Work Text:
Legend stared at where the blue, glowing form had disappeared.
Wild informed them that it was called a ‘blupee’, one of many similar spirits that lived on the mountain behind them, but Legend was having trouble listening.
He wanted, so badly he could taste it. The blupees looked soft. Their magic had brushed alongside his, and it felt similar to a small brook babbling over river stones. It called to him.
It took effort to drag his focus back to the group. They were noticeably closer to the top of the stable peaking over the next hill than before when he did. Luckily, no one had noticed his uncharacteristic distraction. He tuned back into the conversation — Hyrule horrifying Twilight with some of the weirder foods he’d eaten, with Wild either being equally horrified or agreeing enthusiastically (the latter sometimes being because he actually agreed and sometimes just to rile Twilight up further) — just in time for Hyrule to describe, in visceral detail, the very large skulltula that had, apparently, kept him fed for a whole week once.
Legend tuned out of the conversation again. He didn’t need to know that, actually.
---
At the stable, the group split up.
Wild went to talk to the stable master, a man named Embry. Legend suspected he planned to do some nearby exploration after, considering he’d dragged Hyrule along with him. Twilight, who’d somehow forced his way into dinner duty after his earlier conversation, was already sat at the cooking pot with the ingredients Wild had left him. Wind, who’d been entrusted the responsibility by Wild and Hyrule, was on ‘annoy Twilight’ duty and was debating the best way to make soup with him.
Time, Sky, and Warriors had all decided to spar in the grass near the stable, and Four was watching while cleaning and tending to Time’s armour, Warriors’ mail, and Twilight’s mail.
Legend, however, had elected to stay inside the stable, on the nice soft beds. He had some mending to do — the arrow wound in his thigh from the last fight had healed up easily with a potion, but it had left a large hole in his tunic skirt — and then he’d continue work on his embroidery.
At least, that had been the plan, until he noticed something. All of the packs had been left against the pole in the middle of the stable while their owners went off. Sitting atop Twilight’s pack was a familiar dark crystal necklace.
Like a tsunami, the want surged in him. It’d be so easy to take. No one was inside the stable. No one would notice. He often went on walks and perimeter checks and such, just to get away. No one would question it. No one would have to know. He set down his sewing kit.
Before he could think on it further, he grabbed the necklace by its chain and dropped it in his own bag. He walked out of the stable at a fast gait. Outside, Wild and Hyrule were still engaged in a conversation with Embry. Legend sidled up, careful to look unsuspicious.
“I’m going to do a perimeter check,” he said gruffly, interrupting the conversation without a care.
“Do you want to come with us?” Hyrule offered.
“No. I’m not going far, and you two stray from the path too much.”
He didn’t mean it, and Hyrule knew that. He shrugged and resumed his conversation with Wild and the stable master. Legend walked away, making for the mountain in the distance.
---
Twilight stared at the spot where his Twili crystal had been. It certainly wasn’t there now.
He’d looked near the pack, in case it had somehow fallen or gotten bumped. He’d looked inside the other packs, as well, just in case.
His brothers knew better than to take it, there weren’t any other patrons to the stable right now, and Wild had assured him that none of the stable employees would take any of their things. No one had brushed against it accidentally, either, because everyone but Legend was accounted for (and so couldn’t have been transformed), and Legend knew better.
Didn’t he?
---
Legend activated his pegasus boots as soon as he was out of sight. With the help of their magically-enhanced speed, he was at the base of the mountain and climbing in what felt like no time at all. He was near the peak not long after. The sun was setting on the other side of the mountain, making the top seem to glow.
He could feel the blupees’ magic now, trickling down the mountain. It tickled at his nose and pulled at his feet. He followed its guide towards the peak. As he got closer, he realised that the glow was not the sun, but the many, many blupees in a clearing at the top of the mountain.
It was grassy, with a pond covering half of it. A large cherry tree leaned over the water, dropping cherry blossoms to float idyllically upon the little ripples made by the light breeze. The blupees’ blue glow reflected in the water as they hopped around, eating and playing.
These were spirits, Wild had said, and most spirits needed an offering. Legend dug around in his bag for something to give them and pulled out his snack bag. He had some trail mix in here he’d grabbed last time he was home — a few different types of nuts, some seeds, and some oats. All of which were good for rabbits, much as he hated to admit it, so hopefully it’d be good for blupees too.
Offering in hand, he stepped into he clearing. Immediately, all movement in the clearing froze. The blupees all turned to stare at him as one. The fronds they had instead of ears shivered as they watched him. A few of the blupees jumped away, disappearing in bright flashes of magic. Legend stretched out his magic to meet all of theirs, trying to indicate that he was a friend. It was hard to keep his mind and not be taken in.
He sat where he was and offered out a handful of his trail mix. The blupees watched him. A few stretched closer, noses twitching as they sniffed the air. He sat and waited, not looking at any of them.
One blupee approached. Legend continued to watch it out of the corner of his eye as it sniffed around his hand. It nibbled warily at his offering. Another blupee approached. Then a third. A fourth.
In the blink of an eye, he was surrounded by them. Within what felt like only a few minutes, they’d eaten all of his trail mix. He was slightly miffed about that, actually. He liked his trail mix.
The blupees mostly went back to what they had been doing, but a few stayed near. Some of them indicated play, their magic nudging his. He was a bit worried that moving would startle them, though. He was rather large compared to them. Except…
The dark magic of Twilight’s crystal necklace called to him. It’d be so easy to use it. He’d be able to play with the blupees to his heart’s content. He didn’t have a way to change back however…
The blupees’ magic called to him, stronger than ever. His mind wanted to sink into the babbling brook. It was so calm, so tranquil.
He grabbed the crystal out of his bag.
---
“Legend seemed interested by the blupees. Do you think he might have gone to see them?” Hyrule posited, when the sun had long set and Legend still hadn’t returned. He looked slightly upset that he'd been left behind from an adventure.
Twilight would have just gone after him as a wolf, but his crystal was still missing too.
“The little rabbit things? Why would he be interested in those?” Warriors asked.
Rabbit-things. Oh. Dang it, Legend! He couldn’t have just asked Twilight for permission to borrow the crystal?
“They have magic, don't they?” Hyrule said, unaware of Twilight’s realisations.
“Cub, if Legend went to see the blupees, where would he go?”
“The top of Satori mountain is where they live — that's the mountain we passed on the way here.”
“I'll go after him, then.”
“Why-?” Sky began, and then interrupted himself as realisation stole over his face. “Oh! I'll go too.”
“Okay, us two,” Twilight agreed.
“And me,” Hyrule insisted. “I'm still upset Legend didn't take me along.”
“I'll guide us up the mountain, then,” Wild said.
“We can't all go!” Twilight said.
“Well, I'm certainly not going,” Wind announced. “We walked way too far today already!”
“You'll need me to find the spot,” Wild insisted.
“Adventure,” Hyrule agreed.
Twilight sighed. “Fine, let's go.”
---
Wild led them unerringly to the peak of the mountain, where, upon getting closer, a glow emanated.
When he got close enough, he gestured for them to be quiet and then crouched, moving closer on near-silent feet. Hyrule copied him, managing to be so quiet that even Twilight’s sensitive hearing couldn't pick it up.
He and Sky were left to do their best to keep quiet, though Twilight personally thought they were rather loud in comparison to the other two — he was used to being in wolf form when he needed to be quiet, not Hylian!
Together, the four of them edged closer to the glow. Finally, Twilight could see a clearing. It was covered with grass, had a small pond reflecting the moon, and a cherry tree spilled blossoms over everything. In the parts of the clearing not covered by pond, the ground was covered in blupees. Some were playing, jumping around and chasing each other. Most, however, were laying in a big pile, flopped over comfortably.
In the centre of the pile, Twilight could just barely make out one bunny-shaped form that wasn't glowing. He muffled a light snort behind his hand.
“Legend’s in the pile,” Twilight said, voice quiet to not disturb any of the blupees. Sky spotted him and cooed.
“Where?” Wild asked.
“He's the bunny that ain't glowing.”
Wild's head whipped around to stare at twilight with a delighted grin. “That's what his form is?”
“Sky and I found out a bit back,” Twilight said. “He accidentally got ahold of my crystal.”
“What crystal?” Hyrule asked, looking confused.
“Twilight’s necklace turns him into Wolfie,” Sky said absently.
Twilight wanted to be slightly upset at his secret getting spilled like that — even if it was likely that Hyrule would have figured it out after this anyway — but he was distracted by Hyrule giving a sharp, shocked gasp and tumbling into the clearing.
Most of the blupees jumped and disappeared. Legend’s ears shot up, though they lowered again when nothing more happened. The blupees resettled as well when Hyrule didn’t attack. A couple even approached, sniffing curiously at him.
Hyrule looked wary of the creatures’ approach. He held still as they explored. When they didn’t attack him either, though, he relaxed as well. Soon, he was petting one.
“I’m so jealous!” Wild whispered. “They never let me pet them.”
Twilight gave his protege a sympathetic pat on the shoulder. Sky was too busy being awed by the cuteness to pay any attention to the conversations happening around him.
With the acceptance of the blupees, Hyrule edged closer to the cuddle pile. Within a few minutes, he was able to reach over and pet Legend, who squeaked with surprise, eyes flying open and ears pricking up again.
“Hi, Legend,” Hyrule said softly. Legend, upon seeing it was his successor, immediately relaxed again.
“What the fuck, Hyrule,” Legend said. Despite his words, his voice was sleepy and soft, his affection clear.
“You didn't take me with you,” Hyrule pouted.
“And so you, what, decided to come after me on your own?” His tone gained some of its characteristic sharpness back, but Legend also tipped over onto his side in what Twilight knew was a very contented position for rabbits.
“Wild, Twilight, and Sky came with me,” Hyrule defended.
Legend’s eyes opened again. He searched the treeline until he locked eyes with Twilight, then looked back at Hyrule. “They’ll have to bring their own offerings for the blupees. I’m out,” he said with a yawn. He closed his eyes, ears going completely lax again.
Hyrule yawned in response and settled down next to him. Twilight, Wild, and Sky watched as the blupees surrounded the two, reforming the cuddle pile.
Twilight glanced at Wild, who was pouting at not being included. Sky looked ready to explode at the adorable scene. He sighed. If he was going to get all of them back to the stable at some point tonight, he'd have to step in.
Literally, actually. Twilight stepped into the clearing. A few of the blupees startled, but neither Hyrule nor Legend did. It seemed like them being so calm was keeping the rest calm, because most of the blupees relaxed again.
Twilight walked over to Legend and Hyrule, careful to not step on any blupees. “Legend.”
One of Legend’s ears flicked upwards lazily.
“You took my necklace. Why?”
A single eye blinked open to look at him. Legend stretched, yawned,… and closed his eye again. His ear fell, too.
“Legend, we need to go back to the stable at some point tonight.”
Legend didn’t acknowledge him. He looked the epitome of relaxed. Behind him, Twilight could hear Wild and Sky entering the clearing, and Wild quietly exclaiming over being allowed to pet the blupees.
“Legend,” Twilight said, getting slightly frustrated now. He was tired, and he’d like to be able to sleep in an actual bed for once. “If you do not get up, I will pick you up.”
Legend continued to not move, so Twilight reached out and grabbed him. He’d expected, upon him making good on his threat, Legend would spring up and yell. Instead, Legend stayed limp as Twilight lifted him upwards.
When Twilight brought him up to eye-level, Legend’s own eyes peeked open. “What?” he said, deadpan.
“We’re going back,” Twilight insisted. Legend blinked at him silently in response. “Why’d you even steal my crystal, anyway?”
“Wanted…” Legend yawned, “blupee magic….” He blinked again, sleepily.
Sky, who’d been picking his way through bunny-shaped bodies to come up behind Twilight, cooed at him.
Wild, who’d followed Sky over and was now peering over Hyrule’s limp form, exclaimed, “Is the blupee magic making you high?”
Hyrule didn’t respond. Neither did Legend. Wild tried to lift Hyrule off the ground, only to find he was just as limp as Legend was.
Twilight was getting worried now. Were the blupees drugging them? “Cub, did you know this could happen?”
“No,” Wild said, wide-eyed. “They’ve never done it to me before! They don’t even usually let me get this close!” He gestured around them at all the blupees, who were still in their relaxed cuddle piles.
Actually, should that make Twilight more worried? Was this something that was affecting all the blupees as well as Legend and Hyrule? Was this dangerous? He started to share his worries with the others, but Legend interrupted.
“It’s magic resonance,” he said sleepily.
“What?”
“Magic resonance. You… circle magic around… with each other… and it gets bigger… louder… something. Feels nice.”
“It’s not dangerous?” Twilight confirmed.
Legend grunted a negative.
“In that case,” Sky asked, stars in his eyes, “can I carry him back to the stable?”
It’d be easier to carry Legend in rabbit form rather than hylian, so Twilight handed him over. Sky looked overwhelmed and awed. Twilight was slightly worried he might explode into a puddle of tears from the cuteness. He seemed to be holding himself together for the minute, however, so Twilight turned to help Wild lift Hyrule, who hadn’t used the crystal and so was much larger and heavier. Together, the descended the mountain.
Near the base of it, Hyrule woke up enough to start enthusing about the magics involved from Wilds arms. Twilight understood none of it — he was pretty sure Hyrule had slipped into another language at some point — but it was nice to see him so excited about something. Legend’s ears perked back up to attention, and he even occasionally responded to Hyrule, but he seemed content to continue riding in Sky’s arms, which Sky was more than pleased with.
Twilight wasn’t sure how everyone else would handle Legend’s furrier body when they got to the stable, but that was future-him's problem. For now, he was simply enjoying how relaxed his brothers were.