." Wind explained, gesturing to the red boat that had helped him time and time again. "It's no ordinary ship." He chuckled lightly, wondering if he should tell them that it was alive now, or just have them find out by themselves.

"There's no way I'm getting on... that." Legend huffed, uncrossing his arms for just long enough to gesture to the boat before them. "That's nothing but a bunch of scrap wood. And you're telling me that you– a twelve year old– are going to just hop in, without a clue as to where we are supposed to go and just trust we aren't going to end up stranded somewhere?"

"He beat Ganondorf, didn't he?" Time asked, lifting an eyebrow, but Legend merely huffed.

"I know, I know... it can be really scary setting sail for the first time." Wind assured with a smile. He may not know Legend well, but he had grown used to the man's usual negativity and insults. "At least, I know I was scared the first time I went out on my own. But the truth is, I'm not actually alone! You see, my ship is actually alive; it's been a great companion to me." He set a hand over his chest, closing his eyes as he felt warmth bubble in his chest. All that time he had spent, travelling from place to place, he never truly was alone.

But despite this, Legend still seemed unconvinced. "Yeah, no way I'm getting on that scrap wood and getting stranded somewhere. Come find me when you have a real ship. Not this thing for little boys wanting to play Hero."

As Wind's eyes widened with the sting of the insult, he heard Twilight growl, "Legend!" This didn't stop the man from marching inland, away from the sandy shore.

"Don't listen to him." Time assured to their youngest member, glancing at the way Legend went with confusion in his eye. "Just because you're a lot younger than us doesn't mean anything. You've well proven yourself."

Wind stared on where the figure shrank until it disappeared entirely, continuing to frown. "I'm... ok." He decided earnestly. He felt bad, but he could tell that he hadn't felt insulted per se. It was... something else. A feeling that something was wrong with Legend, perhaps. Realizing this, the growing boy cleared his throat. "But uh – you guys stay there. I'll be right back." He didn't linger to watch Time and Twilight look at each other.

It took a few minutes for Wind to find the person he was looking for, leaning up against a large rock. He hesitated, wondering if this was even his business, before he sat against the other side of the rock. "What do you have against the sea?" he asked bluntly. From the corner of his eye, he saw Legend jump in surprise.

"What I have against the sea?" He asked warily. "It's water. It doesn't have feelings, Wind."

In a way he was right, but the sailor felt as though he was wrong. The sea had moments of anger in a storm. It had moments of calm, where hardly a ripple touched its glass-clear surface. Other times, it murmured, as though talking with an old friend. It would lap at the shore, as though to remind islanders like Wind that it was there, it was always there no matter what happened as though to ground them. Regardless, though, that was irrelevant.

"You mentioned something about getting stranded a few times." Wind explained, frowning. All he received in reply was a grunt.

"Yeah, and what of it?"

"Are you –" Wind cleared his throat, buying himself time to find the words he was looking for. "Are you scared of water? Can you not swim?"

"Of course I can swim!" Legend snapped as he sat up to look over at the other. But it was in the words he didn't say that told Wind something else.

"Oh, so you are scared then." Wind hummed as he sat up to meet Legend's gaze, accidentally letting annoyance slip in his tone as well. "You're just too cucco to admit it." A smug smirk slipped onto his face. For someone so fierce and hot headed to be afraid of something so natural seemed like a complete role reversal as he often was painted by Legend as "just some kid."

"I–" Legend cut himself off with a huff, looking away. "I told you, I can swim! And no– I'm not afraid of something as stupid as water!" Just storms. Boats breaking, failing. Getting struck by lightning. Tumbling into the unforgiving waves below. Not quite drowning. Being trapped and stranded on an island. Falling in love. Murdering that love in order to escape. Never speaking about it again. 

Chapter Text

When Wild had told everyone to drink up the elixir that reeked of spice so strong Sky basically felt the heat coming through the glass and into his palm, he couldn't help but be a little bit skeptical. He wasn't one to particularly enjoy spices, and he had a feeling that this was going to be hot. But now, he found himself staring up at the mountains topped with some white substance all over it that was apparently called snow.

"It's cold to the touch, think about it like fluffy ice the texture of wet sand." Wild explained to the group as he tapped at his slate at his hip. The man was so familiar with it that he didn't even have to unclip it from his hip to look at it most of the time. His clothes vanished in a blue light, being replaced with a thick tan outfit that covered him completely from his collarbone down. Tucking in his sleeves were a pair of long gloves, and tucking his pants were long boots. Only his face remained uncovered, although warm feathers were tied into his hair.

"Is it really going to be that cold?" Sky found himself asking as he tilted his head. That entire outfit seemed... a little extra.

"Just come on over and see for yourself." Wild grinned, walking backwards through the gate, where the lush green grass transformed into a blanket of white.

"Well alrighty then!" Wind exclaimed, rushing over to join the hero. His young eyes opened in wonder as the warmth from the air vanished in only a few mere feet. He couldn't help but hug his sides, his breathing jagged as he watched with intrigue when he could see his exhale. A few flurries landed on his bare arms, even colder than the air. "Woah! It's so– cold!"

"Don't forget to drink the potion I gave you." Wild reminded, Wind listening immediately. "Believe it or not, it'll get even colder as we move away from the border."

"Wait, really?"

Sky wanted to see this for himself. He was the next one of them to walk up to the border, stopping at a mere centimeter before the gate. It had gotten colder by a few degrees already. He hesitated before he held his hand over the snow, gasping in his own wonder as the freezing sensation radiated over his one limb. "How–?" he began, instinctively bringing his hand to his chest. He paused before putting his leg over the border. This time, he giggled before putting it back. It was such a strange concept, not just having the air be that cold, but also having such a dramatic change of temperature in that short of space.

"What are you, a child?" Legend merely scoffed at Sky as he walked past. He crossed his arms as he looked back at the rest of the group that had yet to cross. Adorned with rings, bracelets, earrings, a necklace and holding a staff, the man really lived up to his name. He had seen more things than any of them, and along his adventures he had come to acquire quite a stash of magical items for nearly any occasion. Surely he had something for this too, because he wouldn't have refused the potion otherwise. The man didn't shiver at all.

"Aw, come on. Lighten up." Sky hummed, unoffended as he jumped from one side to the other. He still couldn't help but chuckle at the cold sensation stinging his entire body now. With a swig of his potion, he figured that he could get used to this. 

Chapter Text

The first time that it happened, Link had jumped up his feet, grabbing his club and getting into a defensive stance without even thinking. He may not know much about this world, but his body, for some reason, seemed to. Alarm circulated through his veins as he pondered what it was. Could it have been a large monster? Maybe a large person? (Did those exist?) Was the cave he was seeking shelter in collapsing in on itself?

He wasn't sure. He wasn't sure of a lot of things, actually.

In any case, he decided to slowly move to the entrance, his free hand tracing the wall ensuring he knew the path in the dancing shadows. When he got to the mouth, he was met with the same darkness that stretched on when he had retreated a few hours earlier. The sound of rain poured in his ears even louder than it had before, and he could make out the streaks coming down. The soil had become muddy as a small river had formed, rolling down the hill and out of sight.

Linked blinked, straining his eyes to see further than a few mere feet. Nothing seemed amiss, but... then what he had just heard? What had he felt to his very core? He licked his lips before opening his mouth. He had thought perhaps calling out may alert the person of his presence. Even if it turned out to be a monster, he'd prefer to deal with it now, so he could rest during the night without worry.

He swallowed instead. Unlike the old man, he wasn't sure if he even knew how to speak, how to communicate. He wasn't sure why. He had so many questions about this world and about himself.

Warily, he took a step out of the cave. Rain quickly dropped onto his exposed skin since he had abandoned his soaked clothes, with exception to his boxers, by the fire earlier. Had he just been imagining things somehow?

But just as he thought that somehow, that could be the case, it happened: a flash of blinding light lit up the sky in all directions, coming out of a single, twisted vertical line. It only existed for a single moment; if he had blinked, he would have missed it. He stumbled back, letting a surprised yelp as he nearly fell over. But that wasn't all. A moment later, a rumble rippled throughout the land, shaking the earth once more. Link nearly felt it within his very bones. And that too, almost as soon as it had started, faded into nonexistence, as though it had never happened in the first place.

He hadn't imagined it, had he? He moved even closer to the wall of the rock, unsure of what to make of the situation. Was the beam of light involved in the boom? Had it caused the boom? Or was it some odd happenchance? Was he going to die? Was he in danger? Or... was this as normal as the flowers and the bugs and the sky changing from blue with a bright circle to a speckled black? From the adrenaline pumping through his veins came another feeling: curiosity. From the moment he had first looked out from the crest of the hill before him to see the vast and seemingly endless world, he wanted to learn every single thing about it. This was no different.

He lingered for another minute before it happened again: a flash of vertical light, this time more to his right than the last. The roar followed, this time faster than the previous time. This only caused the curiosity to swirl even more in his chest. Before he had realized it, he had dropped his club onto the ground and took another tentative step forward. He hardly realized or cared about the rain as he waited for the strange phenomenon to happen again. Luckily for him, he didn't have to wait for long. It had hardly been a minute before it happened again, this one's light appearing to his left instead and the sound occurring more delayed than the second time but still faster than the first.

The two had to be connected somehow. He found himself making a strange sound that only lasted a few seconds as his lip turned upwards. The rush of nerves was replaced with a shiver of excitement.

Was it alive? Was it a friend? Was it a foe? How did it move so fast? Was there multiple of them, or just one? Was it related to the sky? Was it the sky expressing its emotions, like the rain meant it was sad, and it was blue when it was happy, and black when it was reflective, and dotted white when it wasn't sure what it was feeling, and–? Or, perhaps it was a creature that was dancing between the land and the sky? Or perhaps, he supposed, the two were having some sort of conversation. Or perhaps–

As countless theories budded in his mind, there was one thing that was becoming more clear with every passing second: he just had to know. With one last glance back at his make-shift shelter, the warmth of the fire nearly begging him to stay, he stashed away his club for safekeeping. He ran out into the rain and began down the hill in an attempt to chase the sky beams and their echoing earth calls, a wide grin etched on his face and unfamiliar happy sounds coming out of him. 

Chapter Text

It was an unsuspecting morning when the chain sat beside the fire. Wild and Time had set off earlier that morning – or rather, Wild had, Time running to try and make sure the gremlin wasn't entirely unsupervised. So when Wild silently slipped out of the bushes holding a child without Time around, the others weren't sure what to make of it.

"Err– What's that?" Legend asked, pointing at the thing as he made a rather disgusted face.

"That's a child!" Twilight exclaimed, shooting Legend a quick look of disapproval before rushing over. He gently scooped up the baby before cradling them in his arms. Their bright blue eyes were shimmering, and the infant giggled at the new embrace. The two had taken to each other immediately.

"But... where did it come from exactly?" Four asked as he– along with five other heroes– all came for a closer look, crowding all around Twilight and Wild. "And where is Time?"

Wild began to move his hands, signing a response. Whatever had happened had spooked him into being mute again, it seemed. But unfortunately, none of them were particularly close to being fluent, other than Time. It was... a work in progress. At last, Wild sighed, pointing at the child.

"Yes, that's what we're asking about." Legend huffed, crossing his arms. Wild only facepalmed before taking a deep breath. It was time for charades. He covered one of his eyes.

"Er– Time?" Hyrule guessed, causing the Hero to nod eagerly and point at Hyrule in confirmation. Then he gestured to the baby.

"You left Time behind for the child?" Sky asked. Wild shook his head.

"The child is actually some kind of monster that ate Time?" Legend guessed. Wild could only deadpan, unsure how to even react to that. This... might take awhile to explain.

Chapter Text

Sky tilted his head towards the sun, feeling how its rays grazed his face with a gentle warmth. It was a nice day out, not a cloud in sight. It was days like that reminded him most of her. The way she was ever so kind, ever so gentle. She was a shining ray of hope in his life; even on the darkest days, just even thinking of her smile cheered him right up.

"You've got that stupid look on your face again." A gruff voice hummed in what sounded like annoyance, tearing the Skyloftian from his mind. Legend bumped into him lightly, his arms crossed.

"What look?" Sky asked as he looked over at the other.

"The one you get when you think about–" the man cleared his throat before putting on a heavily exaggerated face. His eyes widened into something akin to puppy dog eyes mixed with a daydreamy gaze. He began to speak with a heightened octave in his tone, adding as much sweetness to his tone as possible. "My dearest, loveliest, the most wonderful, amazing, beautiful–" And with a heavily exaggerated sigh, finished, "My goddess, my Sun."

"I don't talk like that." Sky rolled his eyes, but he wasn't offended. How could he be? Even if Legend was mocking him, his words were true. He glanced back at the sun in the sky. Yes, Zelda was quite possibly the most amazing woman who had set foot on Skyloft, or the surface for the matter. When they had to choose aliases for their Zeldas, he had gazed up at the sunshine just like this. The sun was – is still – life giving in any era. A reminder that even in the darkest of nights, it was never far. It was only a matter of time before it rose again, bestowing the world in a golden hue of life. In its presence, flowers grew and wildlife blossomed wherever he looked. It was something he relied on, no matter the distance, no longer how long it felt like he had last seen it. Just like her. To name her Sun was the obvious choice.

An elbow roughly edged his stomach. "Sky, hey! We were talking here." Legend said in a low growl.

"Ahh, right." Shy chuckled, rubbing the back of his head. "Well, I guess you got me... I was thinking about Sun." Even the simple admittance turned his cheeks a rosy pink. "It's sunny days like today that remind me of her... I– really miss her..." The realization made his heart pang all over again.

Legend only huffed, rolling his eyes before he averted his gaze. Even so, despite his roughness, he placed a single hand on Sky's shoulder. That silent reassurance was all that it took for Sky to feel his heart ease, if only a little. 

Chapter Text

"Four... why 'r 'ere... four of 'ou...?" Sky asked, lifting a finger. A splitting headache pounded against his skull, wild colors swimming in his vision and even though he was seated, he felt as though he could fall over at any moment. But he was sure what he saw – there were four nearly identical faces staring right at him.

The four of them all chuckled, as though he had something funny. One of them gently placed a hand on his shoulder, as if to try and ground him. "That's..." They seemed to look elsewhere. With the overbearing weight of the nausea, the dizziness and the fog of his mind, he couldn't follow their gazes to see what they were seeing. "Don't worry about that right now, okay?" The two in the middle of his vision – mostly a blue splotch on his right and a mostly green splotch to his left– placed a finger on their lips.

Was it a secret? Sky winced as even trying to dwell on that much caused his headache to flare up all the more. "But 'y–?" He tried to ask. One of the four – perhaps the purple splotch to his far right– placed their hand on his other shoulder. The two that held his shoulders worked together, gently pushing him back down onto his bedroll.

"Look, Sky, you need to relax. You're injured." One of them explained, changing the subject. Their voice, although soft, was enough to shoot pain from his head all throughout his tired body. Although he wanted to protest, he had so many questions, his pillow was ever so fluffy and welcoming.

"That's right," Another soothed as his eyelids fluttered closed against his will. "Go back to sleep... We'll be right here when you wake up. Promise." He had hardly heard the last few words before darkness overtook him yet again.

✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ:*:･ﾟ✧*:･ﾟ✧

Four had to look down at himself. He hadn't split, had he? No, he hadn't. He – no, they would have known if they had. Being in one body was vastly different from being in four different ones, where each member had full freedom to do as they wished. He frowned as he watched their injured member sleep peacefully.

"How is he?" A gentle voice asked behind him. Hyrule, their healer. Four got up from the ground and turned to look at him.

"I think his concussion is worse than we thought... He thought that there were four of me with him. I think he has some kind of double – or quadruple– vision or something." he explained, matter-of-factly. None of them were even sure that quadruple vision was a thing, but in any case Sky was not in the right mind.

"Four fours?" Hyrule lifted an eyebrow, and for a moment the smith worried that Hyrule may have figured out what the Four Sword was named for. But then the man broke into a chuckle. "Now that'd be something!" 

Chapter Text

Sky often dreamed of his days back in his Journey, back when he could set out nearly at noon, sleeping late into the day and being able to drift off not long after nightfall -- in his own bed, nonetheless. Now he traveled with eight others that wanted to leave at mid-morning at the latest, and just before daybreak at the earliest.

And by dreaming, what he really meant was wished. Not sleep. He groaned as once again changed positions. He just could not sleep lately, and having to pull the night watch every few nights certainly wasn't helping either.

"Come on, Sky! We're supposed to head out in ten minutes!" Legend exclaimed -- the pest had been coming over every five minutes the past half hour, which certainly wasn't helping his bout of insomnia. This time though, he didn't seem to be taking no for an answer. The veteran swiped Sky's pillow from right underneath his head.

"Hey!" Sky growled, attempting to grab it back from where he laid. "Give that back!"

"Not a fat chance." Legend scoffed, tossing the pillow into a small puddle for good measure. Fine then. With a huff, Sky laid his head on the cold, hard dirt. Just a few more minutes... It wasn't even like he ate breakfast or anything. "Seriously, Sky? You're unbelievable..." The sound of retreating footsteps was almost enough for Sky to think of smiling as his eyelids fluttered closed once more.

... Until two pans began clanging together repeatedly right next to him. Instinctively, his eyes shot back open, and he rolled over to his left. "Legend, you son of a--!!" He began to exclaimed, his hands over his ears, but he stopped as he saw it was not him, but Wild instead. The noisemaker stopped, pointing a pan accusingly at him. He must be feeling quiet today... how ironic, Sky could only sigh. "Two minutes. Just TWO more minutes." He growled. "Then I'll be up. I'm not like you, who ALWAYS wakes up at the buttcrack of dawn! I have better things to do! Geez!" and he once again, laid his head down, rolling over to face away from the champion.

A few moments passed, and Sky began to feel the tension begin to slowly ease from his shoulders. He guessed that he had actually gotten through to this annoyance too. Anger still burned in his chest, but maybe if he dreamed big enough, he could still manage to fall asleep anyway.

He would not be so lucky. He heard a low growl, maybe somewhere among the far away voices by the fire. He chose to ignore it, but before he knew it, the bottom of his bedroll-- along with his legs inside of it-- began lifting up with another growl. "What now?!" He complained, opening his eyes yet again to be faced with two rather annoyed canine eyes staring at him, bedroll in his mouth. Wolfie growled again before violently shaking it in his mouth, as though it was some kind of prey. Sky all but tumbled right out, rolling onto the harsh ground. That would be a start of a rather terrible, horrible morning. 

Chapter Text

"Reports say that this next Link lives in this village." Wars summarized as they approached an arc that acted as an entryway to the settlement.

"I wonder what he'll be like!" Wind exclaimed, almost dancing in excitement as he walked. "Maybe this one will love the sea as much as me!"

"Doubt it! Wind, do you even SEE water around here? Maybe this one will be almost as well-seasoned as me." Legend hummed, pushing a lock of his hair back. It would be fun to have someone to compare all the dozens of jewelry he had to.

"If all this adventuring has taught me anything, it's that we are all vastly different from another despite having the same Spirit." Time hummed. He had given up on guessing since – actually, he wasn't ever sure he had hoped or guessed what he wanted in a new member other than 'can cook.' Speaking of which, he looked over at Wild. "Oh, that's right! This is the first time you're meeting a new member." Hopefully, that was. There was no promising that he was home currently. Wild gave a silent nod. "Every meeting is different. But ideally, we first introduce ourselves by our full titles and then explain that we are on a Journey together through time and space to find and stop the black-blooded monsters."

"I'll do the explaining, don't worry." Wars assured. As captain, he was good at rehearsing speeches, relying messages in a quick and effective method that also rallied men together.

Time nodded, smiling. "He's done it the last five times, so he's got it down pretty good. But one thing you should know, Wild, is to expect the unexpected. Each of us are loaded with traumas and secrets, and anytime we think we've seen it all, we're proven wrong."

"Like one time, we picked up a wild animal." Legend nearly sneered, bumping into Wild. While most would be offended, the kid chuckled to himself.

"Okay, I think I get it now. Thanks guys." He grinned.

The group walked through the village, and after asking a few villagers about where the Hero lived, they found themselves in front of a door. Wars took a deep breath before walking forwards, lifting his fist to the door before knocking twice in succession. A scuttling sound was heard from inside before a young woman opened the door. She was wearing a green coat with a short brown skirt, black shorts barely peaking out underneath. With two blonde braids, Wind couldn't help but be reminded of his sister. "Hello?" she greeted, her eyes widening at the sheer amount of guests she was suddenly greeted with.

"Oh, hello miss," Wars nearly drawled, his rigid stance shifting into one that was much more flirty. He took out a flower from his bag, offering it to her in a nearly suggestive manner. "How are you today?"

"I'm not interested." She only sighed, her hands shifting to her hips as her eyes narrowed.

Time cleared his throat, gently pushing Wars to the side. "I'm sorry about my friend. I assure you, that's not why we came here." He gave a quick glare to Wars. "We were actually looking for the Hero. He wouldn't happen to be here, would he?"

The woman lifted an eyebrow as she shifted her weight to her other leg, hands unmoving. "Yeah, you're looking at HER. What do you want?" She asked, sighing in a way that told she was sick of being mistaken for a man just because she was strong and brave. All the Links silently glanced at one another. Silly as it sounded, they failed to consider the idea that the Hero's Spirit didn't have to be possessed by a male. 

Chapter Text

"Wars, check this out!" Wind called across the other side of the bustling marketplace. It was so loud that Warriors was surprised that he even heard it. He turned around, and it took a moment to spot the shorter boy jumping up and down to make himself more noticeable in the crowd. He set down the weapon he had been eyeing, giving the shopkeeper a quick nod before plunging in the current of people to cross over to Wind.

"What is it?" he asked, thematically tossing his scarf back over his shoulder as he looked down at the other.

"This booth– look!" Wind led him over to the booth in question. All over the tables were all sorts of trinkets on keychains. Each one was nearly flat and only a few inches long, though each one was unlike any other. Further inspection showed that each one was very delicately engraved by hand; hours put into each one despite the size. Wind took hold of one that depicted a ship, blue waves coming from underneath it. "Aren't they cool?"

Wars only frowned. "How much do they cost?" He asked, glancing at the shop keeper.

"twenty each."

Wars almost choked at the price. "There's no way we could possibly get one. I mean, come on, we're broke as it is, and it'd just add weight to your bag. It doesn't help us in any way." He explained. Wind frowned as he put the trinket back.

"Yeah, you're right..." He sighed before he turned away. "I was supposed to look for potions anyway." And then he wandered back in the crowd. Wars took one last look at the keychain, pausing before he reached into his bag. The same keychain, coincidentally, would appear on Wind's pillow when he awoke the next morning. 

Chapter Text

"Go ahead, Legend." Wars smirked as he not-so-subtly bumped into the veteran. The two of them were on the outskirts of the camp, just far enough away to get some privacy while still being within sight of everyone else. It would be dangerous to wander off in the dark of night, after all.

Legend hissed as he clutched the small bundle of clothes to him even tighter. "I hate you." he snapped as loud as he dared as to not draw attention to himself – both by his fellow companions and whatever may be lurking just outside of their camp. "Why did you have to win?"

Wars only chuckled, his expression shifting into a steady smirk as he innocently tilted his head. "A bet is a bet, isn't it? And I was the one victorious." He explained, his gaze lowering down to the bundle and lingering there too long for Legend's liking.

The man let out a heavy sigh. There really was no way of getting out of this, was there aside from committing murder? "Fine... Let's just get this over with." He shoved Wars, even though he wasn't even in the way, and moved into the brush for a little more privacy than before. Wars only chuckled all the more, crossing his arms as he looked the opposite way, towards the camp. His fingers tapped the metal that laid just distal to his elbows absent-mindedly as he waited for Legend to change. He kept his ears sharp, listening to the sounds of the night in the meanwhile. Just because he wasn't done gloating just yet didn't mean that he was going to leave the other alone when he was distracted and otherwise alone; perfectly vulnerable prey to hungry monsters.

"Okay, okay, I'm ready." Legend's voice said after the shuffling of clothing ceased. Wars turned to look, and it was all he could do to stuff his hand over his mouth to contain his laughter. The sight of the red-faced, scowling but also clearly embarrassed Veteran was just too much for him on top of everything else. Wars had to bite his lip, reminding himself to breathe before he could mostly regain his composure.

"Come on, let's go!" He nearly sang as he linked arms with the other, pulling him towards the fire where everyone else was with exception to Sky, who had already turned in. He waited until they were closer before exclaiming, "Guess who I found!" He smirked, glancing back over at Legend's face. Still as beet red, but now the fire helped conceal it somewhat.

"Fable!" Hyrule exclaimed, jumping up immediately. "I didn't know you were here! Hi!"

Wild gave a friendly wave and a smile, in one of his quieter moments. Twilight gave a greeting that wasn't quite as excited as Hyrule's, and Time gave a nod with a simple "Hello." The others also gave their own greetings, welcoming who they thought was the princess.

Four, on the other hand, remained seated, his expression changing into a frown. His eyes reflected a cautious purple in the moment. "Say... where did Legend go?" He asked instead as his eyes narrowed.

"That's–" Legend began in Fable's voice, letting out an awkward chuckle. "Uh, don't worry about that idiot. He's always getting himself in trouble, you know, Hero and all." He waved dismissively. That only made Wars snort, but he would regret it when his shin was kicked a moment later.

"I'm not so sure about that..." Four hummed as he stood up and walked over to the two newcomers. He stared up into Legend's eyes, violet that had begun to be speckled green meeting blue. The smith narrowed his eyes further, scrutinizing even the smallest of details on Legend's face.

"What– whatever do you mean?" Legend asked, attempting to keep up his falsetto. In response, Four silently pointed directly at the ends of the man's hair. "I– yes, I washed it this morning. Do you like it?"

Four's eyes widened as his pupils turned into a raging red. "Oh, you're right!" A pause as several curious glances turned more towards him than what he was pointing at. "I mean, I'm right! The ends of your hair are pink! Only Legend's is like that. So, therefore, you must be..." He nodded to himself, satisfied with their detective skills.

"Er–" Time cleared his throat. "Legend, is that you?" he asked with a bit of hesitation, his eyebrows rising in surprise.

Legend looked up to Wars, who was too busy trying to pretend his laughter was a coughing fit. They hadn't discussed this too much. "I... yeah. It's me." He admitted, crossing his arms as he changed his upright posture to a more familiar slouch. "I got caught in a stupid bet!"

"I wasn't sure if I believed that they were identical twins, so I thought I'd make him test that theory!" Wars chuckled to himself.

"Wow.. I guess they really are." Twilight whistled. The two of them seemed so different, but he was now realizing that was more due to mannerisms, hairstyles and clothing. The resemblance was unmistakable.

"What did you even lose a bet on, Ledge?" Wind popped up from his own spot with a grin much too cheerful for the veteran's liking.

"Oh you know... Stuff..." Legend muttered, shifting in place.

"It was on whether or not I could figure out a puzzle faster than him. And I did!" Wars grinned in victory.

"He's never even been in a dungeon...." Legend pouted. "He cheated, that's for sure..."

"Sure, sure." Wars bumped his elbow in his stomach playfully. 

Chapter Text

"Don't you see?" Legend screamed as he clutched Wars' tunic even tighter, holding him so that he couldn't dare run away. Holding him so that he could feel every ounce of Legend's rage without knocking him senseless. He hated how tears streamed down his face– how dare they do that without his permission? He shook Wars again for good measure, because his wide open eyes were not enough of a reaction for him. "Marin isn't real! She's from a dream! When she– she–" went through the portal. Went back home. Back to where she belonged. No longer in the war. He wanted to say. Legend found that the tears were too much, they were tightening his throat and preventing him from speaking anymore. He let out a sob as he let go of Warriors with one hand, trying to make hand gestures to try and finish his train of thought. But it wasn't just his choked cries preventing him from speaking; he had lost the will to speak. His roaring anger had been snuffed out, having burned too bright, leaving him with nothing but sorrow and pain and bitter suffering. Suffering that he had bottled up years ago, never once was so weak to mourn a fake girl. One that didn't matter, one that made no sense to cry over because it wasn't like he had lost her – he couldn't lose someone who wasn't real in the first place.

Legend felt his legs grow weak, and they gave way underneath him. He fell to his knees, but that hardly registered in his mind as he covered his face with his hands to try and hide the fact that he wasn't just crying, but sobbing his heart out. Him, the cool, unemotional if not angry Veteran. He would never... Especially not in front of Warriors, of all people. He wanted to kick himself for being so weak, for being so shattered by something so simple, but he had no energy left to do anything but cry like a stupid baby.

Warriors was being awfully quiet. He probably walked away, Legend had figured from the small part of his brain wasn't reliving every little tune, conversation, touch and kiss that he had ever shared with Marin out on that island. Probably for the best; he would likely have done the same if the roles were reversed and he made the Captain cry at one little comment that wasn't even an insult.

But just as he thought that, he felt someone slink their arm around his trembling frame and bring him against their chest. "I'm.... really sorry Legend." Wars whispered in his ear. "I... didn't know. If I would have..." He trailed off in a way that Legend could practically hear the way he bit his lip to stop himself from talking.

"I... know..." Legend heard his voice reply without his consent, raspy from crying out. His chest was already feeling lighter, the tsunami of grief settling into more of a ride on the rapids. The rush of sudden emotions had really waned on his energy, and it nearly left him feeling dizzy and tired. Before he realized it, he had rested his head against War's chest, even going so far to adjust his position to be closer to him, to let Wars more comfortably hug him.

Wars didn't reply, not verbally, at least. The truth was, he didn't need to because there were no words left that needed to be said. Instead, he held Legend close, waiting patiently for the rapids to turn into a simple, babbling brook. For Legend's tears to slow to a stop and for his eyes to close. Neither of them knew how much time had passed before the Veteran was whisked away into slumber, but even so, Wars continued to hold him close. He would remain there the entire time that he slept, refusing to leave him alone like all those years he surely bottled all of these emotions up, keeping them all to himself. So there Wars sat, his chest being used as a pillow, his arm supporting Legend's back and his lap being used as a seat.

Of course, if any of the others would ask where they were later, this never happened. That went without saying. 

Chapter Text

Legend sighed as he peered down into the lake. He glanced behind him, noting how the others were pulling out various kinds of gear: Zora masks and armor, a pair of boots, and the like. "There's gotta be some other way." He swallowed. His eyes lingered on Sky and Wind; those two weren't pulling anything out.

"Vah Ruta is in the center. There's no way around it." Wild replied, shaking his head as his Zora suit appeared in place of his regular clothes. "If you can't swim, one of the Zoras will gladly carry you on their backs."

But that wasn't the problem, Legend scowled. He forced his eyes shut so tight that he felt the edge of headache coming on. He had to think of something, otherwise... He sighed audibly as he turned towards the lake with the towering beast, opening his eyes again. Even if he rode a Zora, he would transform if he so much skimmed the water.

"Will you be alright?" A soft voice asked beside him. Hyrule, of course. His face was painted in concern in a way that made Legend's heart twist. He hated how much he had come to care for the boy in these short few months.

"Yeah," He grumbled, averting eye contact so that he wouldn't have to see the sadness and concern he didn't deserve.

"You can use my boots if you like?" Hyrule asked in turn, his eyes glancing down at his new shoes. "They can walk on water just like Jesus did. You won't even get wet – not a little. I can ride a Zora, it's no issue, really." He showed such a genuine smile that Legend couldn't help but feel guilty. Maybe it would work, that was true, but then Legend glanced over at the Zora. Not only would he be making Hyrule more uncomfortable, but he would be making others work needlessly hard.

"Hyrule, we don't know who this magic Jesus guy is," He reminded gently, but more just to stall for time. He watched as Roolie's shoulders slumped and he immediately felt all the worse. "Keep your stupid boots. I got something better."

And before the other could respond, Legend ran as fast as he could off the dock. He dived in a perfect form before splashing in the water. As he felt his form descend into the depths of the water, he felt his lower half grow increasingly numb. He held his breath as the feeling became almost unbearable before it disappeared as quickly as it had come. He sighed, watching how the bubbles of oxygen left his mouth in favor of the thick, cool seawater. He took a few moments to remind himself how to move his tail in an effective manner so he could swim. It was only after he mostly got it down that he swam back up to the surface, popping his head out. He could breathe through his gills, so he didn't have to worry about suffocating.

Hanging over the ledge of the dock, Hyrule's eyes were wide even before he spotted Legend. "Legend!" He exclaimed. "You were down under for quite some time... are you sure you're alright?"

Curse this kid, worrying about him so much. For making him care in turn. It made him angry. He hesitated for a few moments. "Look, the truth is..." he began, but he shook his head. Instead, he moved his tail so that it would come out into the open air. It was a slight awkward maneuver, but it was easier than saying it.

"Oh," Hyrule exclaimed, his eyes widening even further. "You're a–"

"You're a mermaid!" Wind exclaimed as he ran up to the edge of the deck. He began doing some kind of little dance in his excitement. "That's so COOL! Vet, you've gotta tell me! Does it hurt? Can you sing underwater? Do you lead boats astray like in the stories I've heard? Do you choose when you turn into a mermaid? Or is it whenever you touch water? Do you eat fish– Oh wait! I bet you make a lot of friends with them, don't you? Oh and–"

"I don't make friends with nobody." Legend scowled, lifting his torso above the water so they could see how his arms were now crossed.

"Now, we all know that's not true." Time's voice hummed before he appeared, along with Sky. He was smiling, almost as though he wasn't fazed by this at all. "You've made friends with all of us, whether you care to admit it or not." Something about those words made Legend flush, and so he huffed in annoyance. "This may be... a surprise to us, but I think we've all got some rather bizarre secrets. We won't comment on it if you don't want us to."

Legend nodded, averting his eyes. "Fine, do what you want." He huffed, but he couldn't help but be relieved. 

Chapter Text

It was nearing midnight as Wars laid on his bedroll, staring up at the darkened sky. Under the light of the full moon, the stars didn't quite twinkle like they usually did. He had been lying there for a few hours now. When he had gone and laid down, he had closed his eyes, but he willed himself to not fall asleep. He waited until those nearest to him – Wind and Sky– to fall asleep until he opened his eyes. Staring, studying what many described as the wonders of the universe. Maybe to some. Maybe to most. But not to everyone, particularly in this group.

It was about time now, he supposed. He turned his head to get a good look at the camp. It was hard to see through the darkness, as the fire had gone down to only a few glowing embers. From what he could tell, it seemed that there were six or so other figures lying down. Not counting Twi, who was on night watch, patrolling the perimeter, that left one out. He caught a glimpse of their back, faced away from everyone else. He slowly got out of his bed as quietly as he could and sat up.

"You should be sleeping. It's not your turn for night watch." They scolded in a whisper as Warriors approached. Wars merely laughed as loudly as he dared before plopping down beside them.

"I could say the same to you, Mask." He hummed. It may be true that Time no longer went by that name, but it was moments like these he couldn't help but see the old man as just the same kid from back then. It seemed as though Time understood this, since he gave a quiet chuckle.

"Fair enough." He hummed. Under the quiet of the night, it seemed almost wrong to say more than one needed to. And so, the two sat side by side, watching as the moon continued rising as midnight came ever closer.

And as the moment neared, Wars watched from the corner of his eye as his little-old brother held his breath. How his hands trembled ever so slightly. Wars silently placed his hand over his brother's, giving it a squeeze before looking him straight in the eye. It was a look that was firm, yet also gentle. It'll be okay, it said. Nothing bad will happen. Time's own eye seemed to hold warriness, but he gave a small nod and squeezed Wars' hand back. He glanced back at the moon, watching as it reached its peak at long last.

And... that was it. Nothing really had happened. They waited a few more minutes before Time tentatively cleared his throat. "I... thank you. I know it's silly, but..." He admitted in a whisper, rubbing the back of his neck.

"Don't be." Warriors whispered back.

"But..." Time swallowed. "How did you know..?"

"How couldn't I?" Wars raised an eyebrow, smirking almost teasingly. "You had such terrible nightmares of it as a kid, especially on nights like these. Maybe still do. I helped you through them then, and I always will."

Even in the darkness, he could see how Time flushed, like he was a kid that had been caught red handed. "Can... can this stay between us?" he asked, and for a moment, Wars could have sworn that this really was the little Mask that he had gone to war with, not yet grown. He couldn't help but reach out and mess up his hair.

"Of course, Mask. I won't tell a soul."

Chapter Text

Link hardly remembered his father. He had died when he was little, tending to his knightly duties. He had no mother; she had died in labor and he almost went with her. He was told that he was lucky to survive, even injured as he was. With no parents, the entirety of Skyloft took pity on him. Some of his dad's old friends brought him into the knighting academy and before he knew it, the instructors and staff had become his new family. More than that, all of Skyloft was looking out for him. The woodcarver Shiz and the Tinkerer Gondo worked together to create a device that would fortify his legs. Such a brace often left him with blisters and splinters, but they prevented his ankles from collapsing on themselves, as well as fix some of his posture and gait. After initial concept designs, Jinx the clothes designer of all people had the idea of lining the inside with fabric to help reduce friction with the tough brace. It was extremely effective, although Link still got some blisters if he overdid it.

His development was the entire talk of the town. For the most part, he was fine. His legs would ache if he walked too far, but he much preferred spending time in the air with Crimson. He could fly and fly for hours without growing weary. Maybe that was why he loved it so much. He reveled in the wind running through his hair, Crimson's feathers tickling the parts of his skin that were bare. There was not a soul in all of Skyloft that flew as much as he did, and as a result, he was also that much closer to his loftwing.

But as he grew, the townsfolk had begun to wonder what the future held for him. And, for the record, he did as well. Somewhere around the age of thirteen, children would choose to work under someone to learn a trade. Somewhere around the ages of sixteen and eighteen, they should be skilled enough to do it on their own. Many spoke of him becoming a merchant, partnered with someone who could get materials. Or perhaps Shiz or Gondo could teach him their trades. But in any case, he'd be able to sit at a booth all day, so his legs wouldn't be a problem. But what they didn't know was that Link had plans of his own.

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"You want to become a knight?" Horwell asked with wide eyes. "Link, I don't think you'd be able to keep up with all the training and regime. I know your father was a knight, but..."

"I know." Link breathed, trying not to flinch at him and Owlan's shocked and disapproving gazes. "It's something I've been thinking about since well... ever, really. I really want to make a difference, just like Father did."

"And you can do that at the market, too. You should know by now that the knights get most of their supplies by vendors, and the rest by their own craftsmen." Owlan protested. He and Horwell crossed their arms, and the sight made Link deflate. He knew they would say something like this, but to actually sit through it just felt different from the thousands of imaginary conversations he had in his head. He found his gaze lowering to his legs. He noted how even after using the braces all day every day for years on end, his feet still pointed at an angle rather than facing forward. Oh, and he was doing the thing again where he was only touching the ground with the tips of toes. He silently corrected that, placing his heels back on the ground for probably the hundredth time that day.

"I.. right..." He said a bit louder than a whisper, feeling his heart sink. He had such a plan, but now voicing it all out loud, it really did sound silly. But just then, there was a tap at the window and a shriek. Link knew it was his Crimson before he even looked up at the window. A new hope swirled in his chest, and he couldn't hide a shy smile. Even his loftwing had come to this meeting, apparently, to cheer him on. "It's just – I was thinking, I could stick to mostly patrols in the sky." Saying those words, he found his confidence back as he sat back up. Yes, he had indeed thought about this a lot. "You know better than anyone how good I am with Crimson. When we're together, we're more than just a rider and a loftwing. We share a soul; everything we do is in sync, and aside from trained knights themselves, no one knows how to ride like I do. Crimson has incredible endurance too."

There, he had made his case. It was both shamelessly prideful, but not to the point of being ignorantly arrogant. One look at both of the instructors' faces and he knew that his argument had struck a chord. Horwell leaned over to Owlan's ear, covering his mouth as he whispered something, to which Owlan nodded in agreement.

The two of them, having recovered from the shock, both straightened up. "It seems that you really have thought this through, Link." Owlan began, clasping his hands behind his back. "But this is a serious matter. We will have to bring this up to the headmaster and see what he thinks of the idea."

A maybe! Link had gotten a maybe! While anyone else may have despaired at such an unclear answer, Link was filled with an overwhelming excitement. He'd have to work hard, that was true, if they even gave him a chance to begin with. But when in his life had anything ever come easy to him?

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"You're really letting him play knight?" A boy's voice exclaimed, causing Link to flinch, his muscles tightening far too tightly. For one reason or another, he had that whenever he was startled. It was the very first day of his training, and he was already being underestimated. He hadn't even had a moment to try and prove himself! "He's the boy who can barely walk, isn't he? What is he supposed to do, crawl in battle?"

Link didn't even know this kid. But unfortunately for him, the braces and walk he had made him stick out as a sore thumb. That, and he was the talk of the town; he always had been. Anyone could put together that a kid his age who had bad legs and an awkward walk had to be him. "I can walk." He defended as he turned around. This kid had fiery red hair and was already quite built for what – thirteen? Fourteen? And still looking like he had a lot of growing to do yet. Already, he had a good body suitable for knighthood.

"On your tiptoes like that?" The boy scoffed. Link silently kicked himself for forgetting yet again to keep his damn heels down. And while he was at it, he moved his feet and knees so they pointed forwards, not towards each other. "What, you think you're some kinda fairy or something?" The further insult made Link flinch, but he didn't respond. Something told him that whatever he tried to defend himself with would only be used as fuel.

"That's enough, Groose." Horwell scolded as he walked up behind the two. "We will not tolerate bullying on school grounds." The young boy rolled his eyes (which only Link could see) before turning around with an innocent grin.

"Oh, sorry. I was just worried for him, you know? I don't want him to get hurt, you know." He glanced back to Link with a smirk that said that this certainly was not the case. Not that Link needed that look to know that himself.

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"Hey drunk!" Groose's voice yelled right behind Link's ear. Link immediately seized up as it always did when someone startled him. Groose only laughed, he loved scaring him like that.

"I'm not drunk," Link hissed under his breath. "I just can't move my legs well."

"Yeah, yeah, whatever. Close enough, Fairy Boy." Groose waved, as though it was no big deal. As though Link was just simply overreacting. As if they didn't both know that Groose hated Link, even though he never quite said it outright, never quite did anything bad enough to complain to the teachers without looking overly sensitive. "Have you seen Cawlin? I can't seem to find him anywhere."

Link resisted the urge to roll his eyes. Fairy Boy was one of Groose's favorite nicknames for him, which went back to the first day they had met. For as stupid he was, he had an arsenal of names for Link which didn't seem mean... on the surface. But the truth was, they had underlying meanings that only both of them understood. Most of them Groose used away from the teachers, but some of the more clever gripes he would use right under their nose. And the worst ones? He'd only whisper in passing, after making Link jump of course. But they were just that– names. Groose seldom laid a hand on him, no concrete evidence that he intentionally was being mean. He'd tell the teachers of any pranks Groose pulled, but for the most part, he just had to try and avoid him. "I think I saw him heading to the market." He replied before walking away. To ask Groose to stop only ever egged him on.

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"I need a break..." Sky admitted. Before he could get permission yet again, he already plopped down against a tree, dropping his gear beside him. His lower limbs were on fire, the burning sensation radiating through his lower half. His muscles ached, and his head had been sending danger signals for the last fifteen minutes. He never had once passed out due to walking too far, but if he pressed himself too far, he certainly felt like he would.

"Again?" Legend spun around to ask. "Sky, we just had a break a half hour ago!"

Sky nodded breathlessly. Yeah, he knew that. He was acutely aware just how much he was slowing this group down. It really was no wonder why he was always a little too late on his own adventure. He closed his eyes, leaning his head back. Sitting even for a few moments made him feel a lot better, but as soon as he got up, that peace would leave him.

The first day, Sky hadn't even realized that they didn't know. With his braces hidden in his boots, it had somehow never crossed their minds that something was wrong with him. Had they not noticed how he had to keep reminding himself to walk with his heels down, his legs separated and – if he could help it– his feet forward? Did they really not realize how uneven his walk was when he was tired, or that he tripped himself (but thankfully not falling) far more than what could possibly be normal?

For the record, he had never meant to hide it. He just assumed that they had noticed and decided to be nice about it. Living in a small town, anyone could match him as the orphan boy who was hurt from childbirth; the one that walked funny. But he supposed that these four Heroes had never heard of this boy. The concept of having to... explain it, was foreign to him.

When he realized, part of him couldn't help but feel lucky. For once, he wasn't some miracle child, or some pity, or an inspiration for going to the market to buy fresh fruit. He just... was. He was... normal? This was what it felt to be treated as a regular, normal person. Secretly, the thought made him happy. That, combined with the awkwardness of how to even bring it up, especially now having to explain why he didn't at first, prevented him from explaining for another few days. That brought him to this moment, taking his fifth break that day when they had only been at it for five or so hours.

"Are you sure that you're not hurt?" Wars asked him. The man sat beside him, his piercing blue eyes scanning Sky's body. He thought he saw Wars' eyes lingering on his legs, but perhaps that was just anxiety.

"Not... exactly." Sky began, biting his lip. He couldn't go on like this; it was unfair to his body. It was unfair to them too, to not explain things. It was nice being normal while it lasted. He reveled in the last few moments of this so-called normalness.

"Not exactly?" Wars echoed, his eyes clouding in confusion, along with three other confused gazes.

It was now or never. Sky gulped before he closed his eyes again. He didn't want to see their reactions to this. "When... When I was born, something went wrong. I don't really know the details, but whatever happened made the muscles in my legs very... spastic. The muscles are tight, and I don't really have good control of my legs, either. I can walk – obviously, but I walk kind of weirdly, and tire easily. On my Journey, I took so many breaks..." He remembered how much time he spent taking breaks every day. "I– Sorry." He waited a few moments, keeping his eyes closed. Some time passed, but he didn't dare look yet.

"Oh..." Time replied, his voice soft. His voice made Sky open his eyes, allowing to see how they all were frowning. Not in a way that reflected pity, thankfully. "Sorry, we didn't realize we were pushing you."

Sky only shook his head. "I didn't speak up." He explained in return. How could he possibly expect them to understand without communication like this?

Twilight hummed as he looked around. He and Time had remained standing, even though this was supposed to be a break. It was such an odd concept to Sky, to consider standing in one spot, continuing to hold themselves up, a break. But in any case, Twi's eyes eventually landed on his pet which he called a 'horse.' "Say... Sky, is it just your legs that give you trouble?" he asked, not turning to look at him.

"Well, there are a few odd things, but pretty much."

Twilight nodded at that, as Wars and Legend gave him confused looks. Time, on the other hand, seemed to understand where this thought was going. "You have an animal that you ride too... Do you think if you rode Epona you would be alright?" Time asked in turn.

"Well, I'm not really sure how to mount her, but I guess it's worth a shot." Sky couldn't help but grin. He pushed himself up even as his legs immediately began screaming at him. If this could work, he wouldn't have to feel bad about slowing the others down as much.

"I'll give you a lift." Twilight offered. 

Chapter Text

Legend screamed as he gripped his sword so tight that the joints in his fingers and wrist cried out with him. Even filled with adrenaline pumping through his system, he could feel the warm pain distinctly radiating off of each joint in both of his hands. He raised his weapon before dealing the final blow to the lynel, slicing its head right off. Finally. That monster had been down right annoying to kill, even if they were matched 9:1.

The adrenaline quickly wore off, exhaustion quickly washing over him. He listened as there were cheers all around him, but Legend didn't participate. He nearly dropped his sword getting into the sheath, the pain continuing to radiate and now would have been considered unbearable... if he was some villager. Legend? Ha. He could endure any pain. No problem. He had suffered much worse before. This? This was nothing. He wasn't even injured.

He silently gripped his left wrist with his right, absent-mindedly trying to soothe the pain.

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A few hours later, the group was lying beside the fire. Wild was just finishing making dinner, scooping warm soup into bowls one by one. The nearest Hero to Wild, Hyrule, grabbed each one from him, passing it to Legend. Legend then passed it to Time, who passed it on until it reached the end of the line of hungry men. Each time that Legend took a bowl, his joints would protest as soon as the weight shifted into his hands. The joints in his wrists would protest as he swiveled slightly to offer it to Time again and again.

He silently cursed on the fourth bowl – how many more times did he have to do this exactly? He looked over at the others behind him on the line. Three more.

"Can't wait, Legend?" Wars teased with a silly smirk that made Legend want to punch him in the face. (And he most certainly would have if only his stupid overworked hands wouldn't throb in even more pain from the action. That guy annoyed the shit out of him.)

"I'm just hungry." Legend rolled his eyes, stopping halfway through to wince as he took yet another bowl from Hyrule and passed it to Time. Two more. Something about the way he did that made Roolie look at him, but thankfully he didn't comment.

Taking yet another bowl, he turned to pass it to Time, but his stupid hands protested even more than the other times. He flinched, and Time had to quickly grab the bowl from him. "Woah, careful there!" The old man exclaimed as he claimed his own bowl.

Legend just clicked his tongue in annoyance, both at Time for acting as though he was weak and for showing his pain for even a moment. The Hero of Legend should know better than to show any weakness, any pain. This was especially true of anything that wasn't any kind of injury; his pain didn't count since it wasn't real. There was no reason he was in pain, after all.

"You okay, Ledge?" Hyrule's soft voice came from beside him. In his two hands he held Legend's own bowl, though he didn't offer it just yet.

"Of course I am." the veteran only huffed as he forcefully grasped the bowl, taking it even though Hyrule wasn't offering it. He had to use extra pressure to take it, and in the swift motion, his joints cried out all the more.

Oh, right. This was the part where Legend was supposed to grab the spoon and start eating. But something about grasping the spoon nearly made him not want to eat, even though he was hungry. He pushed the thought aside, and began to eat anyway. His joints radiated in pain where he used his fingers to hold the spoon and bowl. The motions he needed to perform proved even trickier than passing bowls, or perhaps his joints were tiring even more.

All around him, the others were conversing about the events of the day. It diverted into one of Wind's tall tales that likely never happened. Usually, he would let himself get caught up in them – even he had to admit, they were usually entertaining. But, not today. He simply could not bring himself to care to even try conversing with the others. He just had to keep up the battle between his noncompliant hands to try and feed himself.

At the same time, however, really having to work for his supper had killed a lot of his appetite. When he had eaten about half of his meal, he silently placed his bowl on the ground and got up. He was so trapped in his own mind, tired of having this battle with his hands that he just wanted to skip to the next day. Maybe then it would be all better. That's what he had been thinking to himself for months now. Some days, his joints were better, just a dull ache. Others were worse, like today, where he struggled to use his hands properly. But maybe, just maybe, tonight would be different – maybe he'd wake up, and the pain would be gone and never return. He laid down on his bedroll, facing away from the fire and the others.

So in his head, he hadn't realized how all the laughter and storytelling had grown silent as he had left and dropped down on his roll.

"He's going to bed already?" Sky of all people whispered. "Even I'm not ready for bed yet!"

"He didn't even say a word, did he?" Wind asked.

"And... he didn't really eat..." Wild sighed, eyeing the abandoned bowl. "I even made his favorite..."

Hyrule supposed he had no choice. He hesitated before standing up. He glanced back at Time, who gave him a supportive nod, before he walked over to his predecessor. He sat down beside his head, sitting cross legged. "Ledge..." He hummed. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing's wrong." the man only huffed. "Now leave me alone so I can sleep."

"Legend." The firmness in his tone was enough for the veteran to open his eyes, being met with a surprisingly fierce gaze. It only lasted a few moments, before it waned to a sadness that hurt his chest. "Please... I just want to help."

Why did it have to be Hyrule of all people giving him that look? The look that reminded him of a puppy pleading for scraps? If it had been anyone other than him, he would have easily ignored it. But Hyrule? Gosh, he just... couldn't.

"I'm just... tired." He sighed. Tired of fighting. Tired of having non-existent pain. Tired of worrying about doing too much for his hands to handle. Tired of being like this. He wanted to leave it at that, but those puppy dog eyes begged more from him. "And... just a little achy, is all..."

"Where does it hurt?" Hyrule asked him, his voice sickeningly gentle and caring.

"Hyrule, it's just a little ache. I'm fine. You don't have to overreact." He rolled his eyes from where he laid. But it seemed the traveler was onto him.

"Legend, you never complain about being in pain. If it's bothering you this much, then it must be pretty significant." A pause, where Legend was supposed to respond. He didn't. "Ledge, please. For me?" He tilted his head, giving a cute pout. Damn it, the boy really did know that he was Legend's greatest weakness.

"Just... my hands. It's fine though. They're always like this." The veteran quickly explained.

"Always?" Hyrule echoed. "Did you injure them before?"

"No... and I'm not sick or anything, mind you. It's probably all in my head, so you can leave me alone."

Something about his response made Hyrule sit up straighter. "Legend, if it's affecting you this much, it's not in your head. Is– that why you haven't told us?"

There was something about his words that tightened Legend's throat. In a way, he had always known that, but... still, hearing that from someone other than himself felt different. He pushed himself up to a sitting position, groaning at the pain in his wrists. "I'm a Hero... we're supposed to be strong, not weak." He protested, just like he had protested to himself so many times.

Hyrule visibly flinched at that, tearing open a hole in Legend's chest. But before he could open his mouth to try and make amends, Hyrule had already embraced him into a big hug. He heard his successor sniff as Roolie buried his face into Legend's shoulder. "Legend... it – it isn't weak to be pain. And it doesn't make you any stronger to shoulder it all alone." He sat up and moved back so they could see eye-to-eye. "Here, let me and Wars look you over. We can try to see what we can do to help. You're not alone anymore, understand?"

Legend hesitated, letting the words sink in before he gave a small, ever hesitant nod. 

Chapter Text

"Thanks for agreeing to watch our kids!" Mamasha grinned as she gave Legend's hand a firm shake.

"Wait! I didn't agree to–" He began to say, but she and her husband rushed out the door as though they were actively avoiding their kids. Great. The Hero blew a strand of hair out of the way. Why were so many people so dang helpless, anyway? And more importantly, why did he somehow get dragged into helping them all?

"Link, Link!" One of the kids exclaimed, shaking his arm to get his attention. "Can I play with your sword? Pleaaasseeeee?"

"What?!" Legend exclaimed, swatting it away as he took a few steps from the group of four identical boys. It wasn't very effective, seeing as one had gotten up onto his back, holding onto his shield to stay on him. "No Kidoh! And Suhni, get off of me!" His mind was reeling, showing him some maneuvers that would effectively take out the kids, but unfortunately these weren't threats he could actually fight, unlike moblins.

"I'm not Kidoh!" The first boy defended, "I'm Suhni! That's Kidoh!" He pointed over to the boy on Legend's back, who still was refusing to get off.

"Sorry, sorry." Legend nearly rolled his eyes. What did it even matter when he was yelling at both of them? "Suhni, you can't touch my sword and – Kidoh! You better not be touching the hilt!" He reached back and shooed the small hand away from his weapon. If he had known that he was going to be looking over these kids, he wouldn't have brought his things like this.

"What's a hilt?" One of the other boys, Lattie he guessed, asked. The boy wasn't actively being a nuisance but he and Joonya were hovering a bit too close for the Hero's liking.

"It's like a– where I hold my sword." Legend supposed. Being overwhelmed with four of them at once, and trying to speak in a language they'd understand was a bit tricky in the moment. He finally managed to get Kidoh off of his back, but now Suhni was trying to jump onto him, pulling his arms down to use them as steps.

"Can I hold you sword?" The last kid asked as he too started to try and climb on top of Legend.

"No!"

"But what if I just touch it? Just for a moment?"

"Absolutely not!" Legend reeled back, hitting the wall. Shoot, he was cornered.

"But whyyyy?!" Lattie moaned. "We'll be careful! Promise!" Legend, of course, could think about ten different reasonable responses to that, none that the kids seemed to be understanding.

"It's dangerous! You could hurt yourself!" He scolded.

"But whyyyyyyy?!" Kidoh moaned right back.

"Because I trained to carry it and you didn't!"

"But whyyyyyyyyyyyyy?!" Joonya cried.

"Because your mother would kill me if I let you!"

A pause. A nice, quiet one where Legend could remember what the sound his own thoughts sounded like. He eased, glad that he had finally gotten through to the swarm of kids. He felt better already, his head clearing.

"But why?" Suhni asked, bursting Legend's bubble. It was all the man could do to prevent himself from ripping his hair right out of his skull, screaming so loud the entire island could hear and quite possibly exploding on the spot.

"Because I said so!" He exclaimed, placing his hands on his hips as he leaned over. (Oh gosh, he sounded just like his uncle.) Thankfully, the kids grew quiet at this again. He took the spare moments of silence he was awarded and sat down at the nearest chair, dropping his shield on the ground. Usually he would do the same with his sword, but he couldn't chance the kids getting their hands on it. He tilted his head back. He had hardly been there for five minutes, and he was exhausted already. He closed his eyes, pinching the bridge of his nose. How had he even gotten in this situation in the first place?

"Link," One of the kids asked softly a minute later. Legend lazily opened his eyes, tilting his head so he could see the child right next to him. "You're no fun."

Legend could only sigh. He had no idea how to interact with children. "What... if I just tell you a story?" kids liked that, yeah?

"Oh! What about how you saved all of that funny named place? Uh– My Rule?" One of the other kids – Kidoh?-- asked. Legend had already mixed them all up.

"It's... Hyrule, but... uh, sure." He tried his very best to grin. He started off awkwardly at first, not really sure how to make it sound all exciting without also scarring them all. Or were they old enough to hear it all? He was about their age when it all began, anyway. But in any case, he watched as all four of them began to settle down at the sound of his voice. He used grand hand gestures and poses to really bring the story to life, and the children leaned in with interest as a result. He was gaining confidence as he reached the climax of the story, where he was gearing up to fight his foe once and for all to save the princess.

But that was when he was interrupted by loud cries and screams coming from the corner of the room.

"Uh oh, looks like our brother woke up from his nap." One of the four – Legend wasn't even going to pretend to know which was which– frowned as he got up. He led Legend over to the crib, where the blood curdling noises were coming from.

"How do I stop it?" Legend asked, flinching at each cry. He had to resist covering his ears.

"What do you mean? I'm just a kid, why would I know?" they responded with a tilt of his head. So Legend did the first thing that he could think of and grabbed the baby, cradding it in his arms. He bounced it a little as he swayed, trying to soothe it.

"No, no, mister! You gotta do it more like–" The boy swayed side to side, doing the exact same motion Legend was.

"I– that's what I'm doing! And didn't you just say you didn't know anything?" Legend protested as he continued to try and soothe the screaming baby. It was only getting worse.

"Well I forgot, okay?" The kid pouted. "And you're not doing the same thing! You're doing it more like–" The kid shifted his weight to his other side, but otherwise did the exact same motions as before. "You gotta do it more like–" He shifted his weight back, but otherwise remained the same.

"That's the same thing!" He argued.

"Is not!"

"Is–" It was at this moment that Legend realized he was seriously fighting with a nine year old. He let out a huff, reminding himself to never go that low. Instead, he looked back into the main area of the house. Which was– wait – "Where are your brothers?!" He exclaimed instead. The child followed his gaze.

"Oh, I think they mentioned something about going into the forest to start their own journey to fight Cannon Dwarf." The kid only shrugged.

"Ganondorf!" Legend corrected in a yell, not that hardly mattered. "Why didn't you say anything?! Do you have any idea how dangerous it is there?!" He set the baby down, paused, and picked it back up. Then paused, and set it down. He had no idea if he was just supposed to leave the thing there or bring it with him. Neither seemed like a good idea.

'I dunno." They only shrugged. "I'm just a kid!"

Legend couldn't stop his facepalm. This had to be some kind of dream. Or nightmare, rather. He sighed, pinching his arm. He hesitated as he realized he hadn't actually felt it. He tried again. Nothing. He furled his brow, trying to magic the kids back inside if this really was some kind of dream. That didn't work, either. Well, whatever. Must be real then. With stress coursing through him, he raced to grab his shield. "You stay here!" He exclaimed as he slang it over his shoulder and ran out of the house. 

Chapter Text

"The Olym–iawhat?" Legend blinked.

"You're really telling me you don't have the Olympics?" Wild asked, placing his hands on his hips. The other Heroes glanced at each other before shrugging. "It's like– Really? Legend, aren't you close to like, five different kingdoms? The others, I understand, but you?"

Legend only shrugged. "I mean, close is a bit of an exaggeration, I think. Lullaby is more of the diplomat, princess and all." he supposed.

"What are these– O... lym...pics, you keep talking about, Wild?" Sky asked.

"It's like–!!" Wild spread his arms out to show just how big it was. "The biggest sporting competition ever! Gerudo, Zora, Rito, Gorons and all Hylians – split by village and tribes– all come together to fight! It unifies the entire kingdom!"

"That still doesn't explain why you've tied a bomb to your shield, Wild. Or, to any of ours, actually." Time frowned, glancing at his own shield. The bomb attached glowed in warning. He then glanced down the cliff they were standing on top of – one trip and someone would be a goner for sure.

"It's our first competition: Surf bombing! All you have to do is jump on top of your shield. Whoever goes the furthest wins!" the champion grinned.

"There is no way we're doing that." Legend grumbled, crossing his arms. "Even if Wars of all people volunteers to go first." He smirked at the mental image of that as said captain gave him an angry smack on the head. It was worth it.

"Sounds fun!" Wind exclaimed at the exact same time. Before anyone could stop him, he ran right off the cliff, moving in the air so that he would land on his shield and be bombed away.

"Wind, no–!!" Time began to exclaim, but it was already too late.

"See Old Man? It's fun!" Wild grinned as the youngest Hero went flying into the horizon.

"Wild–" Time began to scold, but he wouldn't hear it. The cook jumped off the cliff at all with such experience and pose that only proved that he was more than familiar with this particular Olympic sport. 

Chapter Text

Nothing but darkness shrouded Link's dream. Nothing, but a single hourglass. The sands were all collected at the bottom, still. Unmoving.

But then, it moved, flipped over by his own command although he wasn't there to move it. At once, the sand began drip dripping to the bottom, ticking on, running out. Growing older, time passing as all time should. To advance, to change and develop. To race against the brief moment that was life.

He watched it for some time before his two hands, callused from years of experience, appeared to grip the sides. In one swift motion, he once again tipped it, placing it on its head. The sands moved in reverse. Where there once had been wisdom, there was nativity. Where there once had been advancement, there was regression. What once was a march to the inevitable, life was being continually restored.

In the glass' reflection, he saw his face – the face of which was just a mere child. Blue eyes full of wonder, youthful features he hadn't just a few minutes ago. With his small hands, he flipped the sands of time once more.

Time itself sputtered forwards again. The child looked at his arms and his body. He watched as growth accelerated within him, his slender figure growing more muscular and larger with each passing second. He felt his face, feeling as his baby fat melted away and the bones in his cheeks and jaw became much more pronounced. He stared at his reflection in the glass, watching as his bubbly, wide open eyes narrowed with not only age, but knowledge as well. He watched as his one eye closed, the scar he knew far too well sealing it tight.

No, this doesn't feel quite right either. Gripping the hour glass again, he switched the tides yet again to embrace his youth. But something there was lacking as well.

So which was it? Was he meant to be a youth? An old man? He flipped the hourglass yet again. No, neither of them felt right and both of them didn't feel wrong at once. Link's head began to spin, spin more and more as he flipped it again and again. His mind spun and shook as much as the hourglass itself. As he got more frantic, flipping it more and more, his mind slurred, more and more confused.

He wasn't a kid. He was a kid. He wasn't an adult. He was an adult. All of those four seemed to be true statements, though of course that simply couldn't be. He moved the hourglass faster and faster, until he resorted to shaking it himself. He glared at it, demanding answers from it. But it was just a simple object, it could not answer questions about himself for him. And so, at last, it slipped out of his hands and shattered on the ground below.

And that's when Time woke up with a start in a cold sweat. He had to feel his face and stare at the back of his hands to get confirmation: adult. He was an adult. 

Chapter Text

Sky loved his bed. The fluffy mattress that was one foot tall prevented him from feeling the bed frame, much less the hard floor a few feet under that. The puffed-up pillow filled with old loftwing feathers molded to the shape of his head. The silky blanket felt smooth against his skin, and the thicker blankets that piled on top of it kept him in a cocoon of warmth. He shuddered as he sunk deeper into them, so that even his chin hid under his sheets. How dearly he had missed this. A bedroll was certainly better than nothing, but there was nothing like sleeping in his own bed, especially with all the hard work he had been doing. He inhaled deeply, taking in the beloved scent of birds mixed with pumpkin; the unmistakable scent of Skyloft. 

"Link, are you really going to sleep all day? It's past noon already!" A familiar voice asked with a huff, breaking into the serene silence. Now if the voice had belonged to anyone else, Sky would have been annoyed. But this one? Never. 

"Hmmm.... Yes." He grinned, not bothering to open his eyes. "I think that sounds lovely."

"Oh come on, sleepyhead. You can't just do that!" She exclaimed, her voice drawing nearer as she stomped her feet against the floor.

"Watch me." He grinned even more, squeezing his eyes shut even tighter.

 "Oh yeah?" The way that the pillow was forcefully grabbed from him and yanked away only made him laugh all the more. It was only then that he bothered to open his eyes, greeted with the most heavenly and goddess blessed sight of a woman he'd ever seen in his life. It never ceased to amaze him just how beautiful his Sun was and only seemed to grow more so with each passing day. "How you going to do that without your pillow?" She teased with a chuckle of her own.

"I guess I'll just have to get a new one!" Sky chuckled as he tackled her and pulled her into bed with him in one quick motion. Neither of them could contain their laughter any more as Sky's nonconsensual hug attack bloomed into a mutual embrace, lying down on the bed.

 "Are you telling me that you're seriously going to use ME as a pillow?" Sun chuckled. Sky hummed in response, rubbing his head all over her with a goofy grin. 

"MMMmmmmm... what a nice, soft pillow..." He decided as his eyelids fluttered closed again. 

"Link, you can't just--" Sun began to argue, but then she sighed in mock annoyance. He had somehow already fallen back asleep. "Fine..." And she too settled down before closing her own eyes.

Chapter Text

When the group was greeted with another portal, one with a purple outline and dark swirling colors, they thought nothing of it. It looked exactly like any other portal they had seen before. And so, using their usual formation, they went through. 

The sight they were greeted with was nothing short of horrendous. It was an ancient settlement made of nothing but crumbling cobblestone and vines. Fires spread everywhere, but oddly they didn't seem to actually be burning anything. To complete the scene were craters littered everywhere, and the scent of what seemed like rotting, burning flesh. 

"Where is this?" Four asked. They each turned to each other, everyone confirming that this place was unfamiliar to all of them. 

"Great... Yippie, double digits. Are we really getting yet another member?' Legend grumbled to himself. 

"No, not quite." a voice said behind them. Each one of them whirled around, each one drawing their weapon and pulling up a shield. Who stood there in front of them was certainly not hylian, that's for sure. They floated in the air, carried by the three pairs of wings on their back. Their face was obscured by not only one more pair of wings covering their eyes, but a white mask as well, bearing some kind of broken square-like shape. Their purple satin robes and bare feet gave them a look of some kind of deity. "Tell me, why is it that you transverse through so many portals? To trust in the power that created them? That you've decided that your life's mission would to be to follow where they lead?"

"Who are you?" Legend asked in a low growl as he clutched his sword tighter. "Where is this place?"

The person's lips curled into a slight smirk. "Me? Ah... You wouldn't have heard of me, would you? If you did, perhaps you would be bowing, or spitting curses. Most have, but you nine certainly never would have." 

The Heroes all glanced each other, not sure what to make of this. Time swallowed. "Are you a friend? Or a foe?" He asked cautiously. 

The person that made a sound similar to a laugh. It was hard to read their expression with their eyes covered, but they were smiling in some form. Perhaps it was just due to circumstance, but it seemed rather dubious. "I was created to be the essence of perfect. But perfection, ... eh.If perfection is good, then I am rather wicked. But I offer another solution: I propose that perfection itself is twisted. Make of that what you'd like." 

"What?" Twilight whispered to the others. These answers were making his head spin. Couldn't it just be a yes or a no? 

But there was one in the group who was familiar with more than a few rhymes and riddles. "You are a rebel, then?" He asked. That perhaps didn't answer the question, but it was... something, at least.

The person hummed in agreement. "Certainly something like that." They flew towards the group of heroes, flying just out of their reach. "You ought to put those swords away. They will serve no use against creatures like me."

Time hesitated before putting his sword away. The rest of the group hesitated before they followed his lead. 

"Now you must be wondering why I brought you here." They continued. "I used to be much like you, you see. I too followed the portals. I spent day and night following them, searching for clues to the next one. I thought that after I went through them enough times, I would get my heart's desire. Is that not true for you, Heroes?"

They waited for a response, but no one spoke. That was enough of a response. They clasped their hands behind their back as they flew so their face would be mere centimeters away from Hyrule's. The hylian startled as they tried to move back. It failed, since they only flew closer. "My, that is something of a tunic, isn't it, Hero of Hyrule?"

"It's... just a plain green one.." He hummed as he continued trying to move back. The person kept following them until he finished his response. Then, they moved, doing the same to Legend. 

"Stop that!" he scolded, trying more frantically to get personal space. It still didn't work. 'And that's quite a cap." Then they flew back up. "I had a tunic like that before, and I had a hat just like that too... only it was green..." They hummed, moving their blond hair out of their face. 

"Wait... Are you trying to say that you're--?" Time interpreted. 

"Don't remember." They only shrugged. "All I remember is this." They gestured to the hellish landscape. "This was my home you see, when I was merely human. I was a lot like you all, not in your heroism, but I too believed that I was destined to save. Save myself, save my friends. The gods would be my guide! No matter who was behind the lock of our cages! The Watchers would help save us all!" They laughed and laughed, tears beginning to stream down their face. "Never once did I question their power, or that there would have to be two very similar forces for their tale to be true."

"What.. why are you telling us this?" Time asked. If they were anything like the Kokiri, there was always a reason for every word. 

"Watchers get bored you see. We watch and watch, centuries fly us right by. We can see all, but... Soon even war and bloodshed gets old. And so they came up with an idea: to make their own fun. See how much they can get dotted on by those that they play with. I was a fool, I played their games. And what prize did I win?" They held their head back and laughed all the more as the tears streamed down their face. "There were ten of us. Now there is one, and he's -- I'm-- not even human, anymore." 

Hyrule felt his face pale. "Are you saying that we're --" He bit his lip. "That that's going to happen to us?"

"Maybe, maybe not. If they get bored of their playthings. But I've watched you this entire time... You remind me so much of them. Usually I can look away, turn off my heart to their games. But not this time. I went to the palace, blew it sky high. They are scrambling, I can see it now. There will be consequences if they ever do find me... I must flee... but I could not bear to sit idly and watch this time." He lifted his hands, which now glowed purple. He made a circular motion, and at once nine different portals appeared. "I cannot stay here any longer. This is your final portal; whichever calls to you is your homeland. Take it and never look back, never play the part of the toy, the player again. Never heed the call of the Watchers again." 

And before they could respond, the Watcher was gone as though he were merely a dream. 

Chapter Text

When Wild came across a hot spring right along the road that they travelled, his eyes immediately widened as he grinned. 

"Er-- Wild?" Hyrule asked, tilting his head. "What exactly are you-"

"Come on, Hyrule!" Wild said instead, whipping off his shirt as he raced to the water. He kicked off his shorts and jumped right in, submerging fully. 

"Wild!!" Time exclaimed as he and the others rushed to the edge of the spring. "This isn't the time to take a bath!"

The champion to the surface before spitting water out like a fountain. "It's always time to take bath on Death Mountain!" He countered with a grin. 

"Well I'm sold!" Wind decided as he too undressed to his undergarments. Twilight reached for him with a grunt of disappointment, but Wind jumped out of the way just in time. "Cannonball!" He shouted as he made himself into a ball just in time to hit the water. The liquid splashed absolutely everywhere, drenching the seven observers and Wild, who only burst out laughing. 

"Oh you have got to be kidding me..." Time moaned as Twilight behind him began trying to shake his pelt and his hair dry, which only sprayed everyone further. 

"Well, I guess if we're wet anyway..." Sky shared a grin with Hyrule and Four before they too raced in, not minding their clothes. 

"Blehch." Legend stuck his tongue out in degust as he tried to wring his hat out. Even so, he found himself walking over to a big rock to sit down and watch everyone else. 

"Come on in, guys! The water is fine!" Sky called. Time and Twilight gave each other one last look before sighing and shaking their heads, stripping off their wet garments. 

"Fine..." Twilight only sighed, though his smile betrayed his real emotions. 

"Twi needs a bath, anyway. He stinks more than usual." Time hummed teasingly. 

"Hey!" The other exclaimed as he raced to body slam his ancestor into the water. 

Chapter Text

"Hey, want to see a person go flying nonconsensually?" Wild asked, a smirk creeping on his face.

"I'm sorry, what?" Legend blinked.

"Yes!" Wind exclaimed, bouncing from foot to foot in excitement.

Wild grinned all the more as he stuck out his prosthetic, which glowed with the essence of called magic. He lifted pieces of wood in the air and assembled them into a box around an unsuspecting soldier. The person in question tried to rush out before they were sealed inside, but they weren't fast enough. With a snap of his fingers, Wild's arm stopped glowing as his magic stopped. Immediately, the box began to spin and move frantically before launching itself in the air, jittering side to side but otherwise launching itself further and further into space. Both Wild and Wind burst into laughter as Legend's face fell.

"What-- What the hell was that?!" He exclaimed, watching in complete utter shock as the box flew off into the horizon.

"Epic!" Wind answered. "Do me next!"

Chapter Text

"I'm just a humble traveller." Those were the words that Hyrule had once used. It had just been a dismissive comment, but it was one that Legend kept heavy in his chest for some reason. That day, when Roolie had said it, it made him so inexplicably angry for some reason. 

At the time, he couldn't figure out exactly why, especially since he had called himself an average nobody. His own comment was almost a tease to himself; anyone else may have described him as such as a child, but he had made a name for himself. Perhaps the Hero of Legend was a bit overselling it, but he was proud of himself and his accomplishments. He was a Hero, and although he wouldn't admit it to anyone else, he wouldn't have it any other way. 

Hadn't that been what Hyrule was doing too? Wasn't that what everyone was doing? So then why did anger boil over whenever he thought of the so-called 'humble traveller?'

Days and weeks passed. That one line still echoed in his brain like an annoying little bug that refused to go away no matter how many times he swatted at it. He found himself paying special attention to every word that Hyrule said about himself and the facial expressions he made when saying it. Dare he say, it was almost obsessive, but for some reason, his chest would not ease until he had heard enough. To prove to himself that he was being overdramatic, that the one comment really was meaningless.

But instead, the tightness only grew stronger as he compiled the evidence that the opposite was true. It was subtle, but what little Hyrule spoke of himself in particular was down to the world at best. He never seemed to speak himself as a Hero; the way he spoke made it seem like he just-so-happened to be there, nothing more. It could have been anyone doing the rather remarkable things that he had done. 

And that brought Legend to this night, where the thousands upon thousands of stars sparkled in the sky. They shined and gave a light glow to the land in a way that Hyrule did. It was a light that Legend feared he didn't realize. 

He shivered under the cool night air, drawing his arms in close to himself as he walked to the outskirts of the camp. It was the air, and... nerves, admittedly. He wasn't very good at these things. And so, when he spotted the figure sitting on an old log, he silently sat beside them.

"What are you doing up? It's not your night for watch." Hyrule asked quietly after a few moments. On such a quiet night, anything more than a whisper seemed criminal. 

"Couldn't sleep." He lied. Whether or not the other believed him, Roolie didn't respond. Legend couldn't quite read his facial expressions in the darkness, but what he could read of his body language seemed calm. 

He didn't look over at Legend either, but that wasn't surprising considering he was supposed to be watching. Neither of them spoke for quite some time, silently enjoying one another's company and staring off into the distance. One watched for shadows, one took the time to admire the mountains from afar. But as much as Legend wanted things to stay like that for the rest of the night, he knew that wasn't what he hadn't come here for. 

"Roolie," He whispered as he felt anxiety run down his spine, even more so when the so-called "traveller" turned to meet his gaze. A few moments passed, his throat closing on him.

"What is it?" Hyrule asked just as soft as he had. 

"You're..." Everything in Legend wanted to be prickly to contain his emotions, but he took a few moments to try and keep his uncaring persona out of the way. He may not be good at being touchy-feely, but he couldn't approach this in his usual sarcastic tone. "Amazing, you know that?"

Even in the shadows, Legend could read the surprise that ran through his successor in that moment. "Do you really...?"

"Yes, Roolie. There's really no one who can do the things you've done. And..." He found a blush heating his cheeks, making himself glad for the cover of the night to hide behind. "You just... glow, or-- or something." 

Perhaps if it had come from anyone else, Hyrule wouldn't have been so quick to trust the words. But coming from the veteran, who avoided mushy gooey emotional sap like nothing else, he believed him immediately. He lept right in for a hug, giggling to himself at how Legend let out a surprised sound. 

"Thank you, Ledge." It may take time to fully convince himself, not just in this moment, but even his lowest of lows. But if Legend of people had gone out of his way to tell him this, then he wanted to believe it with his whole heart.

Chapter Text

"Link, look!" Zelda exclaimed, turning with such grace that only a princess could carry. As her loyal knight hummed in mild intrigue, she walked forward before kneeling down. Link walked over and knelt to, watching as the princess cupped the blue flower with white tips in her hand like a wine glass. The flower glowed softly in the dusk, just enough to highlight it from the quickly darkening landscape.

"These were always my favorite," She hummed affectionately as she stared down at it. She looked back up to meet Link's gaze, a gentle smile on her lips. "When I see their glow like this, I can't help but be reminded that no matter how bad things may seem, there is always hope. It may seem faint or far away in the darkness, but it's always there. Always. Don't you think so?"

Link hesitated before opening his mouth. With another thought, he closed his mouth again and settled for a nod instead. 

Zelda's smile widened. "I'm glad, truly." She replied before standing back up. "Now come on, we should get going." She began to walk away, but Linked remained crouched down. As carefully as he could, he plucked the stem from the ground before he too stood up. When he did not follow, the princess turned around and came back. 

"What is it?" she asked him. He held out the flower. "You picked it? For me?" He nodded, drawing it towards himself. He paused before lifting it up and bringing it towards her ear. He waited just long enough to know he had permission before sliding it behind her ear. She giggled as she delicately touched the petals and traced the stem under her long hair. "Thank you, Link. That's very sweet of you." She grinned all the more. Link let out one laugh as he averted his gaze, his cheeks redding. 

✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ:*:･ﾟ✧*:･ﾟ✧

A hundred years later, an amnesiac stumbled across the same kind of flower. It had grown among the ruins of a village. He wasn't sure why, but something deep in his chest stirred like a rainbow peeking out of the clouds on a dreary day. He plucked it and stored it in his slate. From then on, whenever he began to feel lonely, or nostalgic for a time he could not recall, or mournful for what he had seen, or regretful for what he could have done, he would take out the silent princess. He'd find a good place to sit down and stare at it until it restored the warmth in his chest. 

Chapter Text

Wild loved cooking with Malon. The woman knew how to cook like no one else, and although they didn't get to spend much time together, she had taught him many new tricks to cooking. The last time they had visited, she even gave him a notebook filled with copies of her family recipes. 

This time, she had insisted that they all have not just a big dinner, but a real feast. She often liked to grace them all with big dinners to really welcome her boys home, but even Wild was caught off guard with how much she wanted to make this time. The two of them had been making preparations ever since they finished lunch. They had gone to the market to buy fresh fruits, veggies and meat, baked a mountain of sweets and spent hours stringing together all kinds of dishes. Malon even went so far to make sure the boys started their chores by milking the cows, churning butter and checking for eggs one extra time so they could use the freshest of ingredients. 

Wild wore the oven mitts as he grabbed the handles on the the pot containing pulled pork. He looked back on all that they had made, finding that there was no counter space whatsoever in the kitchen. "This is all a lot, even for us." He said probably for the tenth time. Even he of all people thought it was a little overkill, even if he was more than happy to have that much more time to spend with her.

"Well you boys do eat like a bunch'a hogs." Malon only laughed, waving her hand before she picked up a bowl of salad. Together, they went to the dining room, which had already been set. 

Before they knew it, they had brought out all the food and had everyone sat down. Everyone, but Malon who chose to lean over Time's chair instead of taking the empty spot beside him and Twilight. 

"Isn't this a little bit much, dear?" Her husband mused with a grin that showed that he didn't actually mind. 

"That's what I told her, but she wouldn't listen!" Wild explained, a few Heroes chuckling at the irony that even Wild, cooking extraordinaire who meticulously made dishes with everyone's tastes in  mind, thought this level of cooking was overkill. 

"It is a special occasion, though." Malon pouted, pushing out her cheeks as she rested her chin on top of Time's head.

"What, getting to see us?" Wind asked, causing the couple to chuckle. 

"Well, of course." Time grinned, lifting up his head to try and see his beloved. "It isn't everyday I get to see the love of my life, but everyday I do, I feel as though everything is right in the world. It restores all the hope in my weary soul."

Malon only laughed more, covering her mouth as she stood up. She smiled fondly as she bopped him on the nose. "Why, that's mighty sweet of you, but no. Link, you're gonna be a daddy." 

Immediately, she was meet with seven excited squeals. Wind nearly began to climb up on the table, but Legend held onto his shirt to prevent him from doing so. He was trying to not seem excited, but even his eyes were beaming. 

"Wait-- you mean you're--?" Time asked, his eye widening. Malon giggled and nodded, placing a kiss on his lips as she held onto his shoulders. When she let go, he went face-first into his soup. Seems as though the information was a bit too much for him to take in and so he passed out. Everyone erupted in laughter, even Malon and Twilight, who worked together to take his face out of the bowl and onto the table instead. 

Chapter Text

It was more than a little chilly in the morning up in the Hebra Mountains. Wild had donned his snowquill clothes, whereas Warriors wrapped his scarf around him an extra few times. Sky draped his sailcloth around his shoulders and pulled it tight similarly to what Twilight did with his fur. Legend and Four held onto fire rods. The rest of them had to make do by clutching warm mugs of coffee and/or getting as close to the fire as they possibly could. Wild stood close too, slowly stirring the large pot of stew that couldn't seem to be done fast enough. 

"I put special spices in it to warm you all up for a few hours. You could even walk around in nothing but your underwear and still not feel the chill." Wild explained with a chuckle. 

"How do you know that?" Legend asked suspiciously as he raised an eyebrow. The realization made Twilight almost spit out his drink.

"Wild!" He exclaimed.

"What? Some weird guy challenged me to stand naked in the desert for a day with him. It was important."

"Wild I--" Twilight began to argue, but he let it go with a sigh. He didn't want to know any more. 

"When's it going to be done?" Wind asked. "I don't have any clothes or magic or coffee to keep me warm unlike the rest of you!" He dug his arms even further into his sides, if that was even possible as he shivered all the more. 

"Now Wind, you know you're not allowed to have coffee after the last time..." Time scolded slightly, but he still frowned apologetically. 

"I know..." He grumbled as his eyes fell to his shoes. He flexed and unflexed his toes, but he could barely feel them. The group fell uncharacteristically silent, and he didn't bother looking back up to meet their gazes. 

A few moments later, a small bit of cloth slithered around the back of his neck. He looked up to see Wars extending the end of his scarf over him. His heart fluttered slightly at the gesture, but he began to ask if he was really sure.

"It's pretty long. We can both wear it." Wars assured with a grin. With that, Wind took the end piece and wrapped it around him. A foot or two of scarf remained between them, forcing them to draw closer. 

"I can help too." Sky grinned as he moved to sit on Wind's other side so their sides touched. He drew his sailcloth over Wind. It didn't quite cover them both, but it was enough to at least block some of the cutting cold from seeping into the Sailor's bones. "How's that?"

Wind found himself pleasantly laughing, the two quickly joining him. Just the gesture alone made him feel a lot warmer, if not physically than emotionally. Wars slid closer as well, so that he was squished in between the two of them. The bitter cold that have seeped into every recess of his body began to subside into just an uncomfortable chill. 

That was when a rod fell into his lap, still lit. He was quick to grab it and hold it up so it didn't burn anyone. "Huh?" he asked as he looked up. Looking away, a blushing Veteran muttered something about how it was annoying that Wind kept chattering his teeth before walking over to Four. Although he was sure to maintain a noticeable gap between them, Four was quick to close it anyway, smiling fondly. 

"Thanks, guys." Wind said loud enough for all of them to hear. 

"I hate you all." Was Legend's reply, to both Wind and Four. Despite saying this, he hadn't moved away from the hylian who now had taken his hand and began to rub circles into it. His declaration was enough to make them all burst into laughter. 

Chapter Text

Legend could hardly lift his feet anymore, his body sagging under the weight of his armor as he reached for the door. He paused, his hand hovering over the doorknob as he tried to look through the window. 

Dark. It was well past midnight, and the sun would likely start coming up in a few short hours. Of course that stupid squatter would be asleep at this hour. 

He tried the door. Locked, of course. He reached into his pockets, beginning to fumble around. With all of the trinkets he had, he couldn't seem to even find his key. Maybe if he wasn't so damn exhausted he would have looked longer and harder, but he just didn't have the energy. He held his fist to the door before hesitating and knocking. 

A minute later, he heard the scuttling of feet before the door was shoved open. Ravio stood there in his nightclothes, a candle in hand. "Mr. Hero!" he exclaimed when his eyes met Legend's, his tired confusion immediately giving way to excitement. Being mindful of both his flame and Legend's, he jumped to embrace him in a tight hug. "Welcome home!"

"Ravio." Legend grumbled, shifting a bit as to try and remain upright. 

"Oh, right..." the hylian apologized as he stepped inside, letting the weary veteran in before closing the door and locking it. 

Legend didn't even bother taking care of his things, letting them all but his fire rod fall from his shoulders to the floor without a care. He navigated through the store to the bedroom in the back, stopping only to light the candle by his bedside before letting the fire from his rod go out. He laid on his side, watching as Ravio climbed in on the other side. He let Ravio pull the covers over both of them before shifting, ever so slightly towards him. Just enough so they would touch.

"Sleep well, Link." Ravio whispered, planting a kiss on the top of his nose. "I can't wait to hear about your adventures these last few months in the morning."

A tired, sleepy, silly smile tugged at Legend's lips. He couldn't wait until morning, either. He had a strange feeling as though he was forgetting something, but beside Ravio, he felt at ease; surely it could wait until morning...

Meanwhile, eight other Heroes stared at the house, unsure if they should knock too or stay outside of whatever weird shop Legend snuck into. Surely the veteran wouldn't forget them, so they decided to wait for him to come out. 

Chapter Text

As Link walked out of the academy, he stretched with a yawn. He squeezed his eyes shut, not quite ready to face the bright sun just yet.

A shriek so loud that he couldn't hear anything else sounded, and before he could turn around, he had been tackled, grabbed by the back of his collar and thrown into the air. 

"Crimson!" He exclaimed as he fell into the saddle of his loftwing with a wince and a chuckle. This wasn't the first time this had happened for sure (he had built up some tolerance of the rough landing), but it was rare that Crimson was so eager to be with him to throw him the moment he went outside. He knelt down so that he could rub his cheek against Crimson's soft feathers on his neck. "You can't just throw me like that." He scolded lightly, even though he was chuckling.

The loftwing deflated, looking back at him with sad, pleading eyes as let out a sad coo. Link could only roll his eyes fondly as he patted his bird on the head. How could he possibly be mad when he gave him that look? "I know, I know... I was stuck studying all day yesterday. I missed you too, bud." He assured, petting the top of his head. A smile tugged at the edges of his lips. "Now, how about a ride?" 

Crimson's head immediately snapped forwards. Link was quick to grab on tight, because he knew full well that would be his only warning. In the next moment, Crimson shot off into the air as fast as he could, letting out a happy shriek as he shot forwards. Any normal rider would have been ripped right off, but his rider had come to expect this kind of take-off from the soulbird. He held his head back as he felt the wind crash into him all at once and laughed, his bird's cries intermixing with his own. He knew it had only been one day, but he really had missed Crimson.

Chapter Text

"Hey uh, Four?" Sky asked as he put his hand on Four's shoulder. They both craved physical touch, or at least the Red part of Four majorly did, and Sky did just as much. 

"Hm?" Four asked, tilting his head slightly. 

Sky glanced behind them again, as though just making sure that he wasn't mistaken. "Well I was just kind of wondering..." He moved his free hand to gesture to behind them in hopes that Four would understand what he meant. 

"What is it, Sky?' Four lifted an eyebrow. He had an idea, but he just wanted to make sure, lest he say the wrong thing and spill a secret he wasn't ready to delve into. 

"So like... I have a shadow." Sky began, gesturing to his own, that was growing longer as the sun was setting. But then he gestured to the bright sunny spot that was directly behind Four. "So... where's yours?"

"Probably fell asleep." Four only shrugged, as though such an answer wasn't just plausible, but likely. 

Sky gave a nervous chuckle, glancing around at the others who may or may-not be listening in on their conversation. He silently evaluated the possibility that his friend may be  a little bit crazy. "I'm... not so sure shadows do that, Four." 

"Mine does." The Smith shrugged again ignoring the disbelief clearly written on Sky's face. "You should have seen him yesterday. He was break dancing when I was just standing still." He held his hands behind his back and kept walking, even as Sky stopped in his tracks. 

"You're... kidding, right?" He echoed. 

"Don't believe me? Just watch my shadow the next time he appears. You'll see. He tries to mimic me, but he kind of sucks at his job. Don't tell him I said that, though." Four chuckled to himself. Everyone had stopped walking now, exchanging confused glances at each other, and then Four's lack of shadow.

Chapter Text

When Wars grabbed Hyrule's hand and forced him to his feet, he felt his stomach drop. It was around midnight, and the full moon shone its light so that the world seemed to have a mystical glow to it. When it came to late nights like this one, guards were lowered. Some things would be said that wouldn't normally be said. 

And right now, Hyrule had regretted ever mentioned how the moonlight reminded him of the ballroom dances at the castle. The ones that he'd hide by the refreshment area, hiding behind the lie that he was tired from dancing and beyond thirsty to dance with Zelda or the other Zelda, or any fair maiden who wished to dance with the Hero. 

Why did he ever have to admit he didn't have a clue as to how to dance?

Wars claimed Roolie's free hand as well, moving it so that it rested on Wars' side. "Once you learn the basics, it won't be so bad. You'll see. Just follow my lead, okay?" The Captain asked as he rested his own hand on the other's shoulder.

Nervousness rose in Roolie's throat, but he swallowed and nodded. "Alright." he agreed. Wars started, slowly at first. Hyrule tried to copy him, following his long strides as their joined hands extended. Hyrule found that he kept tripping over his feet, but Wars kept his eyes locked on him with a gentle smile. 

"You're doing great." He assured as he led the both of them in a circle. His motions were so smooth though, and Hyrule's so clumsy.

"But--"

"It's your first time. You're going to make mistakes." Wars assured. "Did you think I was born knowing how to dance?"

Hyrule's lip quirked into a sort of grin. "er-- yes?" he asked half jokingly. It was enough to make both of them laugh. 

"You know, the first time I danced, it was with Artemis the night before my very first ball. I admitted that I didn't know how to dance, so she offered to help me practice. And do you know what happened?" Wars asked him, keeping his eyes on the Traveller still. 

The moonlight caught his eyes, making them shine in a way that accentuated his fair skin and handsomeness. Yes, he looked exactly like someone who would be at a ball, unlike Hyrule in his plain clothes, freckles on his cheeks and messy hair. Hyrule shook his head, trying to toss the thought aside. "No." He replied.

"I stepped on my scarf, tripped and sent us both to the floor." Wars replied. They both burst out laughing at that. 

"And you did that with the princess?!" 

"Four times, in fact!" Wars exclaimed, and they both laughed all the more. Hyrule felt himself ease as a result, and the steps were beginning to fall into place without as much effort as before. He had to take his hand away from Wars' side to wipe away a stray tear before he himself could calm down. When he opened his eyes, he found that Wars had stopped laughing before he had, his eyes still holding that gentleness from before. "That being said though, you're doing great for your first time. And we can practice every night until you can dance in your sleep."

Hyrule felt as his lips tugged at a smile of his own. "I... Thank you Wars. Really." He replied.

"Of course." The Captain assured. "Now, how about you try to spin me around?"

The two of them would dance to the sound of crickets until the moonlight faded, until they could hardly make out each others' faces in the darkness. And when they returned to the fire and climbed in their bedrolls, Hyrule dreamt of dances. Not ones where he hid in plain sight, but ones where he danced with every person on the dancefloor as though he belonged there. No, he did belong there. And, it was fun.

He couldn't wait until he attended his next dance. 

Chapter Text

"Udidwhut?!" Legend slurred as he staggered to his feet. He had to rely on the table to keep himself upright, and even then he looked as though he might fall over anyway. He face was a blotchy red as he pointed in Wars' general direction. "Howcould 'ja?"

Wars pushed aside his own mug as he too stood up. His face too had a glow, but not nearly as much as Legend's.  "How was I supposed'ta know she was yers?!" He marched over to give Legend a shove. 

Drunk as he was, he fell right over. He refused to stay down for long though, gripping the barrel he had been sitting on a minute prior to help himself up. "b'cuz! Marin'z 'ine!" He shouted, feeling as the rage and hatred boiled over. He launched himself at the Captain, but before his fist could make contact, he tripped over his own two feet. It was effective enough, though, because Wars stepped back to dodge and hit a table. His arms flailed in the air as he let out a cry, trying to regain his own balance. 

Legend took the opportunity to tackle his leg, and Wars came crashing down right beside him along with the table. The mugs tumbled down, shattering on impact and splashing them both in alcohol. His yell was drowned out by the cheers of the others in the bar watching their fight. 

"She kizzed me!" He defended, glaring up at the hylian that had crawled over him to pin him down. Not just because he was angry, but also because the stars in his vision made it hard to focus on his face. He strained under Legend's grip, finding that he was unable to move his arms. He tried to kick his legs, but he couldn't reach him that way, either. Legend remained on his torso. 

"Nuh 'uh! 'E wuld n'vr!" Legend screamed, leaning in closer to Warrior's face. That was when the Captain got his revenge-- he leaned his head back and then swung it upwards to give Legend the strongest head-butt he could muster. The Veteran gave a cry as he scuttled back, holding a hand to his head where blood began to seep through. 

"She 'id!" Wars defended, grabbing his own forehead. The stars were so intense now, along with a pounding headache. He could hardly make a thing, but the anger and the adrenaline kept him from passing out. 

He somehow made it back up to his feet, albeit he was wavering all over the place. One step at a time, he managed to walk over to the curled up Veteran. He lifted up his fist, even if that meant he couldn't hold onto the table with both hands and costing him stability in the process. "If yeu wanna go, I'll... go..." He threatened. 

Legend let out a shuddering cry before he curled up on himself even more than before. He began to let out sobs, his body shaking with each one. He began to cry out her name, over and over, even though with his slurring it was barely recognizable. 

"Yeu mockin' me?!" Wars yelled. He lifted his foot to kick, but before he could, someone grabbed his shoulders firmly and pulled him back. 

"There you are." Twilight hissed, digging his nails into Wars to keep him from escaping. "We've been looking all over for you two." He watched as Hyrule and Four raced to sit beside Legend and began trying to sooth his drunken sobbing mess. 

"Let me at 'im!" Wars exclaimed as he tried again and again to kick Twilight off of him, or punch him, or even bite his arm. "Let me at 'im!!" For the record, he almost broke free. Almost. But Time stepped behind hm as well, wrapping his arms around his middle. Together, the two worked to pull him away. 

"Wars, you and Legend are drunk." Time scolded. "Whatever you're fighting about can wait until you're sober. If you're still mad then, you can talk it out without your fists like real men."

Chapter Text

"Back in my day, I would make faces at the moon, and it would glare right back." Time chuckled. He seemed to find his own joke funny, because he laughed and laughed as everyone was left to glance at one another in confusion. 

"You're joking, right?" Legend asked skeptically as Time's hilarity slowed to a stop. If it was anyone else who had said something so strange, it would have been dismissed. But this was Time, after all. 

"I don't know, am I?" Time replied, lifting up a teasing eyebrow. "Or maybe, you're just too young to have been around back then."

"The moon didn't make faces at me back in Skyloft." Sky frowned. 

"Me neither." Four agreed with a nod to himself. "And we are technically older than you, timeline wise, at least. You're still the Old Man."

"Well yeah, but did you ever make a face at the moon? Everyone knows the moon doesn't glare at you unless you piss it off." Time smirked. His words made Sky pause. 

"Well, I mean... Maybe I... Well, I'm not so... huh, I guess I haven't." Sky supposed, blinking at the realization. The look on his face was enough for Legend to burst out in laughter of his own, slapping his knees.

"You don't actually believe him, Sky, do you?" 

Sky hung his head. "I... don't know anymore. Now he's got me thinking..." He admitted in defeat. Such an admittance caused Time to laugh all over again. 

"Would I lie to you?" He asked with a mischievous grin. 

"Yes!" Legend exclaimed. "You're always spouting this kind of nonsense! Unless you're so delusional that you even believe yourself!" And to his annoyance, Time laughed all the more. Silently, Wars elbowed his brother right in the ribs to tell him to stop confusing the children. Not that that ever worked. 

Chapter Text

things

--

"I love rupees!" Ravio exclaimed as he hugged a bag stuffed full of that day's earnings. He spun it around, almost as though he were dancing with it. 

"Do you really have to be that greedy?" Legend hummed with an eyeroll. It was a bit much to him; the way that his most prized possession was a bag containing three rupees. The way he was greedy enough to not only crash at his place for free, to not only push him to save Lorule, but also charge him for it. 

"Well of course, Mr. Hero!" Ravio nodded, still beaming in all of his excitement. "You can solve most problems with it after all."

"Didn't save your kingdom..." Legend grumbled. 

"Sure it did!" Ravio beamed. "you had to use yours to rent my items!" 

Legend couldn't help but facepalm at that explanation. "Well yeah, but you didn't have to! You know, you could have given them to me for free so I could go through my Journey faster."

Ravio's smile lessened. He moved to a chest, where he promptly stuffed the rupees away. He ensured it was locked before he turned back around. When he did, the silly demeanor he often had was gone. "It's not just that, Link." He replied as he walked back to Legend. Such seriousness Legend had only seen from Ravio a few times. Seeing it crop up once more caught Legend off guard, but he tried to not show it.

"Then what is it?" He asked as he raised an eyebrow. 

"I don't really know what the political landscape is here, but back home... well, when I was growing up anyway, only the rich could hope to be the advisors to the princess. The rich and stupid, because Yuga would never allow any advisors to be against him." Ravio explained as his eyes narrowed.

"Ravio--"

Ravio held up a hand to quiet Legend. "Growing up, my uncle always had this sack on him. He insisted it was so precious that he couldn't bear anyone steal it. It had to remain on him at all times. I would beg and plead for a peak, but he would refuse every time. It had a symbol of rupees on it though, so it must be money, right? At least that's what everyone thought." He explained. 

Legend pinched the bridge of his nose. "Don't tell me that it was--"

"Three rupees." Ravio chuckled. "He showed me when he was on his deathbed. I couldn't possibly understand why, I nearly asked him if he were mad. I didn't, but my reaction must have been enough for him to guess what I was thinking. And do you know what he told me?" His expression softened into a smile. "Wealth and power will get you far, my little Rabbit. But when you have neither, or even if you have both, a good act will get you even further. And that was how I made a life after he was gone." 

"I'm... sorry."

"And why is that?" Ravio asked, tilting his head. "Whenever I have this bag slung over my shoulder, it's as though he's right here with me. When I told you it was my most prized position, that was never a lie." He grinned. 

Chapter Text

"I'm telling you, I could not get the ick out of me for weeks, no matter how many baths I took!" Legend shuddered, wiping off his arms as though he could still feel the way the monster guts had clung to him. 

"Must you always be so negative?" Wars asked from the other side of the fire, rolling his eyes. "All you ever do is complain."

"Do you even know half the shit I had to go through?" Legend asked as he crossed his arms and huffed. "I went on more journeys than all of you!" 

Time took one more sip of the tea that Wild had made before he set it down on the ground beside him. An idea formed, and he smirked. "You know Wars, you might just be right." He agreed.

"You're really agreeing with him?!" Legend exclaimed. He gestured over to the Captain, who held his head up high at the praise.

"Well -- not exactly." Time hummed. "What I mean is, we talk an awful lot about the bad things we've gone through. What about we share some of the good things tonight for once?" He was met with silence for a few moments, even the one or two side conversations dying down. 

When someone spoke next, it was Wind. He jumped up from his place on the ground, his hands fisted in eager excitement. "That's a wonderful idea!"

"That's a wonderful idea." Legend mimicked, with notably far more sass than Wind had said it with. He also included an eyeroll, in case it wasn't clear enough that he was being sarcastic. 

"Oh come on, Legend. It could be fun!" Sky grinned, leaning in enough that their arms were touching. The Vet swatted at him as moved back into his usual bubble of very much personal space. 

"Oh come on. You're just going to start talking about--"

"Sun!" They both sing-songed, one full of genuine affection and the other full of mocking annoyance. Sky paused to let out an unoffended chuckle. "Oh Ledge, you know me too well." 

"Well then, Sky, What's your favorite memory with her?" Time prompted. He too couldn't help but smile, the young knight reminding him of the young love he himself had obtained years ago. 

"How could I just choose one? Every day with her is like a dream!" Sky explained. "Riding loftwings side by side, watching the sun rise over the clouds -- you should really see it! I've only seen it once because I tend to sleep in--"

"Ain't that the truth." Four snickered to Hyrule, who giggled quietly.

"But wow -- the sun basks all the clouds below in all sorts of colors! Reds and oranges and yellows! And the way it casts shadows on them too makes it look like violets and dark blues are mixed in too! Sun had dragged me out of bed with force that day and tied me to her loftwing -- you know that one should never ride alone when they're tired, and so we only took hers. I didn't really know what was going on -- I fell asleep a few times, but anyway, I woke up on a small island with her. And... there it was. She giggled at me, probably because I was tired and had a bedhead. But then we --" He turned bright red. "Well, she uh, pecked me on the lips. And I may have... pecked her back... a few times... And held hands... and hugged... She's a really good friend. Maybe I shoulda asked her out then, come to think of it..."

Legend visibly facepalmed as everyone else awwed or laughed at the story. 

"Sky," Wars nudged. "Friends don't usually kiss like that."

"And?" Sky blinked as Wars stared at him. A few awkward moments passed between the two of them, the teasing snickers rising in volume. 

Now it was Warriors' turn to facepalm. "Uh-- you know what, nevermind. Who's next?"

"Me! Me!" Wind jumped back and forth on his feet. Twilight silently stood up, grabbed him by the shoulders and made him sit back down. 

"Now I wouldn't say it's my favorite memory, but! The time Wild taught me how to use bombs as a transportation device!" Wind said. 

Wars promptly got up and walked around to where Wind and the laughing Wild were seated. He silently karate-chopped both of them on the top of the head before replying, "no." 

"Ow!" Wind cried out, grabbing the top of his head. "It was fun!"

"Time said good memories, not stupid ones. Now, try again." Wars scolded, placing his hands on his hips. 

Wind pouted at his big brother for a minute, but Wars kept his cold soldier face on. When that came out, there was no breaking it. 

"Fineeee...." Wind mumbled. "I guess the time that Aryll pulled me to the beach to show me baby turtles going to the ocean was cool too. Maybe not as cool as blowing myself up, though." He and Wild started chuckling again, but with glares from both Wars and Time, they quickly stopped. 

"Now, that sounds like a good and safe memory." Time approved with a nod. Wars nodded in agreement before he went to find his seat again. 

"What about you, Four?" Hyrule hummed to the hylian beside him. 

"Me?" Four asked. He paused to think about it. "Well it's not a favorite either, but one special to me. I had been travelling with... my three brothers."

"Wait, you have brothers?" Twi asked. "Why didn't you tell me? I've told you all about mine!"

"Well they're-- not exactly... it's complicated, let's say. But they're my brothers." Four asserted. Something about his words made Wild stare at him. 

"Are you talking about that-- uh--?" He blinked. He had almost wondered if it had been some kind of dream that he had, seeing four Fours. 

"Yeah." Four nodded, swinging his legs from where he sat on a log. The others began asking questions, but he ignored them. "Well, anyway, me and my brothers never got along. Not since something happened that made us fall apart, like fractured pieces that you never could have believed were meant to be together you know? We're just too different from each other. So we tried to our best to not bicker and argue, but we never could see eye-to-eye. But then, this day, we had decided to take a bath. One of us stunk like no one's business, that'd for sure!" His irises caught the red of the flames, but as soon as it had appeared, they flashed blue just for a moment. "Did not!! -- is what he would have said. But anyway, we found this river to do our washing in. It all seemed normal until suddenly, one of us was dumped in a full bucket of water! They tried to get revenge by splashing them, but then another got caught in the crossfire. The last one standing wouldn't be that way for long though, because one of the sopping wet brothers got jealous and tackled him! Before we knew it, me and my brothers had a full out war with each other! It... may be a bit silly, but that was the first time since the break up that we really became whole again. Uh -- figuratively, of course. As a family."

Wild felt his head, squeezing his eyes shut. "My head hurts..." he mumbled. 

"I didn't hit you that hard, did I?" Wars asked half jokingly. Wild shook his head no. 

"No it's... never mind." He sighed. "Sometimes memories get all jumbled up in my head, you could say. To the point I almost can't tell what's real and what's from back then." 

"Did you have another memory resurface?" Hyrule asked. He crawled his way over to shove himself between Wind and Wild. He grasped Wild's free hand, hesitantly at first but then with an assuring squeeze.

"No, just more of a..." he moved his hands, as though vague gestures while looking at Four would explain things. "Memory of when a memory cropped up, if that makes sense." 

"Oh, sorry." Four frowned. "I didn't realize that I..."

"It's fine." Wild assured, moving the hand on his head so he could hold it up to Four. "You didn't mean to. And... besides, sometimes talking it out helps." With a nod to himself, and a quick smile at Hyrule, he eased. "I don't really remember much from back then, as I've probably said many times. But back then, I had... friends, I think. At least, when I think of them, it fills me with a warmth that tells me that they were special to me. My memories make me wonder if I felt out of place, but the warmth..." He shook his head. "I'm probably not making any sense, am I?" He chuckled. 

"That's okay, Wild. Share as much as little as you'd like." Time assured. He had gone back to drinking his tea throughout the conversation, but he paused to say that much. 

"Thanks..." Wild hummed, reflecting the smile. When Hyrule squeezed his hand, he gave him a smile, too. "Well anyway, there's Revali, a Rito. He was so prideful, always talking down to me. But when I remember his remarks, I don't feel offended. Maybe a little annoyed, but I can't stop smiling anyway. I think that was our thing, kinda like Wars and Legend."

"What?" Wars asked, raising his eyebrows.

"No way." Legend protested. But their stubborn answers only made the others laugh.

"Stop denying it... you two keep triggering memories of him. Anyway, there was also Daruk. He was a Goron, and a boulder of a person. I think he saw me as a Goron, or maybe didn't realize his own strength, because anytime he'd pat me on the back, I'd almost go flying. He was always friendly to me. Then there was Urbosa, a Gerudo just as fierce as her people. Proud, but not vain like Revali. And then there was --" He paused, shaking his head. "Well, I think I've said enough for now. I guess I didn't really share any one memory but... I feel better. Thank you." The pleasant warmth in his heart buzzed, so much so that any thought of a headache was gone from him.

"No need to thank us." Hyrule replied. He continued holding onto Wild's hand, not letting go. "As for me... hm. There's a festival held on the first day of spring in the village I grew up in. Every year, everyone gathers flowers and uses them to decorate. There's booths with games, treats and souvenirs. There's also a dance in the square. It was always pretty fun." He decided to leave out the fact that it was from a fairy village. The flowers were grown magically, since it was too early in the season to actually have flowers. Magic was used to shower the area in little balls of light like fireflies, and the dance had a lot more flying than was typically seen in the average hylian dance. 

"That sounds lovely." Twilight grinned. "I bet my siblings would love to go to something like that. Every fall, we show off our best produce, animals and animal products. Then at night, we have this big feast! One year my brother ate so much he was in a food coma for a week!" He chuckled, shaking his head. "What about you, Time? What's one of your precious memories?"

"Well, after my Journeys, I really had nowhere to stay. No family, nothing really to my name. It was a hard time in my life, for obvious reasons. I knew how to live off the land, obviously, but still. That's when, one day, a girl named Marlon insisted that if I didn't have a home, I could hide in hers. I hid there for an entire week. She would excuse herself from dinner with two servings and eat with me. It may sound sad, but that was the nicest thing someone had ever done for me up until that point. Also, stupid kids -- we thought we were being sneaky. Her dad knew from even before the first dinner. Eventually he dragged me from out of the hay pile and gave me my own room... Far from his daughter's room, of course. He knew things about us just by looking at us. He was right, obviously. I don't wear this ring for no reason." He grinned.  

Legend gave an audible sigh with another eye roll. "Of course you'd just jump at the chance to talk about your lover too." he grumbled. He threw his leg over his knee before slouching and resting his fist on his cheek. 

Annoying, that only made Time burst into laughter. "You caught me there! The giddy excitement youngin's like Sky have all but faded, but what's left is a love that grows deeper and stronger by the day. I hope all of you get to experience that with someone one day."

"I'll pass." Legend replied before making a gagging sound. 

"Oh?" Wars asked, raising his brow with a knowing smirk. "Who's the lovely lady?"

If the others had thought Wars was wrong, Legend disproved it by the way he spun around to face the Captain, face beet red. "Nobody!"

"Nobody?" Wars only grinned all the more. "What a lovely name." 

"That's not his--!!" Legend began to yell, but then he froze as he realized what he had just admitted. "I-- I mean..." He grew quiet, looking downward to try and hide the blush that had spread throughout his face. As the others snickered, Hyrule slipped from Wild's side to go and sit beside his predecessor instead. 

"Could you tell us about him? Please, Ledge? For me?" Hyrule asked quietly. He moved to very slowly touch Legend's hand, just enough so that Legend was prompted to look up at Roolie. In that moment, Hyrule deployed his most secret weapon that Legend of all people was the most weak to: his puppy dog eyes and a quivering lip. It wasn't magic, but it sure worked as an effective spell on him.

"Fine..." He sighed before looking away again. He made sure that wherever he was looking, he couldn't see anyone. "But he's not my lover, anyhow. He's just some random hobo who wandered in like a stray animal and declared my home belonged to him now. Stupid rabbit..." 

"Is that so? Judging by your reaction a moment ago, that rabbit must be something special." Time prodded. 

"He's--" Legend bit his tongue to prevent himself from handing out another sarcastic remark. "I hated him at first. He came in out of nowhere, ordered me around, while he sat there and charged me for saving his sorry ass. All while he claimed to be too broke to pay rent. If I got hurt while on my Journey, he'd actually laugh at me as he took his weapons back. Passing out broke the rental agreement, and I'd have to pay up again. He was lazy and greedy."

"What changed between you two, then?" Hyrule asked. 

"Well... over time, I got to know him a bit better. He was always a bit... odd. He always seemed so open, willing to answer any question I asked him. And, when he wasn't being snarky, he was... almost affectionate. I noticed it first with the way he treated his bird, then the flowers in the garden. Whatever he was feeling, he wasn't afraid to show it, either. In that way, he was everything I could never hope to be. Something still felt odd about him, though... It wasn't until I truly knew who he was that we became close." 

"Who is he?" Wind asked before Twilight could slap a hand over his mouth. 

"Now, if I said that I would have to pay the secret identity disclosure fee. I'd probably have to give up the deed to my house to pay it off or something." Legend rolled his eyes, but he was smiling. "But the stupid rabbit hobo man identifies as a Ravio. He's my... well, we aren't romantic, but..." He held up his left hand, waving his ring finger. 

"Wait, you're married?!" Eight voices exclaimed in unison. 

"Shut up!" He practically begged me to for the tax benefits and whatnot." Legend dismissed as his face heated up again. "And he knew I couldn't say no to a magic item." A pause. "But... yes, we're queerplatonic."

"Well, I'm not sure I follow exactly, but I'm happy for you." Time beamed, looking like quite the proud dad in that moment. 

Legend almost choked at the praise, causing the others to laugh. It seemed to be much for him because he brought his knees up to hide his reddening face. Hyrule patted his back, quietly thanking him for sharing that. He may not have brought up a singular memory, but he had indeed shared something special. 

"And what about you, Wars?" Time asked. As much as he would love to fuss over Legend, he knew better than to smoother him too much. "What is one of your good memories?"

"Well, it was late one night when I had gone to the bar." Wars grinned. 

"Hitting on women again?" Twilight asked, but Wars shook his head.

"No... not that night. It had been about a month since the war, and everything had been so busy lately. Everyone had gone home long before then. I spent day in, day out meeting famous people, mingling with royals and presenting myself to various cities. At first, it was fun, albiet awkward. It was a celebration of my victory, after all. But slowly but surely, I grew tired of it. There were so many customs and traditions I had never even heard of, yet I had to follow them to a tee to prevent myself from embarrassing the entire castle, or offending someone. Once all of the excitement wore off, I was simply exhausted and felt so utterly alone. I was an imposter among these nobles, who had practically been born knowing the difference between a fish fork and a seafood fork." Wars explained. 

"Wouldn't that be the same thing?" Sky asked. 

"That's what I thought too, but apparently even suggesting that they're remotely similar was -- is-- wildly offensive. Trust me, I found that out the hard way. Just to eat dinner I had learn to recognize five different forks, four knives, three spoons and five glasses! And, it was like that with everything else, too." Wars sighed, feeling his shoulders slumped down. 

Legend cautiously put his knees down. He was no longer blushing, having regained his composure. "And this is a happy memory?" He asked, raising an eyebrow.

"I was only giving some background information." Wars huffed, rolling his eyes as he crossed his arms. "But anyway, that had consumed my life the past few months by the time I went to this bar. It was only late at night that I could get away from all of it, though I was usually too tired to go out. Most of the time, people recognized me all the same, regardless of what I wore. I was exhausted again that night, and as I plop down at the counter, I can tell the bartender recognizes me. He asks what I'm here for, and I try my best to put my public face back on. 

"I must've not done a good job because he glances around, then leans in closer and asks me if I'm having trouble in paradise. I kind of laugh and try to shrug it off, and he walks away. I thought that was that, but then I find him putting a fresh wine in my grasp. 'What's wrong?' he asks again, 'is it all the fancy smancy royal stuff too much for you, Captain?' And I'm not really sure what it was. Maybe it was the way he looked so genuinely concerned, but I found myself spilling everything to him, bit by bit. I didn't even really realize until then just how much I had been holding back -- I mean, all I really had was Artemis, but I couldn't possibly tell her about how frustrating it was to try and keep up with all these silly customs. 

I didn't even realize how much time had passed -- it must have been at least three hours before he cut me off and closed for the night. And at the end, he patted my hand, smiled, and told me that I was free to come back anytime. And so, I did. I came any time I was in the area, and I had enough energy to drag myself over there. As it would turn out, he had dealt with a surprising amount of royalty himself when he was younger working in the royal kitchens, so he got it. I may not be able to see him all that often, but any time I do, it really does refresh my soul. For awhile, he was the only person I felt as though I could be real with. I don't really know where I'd be without him."

"Wow that's..." Four began. He paused, shaking his head. "I'm glad that you have someone like that."

"Me too." Wars grinned. "And now, I have all of you, too. And whenever I'm away from my era, I can let down my guard just a bit. I know that I seem to care about my looks too much, but I never do know when I need to be proper next, after all. But with you 'filthy peasants', I'll gladly use four less forks a meal." He chuckled. 

"Oh, so we're filthy peasants now?" Legend asked, raising his eyebrows in mock offense. "I'll have you know, I am the son of the king and queen, and the brother of Princess Zelda." 

"Oh, I'm sorry," Wars rolled his eyes with a dramatic bow, but he was grinning. "Would your Royal Ass be a more suitable title?" 

Legend scoffed. "Royal Ass? I'll show you a royal ass!" He chuckled before he turned around and did something not quite befitting of a prince.

Chapter Text

Legend could feel it as soon as he woke up -- it was going to rain. Yippie, he couldn't be more excited (not). He let out a heavy sigh as he opened his eyes. Wild was tending to breakfast as per usual. Wind was right beside him, watching as Wild added in some ingredients to the pot. Somewhere out of view, he could hear the quiet murmurs of Hyrule and Four, trying to keep the peace at the early hour. No one seemed to notice that he was awake yet, so he decided to close his eyes and get a few more spare minutes of rest.

It wasn't so much that he disliked rain. Well, he did actually -- it wasn't exactly pleasant to travel in damp clothes with no way to dry off. Nor was it fun to hide in a small, dark cave in a thunderstorm. At the same time, he wasn't a wuss. He could take it. What really bothered him was that days that threatened rain like these ones he could feel it deep in his joints more often than not. His right ankle, knee and hip were what hurt most in that moment, along with all the joints in his fingers. Small aches and pains from old wounds radiated with a dull ache, but those weren't quite as bad. 

When he heard shuffling beside him, he quietly slit open his eyes just a little. Someone had sat with their back to him, right in front of him. Judging by the scarf, it could only be Wars. He set a cup beside him, sliding it backwards towards Legend. "Good morning, Princess." he greeted quietly. 

So someone had noticed Legend was awake after all. Still half asleep, he didn't have the energy to roll his eyes. Instead, he settled for scoffing. "Stop calling me that." He whispered back. Everytime Wars used that stupid nickname, he regretted ever letting the group know he was a prince... technically. It felt really weird thinking about that, even after all this time. 

Wars chose to ignore him, turning so he wasn't quite looking at Legend, but his back was no longer turned to him. He once again nudged the tea. "Here, it's the special tea that helps with pain." He explained.

Legend's eyes widened. How had he known? He shook his head into the pillow, dismissing the surprise for a much more suitable frown. He took a few moments to gather enough resolve to sit up, grunting as he did. "I'm not in pain." He argued a little bit louder. 

"Sure." Wars only shrugged. "Though, it looks rather overcast, and you don't usually grunt or sigh like that unless it's a bad day." In one swift motion, he stood up. "Anyway, I'll go grab your cane. I think you left it by Roolie last night." And with that, he walked away. Legend watched him go, not arguing this time. Not just because he was tired, but also because he supposed today would be a heavy-use cane day after all. 

Left alone again, he couldn't help but look back down at the tea. From where he sat, he could still see the wisps of steam coming up from the cup. He took a deep breath, letting the scent of it enter his nostrils. It did smell rather nice, and it was just sitting there... He picked it up carefully and took a sip. Today was going to suck, there was no doubt about that, but this simple action was enough to light a warmth in his chest. Not that he would ever admit that to Wars. 

Chapter Text

Sky had to run fast. As fast as he possibly could. He stumbled on the tree roots, on small stones that littered the path. Branches of the trees scratched at him, catching on his clothes. His cape caught onto one, and he had to tug and tug before it was finally freed. Thankfully, without ripping. 

 The path was dark, and the only light he had was moonlight. His breath rang loudly in his ears, along with the pulse, blood rushing. He couldn't. He couldn't. He could not give up, could never give up. Even if the distance between him and them continued growing. Even if all seemed hopeless. It hurt. His legs, the pain in them was rising up. He was stumbling more. Getting more clumsy. Still, he ran, cursing his legs, cursing this situation. Cursing the way the alarms were going off in his head. He never swore, but he did now for all this shitshow was. 

 He tripped once and for all— his feet just couldn't pick themselves up high enough. And he fell. Crashed to the ground. The mud reached out to give him a messy hug. The ground left him with bruises and the branches left him with cuts. 

 And he laid down his head as he finally passed out once and for all.

✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ:*:･ﾟ✧*:･ﾟ✧

When Sky came to, everything around him felt fuzzy. It wasn't just that his vision was messed up; all of his perceptions were skewed to the point where he couldn't actually take in anything. The morning light was nothing short of blinding, basking the world in a piercing white and light shades of off whites. 

He used his knees and his elbows to prop himself up from the hard ground underneath of him. He must have done it too fast, because a splitting headache appeared a moment later. He let out a yell, the very sound of it cutting his own eardrums. Had he really screamed that loudly? Or were his senses that sensitive?

His limbs were trembling, trying to keep himself upright. He winced, letting out as quiet of a whimper as he could. Even that hurt his ears. He lowered his head to the ground before letting his limbs relax again and closing his eyes. He just needed a minute to catch his breath...

How had he gotten in this situation anyway? Where was he and how had he gotten... wherever this was? Outside he guessed, based on the birds that would not shut up. That, and the way his clothes clung to him as though he had been drenched and he let his clothes (mostly) dry onto his skin. 

The fuzziness waned, bit by bit as Sky took the time to collect himself. He kept his eyes closed and his muscles relaxed the entire time, allowing himself to focus on his breathing. In, out. Big breath in, big breath out. He tried his best to ignore the birds and the sounds of what he guessed was the forest around him. The more he breathed, the more things became clear. 

"There he is!" Someone's voice called from far away. Sky dared to open up one of his eyes. This time, thankfully, he wasn't greeted with impaling white, but a blur of greens painted on browns and light blue. A red splotch was quickly approaching followed by silver, blue, rainbow and three different greens.  

Legend knelt down to his level a few moments later, coming into focus. All of seven of them did, along with the the trees and the rest of the forest. "Sky, are you okay?" He asked, his voice laced with concern. "What happened? Where--" When Time cleared his throat, he stopped asking questions at once. 

"I... don't remember." Sky admitted with a wince. He fought to get up on his hands and knees again, but his limbs almost gave out again. Twilight was right there, grabbing onto Sky's shoulders to ensure he didn't fall back down.

"Careful!" He warned. Now Hyrule was right there too, holding onto him. The two worked together to get Sky into a much more comfortable sitting position. Said Hero couldn't help but sigh, not just because he was no longer lying on the ground, but because in the company of the others, he knew he could relax. As long as they were with him, he didn't have to worry about getting attacked. He could let down his guard. 

"Thanks guys." he replied. He watched as Twilight stepped back, resulting in Warriors coming forward, hand in his bag. He pulled out a red potion before handing it over. Sky took it without protest, flicking open the bottle. He took only a few sips before handing it back. "I'll be fine. I think I just have a few bruises." He assured when Wars gave him a suspicious look. 

When Wars' look did not lessen, Sky looked down at himself. He almost gawked at just how much mud he was caked in from head to toe. Above all, what caught his attention was that his beautiful, pristine sailcloth had been sullied beyond recognition. His breath hitched as he saw it-- how was he ever going to clean it?

"It seems like you had quite the fall. Are you sure that you're okay?" Time asked him. When Sky tore his gaze away from his Goddess given gift, he bit his lip and nodded silently. Time's expression softened at the answer. "Well, I'm glad that you are then. Do you remember what happened?" 

"I was... running." Sky recalled, blinking. He could remember that much, and the way every part of him was filled with adrenaline. He narrowed his eyes, glaring at a point at the ground. Trying to remember was beginning to give him a headache all over again. 

"If it's too hard to remember--" Four began with eyes red in concern, but Sky shook his head. This was important. It had to be, by the way he remembered running. He was going far beyond his limits, and by himself no less. Whatever it was couldn't wait until he got back up, or he could give his legs a break.  

"I was... doing something important. Whatever it was, it absolutely couldn't wait. I was so tired that I kept tripping over myself, but I had to keep going. Then I think I just.... collapsed. Pushed myself too far." He recalled. There was more, there had to be. 

Because of his words, a new potion was shoved into his hands: a green one, this time. "You should replenish your energy." Wild suggested, and Sky didn't protest at all. He downed the entire thing in one go, wiping his mouth after passing the empty bottle back. 

"Thanks," Sky replied again. "I just wish I could remember what I was doing..."

"Did it have to do with Wind? Were you with him?" Legend asked at last. It was only then that Sky realized that the Sailor was absent. Within a group of nine, sometimes it was hard to remember someone, and the possible smack in the head probably wasn't helping in this case. 

With Wind in mind, it all struck Sky at once. His eyes widened, and he gasped. He stood up so fast that he almost hit Hyrule, who had remained at his side the entire time. "They-- they got Wind!" He exclaimed. Before anyone could ask any questions, he spun around and began to run once again. The time for resting and catching his breath was over. He could fill in the others on the way. 

✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ:*:･ﾟ✧*:･ﾟ✧

The others were so shocked that it took a few moments before they were able to follow after Sky. "Sky, where are we going?" Legend called, as he was the first one to start sprinting after their Chosen Hero.

"What happened to Wind?" Twilight asked. He was one of the last ones to stir into motion, but with great agility and strength, he quickly found himself passing a few of the others.

"Who is 'they'?" Time asked. Some of the others began to ask their own questions, but he glanced at them, holding up a hand so they would stop. They didn't need to overload Sky with questions, seeing as he had flinched with each one of the questions already as though they physically hurt him.

"I– The– Spirits... Fi called them Watchers. It makes no sense, they aren't even supposed to exist in the physical world, but–" Sky explained, pausing once again to flinch at the memory. He slowed a bit without meaning to, allowing Twilight to catch up to him. The Ordonian reached out to grab his hand. He held it for just a moment, just enough for Sky to slow to a stop and look into his eyes.

"Sky... I know you're in a panic, but we need to know so we can act appropriately." His tone was gentle, but held a firmness in it that left no room for discussion. He kept staring into Sky's eyes, ensuring that if the Skyloftian had somehow missed the emotions in his words, he would see them in his eyes. The others caught up to them, but they stopped just far away enough to give them space.

Guilt clawed at Sky's chest, not just for letting Wind down, but for running off almost on his own and leaving everyone in the dark. He let out a heavy sigh, trying to dispel the emotions. It worked only mildly. He looked down, not just to find himself a seat but to get away from the concern written all over Twilight. Written over all of them, actually. When he sat down, Time sat next to him. He once again waved his hand, and soon everyone was sitting even though they didn't need to be. It was a small gesture, but Sky appreciated it. It made him not feel like the odd one out, the only one of nine who sat down and therefore breaking what felt like some odd unwritten social rule. Plus, then he didn't have to crane his neck to look up at everyone.

"It... started last night. Wind must have been on his shift when I heard something that stirred me from my sleep." Sky recalled.

"Wait, you're saying something woke you up? But none of the rest of us?" Legend asked in shock. "Yeah, I call BS."

"Look, does that even matter right now?" Wars argued, glaring at Legend.

"Hey, I was just making a–"

Time cleared his throat, moving to sit in between both of them. At once they both stopped their bickering. In doing so, he opened the floor back up for Sky.

Sky breathed a laugh. Of course out of all people those two would still find a way to fight. And, admittedly, he did find it rather ironic himself. "Well, okay... it wasn't so much that I heard something, but I... felt it. It was more like when my first Journey began..." The night that it had began, the same nightmare had spoked him awake, along with a strange sense of... even now he wasn't sure how to describe it. Had he sensed magic? Maybe? Well, whatever it was called turned out to be a spirit. Curiosity had caught him and he chased her that fateful night all the way into a secret chamber. That was how he had met Fi.

He took a deep breath. He supposed that didn't matter, did it? "Anyway, I just... sensed it. I got out of bed and I began to walk to where the sense took me. I didn't go very far – just out of view when I saw him. There, standing out at the forest's edge with a light overhead. He was facing away from me, looking up at a shadowy figure just outside of the spotlight. I... didn't know what to make of it at first, before it clicked. You see, on my Journey, I had to go through a set of trials. They were meant to purify and strengthen me, much like how I foraged the sword through sacred fires, or how Sun purified herself with water. It was to prove that I had grown in strength, wisdom, courage, and spirituality. I guess when I put it that way, much of my Journey was a pilgrimage to become the Goddess' Chosen..."

Sky should have been smiling. He should have been proud. He loved the Goddess after all, he was beyond happy to serve her. But at the same time, when he thought of the silent realm, all he could do was flinch at the memory of the beings that wielded swords, reaching out for him when he was defenseless. He took a few more breaths, trying to calm himself down. Working himself up wouldn't help, he reminded himself.

"I'm sorry, Sky." Legend of all people said, placing a hand on his back. Sky couldn't understand why – unlike Legend, he was happy to serve his Goddess. He didn't understand why Legend would complain about it at every opportunity. He was happy. He was... not smiling still. His lip quivered despite how hard he was trying to push the nonsensical emotion aside.

"I..." What was Sky supposed to even say to that? He had never told them about the trials before for whatever reason, and he had barely mentioned them now. He wasn't sure how to respond, so he decided to get back to the point. "The trials had guardians." Upon seeing how Wild's eyes widened, he quickly added, "No– nothing like those. They... just stood there, inactive. They had swords, and some of them could fly. They were fast, too. There were watchers too, spirits that carried light. And, as I watched from the shadows last night, I realized it was a watcher that was lighting Wind up. And when they do that–"

He found himself gagging for air suddenly, recalling all those times that the cursed light caught him. Legend was still touching him though, and he now rubbed circles into Sky's back soothingly. Sky couldn't help but lean into the touch, savoring the rare affection from their usually prickly Vet. "--Bad things happen. The guardians activate. The guardian was right in front of Wind, and it took him and flew off. I didn't think it was possible for them to be in the physical world, but for some reason, they were. They must have taken him to this region's silent realm – it's the only place that makes sense. And if they're willing to come out to grab Wind, surely to defy the Goddesses, I fear what they might also do to him. You– can't actually die there, but..." He shivered. That never made it any less scary to watch a group of armed spirits all gang up on him at once. "And one more thing– according to Fi, the Hero is the only being that can go in there – not even Fi can."

He didn't want to go back there. Not after all the recurring nightmares of missteps, after all those times he had failed and even Fi began to doubt him. Even more, he certainly didn't want the others to, either. Not because anything was bad with it – it was his special place bestowed to him by the Goddess herself. Yes, that was true. Certainly. Without a doubt. He just... wanted to keep it that way was all. (He would never admit to himself he feared what would happen to Wind. He would never admit that even with eight of them, they might fail time and again. Voicing such things would make him unfaithful.)

And so, he let out one last sigh as he got back to his feet to show that he was done with story time. He didn't care to share any more details, if there were any more to begin with. "The gate is at the heart of the woods, that way." He explained, pointing towards the way he had been running before. He turned before he could look anyone in the eye and began walking, not running, towards the massive tree that was the heart of the forest itself.

He wondered silently if his pilgrimage wasn't quite done after all; if this was the start of another series of trials for him again. At the thought, he pulled his sullied sailcloth around his shoulders and shivered... due to the chill in the air, of course. Not the thought itself. And although he could feel the others' stares, he couldn't look up to meet them. Staring at the ground so he didn't trip over something was too important. And although the others tried to speak to him, he just couldn't find it in him to respond because studying the ground took a lot of effort when his legs didn't cooperate like they should.

Chapter Text

As Sky approached the large arch sprouting out from the great tree in the forest, he slowed to a stop.

“What’s wrong, Sky?” Twilight asked, moving so he stood beside him.

“It’s the forest… it’s not supposed to look like this.” Sky replied, staring into the fog so dense that he couldn’t see past it. It was as though the first just simply stopped right in front of them.

“It looks like the Lost Woods.” Wild noted with a frown. “Do you remember the way around, Sky?”

“I…” Sky paused before he nodded. “I think so.” He replied as a shiver ran through his body. He took a hesitant step forwards into the fog. “There are monsters in these woods. Stay on your guard.”

“We should link arms.” Time suggested, taking Legend’s in his own to demonstrate.

Legend grumbled and rolled his eyes. “Oh you have got to be kidding me. What are we? Children?” He asked.

“No, we aren’t.” Four replied. “But there are a lot of us. We should all at least have a buddy.” Deciding that, he grabbed Wars’ hand.

“Sounds like a good idea.” Hyrule agreed as he grabbed Wild’s hand. “That way, if we get lost, at least we won’t be alone.”

“Speaking of which…” Twilight said, walking over to the newest pair. He growled slightly, bearing his nonexistent fangs. “You two are not going to be together. I won’t allow it.” He said, undoing their clasped hands as he went in between them. “Hyrule, you’re with me. Wild, you’re going with Sky.”

“But—“ Hyrule began to protest, but he shook his head. It didn’t really matter. After all, they were all going to be right next to each other anyway. It was just that this way, they each would have one free hand. And so, they each had their own partner.

“Follow me.” Sky said, his voice coming out more confident than he felt. Why that was, he wasn’t sure. He took a few steps, finding that Wild followed him, and the other groups followed in turn. “If we just hug the tree, we should be headed in the right direction.”

A cold wind blew, forcing Sky’s sailcloth to blow back behind him. He shivered again. He used his free arm to grab it and wrap it around himself the best he could. Even covered in dried mud, it still comforted him… from the wind. There was nothing else to be comforted from, right? Right.

The fog was thick around them. So much so that even standing right next to him, Sky couldn’t see Wild. He could see his hand, and make out his arm, but not him. Not unless they were so close their bodies were touching. He listened as the various heroes talked to one another, if only to ensure that they all stayed together. Sky, however, found himself quiet. He let Wild do the talking.

They moved slowly, and with every step, Sky got colder. Certainly not nervous to get that much closer to the Goddess-given trials he had so adored going through. Excited. Enthused. Happy. Joyful. Elated. That’s what he told himself as each step brought a new memory. Ghostly hands reaching for him. A sword slashing him in half. Fi’s frown as she informed him that he had failed for the 87th time in a row and that perhaps, the Goddess—. No, the Goddess wasn’t wrong. He had proved himself. He was the Chosen Hero. He had saved the world… only for it to fall to ruin, time and time again. Only for himself to inact a curse that would affect Hyrule for thousands upon thousands of years. But he was happy! Happy to be going to the first trial he ever completed again.

“Hey,” Wild whispered to him at one point, squeezing his hand. “Are you ok, Sky?”

“Of course.” Sky replied, forcing a smile. “Why wouldn’t I be? I’m getting to share a special place with all of you.” A place, for some reason, perhaps due to selfishness, he wanted to keep all to himself.

Chapter Text

It had been another long day. Thankfully for the Chain, it wasn't a dangerous one for once. Instead, the group had spent the day in Hateno, one of the largest villages in all of Wild's time. They boys had spent their time helping out the villagers with various tasks that they needed help with. Those that could be spared, Wild, Sky and Time, spent the day mostly at the schoolhouse. Together, the three of them had taught the children various things, giving the teachers a much needed break. The slow day was honestly a blessing after nonstop fighting monsters. Though now that the night had come and everyone settled inside of Wild and Zelda's house for the night, everyone was tired. 

"I love kids. They make me feel young again." Time was saying, a smile playing on his lips. 

"Just wait a few years. You'll be a kid all over again stumbling through my portal." Wars chuckled in response. Actually, that may be in the past as well, but no matter. The timeline was so messed up, it hardly even mattered who was where in time. It never made sense anyway. 

"What I wouldn't give to be a kid again, just for a day." Twilight mused with a satisfied hum. Those were the days, when he had no worries. When he actually fit in with the people in the village that raised him. When he was too innocent to see the dangers, the horrors and the darkness of the world. 

"That'd be nice." Legend agreed, nodding along. "I do wish that I could wake up to the smell of my Uncle's homecooked pancakes. Now all I wake up to is yet another scammed customer bickering for their money back." A sigh.

"And I'd love to go back to just being with my loftwing. Back when we first met, we spent day after day trying to learn about each other. We had to learn to communicate with each other. It was a lot of work, but it was a lot of fun!" Sky chimed in. 

"I don't remember when I was a kid." Wild admitted, hugging his knees. It felt rather lonesome. Everyone else often shared their memories: the good, the bad and everything in between. He had some of course, don't get him wrong, but they all felt so recent, even the ones from the before time. He didn't remember anything from before he became Zelda's knight, and even then, his memory was very spotty. He didn't remember what he had done to get to that position. He didn't know what his family was like, if he even had one to begin with. Part of him hoped that he did. Part of him wished that he was always alone, because that way, no one was rolling in their graves realizing that their son and brother didn't even remember that they existed. 

What he had said seemed to spoil the carefree mood. The conversations all stopped, each of the Links exchanging glances with one another. What were they supposed to say to that? 

It was Twilight who was the one to speak. He first moved closer to Wild so that they were almost touching before saying, "We know, and we're sorry for bringing it up."

But Wild shook his head, wiping at his eyes. "It's fine. I'm sorry for interrupting." 

"You weren't interrupting at all, Wild. Don't worry." Hyrule replied with a gentle grin. "Hey, how about we ask Zelda if she knows anything about your family?"

Wild paused before nodding. "Yes, yes I'd like that very much." He agreed. 

Chapter Text

Finally, after what felt like hours wandering carefully through the mist, they found it: a large flower designed on the ground. It was such a dense fog that Sky could only just make out the entire design. For some reason, his breathing had picked up rapidly. It must have been the fog. There was something in it that made it hard for him to breathe, surely. 

"This-- this is it." He explained. He swayed slightly, and his head suddenly felt far too light. He stumbled slightly. He must have walked too far.

Suddenly, the strong arms of Twilight had gripped his shoulders and were holding him upright. "Sky, what's going on?" He asked. Together, the two worked to sit Sky down on the ground. 

"It's-- I walked to much." He replied, trying to catch his breath. It wasn't slowing down any though, and for some reason, his mind eye was replaying a thousand moments of what took place in the Silent Realm. Times that he made a misstep and were caught by the Watchers. Times that he was being chased by the Guardians with countless swords all pointed at him. The moments that these same swords sliced right through his heart, sliding in like butter. The moment following where a gurgling sound would ripple through his throat, his lungs unable to take in any air, and his heartbeat was startling absent. It was as though time itself would stutter, though he were fully aware of the searing pain in his chest. Times when he would open his eyes again after such an event, seeing the way that Fi shook her head in sheer and utter disappointment, noting to herself that maybe the Goddesses were wrong in choosing him after all. 

They were all such precious memories of such a sacred place, and it was an honor to experience every single one of them. Still though, out of respect for the Goddesses, he tried to dispel them from his mind. It didn't work. 

"-Ink! Link! Are you there, Link?" Someone was shouting, and he found his body being shaken. Right in front of him, taking up his entire vision, was Legend. 

Oh shoot, they were saying his real name. That probably meant that they had been calling him for awhile, hadn't it? "Y-yeah?" He croaked, stuttering for some odd reason. 

"Legend, you're being too forceful!" Time's voice exclaimed. When Sky looked closely, he could just make out his boots and legs, but the rest of him was too obscured by the fog. 

"Here, let me take it from here." Four's voice said, and then the Hero was sitting right in front of Sky. The fog made his eyes appear a deep crimson, which Sky really wasn't in the state to make sense of how the light did that. In any case, Four took a hold of both of Sky's hands and began rubbing circles into them. 

"Sky, are you okay?" He asked, his voice as gentle as could be. 

"Of course!" Sky exclaimed a bit too quickly. 

"Sky." Four asked, his tone far more rigid now as green swirled in his irises just for a moment. He had left no room for argument.

"I-- think the fog is affecting me." Sky began, shuddering. "And-- and all the adrenaline, and the hit to my head and-!" He found himself suddenly desperate, scrambling for answers. Even though those were the answers, surely they were, they had to be. Right? Right. Even though those were the answers, it almost felt as though he had to prove that to them. 

"Sky, is there anything else bothering you?" Four asked when Sky had seemingly stopped his rambling. "Like, perhaps, did something bad happen to you in the Silent Realm?" 

Sky's eyes widened and he gasped. How dare Four have the audacity to say that! A deep anger burned and boiled over into the words he said next. "No, no of course not! That is the holy place where the Chosen Hero is strengthened by the Goddesses and bestowed gifts unlike any other! How dare-!!" 

"Sky!" This time, it was Legend that spoke. His tone was harsh enough to silence the other. He took a deep breath before he continued. "Look... I know that I am very critical of the Goddesses, and I know we've gotten into fights about this. I know how much you love them, we all do. That being said, we have all endured some terrible things, either directly or indirectly because of them. It's possible to love them while also recognizing that serving them has caused you harm and pain. That doesn't make you any less loyal to them; your feelings and your pain are real and deserve to be felt." 

Sky saw, but mostly heard the shuffling of feet, everyone else turning towards Legend. "What? Did you prefer a Mr. Grumpy Not-Wearing Pants answer? I can't be negative all of the time, geez!" Sky watched as the hero slouched, crossing his arms. "And besides, it wasn't as though I always hated the Goddesses... I- I mean, I sort of get it. Went through this too. Maybe not this bad, though." 

"I-- What?" Sky croaked again. Tears rimmed his eyes, and he found that he couldn't blink them away. 

"Sky," Four spoke gently. He had been rubbing circles in Sky's hands this entire time. "What exactly happens in the Silent Realm?" A pause. "We aren't here to judge. We just want to be able to help you, and by sharing with us, maybe it'll make your load lighter."

"And, it would give us invaluable intel as to how to rescue Wind." Wars said. 

Chapter Text

Sky had spent his entire childhood hearing the legend of the Goddess' Chosen Hero. One time, long ago in the past, the Goddess came down as a mortal. In this mortal form, she found her Hero and gave him a sailcloth. Together, they fought the darkness side by side. He had spent so many nights studying the story from start to finish. He'd examine the story, debate the passages and meditate on the very words passed on through the many generations that had passed. 

There, however, was one rather major detail that the story had left out: this Hero had gone through time. The stories were not of the past, but of the future. And more shocking than that, some how, through some miracle, it was he that was this fabled Hero that he had spent his entire life admiring. When Sky had started his Journey, he hadn't quite realized it at first. The echoes of the passages whispered in his ears, but he had used them to fuel his strength, his courage and his wisdom. 

He wasn't quite sure when it had clicked for him. It was a gradual realization. When the truth had become undeniable, suddenly Sky had found that he was left in his own shadow. The diligent, strong, powerful, courageous, handsome, witty, smart, brave, cool, faithful, loving, perfect Hero was him. 

But Sky was hardly any of those things. He was a lazy bedhead that slept through long lectures and just barely managed to not fail his classes. He was probably the weakest of all the knights, considering that his legs didn't quite work the way they were supposed to. He was plagued by nightmares of some monster eating his beloved Zelda in one bite, and when he woke from such nightmares, he could hardly stop himself from crying. And dare he say, as much as he would like to think of himself as devout, sometimes it felt closer to performance. 

Sky got stronger. He learned so many things. He did what he set out to do... sort of. He failed, really, if eight of his reincarnations all had to repeat what should have ended with him. 

Even now, a few years later, he spent nearly every night wondering: why him? Why not Groose or any of the other knights? Surely, the Goddess was not quite as wise as he once believed... but then he stopped himself, because surely that was blasphemy if he ever let such feelings come to light. Even as thoughts alone, maybe they were sins. 

Him and the Hero of Legend never could quite see eye-to-eye. Sky tried to ignore the obvious truth of it. Legend hated the Goddesses with a burning passion. He spat when their names were said. He left when Sky prayed. When he was in a bad mood, Legend could spiral into doing nothing but insulting all four of them for the rest of the night. None of the other Heroes, save maybe Hyrule, who didn't even have the same faith, were as devout as Sky. They hadn't dedicated their whole everything to the Goddesses. Each of them, aside for Wild (and Hyrule) who had no faith of any kind, had joined Legend time from time to complain about what the Goddesses allegedly did to them. 

But Sky was devout. He had to be devout. He loved the Goddesses. The Chosen Hero loved the Goddesses more than anything. That was what the texts had said, right? And the texts couldn't possibly be wrong because they came from the Goddesses. The logical conclusion there would be that something therefore must be wrong with Sky himself and he had to fix it, without saying anything before anyone would notice. 

Legend wouldn't understand, nor would anyone. But then why would he sound almost as though he knew...? 

Sky swallowed and pulled one of his hands away from Four to wipe at his eyes. He could deal with that later. What was important right now was they find Wind. 

"The... the Silent Realm is dangerous." He began, his entire body shivering at the blasphemy that left his mouth. It tasted like the fire in the heart of Eldin Volcano. "I-- it's a trial from the Goddesses... holy... wonderful..." A shaky gasp left him, and then his vision blurred. Four took his free hand again, going back to rubbing circles in them. Someone else with large hands, Sky didn't have the mind to begin to guess who, rubbed his shoulders. 

"There you go, that's good." Four encouraged him, his tone full of nothing but compassion. "Do you want to tell us more about the realm?"

Sky hesitated before nodding. "I-- there are these-- Guardians. They are... fast. Some can fly, and... some run. They're-- they're so fast, and when they run you through, it hurts like nothing else and -- and -- and--" Distantly, he heard the others call his name. He ignored them. "And then you wake up and you're told you're a failure of a Hero and that you're worthless!" He shouted. 

Even though he couldn't see everyone, Sky could tell that each and every one of them had their mouths agape, his own included. The hands on him had froze as well. What had he actually said? He couldn't have said what filled his ears, could he? Could he? Because that had to be blasphemy as well as downright shameful. Ripping both of his hands away, his covered his mouth. He kicked four away, and tried to get up and run away, but the strong hands holding his shoulders kept him standing in place. 

"You're not running away, Sky. You're going to stay with us." Time said, and he left no room for argument. 

"But--" Sky had to fix this, right now. "I--I can go! I already know the layout and everything! You'd probably just get in my way and--"

"No." Twilight growled. The way that the hands on his shoulders tightened told Sky it must be Twi's hands. "You can't just say something like that and act like a nervous wreck and expect us all to sit and watch as you march right into your trauma." 

Trauma?

Sky didn't have trauma. Not from the Goddesses, not from anyone. 

"Twi's damn right!" Legend exclaimed, poking Sky's nose before Hyrule pulled him back. "We are a team, ya hear? And as a team, we face everything together, especially if one of our own is missing. No ifs, buts, or any excuses."

"But-"

Legend put his hands on his hips and leaned forward. "What did I just say? No buts! Look, I get it, okay? You want to prove yourself. You want to live up to some shadow you've always had over you. Maybe it's the Hero that came before you, or its your own shadow. Trust me, I've almost hit double digits in Journeys and I still feel imposter syndrome sometimes! I still feel like somewhere, out where the Goddesses float around or whatever, they are shaking their heads and being bitterly disappointed in me! And you know what? I bet every single one of us feels that way." He scowled as he stood up, his head swiveling. "Well, am i wrong?" The silence that followed seemed to be confirmation. "Wild. How did it feel to wake up to an entire country destroyed because you weren't strong enough?"

"Legend!" Time snapped.

But it seemed as though Wild didn't seem to mind answering, maybe for Sky's sake. "Like everyone put all these hopes in me and I completely let them down." He replied, his voice soft and raw.

"And Wars, how does it feel to wake up as a commander of so many people all throughout history because you wouldn't kiss one girl?" Legend asked.

"Terrible. Like, maybe if I just gave her a chance, maybe all of it wouldn't have happened."

"Twi, how does it feel every single time that you give into your inner darkness and become a monster that even a mother couldn't love?"

"But I'm not--!!" Twi began to protest, but he stopped himself. Then, he sighed. "Ashamed. I know I shouldn't, but--"

"Nonsense. You had to do what you had to. Four, how did it feel to lose yourself to your Journeys?" 

"I-- how do you even know--?!" Four exclaimed, his eyes turning a violent blue for a moment. "But-- I felt... lost. Confused. Like I couldn't put the pieces back together again, and because of that, everyone was left waiting for me to figure myself out again." Not that anyone understood what that was alluding to.

"And Time, how did it feel to see the moon destroy the entire world over and over again, failing time and time again to stop it?" 

"I--" Time was the one shocked this time. "Like I was a failure that couldn't get anything right."

"And Hyrule, how did it feel to be some nobody that was going to save the princess?"

"I-- I couldn't believe it. Sometimes, I wondered if I'd just make a fool of myself and die." Hyrule whispered. 

Legend was a swirling vortex of anger. "And then there's me. I literally murdered countless innocent people just so I could get back to save the day yet again. And one of the people I killed in cold red blood was the only woman I have ever loved." Legend took a shaky breath, his eyes stained in angry tears. "So you think you're a failure, Sky? You think that you are a horrible person who would put the Goddesses to shame? Well, go ahead. Join the club, and for the love of the Goddesses, don't try to act invincible or perfect or whatever else, because you're not. Don't you see? We are just a group of alleged Heroes that all trying to keep appearances and probably hate ourselves deep down. Just please, please lean on us. We each had to spend so much time on our own, wrestling with issues that no one in all of Hyrule, or Skyloft, or any surrounding kingdoms, or even dreams could possibly understand. But here'd the thing: Now there are nine of us losers. Can't we all stop throwing pity parties for ourselves and living in denial and whatever else and just-- just... be?" He was out of breath now, his hot flame burning low. "Please... Sky... trust us..." 

Chapter Text

Legend's angry speech was met with silence and even though Sky couldn't see everyone, he could feel their stares. They were all waiting for a response from him. Sky also waited for a response from himself, as though his mouth could think of something to say without his brain thinking it. 

Just what was he supposed to say to that? He sucked in a breath, but it came out as a cry. A moment later, he found that tears were rolling down his cheeks. 

Throughout his adventures, he would count the time he spent away from his bed. He couldn't stand being away from it, so aside for some long nights and desperate situations, he came back home every single night. This whole Journey had actually been the longest he had ever been from either of his homes: the one on the surface, and the knight academy in the sky. Even so, aside from the longing for his real bed and for Zelda (whom wouldn't be found at home), h had never found himself homesick. That was, until this moment. Suddenly, he just wanted to be home. Not just because he wanted to sleep, but he wanted to be a kid again with dreams far bigger than his little boots, yet still underestimating his destiny. All of this was just too much for him. He didn't want to grow up just yet. 

Beside him, Hyrule sat. "Tell us what's going on your mind?" He asked, sounding unsure of himself and unsure if that was a proper request to make. 

"I--" Sky cleared his throat. "I miss home. Things were... less complicated there, you know? Back as a knight, all I had to worry about was Groose picking on me..." He chuckled weakly. 

"I feel you." Four agreed, showing a sad smile. "Things were simpler when I was a kid. I never had existential crises or had anything rough to deal with. But do you know what I learned throughout my Journeys? No matter how strong you are, you need to rely on others. Your friends. Your family. And as long as you have someone like that by your side, you can find a home in them, and more than that, you can face anything together. I know that it must be very hard, maybe even confusing to sort all these thoughts out, Sky, but you have us now. Understand?"

Sky gave a slight nod, wiping his eyes. His body was still shaking, but what his brothers had said resonated in him. Maybe, just maybe, they could do this together. He didn't have to go in there alone. He didn't have to ... suffer... alone. It still felt like blasphemy to think of such a thing, but he could have an internal debate about theology later. 

He looked up at everyone around him. "Thank you, everyone. I feel better." He told them, and this time, he meant it. He lifted up a hand, and Time was quick to clasp it, helping him up. "I'm not going to lie, it's not going to be easy, but we have each other. I think we've stalled enough, yeah? So here's the plan..." 

It was time to get Wind and bring him back home.

Chapter Text

It was late at night when Twilight found himself staring up at the sky. The harvest moon was here, and with it, there was a chill in the air. Yes, the seasons were changing. The leaves on the trees had turned into the warm, cozy colors of autumn. Regardless of how much time separated their eras, they always wound up in the same season. If it was fall here in Wild’s era, it must be fall back home too, he knew. If the moon was almost full here, it would also almost be full back home, and with it, the fall celebrations would be almost ready. 

Every year, when the harvest moon was at its full, all of Ordon Village would celebrate. In the village square, tables were set up, lined together to create one single massive table for everyone there to eat as one group; one family. They all came to share the absolute best of their spoils: freshly harvested fruits and veggies, milk, cheese and butter. The butcher would slay their best calf, or a pig, or whatever happened to their best animal that year. More often than not, someone would make the journey to the nearest town to barter for foods that the village couldn’t make on their own. The wives of the farmers would take all the ingredients and conspire in secret to create the most delicious of recipes. Twilight’s favorite year was when they created a giant cauldron of soup. It was precisely exquisite with complex flavors that created an incomparable flavor profile. 

The anticipation would build all throughout the day of the Fall Fest. Not a single person would eat in preparation. The morning was full of community, with everyone sharing with each other what they were thankful for. Neighbors that may have been too busy during the growing season to hold deep conversations with one another caught up. They spent hours chatting as the children raced around through town, playing little games with each other. 

By noon, stomachs were certainly rumbling, but it was not quite time to eat just yet. The women who had designated themselves as cooks and bakers for that year had vanished by this point, having retreated into one of their homes to get to work. They locked the doors and boarded the windows. It was said that the naughty children (or adults) that tried to get a sneak peak at their dinner would be deemed a peeping tom. They were warned that naughty children might lose their eyes if they disobeyed, but of course, it was just a white lie. Twilight recalled that he himself had tried to sneak a peak when he was about ten years old. He may still have both of his eyes, but boy, did he get a scolding of a lifetime!

It was also around noon that all the real festivities began. Several game tournaments were held each year. They weren’t always the same, but there were a few staples that appeared every year. Twilight had once been proud of his 3 year horse racing record that took place surrounding the town. Now that he was an adventured man, however, he hadn’t attended the Fall Fest in some years now. It looked as though that may be the case this year as well, seeing as he was what supposedly was thousands upon thousands of years too late.

It was all he could do to sigh. There was nothing that he could really do about it, no matter how he missed it all. If he was being honest, he would be overjoyed, even if it was just for dinner. He didn’t even have to stay until nightfall, where they carved into the shells of pumpkins and put candles inside of them to light them from the inside out. He didn’t need to even participate in the jar decorating, where old milk jugs were painted and similarly lit up, albeit with smaller candles. Some candles were even placed out in the open, and as it got dark, all anyone could see were warm lights like fireflies lighting up the area. 

But no, if there was one thing that Twilight could go to, it would be the feast. Even if it was another year of everything bread (which was a total disaster, by the way), he would be so, so happy to go. Subconsciously, he pulled on his fur coat, wrapping it around himself like a blanket. 

The sudden shuffling of feet, disturbing the fallen leaves pulled Twilight out of his thoughts. He turned to see who it was, just in time for Time to plop down next to him and stare up at the sea of stars. 

Before Twi could speak, Time did instead. “My mortal enemy’s got you down, huh?” He asked, raising a fist towards the sky, shaking it angrily. 

Twi had to blink a few times, trying to comprehend what Time was going on about. He looked back up at the sea of black, scrutinizing the moon. There’s no way that his ancestor actually had beef with the moon… right? Right? “I– no. Not exactly.” He explained, bringing his knees up to draw them nearer to himself. 

A sigh fell from Time’s lips. At first, Twi worried that he might be disappointed in him for being weak, but then he spoke again. “You know, this time of year is considered special to so many people and cultures. No one can blame you if you’re homesick, pup.” He said.

Just how-? Twi didn’t care to think about how Time somehow knew of such things. He squeezed his arms tighter around his knees and looked away from both the night sky and Time. He himself sighed. “I– yeah. Ordon is going to have its annual Fall Fest tomorrow. It’s the biggest day of the entire year, and it’s been ages since I’ve been able to come home for it, you know? I set out on my Journey just before it started. Then–” Twilight found himself getting choked up. He felt the sting of tears behind his eyes, but he blinked a few times to prevent them from forming. “Well, I was just so depressed that I just… didn’t go the next few years. And now, I think I’m ready to go, but–” He shook his head as he stretched his legs out again. His hands became fists, and angry tears did come to his eyes. He shouldn’t have missed them before. He should have gone, even if he hadn’t felt like it. He never should have never even considered skipping them. Maybe this was his punishment for–

He felt a steadying hand grip his shoulder and give it a squeeze, taking him out of his spiral. “You did what you had to do.” Time said, his words firm, yet kind. “One must never underestimate the toll of being a Hero. If you weren’t up for celebrating, then you weren’t up for celebrating. There’s no shame in that, especially for someone like us.” 

Twi wanted to protest. He wanted to prove Time wrong. That sort of stubbornness dissolved a few moments later, the utter disappointment in himself simmering until it was just barely there. “I just wish that I could go this year, you know?” He asked.

“I know, pup. I know.” Time nodded in understanding. He was quiet for a few moments before he continued. “Would it help to tell me all about this celebration of yours?”

Twi nodded, wiping the tears out of his eyes. “Y-yeah…” And in that way, for the next few hours, he told Time about every aspect of his beloved Fall Fest, even recalling all the memories that he had made throughout the years. 

–

Twi was surprised in the morning when the group had decided to stay put for the day. Time had reasoned that they had needed to do some recon and restock supplies. Legend and Four headed out early for the nearest town. Hyrule and Time opted to keep an eye on camp. The rest of them were off doing patrols, but also stayed within the general region. Wars went ahead of the others, however, scoping out the next day’s journey. He hadn’t thought about it really until the sun had begun to get low in the sky and they patrolled past the same tree for about the 37th time that day. When he asked Wind about it though, he just held back a giggle, as though holding back a secret of some kind. Admittedly, he was too tired to think about it further. He had tried the entire day to forget what he was missing, but it was hard. 

To his utter surprise, when they finally got back to camp, something very special was waiting for them. Set on a table were at least a dozen entirely different dishes, mostly made of fruits and veggies, but it contained all sorts of things from around the world that Wild knew. He watched as Wind rushed past him to what Wild had labeled “seafood patella.” He found himself standing there, completely shocked. These were no simple meals; Wild would have had to start cooking that morning already! And not to mention– he glanced at Legend and Four. They had made the special trip just for this? And how many rupees had they spent? 

“Guys– you didn’t–!”

“Of course we did.” Time said, lightly pushing Twi’s back as to get him to walk over to the table. As such, Twi was naturally drawn to the steaming meat-stuffed pumpkin. He had never seen such a thing, but it was the thing on the table that most resembled a proper Fall Fest meal. 

“What are you waiting for? Take a bite already.” Legend said, huffing as though he was annoyed. 

“But Legend, how much did you spend on all of this?” Twilight sputtered before he could help himself. It had to be an absolute fortune! They couldn’t possibly afford-!!

But Legend waved his hand dismissively, looking away. “Less than you’d expect. Someone taught me how to really make a steal on things like this. But in any case, we did this all for you, so you should enjoy it.”

“Not just you.” Wild corrected before Twilight had time to protest. He had been kneeling at the pot of soup that was still slowly boiling over the fire to keep it warm. Now he stood up and made his way over to Twilight. “I love cooking for people. You should know that I would gladly jump at the chance to make a feast for everyone. Seeing the smiles on people’s faces always makes it worth it for me. I– you know that I had trouble speaking with strangers.” It was true. He was selectively mute. It was only people he was extremely comfortable with that he found easy to speak to. “The language of food, however, is universal. I can cook for anyone in Hyrule, and they always know what I mean, you know?” 

“And not to mention, morale has been rather low lately.” Time added.

“I’ve’vebeenhomwsic too.” Wind explained, talking with his mouth full of the fishy dish that he had set his eyes on. He swallowed after being scolded by Wars to not talk with his mouth full. “My grandma used to make this for me all the time! I’ve been craving it like crazy!”

“And besides, who doesn’t love good food?” Hyrule asked, grinning. “I offered to help Wild, but–”

“No!” each and every one of the other members cried in unison. 

“No offense.” Wild added, elbowing Hyrule. “Just… leave the cooking to me, alright?”

“Fine…” Hyrule said, hanging his head. 

And after all those antics, Twilight couldn’t help but laugh. A hearty, full laugh. Sure, this may not be the Fall Fest that he was used to, but he was surrounded by good food and good company. What else did he need?

Chapter Text

Down from the sky,

Flying on high, 

Was the very first Hero this land has known.

Descending to the Earth,

Filled with mirth,

The Hero had a mission in mind,

A plan to find:

His lovely,

His beautiful,

His everything.

She was not a queen;

Not yet eighteen,

And yet– and yet–

She was the maiden

The reincarnation of the Goddess

The prophesied,

The guide of the Hero.

The Goddess had fallen 

Fallen a star from the highest peak

She was what the Hero would seek. 

On the unfamiliar ground,

One would think that there would be not a sound.

But alas, monsters roamed, 

Free as could be. 

And the Hero could see

Everything was against him.

He fought valiantly.

He fought majestically.

The dark receded,

It was him we needed

But alas: he too had fallen.

“Fallen” is the Hero!

And yet, he was alive!

It was not his fate to die. 

“Fallen” is the Hero! 

For at the last moment,

The snake dislodged its jaws. 

It dragged its claws into his heel.

Reeling in pain, 

Crying out in vain,

It was all too late. 

“Fallen” is the Hero!

For the wheel of reincarnation 

Has started churning.

The Hero will live.

The Hero will die. 

The Goddess will live.

The Goddess will die.

They will be revived any number of times.

Their births will sound the alarm

And destruction will come around

Again and again,

 until darkness is crowned.