Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

Legend:

A Mournful Note Plays

          Legend was attentive. Maybe too attentive at times.

          Not like it was a bad thing, the Vet had spent years upon years traveling and adventuring-whether he liked it or not, and had learned over time to pick up on the tiny details about people. Tiny details that not even the Captain would be able to pick up on most of the time.

          While Wars would often share his observations, Legend kept them to himself. He didn’t know if that person would want such details about them spoken aloud so openly. He certainly wouldn’t like it if Wars one day picked up on any of his own quirks.

         Each Link in this mess of a group had their own set of quirks, their own little things that made them stand out more than normal; Twilight’s ears perked up whenever a noise alerted him in the distance, and Time had an internal clock rivaling Wild’s Slate, which was honestly really weird the more Legend thought about it.

          Somehow the Sailor knew where he was exactly by just staring at the night sky, and Sky was always identified as “Link” before anyone else which somehow would randomly trip up other Zeldas. Even the Vet’s, which was oddly terrifying the first time it happened considering the fact that that’s his sister.

           Legend’s successor, Rulie, was always known as “just a stranger who passed through town” in literally any era they went to, which was weird on its own, but Rule also had the bonus effect of having Fairies always approaching him first, before moving to Time.

          The Smithy Four kept finding Rupees in his gear that he didn’t remember placing there or even having, and the Captain always garnered the most respect out of town guards without trying. The man could be in his nightgown and he’d have knights saluting him.

          And then there was Wild, the weird one out.

          Weird because one of his “quirks” was the fact that he had too many of them, more than Legend could mentally keep track of. So many that he was half tempted to start keeping notes.

          The poor guy's amnesia rendered him a blank slate from his past, yet reminders of that past kept popping up. Not in the form of flashbacks, but in things like this. “This” being him playing the piano at Lon Lon Ranch.

          The group had arrived in Time’s Hyrule a day ago and had all decided, well rather the Old Man had decided, that they all needed a week's rest at said ranch for some much needed rest and rejuvenation. And to stock up on supplies because Hylia be damned, sorry Sky, they were running low at the time.

          And this is how Legend found himself sitting on the stairs that led down to the living room of the ranch house where Wild was playing. Outside of him and Wild, the only other person in the actual building at the time was Wind. 

          Time and Malon were at the market together with Twilight, Four was in the barn making horseshoes, Sky was probably napping somewhere with the Cuccos, the crazy bastard, and the Captain was most likely either with Four or on the front porch reading one of his many books with Rulie. Legend didn’t know where Wind was right now, but if the Sailor got Wild to stop playing he’d be pretty upset.

          Because Wild, despite claiming a while ago that he didn’t know how to play any instruments, was shockingly good at it. Too good actually.

          Almost as good as Legend himself.

          Legend learned the piano at a decently young age, granted it was after his first adventure; the torturous oblivion that it was at twelve years old. But when one is nobility, or in his case royalty, learning the piano was basically mandatory. This trend tracked in nearly every Hyrule the group had visited so far besides Sky’s, which didn’t even have a damned monarchy, much less a proper form of government.

          Of course, Wild could’ve just been taught by his family without being nobility. Legend had considered that several times, but it was just one of the things that the Cook did that echoed his forgotten, or more accurately stolen, past.

          The Champion, who everyone agreed had the most gremlin qualities, also had court etiquette that made the blue blooded Captain impressed. Even Legend had to admit that he was impressed, though internally, he'd rather die a thousand deaths than tell the others that he's nobility, let alone royalty.

          According to the Captain himself, Wild knew how to fence perfectly. Apparently he was good enough to beat Artemis three to two, which Wars claimed was the most impressive thing he’s ever seen Wild do. Because Artemis never loses at fencing. Legend would know, he’s tried to beat her several times now to no avail.

          But the biggest tell of Wild’s noble status wasn’t the fact that he had noble piano lessons or fencing lessons, or that he could play chess, or ballroom dance if Four was to be believed. No, it was his cooking of all things.

          Wild’s meals, when not in the wilderness, were of such quality that they could only be matched by actual royal chefs . Not only that, most of the meals he made, especially whenever he cooked at Lon Lon, were quite literally dishes from actual royal cookbooks.

          At one point Legend thought that Wild just swiped a cookbook from the ruins of his Hyrule’s castle, but there was one small issue with that. Wild’s cookbook was of his own recipes, he never used a cookbook and never needed one. This left two possibilities:

          One: Wild somehow by sheer random chance managed to perfectly recreate several meals only served to royal families in completely different eras and entirely different timelines. Some of these meals included dishes that Legend had personally eaten years ago.

          Or.

          Two: Flora’s claim that Wild initially joined the Hylian Guard to follow in his father’s footsteps after he found the Master Sword was actually Wild’s coping mechanism way back when.

          The Vet saw only one possible chain of events for all of this to even make sense with the Champion. A young Wild, born to nobility, wanted to originally become a royal chef. He started to learn at a young age, taking a lot of recipes into heart and was quickly able to make them without trying. While foraging out in the woods for something like wild mushrooms or fresh berries, Wild stumbled across the Master Sword and the rest is history.

          Legend felt deeply for Wild. His whole life was stolen from him before it really started, and that’s ignoring the fact that Wild actually died.

          Eventually Wild switches the song he’s playing on the piano downstairs. Originally it was a rather upbeat and slow tune. Unfortunately, Legend didn’t know the name of the song.

          But this new song? He did. He knew it all too well.

          It was simply known as: A March for Mourning or A Funeral’s Sonata.

          The somber notes made Legend feel small again, so small and weak and tiny. He was thirteen again. The smell of roses and perfume filled his mind as he remembered his dear uncle Aflon’s casket. It was so simple, but so elegant, oh the royal knight that he was would’ve loved it. Why did the Triforce let Legend bring him back if he was just going to succumb to illness in front of him a few months later?

          Why did he have to watch the man who raised him and who loved and cherished him as his own flesh and blood child die twice?

          Why? Legend would’ve accepted a year, maybe even an extra month…An extra day…He barely got to spend any more time with his dearly beloved uncle.

          Was Aflon proud of him? The thought lingered in his mind as the notes filled his ears, Legend tried to ignore the growing feeling of wetness in his eyes. He’ll deal with that later.

          Legend’s thoughts were quickly interrupted by the fact that somebody had decided to sit next to him on the stairs, and that somebody had also decided to just flop over onto the Vet’s side.

          For the first time in a while, Legend opened his eyes and after blinking away the building tears, noticed that the Sailor was now leaning on him. His usual cheerful expression was gone, replaced with one filled with sorrow and longing. Tears dripped down from his eyes as he gazed up to the Veteran.

          Under any other circumstance, Legend would’ve made a snappy joke about not being a living pillow before gently guiding Wind to rest his head on some other Link’s body.

          Instead, the Vet just wrapped his arm around the young hero and pulled him close. 

          “You too huh?” Wind asked softly. Despite his voice barely above a whisper it was cracking, the poor kid was holding back a lot.

          Legend just gave a nod, not caring about the fact that tears of his own started to slide down his cheek.

          “I don’t even remember them, but I remember this song.”

           Them. Whenever Wind said it like that, he always meant his parents. After all, he was a few years older than his sister, Aryll, and the two of them lived with their grandmother. Just another Link who grew up without any of their parents alive or around, a tragic trend in this group of tragedy filled heroes.

          “Same.” Legend meekly replied. “My uncle…I miss him a lot.”

          Wind didn’t respond, though he did squeeze Legend’s hand. A knowing embrace, a way of saying “I understand” without ever having to speak or sign.

          It just made Legend’s heart ache, screaming in a guttural primal agony. Wind was thirteen going on fourteen and he understood exactly the pain that Legend was going through. Goddess be damned, Wind is still a child, despite his protests, and he had already killed someone long before this whole quest started. 

          Granted it was Ganondorf, who deserved far far worse, but no child should ever-ever have to hold a sword for any reason besides to admire the blade. By Din’s eternal flames far too many of them had drawn a sword far too young to fully understand the dire situation at hand.

          Legend didn’t even want to think about how many corrupted knights fell to his blade. It was something that his husband, Ravio (oh how he missed him right now), was working on with him. All the guilt that built up over the years.

          “Who-” Wind sniffled. “Who do you think he’s playing that song for?”

          Legend thought about it for a second. Replaying every moment that echoed Wild’s past in his head on repeat. Something must have triggered one of his forgotten memories today, and that’s why he was playing the piano.

          With a mournful sigh, Legend responded.

          “Himself.”

          Wind wiped away some of his tears with the collar of his blue lobster shirt. “He needs us.” Another sniffle.

          Legend carefully stood while letting Wind keep a strong grip in his hand. The pair made their way downstairs to the living room. The room itself was nothing much, two sets of couches with an oak table in the middle, a fireplace against the wall in between the couches and the black piano next to the fireplace.

          Sure enough, Wild was seated at the piano, slowly playing away.

          He quickly stopped when he noticed the two heroes standing behind him, and the Cook turned to face them. His face was red and puffy, especially around the faint edges of his scars. His eyes, as brilliant a shade of blue as all of their own, were clearly wet from crying. He quickly looked down at his hands.

          “You okay?” Wind asked gently before Legend even had the chance to think about what to say.

          Wild gazed up at the Pirate and just shook his head. “I miss her.” He signed slowly.

           Miss her. The words stormed around Legend’s head for a moment.

           I’m sorry Marin. I wish I could’ve brought you with me. 

           He knew what to do.

          Legend held his arms out for a hug, which was probably so shocking to Wild that he took up the opportunity immediately. Luckily, Legend had positioned himself in front of one of the couches, so that he could just fall onto it. Better to hold someone sitting down than standing up after all.

          The Cook just shook in Legend’s embrace. He’d never seen Wild like this, but Twilight had told him the memories can be extremely intense, hence why he enters a catatonic state nearly every time.

          Wind hopped up next to them and took one of Wild’s hands into his own. “It’s okay.” He whispered. “We’re here for you. Always.”

          Wild just sobbed quietly.

          Legend just held Wild tightly, feeling the tears start to stream down his face again. Oh Goddess Hylia above, would you help your chosen for once? A silent prayer, maybe it’d work, maybe it wouldn’t. It was worth a try.

          “I’m so sorry Mipha…” The Champion’s voice was barely audible between his sobs.

          Legend took hold of Wild’s other hand and gave it a soft squeeze.

          “I understand.”

Chapter Text

Warriors:

Back To The Front

          Warriors had no idea that the Champion could play the piano.

          Nor play it so beautifully, he’d have to ask if they knew any songs. Each note that Wild played flowed through the air like it was meant to be there, a melody as smooth as silk filling his ears like the warm breeze that soothed his body.

          It was nice, nice enough for the Captain to close his book and set it aside. Nice enough that he could kick his feet up on the railing and just relax even more. There was no need to worry after all; Rule was with Four, Twilight, Time and Malon were in the market, Legend and Wind were inside with Wild and Sky was sleeping… With the Cuccos, because Sky is a madman.

          Wars could just close his eyes and maybe doze off for a little bit, no harm in that. Legend was responsible enough to keep the tiny pirate from doing anything bad.

          With his eyes closed, coupled with the nice piano and the warm breeze, the Captain quickly dozed off into a blissful sleep.

          As blissful as sleep can be when the notes filling his head turn somber and mournful. He knows this song…He knows it all too well. Wars opens his eyes to find that he’s inside a dimly lit temple. The building is full, everyone sat down in a pew with their head hung low, including his own. The air was still, only being broken by the occasional whispered crying and hushed words.

          He knows not who this funeral is for, but it doesn’t matter as Wars knows the context. He’s dressed in his uniform, not in his armor. His scarf is absent, only a blue beret folded in between his shaking hands.

           Who died? He thought. It was a pointless question. Whoever died was a soldier, a warrior under his command, his leadership. A young soul who perished because of the Captain’s failures, and it seems like someone in the temple agrees with his agonized mind.

          “You.” The gruff, malice filled voice, spat from behind him. It rank of strong liquor. “You could’ve saved him.”

          The Captain doesn’t respond, he just keeps his head hung low.

          “But you didn’t. Selfish. You only care about yourself.” The man hissed into his ear.

          The words stung like a swarm of angry wasps. Wars would frequently blame himself for the deaths of the men under his command. If he only had better plans, better strategies, better movement, more clear orders, the list went on and on.

          “I’d trade both of those little pathetic runts of yours for my nephew back.” He snarled. “I’d watch them die-”

          Even in a dream, the Captain doesn’t take lightly to someone threatening Mask or the Sailor. He bites his tongue, doing his very best to quell to the inferno of pure rage in his gut. “I’m sorry for your loss, but anger won’t do you any good.”

          “Really? Anger won’t do me any good? Is that right, Link?” The voice started to get louder.

          Threaten little Mask and Wind again, and I’ll shove one of my Fire Rods down your fucking throat. Wars kept his thoughts to himself, but it was tempting to just let it all out.

          “Enough.” A woman's voice chided. “Not everything is the captain’s fault-”

          She was cut off by what Wars assumed to be her husband. He didn’t hear what was said, but that didn’t matter. In the moment after he hushed her, the man stood up from behind and brought down a glass bottle of whiskey right onto the Captain’s head with a crash which broke the bottle. The shock of the impact, and the immediate pain sent Wars to the floor with a slight yelp, he grasped at the spot where the bottle had impacted him.

          His head just hurt, it throbbed and spread out around to the rest of his skull. Wars heard people yelling, a few gasps, sounds of a struggle, but nothing he could actually focus on. His vision was of no use, as blurred as it was with the apparent concussion he probably just got from being bashed in the back of the head with a liquor bottle.

          Wars just kept his eyes closed as the screaming in the background went on. It kept growing louder, more intense, more frantic, more desperate. The air was filled with screams and the maddening stench of smoke. It burned at his nostrils and seared the inside of his lungs.

          The Captain stood up and slowly forced his eyes open, which confirmed the worst. He was back, back at the front, back to face the worst battle he ever had the misfortune to be a part of. Cia’s forces had catapulted barrels filled with the explosive innards of bomb flowers over the area, and they unfortunately landed on his men.

          The sky was tinted black, bits of the bright blue poking through the smoke, but otherwise it stayed as a thick haze blocking out most of the light from the sky. The only other source of illumination were the small raging fires that were left over from all of the explosions. All he could do was walk, walk through the waking nightmare all over again.

          He couldn’t look at them again, despite their pleas for help drowning out their own screams. Their charred faces and malformed bodies were already burned into his eyes, he didn’t need to be reminded, not again. Never again. The burn scars on his hand itched the longer he walked through the battlefield approaching what he thought was…Oh Goddess no, it’s worse than he thought.

          Mask. The kid was standing over somebody dressed in an awfully familiar blue tunic with white embroidery, the right half of the poor young soldier’s body was all but… Gone. Burned and scorched away.

          “He remembers his own death.” Twilight’s words echoed in Wars’ mind. “A fate I wouldn’t wish on anyone.”

          “Don’t look.” Wars fell to his knees and took hold of Mask, burying the boy’s face in his chest. “It’s okay, it’s gonna be okay.” Lies. They were all lies, both of them knew it.

          “I’ve seen worse.” The boy spoke in his arms. Whether he was telling the truth or not, Wars didn’t budge. No one should be exposed to a nightmare such as this, especially one so young.

          “J-just because you’ve seen worse, doesn’t mean you should expose yourself to it again.” The Captain said, trying to keep his rising emotions in check. All he could do was comfort little Mask and… And stare at what was clearly Wild’s charred body.

          “Captain.” A voice spoke to him nearby. It sounded like Twilight, but it also sounded like Wild somehow, a weird unnatural blending of their distinct accents.

          Wars gazed towards the direction the voice came from to only be met with a morbid sight. A tall skeleton dressed in bronze armor, an owl emblazoned on the chestplate and a triple horned helmet resting upon its skull. A single red eye stared back at him.

          “Captain.” The voices said again, adding Sky’s and Wind’s tones to the mix.

          “Who-who are you?” Wars asked in a hushed voice even though he felt like he knew the answer somehow, like it was in his hands, but he just couldn’t see it.

          “Captain.” Again they spoke. Sky’s voice was more noticeable this time, but had undertones of Legend’s accent.

          “Captain.” Sky’s voice within the skeleton grew louder, overpowering the other voices.

          “WHAT DO YOU WANT!?” Wars screamed over the chaos, his eyes tearing up from the stinging smoke and his own building emotions. “TELL ME I BEG OF YOU!”

          “CAPTAIN!” It was just Sky’s voice yelling at him. Yelling so loud that it actually woke him up.

          The Captain’s eyes opened to a blinding blue light causing him to flinch and cover his eyes with his hand for a moment.

          “Ow.” He whispered, blinking a few times he realized his eyes were wet. He just wiped it away with the back of his hand.

          “Captain?” Sky’s voice gently spoke up from nearby.

          Wars looked up to see Sky looking at him, head tilted to the left.

          “Oh hey Sky.” He said, trying not to draw attention to his nightmare or the fact that his eyes were watering. “How was your nap with the Cuccos?”

          “Fine, thanks for asking.” Sky raised an eyebrow. “How was your porch swing nap?”

          “Could be better.” He groaned while rubbing his eyes.

          Sky didn’t respond, but he didn’t need to. The Skyloftian was giving the Captain the look.

           Several of the Links in their ragtag group had a “look” so to speak. The Old Man had the dreaded stare of disappointment . A look that he ripped from the Captain himself, but somehow improved tenfold in its effectiveness. Legend had the look of utter disbelief when no one decided to follow his plan, which made sense as he wasn’t called “the Veteran” for nothing.

          But Sky? Sky had a knack for looking so damn concerned that it effectively broke down emotional walls on whoever it was used against. Even the battle hardened Warriors fell to it.

          “Alright, let’s walk.” Wars relented and stood up to join Sky.

          “Tell me.” Sky said softly. “Because you were shaking like a Loftwing in the rain.”

          With a sigh, the Captain told his dream to Sky as the two made their way around the property. Sparing no details, per his request. From his war time guilt over his losses in the field, to the horrid sight of Wild and the skeleton. Everything is told, outside of the fact that Mask was there. Sky didn’t need to know that bit, it probably would take years to explain.

          “First off, none of that is your fault.” Sky said, placing his arm on Wars’ shoulder, as the two stopped by a large apple tree near the edge of the field. “Secondly, do they really blame you for the war?”

          Wars nodded. “I hate to say it, but a lot of people do. A lot of people went turncoat, had a few knives in my back so to speak.” Why was it feeling good to get this off his chest?

          “How could the war even be your fault? You were, no offense, just a nobody. That’s like blaming Beedle for instigating a civil war.” Sky exclaimed as he bent down to grab an apple off the ground.

          Wars shrugged. “None taken, and it’s because I didn’t take Cia’s deal .”

          “Deal?” The Skyloftian rubbed the apple clean of any dirt on his pant leg. “What deal?”

          “The deal was to basically marry her.” Wars leaned up against the apple tree. “You can imagine how… How that would fuck somebody up.” He pinched the bridge of his nose with a pained exhale.

          “By Hylia I’m so sorry.” Sky sighed, wrapping his arm around the Captain’s shoulders. The touch was surprisingly good at soothing his emotions.

          “Cap, I have no idea who this “Cia” person is, but from what you’ve told me…” Sky took a large bite from the red apple. “She sounds fucking unhinged.”

          That got a small chuckle out of the Captain. “That’s the least of it. But yeah, because I didn’t take that amazing deal, the entire war was my fault.”

          Sky raised an eyebrow. “Sounds like a bunch of these people need a front row seat in a merchant school.”

          Another laugh. “Tell me about it.” He rolled his eyes. “You’d think in a few years people would get over it, but nope. At least I don’t have to worry about getting attacked.”

          “Please don’t tell me that you got attacked.” Sky bent over again to find another apple.

          “Oh I did, only during the war thankfully. Now that we’re at peace I don’t think anyone wants to try. Too much could go wrong if they were caught.” Wars explained as Sky handed him a bright red apple.

          “Heh, can’t imagine assaulting an army officer would go over well.” Sky laughed as he took another bite from his apple.

          “Well, and the fact that I’m nobility, it wouldn’t go over well.” The Captain said with a mouthful of apple, which was surprisingly sweet. He’d have to ask the Old Man what kind of apple tree he had.

          “That-That explains a lot actually.” Sky stuttered on his words for a moment.

          “Now you know why I’m such a stickler for court etiquette. Been shoved into my head since birth.” Wars tapped his temple repeatedly. “Gotta thank my not-dad Alfred for it.”

          “Huh?”

          “Parents died when I was young, a trend here with us, was raised by my parent’s butler. His name is Alfred, he makes really good tea. He’d love you guys.” Wars took another bite as he went on about his surrogate father. He didn’t feel any real emotion to the fact that he never knew his actual parents. Alfred was there for him his entire life, and that’s all that mattered.

          “Captain, your life belongs in a drama novel. A noble army captain dodging traitors and turncoats while fighting a war? You’d be swimming in Rupees in a month.”

        That got the Captain to fully laugh. The sheer idea of him sitting down to write a whole fictional novel of his life’s story was so out there that he couldn’t even imagine a scenario in which that would even cross his mind as something to do. But now that the idea was in his head, he could actually imagine himself doing it.

          “I just gave you the idea didn’t I?” Sky asked with a grin.

          “Damn you and your good ideas.” Wars playfully complained. “Speaking of nobles…Wanna know a secret?” The Captain’s smile turned into a mischievous one in an instant.

          “Oh? Do tell me, Captain Link.” Sky put on a pseudo-noble accent. “Shall I prepare us a spot of tea?”

          “Heh, anyways, I’m not the only blue blood here. Legend’s also nobility. He just hides it.”

          Sky just gave the Captain a deadpan look. “You’re joking, right? You have to be-”

          “Dead serious.” Wars confirmed with a laugh. “He’s mentioned things to the others that no commoner would know.”

          “Huh. Never would’ve guessed.” Sky placed his hand on his chin. “Really says a lot about his character though, he could have a whole estate to himself and yet choses to live in an apple orchard instead.”

          “Don’t forget about that roommate of his.” Wars added with a grin. 

          “You mean Ravio?” Sky asked with another bite from his apple.

          “Yeah, his roommate. ” Wars put extra emphasis on the word ‘roommate’, hoping that Sky would pick up what he was putting down.

          “They’re a thing aren’t they?”

          The Captain nodded. “He hides it so fucking bad.” He said with a mouthful of apple.

          “That makes a lot of sense knowing the way the Vet talked about him. I always got a feeling that they were more than friends.” Sky mused softly.

          “Yeah, the sweet and gentle merchant in a bunny costume who helped him. The merchant from a dark world, who just so happened to stay living in his house after everything was said and done.” Wars took in a deep breath as what he was about to do next required his full focus.

          “Guys, I swear that all of my rings are enchanted. Please ignore the fact that whenever I talk or think about Ravio, I grab one of them, which happens to be on my ring finger, in the same way the Old Man does when he mentions Malon.” Wars said in a clear imitation of Legend’s accent, which was not an easy thing to imitate.

          "I am a prickly thorn bush, I am not cuddly, please ignore the fact that I'll let Wolfie sleep on me when I think no one is looking."

          Sky started to lose himself in a fit of laughter. “Cap, you’re gonna kill me with this.” He said with an exasperated breath.

          Wars joined in on the laughter. “I love him, but he can be a pain sometimes.”

          “Isn’t that all of us?”

          The Captain shrugged. “You’re right.” He took a final bite from his apple. All of this laughing had made him quite thirsty. While the apple was quite juicy, he craved more. At first he thought about getting some water from his waterskin, but an idea popped into his head.

          “Hey Sky?” Wars started, tossing the apple core aside. “Wanna see if the Old Man has some cider stored away?”

          Sky stared at his now eaten apple for a second. “Eh, why not. It’s a nice day out.”

          The pair started to go back inside the ranch house, but stopped in their tracks when the sound of somebody scurrying up the tree echoed from behind them.

          Wars just rolled his eyes. “Get down from there.”

          “NO!” Four’s voice called out. “I’m picking apples!”

          “I tried to stop him.” Rulie approached the pair with a shrug. He ran his fingers through his oak brown hair. “He’s determined to pick apples.”

          “Just pick them up off the ground!” Wars shouted back.

          “NO! I need fresh apples!” Four yelled.

          The Captain groaned. “If you fall, don’t come crying to me!”

          “You can cry to me!” Sky commented, and for that comment he got a playful elbow in his side.

          "I'M MAKING APPLE COBBLER!" Four shouted again. "I NEED GOOD APPLES!"

          "We'll leave you to it then!" Wars replied. He was getting tired of shouting so he was going to leave Four alone.

          “Anyways, Rule you wanna see if Time has some apple cider?” He asked.

          The Traveler’s ears perked up. “Cider? Yes, I’d love some!”

          “Sweet, come on, maybe Legend found some.” Sky waved for Rule to follow him and Wars

          “You mean Wind found some.” Rule interjected.

          “He only cares about rum. He’s a pirate, remember?” Wars corrected.

Chapter Text

Twilight:

Shade From The Forest

          Twilight loved Time to death, there was no question about it.

          The Old Man wasn’t just his ancestor as the Rancher had previously thought, he was more accurately his great-grandfather or just grandfather, depending on when Time and Malon’s child had children of their own. But that didn’t really matter, as if Twi was being honest with himself, Time and Malon were the parents he never really had. Sure, the people of Ordon village were a family to him no question about it. But Rusl never really felt like a father figure, he was more of an uncle.

          As a matter of fact, the people of Time’s Castle Town seemed to also think this. The Ordonian lost count of the amount of times people had said variations of; “is that your son? He takes after you” or “your son is a good worker” or “that kid of yours gets all the ladies swooning on him”. While yes, that last part was true, Twilight didn’t need the Old Man knowing that, especially given their extremely close familial connection.

          The cart ride back to Lon Lon Ranch was filled with Time and Malon’s discussions about the many, many times that Twilight was called their son. It was slightly awkward for him, as Twi was seated right in between them. It wasn’t like he wanted to be put there, it just happened and if didn’t feel like their actual child before, he did now.

          “He really does look like you.” Malon’s sweet voice rang in Twi’s ear.

          “After today I can’t unsee it.” Time chuckled. “I knew we looked alike, but I never thought it was that alike.”

          “To be fair, we all look alike. Take the fact that Wild looks like a mix of both of us.” Twilight pointed out without second thought.

          “The Goddess has her favorite face it seems.” Malon commented.

          Twilight shrugged as the three of them changed topic to the day at the market stall and how much milk and cheese was sold. Though Twilight could maintain the illusion of being a part of the conversation, there was a large part of mind that would inadvertently wander whenever he was around Time and Malon.

          His mind would always, always, bring up the memories of the Hero’s Shade. Without fail, the desecrated skeletal remains of the Hero of Time would flood his thoughts. He couldn’t get it out of his head, even back at Lon Lon Ranch, Twilight found himself on the back porch as Wild and Malon made dinner inside. He stared into the distance at the faint image of the forest barely illuminated by the setting sun.

           What happened to you? The Ordonian sighed, burying his face in his hands. Why can’t I get your ghostly visage out of my mind? Why did you want to be remembered?

          Twilight was so lost in his thoughts about the Shade that he didn’t even hear the back door opening.

          “Hey Twi, dinner’s gonna be-You alright?” Wild’s voice snapped Twilight out of his thoughts.

          “Y-yeah, don’t worry ‘bout me.” Twi’s voice wavered slightly.

           Fuck.

          “That’s not convincing at all.” Wild closed the door behind him. “What’s up?”

          “It’s something that-” He was going to say that it wasn’t something that Wild wouldn’t understand before realizing that was stupid as if anyone in the group understood what Twilight was going through… It was Wild.

          “Where’s Time?” Twilight asked.

          “On the front porch with Hyrule, why?”

          “It’s about a ghost you see…” Twilight whispered as he got up. “Walk with me. Just in case.”

          Wild gave a nod before fixing the collar on the tan shirt he was wearing. The pair went out into the yard, feeling the cool dusk air between them. It was a bit chilly, but not uncomfortable.

          “On my journey… I met a ghost, and he taught me everything I knew.” Twilight swallowed a lump that had formed in his throat.

          “The ghost… Oh Hylia, it’s Time?” Asked Wild with concern.

          The Rancher gave a solemn nod.

          “Fuck…” The Champion's expression turned depressive.

          “Yeah, you’re telling me… Every time I’m with them the memories just keep coming back.” Twilight pinched the bridge of his nose, feeling his heart sink into his chest.

          “So he stuck around? Why?” Wild questioned with an exhale.

          “To paraphrase his own words; he regrets not being known and not passing down his skills. And ever since meeting him… Only one of those makes sense.” Twilight desperately wished he had something to fiddle with right now.

          “Yeah, Time doesn’t strike me as the guy who wants to be remembered as a hero…” Wild scratched at his chin in thought. “Unless…”

          “Unless what?” Twi asked.

          “Remember when Wind kinda broke all of our minds when he revealed he was Time’s successor? The whole timeline split?” Wild said.

          “Champ, what does any of that have to do with Time’s ghost?” Twilight responded, utterly confused as to where Wild was going with this.

          “Remember when Time was really out of it and mentioned that he was raised by a tree?”

          Twilight racked his memories but nothing came up. He still gave a nod being sure it was in there somewhere.

          “Now recall when the Old Man mentioned that he was just a pest to Ganondorf when he was a kid?” Again Wild questioned Twi’s memory of the frankly horrific detail of Time’s life as a young hero.

          “Yes, yes, I remember all of this. But what in Ordona’s name does any-”

          “Just add all of this together with the fact that the Korok Hetsu in my Hyrule knows of Time and called him a Korok.” Wild chuckled softly.

          “Wh-what?” If Twilight wasn’t confused before, he sure was now.

          “Listen, I think I figured it out. Time was raised in a forest right? I think he was with the Deku Tree.” Wild began to explain. “So, I’m thinking that he was raised alongside some forest spirits in the Lost Woods or whatever they were called back then. The only people who can get into those woods are the forest spirits themselves right?”

          “What about you?” Twilight brought up. “You can enter the Lost-”

          “Nope. Only the grove that has the Master Sword, and the Deku Tree. I get turned around in the Lost Woods if I don’t follow a very specific path.” The Champion corrected.

          Twilight just shook his head. “Just go on with whatever you were saying.”

          “Right. So Time was raised with forest spirits, he had to have had a forest spirit… Like given to him. In his actual body. Like another soul entirely. The Koroks are all basically children, and when Time grew up… That spirit was taken away. And who would be upset that no one remembered or honored them as a hero? A child who had to travel through time where everyone forgot everything they did.”

          The Rancher raised an eyebrow. “You’re saying Time was part forest spirit? And when he went back to his childhood, that spirit left him and lingered on in the woods?”

          Wild gave a nod. “Something like that. Why else would Hetsu call him a Korok? That’s a full grown Hylian. He’s never done that before.”

          “Certainly an explanation…” Twilight sighed.

          “Even if I’m wrong, he still stuck around for you. Maybe he just lied and made up a reason, to keep the timeline sorta stable. Can’t let a younger you know too much. How far apart are you guys anyways?”

          “About a hundred years at most.” Twi shrugged.

          “In the grand scheme of things, a hundred years isn’t that long. I’d wait a hundred years to make sure someone I cared about was prepared. Wouldn’t you?” Wild asked wistfully. His Zelda had waited a century for Wild to awaken from the Shrine of Resurrection after all.

          Wild was right. Even if he was wrong about the whole “Time had or has two souls” theory. The mere fact that they were only a hundred years apart made the whole Hero’s Shade stuff sting a lot less. Especially considering eternity in the afterlife… A hundred years is nothing, a drop of water in the ocean. Would he wait a century to make sure someone he loved was prepared? Without a second thought.

          “He called me “my child” ya know?” Twilight said with a sniffle and a smile, a weight having been lifted from his shoulders.

          “You basically are.” Wild patted him on the shoulder. “I overhear the way he talks about you to the Captain every now and again. He’s proud. Proud of all of us really, but especially of you and the Pirate.”

          “His successors, of course there’s a bias in there, heh.” The Rancher laughed as the chill on the breeze sent a shiver through his body.

          “Come on, let’s go back inside. It’s getting cold out here, and our dinner is gonna start getting cold too. You don’t want a cold roast, do you?” Wild asked with a laugh of his own.

          “Absolutely not.” Twilight shivered as he followed Wild inside. He gave one last look to the forest off in the far distance, being barely able to see it as the sun had set not too long ago. He swore his mind was playing tricks on him as he imagined a faint image of a small child waving him goodbye.

          Real or not, he waved back.

Chapter Text

Wind:

Grew Up Too Fast

           People in Castle Town kept trying to get him to play with their kids.

          He couldn’t even be mad at them, in their eyes he was a kid. A kid with sandy blonde hair and bright blue eyes in a blue lobster shirt. Wind probably looked adorable to them, which was fine, he used it to his advantage when needed. It still… Bothered him that so many people thought of him as this little kid. Sure he was young but he wasn’t a kid anymore.

          The worst of it was when this old lady, one that reminded him of his grandmother, asked him if he’d like to play with her grandkids by the fountain. She was a smaller woman in an old dainty blue dress and a small white hat. Her skin was wrinkled in much the same as his dear grandma, and even her voice sounded much the same.

          “Oh well hello there.” The old lady spoke. “Why don’t you look lonely sitting here all by your lonesome?”

          Wind just shrugged, he thought for sure that sitting on a bench in the center of Castle Town by himself wouldn’t draw attention, but alas, here he was. He looked around for Malon hoping to see her but she was nowhere to be found. He was here with her doing some shopping as Time had to take care of the horses.

          “I’m fine.” Wind said, much to the old woman's displeasure. Great, this was the exact opposite of what he wanted to deal with.

          “You’re too young to be all alone.” The grandma retorted with an unpleasant sweetness to her voice.

          “Maybe I want to be alone… Ever thought about that?” The Sailor bit back.

          Wind had hoped that the woman would take the hint and leave him alone. Instead the old lady just frowned. “You should be having fun.” She sorrowfully proclaimed.

          Wind just sighed. “Can’t. Just waiting for someone.” He didn’t feel like explaining the mental block that persisted in his mind, the barrier that prevented him from just letting go and being that carefree kid again.

          “Well, they should let you play. It’s not very nice of them to make you sit here alone.” The way she spoke just got under Wind’s skin in such a way that it nearly drove him into seeing red.

          “She’s actually the nicest person in the world.” Wind spat. “I chose to sit here.”

          “If she was so nice, then she’d let you play with the other kids in the park.”

          “Maybe I just don’t want to.” Wind groaned and got up from the bench and went to just walk around.

           Goddess, she’s just like the people back home. He thought. “Link, why don’t you play with them anymore? Link, what’s wrong? Link, you’ve changed, you aren’t the goofball you used to be.” He repeated their concerned words over and over again like a broken record box.

          How could he go back and be like that again? Wind had to leave his childhood behind the moment he turned thirteen and now everyone just wants him to be a kid again? Did they even understand the horrific waking nightmare that he endured? What was he supposed to do? Play hide-and-seek a week after driving the Master Sword into Ganondorf’s head?

          “There you are, Sailor.” Malon’s soothing voice echoed in Wind’s ear.

          Turning around to where the voice came from, Wind saw her not too far away holding a wooden crate filled with paper boxes presumably filled with salted meats. Without a word, Wind went over to her side and offered to take the crate from her. He’s glad the others aren’t here with them, he doesn’t need to hear something like; “wow, Wind has good manors” from someone like Legend right now.

          “Oh you don’t have to grab this.” Malon said. “We’re not too far from the wagon.”

          He didn’t like hearing that response, the whole “good manors” he was raised with bit at his stomach, but he relented and let Malon carry the crate on her own.

          “Is there something bothering you?” Malon asked gently as she slid the wooden crate onto the back of the horse drawn wagon with a gentle thud. Wind helped her tie the crate down against the others before climbing into his seat next to her. At least the seats of these wagons were comfortable, unlike the ones that his New Hyrule had. They were awful.

          “Not really, I guess.” Wind finally answered Malon’s question as she slowly got the horse pulling their wagon to move.

          “I won’t budge, but that doesn’t seem to be the case.” Malon gingerly replied, the way she looked at him, eyes filled with concern just broke him. His sister Aryll had the same effect, and damn was it effective.

          “Just a bunch of people who keep trying to get me to play with their kids is all.” The Sailor rolled his eyes. “Like, I get it, I look like a kid, but that’s behind me.”

          “Well, for starters that’s weird of them. I certainly wouldn’t go around askin’ a random kid to play with mine. But more importantly, what do ya mean by it's behind ya?” Malon asked while gently placing a hand on Wind’s shoulder. The touch was oddly appreciative, he was a lot more adjusted to being randomly touched than someone like Hyrule or Wild.

          “Kinda can’t be a kid anymore.” He sheepishly admitted. “Day I turned thirteen was the day I stopped being a kid.”

          “Well, coming of age stuff doesn’t mean you can’t have fun.” Malon correctly pointed out.

          “Yeah, you’re right… It’s just… I can’t like… I don’t know, I’m not good at words.” Wind scratched the back of his head with a slight laugh. “Adjust back to it… See, the day I turned thirteen was the day my whole… Ordeal began.”

          “Oh.” Malon’s voice broke a bit. “You talk about it differently than the others. They usually say adventure, why ordeal?”

          “Because I didn’t have a choice.” Wind blurted out. “My sister was kidnapped, and I just went. I only just learned how to swing a sword…No one else outside of Tetra seemed to really care.” He bit his tongue, choosing his words carefully. He didn’t want to swear in front of Malon, especially as the edges of his eyes started to leak.

          “Ganondorf was kidnapping children and no one cared. No one fucking cared.” So much for that.

          “Well, I’m sure somebody cared. Right?” Malon didn’t even seem phased that a child was cursed like, well a sailor, which was good. Then again, Time was as bad all those years ago.

          “Nope. They knew exactly where he was, what he was doing, and didn’t move a fucking inch.” Wind sighed, burying his face into his hands. He felt Malon’s hand rub his back gently, which seemed to help his emotions, but only made Wind divulge more.

          “They let this kid go and do all the work for him, and I couldn’t even be my own hero. That’s the part that fucking gets me.” He sniffled softly.

          “That sadly doesn’t surprise me… Fairyboy had the same issues. What do you mean by “couldn’t be your own hero?” Did they keep comparing you to someone?” Malon made the horse slow her pace down a bit, giving Wind all the time he needed before they got back to the ranch.

          “Yeah… Time. They kept comparing me to him, all the damn time. Everything I did was compared to him, the “Legendary One”. They built a statue of the guy and hid the Master Sword under it, but I wasn’t even given a shitting title until my second adventure. I was just the “Hero of Time Reborn” and that’s it!” Wind exclaimed with a painful exhale. “I don’t feel this way now, but back then I kinda resented the guy.”

          “I don’t blame you.” Malon said to his surprise. “Getting compared to someone all the time would do that to anyone.”

          “Then I met him…” Nothing could stop the Sailor now, he was on a roll. It wasn’t the type of roll he liked to be on, but it was nice to finally let go. Far too long had his feelings been neglected. “After my second adventure in New Hyrule, which was a whole ‘nother thing, even had a fairy friend… That didn’t help the comparisons at all.” Once again he rolled his eyes at the memory.

          “See the Captain and I go way back, further back in Time’s perspective, or rather Mask’s perspective. We first met in the war…” Wind wiped at his eyes with the color of his shirt. “I was expecting to meet a guy much like what they all described him as… A tall, larger than life figure who can solve anything. Nope…” Wind took in a deep breath, keeping his gaze locked to the fields around them.

          “Instead I met this literal child, younger than me, a scared little kid with a sword half his height. A kid who slept with one eye open with a knife under his pillow muttering about the moon, demons and an Outer God.” The Sailor sobbed. The first time he met Mask was something he’d never forget. The tiny Hero of Time only stood up to his shoulders, and was so skittish that no one could approach him outside of Wind himself. This was the “Legendary One”... A child, far too young to know the horrors of combat.

          “That…” Malon’s voice held a similar tone to his own, one full of sorrow. “That sounds like Fairyboy. He was… He was a mess back then. He didn’t have a place to stay at all.”

          “Nor did he accept any.” Added Wind.

          Malon just gave a sad nod.

          “It made me rethink everything… It made me so angry, beyond angry even. At least in my case it was to save my sister, but Time? They sent a child to fight the “King of Evil” himself? A. Fucking. Child.”

          “You sound just like him…” Malon sniffled as she dried her eyes with the yellow scarf that she wore around her neck.

          “We’re a lot alike… I just hope he didn’t take on my other job.” The Sailor let his head fall back into his hands. “You know how I call myself a pirate?”

          “Yeah, but you’re not an actual pirate. You’re just a sailor right?”

          “Kinda… I’m a counter pirate. Tetra and I do our best to keep the Great Sea safe, and it’s…” A lump formed in his throat. “It’s bad.”

          With a shaking breath and voice, Wind continued. “It’s bad enough that I’ve already killed Ganondorf… Killed enemy soldiers in the war, but before this whole thing, I was… Taking care of the worst of the worst… No one else would do it.”

          “Link was a sellsword… My pa hired him once, he had no idea that the lanky mercenary he picked up was my old friend the Fairyboy. He told me some of his stories…” Malon wrapped her arm around Wind’s shoulder. “I know… I know.”

          “There was a guy…” Wind started as he leaned into Malon. “He kidnapped this little girl… Tetra and I found his ship with her, and he had this bottle of poison.” He tried to swallow the lump in his throat but it persisted. “He was gonna ransom the girl off to her family with the threat of her death… But in order to keep himself unknown, he’d kill her anyway. We got there in the nick of time.”

          Malon sighed and just pulled Wind closer to her. It wasn’t even a chilly day outside, but Wind felt frigid and Malon’s warmth was the only thing keeping him comfortable.

          “I looked at the guy… At the poison, at the girl. She was no older than Aryll, didn’t even look like her but she was all I could see. Looked at the guy and I just lost it.” He blinked a few times, letting the warm tears drip down his face. Surprisingly he didn’t feel much outside of a growing pit in his stomach.

          “I didn’t stop until the pommel of my sword hit the wood. Fucker was unrecognizable. Tetra didn’t stop me, she just got the kid out of there, made sure she was okay. We tossed his body overboard and then sank his ship.” Wind let out a short breath. “I’m not even fourteen yet… I’ve never had a break, I’ve just been going and going and going.”

          “You need a break.” Malon said. “A longer break than just a week, but unfortunately…”

          “Doesn’t work like that…You know… Sometimes when Sky is sleeping, I grab the Master Sword... Just to see if she still glows for me. To see if she considers me a hero despite the amount of blood I've spilled.” Wind admitted. “She does… I just wish I knew why.”

          “Because you are a hero. Even if you don’t see yourself as one, that doesn’t change the fact.” Malon pointed out. “You’re the hero the Great Sea needs, I just pray they give you respite.”

          Wind couldn’t argue with that. “I have an island, heh, don’t tell the others, but I might have swiped the old treasury for New Hyrule.”

          “Oh?” Malon’s voice thankfully went from sorrowful and filled with concern to a more playful tone. “And how much is that Mr. Pirate?”

          “Last I checked, it was about five hundred and fourteen thousand Rupees, give or take a few. I only took the fourteen for myself.” He admitted. “It’s on my island in a safe.”

          “How noble of you, to only take fourteen thousand Rupees.” She giggled playfully.

          “The things on my island, a private island, aren’t going to pay for themselves.” The Sailor pointed out before wiping his eyes dry. “And besides, I only brought a thousand with me. I’ll grab more whenever we travel to the Great Sea. Maybe I’ll take them to the island.”

          “You own an entire island?” Asked Malon. “An entire island?”

          “Yeah, I’ve got a bar on it, a place to play cards, a sauna, and a few guest houses.” Wind listed off all the amenities that his island had.

          “A bar!?” Malon playfully shouted. “Mr. Pirate, aren’t you too young for a bar?”

          “I’ve drank almost nothing but rum and grog my entire life, which means I’ve drank nothing but rum and watered down rum my entire life!” Wind argued.

          “Actually, I’ve always wondered why people split water with liquor. Do you know why?” She asked with a smile, a smile that made all of his problems go away.

          “Yeah.” Wind sat up, the air around him no longer feeling cold. “It’s so the water doesn’t get infected. Infected water can get you really sick, and that’s the last thing you want out at sea when the only water around you is undrinkable.”

          Malon continued to ask questions about the sea, and Wind pretended to not notice that it took twice as long to get back to Lon Lon Ranch. He was a laughing mess with some of her questions, and it made him wonder if he was still able to be that goofball he once was.

          Yes. Yes he can.

Chapter Text

Sky:

The Curse Of The Godkiller

         Another restless night, another dream of Demise.

         How he wished for anything else, even another nightmare, just not this. Not Demise again. Though, it didn’t matter. It was his fault for everyone’s suffering, if had just not shown mercy, not let a dying man, or God, say his last words as an act of foolish chivalry, none of them would be here. None of them would be suffering.

          Well, besides him of course, but he can take a little suffering if it ensured that no one would ever have to suffer through fighting evil again. Just thinking about little Wind fighting Ganondorf drove Sky to swipe one of Time’s apple ciders from the kitchen… In the middle of the night, or what he presumed to be the middle of the night.

          “I wish you were here, Zelly…” Sky whispered to himself. “You’d know what to do.”

          “Would she now?” Time’s quiet voice spooked Sky to his very core, he spun around in the wooden chair to where Time’s voice came from.

          Standing in the moonlight that peered through the kitchen windows was the Old Man himself, still dressed in his nightwear and looking very tired.

          “Why are you up?” Sky asked with a raised eyebrow, setting his cider down.

          “I could literally ask you the same question.” Time noted. “In fact I will, why are you up?”

          “Nightmares, the usual reason.” The Chosen brushed Time’s question off like it was nothing.

          “Just nightmares? I don’t recall any ordinary nightmares driving you to drink my cider at four in the morning.” The Old Man shook his head, clearly not buying any of Sky’s excuses.

          Not like the Chosen could think of any.

          “It’s just the usual, don’t worry about it.” The Skyloftian sighed into his bottle. “I’ll get over it.”

          “Oh yes, I’m sure you will after your third bottle of cider?”

          Sky looked over to the two empty bottles that sat on the table.

          “Alright, you got me…” He set the bottle down and turned to face the Old Man, though he couldn’t meet his gaze. “It’s just the… The whole Demise curse… I keep dreaming about it.”

          “I see…” Time took a seat next to the Chosen.

          “Why did I let the fucker have his last words? Why did I show him mercy? Why…? Do you get it, Time? Do you understand what it’s like to be responsible for every ounce of suffering and pain?” Sky slid his eyes shut. “If I could go back and change one thing-”

          “And change yourself? Allowing yourself to fall into the pit of darkness?”

          “If it meant stopping the curse he put on all of us…” Sky paused for a moment, feeling his chest tighten. “Then I guess-”

          “You don’t even know if cutting Demise down quicker would stop such a curse, who is to say that he didn’t already curse you beforehand?” Time cut him off with a valid point.

          Sky’s gaze went downcast. “If that’s the case, then I wasn’t fast enough. I just feel like-”

          “Sky, listen to me.” Time reassuringly placed his hand on the Chosen’s shoulder. “It would’ve happened regardless. That’s just how things are.”

          “Regardless?” A raised eyebrow inquired Time to continue.

          “If we, the holders of the Hero’s Spirit, are symbolic of light, then darkness would eventually come to challenge us. To challenge our light.” The Old Man let out a breath. “Light casts a shadow, no matter what.”

          “Time, are you trying to philosophy me out of this?” Sky questioned while shaking his head.

          “Of course I am, you know me too well Chosen.” Time softly laughed to himself. “Besides, in another timeline Wild could’ve fought Calamity Vaati.”

          “Vaati?” Sky questioned, keeping his voice low. 

          “A dark mage that the Smith fought. What about Majora? He wasn’t aligned with Ganon in any way, and yet he still wanted to destroy the world.”

          “I mean, I guess, but that doesn’t mean that Demise’s curse didn’t affect them in any way.” Sky dimly noted. “I just wish I knew how bad things would be… Hearing that the Vet started his adventures at nine just broke me… He was a kid.”

          “So was I.” Time stated dryly. “So was the Sailor. Besides, Ganondorf chose to be evil. Nabooru even told me so herself. He chose that path because it was easy, the path of least resistance.”

          Sky just stared at the now empty bottle of cider in his hand. What Time was saying made sense, and that’s what scared him the most. If there was nothing he could do to stop the rise of Ganon, nothing he could’ve done to stop the others from suffering then he had just spent the past two months lamenting it for no reason.

          “Curse or not, evil will always exist. Those who wish to do harm will always walk amongst us, no matter what. Where there is light, there is shadow. Good, there is evil and so on. If we are the light, and the good, then there will be evil and shadow to challenge us.” Time patted Sky on the back a few times. “Let go of your guilt before it devours you.”

          “I’m trying.” Sky whispered. “Trying my best, but I just want to know if…” His chest tightened again along with his throat. “If I did the right thing by letting Demise have his last words.”

          “Of course.” Time nodded. “Staying true to yourself, even in the face of ultimate evil is the most powerful statement you could’ve made. He was a coward to curse us, in the face of defeat he decided to damn all of existence in a fit of childish anger.”

          That got the Chosen to laugh. “Childish anger. That doesn’t even cover half of it.”

          “Exactly, now stop beating yourself up. No one here blames you, if Wind can forgive me for creating his issues by accident, you can forgive yourself.”

          Sky nodded slowly. “I’ll try.”

          “Do it, or I’ll get Sun involved.” Time playfully threatened.

          A gasp. “You wouldn’t dare. I’d never hear the end of it.”

          “Exactly.” The Old Man had the smuggest of grins on his face. “Now then, it’s almost six in the morning, want to help me with the Cuccos?”

          “Is that my payment for the philosophy?” Sky jokingly asked.

          “Of course, you’re the only one who is good with those demonic birds.”

          Sky just rolled his eyes. “How do you even know the time so accurately?”

          “Blame Termina.”

          “What’s Termina?” Sky questioned.

          “Not so fast Chosen, maybe one day I’ll tell you that tale.” Time held up a finger with a laugh.