#now it’s Zelda’s turn that poor woman
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Chapter 7- The Meeting
The letter from Link has been haunting Zelda since she’s read it. She had planned to meet with the resistance in two days, and even moved her schedule around for it, but Link was demanding to meet with them now. It seemed that they would be here tonight, but Zelda was struggling to make time to meet them.
During the many meetings, it was all she could think about. How she was going to get to Telma’s bar, how she was going to disguise herself as Sheik, what she was going to say to Edmund and Amber. She was probably going to miss supper for this, but it was fine, this was more important than supper. She just wished that it hadn’t happened so last minute.
Goddesses, why couldn’t they wait two more days?
She didn’t pay attention to any of the meetings, anxious to get them done and to leave to get to the next one. She’d nearly fallen asleep countless times, and Edmund would discreetly wake her back up so she wouldn’t humiliate herself—which she was grateful for. She really wasn’t fit for any of this queen business at the moment, but there was so much to do, such little time.
As soon as the current meeting ended, Zelda found herself sitting in her chair, staring blankly at the wall instead of rushing to get to lunch. This was her only break, and she didn’t have the energy to move. Edmund didn’t move either, and he spoke to the nobles and representatives for Zelda as she stared. Soon the room was empty, and the two were left alone.
“Zelda,” Edmund started softly.
“It’s fine, Edmund. I just need a moment.”
Edmund stared at her. “You weren’t at breakfast.”
“No I was not.”
“You’ve missed breakfast these past few days.”
“I have.”
“And you’re about to miss lunch.”
“That’s fine.”
“And you look like death.”
Zelda gave Edmund an annoyed look and he leaned forward. “Zelda, you’re killing yourself. Why don’t you tell me everything that’s happening? Why don’t you let me help?”
Zelda continued to stare silently, not in the mood to argue.
“Look, I’m worried about you. I do… care about you. We were good friends as kids, and those memories I can’t forget. I want you to be taken care of, is that so wrong?”
Zelda stayed silent.
“You’re exhausted and you’re hungry,” Edmund continued when she said nothing, “I don’t want to think about how dehydrated you are. Just, come to lunch, take a break, and take care of yourself.”
“I can’t take a break whenever I want, I have too much to do—“
“Oh my Labryn, Zelda, the nobles can wait! They can wait for you! You need to take care of yourself first!”
Zelda sighed and stood up. “I’m not in the mood for this right now, Edmund.”
“When will you be in the mood? When you’re on your deathbed? I’m not wanting to wait until then!”
The queen didn’t respond and went to walk away. It was childish to not say anything, but she was too tired to argue. Too tired to think of something to say. She was just… so tired…
She reached the door and leaned against the wall, holding her aching head. She suddenly felt lightheaded and sick to her stomach. She heard footsteps approach her from behind and she gave Edmund a glare.
“Zelda?”
She huffed and reached for the door, but black dots appeared in her vision, and she felt herself begin to stagger.
“Zelda!”
Her stomach did somersaults as she began to fall, and soon she was surrounded by darkness.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The sun was beginning to set as Rusl and Link arrived at castle town. They moved quickly through the field, and Link could tell Epona was enjoying the free movement. She had become just as stir-crazy as he did after his adventure, so when she had a chance to move around outside of Ordon, she clearly enjoyed herself. When they arrived, they quickly got off their horses and headed into the town, trying not to take up too much space with their large animals. Normally, Link would let Epona roam free in the field while he did his errands in town, but after what he’s found out, he decided against it. It took a while to get to the bar; surprisingly the town was busy despite the day coming to an end, and people were always blocking their way, causing the horses to grow upset with the small space. Rusl and Link finally were able to tie their horses to a post near Telma’s bar where less people were at, and they hopped down the stairs and entered it. The bar was relatively empty, save for a few patrons who were quietly drinking by themselves. As usual, the place was dark and was only lit up by torches and candles scattered throughout. In the back, Telma and Auru were chatting at the table they all normally sat at, and Telma’s face lit up when she saw the two men, quickly burying them both in a hug when they got close.
“Link! Rusl! It’s so good to see you two!” She exclaimed, giving their shoulders a firm pat when she pulled away. Link smiled politely and let her lead the two men to the back table, where Auru was smiling.
“I figured you’d both be here tonight,” Auru said, ruffling Rusl’s hair as he sat down. “So what’s going on?”
“I’ll explain everything after Ashei and Shad get here,” Rusl said simply, fixing his ruffled hair.
“Hm, we sure they’ll be here tonight? This was pretty last minute.” Auru asked, leaning forward to look at both Rusl and Link.
“I know, I know it’s inconvenient but… it’s important,” Rusl frowned as Telma set down a mug of ginger ale in front of him, which he began to pick at mindlessly. “Me and Link found what’s been causing these disappearances, there’s no need to waste time anymore.”
Auru raised his eyebrows and he nodded knowingly. “Well then, that is quite important.”
Link nodded, staring at the milk in front of him—neither him nor his father bothered to drink anything. It was silent for a moment until Rusl awkwardly cleared his throat, catching Link and Auru’s attention.
“Well, we’re lucky you’re here, we won’t have to wait for you. You’re a lot harder to get a hold of than the others,” Rusl stated with a smile, and Auru gave a hearty laugh.
“Oh, my boy, I haven’t left castle town in weeks.”
“Did Sheik send you a letter?”
“He did. He told me to ask around castle town to gather information. It’s the only thing I’m capable of doing now,” Auru leaned back in his chair and stretched slowly, a pained expression on his face. “I’m getting too old for all this action.”
Rusl frowned and went back to staring at his drink. Link studied his father’s face, but it remained blank. When he really wanted to be, he was a master at hiding his emotions. There was a moment of silence again, being interrupted by Telma coming by to bring food for the two men, and Link couldn’t help but cheer softly.
“Oh goddesses, thank you Telma,” he said, already digging in, “I’m starvin’.”
Telma laughed and patted his shoulder. “I figured you’d both be hungry from the journey!”
“Aw, you didn’t have to do that, Telma,” Rusl chuckled slightly, and Telma lightly punched his shoulder.
“Oh, you hush, it’s the least I can do for my friends! Now eat up while we wait for the lovebirds to arrive!”
Link stared at Telma as she walked away, and he turned to look at Auru. “Are Ashei and Shad—“
“Engaged.”
Link’s mouth dropped. “Engaged? When did this happen?”
“A couple of weeks ago.”
Rusl and Link both glanced at each other in shock. Link knew that there was something going on between them, but after ten years, he figured that it was nothing.
“How did you know about this?” Link asked.
“They announced it when they stopped by,” Auru explained, gesturing with his hands. “I hang around here most of the time so me and Telma got to hear about it.”
“It’s about time,” Rusl scoffed, a teasing smile on his lips. “Those two were drivin’ me crazy!”
“No kidding! It’s a little late though. I doubt Ashei would be able to have kids at her age.”
Rusl’s face scrunched up. “What are you talkin’ about? She’s barely thirty! And you’re a fool if you think that Ashei and Shad would even want kids.”
“Oh come now, they’re good with kids!”
Rusl gave Link a look and he snorted. They both knew that they were terrible with kids. They could keep them alive, but they couldn’t keep them from crying. Auru rolled his eyes and waved his hand away.
“I just think it’s a waste to get married and then not have kids.”
“That’s an old way of thinking, Auru,” Rusl said, finally taking a sip of his ginger ale. “Some people don’t need to have kids. It ain’t our business what they want to do anyways.”
Auru scoffed slightly, but he didn’t continue. Link continued to eat in silence, not realizing how sloppy he was being. He was ravenous. He felt Auru watching him and he looked up.
“What?”
“You’re eating like a growing teenage boy. When was the last time you ate?” Auru teased slightly, and Link scratched the back of his head.
“It’s… actually been less than two days,” he muttered, giving Rusl a look. Neither of them ate dinner before searching the woods. They spent the next day sleeping and then the whole day traveling. Auru’s eyes widened when Rusl and Link remained silent, both having guilty looks on their faces.
“Neither of you have eaten in two days?” He asked, shocked.
“Maybe a bit longer than that–” Link muttered, and Rusl jabbed at him lightly.
“It’s fine—“ Rusl quickly said, but Auru shook his head.
“Eat that food Telma gave you, boy!” He commanded in a stern tone. Rusl quickly turned to the food and started eating it, looking like a guilty kid. Link snorted slightly and his pa glared him down. Auru patted his back with a satisfied look and leaned back.
“Must’ve been a crazy few days. What did Sheik have you do?”
“He wanted us to investigate a missing woman and Goron from Kakariko,” Link answered since Rusl’s mouth was full of bread.
“Ah, so that’s how you found it.”
Link glanced at Rusl who went back to staring blankly at the food. Auru picked up on the mood change and frowned.
“What is it?”
“We’ll explain when Shad and Ashei get here,” Rusl said quietly. Auru looked between the two and frowned.
“Alright,” he said, a worried look on his face as he stared at Rusl. It grew silent at the table again and the old man glanced up, his face lighting up. “Speaking of…”
Link turned around and saw Ashei and Shad walking to the group. Ashei looked annoyed while Shad smiled at the group. Rusl turned as well and shot up from his seat, marching towards the two.
“Hey! You two jerks!” He shouted, pulling them both into a hug. “You can’t just get engaged and not tell me!”
“Well next time, be here when we visit!” Shad teased, hugging him back. Ashei smiled slightly and gave Link a nod as he walked up to the two.
“When’s the wedding?” Rusl asked, his hands on the two’s arms.
“Don’t know yet, we’re just playing it by ear,” Shad answered, looking at Ashei who nodded.
“We’re in no rush,” she added.
“Well, you better have me as your best man, alright?” Rusl said with a smirk.
“My dear Rusl, I wouldn’t have it any other way!” Shad laughed. He glanced at Link and walked towards him. “And how are you doing, old boy?”
Link chuckled and gave him a side hug. “I’m doin’ fine. I’m happy for y’all!”
“Oh thank you,” Shad glanced at Ashei who was chatting with Rusl, a happy expression on his face. “I wouldn’t have imagined being with her, but here we are.”
“Love is a fickle thing, isn’t it?”
“Indeed it is.”
Rusl and Ashei walked up to the two. “Let’s sit down and talk, yeah?” Ashei started, “I want to know why you both were so intent on meeting today.”
“We can’t, not without Sheik,” Rusl sighed, sitting down. “He’s not here yet.”
“This has been eating me up inside, and you’re saying I have to wait longer?” Shad said lightheartedly.
Ashei pulled Shad down in the seat next to hers and gave him a look. “Sheik may be busy, this was pretty last minute, yeah?”
“So I’ve been told,” Rusl grumbled. Auru patted him on the shoulder with a chuckle, and the group started to lightly poke fun at Rusl. Telma came by with food and drinks for the couple that arrived, and she closed the curtains to give them privacy.
“Tell me when you start talking about what happened,” she said, “I still have work to do, but I’ll be sure to kick everyone out.”
“Sure thing Telma,” Link said with a nod, and the curtains were fully closed, leaving the group isolated from the drunkards that came to the bar.
“So… what did Sheik have you two do?” Link asked the couple, and they glanced at each other.
“Sheik told us to help investigate the disappearances with a captain named Hoz,” Ashei answered. “We really weren’t finding anything of importance though.”
“Ah, did you come here with him?”
“No, he was quite intent on continuing the investigations,” Shad jumped in, pushing his glasses up his nose. “That was the most focused soldier of Hyrule I’ve ever met.”
“It’s good, Hyrule needs more men like him,” Ashei said, staring at her drink.
“Though he was sort of a pain to work with,” Shad mumbled.
Ashei snorted. “He was. Everything needed to go his way otherwise he would implode.”
“... Does Hyrule still need more men like him?” Auru asked cheekily, and Ashei glared at him.
“Yes.”
Shad laughed slightly and sat up straight. “Yes yes, he was still good to work with. I’m glad that some soldiers are still trying to do their jobs.”
Ashei gave a knowing nod and took a sip of her drink as the others mumbled in agreement. The group started to chat about mundane things, how they were doing, how the families were doing, and what they had planned afterwards. Link was constantly looking over his shoulder, expecting Sheik to suddenly appear (which he did every time they met up), yet there was no sign of him. Rusl was getting more anxious as the evening went on, constantly fidgeting with his hands or pacing the small room, pretending to be observing the wall. Soon it became too late–the bar was fully empty as Telma closed it down and kicked out angry drunks, and the only area lit up was the back room where the resistance sat. Yet no sign of Sheik, and Auru finally let out a loud sigh.
“I don’t think Sheik is coming.”
“We just need to be patient,” Ashei said, “she’s a busy person.”
Auru frowned. “‘She?’ You think Sheik’s a woman?”
Ashei’s eyes widened for a moment, but she quickly recovered. “W-well, Sheik is just a mysterious person, that’s all. I uh… say she could be a woman… or… something.”
The group stared at Ashei who stared hard at her drink.
“And what makes you think they’re a woman?” Auru pressed, a teasing smile on his lips.
“What makes you think they’re a man?” Ashei snapped back, getting angry. Auru raised his hands defensively.
“I’m just teasing you. You just never get flustered like that!”
Ashei glared at him and started cursing under her breath in frustration. Shad cleared his throat, wrapping an arm around her.
“Well, it doesn’t matter if Sheik is a man or a woman, what matters is that they’re not here right now.” He glanced up at Rusl who was still pacing back and forth near a corner. “We should start without them.”
Ashei sighed and nodded, a defeated look on her face. Auru nodded as well and stood up to drag Rusl back to the table. Link stared worriedly at his pa as he sat down, his face drained of all blood as he stared blankly at the table.
“Goddesses, are you alright?” Shad asked, and Rusl waved his concern away.
“‘M fine,” he mumbled. The group didn’t seem convinced by that answer, but they didn’t say anything else.
“Well, Link, Rusl,” Auru started, “tell us what happened. What is taking these missing people?”
Link glanced at Rusl who was still staring at the table, and he stood up, deciding to lead the conversation.
“Do you guys remember the shadow beasts?”
The group all froze, staring at Link with wide eyes.
“Shadow beasts? You mean those horrible black creatures that plagued all of Hyrule during the Twilight invasion?” Shad asked, and Link nodded.
“Yes, I… me and my pa found one in the woods… two nights ago,” Link frowned for a moment, that night feeling ages ago. He continued, “I think it’s a shadow beast that’s gotten stronger for the past ten years. It’s what’s been taking these people.”
“Oh… Labryn…” Ashei muttered under her breath.
“How do you know it’s the cause of all these disappearances?” Auru asked.
“We–uh—” Link glanced at Rusl who was still unmoving. “We sorta… found out the hard way…”
“Oh no… did someone–?” Shad started, but Link quickly stopped him.
“No, no it’s ok. I was able to stop the abduction but… I think it’s pretty obvious that this… mutated shadow beast is what’s causing all the disappearances.”
“Ok,” Ashei breathed out, “so it’s one of those shadow beasts, a little mutated, but we know what it is now. We should go out looking for it, yeah?”
Link pursed his lips. “Yes, but… be warned. I fought so many of those things by myself back then–”
“Yes you did! You were marvelous with the way you slashed them with your sword!” Shad exclaimed, swinging his arm around as if he had a weapon. Link smiled but it quickly went away.
“Yeah, well… I fought this one, and it didn’t die no matter what I did, so… I think we should be careful. We can’t underestimate this thing.”
The group nodded.
“Alright, well, thank you for telling us Link,” Auru said. “No one in Castle Town described anything like that.”
“No kidding,” Ashei replied and Link nodded glumly. This wouldn’t have happened if he hadn’t let such a thing live, he couldn’t help but feel guilty over it.
“Well, it’s late, we can discuss plans tomorrow, but in the meantime, I think we should all get some rest,” Auru stared sternly at Rusl and Link, “you two especially. I can tell you need it.”
Link smiled slightly and Rusl got up quietly, leaving the room in an instant. The group stared in shock as he disappeared behind the curtain. Auru looked at Link and pointed at where Rusl left.
“Is he alright?”
“I… I don’t know…” Link looked down, debating on whether he should tell them the details of what happened, but he really didn’t want to, and he didn’t know if Rusl would want him to. “He’s probably just tired… the uh… the shadow beast was… aggressive to say the least. I’m gonna go talk to him real quick.”
He felt everyone’s eyes on him as he left, and he glanced at Telma who looked worried, but she forced a smile when she saw Link.
“Did you all start the conversation without me?”
“Oh— goddesses Telma I’m so sorry—“
Telma waved his apology away. “I’ll make the others tell me. Rusl went upstairs, sweet pea.”
Link nodded and slowly walked up the stairs, his entire body suddenly feeling heavy. He glanced around at the secret upstairs inn, trying to remember which one was normally reserved for him and Rusl. He poked his head in the first room, finding Rusl laying on one of the beds, his hands resting on his face. Rusl flinched when he sensed another person near him, but he quickly relaxed when it was Link.
“Spirits, Link,” he chuckled, lying back down. Link smiled and sat down on the other bed across from him.
“Pa… are you…?” He started, but he stopped when Rusl glanced at him. Rusl’s face didn’t hold any annoyance, but instead guilt. He sat up and sighed.
“I’m ok, Link. I’m… sorry for how I was acting down there… I just…” Rusl paused for a moment before sighing again, resting against the wall. Link tilted his head
“What?”
“Oh… it’s not your burden to bear.”
“Well… I kinda already know why you’re upset so… hiding it from me is a fruitless effort.”
Rusl grinned slightly. “I suppose so… I just…. Ever since that night I’ve been feeling so… terrified every waking moment—no—even when I’m trying to sleep I’m terrified, I just—“ he stopped himself and rubbed his face. “I don’t know.”
Link frowned. “I know the shadow beasts would turn people into other shadow beasts, maybe you’re still feeling the effects from that?”
Rusl shrugged, a disturbed look on his face.
“You… also were almost eaten,” Link chuckled darkly, “that would traumatize anyone.”
Rusl smirked slightly, but it quickly went away, so Link continued.
“I mean… I know I’ve nearly been eaten myself. So many times. By giant plants, and a giant eel, and wolfos trying to tear me to pieces, and spiders, and I guess smaller plants too, plus another giant spider, and possibly a lot of other things and—“
Rusl’s face had grown more concerned the longer Link rambled, and he quickly tried to recover.
“I-I mean, I turned out fine! Maybe? I mean maybe I haven’t turned out fine but—but it’s fine! I’ve kinda gotten used to it, everything trying to eat me. Heh, it makes me wonder if I taste good. I mean Midna will definitely say that I taste good but, you know—“
“Link, I don’t need to know this,” Rusl interrupted him, though he almost seemed amused. Link blushed slightly and scratched the back of his head.
“S-sorry, that kinda came out.”
Rusl chuckled slightly, which made Link feel a little better. He observed his father’s tired face and frowned.
“Pa… you should get some rest.”
Rusl raised an eyebrow. “Doting and worrying is supposed to be my job Link, not yours.”
“Well, who did I get it from?” Link rebutted, and Rusl laughed.
“Correction then: doting is a parent’s job.”
“But I am a parent.”
“Not my parent!”
Link snorted and Rusl joined him in his laughter. It felt good to laugh after these past few days. Link sniffed and sighed, staring at Rusl’s bed.
“You should get some rest though, Pa.”
“You should get some rest too, Link.”
Link pursed his lips and looked down, shifting uncomfortably.
“Not as much as you.”
Rusl raised an eyebrow. “How much sleep have you gotten in the past forty-eight hours?”
Link clamped his mouth shut. “I… um… like… four…. hours…?”
Rusl smirked and gestured for him to come over. Link sighed and trudged over to him, the lack of sleep catching up to him. He rested against Rusl’s side while he wrapped his arm around him, and Link finally relaxed. It always felt good to be held by one of his parents. Being an adult, it didn’t happen as often compared to when he was a kid. Rusl started playing with the tip of his ear and he lightly kissed his forehead.
“I’m proud of you, Link,” he said softly.
“For what?”
“For becoming the man you are today. You’re a good person, determined, and kind. And I’m proud of you for it.”
Link smiled slightly. “But you and ma raised me to be that way.”
“Oh, we were only trying to nudge you kids in the right direction. Ultimately, it was you who chose to become a good person. Give yourself more credit.”
Link sighed and drowsiness began to get the better of him.
“Thanks. I love you pa.”
Sleep began to take over him as he heard his pa say one last thing.
“I love you too, my son.”
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Zelda awoke with a jolt. She was in her bed, her heavy dress was replaced with a lighter one, and her daughter was reading a book by her side. She rubbed her eyes and sat up, startling Amber.
“Mother! You’re awake!” She exclaimed, closing her book. “We were so worried!”
Zelda looked around the room, confused. How long has she been out?
“Father came to me and asked me to stay by your side! I hadn’t left once!” Amber continued. “I’ve just been reading this book about birds, I’m hoping to find one to match the birds Hylians used to ride, but so far none of them have been big enough…”
“Amber,” Zelda rubbed her eyes, still feeling exhausted. “Where’s your father?”
“He’s in meetings right now, he said he’ll come by to see if you’re awake!”
Zelda groaned and rubbed her face. What had been happening while she was out? She hated not being in control of everything.
“I hope you’re alright,” Amber added quietly, and Zelda glanced over at her. She had a worried look on her face, and she couldn’t help but smile.
“I’m fine, thank you for watching over me,” Zelda said with a smile, and Amber beamed at the praise.
“I’m so glad mother! Do you want me to fetch you some supper? It’s a little late but—“
“Wait, how long have I been asleep?”
“Oh! Um… a few hours.”
Zelda tried to hide her frustration, and she turned away as she groaned. She didn’t have time for this. She still needed to meet with the resistance! If she didn’t leave now…
Amber gasped as Zelda started to get out of bed, ignoring the vertigo that assaulted her.
“Um… mother? Father told me to make sure you stayed in bed a-and—“
“I’ll be fine, Amber,” Zelda grumbled, but she knew she wouldn’t be. It didn’t matter though, she needed to be somewhere.
“But… father said…” Amber’s voice trailed off, and Zelda heard another person enter the room.
“Zelda,” Edmund’s voice called out, and she sighed. Great.
“Father!” Amber hopped up and ran to him. “Mother’s awake! Do you want me to get a meal for her?”
“No, I already sent a maid to do that, my dear. You go get yourself to bed.”
Amber nodded and looked back at Zelda. “Goodnight mother.”
Zelda smiled slightly. “Goodnight Amber.”
She lingered for a moment, her mouth agape, but she finally turned away and left the room. Edmund and Zelda remained silent, both staring intensely at each other. Finally, Edmund let out a huff and started to walk forward.
“I’m glad you’re awake,” he said, “I brought you something.”
Zelda frowned. “What is it?”
Edmund sat down on the bed with her and handed her a little box. She carefully opened it to reveal a chocolate orange. She blinked several times, wondering if the lack of sleep had finally caught up to her and that she was hallucinating it. But the smell hit her nostrils, and she lightly traced the chocolatey edges.
“I remember you loved these things as a kid,” Edmund muttered, a nostalgic smile on his face. “I always hated them, but I did enjoy eating one slice with you whenever you had them.”
Zelda couldn’t help but smile as she grabbed a slice of the chocolate. She glanced at Edmund and her smile dropped slightly.
“How do you know I still love these?” She asked, and Edmund took in a quiet, deep breath.
“Do you?”
Zelda looked down and put one in her mouth. The chocolate instantly melted as it hit her tongue, the sweet flavor mixing with the tanginess of the orange rewarding her taste buds, and she couldn’t help but close her eyes in satisfaction. She hasn’t had one of these in years.
“It seems you still like it,” Edmund chuckled. Zelda opened her eyes and turned away, embarrassed.
“Yes,” she mumbled. Edmund hummed and leaned back, resting on his hands.
“I’m glad.”
Zelda turned to look at him, his mustache lifted up with his smile. “Why’d you bring this to me?” She asked.
“Oh, I figured you’d need an energy boost. Chocolate does wonders for that,” Edmund reached for a slice. “May I?”
Zelda nodded and offered one to him. He took a slice and bit into half of it. His face scrunched up in disgust and he covered his mouth. “Eugh, I still don’t like it.”
Zelda smiled and almost let out a giggle. “That’s quite a shame, they’re so delightful.”
Edmund grinned and stared at the uneaten slice. “I probably should’ve put the full thing in my mouth, now what will I do with this?”
Zelda stared at it for a moment, and before she could even think, she plucked it out of his hand.
“Can’t let it go to waste,” she said before putting the rest of the slice in her mouth. Edmund looked surprised but his expression softened into a pleasant smile. Zelda looked away, her face flushing slightly, and she picked at the remaining chocolates. “Thank you for this Edmund, that was very thoughtful of you.”
Edmund nodded. “Of course. I… I just want to help out.”
It grew silent between the two—any feeling of contentment was gone in an instant. Edmund picked up on Zelda’s discomfort and he let out a sigh.
“Why won’t you accept my help?”
Zelda glanced up at him. Where an accusatory and bitter tone normally was, this time, there was just curiosity. He was trying, it was only fair that Zelda tried as well.
But could she trust him?
It was kind of him to try to help her, but was he trying to manipulate her into trusting him? She remembered her father always showering her mother with gifts whenever he did something to upset her. It was always a way to regain her trust. Was Edmund trying to do the same?
“Listen, becoming the king of Hyrule hasn’t been an easy transition for me,” Edmund started, his back turned to Zelda, “Labrynna gives its power to the king, but here in Hyrule, all of the power goes to the queen.” He let out a breath while Zelda remained silent. He’s never told her this before. “I admit I’ve felt…. Emasculated as a result, and I’ve been acting childish because of it. For that I am sorry.” He glanced back at Zelda, an almost worried expression on his face, but Zelda stayed quiet. “But, I feel useless. I feel like I’m being used for my connection to my family, and that I’m nothing more than an object to your people and… I suppose that’s why I’ve been… frustrated about you keeping things to yourself. But… looking at you now, I’ve grown more worried than upset. You’ve overworked yourself so much to the point that you collapsed. That’s not a good thing. I suppose I… I just want to know why you’re so intent on doing everything yourself, when I’m here to… help you.”
Zelda stared at him for a moment, his emerald green eyes never leaving hers. For once, Zelda couldn’t find her words. She knew she should try to communicate with him—he was being so open with her, but why? Was he trying to worm his way into her life? Or was he being genuine? He’s never taken the time to sit down and talk to her about things, but then again, Zelda never gave him the chance. Did he deserve her to try to be open as well? She turned away, emotions running rampant. She couldn’t cry, it wasn’t queenly to do so, but she was so tired. She took a deep breath to control herself.
“I… I don’t know if I can trust you,” she finally said softly. She felt Edmund shift beside her.
“Why?”
“I–I’ve watched my father strip my mother of all her power. He took everything away from her, ruled Hyrule as a tyrant, and took control of every aspect of my life. It doesn’t matter if Hyrule gives the power to the queen, the king can take over and I can’t let that happen again. It’s happened to me twice now and… I just… I–” She hiccuped slightly and she rubbed her exhausted eyes. It was quiet as she once again tried to take control of her emotions, and she glanced up at Edmund, who looked horrified.
“I had no idea,” he finally said. “I always– I know we didn’t see each other a lot but… I didn’t know…”
Zelda sniffed and sat up straight. “My father did a good job at hiding it. And he made sure I hid it as well.”
Edmund gave her a sad look. “I’m so sorry. I…” He grew silent for a moment. “... thank you for telling me. I’ll leave you be. A maid should come by with food for you.”
“I-I can’t stay I need to–”
“Zelda.” Edmund gave her a firm look. “I…I ask that you give yourself rest and proper nourishment, please.”
Zelda stared for a moment, remembering the resistance. “I can’t. I still need to meet up with—“ she stopped herself and Edmund raised an eyebrow.
“With… your friends that are taking care of the disappearances?”
Zelda pursed her lips. “Yes.”
“Perhaps I can meet with them in your stead.”
She shook her head quickly. “No I—“ they didn’t know that she was the queen; if Edmund came instead, they would figure it out, even if one already knew about it. And she certainly couldn’t tell Edmund about Sheik. Frustration was apparent on Edmund’s face, and he sucked in a sharp breath and stood up.
“So are you just going to keep pushing yourself until you die? Sure, you may not trust me, I understand that. But you have representatives, diplomats, nobles, even guards that could go in your stead! Why can’t you utilize them?”
“Edmund. I. Can’t. A-at least…” Zelda looked down, her eyes going back and forth between the chocolate orange, the bed, and Edmund. He did have a point; she couldn’t keep going on like this. She really could end up dying from her neglect, which would be an awful thing for Amber and for the resistance. But she knew no one could help the resistance with the disappearances. She had to take care of that herself. But… perhaps with everything else…. Goddesses, she hoped she wasn’t making a mistake. “Could you… just take care of the meetings tomorrow? I must deal with these disappearances on my own.”
Edmund’s expression softened and he nodded. “I’ll take care of them.”
Zelda smiled. “Thank you.”
“Will you… visit Amber before you leave anywhere?”
Her lips parted and she nodded. Edmund nodded back, and for the first time in years, there was a mutual understanding between them. Edmund hesitated for a moment before finally turning to leave. Zelda was left alone, and she contemplated everything that had just happened.
She collapsed after a meeting and slept through the entire day. Her daughter stayed by her side while Edmund took care of the rest of the day. He brought her chocolates and they had a conversation that didn’t result in them fighting. They opened up to each other… and now…
She sighed. She needed to meet with the resistance, that was her first priority. Hopefully it wasn’t too late.
She wasted no time to get into her disguise, despite her exhausted body and rumbling stomach. Just as she was about to sneak out, she remembered what Edmund asked of her.
“Will you… visit Amber before you leave anywhere?”
She sighed. She’s been a terrible mother to her own daughter, not spending any time with her despite Amber desperately wanting to. If the resistance needing to meet up tonight hadn’t been about the missing people, she probably would have been tempted to stay. Maybe spend time with her family, her daughter, and try to be the mother Amber deserved. But she knew this was important; it had better be important. She needed to take care of this, and she needed to find the missing people so that Hyrule would be safe for Amber. If the resistance found out important information about the disappearances—like where the missing people were—she would personally go to rescue them herself and eradicate any threat that came in her way. This threat would come to an end, Zelda would make sure of it.
But it meant she would be gone for a while. So she didn’t know when she would see Amber again.
Zelda quietly snuck into Amber’s room, her daughter curled up in her bed, clutching a bird stuffed animal to her chest. She brought her mask down and walked up to her daughter, emotions going through her once again. Her sweet little Amber, growing up before her very eyes, and she was missing all of it.
Her hand brushed against Amber’s temple and she began to stir. She looked up at her mother and furrowed her brow.
“Mother?”
Zelda’s breath hitched and she helped Amber sit up.
“Amber,” she started, “I know… I know I haven’t been the best mother, but I want you to know that I love you with every fiber of my being.” Zelda pulled Amber close and hugged her. “I love you so much.”
She rocked her back and forth, Amber clinging to her tightly. Despite her dry eyes, Zelda found tears forming, and she had to choke back a sob. Amber however wasn’t hiding her crying, and she felt her tears soaking into her clothes. She finally pulled back, wiping away a tear on Amber’s cheek and rested her forehead against hers.
“I promise I’ll try to be better,” Zelda whispered, pecking her on the forehead, and she stood up, walking towards the door.
“M-mother?” Amber called out.
“I’ll be back,” Zelda promised. “Just stay here with your father and focus on your studies. I… I love you.”
“I love you too…”
Zelda’s heart hurt more than her aching body as she turned away. How many times has she turned her own daughter away? How many times has she brushed her off when Amber reached out? She ran out, her frustrations over herself giving her the energy she needed to escape the castle. How will Amber view her when she grew older? Would she resent her the same way Zelda resented her father? Would she feel unloved by her own mother? She stopped as she reached the entrance to the courtyard, looking back at the castle. She was panting heavily, sad and angry tears finally pouring down her face.
It didn’t matter what her father tried to do to her, Zelda never felt worthy of being queen. She didn’t feel worthy of anything in her life. Especially her own daughter.
Amber deserved a better mother.
For a moment as she stared at her castle, she thought she saw Edmund watching her, but his supposed silhouette went away in an instant. She turned away, her head hanging, and finally marched to Telma’s bar.
It was late, she didn’t know how late it was, but it was late enough for no one to be out in the streets save for a few guards. Sheik’s stomach was cramping terribly, and her throat and tongue felt like sandpaper. She almost wished she stayed behind to eat the food Edmund got for her, but she knew she couldn’t let the resistance down. She leaned against a wall catching her breath, her hand rubbing against a box in her pouch. She didn’t know why she grabbed the chocolate orange Edmund gave her; she supposed she couldn’t leave it behind. She continued onward to Telma’s bar, feeling that it was a much longer walk than what she remembered. She normally went through the dungeons to reach Telma’s bar, but from how she was feeling, she didn’t have the strength to go that way. As if to prove her right, her knees nearly buckled as she went down the stairs, causing her to stumble into the door. She pulled back and blinked harshly trying to clear her head. She took a deep breath to calm herself and she went inside. The bell rang loudly through the empty bar, announcing her presence.
“Sorry, we’re closed right now,” she heard Telma call out from the back. The barmaid poked her head from the curtains and her face lit up. “Sheik! Well, it’s about time you got here, honey!”
Sheik awkwardly shuffled forward, allowing herself to be hugged by Telma.
“S-sorry I’m late,” she mumbled, not caring if Telma heard her or not.
“Oh… it’s not me you should apologize to. The others have already gone to bed, save for Ashei and Shad— well… actually it’s just Ashei,” Telma laughed slightly. Sheik was disappointed that the others had already gone to sleep, it was much later than what she hoped for, but she was slightly relieved that Ashei was the only one awake save for Telma. Though Sheik had tried to keep her Royal identity a secret, Ashei had found out about it. She had to admit, it was nice not having to hide everything from one person. She could at least confide in her with everything that has been happening.
“My, you look terrible,” Telma continued, eyeing Sheik worriedly. “Here, let me whip you up something real quick—“
“Oh, no you don’t have to do that—“ a loud grumble from her stomach interrupted her and Telma raised an eyebrow. Sheik looked down, embarrassed. “Apologies.”
“You’re alright sweetheart, just head to the back and I’ll get you some soup.”
Sheik nodded and walked to the back where she saw Ashei and Shad sitting next to each other. Shad was asleep, his head against Ashei’s shoulder, while Ashei had her arm wrapped around him. She had a pleasant smile on her lips as she watched him, until she looked up, spotting Sheik.
“Are you going to sit down, or are you going to keep watching us like a creep?” She asked, and Sheik straightened.
“A-apologies… I didn’t mean to stare.”
“Don’t worry about it, yeah?” Ashei glanced at Shad, then back at her. “I wanted to stay up to wait for you. I knew you’d get here eventually. He was intent on staying up with me, but I guess he couldn’t do it.”
Sheik smiled despite Ashei not being able to see it. “I’m sorry I came so late.”
“You’re fine, but what happened? Why did it take so long for you to get here?”
“I…” Sheik didn’t want to talk about her fainting today, nor about her lack of sleep, food, and water. “I’ve just been very busy.”
Ashei studied her for a moment. “Are you alright?”
Sheik looked up at her, and simply shook her head. “I’ve been very busy,” she repeated.
“Labryn… Zel—Sheik, you can leave this to the rest of us. You don’t have to help us every second, yeah?”
“I know, but I’m tired of sitting here not knowing what’s going on. Not actively trying to better my kingdom.”
Ashei shook her head. “You can’t do everything by yourself. That’s why the resistance is here, to help Hyrule.”
“I know… I know… I just…” Sheik sighed. Goddesses she was exhausted. The two grew silent until Telma came in with a bowl.
“I could only make some broth, I hope that’s ok, sweet pea.”
Sheik felt herself beginning to drool and she gratefully took the bowl. “This is wonderful, thank you, Telma,” she said. Telma gave her a soft smile.
“Of course honey! That’s why I’m here, to take care of my friends.”
The word “friends” stuck with Sheik, and she looked down at the bowl, her emotions running rampant once again, though her eyes were finally too dry to cry again.
“Now, if you two will excuse me, I’m going to head to bed myself.” Telma turned to Ashei with a teasing smile. “Unless you need me to carry him to bed of course.”
Ashei gave her an annoyed smirk. “I can do that myself. Thank you though.”
The barmaid gave a hearty laugh. “Alright, good night you too. And Sheik? I have some water on the table for you. Take care.”
Sheik glanced at the cup on the table, her thirst becoming unbearable.
“Thank you,” she said again, and Telma turned away, leaving the two women alone. Sheik glanced around, eyeing Shad cautiously, and Ashei caught on.
“Don’t worry, he’s out like a light.”
“But what if he wakes up and sees me without my mask?”
“Then I’ll knock him back out, yeah?”
Sheik chuckled softly and pulled her mask down. Though it wasn’t filling, the broth was amazing, and the water made her feel much better than before. She sighed as she drank the broth, feeling relief run through her body as she finally got nutrients in her body. She glanced at Ashei who watched her worriedly, and she looked down.
“How was Hoz?” Sheik asked.
“Oh, he was fine. Quite determined to find the missing people. He’s a good man.”
Sheik smiled slightly. “Indeed, he is. What did Link and Rusl need?”
Ashei’s breath hitched. “They found what’s been causing these disappearances.”
Sheik gasped and nearly dropped her bowl. Though it was exactly what she had hoped for, she was still surprised that it actually happened. “What is it? What’s causing it?”
“Link thinks it’s a shadow beast.”
Dread instantly filled Sheik’s body. Memories of the beasts breaking through her castle and slaughtering the guards came in at once, and she clenched her fists. How…?
“We hope to make a plan to hunt and kill it, but according to Link, it’s gotten powerful over the past ten years, and it won’t die so easily.”
Sheik swallowed hard and nodded. “I see… any… any news on the people?”
Ashei shook her head sadly. “No, they only mentioned the beast I’m afraid.”
Sheik slumped slightly. If it was a shadow beast taking these people then… they probably weren’t alive anymore. She remembered watching Zant turn her guards into shadow beasts before her eyes, even those who weren’t personally cursed turned when beside them. Even her own parents turned into creatures of darkness…
Were the people dead? Or had they turned into shadow beasts, doomed to be mindless monsters until they’re put out of their misery? Sheik didn’t know. But if that were the case, wouldn’t they have known about the resurgence of shadow beasts? Either way, Sheik was having a hard time being hopeful about the fate of the missing people.
“We’re going to be doing a lot of planning tomorrow,” Ashei continued, “I don’t know when we’ll head out, but if you’re wanting to come with us, I suggest you get some rest, yeah?”
Sheik looked up at Ashei who had a firm expression on her face. Sheik had grown tired of everyone telling her to rest, but with the food and water in her system, she couldn’t fight back the sleepiness.
“Alright,” she mumbled before standing up, staring at her empty bowl confused.
“I can take care of that,” Ashei said, and Sheik set it down awkwardly. “We can talk more tomorrow, yeah?”
Sheik nodded and dragged herself up the stairs where several rooms were hidden. Her eyes were barely open as she tried to find a room to go in. She typically took the first room, so she opened the door and threw her head cover and mask off, closing the door behind her which left the room in total darkness. She stumbled over to the bed closest to her and fell asleep before her head could even hit the pillow.
#smiles writes#love at twilight#I miss Kori :(#dw he’ll be here probably in the next chapter#twilight princess#gosh I LOVE the resistance#they’re so fun#oh Zelda …#how much I love exploring your character that I made up#I should really put a summary so that people will see this and know what my fic is about#but I guess they could go to AO3 to see the summary#hm#hope you guys like it!!#Edmund is going to therapy#/hj#now it’s Zelda’s turn that poor woman#and poor Amber#AGH I poor everyone
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“Good morning, birthday boy.”
Both Antoine and Zelda were now well used to rising at sunrise, so the words hadn’t woken him; but they did pull him out of the nebulous ether between sleep and wakefulness, so he moved closer to the woman curled around his back, “Oh, is that today?”
“Don’t play coy with me. That’s my job.”
Her hand wrapped around his waist, down his chest and to his drawstring, “I’m an old man now, my love, how could you possibly want someone with such wrinkles? I do believe I even found a gray hair yesterday.” A light laugh sounded in his ear, prompting him to turn and face her, “You can be so dramatic for a stoic. Thirty-six is not old.”
It was getting harder to answer her, to keep his tone measured as one of her hands wrapped around his neck and the other grazed up and down his arm. He brought his hand to her thigh, just below the lace of her silk shorts, “Oh you don’t believe me, do you? You should have heard the creak my knee made yesterday. I think it even scared off one of the horses.”
This time she did laugh aloud, shaking his hand off her thigh by throwing her leg onto the other side of his waist and sinking her weight down onto him. Her tone was as close to mocking as it ever came, “Yet not a peep from mine. Thank God at least one of us is still young enough for this.”
“Oh you’ll see one day, young lady. It’s tough to get old…” But by that point he had all but given up trying to speak without his voice descending into sighs. Her lips were trailing down his stomach, just slowly enough to answer him with a smile he had to look down to catch, “Sounds terrible. You poor thing. I suppose I’ll have to take care of you from now on, won’t I?”
Antoine took another glance out the window, where the day had already somehow grown brighter than he realized; but still he didn’t hurry Zelda with the last of his buttons. She caught his glance and finished the final one, “Don’t worry. You’ll barely be late.”
He pulled her close to him before grabbing his hat from the hook on the wall, “I know. And Mabel’s bakin’ a cake for lunch, so I doubt it’ll be much of a hard day.”
“Oh, so you did know.”
“You don’t have a market on coy, my dear.” He pulled his arm away and returned her wide smile, placing the hat on his head before grabbing her hand one final time, “How ‘bout you bring Violette over after you and Gio finish up work? She can have some cake and you and Mabel can enjoy yourselves.”
She answered with a quick kiss before turning to dress in her own work clothes, “Sounds great, old man.”
After their morning tasks, Antoine was standing in the stables with Silver. Before his daughter got there or he got another minute older, there was one thing he knew he wanted to do; and if he didn’t have the confidence to do it today he knew he never would.
She had been friendly with him for weeks now, and he kept hearing Abe’s words in his mind tempting him like a daydream, “You get her to let you ride her and you’re welcome to, anytime you like.” Only she wasn’t some trained horse, she was wild and distrustful. Sometimes her nostrils still flared menacingly in his presence and he thought that maybe, despite all their time together, she still even hated him. But as he ran his hand along her shining black coat, she blinked slowly, trustingly, and he knew that it was the day.
He went to the front of the barn, where he grabbed the riding gear that had sat tempting him every day. First he set the blanket atop her, then the saddle. He stopped periodically as he adjusted it, listening and looking for any sign of her anger, but she stayed patient with him each step. Finally he placed the bridle on her face and buckled the strap in front of her chest. It was like she understood that the movement had fully encircled her in some sort of trap, and she kicked her legs angrily as her eyes went dark.
Any other day he might have walked away, or undone the buckle around her chest, but today he knelt down in front of her so he could look her in the eyes. “Hey old girl, hey,” the words were half spoken, half whistled, “it’s me, okay? Just me. You can trust me.”
Her kicking stopped and her eyes seemed to settle on him, blinking slower and slower as he ran his hand along the side of her neck.
He walked beside her, letting out a shaky breath and putting a hand on her thigh. Alright, Antoine. Now or never. Don’t think about her throwing you in the sand. Don’t think about her breaking your back with one kick. He grabbed onto the horn and hoisted himself up onto the saddle. In the movement his knee let out a low creak and he laughed aloud, louder than he intended to, “Old man.”
Only his voice seemed to stir something in Silver, and she immediately turned to trot out of the stables. He grabbed the reins immediately and went over everything Abe had told him. Don’t pull too tightly. Stay calm. Your feet matter just as much as your hands. Talk to them with every move you make. Stay fucking calm.
Out in the desert sunshine, he passed Abe in his favorite spot next to the fire where he had sat to eat his cake. Antoine didn’t dare fully turn to face him, but out of the corner of his eye he could see his eyebrows raised impressively and a small approving smile on his face.
The closer they got to the edge of the farmyard, the more Silver seemed to remember exactly what she was doing, and perhaps even exactly where she was going. Her feet moved slowly at first, and then faster and faster as Antoine’s guidance grew more comfortable and confident. As the hills opened up and the flowers parted for them, it was like he forgot to be afraid or to wish that this moment was everything he had ever dreamed of, simply because it was.
#alert alert Antoine is now an adult#did I give him the most subtle wrinkles possible because I’m having an existential crisis about it?#…..maybe#but he’s back baby Yeehaw Antoine is BACK#1932#sims 4 historical#ts4 decades challenge#ts4 historical#sims 4 decades challenge#the darlingtons#sims 4 legacy#ts4 legacy#sims 4 story#ts4 story#1930s#Antoine Duplanchier#Zelda darlington#Abraham Hines#sim spice
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So many headcanon posts! Must make my own!
Depending on the ship in mind, I headcanon Wars is gay or straight (but people thinks he’s gay) but now that I’m thinking on it he could be pansexual (I’m projecting) who doesn’t care for gender.
Regardless of sexuality, that man until recently couldn’t talk any woman except Zelda (I’m HW Zelink shipper) and maybe Malon later on. Like he’s talking someone and a woman comes up, his voice just dies in his throat.
(This one is based on my backstory for Wars) Even though Wars, understandable, has a fear of Great Fairies, there is one he’s not afraid of. A Great Fairy near his old home village. She protected and saved him when bandits attacked his village. She slaughtered the bandits once she saw the destruction of the village. Because her actions he will never fear her like her sisters.
Wars brings most of his rescued fairies with him on his adventure with the Chain. Those that were left behind for those who wanted to and those who were too injured to join such as those with broken wings.
Wars and his twin sister Linkle were once regressed into literal newborns during the war. Wizzro was trying to turn Volga into an egg as retribution for betrayal, but instead hit the twins. Volga was shocked to see two crying infants with their umbilical cords in the twins’ clothes. Wind has many pictures of this event. Time wishes to burn the picture of him holding Wars who had just puked on him. Wars loves all of the pictures since there is nothing left of the twins’ original baby pictures.
Wars is constantly on the verge of a complete mental breakdown. He just hasn’t been pushed over the edge yet.
In any universe where he has biological children, they’re almost always multiples.
Dude I love theseeeeee
To me Warriors is biromantic asexual but straight women think he’s gay and gay men think he’s straight but both will hit on him anyway but in that way they KNOW it won’t go anywhere because they’re incorrectly assuming his sexuality, and he literally just can’t win. Not that he’s looking for a partner, poor guy just gets frustrated
He is SO constantly on the edge of a mental breakdown, someone needs to help him fr 😭
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[A video is embedded. Link and Zelda are walking along the streets of Veilstone, likely to clear their minds. Epona trots alongside them, and Celebi snuggles into Zelda's hood.]
"Look! Now I have video evidence that I am doing just fine."
[Link, Celebi, and Epona all give her a very unimpressed and completely unconvinced look.]
"Well, that aside, I thought it would be fun if we took a video of ourselves properly exploring the city. And me hopefully gaining at least a little more information out of Satori, afterwards."
[As they turn a corner, they notice a zebra-like Pokémon, except mostly black-furred with white stripes, wandering around at the end of the street.]
"Oh, Goddess, that's an adorable Pokémon! That one over there!"
[Rotom snickers, typing on the screen:
"She says that about every Pokémon, bzrt. Blitzle are native to Unova, though...?"]
[Zelda freezes abruptly. Rotom beeps in confusion, and redirects the camera to a tall, red-haired woman, clad in colorful, light clothing accentuated with gold, following the Blitzle. Certainly, the woman's rather bare outfit looks quite out of place, considering how cold Sinnoh is, but that doesn't really explain why Zelda just stopped short.]
[Link is frozen in place as well.]
[Zelda's mouth moves, seemingly to form a word, but all that comes out is a choked breath.]
[And then she breaks into a full sprint, shouting one word, one name.]
"URBOSA!"
[The woman turns with a startled look.] "Zelda...?"
[Zelda stops in front of the woman, panting, staring up desperately into the woman's eyes. Eyes that are the same emerald green as hers.]
"Zelda, are you--"
"Is it really you?" [Zelda gasps.] "Am I dreaming? Are you-- Do you know--"
"Little bird." [Zelda's breath hitches, and the woman places a hand on her shoulder.] "It is me. You are not dreaming. Are you alright?"
[Link has been standing by Zelda with wide eyes, and the poor Blitzle is looking on with deep confusion.]
"You... you're..." [Celebi chirps, nuzzling against Zelda, and Epona whines.] "You're real."
[She would probably swear that she throws her arms around Urbosa just to test her "theory." That is what Zelda would call it. Just a scientific theory.]
"Oh, little bird..."
[Link doesn't even look dumbfounded anymore, but his melancholy could be mistaken for blankness.]
[Zelda does pull away eventually, sniffling and rubbing at her eyes.]
"I don't know, Rotom, post the video if you want. Urbosa, I promise I can explain, and also the... haircut..."
"Personally, I think that you pull off short hair quite fabulously." [Urbosa chuckles, and Zelda smiles weakly.] "As with you, Link. Long hair suits you."
[Link looks very pleased with himself.]
"I missed you. So much."
[Rotom decides to end the video here with a concerned buzz.
"Yikes! Wonder what happened with them..."]
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Glasgow Wonka Thoughts
I'll admit that I have been having moments of dismay as I look at fan art of the characters from the Glasgow Willy Wonka Experience thing. Cause a part of me keeps looking at it and going 'We're making fan art of characters made by AI... It's fucking over...'
But then I kinda thought about it for a while. And I saw people's takes. And I saw interviews with the actors playing the lady Oompa Loompa and The Unkown.
Like, we all saw this picture.
We all saw the jokes in the realm of 'drug addict Oompa Loompa' stuff. And it sucks, cause the actress didn't think this would lead to this hell. She was just doing a job.
But then other pictures of her started being posted.
And people started realizing: "Wait... She's TRYING to make this work. She's trying to do her job, and she's trying to make these people happy despite how awful everything is."
And there was a turn around on her. Suddenly, she's the saving grace of the entire thing. Suddenly, she's more of a poor woman who is trying her best to do her job so she can be paid by a bunch of weasels who thought they were making something amazing with just the bare minimum.
Meanwhile, the AI script used to make these characters creates the 'nonsense' character of 'The Unknown'.
Like, I'm well aware that Willy Wonka's story, in every version, is weird as hell. But why in god's name would the factory have a shadowy mask figure living in the walls. Why would Wonka be like, "Yeah, that's fine. They don't have to pay rent."
...But then you watch her performance as the Unknown, which she claims she built herself because the 'AI Script' barely gave her anything to work with.
Look at her.
She's giving Babadook.
She's giving Brahms from The Boy.
She's giving one of those N64 Zelda NPCs that would get on a list of 'nightmare fuel from when we were kids' lists.
No wonder the kids are crying during that clip. She's delivering 'a being known as The Unknown that has been living in the walls'. And it's pageantry!
And I can't help but smile, cause all this does is affirm a human truth:
AI Cannot Replace or Replicate True Human Creativity
It only can through the means of the capitalistic eye that sees art as profit and nothing more.
So yeah: Everyone is going to run in to make the same cheap jokes they can make, but then you also see great art being made in celebration of the effort these two put in. Especially in fandoms, right now.
And yeah, maybe these girls might milkshake duck themselves (the actor playing Wonka already did; he is apparently a groomer; yikes). But their performances already hit people.
Someone is already going to want to make a creature like The Unknown. Maybe they're a horror monster. Maybe they're sympathetic. That'll be different from person to person.
Somebody probably wants to already make a character like the Oompa Loompa: miserable and wants to go home, yet still trying so hard when the moments where she cares strikes. I can see so many comedies and slices of life from that.
And making good art out of inspiration is the best thing to take out of dumb things like this.
To be clear: The higher ups who used AI to make this dumpster fire won't learn a goddamn thing from this. Cause what's new with them.
But we got to get art from people who were trying to be creative and trying to be kind, and it's led to people making more art out of it. And we get to celebrate that new art. Which is the best damn thing!
...I'll get to making my art official soon, I swear...
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123 Thoughts while watching The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel Season 1, episode 3: Because You Left
I l1. God I forgot we start on this flashback.
2. Fuck Joel Maisel, being shitty about Midge’s drink choice. “Yikes. We’ll work on that.” WHAT A HORRIBLE THING TO SAY TO ANOTHER PERSON!
3. I have so many thoughts on that one line. That maybe Midge WAS, at one point in her life, just maybe a little sweet, if a little rebellious, and Joel decided he was going to turn her into what he wanted out of a woman.
4. What he thought he wanted out of a woman.
5. And it.
6. Fucking.
7. Backfired.
8. Shoulda married Palmer.
9. He’s so fucking pushy and I hate it.
10. “You belong to Me” is their song. HEY LOOK MORE TERRIBLE CONTROLLING THINGS. Not only is it a little creepy to be like “I don’t know you that well but this is our song now.” But the title alone “You belong To Me” is fucked up.
11. I swear, if they get back together in season 5, I will rip my television off the wall and eat it.
12. “You’re destined for better things than this.” JOEL YOU ARE NOT BETTER THINGS. BETTER THINGS IS NOT YOU.
13. (Better things is Lenny’s dick.)
14. (Sorry, children)
15. I love that Midge helps the other jailbirds with the stains on their shirt. It’s such an unsettling conversation but Midge still wants to help.
16 She’s a naturally helpful person, turns out.
17. LOL Susie talking to Rose and being totally freaked out, and I love it. Truly. Barely anything scares Susie. But Rose. Rose flips her out. Love it.
18. Rose is a badass and I love it.
19. LENNY BAILED HER OUT LENNY BAILED HER OUT LENNY BAILED HER OUT!
20. “You’re not Susie.”
21. “Nope.”
22. These two idiots. I love them so much I’m gonna cry god dammit.
23. Wearing his jacket. He rushes to open the door for her.
24. Just fucking get married.
25. Susie is having a NIGHT. Between Rose and Lenny. She just. Can’t catch a break tonight.
26. They really did fail at making Lenny look...not hot. Luke Kirby is too handsome.
27. AND THEN HE INVITES HER TO HIS GIIIIIIIGGGGGGGGGGGGG.
28. Rose and her grapefruit. Gilmore Girls Richard vibes.
29. “When did Zelda get married?” lol foreshadowing maybe?
30. Oh Rose. Poor Rose. She’s being severe here, but she’s really worried about Midge. As much as she’s failed Midge in other ways (teaching her all of the toxic bod image bullshit forever), she really does try her best to be a good mother. And I think a lot of the time, she does succeed.
31. TMMM Rose and Lenny scene challenge I WANT IT.
32. I’m not going to get anything on my season 5 bucket list, I’m gonna have to write an entirely alternate season 5.
33. Again.
34. Abe is so clueless in season one. And he cares but he’s so absent. And he pays for it in season 2.
35. Ethan and the staring.
36. Poor Ethan. His dad up and fucks off, his mother is acting like a fucking fruitcake and he’s like four. He has no idea what’s happening. Of course he’s being a weirdo, WE ALL WOULD BE.
37. I do love Imogene, but she is so normcore in season 1.
38. Midge is so short. Imogene is SO SHORT.
39. “I brought it along on our second date. He was surprised.” LOL WE HAVIN BABIES ARCHIE GET USED TO IT.
40. Abe for fuck’s sake.
41. I know Rose and Abe want Midge to be settled and secure. I know. But Joel is not it. He is not it, and at this point even Midge knows that. She loses sight of that a few times, but like. JOEL IS NOT IT.
42. Oh Midge. That is. Too fancy for Kessler’s office.
43. We need more Kessler. GIVE US MORE KESLLER. GIVE US KESSLER DEFENDING LENNY.
44. LOL Susie on Midge’s tits. Just. The best.
45. “If you had just dressed for the meeting.” I love him.
46. Zelda’s notes. “You to be quiet.” I love it. I should start doing that lol.
47. Seconal is a hell of a drug man.
48. And also Rose is so weak-willed in this first season. Like maybe she’s being manipulative here with Abe but. It’s not a good look.
49. Midge is so proper in these early episodes.
50. HORSE FUCKER. lol
51. Midge just. She cannot keep her mouth shut. She cannot do it. And you know what? I wouldn’t be able to either. “Little lady.” Fuck that shit.
52. Thank you?
53. This judge is fucking awful.
54. Here we go.
55. Midge. Midge.
56. Aaand arrested again. Girl. Oh girl.
57. Ugh having to go to Joel. Hate it. Hate it. Hate it.
58. You fucked someone else and left, Dude. She doesn’t fucking trust you enough to tell you. Get used to it.
59. Abe looks...unhappy. To be at Maisel and Roth.
60. The music in this show makes me so happy.
61. Eater Island face lol.
62. One criticism of Moishe I totally agree with is how horrible it was for him to take back the apartment. His grandchildren were growing up in that apartment. Their safety and security should have come first. Not that Midge didn’t have anywhere to take them, Abe and Rose’s place is perfectly fine, and they spend plenty of time in Queens, once the Maisels move, but still. Those kids didn’t desserve to be jerked around that way, no matter how Midge and Joel (mostly Joel) were acting.
63. I never realized even back in the 50′s/60′s you had to pay for temple seats on high holy days. Fuck I’m so glad I never bothered with synagogue as an adult. As if life isn’t expensive enough.
64. Abe’s “My suits are good” shrug makes me happy. I know Tony Shalhoub isn’t Jewish, and as much as I wish they would have found someone who was...he does a good job of playing Abe as a Jewish man.
65. Kevin Pollack is a treasure.
66. THE 13 JEWS.
67. I also love Abe’s tie. It’s nice.
68. “Follow-through has never been in strong suit.” For. Fucking. Real.
69. I mean he came through with the money. That’s. Something.
70. God fuck. Poor Midge eating so much crow. I hate that for her. “After all. I am a woman.” Giiiiirl.
71. Fuck this Judge I hope he steps in dog shit every day forever.
72. UUGUGHGHEUOIERJLEJRLKEJ FUCK
73. Blind leading the blind. “It’s gonna work.”
74. Aw hugs. Gals bein’ pals (or girlfriends.)
75. Look, I can multiship with the best of them.
76. Mrs. Mouskowitz. Love her so much.
77. His plan is moving in with the dumb asshole girl he’s dating.
78. YES THE VANGUARD.
79. Lindsay and the threeeew!
80. AND LENNY! The Jewish and Goyish bit is so good. Listen to the original it’s so good.
81. Instant potatoes: SCARY GOYISH.
82. BOB BYHRE!
83. I love Lenny so much and we didn’t get enough of him in this show. We deserved more Lenny. I deserved more Lenny.
84. The bro vibes between them here are so good. They were always friends first and I just love that.
85. LOL Midge can hang. I love it so much.
86. Lenny is so tickled to be with Midge when she gets high for the first time. It’s adorable.
87. DO WE DO AN ACTIVITY?!
88. I think @theycallme-thejackal once wrote a fic where that activiy was a blowjob.
89. @theycallme-thejackal is the best.
90. Midge doesn’t carry pictures of her kids. I don’t know that my mom ever did either. My dad did I think, in his wallet.
91. AN ACTIVITY.
92. These stoned idiots trying to keep up with Midge good luck.
93. Whoseit’s got a head...the other’s got a...head.
94. Lenny’s genuine laugh there is so good. And he’s laughing at a parenting joke, because he’s probably thinking about Kitty and feeling the EXACT same way. “Are you fucking kidding? I don’t know what I’m doing holy shit!” I love that so much.
95. They’re not gonna get married. But they fucking should. Their connection is so good.
96. And maybe that’s delusional. I just love them.
97. Dear Midge: Some of us are just not moms. Trust me.
98. I want her to find out that Lenny is so boring at home.
99. Are those pretzels??
100. I tried to find the gif of Lenny’s face when she comes over to nom those pretzels and failed. It’s so good though.
101. also the face Lenny gives her when she walks over to sit down? I have been on the receiving end of that face from other people. I know it well. It’s happened.
102.We’re supposed to see the Friar’s Club in season 5. I dunno how that’s gonna go, but. I guess we’ll see.
103. I love Harry Drake. I hope we get a little more of him in season 5.
104. “Just be gentle.” Oh Lenny.
105. INVITED TO THE AFTERHOURS. GO MIDGE.
106. “You need me to be understanding or something?”
107. He’s so nice to her. The real Kitty Bruce has talked about how incredibly sweet her father was, and I love that we see shades of that in the show. He’s got a ton of problems, but there is so much kindness there.
108. And it’s in complete contrast to what we see from Joel in just a minute.
109. He gives her a joint as a lil gift. For later. Shit isn’t cheap. Kindness.
110. “WAIT WAS I SUPPOSED TO MAKE A PASS AT YOU?!” Love it.
111. Good job, Midge. You did good.
112. This flashback was in such a strange place. It felt really disjointed the first time I saw it. But again, it’s an interesting contrast between Lenny doing some light emotional lifting for Midge (The cab, the sympathy over her busted marriage, the joint, the parting joke to make her laugh) and Joel (letting Midge take care of him as usual).
113. Midge rollin’ up in the middle of the night, still a little buzzed. To this asshole.
114. And she liiiieeeesssss yessssss. Lie to him. He doesn’t deserve to know you got high with Lenny Bruce.
115. I’ve said this before. His “I don’t care what you needed the money for” is such crap. You SHOULD care. If you care about her, WHY DON’T YOU CARE?! Is it because you trust her? Or because you only care about yourself? I can’t tell.
116. “I’m thinking of giving it another go.” No sorry. No nothing. Just expecting to be let back into her life. Fuck’s sake.
117. Oh Abe.
118. Good for Midge telling him no. Because he fucked up and he’s not even fucking sorry. HE IS NOT SORRY! And she knows it. And he left.
119. Look at this piece of shit run away. Just. Not even an argument. Not even trying to change her mind. Just shakes his head and walks off like that piece of garbage he truly is.
120. Maybe that’s harsh. But he didn’t even try. Because he’s not sorry. He just wants to live comfortably again. He doesn’t care that he hurt her.
121. HE DOES NOT CARE THAT HE HURT MIDGE. Anyone who actually cared would not act like this.
122. And Abe finally understands just how terribly hurt Midge is. Though I’m not sure if that look on his face is because he’s hurting for her, or because his ploy to get them back together failed. Maybe both.
123. I love this episode. It is an al-time favorite. It establishes Midge and Lenny as friends with a new, but solid bond. It has some great Susie moments, and a great Midge set. Great stuff with Abe and Rose and Abe and Moishe. It’s so solid. I think it might be my favorite season 1 episode. <3
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Who Do You Cook For?
Link x Zelda
Requested by: No One! (Suffice to say I am open to requests :D)
Warnings: Just minor spoilers for TOTK -- set after the end of the game, so mainly the spoilers are for the Dragon's Tear quest.
[This is the first part of what is 6 one-shots at the moment, though I may add up to eight (total) = I'll link them with the parts when I post them :) ]
Part 1
___
“Dear, you are quite lucky to have such a man cook for you. Oh, isn’t it romantic; I sure wish my husband would cook for me once in a while.”
That’s what she said in thanks, the mother they had assisted at dusk that day. It was just after warm flickers of the lanterns at Kakariko village welcomed them, beckoning them to approach the eating area. That’s where they found the woman. She was a mother of two, and was in need of a specific kind of fish for her stew – her daughter would have a fit if she couldn’t make it, and the poor woman wasn’t about to break a promise with her daughter.
Graciously, and with a kindness Zelda has found herself to adore, Link dug through his pack to find the very thing the woman had requested. No need to go on any extra adventures, thankfully – the two were just trying to get home from one. I mean, Zelda loved the trips she would take with Link, she really did, but she knew her limits, and though it had been a month or two since she came home, she still found herself wobbling on her legs from time to time. And every time, Link would reach out to steady her, another trait she often found herself thinking of.
As Link had begun gathering some extra supplies (goddess forbid one of his claymores) to help the woman in preparing her meal, as she insisted they stay since they provided the main ingredient, Zelda found herself pulled aside. She smiled, politely, but with a hint of confusion. The woman looked just ecstatic, but as for the reason Zelda had no idea. Before she could get a word out, the woman burst.
“Oh my, he’s just wonderful isn’t he? Ya know if I wasn’t already married I would try and steal him from you!” She laughed, a hand pressed to her cheek as her eyes roamed greedily over her traveling partner. Zelda wasn’t sure if she should laugh or correct the woman – she wasn’t serious right?
“Oh dear, I’m just joking honey. You should see your face, you look ready to fight me for him!”
Okay, Zelda didn’t think she was that close to manslaughter, but she supposed she did need to work on her mask again – it had been, well, years it felt like since she had controlled her human expressions.
“I-I’m sorry for the confusion, ma’am. But we’re not together.”
Zelda had never seen someone go from teasingly happy to perplexed and saddened so quickly. “What? But, I was sure; my sister-in-law always says I’m the best at detecting hidden relationships. No, I’m sure.” The woman then grabbed her by both shoulders, shocking Zelda into a stiffness. “That means that either you haven’t told him, or he hasn’t told you. Am I right?”
Zelda glanced down at the woman's grip on her arms – not strong enough to bruise, but tight enough she knew that she wasn’t about to let go until she got her answer – then back up with a concealed sigh. “Ma’am–”
“Oh, call me Cottla.” She near scolded.
“Right. Well, like I said, we’re not… a couple. We just–” Her mind flashed between everywhere they’d been, everyone they had met, everything they went through together. During both bouts of darkness how they always came out of it, not unscathed per say, but together. How… they live together now. How he– She shook her head. “We’re just friends. Traveling partners, at the very best. I’m sorry to disappoint ma’am, but I can’t say you’re right this time.”
Cottla hummed. Her eyes shifted just over Zelda’s shoulder, who had yet to notice the golden haired man staring at her back. Cottla watched as he glanced over just slightly, and upon noticing her watching back he shook his head, turning back to messily adjust the finished preparations on the table.
With a slap to her arms, Cottla sighed what her sister-in-law always called her ‘motherly sigh’. Zelda nearly jumped at the sudden loss of contact (one she thought would never leave if she’s being honest). “Oh you get outta there, boy, I never said you’d have to make the stew.” Cottla crossed the floor in just three strides to shoo away Link.
He held up his hands with a guilty grin. “Oop – caught!”
Zelda could only smile quietly.
That was another thing she had found herself admiring about Link. It had taken a while for sure, when in reality she would have been willing to wait forever, but he did eventually come back to terms with speaking. They were little words at first, maybe just answers to ‘yes’ or ‘no’ questions, and as far as she can recall, he would only speak to her for the first few months. Still, it was the little things. Eventually, he found himself comfortable speaking in sentences and for longer, with more people. She giggled a bit though, as she watched him use those silly and over exaggerated little gestures to enunciate his points.
At the sound, he looked over at her, batting his hand up to avoid being hit with that wooden spoon Cottla had gotten from out of nowhere. Zelda held up a hand of her own, beckoning him over as she turned and snuck through the kitchen door. She counted the seconds as soon as she heard more than felt the soft crinkle of grass under her feet.
One.
Two.
Thr–
“Princess.” His voice appeared behind her.
“Ah, right on time!” She spun around, a bit peeved her hair was too short to whack him in the face. Though a bit surprised at her own teasing nature, she decided to run with it. “Meet someone you like in there?”
He barked out a quick laugh, quickly looking away at the implication behind her words. “What? No way, she’s married, you know I wouldn’t do that.”
“Oh, you wouldn’t, huh?” Zelda crossed her arms. “Sure, you wouldn’t.”
His head snapped back to face her, a sly grin spreading across his face. “Oh? You don’t believe me? Well, I bet if you put me in a room with her, I certainly wouldn’t be the one to jump all over her.”
Zelda gave a mock gasp. “Why Link! How rude of you to offend her so! To insinuate that none should ever fall for her?”
“Well I didn’t say that, Princess–”
“And if anyone were to hear you say such things,” Zelda put a hand to her forehead in woe. “She’d be cast out of the courting season for the rest of her days!”
It was then that Link took a step forward, and she realized how close together they had gotten. His hand rested on a wooden fence post that she had unconsciously leaned on for support. She had barely noticed how she had brushed his other hand with her own through her theatrics. Their faces were so close she could swear she felt his breath ghost over her lips.
Suddenly he cleared his throat, stepping back to an appropriate distance. “Yes, I suppose that would be a shame.” It was certainly an attempt to finish the joke, though the both were a bit too stunned it seemed. For utterly no reason Zelda might add – though she chose not to think too hard about all that she had noticed in those few seconds in close proximity.
Gathering the courage that had no reason to flee moments before, Zelda straightened to speak, but oddly enough she was saved by the bell.
Not the dinner bell, per say. Nor was it the bell for school, which would have been odd to ring at that time of evening, but instead a hand-held bell just rang by a child trotting her way up the hill.
“Hi sir!” She all but shouted, her bell ringing slightly as she turned to face Zelda. She couldn’t be more than six. “Hi miss! I have a very important question.”
Zelda glanced at Link, who shrugged. One of those shoulder gestures that said: ‘I have no idea who this is or what’s going on but let’s just go with it.’
She knelt down to the girls level then, and asked for her name. “My name’s Zelda, and this is Link.”
And just like most times when first meeting her, the small girl’s eyes lit up with genuine sparkles. “Like, THE Zelda? Like the princess? Because that was one of my questions, since he called you princess.”
“Oh!” Zelda said. “You heard all that?”
The girl nodded her head vigorously. “And I also want to know what a colorful session is?”
That one just about stopped Zelda in her tracks.
Link appeared to be unaffected. Figures.
“Oh, you mean ‘courting season’.” Link corrected. He tapped Zelda’s shoulder.
She glanced up at him just as he squatted to their level. His hand was cupped over her shoulder now, and she was grateful the natural light was dying out so that no one would notice her red cheeks betraying her.
What is wrong with me? I’ve never been flustered over him touching me before??
No, you have. You definitely have.
“Do they still do courting rituals anymore?” He whispered. Where else really but right in her ear. To this day Zelda is proud of how she held in her shiver. It was getting ridiculous. Link was by far and large not the first man to be kind or friendly to her.
She turned to whisper back, “No, not that I’m aware of. That was mostly for advisors and royalty anyways.”
He nodded. The girl was still staring at their interaction expectantly.
Zelda found her head in the mess of clouds and just about flung thoughts back to the ground. “Well little one, a courting season is like going on a whole bunch of dates, and then getting married, like your parents did.”
The girl seemed to think for a moment, before the confusion melted off her face. “Well, my mommy and papa didn’t go on dates, they just got married. Is the colorful season only for princesses?”
“Well, it doesn’t have to be–”
“Did he color you?”
And if that wasn’t the statement of the century.
Zelda took this one in stride though. She turned nonchalantly towards Link, who she shared a smile and a small shake of her head with as they stood.
“Kids.” He shrugged, matching her smile.
Breaking his gaze, she turned back to the girl.
“It’s getting late, do you want us to walk you home?”
At her lack of response, Zelda realized what she had forgotten during their conversation. “Oh!” Zelda gasped. “What was your name sweetie?”
Just then the kitchen door behind them banged open, and Cottla called from inside. “Eca! It’s dinner time! Oh. Well it looks like you found our guests too.”
Zelda and Link turned at the same time, Eca shoving between their legs and running towards her mother.
“Hey, woah! Don’t jump on me, I’ll drop the salad; now go get your sister, we’ll be in in a moment, love.” That was all the direction Eca needed. In a flash she was gone up the stairs, already shouting at the top of her little lungs for her sibling. Cottla turned back to them with an exhausted smile. “Quite the talker, isn’t she? I’m sure you two’ll make all kinds of personalities. Oh, it’s always fun to see how the kids turn out.” Cottla’s voice faded as she went back to the counter, leaving Link and Zelda just beyond the door. “Well, come inside. Have a seat, make yourself comfortable.”
Shaking off the words of a woman with no filter, Zelda felt her basic royal teachings come back into play. “Oh, we wouldn’t want to overstay our welcome.”
“Oh it’s no issue dear. I invited you after all,” Cottla set down her mixing utensil with a smirk. “And truly, you two are the most entertaining people I’ve had over in ages. I would never be opposed to more conversation with you.”
Yeah, Zelda wasn’t sure what gave it away, but she’s pretty sure Cottla directed that last comment at her specifically.
“Now,” Cottla said, getting right back into the last touches of supper. “Shoo and sit down, I can already hear my daughters at the table.”
Upon crossing the threshold into the eating room, the daughter they hadn’t met yet piped up at the sight of them.
“My sister said you’re coloring! I want to color somebody!”
Zelda huffed, but not without letting a smile overtake her face.
Unbeknownst to the duo, this wouldn’t be the first time that the topic of food would reveal a new side of their relationship.
#obligatory zelink#link x zelda#totk#botw totk#writers on tumblr#love language#falling in love#mutual pining#cooking#teasing#bro this is my otp#fluff#whoo almost forgot that one#whats a romance one-shot without the fluff#i don't write death unless its for my ocs my dudes not to worry#anywho#enjoy :D#no beta we die liek the champions
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Fic I'm interested in continuing/Working on
COD: Simon/Ghost X OFC It willl be a series of drabbles, starting with Simon on his apartment balcony smoking on xmas eve. He's obviously spending it alone (his team is with their families, Price probably working) and OC goes to her balcony for fresh air, she had cooked and invited friends and fam over but no one showed so she ahs entirely too much food and is a bit lonely. Seeing Ghost she impulsively invites him over to eat with her and he says yes simply becuase she looks miserable. This is what starts an awkward friendship.
BG3: Option 1 my OC's Tav and Drae and their romance story. Drae's an orphaned Drow living in Baldurs Gate and a sorcerers apprentance. But the discrimiation due to her race makes her chose to leave the city and adventure/go in search for something. She doesn't know what but she canta stand the city any longer. Tav is a barbarian in line to become the next leader of his community and a larger than usual Teiflling, many think his bloodline is closer to demonic than other tieflings due to his size. The two end up meeting when Drae is ambushed by goblins and is seriously hurt. Tav is near by and ends up saving her.
Option 2 is Halsin X Drow OC. Sabrae is a drow who came to topside to escape something *spoilers so not gonna list it here*. In being topside she is met with bigotry and racism. To the point she is seriously injured. She decides from then on to never reveal her race to anyone. 2 possible options from here for the fic
She is captured by goblins and looses her disguise. Being seena s a drow she is released but can't just leave so she pretends to be part of the camp. When she ahs an opportunity to escape she learns of the drow that's held captive in the camp so she convinces Minthara to let her 'interrigate' him and uses magic to look like an elf again and goes to see Halsin. He refuses to leave without kiling the camp and she can not help him. But that's when Tav and gang show up and then it follows loosely the game.
She was on the nautaloid when it crashed. She disguises herself as an elf to make sure none of her companions know what she is, though they ahve suspiscions about her hiding something few know what it is. SHe helps to save Halsin and as such they become friends. It's not long before she has feelings for him but she choses instead to attack him with her words to try and push him away. She knows he dislikes Drow and is scared to be hurt by being turned down when he elarns the truth.
Zelda: SidonxOC There's already an insanely long fic for this. To help his people, Sidon begrudgingly agrees to a marriage with a Hylian. All he wants is a woman who can rule at his side, someone that he may one day grow fond of like his sister Mipha had with Champion L-something-or-other. What he does not expect is Kino. A girl who seems almost clueless to the difficulties of the Zoran domain but whose heart will not let her stand by and just watch them struggle. As he learns more about her he finds himself growing fonder and he finds himself wondering, 'just who is this woman that wormed her nervous little way past his tightly guarded walls?'
TMNT: RaphXOC Raphael met a woman by coincidence, if you could call a hydroplaning car coincidence that it. But all the meeting for the next month and a half after that? Coincidence. Mostly. Raph would see this walking talking beacon of bad luck, and help her from the shadows. Until he didn’t. Until he stepped into the light and she was relieved he was a mutant turtle and not a mugger of New York City. Plus he was offering the poor half drowned woman an umbrella to help her starve off the rain. Now though? Now it’s just a clusterfuck of trying to figure out how her apartment ended up burning down. Raph/OC oneshots.
Lost Boys: David X OC She was just another Plain Jane among a sea of them. In Santa Carla where everyone tried to stand out, those with the barest of differences are the most memorable. So a girl that's working behind a counter in yet another convenience store that looks like just another 'normie' was no one memorable. Dead end job for what seems like forever, no family so to speak of, and an ex who just can't fully let go; that was all just another boring day in a sea of eternal days to her. The most abnormal she'd ever seen up until a single fateful day was the cat that would somehow sneak into the store and just sit on the counter with her some nights. Until those boys came in like ghosts. She never knew how that triggered the events and she didn't care, all she cared about was the guy trying to rob her.
Little Vampire: Gregory X OC Rory Murry is a normal teenage. Unfortunately her divorced parents have decided to change their custody agreement and she is forced to move away from the 'big city' to the rural town she had first grown up in. Her memories of back then are blurry due to the young age she left and the few traumatizing events that happened directly prior to leaving. Such as said parental divorce. A teenager that she meets in a graveyard does tug at a few strings of memory though and she is left curious as to just who he is and why he's always hanging out in a graveyard late at night. Her own reasoning for being there? She's not the brightest there is and a tiny bit lonely in this 'new' town. Also- why is there a creepy old guy in a wanna-be ice cream truck haunting this place?
So go ahead and Vote!
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@imprisioned-in-the-hole in the tags of the prince and the pauper au raised me Link in the Swan Lake, which I turned around and said. challenge accepted. Give me any characters I know and love and I will make a functional au with them.
I did decide to go with Zelda as the main lead in this one though.
Once upon a time in a kingdom far away there lived a baker, Gaepora, and his two beautiful daughters. The fearless and outgoing Artemis, and the shy and more timid Sun. One day while Sun was hard at work, a purple bunny made the town stir. With everyone trying to capture it. Sun did not, she only watched. Seeing the poor thing get tangled up in ropes. She followed it into the deep woods. Through a cave and out into a magical grove with a lake. The poor bunny was now trapped in some brighers. She approached it carefully attempting to calm him. Then the animal spoke. He very quickly informed her his name was Ravio, and asked if she would be so kind as to help him. Sun agreed quickly, finding a crystal in the stone wall to cut him free.
Dazzling the onlookers, The Fierce Deity, King of the fairies and ruler of the enchanted forest. By his side was a Fairy, Otter, two wooden children, and a Seagull. Navi, Tetra, Fado, Saria, and Marin were their names. The king approached the young woman explaining how she is now the savior of the forest because she pulled the stone. Deities' evil cousin Majora and his (Something) Veran, have been slowly taking over the forest, and draining the king's magic. However now that Sun is here she can save them all. Sun is apprehensive and explains she’s no hero. She can not do as the Deity wishes. He understands and commands Ravio and Tetra to take her safely back to the village.
However, Majora appears, and threatens Sun, deciding it would be funny to toy with the girl. Turning her into a White and Pink loftwing. Which backfires on the Evil fairy seeing as she is now twice his size. Sun does the rathenal thing and pecks him. Because of the curse, Sun is now forced to reside in the enchanted forest, and be the holder of the crystal. As loftwing by day, and a human by night.
Now that we have the basic premise down I can write a bit weirder now.
Switch over to the castle, where the king and queen and their 8 sons live. The oldest, Prince Sky, is playing with his youngest brother Wind, who he promised to take hunting. Unfortunately Sky has to break his promise because of a royal ball that will be taking place in 3 months. Everyone expects the heir to the throne to choose his bride during the dance and it is stressing the prince out. Prince Wind decides to go hunting alone. Being led into the enchanted forest by Majora, in hopes that he will shoot Sun. Wind, believe it or not, is not a good hunter and Sun just walks up behind him, curious.
"AAHH Giant big BIRD! But dang you are really pretty!” ''Oh um thank you." "AH GIANT TALKING BIG BIRD!" "Not the brightest are you?" "AH TALKING OTTER!" Which is the start to a beautiful friendship.
Wind starts visiting the enchanted kingdom from evening to midnight on a fairly regular basis.
Causing Sky to grow more and more upset. Because he feels his younger brother is dodging him on purpose. Rational assuming, "He's mad at me for not taking him hunting that day and now he’s pulling away from his oldest big brother, who he once loved!" "Sky stop being dramatic, he's probably just doing something he doesn't want anyone to know about." “Oh right he’s a teen now and they like their secrets…Well, I guess I’m following him now!” “Sky, no”
He does it anyway. Finding it quite strange that his little brother is going into unknown woods by himself. Not concerning at all. Him casually walking towards a giant bird creature that looks legendary. Now that’s concerning. Sky would pull out his bow and point an arrow at Sun, it’s his baby brother what do you expect.
“WIND DON’T GO NEAR THAT THING!” “Sky?” Wind quickly guards Sun arms stretch out wide. "SKY PUT THE BOW DOWN!" "GET AWAY FROM THE BIRD" "PUT THE BOW DOWN!" Which by this time Sun would turn back into human causing sky to go into himbo mode because. Oh dang, she's beautiful.
And thus starts our romance. For the next two months, Wind and Sky would go to the Enchanted forest. Hoping they could do something to release the people from the Majora curse. Sky and Sun grow closer and closer, and by this point everyone is just shocked they are not together yet. While those two are getting closer, Wind and Tetra are researching for answers. Which they find.
“To break the curse, a declaration of undying love to all the world, must be made to Sun….Seriously? That seems really stupid and a real oversight on the crystal side." "What do you mean?" "I mean is Sun's heart connected to the crystal now? And whoever she loves, so your brother. Does the crystal make their heart one? If the magic dies within it will they both pass? Like what's going on here?" “So all she needs is a declaration of undying love to the world?” “Apparently?” “Perfect, Sun will attend the royal ball with me!” “W–what?” “There will be kings and queens from all over the world there. If I proclaim my love it will be to the whole world.” “Yes, yes I will go with you.”
Majora can not allow that to happen, and creates a necklace for Veran to wear that tricks sky into thinking that she’s sun. To keep Sun at bay for a while he kidnaps Ravio and takes him to his dark palace. This is barely an inconvenience and they save Ravio relatively fast.
Back at the ball the royal family is a bit confused by Sky's choice of women. (Remember they see Veran as Veran) "Oh...is this why he didn't tell us about her?" While Wind is over in the corner, internally screaming. "THAT SURE AS HECK IN NOT SUN THE WOMEN HE LOVES"
Out of the corner of his eye he sees through the window guards rushing towards somewhere and he quickly follows. Finding sun in her Loftwing form be attacked by the guards. He rush towards her screaming at the guards. "DON'T YOU DARE LAY ANOTHER HAND ON HER! Sun!" Cute little prince head hug from the prince. Wind realizes what’s going on but knows it's too late so all he can do is get Sun to fly back to the forest, maybe just maybe she will be able to survive there. She would pull the youngest prince on her back and go. Sadly as their flying, sky confesses his love to Veran and Sun just feels it, it shatters her heart, and she starts to go down.
Thankfully crashing into the enchanted forest. About that same time guards come in saying the youngest prince has been kidnapped by a large bird pink and white. Which only Sky knows what that means.
Pulling out his sword he violently swing it at Veran slashing her across the chest and breaking the necklace confirming his greatest fear. He would scream violently, and Time, Twilight and Warrior would have to hold him. All while Majora laughs maniacally at him, causing Malon, Legend, Four, and Hyrule. To be on guard and pull out their weapons.
“WHAT DID YOU DO, WHAT DO YOU DO!” Sky scream pierced the heavens. “Oh, it’s not what I did, little prince it’s what you did.”
Somehow, Sky would be able to escape his father and brothers and rush to the forest, heavy tears streaming down his face.
Back in the enchanted forest Fierce Deity, and his crew would find Sun and Wind, Sun is fading fast, and Wind’s out cold with a broken arm. They bring them back to the lake only to be met by Majora. Who is insistent on getting that crystal. Deity, would take a stance, though he is weak he will do everything in his power to protect his children. They would have epic battle.
During the battle, Sky would arrive, checking in on his brother real quick, Tetra has him so he’s fine. Then rushing to Sun.
“Sun…” “Sky, I…I feel so weak.” “Sh sh, I’m here. Please Sun, that declaration was for you…it was for you.” “I know…I love you Sky.” “Sun…” She slides the crystal into his hands and fades. “Sun! No no please Sun I love you too.” Kiss her on the forehead.
As sky holds her, Majoa throws a mask at the group. The mask of the Fierce Deity.
“Now that was fun, now hand over that crystal boy or do I need to take it by force.”
Sky would scream and just go ballistic on Majora. With the crystal, turning into a sword. (Only because of the love that was shared between Sun and Him) They fight for a bit then, the prince look back to see Wind holding Sun, crying, and that be the catalyst. Sky would wreck him. Destroying Majora, and allowing the power of the crystal to explode throughout the entire Enchanted forest. Freeing everything that was hurt by majora. (Also healing Winds arm in the process)
Sky would lip back over to his brother and the love of his life and just ingulp them in a hug. Whispering sweet messages to Sun begging her to wake up. Which she does, and falling on top of him kissing sky sweetly as they lay on the ground.
AND NOW HAPPY ENDING! Sun is reunited with her family. She marries Sky. The royal family are delighted to find out the whole story, and wind makes many a trip to the enchanted forest to hang out with his friends, and in the very far future wife.
Hope you enjoyed it.
#linkeduniverse#linked universe#lu#linkeduniverse sky#linked universe sky#lu sky#linkeduniverse sun#linked universe sun#lu sun#linkeduniverse wind#linked universe wind#lu wind#linkeduniverse au
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What if Zelda was a girl?
Jokes aside, what would happen if each Link individually was genderflipped? So Gen genderflipped but no one else, Speck genderflipped but no one else, etc.?
Gen genderflipped: takes absolutely no nonsense. There's not much difference, actually, the only really noticeable thing is that she's a bit shorter. Although this turns out to give her more access to the painful parts if she's annoyed enough, so... yeah still not much difference
Speck genderflipped: spends most of her time being politely annoyed at being the only girl, because this unfortunately coincides with her being the youngest, and this means that literally everybody else in the Chain is in protective overdrive mode. She can't stub her toe without someone threatening vengeance on the furniture for her, this is ridiculous
The Four genderflipped: aren't sure they count as being the only girl(s), but aside from the semantics - they have had to fend off so many kidnapping attempts it's not even funny. Their Vaati got it into his head at one point that they'd make the perfect harem? And so now their automatic response is to punch people in the eyeballs
Ocarina genderflipped: is very confused as to how her future(?) self is not a girl, and she's also concerned as to why he's not concerned. This seems like a development that she should be aware of???
Mask genderflipped: is very persistently ignoring her past self's confusion and concern. Poor boy will figure it out, eventually
Dusk genderflipped: is somehow even worse when someone manages to get her angry. There is nothing more terrifying than a pissed-off mother wolf protecting her pups
RGBV genderflipped: is completely unchanged, not even the bickering is different
Lore genderflipped: is now even better at Distracting than ever, who would ever suspect such a sweet girl of being capable of such chaos oh Din make it stop-
Realm genderflipped: still lost. she actually asks for directions now! doesn't help her any but it's the thought that counts
Sketch genderflipped: is unfortunately not quite as stealthy, because men have a horrendously inconvenient habit of staring at artwork depicting a woman
Wind genderflipped: honestly not that different. Her hair's a little longer, it looks nice
Steam genderflipped: is not afraid to hit somebody with a wrench if she thinks they're underestimating her
Shadow genderflipped: is extremely confused as to why something like gender is suddenly applying to her in a way that she can't control. She's also, possibly, even more violent.
Oni genderflipped: occasionally lets out the extremely heavy and burdened sigh that is a mother-figure surrounded by all male children, but other than that is completely unchanged
#Changeling Answers#Anonymous Replies#DL Questions#I name you the Flip Anon!#If each Link was genderflipped#shadow being the only girl would be odd actually given that all her origins to draw from would be male#Ganondorf screwed it up somewhere probably#she'd never stop calling them all idiots#genderflipped steam would probably be an approximate Winry from Fullmetal Alchemist#Sorry this took so long my drafts get backed up a lot#this took at least two weeks#All the DL Links
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Okay okay, chaos prompts, here it comes:
Skyward Sword Impa encountering Terrako.
You can art or write or whatever 😜
Alrighty! I love SS Impa she's my fav design so THANK YOU for giving me an excuse to google her for inspo lol!
Can also read on Ao3 for ease!
Impa pulled Zelda behind her, protecting the Goddess reborn with her life...
...from this... egg creature.
It looked like it should belong with the other ancient robots in Lanayru Province, those who had rusted into decay years ago. But it was here... without a timeshift stone in sight... beeping at them.
Impa grabbed one of the Sheikah balls from her pocket, one that would explode on contact with anything, what she used to break the Gate of Time so Ghirahim nor Link could follow where she had fled to with Zelda in tow.
Zelda grabbed Impa's arm now. "No! Don't hurt it! We don't even know what it is! What if it's carrying a message from Link? From my father? From your people?"
Bwoooooop!
Impa flinched at the sound and shoved Zelda behind her. "Fine, but you stay back. Let's see what this egg thing is."
The little creature used its robot arms to walk up to her, apart rising from it's head as it squealed in excitement once again.
Excitement was hardly what Impa felt.
"I'm not putting this weapon away, you hear me?" she said, addressing the creature. "I will not hesitate to die in defense of my Goddess."
A trill that sounded almost sad beeped out, and Zelda pouted. "Poor thing! You're scaring it!"
"Good. It should be scared."
Alarm noises. Good.
"Why are you here, creature?" Impa asked, kneeling down in front of the egg.
A compartment opened, and a rectangular slate appeared. The egg outstretched it to Impa, and she took it quickly, feeling Zelda's looming presence over her shoulder.
A screen blinked to life, startling Zelda and Impa.
A pretty blonde woman was on the screen, blue traveling clothes and a strange accent on her tongue, but the words were familiar enough.
"Hello. My name is Princess Zelda. If you're watching this, then I have succeeded in sending Terrako, this Guardian, back in time to protect another with my Hylia's Blood in need. Assuming you can hear me, he's found you. If for whatever reason you--" the blond, Princess Zelda turned around on the screen after a crash resounded. "Impa! Keep them under control, please! I'm filming!"
"Sorry Princess!" a nasally voice replied, and Impa turned to Zelda before looking back at the screen. A tall white haired woman ran by, yelling "Purah, get out of here!"
"I would never have such long hair for combat..." Impa grumbled at the screen.
"Good thing that's not you and just someone with your name!" Zelda gested before the Princess appeared back on the screen.
"Forgive me, we're chaotic here at the moment. We've just defeated the Calamity and figured that sending Terrako to aid you was an appropriate use of his time travelling abilities using Gates of Time."
"The Gate!" Zelda gasped excitedly.
"Terrako is adept at combat, and has proven a loyal companion. I hope that if you are in need, you will find his assistance invaluable. And thank you for all you're doing to protect Hyrule."
"Hyrule?" Zelda asked, and Impa shrugged before the screen shut off.
"So," Impa grumbled, looking at the robot... at Terrako. "You're here to guard Hylia?"
Terrako beeped excitedly.
"Hrmm. Your services are appreciated, but we must move fast. You would better serve Link, the best friend of Zelda. He needs all the help he can get, trudging through the mess we leave in our wake. Find him. That is how you will save Zelda."
An affirmative beep. Ready to go. Terrako turned and little legs carried him away.
Impa turned to Zelda. "I don't trust it."
Zelda balked. "And you just sent it to accompany Link?"
"He can handle it. Besides, he's had you by his side all these years. He could use a companion."
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i want to make a post about my horses in totk
first these are my horses that transferred from botw. i specifically found them for the purpose of naming them each after characters from moon knight comics if you couldnt tell. i did have an Alraune but gave her away to a woman in need, i believe she is in good hands now. i did not use these much in totk because i wanted new horses to recreate the original botw experience
so in central hyrule soon after landing, i found a cute little brown horse :) i decided to bring it to the stable near lost woods/base of death mountain, but we ran into a problem trying to cross the bridge… it was brand new and untrained, and we ran too fast towards the bridge, and ended up missing it by a hair and careening straight into the river. i turned and saw the poor horse struggling to stay above water, and then disappear… i was so struck like i cant believe i just killed my first horse so quickly this has never happened… but as i climbed somberly up the cliff, i saw the horse standing right there in front of me. at that moment i knew i had to name the horse Ben and (very carefully) took it to the stable to register my haunted ghost horse
next is Big Larry. i think i found him on a beach somewhere. i had never actually found a giant horse before so i was excited. he looks very intimidating but i imagine hes a sweetheart
then i wanted another normal horse who was a bit faster than Ben so i found this handsome black horse. i wasnt feeling very creative at the time so i called him Lil Larry to contrast Big Larry
now for the Legendary giant albino (?) horse which was part of a quest. when it came to naming her i was surprisingly stumped. of course i wanted to give her something regal and majestic, so i named her Oxy-Clean
Finally, zelda's beloved horse… i found her early on but kept the best for last. she looks so silly. i gave her a haircut and eventually built a comfortable little stable outside my new house to keep her nice and happy and healthy for when zelda got back. she is truly a gem. im dying to know what zelda named her but i went with Honey
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[Zelda] Please, Protect the Arts: Part 1
Notes: I have an outline for this story, but I don’t know how I’ll pace out when I write the chapters proper. I won’t be uploading this to AO3 until it’s finished either way (I think), so please enjoy it now. There is not a particular version of Link and Zelda in mind, I just want to play with the characters a bit. Link is partially mute.
Rating: K
Word Count: 1,593 words
Next | AO3
- - -
There were two things that Zelda disliked: people who used their strength to hurt others, and when her father listened to lobbyists with money instead of the people any new law actually effected. That being said, Zelda kept a close eye on the politics her father was involved with. He would sometimes joke that she was the only campaign manager he’d ever listen to.
And, like most politicians, he was lying.
Zelda’s father only listened when she was truly annoyed by a certain law, and he only truly followed her advice when he got enough citizen approval to follow through. By then it was too late to change the other politician’s minds as well, leaving the bill to usually go in favor of the wrong party. It was frustrating. It made Zelda wish she never went into politics herself.
She would though.
She was too furious with the world not to.
The notes from the last state-wide conference sat on her father’s office desk. Zelda hadn’t meant to spy on them. She had actually come into his office to get a spare pencil. Her father kept a lot of spare pencils in his desk drawer- enough so that it was the only thing allowed in that particular drawer. The Manila folder with the conference notes didn’t seem important at first, and Zelda had almost dismissed it. It wasn’t until her eyes caught the word ‘education’ that Zelda took a double take.
Curiosity soon became her enemy.
“You can’t let this arts grant -or lack thereof- go through!” Zelda demanded as she stormed to her father.
The poor old man, who sometimes wished he had his daughter earlier to better keep up with her energy, turned his gaze away from the chessboard to Zelda instead. He gave her a tired smile to counter her unbridled anger.
“I’m afraid that decision is not entirely my own,” he reminded her. “If anything, it’s out of my hands. That decision mostly rests with the board of ed.”
Zelda slammed her hand down on the chessboard as she looked her father dead in the eye. “You know that’s a lie.” she seethed. “Especially when you know as well as I do that the wording points toward one particular school.”
Her father gave a heavy sigh, and left that at his only answer. Zelda followed his gaze to where she had accidentally knocked over a knight. Peering over it was the queen, just two moves away from creating a checkmate.
. . .
When Zelda was mad, she went to the library. It had been a way her mother taught her to manage her anger. A place where silence had to be maintained. A place where you could transfer that anger to a protagonist that kept making terrible decisions in the first act of a fantasy trilogy. A place where things could be alright in the end, as long as you had the patience to see it through.
If only real life could work like that.
Zelda and her father had come to an ultimatum; if she was able to convince the board of education that the art program should resume its regular funding (or receive more), then he promised he’d make sure the budget cut wouldn’t go through. Zelda had accepted the challenge without thought. It wasn’t until she got to the library that she realized she had essentially signed the budget cut bill herself. The young woman let out a whining sigh to herself as she thumbed the spines of the books she passed. She didn’t know how important the arts were to properly support them. She herself had only taken music lessons for the school credit and not from genuine interest. Even then, she had no idea on how it applied to her life after- other than a feeling of fleeting satisfaction as her fingers fluttered over a well cared for harp.
Thinking of music and budget doom almost made her tune out the sounds of a wind instrument being played. When it did register, it took Zelda a few moments more to realize she wasn’t simply thinking the tune. No, no, no. Someone was actually playing music in the library. Partially furious at the breech of silence she had been told was mandatory, Zelda went after the sound.
Her search brought her to the very back of the library. Residing there were study rooms. Sitting in one of them was a boy not much older than she was, and he was gently playing a tune on a small, handmade, wooden ocarina as he looked over the thin book he was reading. The sight immediately made Zelda recoil. How on earth did he sneak a music instrument in, however small it was, and how had no one told him to stop yet?
“He’s pretty good, isn’t he?” a voice asked from behind her, making Zelda jump. Her fingers accidentally knocked against the study room door as she whipped her whole body around. It was just a librarian. Zelda offered up a rather guilty smile in return.
“It’s a bit disheartening to see him practice here.” she admitted. “Is there no room for him at the music center?”
“Well, I don’t know about that,” the librarian mused, “But he’s welcome here regardless.”
Zelda nodded in understanding. But something egged at the back of her mind. She realized what it was soon enough.
“You don’t know his name?”
For this, the librarian gave a rather sheepish shake of their head.
“It’s never come up.” they admitted.
“Never?”
“Never.”
Zelda now gave the librarian a funny look. How was it possible to never know a patron’s name? At the very least it would have been on the library card…
The librarian caught on to her expression pretty quickly.
“He doesn’t talk.” the librarian went on to amend. “At least, not very often. He just comes in every Friday, sits right there in that room (it’s got better sound protection from what I’ve heard- gets booked for meetings often because of it), and just plays away from whatever sheet music he’s brought in.”
“Really?” Zelda questioned. She turned to look back at the boy- her blood ran cold in seeing that he was staring right back at her. Apparently, the sound proofing wasn’t that good either way.
The two kept eye contact for what seemed like forever. The boy’s dark blue eyes held a sort of hidden wisdom; as if he saw a lot of things but were never part of them. Zelda wondered what stories he could tell. She wondered what kind of gossip he knew.
“It looks like he’s taking a break now.” the librarian then noted from over Zelda’s shoulder. “You might be able to go in and talk to him if you want.”
“I think I might.” Zelda nodded, not once turning her gaze away from the boy.
Her body moved on its own. One moment Zelda was aware that she was outside the study, and the next she was sitting down opposite of the boy. In his hands was the ocarina still. And surely enough in between them on the table was sheet music. In trying to figure out which piece it was, Zelda noticed a familiar logo. It was the same as the school that the budget cut bill would affect. A part of Zelda’s chest tightened.
“You go to the Hylian School of Arts?”
The boy looked at her, blinked, then casually looked down at his sheet music. He looked back up at her again with a nod.
“You must come from a pretty affluent household.” Zelda mused. She was prodding, she knew it, but she had to see what this boy knew. “HSOA is very thorough with its application process.”
To her surprise, the boy shook his head.
“A scholarship then?”
For this, he nodded, and part of Zelda already understood why.
“If you don’t mind,” Zelda went on, “Can I have your name? There is a rather broad budget cut planned for your school, and I promised my father (a local representative of the state) that I would create an argument against the board of education to keep that funding. If I knew your name, we could work together to build a case. What do you think?”
The boy thought about it longer than Zelda was anticipating. Eventually, she started to ruffle through this sheet music for a blank page. Unceremoniously ripping off a generous piece from the corner, the boy withdrew a pencil that had been inside a backpack hidden under the table and wrote something down. Zelda wasn’t able to see it until he handed it to her.
‘Wednesday, 1:00pm. Room 115.’
“This isn’t your name.” came Zelda’s first, very confused, remark.
The boy smiled at it- it carried notes of mischievousness and a special kind of cockiness. He got up from his spot, gently placing the ocarina down in doing so, and gestured for Zelda to follow him. Zelda raised an eyebrow, but did so anyway. Together he led them out of the study room and back through the library. The boy’s path seemed certain as they reached the kids’ section, but faltered as he searched the rows for something in particular.
A small noise resembling an ‘ah-ha!’ escaped his lips before he pulled a book out. He gave it to Zelda with a careful look of contemplation. He studied her reaction as she looked over the title: Rumpelstiltskin.
“Oh, so you think you’re funny, do you?” Zelda soon snarked at him.
His only response was a wide, boyish grin.
#writing#writing stuff#my writing#fanfiction#fan fiction#zelda fanfiction#the legend of zelda#zelda#link#tloz zelda#tloz link#fanfic#fan fic#writers on tumblr
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There’s Simply Nothing Creepier than “Pro-Life” Bitches
Hi, Zelda Gargamel, you little rancid twat fuck, I’m the guy you called creepy. How ya doing? Like I give a fuck. Anyway, as I’m in 7 days Twitter jail because of your mass reporting, like that’s any skin off my back, I figured, since you all said I was "obsessed" with you or something, I thought I'd bring some motherfucking receipts.
You've a nice act on here and all, or a "brand" as the morons say. You harass people and then pretend they're harassing you when they snap back at your harassment. This oh so clever question you kept asking showed up on my feed at least 30 times:
I mean over and over and over... till I got sick of it and chimed in. In which case your mob hopped on and all sorts of homophobia followed.
You see, we all know what your oh so clever as shart question really stemmed from. A notion that women just have abortions willy nilly. In case you don't know, THAT is misogyny. And you are the fucking misogynist.
It's sick reasoning that your base premise relies on somehow a woman's health having to pass some test of debate with you. It is not Pepsi vs. Coke, Tastes Great vs. Less Filling. It's a woman's healthcare, and fuck you for acting like she must pass your test.
Which your mob thinks is me just being "clever". It is not. It's fact. It'll never be your damn business. And more misogyny... oh dear.
So then you ducked behind this adorable little act of yours. That I'm giving two shits about your sex life, when in fact, I'm answering YOUR harassment with the insult it deserved. If you were, you'd be out of other women's business.
You wanna talk about what's actually fucking creepy? It's YOU sticking your damn nose into the business of women at the moment of the hardest choice they have to make. Nobody is obligated to answer to YOU for their abortion choices.
And nobody is obligated to answer your question that YOU think is clever. But you want an answer to your question? Fine, here's some other ways babies are made.
A woman who WANTS children but ends up in a fallopian pregnancy. That fertilized egg will never be a human, but she will die. Ya'll anti-choicers think it's "a baby" and it's "God's will she just die."
Source: CBS
Ya'll anti-choicers even want to force her to have a fucking funeral for it. THAT'S FUCKING CREEPY.
Source:
Self
Here's another way babies are made. Since sex education is out, boy pressures girl, girl gives it up, girl doesn't know that's how she's preggars. Baby will ruin her life. But who cares, right?
National Library of Medicine: Abstinence-Only Education and Teen Pregnancy Rates: Why We Need Comprehensive Sex Education in the U.S
Another way babies can be made: boy meets girl, they fall in love, get pregnant, then find out they have the same estranged father. This has actually happened. Mostly likely you'd know, since you look like the product of it.
After 30 Years of Marriage, Couple Discover They Have the Same Father...
Another way babies are made? Drunken sex, consentual but careless from poor judgment, and is simply not ready for a baby. It isn't rape, but it also is still not your business.
There are all kinds of scenarios. These are off the top of my head, and there are endless scenarios I can't know because I don't pretend to be an expert, which is why I DON'T, unlike you, rule a judging finger over abortion rights.
After all, to save those clumps of cells ya'll wanna track little girls' menstrual cycles, but I'm the one who's creepy, huh? (Thankfully that attempt failed)
Source: NBC
And even fucking social media is turning women in for seeking abortion care now. But who's the creepy one? Of course it's me, right? Suuuuuure.
Source:
Business Insider
What really matters is, DON'T YOU KNOW WHO I AM?!?!?! I'M ENGAGED!!!! (No, I don't know who the fuck you are, nor do I care, and ducking behind that shit was pathetic.
"He's sexuwawwy hawassing me!" you yelled, and your little mob of monkeyfucks all fled in to save the poor little victim.
First, being cursed out because you won’t mind your own fucking business ain’t sexual harassment.
But you felt attacked? Good! I'm glad you felt so victimized, because as said in my mission statement earlier, you're part of the mob that harasses innocent women, calling them murderers. I want you to know HALF of what your crusade puts them through.
I mean ya'll are some sick fucks doing this to women you don't even know, but you act like I should know, or care, you're gettin' some disabled chick sex action?
youtube
Hon, I'm disabled. Crippling PTSD and Major Depressive Disorder. I live on SSI. Don't pull that damn card on me. You having your damn mob of people thinking "woe iz me nobody finks disabled girlz get any," girl, I do porn stars.
Think I’m lying? Don’t care what you think. But:
So you’re getting some. Not good enough to get your nose out of other women’s health decisions. And what a stupid fucking deflection.
Your act is stale, but you do have quite the mob of SICK-ophants, I'll grant you that. And such a lovely assortment of MAGA and Nazis and transphobes...
Oh, it kept going...
And going... and this was but a fraction of your delightful friends.....
That shit right there? Not even close to the full amount of your little mob that came at me. I’ve had that shit all my life. You got ONE comment at you that made you fucking cry. I want to apologize to you for what I said.
I’M FUCKING SORRY...... i DIDN’T SAY WORSE. I’m sorry I didn’t say something that would rock your entire existence to its core, that I didn’t manage to make YOU experience depression, suicidal thoughts, terror, the likes of which your fucking little sick Nazi mob makes women feel for having to make a choice, or LGBTQ people for any reason. I want you to know a fraction of the pain your kind brings into the world, you skank ass bitch.
I’m especially in love with your minions that screamed at me that there are only two genders. I see what really gets you off. Stupidity!
But of course, ya’ll have nothing to worry about. Not a one of the idiots on that list "violated Twitter's terms" (even though transphobia very clearly is in the list of things you can report). A fact I've documented quite thoroughly.
Source: My own blog
Oh you think I care I get penalyzed on Elon’s newly acquired Bird App? Ain't even close to the first time, and I regret absolutely none of it.
Source: Still my own blog.
Notice that’s a lost account, where I referenced another lost account? Been at this a while, shit-chick, and social media ALWAYS punishes the person fighting back, never the person harassing them.
And we all know WHY they don't enforce actual standards on Twitter anymore. Big billionaire daddy bought ya'll a Nazi safe space to harass and hate with his exploding murder car money. It only cost him a few billion. Worth it, right?
Source: NDTV
He also lost his daughter. His trans daughter, by the way. He thinks it's due to "Marxism" but it's because she's embarrassed by his disgusting bigotry.
Source:
Mercury News
Any decision from this shitshow site is hardly a football for you fuckers to spike. Gladly be penalized a million times to get in the faces of rancid crotched losers sniffing in other women's business like you.
Because again, you can cry victim all the live long day, but you ain't the one being forced into this shit. You're just the one hurting these women.
RECENT CASES ON VIOLENCE AGAINST REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH CARE PROVIDERS
Which brings me to another of your posse...
Delilah somethingorfuckingother screamed at me to "stay in my lane" (bodily autonomy is very much an LGBTQ issue) and accused me of "White Knighting." Okay, let's talk about that one.
She's right. I totally forgot all about when the German theologist, Martin Niemöller, said:
I notice she isn't telling THESE men to stay in their lane, right?
Sorry, but you gotta know, after all that prying into other women's business in such sick ways... creepy takes on a whooole new level with you motherfuckers. I mean, and then there's THIS fact:
Of COURSE you want everyone to stay in other lanes, so that the women you want to harass will be alone. While you have Twitter as a safe space to harass them. And SCOTUS. And the entire GOP to stay in their crotch.
Source:
Intelligencer
And who's white-knighting here? Ya'll are doing all this because you wanna save a bunch of undeveloped clump of cells, thinking you're some fucking hero.
THAT'S White Knighting.
Source:
Harper’s Bazaar
Just like ya'll "White Knight" saving kids from the horror of "WOKENESS!" but you ain't saving shit. You're just hating on those ya'll already abused, blaming them for your own fucked up shit. Tell ‘em, Shea:
You don't care about life. You care about control. A clump of cells has no agency and can't tell you dumbfucks to STFU and go away, and ya'll want soooo badly to be heroes about something to distract from:
Not to mention the shit ya'll do to trans people. You of course think hating on them is some sort of act of feminism. It is not. Trans women are women. You are not, however, cuz you'd have to be human first.
But you're not. You're adored by MAGA transphobes and love harassing women and assuming if they need an abortion they must just fuck and abort like bunnies. It's what you were implying, which is what started all this, Turnip.
So in conclusion:
You're the harassing person in all this.
You're the creepy one as well.
Your back up mob of freaks ain't covering you from wrongness any more than your disabled card did.
You can't play a victim while victimizing other women.
No abortion decision is ever your business except your own.
And trans men are men, trans women are women, and don't need your permission to be who they are.
These things are not up for debate and we will not be debating them. We don't have to answer any questions you think are clever but are incredibly stupid, no matter how many times you verbally fart them. And we DON'T have to be nice to you.
And threats of reporting and Twitter jail ain't gonna shake me from it either. Elon may have tried to make a safe space for you Nazis, but NAZIS DESERVE NO SAFE SPACE.
Now stay the fuck off my feed because you ain't gonna get anything from me but worse than what I said before, and as you did then, YOU'LL DESERVE IT.
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I ended up back in Benbrook.
I never seem to be able to stay in one place too long. How long will it last this time?
We are officially moving out of Albuquerque by the end of May. I thought being there would do so much for me… but I’m just chasing some other high, hoping that next time it will work; next time I will be happy.
Almost 2 years in and there doesn’t seem to be anything there for me. Like I’ve squeezed out any last drop of dopamine I can from the entire city.
I’m sitting on a park bench at Timbercreek park. This place used to be my solitude. I would frequently walk down across the bridge and just… be. The city removed the picnic tables that used to be under the huge cottonwood trees in the back section. It felt like my own little grove. Alas, nothing lasts forever. So here I am sitting on this bench across from the community garden. I’ve been visiting this place for so long that I remember when there was no garden, only sprawling green grass. There wasn’t a huge parking lot, just a tiny little asphalt patch. I wish it was like that still.
It doesn’t even feel like a safe place. I turned off my location settings so I could just be free, and of course Marc has already texted that he knows where I will be. Had I been in a better mood, it might’ve made me smile to realize he knows me so well. But right now I feel violated. I don’t have anywhere.
Nothing is my own.
I will never be truly alone.
That’s the ironic bit, isn’t it? I’m so scared of being alone, that everyone will leave me eventually, and yet here I am pissed off that I can’t be alone. I’m sure it won’t be long before he rolls up to come take me back to the house. I dread that moment :(
The last time I sat on this bench it was 9 years ago… 2015. God what a fucking awful year for my personal life. Speaking of, it reminds me that I had past trauma thrown back in my face—the first time I had ever found another woman’s clothing in my house. It had completely slipped my mind. It was March of 2014 and Facebook just had to remind me… but then I put together the puzzle pieces and it just killed me even more.
In March of 2014 I had found a size 8 pair of slacks from Banana Republic in my laundry. I know they weren’t mine because, a) I was too poor to shop there; b) I wasn’t a size 8 at the time; and c) they were in the top of the laundry so they had just been put/left there. In 2014 Marc was off fucking someone else. He swears to this day that he never touched her and that she was never at the house. He swore a lot of things… and every single one of them I proved him wrong. It was almost too easy. He used to be a very good liar, but I knew what to look for the longer it happened.
“No, I’m not cheating.” Then I found the texts.
“No, there was never anything other than some flirting.” Then I found the nudes.
“No, she never came here.” Then I found her pants.
I hate that this has all come back up. It wrecked me all over again. The pain I had buried spilled over like it had just been waiting to be discovered again. It made too much sense.
He still swears nothing happened. Honestly, he could swear that until the day he dies and I still wouldn’t believe it. How sad is that? It’s been 10 years and I can still feel the stab of betrayal.
Today should’ve been a good day. The boys are on spring break, we finally have a house in the city that feels like home, we went to see the hundreds of butterflies flitting about in the conservatory at the FWBG. But this morning before I could even get out of bed, it was ruined.
Marc had gotten up before the sun when his alarm went off. I’ve been quite the insomniac recently, so of course I was awake. He didn’t know that, though.
I heard him open the front door. I have no idea why he did.
I asked him about it this morning and he hesitated and then came up with, “I thought I saw a cat out there and I wanted to scare it off before I took out Zelda.”
The sun wasn’t up. He couldn’t see.
He was trying to make sure Zelda didn’t see it, yet opened the door and she came running.
There wasn’t actually a cat there because he even said he didn’t see one, but maybe it was just a bush.
The more he talked about it, the more it felt like bullshit. It’s really hard to ignore those gut feelings. I’ve been around liars my entire life and I know when to listen when those red flags go up. He stopped talking to me about it later, of course. Maybe because the more he spoke, the more bullshit came out.
Goddammit it’s getting cold out here now that the sun is down. I do NOT want to go back to the house. I wish this fucking wind would stop.
I’ve spent the entire time here typing on my phone and do not feel any better. In fact, I almost feel worse.
Today has been awful. The boys have been awful. I feel that Marc is lying to me.
He told me that he is addicted to sex.
I have a terribly low libido. Probably due to past trauma, extreme stress and depression, and the general hate I have for how my life has gone. But guess what? Last time I didn’t fuck him enough, he found someone else. Two or three someones. No wonder I keep seeing the signs.
I already feel like a failure, but here’s another reason to feel like one.
I can’t think straight.
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Displaced ch. 3: Not Leaving Your Side
World: Breath of the Wild
Characters: Revenant, Rana, Malon
Warnings: animal cruelty, canon typical violence
Summary: When they woke up that morning, Link and Zelda did not expect to meet a red haired woman among the ruins of a ranch.
Read on ao3: here
Previous / List / Next
Normal text
"Speech"
'Thoughts'
voices inside the characters head
"something a character said in the past"
[Letters, books, anything written]
telepathic communication
Where. Was. Her. Ranch!?
Malon had gone to bed as usual. Link by her side. Then she woke up and her ranch was in ruins!
The house where she woke up and the barn were almost entirely gone. The fence lining the paddock was also partially gone. And whatever bit of fence was there, was moldy beyond use. And even the sturdy stone silo was halfway destroyed.
She doesn't dare to think about what could have caused all of this. Or what happened to the animals.
Oh goddess, Link! What happened to her husband? And her father!?
Before she had any time to panic, however, she saw something horrible.
There was a horse. And it was clearly hurt. It was hurt and exhausted and way too thin. And something was riding on it. Some kind of red monster was riding on that horse, forcing the poor animal to keep going on and on.
With rage overpowering her fear, Malon picked up a piece of mouldy wood and started advancing on the monster and the horse. The monster – whatever that was – was too focused on the horse. Since the horse had stopped walking entirely and was close to collapsing.
The monster. Never. Saw. Her. Coming.
With the mouldy piece of wood she managed to hit the monster off the horse and a good distance away from the poor baby. But not without breaking the fence post she was using in a million little pieces. Not that that was a problem.
Giving the horse a gentle clap to get it to run a bit farther away to safety, she advances on the still downed monster. Picking up the spear it dropped in the process.
Sure, she had no idea how to wield a weapon. But she was fairly certain that stabbing a downed foe wouldn't be all that difficult.
And right she was. The 'fight' was over within seconds.
Meaning she was able to turn her attention to much more important matters now. Namely the horse. Dropping the spear next to the monster parts that were left behind, she made her way over to the distressed animal. Unfortunately, she was so focused on calming down the injured horse, that she didn't notice the looming shadow falling over her.
“Watch out!” A woman's cry came from her right side at the same time a monster's cry came from her left.
She quickly turned to her left and came face to face with another of those monsters. This one in white with black markings on it. And it also was armed with a spear. One that looked a lot more dangerous than the one she had dropped.
The monster readied it's own spear for an attack. And Malon knew that she wouldn't be able to evade it.
So this was how it would end for her?
The monster threw it's spear forward, at the same time something barrelled into her back. Pushing her down to the ground.
And the world slowed down to a crawl.
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“Watch out!” Zelda shouted just as Link pushed the red-haired woman down and out of harms way.
The two of them and Briona had just been on their way back to Hateno, after scavenging the castle library for anything that might have survived the past century. Especially the citizen registry, which could have told them how old exactly Link was now.
Because all they could do right now, was to guess that he was probably between fifteen and seventeen years old. Physically that was.
At least they knew that he was less than eighteen. Since he had not been allowed to follow her to the very top of mount Lanayru back then. He had to wait out of sight of the spring.
But they found nothing. Not a single official document. Not even within her fathers private study. And the majority of the books within the main room had fallen victim to the elements too. Meaning they had lost a huge amount of information and history.
But of course their bad luck didn't stop there.
There was simply no getting into the treasury, which had all but been buried in a collapse. So Link would have to be the one to continue paying for the rebuild effort for a while.
Their last stop was her room and personal study. The later of which Link had to stay away from, as to avoid another memory. But unfortunately, the amount of her personal belongings that had actually survived, could be carried in one arm. Almost everything was gone. Her clothes, her research and experiments and worst of all, the painting of her and her parents.
The painting that was made shortly before her mother's sudden death. And before her father lost himself in his grief.
From back when they were actually still a family.
But there was no point in crying over some lifeless objects. The more simple style of the clothes she borrowed from Link suited her a lot more after all. And she would simply do new experiments and research projects.
And her parents... were probably best left in the past anyway.
So they simply packed up the few things that did survive and made their way through the still frozen grass and mud of yesterday's rain shower towards riverside Stable. With plans of trying their luck in Akkala Citadel next.
Because finding out Link's age was her priority right now. And there was at least a chance to find a register of all the soldiers and knights that had served the kingdom. Including Link.
But before they could make it that far, they ended up finding the aforementioned red-haired stranger among the ruins of a ranch. A stranger who was being attacked by a white Bokoblin.
Of course, Link instantly sprinted ahead and pushed the stranger out of the way. Before seamlessly going over into a flurry rush.
Zelda, meanwhile, was left to run after him at a much slower pace. With Briona – Link's pet fox and her new 'bodyguard' – close behind her.
But eventually she did reach the scene where the woman was just getting up again and was able to pull her farther away from the ongoing fight between Link and the Bokoblin. The later of which having discarded the dragonbone boko spear it wielded before for a traveler's bow.
And if the speed with which it was shooting was anything to go by, it was a quickdraw bow too.
Getting in a fighting stance in front of the stranger, Zelda unsheathed the royal broadsword and shield Link gave her, when he started training her. Just in case the Bokoblin tried something funny.
Briona meanwhile cowered fearfully between Zelda's legs looking frantically back and fourth between the fight and the stranger behind her. So Zelda knew that if the 'woman' were to try and attack her from behind, the little fox would let her know.
And the spirits of the champions were surely also still keeping an eye out for her.
But as it turned out, any precautions weren't necessary. Because soon enough, the fight came to it's obvious conclusion. And their new 'acquaintance' hadn't moved a muscle. Only ever looking at Link with wide eyes.
Still, no matter how tired her arm was growing, Zelda decided to keep her weapon out for a bit longer. Just to be sure. And while her friend was collecting the monster parts left behind, she used the moment to take a proper look at the stranger. And apparently said stranger had the same idea.
The woman was probably in her mid to late thirties. But while her hair was red enough that she could have put a Gerudo to shame, she was still clearly Hylian.
But the strangest thing was... the woman was only wearing a night gown. No shoes, no coat. Nothing. In the middle of winter.
Then there was the problem that that woman didn't look like she belonged here. She clearly wasn't dressed for traveling. And Zelda had also never seen her in any of the villages or stables she visited with link over the past two months since the Calamity's defeat.
But more importantly, Link clearly didn't recognize her either. Otherwise he would have croaked the closest thing to a greeting he was capable of while tackling her to the ground.
Usually that was a clear sign for a Yiga.
On the other hand, the fact that she didn't attack when she had the chance, was proof that the red head was indeed not an assassin. Unless the Yiga had learned the art of patience, of course.
Zelda only broke the silent staring contest with the older woman, when a cough sounded from beside her. And when she looked over, she found Link awkwardly holding out his cloak and a pair of boots to the newcomer. While pointedly looking the other direction.
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For a moment, all Malon could do, was staring at the clothes that were being pushed in her direction. Unable to comprehend the action through her spinning thoughts.
What were those monsters earlier? What happened to her ranch? Where were her husband and father? Why were there armed kids running around? Why was that boy able to slow down time? And why did his face look like someone tried to make mince meat out of him? That's a child!
And who were those people anyway!?
The teenagers – because both of them couldn't possibly be any older than eighteen – were both blonde. They both wore simple tunics. Hers was a crimson red with some leather armor on top of it. And his was a moss green doublet. Both her long light blonde hair and his shoulder long golden hair were in ponytails.
Malon was pulled from her spiraling thoughts, when the other teenager – the girl – snapped her fingers in front of Malon's face. “You, uhm...” the young girl said with a pointed nod in the boy's direction. “You may want to cover yourself up a bit.”
And when she looked down down on herself, Malon could finally see why the cloak was being offered to her. She was only wearing her thin, once peach colored nightgown. And nothing else. And now that the adrenaline was leaving her, she also finally noticed how cold it was.
With a squeak she would later deny ever making, she snatched the offered cloak and boots from the boy's hands and put them on. If Link had witnessed all of this, he would have been rolling on the ground, laughing at her embarrassment.
But with that done, she finally had time to check on those poor horses!
Except that the teenagers were standing in the way. And they didn't look like they were going to move out of the way.
In fact, they just asked her if she wanted something called 'bananas'.
Now, she had no idea what that 'bananas' thing was supposed to be. But as long as it wasn't going to help her make sure those horses were okay, she was not interested. And pushing through the kids, she told them as much. Which, weirdly enough, caused them to visibly relax and agree with her sentiment.
“We should probably bring them to one of the nearby stables.” The girl pointed out while pulling an odd looking stone rectangle from her belt. “But which one? Wetland Stable is closer if we stay off road, but it's on the other side of the river. Meaning the horses would have a harder time to find back home.”
The girl looked back up at the boy next to her, who was busy mashing apples in a pot. “But while Riverside Stable is on this side of the river, it's also farther away and we'd have to sneak past the Bottomless Swamp. And possibly also the Hinox.”
For a moment silence fell over the group. This conversation wasn't really something she could take part in. And frankly, she also didn't care as long as the horses were fine. If she had to beat up a Heyenox for that, then so be it.
“The Wetland Stable?” The girl continued after a moment, despite never having received an answer, as he was busy adding some cut carrots and a red potion to the mashed apples.
Another short pause followed. “True. It is safer. And one of the stable hands could indeed help the horses cross the bridge later.”
Malon was just about to point out that the horses were in no condition to travel for any amount of distance. And that they wouldn't be for a while. Because in her experience, red potions didn't work on animals.
But then, scooping up roughly one half of the mixture in the pot, the boy slowly made his way towards Malon and the horse she was checking on. A small light blue and white fox following behind him with a yip.
“Take the rest of that and feed it to the other horse.” The girl called out from behind him, while he held out his cupped hands with the dripping mixture to the horse. “It should take care of the worst injuries.”
And case in point, Malon could quite literally watch a large gash on the black and white horse's flank scab over. And what? How? That was clearly a red potion he used.
Disregarding that line of thought she took the pot and made her way over to the purely brown horse the white monster had ridden on.
And soon enough, three Hylians, a fox and two horses were walking through a small sparse forest. No one daring to break the tense silence for the conversation they all knew had to happen. So, as the oldest of the small group, Malon took the first step. “Anyway, my name is Malon. And you are...” She drifted off in hopes that at least one of the blondes would take the opening.
“Ah. I'm Zelda.” The girl tensely smiled at her before pointing at the awkwardly waving boy. “And his name is Link.”
They were... what?
Well okay, there were more than enough people who named their daughters after the Queen. So the girls name wasn't all that surprising. 'Link' on the other hand was not exactly a normal name, last time she checked.
Add to that the fact that those two were clearly friends at the very least and handy with swords...
“And this little fuzzball is Briona.” Zelda continued, apparently oblivious to Malon's reaction. And pointed to the little fox following at Link's heels.
Quickly hiding her surprise, Malon returned Zelda's tense smile. “Pleasure to meet you. Uhm, what exactly were those monsters?”
With a grunt the boy turned towards her with a shocked expression, before quickly looking back forward again.
“Those monsters were called Bokoblins.” Zelda jumped in, pulling Malon's attention away from the other blonde. “They are relatively harmless. At least compared to what else you could have encountered here.”
“You mean like that 'Heyenox' thing you mentioned earlier?”
“Yes. Those are definitely worse.” Zelda turned away from her for a moment to give Link a short glance. “But still not the worst.”
“So...” Zelda started again, giving Malon a suspicious glance. “Where are you from? I don't think we have ever seen you before.”
“This place is Hyrule, isn't it?” Malon quickly answered and received a nod in return. With the pleasantry's obviously over, they all could finally start getting some answers from each other. “In that case I'm from here. Actually, I'm pretty sure that the ruins we were in earlier were my ranch. So, what happened to it!?”
“Your ranch?” Zelda answered as Link let out a croak. Then Zelda continued the conversation on her own again. “The ranch was destroyed by Calamity Ganon a hundred years ago.” For a moment a shadow passed over the girl's face. “Just like everything else.”
Ganon? Could it be they were talking about Ganondorf? But how? He was executed well over two decades ago.
“But as far as I'm aware, it already stood empty long before that.” Zelda continued after a moment with a shrug. “Not entirely sure what happened. Some family drama, I think?”
“I... see.” She answered with a frown, before bursting out laughing. She time traveled? Oh, Link, her Link, was never gonna believe this. And that probably meant those two were...
She knew she really had to calm down and explain herself. But after seeing the teenagers' startled expressions, she couldn't help but laugh even harder.
“Sorry. Sorry.” She eventually calmed down and caught her breath enough to talk again. “But tell me. You are the princess and hero of this era, aren't you?”
No sooner had the words left her, did the girl stumble over her own feet. Only to be caught by the boy next to her. Really, if nothing else, the shocked expressions both of them gave her already confirmed her suspicions.
“How did you-” The princess interrupted herself momentarily to recompose herself. “I mean, first off, I'm not a princess anymore. But also, I can see how you would have figured it out with me. With my family's naming convention and everything. But how do you know that Link is a hero?”
“Because I'm married to one.” Malon proudly proclaimed. “And his name is also Link.” She was probably enjoying the teenagers' shock and disbelieve a bit too much. But at least she was in good company until her husband came to pick her up. “He also told me all about his own time travel shenanigans.”
“Time travel?”
“Oh look. There's the stable” She proclaimed and quickened her step. Or at least she assumed that the large tent-like structure was the stable. It did have a wooden horse head on top of it, after all.
She also really liked the upbeat music coming from that direction.
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Having saved the horses in the late morning, they managed to arrive at the stable about mid afternoon. And while Link went and got the horses situated, Zelda instead dragged the newcomer past the flute playing stable hand and into the tent to get her something warmer to wear.
Because the good thing about stables was, they all had boxes with stuff their patrons had left behind and never came back for. Which sometimes included clothes.
And as it turned out, they were lucky. And after no time they had a full outfit on the older woman.
However, for some reason that was also the moment Malon started fussing about the haggard appearance and dark bags underneath both her and Link's eyes. A result of their all-nighters in the castle.
And frankly, Zelda was not sure whether she liked that or not.
“So.” Malon approached her after getting changed into her new clothes and gave her back Link's cloak and boots. “Does your friend usually make a habit out of slowing down time? Where did he go anyway?”
“He's with the horses right now.” Zelda replied with a strained smile. “No offense, but he's probably going to avoid you for a while. Nothing personal.”
To be honest, once they were done getting Malon somewhere safe, she was intending to do exactly the same. After all, they both had made bad experiences with strangers who show up out of nowhere.
“And his time manipulation is called a flurry rush.” She quickly continued when the older woman gave her a look that was somewhere between worry and hurt feelings. “Long story short, the ability to use magic has all but been bred out of this kingdom's races.”
“Really?”
“Yes. However sometimes a little bit of magic still makes an appearance in an individual in the form of abilities.” She continued pulling her new research journal out of the slate. “Unfortunately not much is known about that phenomenon, since it's quite rare. But as far as I can tell, the likeliness of an ability to develop and the type of ability, can be influenced by heritage.”
“Meaning?” At this point Malon was rubbing her temple and looked like she was developing a headache.
“Meaning if you have someone in your ancestry who had an ability, you have a good chance of developing the same ability.” Slamming the small book shut, Zelda grinned up at the confused woman. “We actually have an example of that in form of a young Goron, who had inherited the ability of his grandfather.”
“Alright. Look, that whole magic talk goes right over my head.” The redhead responded after a moment while they both sat down on the round table near the tent's entrance. “So, how did Link get his scars? I didn't dare to ask him directly. I hate to think that someone that young had to go through the same hardships as my husband.”
“Yeah, it's probably better you didn't ask him.” She admitted with a grimace. “He's not used to people asking about that. Let's just say, Ganon did not fight fair. So he might not have responded well to the question.”
Especially since the question would have come from someone he didn't trust.
“What? Why? Has really no one ever cared to ask?”
Seeing Malon's horrified and judgmental expression, the former princess couldn't help but take offense. After all, those were the people who had welcomed both her and Link into their communities with open arms. Who didn't hold their failure against them, but rather considered them the kingdom's saviors. Who did everything in their power to make them feel comfortable and welcome.
Who accepted them as part of their crazy family.
“Quite the opposite actually. The people care more than enough.” She snapped at the worried woman. “However, everyone could simply tell where he got those injuries. There was no need to sprinkle salt into open wounds.”
“I should probably go and give Link his cloak back.” She abruptly stood up from her seat and turned to leave.
“You would have developed your powers long ago, if you weren't so lazy and actually worked on it!”
Was she being childish? Yes. But frankly, after suffering her own fathers assumptions for so long, she was just done dealing with adults who only saw what they wanted to see.
Especially now that she finally knew what it was like being supported.
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That evening Link was found with the horses they had rescued the previous morning. The sky looked like it was about to burst open with yet another rain shower. And the air tasted of electricity.
A thunderstorm then.
“We should take her back to Hateno.” Zelda's voice came from behind him while he was checking up on the horses one last time. Tomorrow morning they would continue on their way. “I know we wanted to continue directly to Akkala Citadel. But Purah might be able to figure out how to sent Malon back to her own time.”
He mutely nodded as he knelt down to give Briona some scratches. Right behind the ears. The small snowcoat fox's favorite spot. The citadel was hardly going to run away.
Feeling the blonde practically radiating distress, he bumped shoulders with her, while Champions created a ping of worry in the back of his head. However, he didn't bother asking about it. Because at this point he knew well enough that she wouldn't tell anything while she was this distressed.
Besides, she would tell him without prompting anyway. Once she was ready to do so.
“So...” He instead opted to sign at her, just when the rain and lightning started and everyone else fled inside. But luckily the roof of the actual stable part was just big enough to give them cover as long as they pressed themselves against the feeding trough. “Did she find anything to wear?”
“Yep. She even found some shoes that somewhat fit.”
Good. That was at least one worry less. And tomorrow they would take their horses and start making their way home.
Said horses were of course the white horse 'Flakes' which he gave to Zelda first chance he got. And his own dark brown mare 'Midnight'.
Flakes got his name because Link found him in the early spring and it was snowing. Making it almost impossible to see the purely white horse. In fact, Link was pretty sure he ran right past the horse at least a couple of times without noticing.
And in the case of Midnight, when he saw that horse – which he later figured out to look just like the one he had a century ago – he just instantly went 'yep, that one looks like a Midnight'.
“You don't trust her, don't you?” Came Zelda's sudden question, pulling him out of his horse musings.
And once again she was reading him like a book. Was he that obvious? Or maybe she just read his thoughts. That weird 'telepathy' deal was still a thing for some reason. Even if it could only transmit feelings and images nowadays.
“Just because she isn't a Yiga, doesn't mean that she isn't an enemy.” He finally settled on. Using once again sign, now that they were alone and his hands were free. “She took everything a bit too well for a civilian who was just ripped from her own era.”
“And what do the champions think about her?”
I think she's lovely.
No way. Something's off about her. She's been acting way too nice for a stranger.
Come on, Revali. That's a bit harsh, don't you think?
Actually I have to agree with birdbrain there, Daruk. Her story is a bit too convenient.
“Their opinions are... divided.”
“Link! Zelda!” Suddenly came Malon's shout from the stable. “You two come inside, right now. If you stay in the rain like that, you'll get sick.”
Yeah, he had to agree with Urbosa and Revali there. He didn't know either what to make of that woman. Plus...
”Heroes don't exist! They never did!”
...He also was wasn't sure just how much of her 'married to a hero' story he actually believed.
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Luckily, he and Zelda had already taken care of any monsters on their way to the castle. And surprisingly enough, there also wasn't a single Yiga ambush. Something that had become something of a weekly occurrence.
Instead they stayed by Fort Hateno for an afternoon, so he could give Zelda a couple more lessons in mountaineering. And after that they went and hunted their dinner. This time the former princess even managed to almost skin the entire boar by herself before getting sick to the stomach.
And so, roughly three days after setting out from the stable, they arrived at Hateno without any further incident.
From there it didn't take long to get Malon settled in the inn and then return to his and Zelda's shared house. Despite the frequent stops to greet everyone they met on the streets. Well, almost everyone.
He still wasn't able to bring himself to look Thadd in the eyes.
Which was becoming more and more embarrassing, the more time passed. It's been months since that incident, for crying out loud! He really ought to be over it by now. But no, instead he still ran scared of the person, who was the least at fault for the situation.
Hyrule's 'brave' hero, everyone!
But now was not the time for his 'trauma'. They still had a lot to do before meeting up with Purah in the morning. Like cleaning up the mess they left before their very spontaneous trip to the castle.
After that they went and greeted the rest of the villagers and asked around for any notable events.
And as it turned out, there was a notable event.
Koyin's flock had started disappearing again. However, there hadn't been a blood moon since he had last cleared out the beach. And when Koyin went to check, the beach was in fact empty. That along with the lack of tracks in the mud meant that they had no idea what could have happened to the sheep. It was as if they had just disappeared.
Of course they still searched for the reminder of the evening for any clues. Only giving up well after the sun had set. But they found nothing. So with the promise that Koyin would call them when when she found more clues, they accepted defeat and went back home.
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The next morning He and Zelda made their way to Purah's lab. Where they were confronted with the next unusual issue.
“Check it!” The now seven year old granny shouted in her usual animated way. “Using the guidance stone I was able to detect some odd anomalies all across the kingdom.” She excitedly snapped her fingers. “And one of those anomalies just so happens to coincide with the appearance of your new friend.”
“So she was saying the truth about being from the past?” Zelda asked in a relieved tone.
“Maybe. I can't really tell what those anomalies are.” Purah contemplated before snatching the Sheikah slate from Zelda's belt. “But if you give me a day, I could update the sensor to detect those anomalies. And then you,” She pointed at the two teenagers in the room. “could go and find one of those anomalies to do some experiments on them.”
Satisfied with the teenagers' nods, Purah turned away to activate the slate. “It would also give me the opportunity to reverse engineer this thing again and work out the last bugs of the new model.”
“Oh yes!” Zelda clapped her hands together. “How is it coming along?”
“Hmm. Maybe a couple more days?”
When the small scientist said that, Symin finally came over from his corner of the lab with a bland looking stone rectangle in his hands. Similar in size and design to the ancient Sheikah slate.
Purah, Symin and Zelda – whenever she was in Hateno – had been working for the past two months on recreating the Sheikah slate. And once the first one was done and thoroughly tested by Zelda and him, they were planning on making more. First for Sidon, Riju, Teba and Yunobo, who were lovingly dubbed the 'new champions' when the rest of the kingdom found out how they helped him on his mission.
Something that had caused no end of delight for the old champions.
“More like a couple of weeks.” Symin gently reprimanded the old lady child. “We're still working out the communication issue.”
“The what?” Link finally signed his way into the nerd conversation.
“Ooh. I've never told you have I?” Zelda turned to him, bashfully scratching her cheek and giving him an embarrassed grin. “We have reason to believe that, at some point, the Guardians were able to communicate between each other over over long distances.”
“And you're hoping of replicating that ability for the slates?” He had to admit, that would be a pretty useful feature. Especially since he and Zelda had the uncanny talent of getting separated all the time.
Wait.
“Is that the reason why I had to drag that Guardian head all the way here?” He looked accusingly at the scientists in front of him, letting out an enraged gurgle.
Because of course they couldn't have used the head of the Guardian on top of the lab. No, he had to go and find a still active Guardian and decapitate it without blowing it up in the process. All while trying to not get blown up himself.
It took an entire day!
“Yep.” Purah popped the 'p' and had the audacity to grin at him. “Anyway~” She singsonged while turning back to the former princess. “If you could wait that long, you could test the sensor and the new slate at the same time.”
“Of course! That would be such a help when we go and check the anoma-” Zelda exclaimed with a squeal at the prospect of more field research. But then she stopped herself with realization dawning on her face. “Purah, could it be that one of those anomalies was also here in Hateno?”
“You're thinking of Koyin's flock?” He took a guess at Zelda's train of thought.
“It would certainly explain it.”
Yes it would explain it. And if that really was the case, then those anomalies were the clue they were hoping for.
Things were definitely looking up.
But then, why did he have the weird sense that something was about to go wrong?
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As the goddess would have it, they were not able to wait the couple of weeks for the new slate to get finished. Because just three days later, they were awakened by a loud banging on his cottage's door.
“Is Teba here?” Harth almost shouted at him the moment the door opened. The panic in his voice apparent.
“No.” Zelda answered for him, looking over his shoulders. The pit that had been settling in the bottom of his stomach suddenly intensified. “Is something wrong?”
“He... he didn't come home from training a couple of days ago.” The exhausted looking hawk Rito deflated and leaned against the door frame. “I was hoping he had come to visit you and simply forgot to tell anyone.”
Pulling Harth inside, Link made some tea for the four of them, while Zelda started interrogating Harth. “We haven't seen him in almost a month. What happened?”
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The next day Link and Zelda made their way towards Rito village. With their ever present shadow Briona hitching a ride on his horse. Harth, however, had flown ahead to tell the other Ritos that help was on the way.
At least Link hoped that they would be able to help.
“We should be able to assist with the search in the Hebra region and be back in time to collect your new slate.” Zelda pointed out while they traveled past Ginner Woods.
“You think that the anomalies are responsible too?” Link responded already knowing the answer. Because after what Harth had told them, it was the only possibility left.
Teba's training bow was next to the box of sitting cushions, just how it always was after he finished training. There were no sign's of a fight and no bodies floating in the waters of Totori Lake. And while Teba could get so engulfed in his training that he even forgot the time, he would never go anywhere without telling someone.
In other words, he had disappeared just as suddenly as Koyin's sheep.
After that short exchange both blondes fell silent. Because Teba's disappearance hit a lot harder than it probably should. Considering that neither had spent all that much time with him.
But Teba was the closest thing Link knew to a parent. And after he had rescued Zelda, the Rito also made a point to take her under his wing. Showing her the support, patience and encouragement she apparently had never received from the late King.
And while he knew she was far from ready to accept a parental figure, he also knew that she still appreciated the effort.
So yeah. Teba being gone hurt. A lot.
Their silent journey continued for the rest of the day. Until they reached Fort Hateno. There, the slate suddenly started that annoyingly incessant beeping.
“Urgh. I thought we had turned that thing off.” Link complained while Briona behind him whined at the way too high pitched sound.
“We did. It's just-” Zelda took the slate out to see what it was sensing now. But stopped with a look of realization on her face. “An anomaly. It's sensing an anomaly!” Giving each other a shocked look, Zelda hooked the slate back to her belt and turned her horse towards the cliffs north of the fort. “This way!”
Once they reached the cliffs, they followed them west until they came to an opening among the cliff wall, creating a wide path. A small tunnel awaited them at the end of it and once they passed through the tunnel, they came upon a small valley.
The valley was inhabited by a single fire Wizzrobe, dancing over the burned remains of a village. And at the other end the valley opened up to Lake Siela and the waterfall feeding it.
But in the middle of the ruins, there was an mirage of sorts.
After Link dispatched of the Wizzrobe with a single ice arrow, the blondes neared the spot. And upon closer inspection, they found that the 'mirage' was actually a cut-like scar. A white void of nothing. Just hanging in the air. An odd pull beckoning them towards it.
And it was getting smaller.
'Uh, Zee?'
He frantically patted her on the shoulder and interrupted her excited ramblings. “I don't think this thing is going to stay much longer.” He frantically signed at her and gave her a questioning look. “Are we going through?”
For a moment Zelda looked at the constantly shrinking rift, kneading her lip between her teeth. “We won't be back in time to pick up your slate.” She looked at him with a frown.
“I think I'll survive.” He gave her a smirk in response.
“All right then.” She put the slate back in it's spot, having taken a few pictures of their find. Then she turned towards him with her pinky held out. “But if we get separated...”
“We are not allowed to die until we meet each other again.” Hooking his own pinky with hers, they shook once and turned back towards the rift, that was now barely bigger than them.
“Well, then we should probably hurry.” Zelda sounded nervous. Because of course she was. They were about to do something really reckless.
Telling the horses to run to the nearest stable, Link picked up Briona with one hand before the small fox could jump on him. With the other hand he grabbed Zelda's offered one.
And as one they stepped into the unknown.
#shattered ages#displaced#loz au#links meet au#zeldas meet au#sa revenant#link botw#sa rana#zelda botw#botw#legend of zelda#fanfic#fanfiction#ao3 fanfic
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