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faroreskiss · 6 months

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Triforce of Mischief

Summary: Chain sees that you have a particular tattoo and chaos is the only reaction they have, since language barrier is definitely a thing. Time & Twilight freak out. Wind could have spoken sooner.

1.8k words

Read on Ao3

Since this can also be read as a stand alone story, I didn’t include Hylian, or the dialects of the Chain. If you are interested in that, feel free to visit the main story that can serve as a prequel to this short! (Not edited)

Following your departure from the Ordon Spring alongside the other boys, you journeyed toward the Ordon Village. Most of their conversation still didn’t make much sense to you, but at least you learnt a few words here and there on the way, especially from the Smith and the Sailor.

The midday weather was brisk, even though the sun shone at its peak. You had a similar attire with your travel companions, a relatively long sleeved tunic that sometimes revealed your wrists if you were to raise your arms. Yours had wider arm-cuts, but felt like they weren’t thick enough for this kind of weather. A slight shiver ran through you, which Link fortunately noticed. He paused and offered you his signature cloak, to which you politely refused multiple times (at least you motioned it somehow). His attempt to offer warmth made the fangirl within you scream in delight, but you kept declining. You blushed slightly and finally accepted even though you knew you weren’t that far from your destination, wrapping yourself in the warmth it provided.

You thanked the Golden Three that you had been on hikes with him on Mt. Lanayru regularly before your involvement with the other Links; otherwise, you did not think you could survive all this hiking. Thinking about having to climb the ladder to the Rancher’s treehouse already made your legs wobble.

Though you could swear that the Ordon Spring waters calmed your nerves and eased your inner storm for a little bit.

Luckily, you were almost there. The wooden arch that said… something in Hylian (probably ORDON?) took your attention. Oh you were so excited…

[And that’s me,] the Rancher spoke as he pointed towards his treehouse. This was really like the game, nestled in a secluded corner near the entrance of the village. You didn’t understand a word he said, but you could see near the tree there was a brown mare simply grazing around.

And what a sight she was. You couldn’t help yourself as you whispered “Epona…?” to yourself and walked towards her as if you were in a trance.

Of course, you didn’t notice the Old Man raising his eyebrow or the Rancher also hearing you. You stopped in your tracks, then watched the Rancher go towards the horse instead, petting it and saying something to it. He made eye contact with you as he was caressing her nose, and motioned you to come over, you guessed.

“May I?” you asked, and even though the language barrier was still present, the Rancher gave a warm, friendly nod. As you approached Epona, her deep, soulful eyes locked onto yours, and it felt as if she understood the reverence in your gaze. With a gentle, careful touch, you began to run your hand along her sleek, chestnut mane, marveling at the silky texture beneath your fingers.

[Epona] he said, as he gave an apple to her. You just smiled, pretending to hear it for the first time and repeated her name.

Epona seemed to appreciate the affection, and she leaned into your touch, her powerful frame radiating warmth and serenity.

As you continued to pet Epona, your sleeves slipped down to your wrists, revealing a set of three small triangles on your skin. The right one was filled in with black. The Rancher and the Old Man both noticed this mark, and although they didn't say anything, they exchanged knowing glances.

When everybody finally settled in Twilight’s cabin, he lit the fireplace. His cabin had an air of rustic charm, filled with a cozy warmth that welcomed all who entered. The walls were made of weathered wood, lending the space a natural, earthy ambiance. The cabin had lanterns that hung from sturdy wooden beams overhead, which you imagined would cast quite the gentle radiance, once lit.

The Chain kept talking between each other, though you didn’t understand much. Wind was all the way up, lost in his world. For some reason, really interested in Rancher's books.

You took off the cape Wild lent you and gave it back to him, since it started getting quite warm inside. You already had another layer under your long sleeved tunic, so you took the upper layer off as well, now sitting with the others (you secured yourself a chair at least) in a short sleeved shirt. Time and Twilight were still casting glances at you.

“What?” you stretched as you pointed the pointless question towards them. Not that it would change anything…You saw that Sky also managed to get a chair, and he was already kind of looking like he was about to doze off. Maybe you should have followed suit…

[Champion, you are sure Y/N does not have anything to do with the Hero’s Spirit or any sages?] Time asked Wild. He seemed quite perplexed by the question.

[Or is she part of the royal family perhaps?] Twilight continued.

[Uh, no? Why?] Wild replied.

You just closed your eyes as you listened to them speak. It felt like listening to an audiobook in a language you didn’t understand, as a sleeping aid. Though you had a strange feeling that they were talking about you.

Legend and Hyrule were definitely listening in, though the former pretended as if he couldn’t care less, even though his ears definitely perked up at the mention of the royal family.

[You mean the mark on her wrist?] Sky chimed in instead, to your surprise. The others seemed surprised that he was way more perceptive than he looked.

[What mark?] Four asked and then Time & Twilight explained the mark they have seen on your wrist.

The volume of the chatter was increasing, slightly annoying you. Wild gently poked your shoulder to see if you were awake, and you opened your eyes. There was no way you could sleep in this noisy environment.

He pointed at your left wrist, gently touching your arm after checking in with you, and motioning you to raise it. The whole room was staring at your Triforce of Courage ink now.

Oh, right…

“Guys, it’s just a tattoo,” you tried to explain to no avail.

It is hard to explain things when people literally don’t understand a word you say.

You could see Time & Twilight & Legend & Warriors and Sky comparing their faded Triforce marks on their hands, and Wild & Four looking confused about the whole thing.

[I mean, I did say I sense some residual magic on her, but that’s definitely not what I was sensing,] Hyrule was saying as he glanced at your tattoo.

[Members of the royal family don’t randomly get the mark of Triforce on their wrists, not unless they are Zelda at least,] Legend scoffed. Wind seemed to be not paying attention, still busy with Twilight's books upstairs for some reason.

[Well this is certainly odd, I never thought much about the mark, though we had other matters to attend to… But… What is Triforce?] Wild kept questioning, though he seemed to have forgotten that he was still touching your shoulder from the side. You sighed. It was fun at first, but now it was getting quite boring that you didn’t understand anything. Though it wasn’t that hard to guess…

[Yeah I was about to ask the same thing… I just thought that’s the symbol of the royal family or something?] Four added, making the rest of the group look at them in disbelief. Sky seemed especially distraught.

The bickering continued for a while, and you kept thinking about how to explain this to them. Weren’t these people familiar with the concept of a tattoo? Of course, why you had something like that was another matter, but excuse you for wanting to get a Zelda-themed tattoo and considering the fact that you might end up in Hyrule?

Hmmm, what if I just show them something similar instead, to try to explain?

You sighed, stood up and walked towards Time and Twilight, while the group's curious glances still loomed over you. Right, these two already had some markings that were like tattoos, so you thought it would at least be a good parallel.

Right after you pointed at your tattoo, you pointed towards the Rancher's face first, specifically to his markings. He had a confused look on his face, which quickly became an expression of horror, which seemed to have spread to some others in the group.

Wait…

[Farore above…]

What in Hylia's name was going on? That sounded grim, along with some others.

Next, you moved to Time, who was already sitting next to him. You mumbled a quick "Sorry…" for invading his personal space as you blushed, hoping he didn't mind. He was as stoic as one could get, you hoped he wouldn't somehow grab your wrist or something.

You also pointed (almost touched, really) to his marks on his face, before you pulled back and pointed towards your tattoo again.

"It's just a tattoo, why do you all look so judgemental suddenly?" You almost screamed in protest. You tried to make the motion of drawing the shape by yourself. Even tried pretending as if you have a nail and a hammer, and as if you are drawing on a skin.

I don't think tattoo pens exist here…

Time's eyes widened. The atmosphere in the room was even worse.

[How…?!] he said in shock.

You realized a little bit too late that it wasn't the smartest decision to point at his Wolf markings and Time's Fierce Deity Mask markings and then to yourself.

Because Twilight and Time kept speaking with each other, with Legend and Hyrule chiming in, the others watching you suddenly with suspicion, with Wild going between you and the others almost in a defensive stance. It was getting heated. Oh Gods…

Meanwhile, the Sailor finally decided to come down with a huge grin on his face, earning even more scornful looks from the others.

Then he started laughing.

Little rascal.

He knew.

He knew yet he did not step in until the last minute, pretending to browse the books and maps up there instead.

You sighed almost in relief as you watched him try to explain things to others. At least, you assumed.

It was quite clear that these were the heroes who held the Triforce of Courage, and not Wisdom.

How could anybody not think of tattoos and just jump to the worst conclusions instead?!

But you were sure, the Sailor was especially deserving of the Triforce of Courage, since he dared to wait until the last moment instead of coming clean right away.

____________________________

It was only months later you found out what was said, and that there was an agreement to never ever mention the incident again.

"I knew what it was right away," Wind smirked at you, after he explained what happened on that day. "We have a few people in the crew with some sick ink!"

Sure, you understood that there was some residual magic they sensed on you.

But… Was it really your fault that they immediately thought you could both be associated with twilight magic and Fierce Deity at the same time? Come on, even for this universe, it sounded cuccos.

"Having that symbol tattooed is quite a choice though," Four gave you side eyes.

You just shrugged.

Wind could have interfered earlier.

Little shit. If it existed, he would have gotten the Triforce of Mischief instead.

Back to Masterlist / Back to the Power of Understanding

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lemonlokkich · 1 month

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A Legendary throw

Legend wasn't mean.

Well, okay. He could technically maybe, perhaps come off as slightly rude sometimes. But it honestly was not his fault.

He was just emotionally inept.

Sadly, knowing you're emotionally stunted did not fix said ineptness either. Which left Legend where he was right now, staring down the worst man he's ever had the displeasure of meeting in his entire goddesses damned life.

Warriors.

Warriors and his stupid, really punchable face. The face of a man that was currently grinning while he not so very subtly put a snail inside of Legends bedroll, presuming said Legend couldn't see him.

This assumption was stupid, incredibly stupid. So stupid in fact that Legend couldn't help but openly gape at the man while he shuffled away from the scene of the crime, assuming himself to be the ever so smooth and unseen criminal as he viewed himself as right now.

Smug blond bastard.

Technically all of the Links here were some sort of variation of blond, with the exception of maybe Hyrule with his brunette hair and Legend with his original hair colour being a nice, lovely, decidedly NOT blond, shade of pink.

Well, before he bleached mostly all of it to prevent standing out like a cherry blossom among oaks, as said by his late uncle.

But this was not the point right now. The point right now was that Warriors was by far the most blondest, smuggest, punch worthy person in his life right now.

And he was going to do something about that.

Now, as a point stated previously above, Legend was quite emotionally stunted, curse of the heroes spirit or something or other. So, of course, one would naturally expect that in an effort to learn the skills of healthy communication between him and his brothers in arms he would calmly get up and talk to Warriors about how it's completely unethical to put snails in someone's bedroll.

Legend only did the first part though.

He slowly got up, bones cracking in the satisfying way they usually did and wandered over to where Warriors was standing, shoulders shaking ever so slightly in barely concealed giggles.

He was clearly very proud of himself.

“Warriors.” Legend said calmly, tapping his power bracelets together to activate them just in time before Warriors turned around to face him, expression smoothed out and casually cheerful instead of smug and cheeky and dumb-

“Legend! Brother! Comrad! Fellow hero under the triforce of courage! How are you? Did you need something?” Warriors said brightly, confidently, like nothing was wrong.

Legend took a deep breath, reached out to put his hands on the taller man's shoulders and smiled warmly back. “Yes actually, could you perhaps not scream?”

“Why would I scream?”

Legend proceeded to swiftly grab warriors, lift the man up above his head and throw him into the forest.

Warriors screamed.

Legend had a feeling that the W in Warriors maybe did indeed stand for Wuss that day.

If you want to read more silly stories of mine pay me a visit on my AO3 account; LemonLokkich. Thanks for reading!

#lu fanfiction #linked universe #lu legend #ficlet #lu fic #this is entirely unbeta'd #who cares though #this was like way too short to post on ao3 and then i remembered #i have a tumblr account #we win these #lu warriors #Theyre brothers your honour #honestly was fun writing tho #mild swearing #crack fic #crack

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candy8448 · 3 months

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One of the heroes, maybe warriors or something, after the whole lu adventure manages to find a way to travel through time at his will.

So obviously it means visiting and bringing everyone back together again

So he goes to the first person,

And appears to them,

But is quite a few years early that he arrived before their fiirst adventure even took place, when they were just Link, doing whatever they were before even becoming a hero

So one of the chain just has this random memory of some guy teleporting to their room in front of them, doing a cool enterance he obviously put a lot of time into thinking up, but suddenly stopping and he startes at him and looks at him for a few second, shouts "SHIT!" and teleports away XD

Bonus points if that was wind or something and that was when he first discovered swear words XD

Warriors was finally done berating Wind for having such a pottymouth, "...and where did you even learn all these swear words anyway?"

Wind just kinda winced and looked up at him, warriors very confused,

"What?"

---------------

[Cut to future where we see wars go back in time and see Wind's first memory of curse words]

#i do a little ramble #i do a little fanfic #im definitely writing this once i get back home from school #linked universe #lu #lu warriors #lu wind #crack #lu fic #lu fic idea

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sunny-porridge · 3 months

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*Taps mic* *leans in* It is, the Wizard.

Imagine this, Wild for the sake of fun, dresses as Dark Link. He starts to stand ominously stare behind trees in the costume, and eventually goes for a full jumpscare.

How would the guys react?

asjsjskdjsjkadfs hi Wizard hope this email finds you well

Sky: he saw Wild changing into the Dark costume a few weeks ago. Wild made a “shush” gesture and Sky nodded solemnly, Comitting to The Bit. He’s hiding behind some bushes making creepy noises with a flute he whittled specifically for this purpose.

Wind: at first he thought it was a friendly ghost (it’s more likely than you’d think) but he started getting more and more paranoid as the apparition would never speak to him or show its full form, which is a bad omen. The moment Wild jumps out, he knocks out a Light Arrow, which luckily only plucks the hat off and reveals Wild’s hair tucked into a messy bun.

Four: at first he thought it was a friendly shadow (it’s more likely than you’d think) but there was no way that creature wasn’t stalking them, possibly to give information to Ganon. He tried chasing it a few times but never got close enough before it disappeared. He turns into the Colors and quickly pins Wild on the ground who just grins and offers a deal to keep a secret for a secret.

Legend: knows a transformation trick when he sees one. Sure, he has his shield and sword out in an instant, but a quick look with the Magic Mirror confirms the truth. He decides to whip out the most chaotic items he has just to mess with Wild. Think: cane of Somaria, quake medallion, tornado rod, fire gloves.

Hyrule: he’s been saving his Thunder spell for just this purpose. He knows better than to try to fight his shadow in melee combat. If Thunder doesn’t knock him down, there’s always Fire.

Twilight: fights shadow with shadow, so he’d turn into wolfie and tackle him in record time. After which he’d recognize him based on scent and let some drool fall on Wild’s face as punishment.

Warriors: at first I thought he would be the most impulsive Link (one does not survive what he did at the Temple of Souls without significant trauma) but after some thought I think that whole experience left him with a lot of insight and self control. Thus, he would notice the foe is not made of actual darkness (Wild has his own shadow after all) and tie him up to interrogate him. Wild would Commit To The Bit for as long as possible. Sky is still making creepy noises behind a bush.

Time: The suit in BOTW / TOTK resembles him specifically. Those damn red eyes bring up the worst memories of his quest, no, quests. For this, I crown Time as Most Likely to Cause a Lethal Wound. He’d become friends with Mipha though so it’s fine.

#ngl I’d love to write a full fic for this #but that’d take me too long to figure out how to include everyone at the same time #asksksksks #ramblings #crack #lu wild #lu sky #lu wind #lu four #lu hyrule #lu legend #lu twilight #lu warriors #lu time #linked universe

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occasionallyprosie · 2 months

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Have a lil ficlet

----

"Round Five"

He was eight the first time, ten the second, twelve the third, and then sixteen the fourth. He's seventeen now and he is ready for round five.

Aka, Legend runs into Ganon... again.

This is crack, this is pure, badly written crack.

Inspired by this

----

To be honest, the last thing Legend expected to see when they finally tracked down the being that was being the Shadow... he shouldn't have been surprised, but he really was when he saw a mage and they'd arrived just in time to see the mage use The Shadow to revive Ganon.

Ganon, in all his blue, pig faced not-glory, stood before them. Legend heard Four hold his breath, he saw Hyrule freeze, he noticed the other heroes tense, but he just laughed.

Ganon, freshly revived, fully revived, landed his gaze on Legend who pushed the other heroes back with the flat of his blade.

"You want to go for round five?" He called across the room, grinning.

Ganon groaned. He actually groaned and glared at the mage. "Really? That one? You had to bring that one here? I kill one hero and now I'm just cursed to be killed over and over by this brat."

"Vet?" Four hissed.

"I got this," Legend promised. "Handle that wizard guy and make sure the Shadow's dead. I call pig face."

Ganon just sighed and hefted up his huge blade. "How old this time?"

"Seventeen. Next time we'll have our ten year anniversary date," Legend replied wryly, he heard someone make a slightly scandalized noise, probably Warriors frankly, and someone else snorted and laughed, that sounded like Wind. "When will your lackey's learn that it's just not worth it to bring you back as long as I'm alive?"

"I don’t know," Ganon glared at the mage, who withered under the glare. "Sooner rather than later." He looked at the other heroes. "Wait you’re here too?!"

Four cleared his throat and waved awkwardly. "Umm, hi."

"There's only one of you this time... but--I don’t care. Let's just get the fight over with. It's not like Din ever lets me win."

"If you weren't going to destroy Hyrule in the aftermath I'd let you live," Legend said casually.

Ganon paused. "Deal."

They all stopped.

"Huh... Okay."

"Vet!"

"What?!"

"You can't agree to that!"

"I just did, deal with it. Hey can you pick apples from trees without squashing them or am I dumping you on the Gerudo?"

"They'd kill me for last time."

"Fair enough. Guess Ravio's got a new employee."

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blarefordaglare · 20 days

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muscles

Based on @kikker-oma post (https://www.tumblr.com/kikker-oma/747057784573591552/wind-has-some-role-models?source=share)

Anyways let’s get started

Oh and I also switched up some of the characters placement wise, specifically in the last frame, hope that’s alr!

Oh and TW: body stuff (as in size, musculature, etc.)

…

Wind’s eyes blinked awake to the faint swaying of the breeze. Kicking away his bedroll, he reached for his glass of water.

“Come on big brother! It’s breakfast time!” Aryll smiled, trying to drag the sailor over, “Grandma made soup!”

Wind payed no attention though, and instead continued to walk deeper into the forest. His hands instinctually went to the hem of his shirt, where did his shirt go?

Anyways, back to business. “Hi guys!” The sailor smiled, “I have something to show you all.”

“What?”

Wind smirked as he picked up a quite heavy… thing. Unsure what it was, but it doesn’t matter. It was probably about 500 million pounds was his guess, “Look how strong I am!”

Sky gasped as he stared at the muscles, “Wow Wind!” He looked down on his own arms in comparison. He was so much stronger than the Skyloftian, he truely was a legend.

Wind beamed in pride as he saw Warriors look up in surprise, “You’re so much stronger than us!” Pride rang through his words, as if saying, you are the best person ever.

“I’ll never have muscles like you!” Twilight cried as he bit into a cucco bone..? “Teach us your ways!” He pleaded, “Please!”

Wind giggled, “Don’t worry guys!” He flexed his muscles, “Someday you’ll be as strong as I am!” His brothers slowly faded into the background as he basked in his pure strength.

…

Twilight shakes his head as he watches the young sailor giggle in his sleep, “What a goof,” he rolls his eyes as he tries to poke him awake, “What do you think he’s dreaming about?” The dreaming boy only smiled harder as he rolled onto his side.

“Who knows?” Sky shrugs, “But from the looks of it, he’s pretty happy… maybe he’s having better luck with girls than our captain is.” He teases, slightly shoving the man in question.

“Well excuse me!” Warriors laughs, ignoring Legend’s call about, clothes? That was his guess. “This is priceless,” he reached out, “I’m gonna plug his nose.”

“Zel’ did the same thing with me when I was younger,” Sky laughed as he slipped on his tunic, “Do it, I dare you.”

One startled awaking later, and a week of money mysteriously going missing from the trio, nobody knew what he was dreaming about.

#lu wind #lu warriors #lu sky #lu twilight #lu crackfic #crack fic

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gryphonlover · 17 days

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Not-Four is Five

Words: 2,911 Rating: General Audiences Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply Summary: "Remind me again why I'm doing this?" "Because, Shadow," he says, "practice makes perfect. If you can fool the others for even just a few minutes, you can easily fool anyone here except Dot, which is more than enough."

Thoughts: Pretty funny. I love that Shadow's nickname is Five and I love the "he's an idiot, but he's our idiot" vibe.

#gryphon reads #fanfiction #fic rec friday #linked universe #lu four #lu shadow #fluff #doppelganger #crack treated seriously

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ixtaek · 1 month

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Aka being a wolf made Twilight colorblind.

I know the poll has like. Half a day to go still. But Colorblind Twilight was winning and I needed to write something dumb immediately or I would perish. If I wake up tomorrow and Tall Four ends up winning I guess I’ll just have to write more dumb stuff :P

#linked universe #linkeduniverse #lu twilight #lu four #crack fic #ao3 #linked universe fanfic #I apologize for the lack of research hopefully this isn’t upsetting to anyone

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kikker-oma · 1 month

Note

Legend (unintentionally) eats the triforce of wisdom.

HI FRIEND HAPPY SPRING

I HAVE NO IDEA HOW THIS IDEA POPPED UP IN MY HEAD LAST NIGHT BUT YEAH.

CRACK TIMEMEMEMMENENE

Also writing description is such a pain for crackfics so… I kinda quit on it. But reading back I haven’t actually.

Also I learned Hyrule keeps the triforce with him everywhere sooOoO Yeah. I just had like espresso for the first time and honestly never again it’s so gross how do people down that stuff.

…

“Wild.” Time’s voice boomed through the camp, “What did you put in the veterans soup?”

“I have no idea what you are talking about.” Lol, of course he did. That’s what he gets for not letting him near his fire rod. I mean, it’s just a golden triangle, best it could do is choke him.

He looked over at Hyrule, only to notice him frantically searching his pouch. One other golden triangle lay right next to him I’ll use that next time.

“Dude you had to have done something. Pinky boy has turned to a prophet.”

Legend’s eyes darted to the champion.

“Why is it Legend of Zelda when we are the ones saving the world?”

Gasps filled the forest.

“Warriors, you don’t exist. You’re not canon.” Legend’s tone was blunter than the knife Hyrule would use for cooking. The knife that stabbed the captain right in the heart. How did they know?

“We shouldn’t even be talking. We should all be going “hya” except for Hyrule who should be going “well excuse me princess.”” The words were becoming ever more confusing to the chain as Hyrule looked sheepishly away, muttering “it was only one hundred times” under his breath.

“And lastly…” Legend’s eyes looked down, showcasing a mix of sadness and depletion, “We are all just puppets in this story. According to the author I’m supposed to sound like a wise guy, but she’s failing. She is also forcing me to say this in dialouge too because her notes app has been looking empty lately.”

…

Maybe Wild could hold off on committing arson for one day.

Duck and cover, Legend is breaking the 4th Wall!!!

Dude the *silence*I'm imagining after Legends first remark tho😂😂😂

And the POOR CAPTAIN getting called out on his existance🤣

Nothing will ever be the same

#sweet blarefordaglare #lu crack fic

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runecatwrites · 10 days

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Hyrule Fields Assisted Living Home

A Linked Universe Fanfic

Albeit a very non-serious one, written because of a hilarious late-night convo in the Linked Universe discord server: What if the Chain were old farts living in an old folks’ home together?

Read it here on AO3! Word count range: 3k-4k

Beware, hijinks and shenanigans abound!

#linked universe #crack fic #lu four #lu wild #lu sky #lu time #lu wind #lu warriors #lu legend #lu hyrule #lu twilight #lu chain #i regret nothing #lu fanfiction #my writes

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marcusdoodlesalot · 4 months

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The Doll Incident 2: The Electric Boogaloo

I made this as a Secret Santa Gift for @tashacee! Yes, posting about the first one has ulterior motives, sue me. Anyways, hope you enjoy!

#linked universe #linked universe au #fan fiction #lu twilight #lu sky #lu wild #lu hyrule #lu legend #lu time #hero's aspect #Hero's aspect au #malink #ravioli #zelink #shadlink #crack #fan fic of a fan fic of a fan work #it gets a little crazy

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undertheopensky · 7 months

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The Ocarina 1

Whumptober Day 8: “It’s all for nothing.”

Characters: Everyone except Four, technically, though Four is still the main focus

Trigger warnings: Alternative Backstories, Unreliable Narrator, Memory Loss (sort of), Past Child Death

Read on Ao3!

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The portal sneaks up on them. One minute, they’re walking along a trail through a flat prairie, and the next Sky is bouncing off a wall and landing on Legend in a tangled, swearing heap.

There’s a lot of yelping as everyone else struggles not to follow suit.

Once they’ve all come to a complete, groaning halt, they start trying to sort themselves out. Wind has to be helped out from under the low table where he’d gotten stuck, and as Warriors drags him to his feet he starts trying to count heads. Not easy, in such a cramped environment.

“Where are we?” Sky asks.

“It looks like Four’s place, I think?”

Glancing around the sitting room, Warriors admits Hyrule is right. The room does look like the upstairs wing of Four’s house, with bedrooms off the sides and the stairwell behind them. Twilight is helping Wild right the chair he’d tripped over while Sky moves an end table back to wherever it had been before he and Legend crashed into it. Everyone’s accounted for, except…

“Where is Four, anyway?” Wind asks, then, without waiting for a response, bellows, “HEY FOUR, WHERE ARE YOU?!”

There’s no response. Wind’s shoulders hike up a little, surprised and uneasy.

“Did we get separated?” Hyrule asks.

“It’s never happened before –”

From downstairs, there’s a muffled patter of small footsteps on stone.

Wind lights up. “Four! Is that you?”

The sound stops abruptly.

No one comes up the stairs; no one answers Wind’s call. Wind scowls and heads for the landing, intent on flinging himself down them in pursuit.

“Wait.” Wind freezes at Warriors’ sharp tone. “Something’s not right.”

“Well yeah, Four’s not answering us! What if he’s hurt?”

“It’s more than that.” Warriors casts an eye over the sitting room, now mostly set to rights. He can’t put his finger on it.

“Ah think yer imaginin’ things, captain.”

“No, he’s… I think he’s right.” Sky tugs at his sailcloth. “This place… doesn’t feel right. It’s too empty.”

“It’s a small room with eight people in it, how empty can it be?” says Legend, pulling his foot out from under Wild’s. But his expression is guarded. He feels it too.

“Whatever’s going on, we need to be careful.” Wars checks the group over again, ignoring the skip in his heart when Four’s colourful tunic doesn’t appear. He knows Four’s missing. This isn’t new information. “Ledge, can you take point? Everyone else – just be careful, and be ready for anything.”

The shop is just as eerily still and empty as the upstairs. There’s no sign of whoever had made the footsteps.

“Okay, lil’ creeped out now,” says Twilight.

They spread out, scanning the displays for some sort of clue. Hyrule checks the windows. Legend is scanning the weaponry with a disinterested eye – it’s all typical fare for the blacksmith’s forge shop, nothing that stands out. Short swords, daggers, several types of spear, all hung from hooks in the walls or laid out on tables.

On a shelf that was probably supposed to be high enough to ward off small and sticky fingers, Wind is entranced by something.

“Is this a portrait? It’s so tiny.”

The moment Wind picks up the palm-sized frame the room melts around them.

“Dottie! Dot, Dot, Dot!”

Four’s laughter is high pitched and childish and unmistakeable. Another voice laughs with him. The air is warm and thick, bright with noonday sun and butterflies, as two tiny children chase each other across a field of wildflowers.

Wind drops the picture and everything stops.

They’re back in the empty shop, still and silent and suffused with golden afternoon light.

“The fuck was that?” Legend demands, holding Hyrule up where he’s trying to collapse in a ball.

Wild makes a horrible strained noise that has Twilight by his side in an instant.

“Okay, no one touch anything,” Warriors orders, too little too late. Everyone’s already moved as far away from the loose objects in the room as possible. “Wind, what was that?”

Wind scrubs at his eyes, then his arms, then his eyes again. “I don’t –” he tries, voice barely audible, before he clears his throat and tries again. “I don’t… know? I just – wanted to look at the pictograph…”

“Four’s time doesn’t have pictographs, does it?” Twilight asks. Wild still looks a little white around the eyes, but he nods agreement.

Warriors absolutely doesn’t want to get closer to the thing than necessary, but he needs to see if it’s a cursed artifact or something. Preferably without touching it. Fortunately, it had landed face up when Wind dropped it.

It does look like a pictograph, though, or a tiny and very well-painted portrait. A tiny Four and a tiny Zelda are frozen mid-laugh in an eerily familiar field. To all appearances, it’s a simple portrait of a simple time. There’s no runes, no gems, no sense of ominous weight to it.

So how the fuck had it cast all eight of them, most not even touching the thing, into such a strong illusion?

Beside him, Legend grimaces: he’s also stumped.

“I don’t think there’s anything else here, captain,” he says in a low voice. “Check the forge, maybe?”

“If someone was working in there, there would be a lot more noise,” Warriors murmurs back, but he heads over anyway. Legend’s right, they should clear the house completely before moving outside.

Wars shoulders open the heavy door to the forge itself, and relaxes when he spots Four’s familiar figure standing by the anvil. “Four, there you are! Why didn’t you answer us?”

The smithy squeaks in surprise and whirls round, and –

He doesn’t look right.

It’s not just the lack of recognition. His face is too round, his eyes too large and too blue, his hair a mop of windswept fluff. He looks – nervous. Confused. Young, in a way Four usually doesn’t despite his small frame and youthful features. He’s clinging to a forge hammer, the tool clutched tight to his chest, and he flinches and skitters away when Sky raises a hand in greeting.

The tunic’s not right either, Warriors realises, too late. It’s all of one colour, scarlet except for black scorch marks here and there and streaks of ash like the ones on his face. He’d clearly been working recently, though the forge fire is dead and cold.

Sky gentles his approach. “Hi. We didn’t mean to scare you, sorry. We’re a noisy lot sometimes.” He tries to wave the others off discreetly.

The boy blinks at him, but doesn’t make a sound. The hammer inches higher, closer to his face, like he can maybe hide behind it.

“We’re travelling, and we think we got a bit lost. Do you think you could help point us in the right direction?” Sky waves more insistently and Twilight wanders back into the shop, followed by Wild, Legend, and eventually Time, who had visibly had to think about it before realising his massive armour-plated frame might be intimidating to a small child who doesn’t seem to know them. The smithy-lookalike relaxes incrementally as the forge empties and the doorway clears, and he stops holding the hammer quite so much like a weapon instead of a tool.

In answer to Sky’s question, he slowly nods.

“Thank you, that’s very kind of you. Do you live here?”

He catches his lower lip between his teeth and visibly thinks about whether or not to answer before nodding again.

“That’s good! If you live here, then you probably know how to get to Hyrule Town, right?”

He nods more readily this time.

“Great! That’s where we’re trying to go! So… hmm, how to do this…” Sky makes a show of tapping his finger against his chin in thought. “So… should we go south, across the river?”

That gets a little smile and a head-shake.

“Should we go east, through the woods?”

He giggles, and shakes his head again.

The barred door in the back of the forge bangs. Like something on the other side of it had slammed into the wood, hard.

The clamour of the hammer hitting stone adds to the racket as the little smithy in red startles. All the progress Sky had made in reaching out to him is gone in an instant: he glances back and forth between them and the door, like he can’t decide which one is the bigger threat. He’s nearly hyperventilating.

“Hey, hey, are you okay?” Sky says. “Is there something dangerous back there? Do you need help?”

The door bangs again, and Four bolts.

“Shit!” Warriors says.

“Legend will catch him,” says Hyrule.

“No, he’s gone,” says Legend, popping his head back in. “He’s damn fast. Was he wearing pegasus boots?”

“Not that I could see. You must be getting slow, vet.” Warriors doesn’t have his heart in the teasing; he’s more focused on the door in the back of the forge. It hasn’t made any more ominous noises, and is standing just as silent and unobtrusive as before. “Weapons out, everyone,” he warns, moving to shift the heavy bar out of its housing.

Sky protests. “I don’t know if that’s a good idea. You saw how scared he was.”

“What if it’s what we’re here to deal with?” Warriors points out. “We don’t know where the kid went, but if we take down this monster now at least it won’t be able to go after him.”

Sky grimaces but this time doesn’t stop him.

Warriors heaves the bar up and off to the side, secures it so no one will get cracked in the head, and checks to make sure the others are close behind him. “Weapons ready,” he warns, drawing his own.

Then he throws the door open.

Nothing rushes them. It’s just the stretch of land behind the forge, the well, the woodpile, the vegetable patch.

Like the sitting room, like the forge, something about the landscape feels subtly wrong.

Maybe it’s the mist hanging over the field, clinging to the worn wooden fence and trailing into the dark Minish Woods beyond. Maybe it’s the trees themselves, growing thick in places Warriors would swear are kept clear. Maybe it’s the sky overhead, which is a blue so dull it’s almost colourless, and only adds to the gloom.

The mist is deceiving. As they step outside, it seems to creep closer, curling around their boots like it’s alive. Wars squints, trying to make out the details of the scarecrow that always sits in the vegetable patch, and can only see a hazy silhouette. The thick grey swirling around it is messing with his perception – Wars almost thinks he can see the thing move. “Stay close,” he orders, “I don’t want to lose anyone.”

“Are the trees always that close?” he hears Wind ask from behind him. “I thought there was more, like, empty space out here. Four said he used it for sword drills.”

Honestly, Warriors isn’t sure. They’ve only visited Four’s time once, and he’d been more focused on the black-blooded monsters in the south than the topography of Four’s homestead.

He thinks they’re about halfway to the fenceline when a voice rings out, sharp and angry, and makes them all freeze in place. “Who are you? You’re not supposed to be here.”

The mist draws back, and Warriors realises the shadow hadn’t been the scarecrow at all.

They’ve found Four, though his clothes have changed to a blue set with grass-stains instead of scorch marks. He’s also now carrying a sword instead of a hammer, which is not an improvement.

Suspicion hardens his face. He looks older than the Four in red they’d seen.

There’s still no recognition.

Warriors turns on the charm and sheathes his sword, trusting the others to watch his back. “Ho, there! We heard something back here and were worried it was a monster!”

The boy just glares. “Go away. You’re not allowed to be here.”

Time moves up to stand beside him. Immediately the boy shifts to block him from coming further, shoulders gone tight and eyes suddenly bright and lips drawing back from teeth. There’s nothing behind him but empty field, but Warriors gets the feeling the boy is protecting something. There’s desperation in the grip of his sword, fear in his teeth.

Sky raises his hands, trying to ease the tension. “We’re not here to hurt anyone, we’re just – we think we’re a little lost, maybe, and –”

“No. Go away.”

His feet shift and brace; abruptly his stance isn’t just defensive, it’s dangerous. He knows how to use the sword he’s holding.

“Okay, okay, we’re not looking for a fight,” Sky says quickly. “You want us to leave? We’ll go. Is it okay if we go that way?” He points down the side of the house, towards the south.

The boy eyes them, tense and suspicious. “Don’t care,” he says at last, “just leave.”

“Okay, we’re going,” Sky soothes.

No one’s willing to turn their backs on an agitated child with a sword, so at first their retreat is a lot of stepping backwards and trying not to trip over each other. Wars leaves himself at the rear of the pack, ready to draw and block any panicked strikes.

Once they cross some invisible line, the boy’s shoulders relax.

As they head around the house towards the woods, Blue Four turns away completely. He’s looking out towards the woods, across the field of mist and fog and empty ground.

Warriors wonders what he sees.

Then they pass the treeline and he’s out of view.

The fog is less heavy in the trees. It still swirls around their feet, mischievous and creeping, but the thick banks are broken up by the weight of the trunks. Visibility’s much better.

It still doesn’t feel right.

They all jump when Wind says, “Something weird’s going on here.”

“What was your first clue?” Legend’s grumbling does a poor job of hiding how unsettled he is.

Wind ignores the sarcasm. “This looks like Four’s house, but things are just different enough to be – creepy. And it doesn’t feel right. We’ve seen Four multiple times and – he doesn’t recognise us, and he doesn’t look right, either.”

Hyrule bites his lip. “I think – you remember when Wind picked up that portrait?”

Everyone shudders a bit. That had not been a pleasant sensation.

“What about it?” says Legend.

“I think – he isn’t Four. Not yet.”

Sky looks back over his shoulder, at the field where a Four in a blue tunic had snarled and spat and refused to move, defending a patch of empty space.

“I think we’re seeing Four’s memories.”

“That’s why he looks so young,” Wars says, eyes sharp.

Legend snorts. “How much younger can he be when he looks like he hasn’t grown at all?”

“Four’s always been kind of weird about that, though.”

“He once said t’me it was a side-effect of magic,” Twilight offers.

“So if that’s the case – we’re in a construct of Four’s memories, somehow – how do we get out?” Sky says.

Hyrule grimaces. “Honestly, I was hoping you guys would have some ideas.”

“I can think of a few.” Legend’s hand is resting thoughtfully on his belt pouch. “They’re probably a bit scorched-earth, though.”

“Yeah, I’m not gonna vote to set Four’s mind on fire,” says Hyrule dryly.

“I think we should just keep going.” Twilight shrugs at their looks. “B’fore we get too drastic. There’s a lot we haven’t seen, an’ we might find an answer.”

“It’s as good an idea as any,” Time says. “We’ll see where this path leads us. But everyone, keep your guards up.”

They haven’t gone far at all when Twilight hesitates, frowning.

Wild looks back at him. “Twilight?”

“…I think I see something.”

Twilight has a good eye, luckily, because Four’s wearing green now and is well camouflaged in the trees. It looks like he’d been practising archery, from the brightly-painted targets hung at various heights on various branches.

Twilight heads over to talk to him. “Hullo –”

His bow’s unstrung. He doesn’t even try for it, instead using it like he would a blade – sweeping it out as an extension of his arm. Twilight scrambles out of the way. Even without a cutting edge, that hard yew branch would sting.

They stare at each other for a long moment.

“You’re not meant to be here,” the boy says. He’s wary, like the Four in blue, but the harshness of it isn’t there.

“We know,” Twilight agrees, and that takes a bit of the wariness out of him. “We’re lookin’ fer the way out, is all. Think y’could steer us in th’ right direction?”

“Oh. That’s… probably not something I can help with. Sorry.”

He’s more talkative than Red Four, and more cooperative than Blue Four. Twilight presses the advantage.

“Is there anythin’ you can tell us? ‘Bout where we are, maybe? We’re pretty lost right now, an’ we dunno where to go next.”

“N-not really. Sorry.”

“Not anything?” Sky wheedles. “You must go to Hyrule Town sometimes.”

Green Four blinks at him. “Why would I? I can’t leave.”

“What do you mean, you can’t leave?” Wind asks. “Why not?”

Green Four shakes his head. “Because outside of this place, I don’t exist.”

With that alarming statement, he proceeds to ignore them and go about restringing his bow.

“What do you mean?” Twilight tries. “What place do you mean - where are we?”

Sky pushes as well, eyes dark with concern. “What do you mean, you don’t exist? Did someone tell you that?”

He looks over his shoulder at them, raising one golden brow. “Haven’t you figured it out yet?”

That’s all they get out of him. He goes back to shooting targets, doing a very good job of pretending he can’t hear Legend’s rapidly burning fuse.

Time stops him from doing anything.

“He’s clearly done with us,” he says quietly, “and I don’t want to break whatever – truce we seem to have going. They haven’t attacked us yet and I’d like it to stay that way. Who knows what will happen if something here gets damaged?”

Legend has to concede there.

They leave Green Four to his practice, and keep going.

They pass through a gate hanging by one rusty hinge, the fenceline bordering the forge property. Wind taps the gatepost absently as he passes it. “How far is it to the bridge south?” he asks. “I don’t remember much of last time.”

“With the fever you came down with I’m surprised you remember anything,” says Wars. “It’s not far to the river – less than half an hour.”

Wind hums assent. Most of that week is a bit of a blur for him – he barely remembers making it to Four’s house the first time, and the others tell him he was still perfectly well then. It wasn’t until they were deep in the Castor Wilds that his fever had started to burn, and by that time they were too far away to turn back.

…he’s pretty sure the trees shouldn’t be thinning out this soon, though.

Like entering the woods in reverse, the fog gets thicker as they near the edge, the trees spreading out and the path opening up to reveal –

The house they’d been walking away from.

Time stops short.

“Mm, don’t like that,” Warriors remarks from just behind him. Wind steps forward to poke at the wooden gate in disbelief, while Legend turns a resigned look on the woods themselves.

“I don’t know why we thought that would work.”

“We must have taken a wrong turn,” Time murmurs with a frown. “The forest in Four’s time has always been somewhat fae, but we had him to lead us before. I’ll pay more attention this time.”

They turn away from the fence and the little house in the mist, ready to try again. Warriors plants a hand on the nearest tree –

Black. Glass shattering. Four screaming, and screaming, and screaming –

Warriors yanks his hand back.

“Don’t do that,” says Sky, face pale.

“But the fence didn’t do anything!” Wind blurts out in panic.

“And thank fuck for that,” Legend mutters.

“Or the doors, for that matter.” Wars is shaking out his hand like it hurts. Wind knows from experience it doesn’t, but something in the contact is so very other that it feels like it leaves a residue, cold and prickly. “Whatever the case, lesson learned: don’t touch the trees.”

“Yeah, that’s not a good idea.”

Wind nearly leaps out of his skin. Sitting on the wooden fence where he hadn’t been a moment ago, Red Four blinks at them, wide-eyed and innocent.

Legend is muffling his cursing into a hand, clutching at his chest melodramatically with the other. Time looks like he’s experiencing the five stages of grief simultaneously. Sky, by contrast, just looks relieved, and like he’d hug him if he didn’t think the boy would flee again.

“I’m so glad you’re okay! Whatever was making that scary noise didn’t hurt you, did it?”

Red Four makes a noncommittal noise. “I’m fine. Nothing can hurt me here. But the woods are where the bad things are. You gotta be real careful, if you’re gonna go out there.”

“Do you know the way through?” Wars asks. “Could you lead us?”

Red Four’s eyes go big and he rapidly shakes his head. “No way! It’s scary out there!”

As if afraid one of them will drag him into the woods, he throws himself from the fence and –

– vanishes.

“I guess Hyrule was right,” says Legend, into the shocked silence that follows. “They really are just… memories. Rulie, how’d you know?”

“They’re all too young,” Hyrule says quietly. “It’s in their eyes, the way they move – Four has confidence they don’t. They’re – he’s scared, every time he sees us. When Four met us for the first time he just laughed, and demanded a closer look at our weapons.”

“We have to find real Four, then. He’s gotta be here somewhere.”

They’ve hardly explored the whole property, even discounting the (terrifying) woods beyond the boundary fence. Legend and Warriors briefly argue over whether to split up – “It’s more efficient!” “It’s dangerous!” – until Time vetoes them, insisting that no one else is getting lost today and that’s final.

They’ve already been over the vegetable patch, and the woods to the east. They’ll work their way around towards the west, and see what else there is to find, before braving the path to the north. Wind isn’t feeling too hopeful about their chances of making it all the way to Hyrule Town, when the southern road had spat them back out at Four’s house.

Knowing that the trees might be hidden memories makes them all tense. Wind doesn’t like it. Nobody talks, too intent on watching where their feet go, and keeping an eye out in hopes of catching sight of Four’s brightly coloured tunic. It’s so quiet it’s making his ears hum.

It takes a while to realise that what he’s hearing is actually music.

Tuneless, aimless; it’s not a song being played, just an exploration of melody floating high and sweet on the wind. Sometimes it holds a note for long seconds, what he’d initially mistaken for a ringing in his ears; other times it runs down scales like water falling down a cliff, then back up again like a swabbie in the rigging.

“Now we’re getting somewhere,” Legend growls.

Following the music at least gives them some direction. The trees look the same as ever, everyone careful not to brush too close, until they abruptly end in a clearing around a large, pale stone. On top of the stone sits Four, clad in dark purple, playing a golden ocarina.

It’s still not their Four, Wind realises with a pang. The clothes were a hint, but the face is the real giveaway: solemn, sad, and unexpressive, even as eight heavily armed strangers walk up to him.

He draws out the last note, wavering and plaintive, before slowly lowering the instrument. He doesn’t speak.

Sky steps forward. So far, he’s had the most luck interacting with the younger incarnations of Four. “Sorry to bother you. We’re a little lost, and we’re looking for our friend. You probably don’t know us yet, but –”

Purple Four’s brow creases. “What are you talking about?” Even his voice is wrong. Too flat, too quiet; all the life drained out of it and left to exist as a shadow of itself.

Sky tries a smile. “We’ve seen you all over, in different places around here, but it’s okay if you don’t remember us –”

“Stop.” Purple Four sighs, the most emotion they’ve seen out of him yet. “I didn’t expect you to be this stupid.”

He leans over and plucks up a framed portrait from the mantle.

Wind doubles over. His eyes are vibrating. Four had just – reached – and the shelf was right there under his fingers but they were still outside, sun warming their skin, mist underfoot, trees leaning heavy over their shoulders. It is so much worse than the woods looping back on themselves.

Purple Four waits for them to get over the disorientation, neither amused nor concerned, then holds out the picture to show them.

It’s… all four Fours, together, in the same image. Not as if they’d been spliced together, but – tangled together, pressed close and smiling, like friends, or siblings.

All together like this, it’s easier to see the differences between them. Not the clothes, quickly and easily changed, but… the shapes of their mouths and noses and eyes, the subtle shifts in colour, so easy to overlook. The paleness of the purple Four’s skin and hair, the honeyed tone to the blue one’s pin-straight locks, the curls escaping from under a red cap.

They look happy.

“You’re not Four,” Sky says, “are you?”

The boy in purple blinks, slowly. “No. I’m not.”

“So then, what’s your name?”

“You can call me Vio.”

“The other Fours we’ve seen – they’re not Four either, are they?”

Vio looks at Sky, eyes heavy and dark. “No. They’re not.”

Wind – doesn’t understand. Sky’s going all gentle, in a way he hadn’t even with terrified Red Four, and Twilight just looks sad.

“Four’s your brother, isn’t he?”

“Correct.”

Wind blinks, and tries to look him – Vio? – over with fresh, non-Four-tuned eyes. But… he really does look like Four. Same height, same face, same hair. Were they twins? He’d seen that once on Windfall, two little girls who’d looked the same and dressed the same and laughed the same tinkling laugh. But what did that mean for the other three, who also looked so much like Four?

“If you’re Four’s brother,” he says slowly, “why haven’t we ever met you before?”

“Because I’m dead,” says Vio, too calmly.

Wind goes cold.

He misses the next part of the exchange – ears ringing for real, vision greying at the edges – and has to blink himself back to reality.

Vio raises an eyebrow at whatever Sky had last said. “I have been for years. Same as Red, Green, and Blue.”

For a moment Wind thinks Legend will make a comment about the names, but he stays quiet.

The thought comes to him, Not even the snarky veteran will make fun of the names of four dead children, and he abruptly feels lightheaded again. Have been for years, and Four is just sixteen – how old were his brothers when they died?

“I’m sorry,” Sky says, quiet and sombre.

“What for? It’s not your fault.”

“I’m still allowed to be sad that you died,” says Sky.

“You never even knew us.” Vio’s frowning again, the same light crease of his brow.

“But I know you now. I’m talking to you now, and I’m sorry you died.”

“I’m just a memory, like everything else here.” The boy gestures with the ocarina, and Wind remembers the portrait. Tiny Four laughing in the sun. Wars touching a tree, and the sound of glass breaking. “We’re his memories of us. Who we were, how we spoke, the things that we could do. We’re not real. Just echoes of people who used to exist.”

He looks down at the ocarina, fingers drifting restlessly over the holes.

“I’m not even close to being real. I may as well have never existed, for all history remembers of me.”

“But Four remembers you,” says Time quietly. “He remembers you so well you have a permanent home in his mind.”

Vio’s expression tightens. Instead of responding, he draws into himself, pulling the ocarina to his lips and playing a short phrase, then repeating it. It’s almost a nervous tick, like someone playing with their hair or worrying at their tunic.

Time sighs, sounding every inch the old man they call him. “Vio. You seem to – know more than the other three. Is there any chance you know where Four is right now? We haven’t been able to find him.”

Vio pauses halfway through a note. “But he’s here.”

Wind glances around in confusion; Time frowns. “What do you mean?”

He gestures with the instrument. “He’s everywhere. You’re inside his memory palace, where else would he be?”

Twilight exchanges a concerned look with Time. Finding current-time Four had been their last idea.

“Then… how do we get out?”

Vio’s eyes rest on them, dark and inscrutable. “How, indeed?” He lifts the ocarina and begins to play once more.

#whumptober 2023 #linked universe #lu fic #lu four #lu sky #lu time #lu wind #lu wild #lu twilight #lu legend #lu hyrule #lu warriors #legend of zelda #skies writes #whose pov is this?#i don't know #they couldn't decide #this did not quite crack 5000 words but my *god* did we get close #thank fuck tomorrow's fic is nearly done

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bokettochild · 1 year

Text

A Linked Family

For @babyatlaswandersinskies because they reminded me of the sequel I wrote to Violet a week ago

“I’m glad I met all of you.”

It’s a bit out of the blue and makes the lot of them start, but Time only smiles as he looks over to where the sailor is sitting. It’s the end of the day and his boys are now resting about the fire. Dinner is done and chores attended to, so the young heroes have turned their attentions to various hobbies, the sort as they can carry with them at least, and have gathered around the fire for light as the sun sinks below the tree line.

It’s sort of out of nowhere that Wind had spoken. His boys, he’s found, tend to be more the quiet group. Yes, they have their moments of chatter and squabbling, but travel carries with it a silence most days, and unless there’s anything notable to talk about they mostly don’t. It's a habit, he thinks, one born of past adventures spent either alone or, like himself, with someone who tends to do the talking for two. They all prefer the quiet too, he thinks, based on how often they’ll fall into it and rely on motions and expressions to get their work done. They have to talk at villages of course, or when planning their next moves, but it’s mostly the captain, himself and, surprisingly, the vet, who attend to that. He and Warriors take care of planning and strategy, and when they need to barter or haggle their way into purchases, it’s Legend who takes the lead, just the same as the vet does in most social situations.

It’s rather funny, actually, to stand with the rest of his boys as silent shadows while Legend banters and gossips with one vendor before tearing into another if they try to cheat him or provide less than satisfactory goods.

Still, even with that, his boys tend to fall quieter and quieter as the day ends, so when Wind suddenly speaks, and loud enough that they can all hear it, it startles him.

“We’re glad to have met you too, sailor.” Warriors drawls, slipping his pipe from his mouth to speak. Time had noticed before that the man smoked (the tobacco scent clings to him and his signature scarf) but he thinks it’s the first time the pipe has appeared before the other heroes.

Wind beams in response to the words, bright eyes traveling over their number with a contented smile. “It feels kind of like having a family, doesn’t it?”

A few brows cock and eyes raise in a perfect example of how his boys usually communicate, and it’s telling that Wind knows at once that they’re asking him to explain. The sailor sits up a bit, hands raising from where they’d been resting beside him to instead gesture restlessly as the sailor speaks.

“You know, like, Four’s sort of like having a brother, and Twilight is a big brother, and Wild is kind of like a mix between a big brother and a big sister, but not an oldest sibling?”

The champion chuckles at that, smile bright despite the scars pulling at his lips oddly. “That sounds about right.”

“And Time is the dad.” Twilight hums, thoughtful.

It warms his heart to hear his pup thinks of him so, but Wind only shakes his head. “No, Time’s like the grandpa, Warriors is the dad.”

The words make a few of them start again, but he hears Legend snort with laughter as well as Four’s muffled cackle. As for the Old Man himself, Time can only laugh at the words, the sound ringing over camp amid startled faces and sudden stares. “A grandfather, huh?”

“Well,” Wind corrects, smirking that familiar mischievous smirk. “You’ll always be my baby brother, but now you act more like a grandfather most of the time, so it fits.”

The words confuse most of the others, especially poor Twilight, who looks very lost, but he catches the warm smile shot his way by the captain. It’s the same one from ages ago, that same adoring smile that always made him feel warm and tingly inside with something he couldn’t name. He’s still not able to put a name to it exactly, but he knows now that it's some sort of pleased response. And of course, he knows that because he feels the same way even after all these years.

“I suppose you’re right,” he muses, staring at the captain with his one good eye and watching that adoring smile turn to something crooked and full of laughter as both Wind and himself stare at the man.

He can feel Twilight staring, hear Wild sniggering his delight at his own mentor’s confusion. Still, he doesn’t provide answers or spare them, or any of the others, a glance. As Wind said, he’s much older now and he does try and act like an adult, but he's long since understood (although he didn’t during the war) that his mind and body will never quite be in agreement on his age, so he allows the childish part of himself to revel in their confusion and make it worse by neither addressing it nor them.

It works too.

“I think,” Warriors puffs, tapping his pipe’s stem against his lips with a smirk that he definitely learned from one of the two of them, “you’re right, Wind. Goodness knows if Time calls me ‘daddy’ anymore it would sound wrong in all sorts of ways.”

And the mere mention does have quite the effect because all laughter suddenly cuts out as not only Twilight, but Wild also both choke slightly. Hyrule’s cackle is the only thing to be heard in the wake of the statement as Sky and Four both look around at the others with varying shades of confusion.

“Why would that be weird?” Four asks. “I mean, besides it being Time calling someone ‘daddy’. I mean, I call my dad-”

Hyrule looks quite like he’s going to explode, he’s laughing so hard. Indeed, the traveler is wrapping his arms around his ribs in an attempt, most likely, to ease the ache in them as he hollers laughter so hard it actually has him tipping out of his seat and down on top of Legend, who’d propped himself against the other’s stone seat while doing his mending. Still, despite likely getting pins all in him, Hyrule continues to laugh, tears pouring down his face.

“I think you should stop it there, Four.” Legend sighs, nudging the traveler off of his lap with a slight frown. “He’s going to pass out.”

The childish part of him thinks that would be equally hilarious- Hyrule fainting from laughter- as the smirk on Warriors’ face as he meets Twilight’s very wide and very shocked midnight eyes, but he keeps that to himself.

“But why is it funny?” Sky asks, blinking innocently because, of course, Sky is absolutely innocent in that sort of way and would have no clue as to why such a thing would make the traveler burst a gut. Honestly, he’s a bit surprised Hyrule knows, and furthermore that Hyrule thinks it’s funny, rather than embarrassing as many people would, but then again it’s Hyrule: he’s almost as full of surprises as Time himself.

“When you’re older, Sky.” Warriors drawls in answer, chuckling himself.

At his side, Legend nods, and foists the now hacking for breath traveler into the captain’s lap. “Yeah. Much older.”

Perfect brows raise in a question that’s shot the vet’s way, one which has Legend, of all people, hurriedly dropping his eyes and turning back to his mending with a particularly intent manner and a slight flush. Behavior that has the captain staring, brows raised and lips twitching into a smile that’s both curious and fully prepared to tease.

Huh.

Still looking confused, Sky looks to Wind, who’s currently rolling his eyes at his elders and their nonsense, and asks a question. “So, if Time is the stern grandfather, and Warriors is the dad, Wild is the big sibling and Four and Twilight are also sibling-like, what about the rest of us?”

Beside a still gaping Twilight, who is still staring at Warriors, still with his mouth open, cheeks furiously red and eyes blank, Wild blinks back to himself and shoots Sky a slight smile. “I think you’re the mom of the group, Sky.”

“Wrong again!” Wind declares, pointing finger guns at the champion with a smirk. Fortunately, this time it’s more playful than threatening. “Sky is the grandmother.”

“A grandmother?”

The sailor nods emphatically. “Yes. Mothers are more stern and they have to look out for you and get after you for things when you mess up. Sky doesn’t do that though, the only time he gets after us is when we hurt ourselves, and the only time he’s ever gotten mad at us is when Wild broke his extremely valuable ancient artifact, which Grandma’s are well known for having.”

Sky giggles.

“Besides,” the sailor lists, ticking his fingers as he speaks. “Grandma’s are sweet and gentle, and they love giving people hugs and singing songs for them and making random useful things, like Sky! And they have cool hobbies that most young people don’t have,”

All eyes flicker to the half-finished carving in the skyloftian’s fingers. Well, all eyes except Time’s own bad one; that one doesn’t do anything.

“And grandma’s are also really good about being there for people when they’re down and they’re the person you know you can come to with stuff.”

Crystal blue eyes glitter with something he thinks might be tears before Sky is jumping up and wrapping Wind in a hug that is very enthusiastically returned.

“He knew that would happen.” Four smirks.

“That’s why he said it.” Wild sniggers back.

Wind, with a bit of squirming and standing on his tiptoes, looks over the skyloftian’s shoulder to stick out his tongue at the other two. “I said it because it’s true, actually. The hug is just a benefit of doing so.”

He doesn’t miss that Sky hugs a bit tighter.

It makes him smile. Wind is right of course, and no one really dares to question the sailor anyway because if anyone is an expert on grandmas then it would be Wind. That said though, the sailor makes a point.

Warriors really is his and Wind’s adoptive father, and while things have changed a lot, and he means a lot, since the war, he still respects the man like he did when he was younger. More so, actually, now that he understands better everything the captain had been through, both on behalf of his sons, Hyrule and the princess. But he’s not the only one.

Twilight slots almost perfectly into the role of an elder sibling with his boys, providing advice, comfort and supervision, but also a playful presence who’s only too happy to wrestle with Wind and Four or spar with the captain and Wild. Wild himself helps carry the elder sibling duties, but he’s still playful and mischief-filled and has no qualms in wandering off with the other younger ones to create chaos and goof around. In ways, the champion reminds him of Saria, attentive and always sure to make sure the rest of them aren’t hurting or hungry, but also perfectly happy to soak them to the skin for sleeping in late and contrive ways to get them to walk into precariously placed traps set by the champion and the others.

Four he’s seen less of, the lad being as quiet as he is, but he doesn’t lack that quiet sort of mischief that Time can spot on occasion when the other thinks no one is looking. He likes to share things too, stories and knowledge mostly, and Wind eats it up like Time used to when it had been the sailor sharing his life stories and adventures.

And Sky, well- Sky’s everything Wind had said. The quiet but kind one who’s always there when they need him, but who doesn’t push anybody if they’re not open to it, and who provides an air of serenity to their quirky rabble.

“But what about Legend and Hyrule?” Wild asks, and then pauses and turns to Twilight to pop the rancher’s mouth shut again.

Time has to choke back a laugh lest his boys realize how easily he’s humored. That would be no fun after all, not when they all seem to think he’s a stern and serious leader-type after all. Or well, all of them except Warriors, who knows.

“Hyrule,” Wind declares, and then pauses, stroking his chin thoughtfully and earning another chuckle from the traveler. There’s a short moment in which nothing is said, Legend continuing his mending but the rest of them waiting eagerly to see what Wind will say. At last however, the sailor is clapping down a fist on his palm and grinning before pointing to the traveler in question. “You’re the weird cousin who appeared out of nowhere but no one wants to go away!”

Apparently, that’s what it takes to knock the pup back into his own head, because Twilight looks up with a soft frown, seeming a breath away from correcting Wind, but he hasn’t the chance. Hyrule’s face lights up in a bright smile, eyes shining. “I’m the weird cousin?”

Wind nods.

Still lying across both Legend and Warriors, Hyrule pumps his fists slightly with a grin. Apparently being a weird cousin is better than he was hoping for, which Time isn’t sure if he should worry about or just smile at.

“We don’t know much about you,” Wind explains, “but you’re also really cool and talented, but we find out only at random times. You’re like the family cryptid! Sort of.”

Hyrule’s eyes are positively alight.

Well, even though Twilight looks even more displeased, Time smiles. Hyrule’s happy, so he won’t try and make Wind rethink. After all, the sailor had declared most of them to be brothers, so he supposes that’s why Twilight’s upset, but the sailor’s apparently chosen something that makes the other very happy indeed, and based on the sing-song whisper of ‘I’m a cryptid!” he’s pretty sure Hyrule couldn’t be happier.

Cryptids really are very cool.

“And Legend?” Warrior repeats, nodding his head towards the vet beside him, who’s apparently left the conversation altogether based on the furrow of his brows as he plucks away at a mess of threads, glasses teetering at the end of his nose and ears pinned back and away in irritation.

Legend really is out of it too, because when Warriors reaches over to push up the other’s glasses for him, the vet’s ears don’t even flick in response. Instead, nimble fingers continue to pluck away at a mess of thread as something irritated slips out of the other’s mouth in the Sheikah tongue.

He only knows it’s Sheikah because he’s pretty sure he’d heard Sheik say the same thing once when his harp’s string was broken, but it’s a clear memory so he’s rather certain he’s correct.

Across camp, Wind smiles, not taking even a second as he shrugs and plops back down into his seat, or rather, into Sky’s lap, and motions vaguely in the veteran’s direction. “Oh, Legend’s the mom.”

There’s another soft curse, but when he looks over Legend is simply scowling at his thread, now snapped, and puffing out his cheeks in a huff that makes Warriors laugh.

The rest of the group is not so quiet though.

“The mom?”

The pup frowns. “But Legend isn’t a woman.”

“And Sky isn’t a woman, but you all didn’t protest his being the grandmother.” Four points out. “Besides,” the smithy settles further in place, leaning back to stare at them all with cocked brows, “none of you actually asked what our genders are, so for all you know, Legend is a woman. I mean, the vet does wear skirts all the time.”

“Which doesn’t indicate being a woman.” Wild protests, brows also furrowing as he leans a bit closer to the other, a clear indicator that this is something he feels strongly about. “Guys can wear skirts too, y’know.”

“Oh, I know,” the smithy soothes, raising both hands placatingly, “but they also indicate a preference towards traditionally feminine things.”

Wild frowns, but then both he and, well, almost all of the others shoot a look towards the vet. The vet who happens to, at that moment, grin in triumph as he finally de-tangles his thread. The smile is kinda pretty actually, and Legend is too, when he isn’t scowling like normal.

“Well,” the champion admits, shrugging, “he is pretty effeminate.”

“Hence why people think he’s our mom.” Wind snorts, and when did that ever happen? Did it happen? But it must have because Four is suddenly very still and very much glaring at Wind. Wind who, with a shit-eating grin above all shit-eating grins, meets the stare and taunts, “Violet.”

In the most even voice imaginable, Four grates out, “Wind, I’m going to kill you.”

Wild is sniggering and Hyrule has gone right back to laughing while Twilight looks caught somewhere between flushing and sniggering. Time, however, is lost. That is, he is, but then-

“Mooooom! Four’s threatening to kill me!” Wind is grinning as he says it, maintaining eye-contact with Four and giggling, and Warriors is shaking his head and returning to puffing on his pipe and Four is jumping up and then- and then-

“Well what did you do to him?”

Legend’s voice is steady and unbothered as the veteran continues his sewing, bringing his thread to his teeth to bite it off and finish the sailor’s new tunic.

The whole camp pauses, glances flying, one more, to an entirely oblivious Legend.

“I swear I said that as a joke.” Wind breathes, eyes dancing with unreleased laughter while Four pauses his pounce on the other.

The pipe is removed again, the captain raising a brow. “You gonna answer him, Tune?”

And then violet eyes lift and Wind pauses, smile turning nervous as he shrinks back against Sky. “Um, I just called you ‘mom’?”

“Not for the first time.” Four grumbles.

Legend’s scowl is near terrifying. “Except this time it doesn’t make everyone think Wars and I are married.”

And that makes him start because people think Legend is married to Warriors? Since when and why and how? That is his adoptive father and….whatever Legend is.

Hyrule’s laughter increases and Four looks like he wants to die. Warriors, at the vet’s side, huffs deeply. “Not that your little display at Lana didn’t cement that thought for my world. Or the thing with the soldiers, or- well,” and the man motions to Four, who sends some very rude signs back at the captain in response.

Legend scowls, stabbing his needle into a pincushion with a huff. “I’d correct them, but they won’t listen and it makes you look bad.”

Warriors sighs. “You have no idea. Thank you, I’d rather be thought married then a bad husband.”

“What are you talking about?” He has to ask, and he’s met with a dozen different expressions despite only eight people being present. Warriors looks resigned, Wind apologetic, Four both murderous, flushed with embarrassment and also, exhausted. Legend is clearly frustrated and embarrassed, and the other boys in varying states of amusement.

“Well-”

“You’re grounded.” Legend huffs.

“But you aren’t my parent!” Wind protests.

“This isn’t the first time you’ve called him mom,” Warriors argues, motioning towards the sailor with his pipe, “he may as well be at this point.”

Wind curses.

Hyrule opens his mouth, hopefully to answer, but he too is quieted with a look from the veteran that earns a sheepish smile as the other flops back against Warriors, and the captain takes that as a cue to start playing with the travelers hair.

In a final, desperate hope, Time turns to Warriors, knowing the man usually can answer what questions other people can’t, but the other just shakes his head, averting his eyes with an exhausted huff that earns him a nudge from the vet. In turn, that earns a smile from Warriors, and between them Hyrule hums.

So he turns to Twilight, who just looks away with a heavily embarrassed flush that has a hint of shame to it, considering how his ears droop.

Wild, however, his cub, his new favorite child, winks at him and signs “later”.

“Why is Legend the mom?” Sky asks, pulling Wind back down into his lap again and continuing the previous conversation as if it hadn’t spiraled off a while ago.

“Well….” Wind gnaws his lip, but when neither Legend nor Warriors shoot him a warning look, the sailor answers. “Because, he is all those things I said you weren’t. He’s the stern one who makes sure we behave, and he gets on us when we don’t. But when Time starts getting too harsh, Legend’s the one that softens things.”

They all nod, even himself. He’d noticed it too, how the vet’s snark and sass tended to appear most when tensions were high and either he or someone else has said something potentially hurtful or harsh. It’s a blessing really, and Malon has pointed out to him a few times that if his boys weren’t covering his back like that, he’d likely have distanced himself too far from them to connect any longer. He’s trying to work on that, because he doesn’t want to lose them on account of his behavior or treatment of them, but it’s a difficult path and the only reason he’s still on it is because of those who help cover him, like Legend and Warriors.

“Legend also does all the typical mom stuff.” Wind continues, entirely unaware of his thoughts. “He does the bargaining and shopping, the laundry washing and all the mending. When we travel, he’s always doing a head-count to make sure we’re all there and if we aren’t he has us stop to go get the others- which Twilight does too! But Twilight only does it with Wild.”

“Wild is a lot to keep an eye on.” The rancher defends, but he’s smiling, ruffling the cub’s hair as he speaks, so it’s clear he takes no offense at the words.

Across camp from the two, the vet and captain nod in sinc, both sighing.

“I’m not that bad!” Wild protests, but the looks of the others assure that yes, he is very much a handful, but they also love him so they’re willing to put up with it. The champion sighs, pouting just a bit as he flops against his mentor, but the rancher tweaking his ear affectionately seems to soothe him a bit.

“Also,” Wind continues, grinning at the duo, “Legend does that thing where half the time he’s grumbling at you it’s actually because he’s worried.”

“Right?”

“Hyrule you traitor.” The vet hisses, nudging the youngster in his lap.

“And then there’s the pet names.” Four chuckles, simile saying he knows exactly what he’s doing.

“And the fact he’s always got just what you need at any given time in his bag.”

“Or can make it.”

“Or-”

“Point taken.” Legend huffs, loudly, “no more explanation needed.”

“So you agree?” Wind asks, grinning.

The vet rolls his eyes. “If you want to call me mom, that’s your business, but it’s late, I’m tired, and if you want that new tunic you’re going to go to bed because we have a long way to go in the morning and no one wants to have to carry you because you didn’t sleep.”

“Yes mom.”

The vet just rolls his eyes, but he’s smiling a bit too.

They settle down after that, appointing watch and saying their goodnights. Legend and Warriors take the first watch together, the vet doing a quick once over of the camp while Warriors checks their perimeter.

Later, in three hours, the two wake himself and Wild for the dead-man’s shift and then slip off to their bedrolls to sleep. It takes a moment, but they settle eventually and when at last both appear to have drifted off, Wild turns to him with a smile befitting of his name, softly shining blue eyes twinkling all the brighter in the darkness. “Okay, so here’s why people think Legend is Wind and Four’s mom…”

#linkeduniverse #linked universe #ketto writes #lu legend #lu warriors #lu twilight #lu wild #lu four #lu time #lu wind #lu sky #lu hyrule #crack fic

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