Gan Doesn't Die at the End has been posted!

Read Gan Doesn't Die at the End on AO3.

BUCKLE UP FOLKS WE GOT A GANLINK ON THE LIST NOW

Chapters: 1/15 Fandom: The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild Rating: Explicit Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence Relationships: Ganondorf/Link (Legend of Zelda), Link (Legend of Zelda)/Other Male Character, Link & Zelda (Legend of Zelda), Link & Sheikah Characters

It's ten thousand years before the events of Breath of the Wild, and Princess Zelda and the Sheikah monks are scrambling to prepare for the prophesied coming of the Calamity. When Link—a gifted battle mage from the Zonai tribe—draws the Master Sword, he's thrust into a destiny he doesn't want—one that conflicts with the plans of his new lover, the Gerudo King Ganondorf. Link knows he has to face fate head-on to save Hyrule, but at what cost?

I think the fact that Ganondorf has suffered so much is what makes him so compelling to me. Fiction is rife with villains who never suffer the consequences of their actions. Gan has had consequences out the wazoo. But he never stops fighting, because his spirit is truly unconquerable. On a related note (sorry, this thing doesn't seem to paragraph very well), I think that gloom is very different from malice. Consider the terminology: malice is the will to do harm, gloom is sorrow and depression.

That is certainly what drew me to him to begin with, as Wind Waker was what completely made me change my mind about him as a character. It took some time, but eventually I started to comprehend, I mean really comprehend the ending, all the things he says to you. Then watching him lose everything and mentally break for the last time before your very eyes.

I realized. He had been so determined, because this one goal was all he had left. He didnt even want the Triforce at the end, he wanted to be rid of it because he was tired. He wanted an ending to this fucked up story.

Then he watched the one thing that would have kept him going get taken from him and was left with nothing. Nothing to go back to and not a friend in the world, because this was not his world at all. He broke down completely for those reasons but also because it was just so predictable, so fucking like fate to do this to him, he couldn't help but see the irony even as his soul was shattered.

He didn't attack Link because he wanted to take these kids down with him (If he did then let's be honest, both link and tetra especially would have died) but he attacked Link because the kid had the one thing in the world that could kill him, and he was ready to use it. Ganon was never the type to just lay down and give up. To the very end, to his suicide, he went down fighting. It was what he wanted. A final wish, I guess, that was ultimately just to die.

I related with that and it hurt so deeply. It still does. I can still barely watch the ending, as much as I love seeing him in action. The ending just breaks me every time. Because for him and his people, everything truly is hopeless.

As for gloom and malice, I can see the discrepancy. They're parts of his strongest negative emotions. I find it kind of fascinating that the malice was the Subconscious (calamity) while the gloom happens when he's actually waking up. Rage and depression go hand in hand with him, really.

🔐

"Gan?" comes a soft voice from his bedroom door. Ganondorf knows it's his sister but doesn't want to get up, curling into more of a ball. It's been a few days since he... remembered everything. Only a few months after he turned 13, he's already just like them. He killed for a reason, though, Obera's monster of a step-father had to die, and he couldn't just sit there and let him torture her like that. Neither of their moms believed him when he tried to tell them about it. What other choice did he have?

A few knocks come through before Nevina again calls out to him. "Come on, Gan. I know something's wrong." The teenager stays seated on the floor; a few tears form in his eyes. He can't begin to explain that he's a reincarnation of a god's hatred, much less that he lives up to his namesake. He always liked his name, but now, knowing the many horrors attached to it, how can he?

Ganondorf hardly notices when the door opens, barely able to see through his tears. He should've been quieter with his crying; then Nevi wouldn't have been worried in the first place. He hears the door shut before his sister encases him in a firm hug.

"I've got you; it's okay," she murmurs. "You're okay."

That only turns the stream into a dam breaking. The young teen holds Nevina tightly, unable to stop himself as he lets everything out. "I'm actually Boarblood, Nevi! I remember all the bad things I did and the people I hurt, and I don't want to hurt you too! I don't wanna be a monster." The last sentence becomes more like a whimper as his body shakes in her hold. The silence that follows is worse than he could ever have imagined. Nevina's still holding him, but she's not saying anything. What if he really is—?

"You're not a monster, Gan," his sister finally answers. "I know you, and you are the sweetest person I've ever met. You're a good person and one of my closest friends."

Was he hearing her correctly? The shock halts his tears, the boy sniffling as he pulls back to look up at her. "Really?" he asks softly.

A smile crosses her face as she nods, "Absolutely."

If he thinks about it, there were some good Boarbloods, and he may be one of them. He does like helping people and would never do anything so drastic again. Some part deep inside him enjoyed killing, but he couldn't hurt anyone again. He'll end up like all the evil Boarbloods.

"Can you promise never to leave me?" Ganondorf mumbles, feeling more tears starting to form.

"I promise, Gan. We'll be together forever."

how abought some time and/or twi heed canons

OOOOK!

Time and Twi are NOT over 100 years apart! Twi is his son and he only pretends to be a distant relative cuz he doesn't want Time and Malon to get worried.

But really his dream is to hug his dad he had never met alive. This contrast between wanting to spill it all out and keep it hidden for their safety makes him anxious and he probably has panic attacks too.

Time and Lullaby have a strong brother-sister like relationship! Time calls her lil' sis and he's big bro! (even though they have the same age). Malon and Lullaby were also really close already, and after the marriage they started calling each other sis too. Also Lullaby is nothing like an elegant princess. Imagine them all on the sofa, with dungarees or sports clothing, eating chips or popcorn, being a crazy trio.

Time still uses catchphrases and quotes used by the Kokiri sometimes, making everyone confused as heck. "You're a Deku Tree" for someone old, or tall, or slow, or wise... (????)

Both Time and Twi have a cowboy accent, thanks to Malon. Farm girl has a heavy cowboy accent.

They both have really long ears. Don't question why, I don't know neither uwu.

Time secretly eats Epona's carrots. He still thinks Malon hasn't noticed it yet.

I have an headcanon I've never really talked about. The heroes all have the same age as their last adventure, except for Time. Even Wind who's 13, he isn't 12 because after WW we have PH. Four isn't a kid anymore in FS, we notice their growth because Dot is clearly older, and so he's a teen in LU. Also Time had both his eyes and no marks in his teens, how did he get them? He must have used the mask another time. Soo...

Time has had another full adventure!

As for the plot... After OoT Ganondorf is accused by the kids and put under surveillance for some time. He does nothing wrong. In the meantime Majora's Mask happens and all the attention goes to the salesman. Ganondorf is free, and starts thinking of a new plan...

Now Time is 30: Ganondorf has aged too, he has the TP appearance. The sword is in the Temple of Time, the stones are in the hands of their rightful owners. One day hordes of enemies attack Hyrule. Time fights them, but everyone knows it's a diversive. He has to get the stones before Ganondorf again, and kill him, now that everyone knows he is indeed a problem. Now the Master Sword won't make timeshift because he's old enough. He has to take that sword away from the Temple of Time and bring it in a more secure place. The sages suggests the forest. The Gerudo who support Ganondorf are defeated, the others create a sort of resistance, hiding in Castle Town or Kakariko or so, a young Telma is with them. After collecting the stones he takes the master sword and fights Ganondorf for the first time but he escapes. He reaches the forest, Ganon has already been there and it's a mess. Memories, fear, desperation. There's no sign of the kokiri. In the entire game, Time goes periodically back home to Malon. Being home restores a quarter of heart per second, also Malon can cook things, and there's cows... WELP. OK SO. Time has to kill Ganondorf, but he's nowhere to be found. The adventure now is all about following Ganon in lots of little boss fights... at the end Time reaches him and is ready to fight, but Gan is so strong! Link decides to use the Fierce Deity mask. Ganondorf has learnt about the twilight world and its powerr in the meantime and even if Time can hurt him badly, he doesn't die! While Time gets his eye injury and his marks. Time falls unconscious for the exhaustion, and the sages send the evil to the dark world. Ruto dies. When Time wakes up, he's at home with Malon, and learns he didn't do what he was asked to and the sages had to take care of everything. Now... the feels. The regrets. His only salvation is Malon. He loves his wife! The game would have a mix of Zelda and HW mechanics owo

I can never take anyone trying to justify Logan cheating on her seriously, like he just handled that thing so poorly towards everyone, especially Rory but even the girls he hooked up with? Instead of taking into account that Rory was obviously mad at HIM, he firstly tried to pin it on the girls and even called them stupid and vipers as if they're out to get him when all they did was tell Rory about it. Even the excuse that he didn't know she'd end up in a room with them is ridiculous because if he's apparently known them all his life, that means he knows that they would be open about hooking up with him or even mention it in a conversation WITH EACH OTHER and Rory could overhear. What exactly was his plan when Rory would be in the same space at the wedding with them, that he hoped she'd just go deaf whenever they were nearby? And any dumbass excuse that's along the lines of "its not Rory's business whom he sleeps with" is pathetic because it actually is her business when he didn't even bother to properly break up with her before he hooked up with all those girls. Being honest about having been involved with someone else in the mean time is literally the fucking minimum Logan could've done, instead he blatantly admits that he knew she'd be angry so he pretty much planned on never telling her. (And sidenote, isn't part of the reason why r*gans always fawn over Logan at the beginning because he was "honest with Rory about not being boyfriend material"? Interesting how it's apparently out the window once he's guilty of not being honest with her about this 🙄). Then considering how he sooner took to blaming her for not forgiving HIM for sleeping with all those bridesmaids (like this is somehow her fault???? When he picked the fight at the bar in the first place??), I think Rory even gave him way too much leeway than he deserved. And then the show basically almost kills him in order to make sure Rory doesn't break up with him, the whole thing is so terribly handled that I can never stomach even liking them after that. Like when Jess behaved terribly at the end of season 3 the show MADE IT CLEAR that it was bad, his behavior wasn't excused at all and he didn't almost die in an accident just so that Luke and Rory could forgive him.

Yeah I pretty much agree with all of this. There’s no excuse for how Logan behaved and how he reacted to the whole bridesmaids ordeal. I would have liked him so much more if he would have just taken some responsibility for what he did instead of just sweeping it under the rug and acted like it was all in Rory’s head for reacting the way she did. I also hate how as soon as Logan gets hurt they never mention it again and act like it didn’t even happen. That’s not how it works. After he recovered those same feelings that Rory had would eventually creep back up on her because that type of hurt just doesn’t disappear.

Chapter 5 of Gan Doesn't Die at the End has been posted!

Read Gan Doesn't Die at the End on AO3.

two chapters in one day?? also, here, have some conlang with your existential dread

Chapters: 5/15 Fandom: The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild Rating: Explicit Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence Relationships: Ganondorf/Link (Legend of Zelda), Link (Legend of Zelda)/Other Male Character, Link & Zelda (Legend of Zelda), Link & Sheikah Characters

It's ten thousand years before the events of Breath of the Wild, and Princess Zelda and the Sheikah monks are scrambling to prepare for the prophesied coming of the Calamity. When Link—a gifted battle mage from the Zonai tribe—draws the Master Sword, he's thrust into a destiny he doesn't want—one that conflicts with the plans of his new lover, the Gerudo King Ganondorf. Link knows he has to face fate head-on to save Hyrule, but at what cost?

Chapter 4 of Gan Doesn't Die at the End has been posted!

Read Gan Doesn't Die at the End on AO3.

some more angst comin' at ya

Chapters: 4/15 Fandom: The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild Rating: Explicit Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence Relationships: Ganondorf/Link (Legend of Zelda), Link (Legend of Zelda)/Other Male Character, Link & Zelda (Legend of Zelda), Link & Sheikah Characters

It's ten thousand years before the events of Breath of the Wild, and Princess Zelda and the Sheikah monks are scrambling to prepare for the prophesied coming of the Calamity. When Link—a gifted battle mage from the Zonai tribe—draws the Master Sword, he's thrust into a destiny he doesn't want—one that conflicts with the plans of his new lover, the Gerudo King Ganondorf. Link knows he has to face fate head-on to save Hyrule, but at what cost?

Chapter 6 of Gan Doesn't Die at the End has been posted!

Read Gan Doesn't Die at the End on AO3.

what? Grey is posting something? holy shit

Chapters: 6/15 Fandom: The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild Rating: Explicit Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence Relationships: Ganondorf/Link (Legend of Zelda), Link (Legend of Zelda)/Other Male Character, Link & Zelda (Legend of Zelda), Link & Sheikah Characters

It's ten thousand years before the events of Breath of the Wild, and Princess Zelda and the Sheikah monks are scrambling to prepare for the prophesied coming of the Calamity. When Link—a gifted battle mage from the Zonai tribe—draws the Master Sword, he's thrust into a destiny he doesn't want—one that conflicts with the plans of his new lover, the Gerudo King Ganondorf. Link knows he has to face fate head-on to save Hyrule, but at what cost?

Hi! It's me from the comments on your fic. As a fellow language person (though with limited knowledge of Japanese): Shaak'han. Spill.

Since I know Latin and Latin is another subject-object-verb language, does Shaak'han have punctuation marks, or do verbs serve as punctuation? And then, unrelated: does it have grammatical gender and/or gendered first person pronouns?

Also I get the impression so far from your fic that the Sheikah had more gender diversity and that part of their identity was suppressed through assimilation. What would that have been like in their pre-banishment society?

I'M SO READY TO SPILL OKAY

does Shaak'han have punctuation marks, or do verbs serve as punctuation?

To be for fucking real, I haven't come up with the script for Shaak'han yet, but it is definitely on my to-do list. You may have already noticed a healthy use of apostrophes (') in the romanized text, which is another attribute I picked up from the English localization of the Sheikah monks' names. How this will end up being transliterated in my to-be-decided script, I can't say yet.

As far as, like, end-of-sentence punctuation, there will be some. While Shaak'han has tonal indicators for questions, that can't exist in written form without punctuation. For example, the past conjugation for the verb eat would be ishemev, and if you wanted to ask someone if they've eaten, you would just say ishemev with the pitch rising at the end to indicate a question. Orally, this context is easy to glean, but textually, there would need to be some sort of question indicator. TBD!

does it have grammatical gender and/or gendered first person pronouns?

Shaak'han is not a gendered language. I'm assuming you're thinking in terms of Latin for comparison (and therefore the modern Romance languages), but Shaak'han doesn't have such rules. There are, of course, gendered terms rooted more in biological sex than anything (man, woman, mother, father), but nouns unrelated to gender do not have their own gender (like "book" being masculine in the Romance languages).

First person pronouns are also gender-neutral, and in fact there's really just the one: ya. It's the same word for both subject and object, and is used in the possessive form (meya).

Also I get the impression so far from your fic that the Sheikah had more gender diversity and that part of their identity was suppressed through assimilation. What would that have been like in their pre-banishment society?

I love this question. In my particular AU of the First Calamity-era Hyrule, I see the Sheikah as being a very "it takes a village to raise a child" sort of society. Factoring in their "divine duty" to safeguard the royal bloodline, I imagine that any able-bodied Sheikah would have "enlisted", so to speak, regardless of gender or sex. Whoever remained in the city would have been the caretakers of the community—farmers, textile workers, hunters, child-rearers, etc. Because of this, the Sheikah didn't really have gender roles the way the Hylians did, because they instead had like... community roles.

Gender expression is a whole other thing, and likely would have confused many a Hylian with their rigid views of gender, but generally speaking the Sheikah just didn't have a concept of gender. This will sort of come up in Gan Doesn't Die at the End (whenever I can get my ass in gear and update it lol) because I do include a few enbies (or kivumtu) in that fic but I don't address it directly because it was so commonplace at that time for the Sheikah.

The term for enby itself, kivum, would have existed in the First Calamity era to refer to intersex individuals for medical purposes, as well as anyone whose gender expression didn't fit neatly into Hylian gender. Although, the gender-neutral use of kivum would have come more into use closer to modern-day Yiga society because Hylian gender roles are so prevalent. To blend in more easily during assignments, the Yiga military would have had to adhere to Hylian gender ideals, and some of that would undoubtedly bleed over into their home lives a little. Not to mention the Hylians that would have joined the Yiga for The Cause™ over the last several millennia adding to those ideas of gender. While the Yiga still don't really have gender roles, they've definitely come to appreciate gender expression in a looser sense than Hylians traditionally have, and they more often use gendered terms like kivum, kiva, and kiven as descriptors more than categorical identifiers. I hope that makes sense lol.

I've already hinted at this in Don't Commit as well, but part of the Sheikah healing from the post-schism assimilation after Sheik's return is Yuzo becoming more comfortable with being different in their gender. While it certainly won't be a focus, it's something they're working through off-screen, which we see hints of in their interactions with Sheik and Link. Knowing there's an actual word in their tribe's language for who they are is a big part of that journey for Yuzo.

anyway THANK YOU for asking these questions, and keep them coming if you have them lol. I could talk about Shaak'han and the pre-schism Sheikah (and post-schism Yiga) for days.

Chapter 3 of Gan Doesn't Die at the End has been posted!

Read Gan Doesn't Die at the End on AO3.

some more smut and a hint of angst, and then it's all downhill from here folks heheheh

Chapters: 3/15 Fandom: The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild Rating: Explicit Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence Relationships: Ganondorf/Link (Legend of Zelda), Link (Legend of Zelda)/Other Male Character, Link & Zelda (Legend of Zelda), Link & Sheikah Characters

It's ten thousand years before the events of Breath of the Wild, and Princess Zelda and the Sheikah monks are scrambling to prepare for the prophesied coming of the Calamity. When Link—a gifted battle mage from the Zonai tribe—draws the Master Sword, he's thrust into a destiny he doesn't want—one that conflicts with the plans of his new lover, the Gerudo King Ganondorf. Link knows he has to face fate head-on to save Hyrule, but at what cost?

Chapter 2 of Gan Doesn't Die at the End has been posted!

Read Gan Doesn't Die at the End on AO3.

smut smut smut

Chapters: 2/15 Fandom: The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild Rating: Explicit Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence Relationships: Ganondorf/Link (Legend of Zelda), Link (Legend of Zelda)/Other Male Character, Link & Zelda (Legend of Zelda), Link & Sheikah Characters

It's ten thousand years before the events of Breath of the Wild, and Princess Zelda and the Sheikah monks are scrambling to prepare for the prophesied coming of the Calamity. When Link—a gifted battle mage from the Zonai tribe—draws the Master Sword, he's thrust into a destiny he doesn't want—one that conflicts with the plans of his new lover, the Gerudo King Ganondorf. Link knows he has to face fate head-on to save Hyrule, but at what cost?

Shaak'han Translation Call

Hey Legend of Zelda nerds! I've been developing a constructed language for Sheikah called Shaak'han*, and I intend to release the dictionary and guide later this year (hopefully).

What I need from you: any words you want to see translated! I'd love for other LoZ fans to use Shaak'han in fics and comics, so I want to make this language as robust as I can. Submit a response to this Google Form, and I'll make sure to add the word to my dictionary when I'm translating. - Note: I've already covered the words in this list, so double-check that before sending a request.

Thanks in advance! (also please reblog if you feel inclined to spread the word)

*If you're curious, I started creating the language as part of my Link/Sheik fic Don't Commit, and I have also used it in my fic Gan Doesn't Die at the End.

GreyEnnui AO3 Works List

Don't Commit

BotW Link/Sheik (Sheik's POV) Status: Ongoing Rating: Explicit Summary: Sheik lies in wait for the Hero of Legend, ready to fulfill his duty to the clan and take out the one person who could stop Lord Ganon. But this kid isn't a Hero. He's weak, unskilled, and knows nothing. Unable to bring himself to do the deed just yet, he instead follows the scrawny blond to Kakariko, determined to learn more. But he finds more than he's bargained for in the village of his enemies, and, against his wishes, his life is turned upside down.

Anger is but Passion Borne of Love (co-writer: @waterho-writes)

Bowuigi Regency Romance Status: Ongoing Rating: Explicit Summary: A Regency-period retelling of Beauty and the Beast, featuring Luigi and Human!Bowser.

A New Companion

BotW Link & Wolf Link (Wolf Link's POV) Status: Hiatus Rating: Teen and Up Audiences Summary: The Hero of Twilight finds himself in a different Hyrule, facing a different Hero, and wearing a different body. Communication is a bit difficult, but they manage.

Gan Doesn't Die at the End

10,000 years before BotW Link/Ganondorf (Link's POV) Status: Ongoing Rating: Explicit Summary: It's ten thousand years before the events of Breath of the Wild, and Princess Zelda and the Sheikah monks are scrambling to prepare for the prophesied coming of the Calamity. When Link—a gifted battle mage from the Zonai tribe—draws the Master Sword, he's thrust into a destiny he doesn't want—one that conflicts with the plans of his new lover, the Gerudo King Ganondorf. Link knows he has to face fate head-on to save Hyrule, but at what cost?

The Hero's Sword

Pre-BotW Link One-Shot (Link's POV) Status: Completed Summary: A twelve-year-old prodigy swordsman has recently arrived at Hyrule's Military Training Camp, where he hears a strange voice calling him into the forest. Link answers the call, against his better judgment.

No Small Thing

Pre-Calamity Link/Zelda One-Shot (Link's POV) Status: Completed Rating: Teen and Up Audiences Summary: Link isn't supposed to have feelings for the princess. He isn't supposed to want to touch her, especially not behind closed doors. Zelda has other plans, and she doesn't hesitate to put them in motion.

Did She Know?

Post-Calamity Link/Zelda One-Shot (Link's POV) Status: Completed Rating: Mature Summary: Link and Zelda get a little closer on a chilly night.

Different

Post-Calamity Link & Zelda One-Shot (Link's POV) Status: Completed Rating: General Audiences Summary: Link and Zelda finally have some peace after defeating the Calamity, and they talk about their feelings.

My Hero, My God

Pre-Skyward Sword Link & Hylia One-Shot (Link's POV) Status: Completed Rating: Teen and Up Audiences Summary: This is how I imagine the Fierce Deity came to be, and what that was like for him.

How do you approach writing? Do you have one process you use for every work, or does it differ for each project?

What's your favorite work you've written/are working on?

Got any fic ideas/project ideas stuck in your brain that you're excited about, but haven't put out there yet? If yes, would you want to share them?

Congrats on reaching 100!

1. How do you approach writing? Do you have one process you use for every work, or does it differ for each project?

I am a pantser through and through, and let me tell you—it is very hard for me to be any kind of plotter. (For those not in the know, a pantser is a writer who writes "by the seat of their pants," meaning they just start writing without a set plan in place.)

Generally speaking, my writing process is: get an idea that usually comes in the form of a single scene or event, write that scene or event, mull over whether that could turn into a full story, come up with more scenarios/conflicts and write those too, try to put those scenes in an order that makes sense. This is how I've been writing Don't Commit and it's... kind of a struggle tbh. I did try plotting for Gan Doesn't Die At the End, and that has certainly helped, though my outline is still pretty vague. @waterho-writes and I have completely plotted out Anger is but Passion together, but she honestly did most of the heavy lifting there, which I'm very grateful for. Having that outline to write from is hugely helpful.

Once I finish Don't Commit, I'm going to do my best to plot everything else I write because I know I'll be less stressed for it. Filling in the gaps between what I have posted and the ending (which is pretty much fully written) has been quite the struggle for me, and I'd rather not do that for any other long fics in the future tbh.

2. What's your favorite work you've written/are working on?

I think I have to say Don't Commit is my current favorite. Though it isn't the first fic idea I had, it's the first one I really started writing seriously, and I've put my entire soul into it. Sheik is a self-insert in a lot of ways, and including the world building I've put into this fic, there's a lot for me to be proud of.

3. Got any fic ideas/project ideas stuck in your brain that you're excited about, but haven't put out there yet? If yes, would you want to share them?

Oh I have SO MANY ideas for fics. I have a lot of docs that are just like, one scene or one chapter that are waiting for me to get started on. Of course, there's only so much I can work on at once lol.

One idea that really gets me going is my Fierce Deity/Ghirahim concept. I posted My Hero, My God, which is my Fierce Deity origin headcanon and the very beginning of this fic idea, but I intend to fully flesh it out at some point. I've always been interested in what the Surface is like pre- and post-Skyward Sword, especially what happens between the Demon War and our beloved Link going on an adventure to save his best friend. I haven't yet decided whether I want the fic to be short and spicy or long and slow burn-y. Whatever the case, it's going to involve a hefty amount of world building and lore exploring, which is something I especially love doing in the Zelda universe.

Thanks for the congrats and the Qs!