Chapter Text
I am staring into a black void.
Wait, that’s not right. My eyes are just closed. Thank God.
I force my eyelids to lift, revealing blinding sunlight that instantly burns my eyes. Immediately, I throw an arm over them, tossing a swear under my breath. After a few moments of waking up, I feel the surface beneath my body. The ground feels like a firm pillow with an earthy smell. That has to be soil. My fingertips brush against a million tiny stalks with a slightly rough texture. Definitely grass. Wind passes over me, gently tugging at my clothes. It feels warm and pleasant, like the lowest setting of a hair dryer.
Wait.
Several questions buzz through my mind. Am I still at the apartment? What was I even doing last?
Oh, right. Last I remember, there was a raging thunderstorm outside my window. The power didn't go out, so I must've been playing a game on my computer or the GameCube. But then what? How did I end up here? Maybe I had another migraine and decided to close my eyes for a while. That would explain the void, and it's enough to calm my racing thoughts for now.
I blink and take a few deep breaths. Yeah, I probably just fell asleep. Nothing to worry about.
I never nap though.
Eh, whatever. I'll figure that out later.
I tilt my head to the side, lower my arm, and slowly push myself into a sitting position.
A large flat field surrounds me, bordered by a thick, gated wooden fence. Some buildings with colorful roofs are visible in the distance. Birds flutter above, chirping a pleasant song. There are no threats in sight. No wolves, snakes, or whatever else might prowl through areas like these. I relax a little. At least my awakening is calm.
“HE-EY!” A male voice calls, rippling through the air like rolling thunder. Well. It was calm.
Somehow, I recognize the shout. I squint ahead, seeing a tall, lanky figure near the barn. A few creatures meander around his legs, sniffing the ground. They have lean bodies with lavender-colored fur and massive horns protruding from the top of their heads. Without the horns, they would meet the height of the man's hips. Oxen? Horses? No, goats. Definitely goats. They're pretty big, though.
Something in my mind clicks. A song with a slow, calming melody plays softly from an unknown location. I hear a brass horn guiding me through a simple melody, accompanied by a guitar’s light strumming. After a few measures, I begin humming along. Nostalgia washes over me like a small ocean wave. I picture ten-year-old me learning the song on a keyboard, my right hand gliding through the notes.
Wait a second.
A realization suddenly hits, disconnecting me mentally from the world. The song is the theme for Ordon Ranch from The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess.
Huh. Interesting. I smile, staring blankly at the barn. It seems my mind transported me to the world of my all-time favorite video game when I fell asleep. Maybe that's what I was playing during the storm.
Although, everything still feels strange. Whenever I dream, the scenes are usually extremely rapid and fragmented. I'd usually start somewhere that makes absolutely no sense. For example, maybe I'd be sitting in the middle of an empty circus tent in Alaska with my sister. Then, something chaotic would happen next. Maybe a dragon crashes in front of us and I get whisked away by Sebastian from Stardew Valley. Or maybe my cat shows up to challenge the ferocious beast. My imagination is never calm. It's never like what I'm experiencing now.
My smile fades. I look around, searching for anything that could be out of place. Something's going to happen anytime now. Chaos will surely demolish the beautiful, sunny environment soon.
Since I didn’t respond, the man begins jogging towards me. As he approaches, his figure becomes much more recognizable. That’s Fado, the ranch owner who makes the player undergo a goat-herding minigame. It occurs after acquiring a horse, Epona, from a spring not too far into the nearby woods. I don't see her anywhere nearby, though.
I shake my head. This isn't the actual game. Of course it doesn't make sense. Just go with it for now.
Fado stops a few paces away from me, lifting his hands as he talks. "What's wrong, Ken? Heat gettin' to ya?"
He recognizes me. How do I respond? I chuckle sheepishly. "Ahh, yeah. Sorry about that. Remind me what we were doing?"
Fado furrows his brow. I tense. Did I mess up already? Then, he nods. "No worries. Mind feeding the goats out here? I gotta repair a stall. One of the animals thought they could get away with a prison break or somethin'."
A few goats bleated in response. I grinned.
"I think they're trying to say 'it wasn't us!'" I offer with a short laugh. "Yeah, where's the food at again?"
"Right in here. Follow me," Fado responds, turning away. He leads me to a small space to the right behind the barn's doorframe. A cluster of farming supplies leans against the wooden walls. I see a shovel, hoe, and a few different straw bags stuffed with various food. Fado grabs a hay-filled bag and drags it over to me.
"Here ya go," He grunts. "You can use the whole bag. Mayor Bo should be bringing me more tomorrow."
I smile. Mayor Bo. That's another nostalgic name. Will I get to see him before my dream inevitably shifts? Maybe he'll send me on a trip to Hyrule Castle.
My spirits soar as I move towards the goats. Many of them begin to approach, knowing what they're about to receive. One shoves its face towards the bag. I chuckle and gently push it away. "Hold on, hold on," I soothe the goat, petting its snout. It huffs and waits, certainly with impatience.
After feeding a few more goats, I hear the sound of hooves clopping on the ground. I tense, lifting my head to look around. One goat nudges the hand currently digging for straw.
Oh no. Has the chaos finally come to twist the story of this dream?
Suddenly, a horse leaps over the fence surrounding the ranch. Although its difficult to make out specific details from this distance, I notice that the creature is brown-coated with a vanilla-colored mane. The horse completes its landing with a loud thud. Its rider pulls on the reins, yelling an inaudible command. I gasp, withdrawing my arm and letting the bag fall. Fado runs towards the barn door and steps around the building. As the horse races towards him, he waves to its rider.
"HE-EY!" Fado calls. "Over here, Link!"
I freeze. My heart skips a beat in anticipation.
No way.