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false faces

Summary:

The Chain are in a bit of a predicament. They entered a dungeon, but the entrance closed behind them, and the way forward is blocked by an odd magical barrier. They’re trapped until they can figure out how to proceed.

The only clue is an inscription above the door. To walk these halls, wear not your true face.

(Or: The Chain are forced to go through a whole dungeon while using various transformations.)

Notes:

(See the end of the work for notes.)

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“Okay,” Legend said. “Who wants to try something first?”

There was an uneasy moment of silence.

With the door slammed shut behind them, the only way through this dungeon was forward. And the only way forward was through the door blocked by a magical barrier.

The group had tried their best to work around it; Legend, Hyrule, and even Time had tested their magic against the barrier, while Twilight, Wild and Wind had tried breaking the walls around it. But no luck; it seemed the course of action was the intended one. To get through the barrier not by force, but by following its rules.

There was an inscription above the doorway. To walk these halls, wear not your true face.

Not a ton of ways that could be taken, and it sounded inconvenient at best. They’d already tried covering their faces; Time with a yellow fox-like mask, Twilight with a hawk mask, Wild with a huge fluffy monstrosity that resembled a Lynel. All three had been rejected by the barrier.

The only conclusion, of course, was that the issue was not the visibility of their faces, but the existence of them.

“I’ll go,” Twilight sighed, and grasped his crystal, transforming into his wolf form. Legend wasn’t sure if he should hope this worked or not; if it did, that would leave him needing to reveal his fucking rabbit form, but if it didn’t…

Twilight smacked a paw into the barrier. It did not pass through. Whining, he pressed his entire face against it, but that didn’t work either.

There was a pause, and then shadows burst off of Twilight’s form as he returned to Hylian. “Well, that’s a bust. Any other ideas?”

“Your crystal may still be viable,” Time said, appraising the group. “You’ve taken the form of a wolf so often I suspect you view it equally to your Hylian form; both shapes equally ‘true.’ If that is the issue, someone else who is unused to another shape could still get through the barrier with it.”

The rancher frowned, one hand moving over his crystal in unconscious possessiveness. Legend couldn’t blame him for that; being asked to loan out an item that was really important to you sucked.

“Let me try something, too,” Four said, and pulled a red cap out of their bag. They put it on and promptly shrank into a mouse.

Well, not a mouse. A Minish, which, as far as Legend was concerned, was basically a bipedal mouse.

Four skittered over to the barrier and was just as unable to get through it as everyone else, despite having a furred snout instead of their usual face. They transformed back a moment later, nodding. “I think the old man’s right. If we’re too accepting of the face, it still counts as ours. Assuming it’s not just… broken, anyway.”

Legend sighed, pulling a ring out of his bag. “I have some faces that I’m not exactly fond of. Let me try…”

He slipped it on, and winced as his body shifted to that of a Moblin.

There were various shouts of surprise from the others, but he ignored them all, walking up to and through the barrier with ease. He glanced around- yep, this was a dungeon alright- and made to pull the ring off.

It stuck to his finger like it had fused with his skin.

Calmly, Legend walked back through the barrier, into the original room, and took the ring off. Successfully this time.

“It isn’t broken,” he announced. “And you can’t take the transformation off once you’re inside, so we’re gonna have to pick good ones.”

“You have a ring that turns you into a Moblin?” Wind demanded.

“Yes,” Legend said. “Anyone have something better?”

In answer, Wild withdrew two things from the Slate. One was a mask that resembled Time, if he was a Dark Link. The other was an ornamental green belt, which Wild promptly put on.

A second later, Wild was a solid foot taller, and also green and furred. He wasn’t any species Legend recognized; something like a cross between a cat, a goat, and a Hylian. Or a Gerudo, considering the red hair.

“…Huh,” the veteran said. “That’s pretty good. Can you talk?”

“Yes,” Wild answered, though his voice was jarringly different. “It’s cool, right?”

He spun around, demonstrating his new form and the outfit it came with. “Supposedly it’s based on the Hero before me. I do wear it a lot, but it’s his face, not mine, right?”

Experimentally, Wild stuck an arm through the barrier, and cheered as his hand passed through it.

“True,” Legend agreed. That probably meant his other ring would work, too. Oh, he’d been waiting for a good time to reveal that one for ages.

“In that case, I think I have something better than my Moblin Ring,” the veteran mused, taking another ring from his bag. “…Don’t freak out.”

He put it on. There was a beat, and then Hyrule screamed.

“I said don’t freak out,” Legend complained, which only seemed to scare the traveler further. Maybe because he was talking in Hyrule’s own voice.

“…I think it’s a reasonable reaction,” Warriors said, as Hyrule pointed at Legend, mouth moving soundlessly. “Isn’t he after you in the timeline? Where in the worlds did you get that?”

“It was a gift from Nayru, Oracle of Ages,” Legend explained. “I didn’t get it until we all met up though. Obviously. Anyway, since this isn’t my face, I think it’ll work.”

“I expect so,” Time agreed. “But it will doubtlessly be confusing.”

“Too bad,” Legend huffed. “At least this way I’ve got thumbs.”

“This is weird,” Sky muttered.

You think it’s weird?” Hyrule asked, rounding on him. “It’s my face!”

Sky held his hands up in surrender as the traveler groaned, dropping his head into his hands. “…It’ll work, I guess, but please, when we’re done with this, burn that thing.”

Legend frowned for a moment, then considered the implications of the ring surviving until Hyrule was actually born, when impersonating him could be very dangerous. “Fine.”

“That’s two of us settled, then,” Time said. “Now. Wild, what exactly is that second mask?”

“Er,” Wild said. “It’s called the Dark Mask. This guy in my era made it, he said it was based on some legendary monster born from shadows…?”

Time stared at it for a moment. “I wouldn’t go so far as to call it legendary. But I suppose it will work.”

There was another pause.

“I’ll take it,” Four offered, once it was apparent nobody else was willing. “I don’t mind.”

“You don’t mind looking like the old man, or you don’t mind looking like a Dark Link?” Twilight asked, curious, as Wild passed the mask over and Four put it on.

The newly-transformed Four shrugged, shaking out shadowy limbs now clad in a dark replica of what must’ve been Time’s green tunic. “Both, I guess. I think I mind wearing Time’s face more, but at least I’m not the only one who looks like their successor.”

Legend, still wearing Hyrule’s appearance, waved, and Four snickered a little as they waved back.

“Considering the circumstances, I suppose I’ll have to loan these out,” the old man said, reaching into his bag and pulling out a collection of masks. A Deku Scrub, a Zora, and a Goron. Time’s hand lingered in his bag for a moment, hesitating, and then he let go of whatever he’d been holding and closed the bag, empty-handed.

“Be careful with these, and respectful,” Time warned. “They are not simply transformations; they contain the spirits of those whose form they give you. Understood?”

With that said, he put one on, and transformed into a blue Zora. Despite the different face, he managed his classic stern look while Twilight picked up the Goron Mask and Hyrule, hesitant, took the Deku. Neither put them on just yet.

“That leaves Sky, Wind, and Warriors,” Four said. “We have Twilight’s Shadow Crystal and Legend’s Moblin Ring; anything else?”

“Dibs on the Moblin Ring,” Wind said at once, and cheered as Legend tossed it to him.

“I do have a few more rings,” Legend said, smiling slightly as Wind transformed into a Moblin and began excitedly lumbering around. “Octorok, Like Like, and Subrosian.”

“‘Subrosian’?” Twilght asked, tilting his head. “I’m not familiar.”

“They’re a race that lives underground,” Legend said. “Mostly in Holodrum. They run very warm, so they’re basically immune to heat; a lot of them live near lava. But they deal really badly with cold. Being one is better than an Octorok or a Like Like, obviously, but just watch out for any ice attacks.”

Sky and Warriors exchanged a glance, clearly silently debating who would take this one. But-

“Hold on,” Twilight interrupted, despite clear reluctance. “We should- check your animal forms first.”

“Right,” Sky said, and then, somewhat awkwardly, held his hand out.

Twilight gave him the crystal, and the shadows gathered around Sky, melting back to reveal him transformed into an enormous bird.

“Oh,” Four said. “A Loftwing, huh?”

Sky squawked at them, and then whacked his head on the ceiling.

“Okay,” Legend said. “I think we can all agree Sky’s not fitting through the door.”

Sky made a chirping sound that was probably agreement. After some wiggling around, Four took matters into their own hands and threw a moon pearl at him, cleansing the shadows and reverting Sky to a Hylian.

“Augh,” Sky said, face-down on the ground. He pushed himself up, somewhat shakily. “That was… interesting. I guess I’ll take that ring, tr- veteran.”

Legend passed it to him, and a moment later Sky was obscured by a large green robe. The only visible thing was the glow of his eyes.

“Oh,” the chosen said, bewildered. “I guess if they’re sensitive to cold…”

“It’s a cultural thing, too,” Legend said. “They’re very private.”

“I… see,” Sky said, fumbling to draw the Master Sword in his covered hands. “It’s not very, uh, dexterous.”

“Better than an Octorok or a Like Like,” Legend shrugged. “You should’ve volunteered for something earlier if you wanted a better one.”

“We may have to reshuffle our forms,” Warriors pointed out. “Depending on how I…”

He trailed off, looking at the Shadow Crystal. There was clear unease on his face; of all of them, the captain was surely the most attached to his appearance. And, though this was less obvious, one of those most dedicated to guarding his heart.

He took a deep breath and grasped the crystal, and the shadows shifted around him, revealing… a horse?

No, not a horse. There was a horn on his forehead. A unicorn.

“Bf,” said Warriors, before clacking his teeth together. “Nghf.”

“Very true,” Four said. “Is that form going to work for you?”

Warriors made another horse noise and stuck his head through the door. He pulled his head back in, looked at them, and nodded, somewhat glumly.

With that settled, Twilight donned the Goron Mask. Wind ambled over to him and offered a high five, to which Twilight obliged, bowling the Moblin over.

Hyrule examined his own mask morosely. “I can’t believe someone is going in there wearing my face, and it’s not me.”

“I wonder what would happen if you put on the ring,” Legend mused. “Nothing, or would it turn you into yourself?”

Hyrule perked up a little, always one for a mystery. “I can try it on after this. And then you’re hitting it with a hammer or something.”

“Sounds good,” Legend agreed, and with that the traveler put on the Deku Mask, becoming a sprout.

“Right,” Time said. “Everyone take a moment to adjust to their current body, and then we’ll move on.”

Warriors pawed at the ground with a hoof, then pranced around a little. Sky attempted to swing the Master Sword a few times. Hyrule hopped around and then blew some bubbles. Twilight and Wind wrestled on the ground. Wild meandered over to Time, and then exaggeratedly measured their heights- Wild was notably taller, which he snickered about. Four and Legend both ran a sword drill, adjusting to their slightly changed proportions.

Once everyone was satisfied that they were about as used to their bodies as they were going to get, they passed through the doorway and into the dungeon proper.

The first room was easy enough; a bottomless pit with an invisible walkway. The group had enough items for seeing the unseen that they were able to navigate it reasonably quickly, even in unfamiliar bodies.

The next room was a problem, though. It was clearly a hub room of sorts; there were three hallways to go down, and a door on the far end of the room with three locks on it.

“Split up?” Four offered, gesturing at the three hallways.

“If everyone thinks they can handle it,” Time allowed. “Still, I doubt our usual groups will work.”

Warriors neighed and stamped the ground. Legend wasn’t sure if that was agreement or frustration.

“Let’s check what the puzzles are before we make any group decisions,” Twilight said. Wind made a vaguely-positive snorting sound, which was probably meant as ‘good idea’ or something.

Peering into the hallways revealed an icy floor, a pitch black room, and a large arena.

“First things first,” Legend said, “the horse is not going in the ice puzzle room. He’ll break his legs.”

Warriors neighed at him, offended, but then looked down and made a sort of sad nicker, so he was probably agreeing.

“If Subrosians live underground, I probably have good night vision too,” Sky offered. “I can’t really fight with my arms covered, and you said I’m sensitive to cold, so…”

“Sky in the dark room,” Time said, nodding. “I could be suited to all of these, if necessary. Though I lean towards the ice path; if there’s any water-based puzzles later along it, this form is good for those.”

“The arena for me, I think,” Twilight said. “I could do the other two but I don’t think I’m currently best suited for ‘em.”

Time nodded. “Sky in the dark room, Twilight in the arena, myself in the ice puzzle.”

“I could go for any of these,” Wild said. “I have good balance, good night vision, and I can fight just as well as usual.”

“I bet I have good night vision,” Four said, gesturing to their glowing eyes. “But I can do the ice puzzle or fight about as well as I can in my normal form, too.”

Wind made a sort of squeaking noise, then pointed towards the ice puzzle and the arena.

“I’m suited to anything,” Legend shrugged. “Unless Hyrule has shit balance or something.”

‘No’, Hyrule signed, clumsy with his wooden fingers. ‘My body can do any of these.’

He paused. ‘My real body. Deku me can’t fight. I don’t know about the dark. Probably ice.’

“Alright,” Time said. “And Warriors?”

Warriors huffed at him, then did the horse equivalent of a shrug.

“I know Legend ruled it out earlier,” Four began, “but I think the ice room might actually be best for you. You can’t fight, and we don’t know what the dark room entails, so…”

“Just try not to fall over and die,” Legend said.

Warriors made some angry horse noises and tried to bite him.

“Warriors and Hyrule in the ice room with me, then,” Time said. “Sky, Four, and… hm. Legend, you go into the dark room. That leaves Twilight, Wind, and Wild for the arena. Any issues with that?”

Everyone glanced at one another, then split up into their assigned groups. Legend caught Sky looking at him as Legend moved to the entrance of the dark room, clearly about to say that wasn’t he in another group before glancing over to the actual, Deku-shaped Hyrule, and remembering that Legend was in fact Legend.

Tragic that Legend had never gotten to use this ring for a prank; he had thought Hyrule probably wouldn’t be okay with that, and it seemed he’d been right. Still, at least he was still getting some fun out of it.

“When you have your key, return here and wait for the others,” Time said. “Understood?”

He got a few verbal agreements and a host of positive-sounding noises, and then they were off.


“Okay,” Wild said, sword drawn. “Everybody ready?”

“Yep,” Twilight said. His usual sword was now comically undersized for him, so Wild had loaned him a Knight’s Claymore. Though, he’d probably be wrestling most enemies anyway.

Wind snorted agreeably, brandishing the Phantom Sword. It looked odd in a Moblin’s hands, but as long as the sailor could wield it, that didn’t matter.

With that, they stepped into the center of the room, which immediately filled with monsters as the exit closed behind them. Wild saw Keese, a few Darknuts, Bubbles… and Moblins.

Hm.

“Sailor, you’re in charge of any and all Moblin fighting,” Twilight said. Wild nodded in agreement.

Wind made an agreeable snort and charged into battle. Wild started shooting at Keese, while Twilight grabbed a Darknut, hoisted it over his head, and threw it into the bottomless pit surrounding the arena.

As long as they didn’t accidentally stab Wind, Wild figured they had this covered.


“Easy does it,” Time said. Warriors, very wobbly, only snorted at him in response.

Hyrule’s Deku form had allowed him to walk over the ice like it wasn’t slippery at all; Time would guess that was an effect related to its water-walking, but it was news to him. Unfortunately, neither Zora nor unicorns could to the same, so they were slowly picking their way across the ice with Hyrule’s sure-footed help.

If not for Warriors, Time would’ve simply slid from place to place until he arrived at the other side of the room, but the captain couldn’t follow that way.

Privately, Time thought it would’ve been a lot easier to leave Warriors in the hub room, but he wasn’t going to say that.


“Fucking- poes,” Legend said, spinning around to slash at the empty air behind him.

This room was, apparently, full of poes. These ones were only visible in torchlight, so they were a pain to deal with.

Four could see them, though. Which meant they were dealing with most of the monsters while Legend and Sky fumbled around lighting torches.

Sky’s night vision was better than Legend’s, but not by much, so ‘fumbling’ was absolutely the word for it. For some bullshit magic reason their own light sources weren’t actually casting any light in here; only the stone torches built into the floors did. Since they mostly weren’t lit yet, it was a matter of tripping over them.

Legend had already literally tripped over one. Sky had been nice enough not to laugh at him. Four, not so much.

“Here’s one,” Sky said, lighting a torch in a burst of flame. It illuminated a poe next to him, which Legend dispatched.

“Four, how many more torches?” He called, out into the darkness.

“Three,” came the answer, and Legend threw his head back and groaned.


“You are Wind, right?” Wild checked, as the Moblin wandered over to them.

It snuffled at him, gesturing with the Phantom Sword.

“Seems like Wind to me,” Twilight judged. Wind made an agreeing noise and then tried to steal Wild’s slate.

“Yep, that’s Wind,” the rancher laughed, as Wild held the slate above his head, far too high up for anyone else to reach. “Come on, let’s go to the next room.”

The hallway turned, and turned again, and then branched into three more turns. Odd platforms jutted out from parts of the ceiling.

“Oh, it’s a maze,” Wild said. He stepped forward, looking around a corner, and was promptly grabbed by something.

For a second, his vision went black- and then he was dropped five steps back, at the entrance.

“Snrf,” said Wind, very definitively.

“Oh, the old man has mentioned these,” Twilight said. “Wallmasters?”

Snrf,” Wind said, more insistently.

“I don’t know what that means,” Wild told him. “So… what do we do?”

Twilight made a grumbling sound that was probably the Goron equivalent of a thoughtful hum. “Hide under the platforms with the right timing, I think.”

That sounded annoying. Wild eyed the maze walls. How high up could they really go?


Time resurfaced to expectant silence.

“Nothing useful down there,” he told them. This room was a water-level management puzzle, which he’d of course swam to the bottom of. “A chest with a purple rupee, but nothing for the puzzle.”

Warriors nickered at him. His face was covered in blood from goring a lizalfos that had jumped out of the water when they entered the room. Hyrule had tried to clean it off, but he was very small and not particularly dexterous.

“I suppose we need to start changing the water level,” Time sighed. “Hyrule, you can walk on the surface of water, which will be useful here. Warriors… can you swim?”


“Is it lining up yet?” Legend called, slowly turning the mirror. It was really heavy; Four was throwing his weight against it, too, and it still barely budged.

Sky was off at the light sensor, directing the whole affair.

“I see it,” Sky called back. “But it’s not - I think we need to turn more mirrors than just that one.”

“Argh,” Legend said, very eloquently.

“We’re going to be in here a while, I guess,” Four said, equal parts grim and amused. “Got any good small talk?”

Legend shrugged as best he could while pushing the mirror. “Dunno. Why’re you so okay looking like a Dark?”

“It’s just appearance,” Four said. “Besides, Darks aren’t so bad. I knew one once who was a hero.”

“Huh,” Legend said, mild as he could make it. “What happened to them?”

“He died,” Four said. “He sacrificed his life to defeat Vaati and Ganon.”

“Oh,” Legend said. And then, quieter, “I’m, uh, sorry for your loss.”

“Thanks,” Four said, genuine. Then, “So, what are Subrosians like?”

“…Nice,” Legend said, and was then thoroughly betrayed by Hyrule’s body having a much worse poker face than his own, as his face heated up.

“Oh?” Four asked. “You know any particularly nice Subrosians, vet?”

“No,” Legend said, involuntarily thinking of Rosa anyway. “Shut up.”


“Oh, you’re back,” Time said, as Wild, Twilight and Wind stumbled into the main room. “How did everything go?”

“Fine,” Wild lied automatically. Then he paused, taking in how thoroughly soaked the other three were. Warriors had the key in his teeth. “…What happened to you?”

“Water puzzle,” Time handwaved. The suspiciously blood-coloured stains on Warriors’ coat implied there was more to that story. “What of your path?”

“Don’t listen to Wild, it was shit,” Twilight said. Traitor. “The fight went fine but there was this maze, and the Wallmasters-”

“Ah,” Time said, as Hyrule made a squeaky sympathetic noise. “I hate those.”

Wind snorted, vaguely accusingly.

“Also we accidentally mixed up a random Moblin in the maze for Wind,” Twilight said.

“Hey!” Wild cried, rounding on him. “We agreed to take that to our graves!”

“You suggested we take it to our graves,” Twilight pointed out. “I never agreed.”


Legend, Sky, and Four stumbled into the main room long enough after everyone else that they’d all sat down while waiting. He was, admittedly, a little jealous of their apparent rest period. The veteran’s shoulders were sore, and his arms, and his legs, and his back… his entire body, basically.

“That sucked,” Four announced. “But we got the key.”

Sky held it up, triumphantly, and then immediately fumbled it and had to scrabble to catch it midair.

“Why did you let the only person with covered hands hold the key?” Wild asked, sounding genuinely curious.

“We did all the work in that puzzle,” Legend griped. “We had to make him do something.”

“Hey, I helped,” Sky said, sounding pouty even without a visible expression. “Directing you two wasn’t easy!”

“Like herding cats, I bet,” Twilight said. “Is that all the keys?”

“Indeed,” Time said, taking his group’s key from Warriors. “Everyone ready?”

“To get out of here?” Legend asked, grabbing the key from Sky. “Very.”


The final room was huge, and dimly lit. At least their light sources weren’t magically stifled in here; with their lanterns, navigation was easy enough.

There was nothing of interest in the room except a few pots near the entrance, quickly smashed for rupees and arrows, and a massive mirror instead of a back wall.

Legend didn’t initially notice anything strange as they were approaching it. Just their own reflections.

But-

“Huh,” Four remarked. “That’s us.”

It wasn’t an accurate reflection of the Chain as they currently were. Instead, it showed them all as Hylians; their ‘true faces.’

“So… do we break the mirror, or…?” Sky trailed off.

Hyrule made a creaking wood sound, which wasn’t really helpful.

“I guess we can try that,” Twilight said, reaching out and touching the mirror. Nothing of note happened.

“Be on your guard,” Time warned. “If nothing else, this will have broken glass flying everywhere, and I suspect there will be more to it.”

“Got it,” Wild said, summoning his magic dome-shield and gesturing for everyone to get behind him. Once they were all reasonably covered, Twilight- the only one not behind Wild- reared back an arm and punched the mirror.

As predicted, glass went flying everywhere for a second. Once it had all fallen to the ground, Wild’s shield vanished, and Legend moved to better see what had become of the mirror.

For a second, he thought they hadn’t destroyed it at all. Their reflections were still there, after all.

Then his reflection took a step forward.

And another.

And another, crossing it over the frame where the mirror had been set into the wall, and out into the same space as the actual Legend.

The other reflections moved forward as well. For a brief moment, there was an impasse.

Then Legend’s reflection drew its Tempered Sword and charged.

“Motherfucker,” Legend said, and drew his blade as well.

The next few minutes were a blur- Time’s reflection went down first, the old man cutting it down with what suspiciously looked like practiced ease, though Legend’s attention was mostly on his own mirror. He was trying to maneuver the fighting towards Hyrule; the traveler was fierce, but a Deku Scrub really couldn’t hold its own in a fight like this.

Legend’s mirror swiped at him, with its stupid slightly-longer arms, and he parried and attacked, to which it also parried.

Fucker.

Wild’s mirror went flying past them and crashed into a wall, slumping to the ground and then shattering into glass. Huh.

Legend didn’t really notice any of the other reflections being defeated; when he finally cut his down, bloody and bruised, he turned his attention to the next nearest one- the traveler’s- and forgot a key detail about that matchup until, while crossing blades with it, he heard Sky ask someone “Um. Which one is the veteran?”

“…You know,” Twilight’s voice answered, “I’m not sure.”

Legend gritted his teeth, ducking under a swing. “It’s me,” he snapped. “I could use some backup here!”

“Quick!” Wild called. “Tell us something only the real veteran would know!”

“I can talk and the reflection can’t,” Legend pointed out. Someone must have found that fair enough, because the old man stepped in a moment later, followed by the others, and they quickly pinned down the mirror Hyrule.

“I do feel like we should probably make sure we know which is which before we kill it,” Four mused.

“I think we know,” Time answered dryly, as the reflection Hyrule pulled a spare knife and tried to stab him. Warriors stomped on its arm, preventing this.

“I’m not convinced,” Wild said. “Legend would probably also try to stab us in this position.”

Wind snuffled in agreement.

Hyrule made an exasperated creaking noise and kicked the reflection in the head.

Twilight, apparently taking this as a request, drew the Knight’s Claymore Wild must have given him and slew the reflection. Like all the others, it shattered into glass on death, and torches flared to life along the walls, illuminating a passageway behind where the mirror had been. A barrier like the one at the entrance gleamed inside.

Some of them cheered; the others, too exhausted to be excited, just started walking towards the exit.

There was a pins-and-needles feeling as he crossed the dungeon’s border, and Legend pulled the ring off his finger like it had never been stuck at all. Around him, others did the same, removing masks, rings, and shadows and handing them back to their rightful owners.

“That was interesting,” Time remarked. “I hope we never have to do it again.”

“Agreed,” Warriors groaned, face still stained with blood.

“I thought it was very insightful,” Four said. And then, because they were a backstabbing little bastard, “did you know Legend has a girlfriend?”

“She is not my girlfriend,” he hissed, even though she kind of was.

“Oh, yeah, that’s the veteran for sure,” Wind remarked. Then, “wait, you have a girlfriend?”

“I’m going back into the dungeon and replacing you all with reflections who can’t talk,” Legend said. “All of you. They were way more tolerable.”

“Aw, you love us,” Wild said.

“Hate you so much, actually,” Legend informed him.

“I’m sure,” Warriors teased. “So, what is she like?”

“I’m turning you back into a horse,” Legend said. “Right now. Twilight, give me your crystal, it’s for a good cause-”

Twilight refused, clutching it to his chest, so Legend subsided, grumbling, and bore the questions for a few hours while they emerged from the dungeon and set up camp.

He did turn Four and Warriors into a Like Like and an Octorok while they slept, though.

Notes:

had to throw in some legend/rosa because i love rosa and she deserves nice things