Chapter Text
For the first time in weeks, Hyrule was able to get away from the others.
Magic spun and sung all around him until he was able to chime back in his first tongue. It had been too long since he could spread his winds and truly allow his inner caverns of magic to replenish. His fairy form helped him feel much more satiated than in his hylian one.
The abundance of magic is what made his kind glow, after all.
His shimmering blue-green wings stretched out behind him, happy to be free and present.
He settled on the edge of the flower’s petal, breathing in its scent. The flower was smooth like velvet and deep orange like a sunset. It seemed much more delicate than the flora he was used to; perhaps due to the world (Time’s) it was able to bloom in. No poisonous waters. Or long bouts of drought. No soil too rocky and barren to ensure only the strong survived.
If not for the urgency of their journey, Hyrule would just spend all his time exploring all these new worlds. The flora was very much appreciated. Especially at this size.
After a little longer, Hyrule decided he had been still long enough. He sat forward, stretching out his back and shoulders, then popping his knuckles because he could. His wings flared out and ready to take flight- Then, he heard it.
Footfalls. The movement of foliage. A hylian. Hyrule tumbled back into the center of the flower.
Someone, although with a degree of silent grace that ruled out half of their numbers, was coming toward him.
Of course the first time he was brave enough to transform, he was going to get caught.
He held still and did his best to dim his light. The others were great with fairies, nice and gentle. But Hyrule really didn’t want to have to explain himself once they figured out it was him caught in a bottle. This was one of the few secrets he still held tightly to his chest; it was just such an integral part of himself that had never gone well once revealed.
Well, whoever it was walked right past him. Hyrule released the breath he’d held.
The he peeked over the edge of one of the petals,
Four’s retreating figure pushed through the fauna that nearly reached his chin. He was focused straight ahead as if knowing exactly where he was going. And maybe he did, the Smith was among the few who simply disappeared from time to time. Especially in places they had visited before, like the Ranch.
Hyrule followed, curious, making sure to keep his light from shining too bright and his chimes from ringing too loudly.
Was there some other cool stuff at Lon Lon Ranch? Again, he hadn’t really been beyond the pasture, and certainly not this deep in the woods beyond before now.
After only a minute or so of following him from a distance, Four’s head (and presumably the rest of him) simply vanished.
Gone. As if fallen down a hole. Hyrule hovered closer near the spot Four had disappeared.
But instead of his friend, there was a little creature, it stumbled forward, taking a moment before regaining its balance. It then quickly climbed down from the stump it had been on, skittering, in every sense of the word. Then it looked around. It was some kind of rodent looking thing, perhaps akin to a mouse or a vole, with paws for hands and feet, and a feathery red and white tail. As apparel, it wore a green poncho of sorts, stitched together with vibrant leaves and decorated with stones and bands of metal; atop its head was a braided headband woven from grass. The clothes reminded him of what a forest fairy would fashion, though the creature wore it much more modestly and with layers to keep the heat, making it impractical for flying.
Bound on its back was the sheath of a sword. Even still, it looked relatively harmless. Not helpless. It was truly a tiny thing, smaller still than Hyrule himself right now.
Hyrule just wanted to keep an eye out for it. But, he had to figure out where Four had gone off to, and if he was alright. He threw a glance at the creature one last-
Then he saw a familiar feathered earring and all the pieces came together.
“Four?!”
The creature, who was actually Four, jumped back in surprise. He looked up in confusion before meeting Hyrule’s gaze. “Hyrule? You can transform into a fairy?”
…Oh. He already forgot about that part, hadn’t he? Well, a secret for a secret, he supposed.
Four had an odd expression on his face, even for a rodent-thing, “Oh, do you need me to uh, to change back?”
“What?” Hyrule landed on the ground in front of him.
“Well I did assume this was still part of Fairy Claim, but I found the right kind of stump last time we were here and wanted to explore around. I don’t mean to encroach.”
“Um… No? You’re fine, I wasn’t planning on shooing you off or anything.” Hyrule said hurriedly. Four was tiny. Hyrule was tiny. Now he really wanted to hang out as tiny buddies, why was Four being like this? “I don’t think the native fairies would mind either, though I haven’t really met them yet. We could go together?”
The mousey Four frowned, “Wait, you do realize that I’m a Minish, right?”
Hyrule simply furrowed his brows.
Four’s nose twitched, making him realize that he had little black and white whiskers. Okay, Hyrule was never one to think of either Wind or Four as cute, but this little version of the Smith was absolutely adorable.
“A Picori?” Four tried again, “You know, the race that fairies never really get along with? I know they aren’t very well known in other timelines, but there’s a small population around here?”
“I’ve never heard of such a creature.”
“Well, neither Wind or Twilight knew them either. I shouldn’t be all too surprised.”
Hyrule’s wings fluttered. “They don’t mix well with fairies? Why’s that?”
“I couldn’t say. Maybe just bad blood from a millennium past. Regardless, the Fairies especially have become very territorial in my time; I found that out the hard way during one of my adventures.”
“Well I don’t mind you, if you don’t mind being around me. I think we still could explore, it’s always funner with two adventurers than just one. And I don’t sense any kind of Claim here. Lon Lon Ranch seems to be unmarked. So you're free to roam, regardless of whether the fairies will mind you or not.”
Minish Four’s face brightened. “I mean if you’re absolutely sure? I’ve kinda always wanted to see… a Fairy Coven? Of course, I'm usually much too big to try poking around anyway. And as a Minish, I’ve never dared get close.”
“Yes! I’d love to take you. There shouldn’t be a problem if you stick close. As long as there’s one around here, that is. My kin are friendly towards most other creatures, it’s strange that there’s been any animosity with yours.”
“That would be amazing, thank you, Rulie.”
“Of course. Anyone up for an adventure is a friend of mine.”
“And maybe next time I’ll take you to the Minish village further in.”
Hyrule smiled, “I’d love that.” Especially if he could see more of the little mice people. Were they all as small as Four? Or was he still on the shorter side when it came to the Minish? Regardless, it would be a great little bit of fun.
“You should even be able to see them when you’re back to Hylian-size.”
“Haha, you’re not that small.”
“Oh, I just mean since most people can’t see them anyways.”
“What?”