Chapter Text
The sun cast a warm, orange glow over the quaint town of Pickley, a place too quiet and peaceful to have summoned the Chain without explanation. It was exactly the type of place the Goddess could pretend like was harmless, but even after a night of searching, Time couldn’t find a thing wrong. That was, until he checked the post office.
Pocketing the letter that had been bestowed on him like prophecy, Time crossed the courtyard towards the town’s tavern where noise had raged practically from dusk until dawn.
Sitting just outside the door, a familiar figure was propped, the neck of a bottle clutched between his fingers. His royal-blue cloak was wrapped awkwardly around his shoulders, hair sticking up oddly, as he studied the cracks in the cobblestone patio.
“Hey,” Time nudged Warriors with his foot, lifting a brow at his sleepy-eyed look. “You know where Twilight is?
Warriors grinned, shrugging, resting his bottle of booze on the stone before him. “Around,” he remarked smoothly, chuckling. “I mean…everyone’s around. Literally.”
Time huffed a breath through his nose, shaking his head at the ridiculousness of the unfolding situation. Despite him telling the Chain repeatedly that they wouldn’t just be dumped here for no reason, they’d desperately wanted a night off.
‘Just a night to have fun,’ they’d said. ‘There’s nothing happening here anyways. The Goddess wants us to have fun, Time. We can relax a little, Time.’
Time knew from experience the falsehoods that plagued that statement. If he’d learned anything during the course of his life; it was that the Goddess never just ‘wanted them to have fun.’
Time pinched his brow, shaking his head. He shouldn’t have agreed, anyways, their idea of fun was earth-shattering. “Can you go wake them up? I’ve got a lead.”
Warriors laughed, grinning up at Time as he peeled himself off the wall, uncrossing his legs. He stood easily, but he always held his liquor a lot better than most did. Either that, or he was just really good at pacing himself. “Only you, Time,” he said, wobbling slightly. “Only you could find a quest for us to do in the world’s most boring town.”
“The mailman found me,” Time sighed. He’d actually debated joining the Chain in their escapades, but the damn guy had practically materialized. For whatever reason, mailmen always took their jobs severely seriously. “That guy could transcend realities to get a letter to us, you know. Said it was urgent and you know how those guys get about mail fraud. It’s addressed to Link, and this is just outside Twilight’s Hyrule, so…”
Warriors waved him off, taking one last swig of the liquor before shoving the bottle into Time’s hands. “Check the animals around the side. I saw feet earlier. I think someone wanted to play Goddess with the cuccos. The rest are inside, I’ll corral them for ya, then I imagine we can get going.”
When Warriors vanished inside, Time sniffed the bottle tentatively before putting it aside on a nearby table. Drinking was the last thing on his agenda — someone needed to have a clear head around here.
Rounding the building, indeed Time ran into an incriminating trail of feathers leading to the cucco coop. The animals themselves idly went about their morning, pecking at stray bugs and grubs.
A few were scattered across the lawn, not straying too far, too fat and lazy to explore. When Time caught sight of a few on the roof, his mind jumped to the appropriate conclusion.
A pair of socked feet stuck out from the trough holding the chicken feed, soft snores echoing from within. The stench of liquor and feet hit Time’s nostrils as he grabbed The Champion’s ankle and hauled him out in one, quick motion.
Wild yelped, his eyes flying open when he hit the ground. He instinctively protected his face with his arms, sleeves torn up by tiny claws. He promptly relaxed, the fear leaving his eyes, when he saw Time. “Oh,” he groaned, nursing his head as he slung an arm over his eyes. “Oh, it’s just you.”
Time prodded him with his foot. “Get up. Drink some water. We have work to do.”
“What?” Wild squawked, glaring at Time under his arm, his eyes heavy and bloodshot. “Today?! Here?! In Sleepy Town?!”
Time shook his head. “Sleepy Town’s out. We’ve been called into Hyrule, I think. I have a letter for Twilight. You alone out here?”
Wild frowned, tipping his head side to side enough to offer a shrug. “I remember… floating down here. And that’s it.”
“Yeah, and you probably pissed off the coop,” Time deadpanned. “You may have a courageous spirit, Wild, but it’s just plain stupid to mess with cuccos.”
“I swear one told me off last night.” Wild grumbled.
“Anyone else?” Time prompted, resting his hands on his hips.
Wild lifted a lazy finger to the roof, still flopped on the grass. “Pretty sure… it wasn’t my idea.”
Time’s eyes trailed up to the roof, and he heaved a sigh for what felt like the hundredth time in minutes. Grumbling under his breath, he fished out his hook shot, aiming it for the metal lining at the top. He braced himself, cursing his own weak protests last night, and propelled upwards.
He pulled himself up with one hand. Wind was sprawled out, arms splayed on either side of the wooden roof, snoring his little heart out. Certainly not the one he was looking for.
Time guessed the others didn’t let him drink, but the kid never said no to a dare. Last night, that’s likely all the ideas were. He cleared his throat, heading over to the sleepy teen, balancing perfectly on the rooftop. “Can I ask why you chose the roof?” He asked. “Get down on the ground before you roll off and break your neck.”
Wind’s snoring stopped, his eyes peeking open just enough to regard Time. “Oh, hey!” He grinned, arms stretching out. “Are you joining the fun?”
Time pointed a finger to the morning-lit sky without looking up. “Nope,” he said, offering a hand down. “I’m working. Got a lead.”
“Mm… of course…” Wind stretched his hand up, allowing Time to drag him to his feet. “I’m stargazin’ with…” he trailed off, smiling fading a bit when he looked around. “Well, I was stargazing with Wild, but—!”
“He fell in the chicken feed,” Time deadpanned, guiding Wild along toward the edge of the roof. He gestured down to the Champion currently stumbling around in search of his missing shoes. His hair stuck up in all directions, feathers and birdseed clinging to it. “Must’ve slid off last night. Or… more likely, tried to walk off.”
“Man, he said yes to every idea I had!” Wind cheered as he climbed down the nearby ladder. “I mean, he says yes to 90% of them, but he’s never let me cucco-fly off the roof before!”
The back doors of the bar flung open, a tablecloth-wrapped Twilight stumbling out. He pulled it closer around him when he noticed the pair staring at him, his cheeks flushing bright red. “Um… you guys haven’t seen… clothes out here, have you?”
Time stood straighter upon noticing him, jabbing a finger down. “Ah! You! Don’t move!”
Twilight froze in the yard and Time descended quickly down the ladder. Twilight’s brain must’ve confused itself between which form required clothing. He must’ve embraced the wolf’s natural nudity at some point last night.
Wind burst into laughter as he dropped next to Time on the ground, doubling over to gasp for breath in between each one. “You’re… you’re naked!” He giggled, jabbing a finger at Twilight. “You’re naked—!”
“Oh, my Goddesses, shut up!” Twilight lunged to clamp a hand over Wind’s mouth, precariously pinching the tablecloth. An accident was waiting to happen, one that Time did not want to witness. “What’s wrong with you?! No one needs to know! Keep your damn voice down!”
Time extended the letter into Twilight’s face pointedly. Twilight shrank back, his arms still clutching the tablecloth and Wind close.
“Um—!”
“You’ve got mail,” Time remarked, clapping Twilight on the shoulder, hiding a smirk. “And I totally won’t commit mail fraud.”
Twilight puffed through his nostrils, glaring pointedly at Time. “You’re hilarious.” He deadpanned. He shoved the still-cackling Wind away playfully next. “You both are. Really.”
Wind sat down on the ground, still shaking with giggles, a hand clasped over his mouth, as if he didn’t want to offend Twilight further.
Time shrugged, already slicing the letter open with a finger. “Hey, I try,” he said. “I waited this long, didn’t I? Besides, I don’t want that mail fraud jinx again.”
Wind popped up, attention thoroughly stolen by the letter. “Mail fraud! How’d they even do that?” He peered curiously over Time’s shoulder.
“How do I turn into a wolf, Wind?” Twilight deadpanned. “How does Legend make things float, huh? Magic.”
“Yeah, but enchanting mail?” Wind scrunched his nose. “That’s just weird.”
“They take their jobs very seriously,” Time remarked calmly, pulling out the wrinkly slip of paper within the envelope. A melancholy feeling settled in his chest, prompting a soft, sad smile. “Even during an apocalypse.”
“What’s it say?” Twilight pulled the table closer tighter around his shoulders, shimmying closer to peer over Time’s shoulder as well.
“Dear, Wolf-Man,” Time began aloud, his shoulders slumping more as the words went on. “Yeta and Yeto go warm beach for anniversary. Home need house-sitter. It spooky, but Tiny Man said help whenever. Please get rid of monsters. Many show up. Much bad juju. Voices in wall. I thank you, Yeto.”
A long pause followed before Twilight threw his head back and groaned. His hand shot out from under the tablecloth, snatching the letter, scanning it. “Are you serious? This is your lead?”
Wind dissolved into a fit of laughter on the ground, holding his stomach.
Time rubbed the back of his neck, but remained calm, resolute. The lead sucked, sure, but he was never one to shy away from a side-quest. Sometimes, they really helped people when they needed it most. That made it worth it for Time.
“Someone’s… asking for help against monsters,” he pointed out simply. “That’s our gig.”
“Oh, oh! You are embarrassed!” Wind burst into laughter again. Twilight growled at him in displeasure, but it didn’t stop Wind’s teasing. “No, Twi, you’ve gotta house-sit! We’re gonna leave you there! You’ll make a pretty penny a-and then you can buy yourself a nice little treat!”
Twilight shoved him down, his face bright red, Wind’s laughter droning on. He glanced up at Time bashfully like a kicked dog. “Seriously?”
A smile quirked Time’s lip before he could stop it. He couldn’t help it. “We can clear the monsters and go,” he ruffled Twilight’s hair, chuckling, changing the subject. “Where are the others, anyway?”
Twilight swallowed hard. “Inside. Four, Hyrule, and Legend are trying to get Sky down off the chandelier.”
Time’s shoulders slumped at the notion. He pinched his brows, shaking his head. He wasn’t exactly surprised either. “Do me a favor,” he said. “Calm Wind down and get Wild, then come back inside, please. We have a quest to start.”
“What about my clothes?!” Twilight squealed over Wind’s laughter. “I can’t go to Snow Peak naked!”
But Time was already walking away.