Chapter Text
Link is not happy and when he’s not happy, he gets reckless. Sheik and the other gawks as Link flies up the chute of the tower that Purah have been building, flung upward via a giant pillow bump built inside the tower’s floor. Sheik screams, “PURAH!! THE FUCK DID YOU JUST THROW LINK TO?!!”
Purah waves her hand lazily at Sheik as if dismissing him, “He’ll be fine. Besides, he is more familiar with the sky above than any of us so he should know how to get down safely. The Sheikah Tower only registers the land, not the sky or the depth. So Link is our only hope to map out the whole of Hyrule, high up and down low,”
Sheik glares at her, “He is still weak! What if he doesn’t have enough stamina to make it down safely?!”
Purah looks at him, “Then why don’t you go chase after him?”
Sheik grumbles as he pace around, keeping his eyes up despite the glaring sun. Kurama is also fretting inside him, wondering if he should get out and grab Link. So?Sue him. He’s fond of the Hero and the Princess. After all that they have gone through, it will not be good to let them die when he can prevent it. Hinata watch with her Byakugan, making sure to track Link’s progress. Sasuke watch Sheik as the man paces around restlessly.
Hinata then moves and Sheik quickly follows. Her eyes are extremely useful in keeping track of Link and his heroic shenanigans. Link is trembling by the time he lands on the ground and Sheik glares him. The Hero scowls, [I’m not going back to bed]
Sheik’s nose twitches, “Food. Lots and lots of food. You look like a scarecrow and I know a man whose name is scarecrow,”
(All the way in Konoha, Kakashi sneezes while pretending to look for Sasuke)
He grabs Link by the waist and fireman carries him back. Link is too tired to struggle and decides that he doesn’t care what people think about him. He got a lot to learn about his mostly forgotten past life a hundred years ago and ignoring people’s opinion. The only opinion he cares these days are that of the Princess and Sheik. Link grumbles, “Why’d you have to be a giant?”
Sheik rolls his eyes, “I’m not that big. I think I’m an inch or so shorter than you,”
Link sighs, “You are…you used to be so small…”
Sheik puts him down on Purah’s bed, looking at him with concern. He then picks up the porridge he made, “Here. There is this new flower that they suspects come from the sky. It seems to have a healing property against Gloom Sickness. I thought that we should try with this,”
Link accepts the porridge and feels lighter almost immediately. Seeing that his brother’s complexion is better, Sheik lets out a sigh of relief. He then says, “Anyway, Purah told me about the regional problems. So where do you want to go first?”
Link frowns, [Have you checked the castle for the Princess?]
Sheik nods, “Last night. I can’t get up, though. And the…Gloom…it stinks and burns. Almost like too much peppers in my eyes and nose,”
Link hums before asking, [Your friends…they will come?]
Sheik nods, “Yeah. Don’t worry. They can keep up,” He then adds, “Hinata’s eyes are especially useful. They work almost like the Eye of Truth, able to see through illusions and all. Sasuke is extremely skilled. As Shinobi, their abilities almost mirror mine. So you don’t have to worry. They also have their own reason for following us. Though…”
Link asks, licking the last of the porridge from his bowl, [What?]
Sheik pulls out a kunai, “Something is going on with the weapons. You’re going to need to hoard a bunch of them if you want to be able to get through this. After all, you break through them faster than I can sneeze,”
Link accepts the rotting kunai. The edge is still sharp but even without using it, he can feel how brittle it has become. It still can be used but it will not last him as long as when it is pristine.Link curses, “Fuck,”
Sheik snorts, “Fuck is right,”
Link scowls at him, “Language,”
Sheik deadpans, “Dude. I’m big enough to curse,”
Link smirks, [You’ll always be small to me]
Sheik scrunches his nose, ears red, “Shut up,”
The next morning, Link decides to head to Zora’s Domain to check on the royal family there. Considering that the Zorasare Link’s closest ally, since they lives long enough to remember the old Link from a 100 years ago and thus an important connection to who he once was, Link just feels responsible over them. Especially due to the death of Mipha, the Zoran Princess who loved him. Though he only learned of the matter posthumously.
They pack as much of the Sundelion that they can carry while Hinata and Sasuke checks on their own weapons. Hinata is confident with her Juuken, having seen them capable of taking down monsters. Sasuke is worried about the strange event that is slowly eating at the steals and other form of weaponry. Link is dressed in a traveling armored tunic, back to the beginning of his journey.
Sheik hums, “This brings back memories,”
Link grunts, tugging at the horses that the mini stable have provided them with. Sasuke’s expression falls at the sight of them, eliciting a giggle from Hinata. Sheik asks, “Don’t you have the Master Cycle Zero with you?”
Link looks at the Sheikah Slate on his hip, “No fuel,”
Sheik pulls out a basket of apples, “Here. Fuel,”
Hinata watch with great interest as Link materializes a strange contraption that resembles a horned horse but with wheels between their hooves, feeding those apples into what appears to be a blue space under the seat. The lights on the strange contraption glows bright, coming alive with a purr. Sheik then pulls his own slate, his Purah Pad, and calls on his own ride.
Sasuke grumbles, “You could just use this to travel instead of making me ride a horse. I thought my ass cheeks were going to fall off,”
Hinata coughs at his crassness but then decides that perhaps she should grow immunity with their crass language like she did with Kiba’s potty mouth. Especially when Sheik says, “That just means your ass need more training,”
Sasuke scrunches his nose, “Training for what? More spanking on a horse back?”
Hinata coughs a little louder this time, “S-so! Should we ride the horses to follow after?”
Sheik looks at her, “You can ride behind me. Sasuke, you go with Link. Your Sharingan should be able to detect monsters like Hinata’s Byakugan. We can’t mess around with those weird hands,”
Link signals, [Hands?]
Sheik explains while Hinata climbs up behind him, absentmindedly grabbing her uncertain hands to wrap tight around his torso from behind, causing the girl to blush bright red as she presses her body up against his back, “We saw it when passing by Deya Village Ruin. It just comes up from underground so we don’t know where and when it will ambush us. So better to be safe than sorry,”
Link adjusts himself as Sasuke’s weight registers on the back of his bike, heavier than Zelda’s, and starts riding. Sheik follows after behind him. Unlike Hinata, Sasuke’s steadies himself by using chakra to anchor himself to the seat. Though it feels like there is an odd film between him and the seat under him. Must be the unique energy in Hyrule that Sheik once told him about.
The scenery flies by as they drives through the wilderness and over bridges. Hyrule is big and wild. Larger than even Hi no Kuni where Konoha was built. It is something of a marvel to see a land so big yet so peaceful…if one does not take into consideration about the world ending threat going on at the moment. But perhaps such disasters are the reason why Hyrule is so united?
No wonder Jiraiya is always fretting about the Akatsuki. That might just be the catalyst needed to unite the continent. Like Hyrule. But is it worth it? Sasuke doesn’t know and to be frank, what happens in the Hidden Continent is no longer his problem.
They stops by another stable and Sheik asks around about Zora’s Domain. He looks at Link after going around and says, “The normal way have been blocked by land slide due to the falling rocks. We will have to climb the highlands around it,”
Link sighs, [Let’s stock up on stamina and healing foods]
The rest of the day is spent helping Link cook one meal after another. Hinata is most helpful as she have the best skill around cooking. Sheik is second best but both he and Sasuke goes around gathering ingredients. Though Link can’t speak too much or too long due to his once injured throat that seems to have flared up by his recent illness, Hinata can still understand him just by his body language alone. Then again, her clan specializes in security and interrogation so reading micro-expression is something that she have to master since young.
Sasuke looks up the side of the tall volcano that Sheik calls Death Mountain. His Sharingan glares at the odd tumor-like growth capping the top, “That thing is bad news,”
Sheik looks at it and says, “One thing at time, Sheik. One thing at a time,”
The duo drags back a few Eldin ostriches on their backs, walking down the mountainside. Sasuke asks, “Will these be enough? I mean, there are 4 of us,”
Sheik hums, “I’m more worried about rain. Zora’s Domain is very, very wet. But that also means that we should stay alert for those Electric Keese monsters. And maybe a few Electric Lizalfos just to be safe. Sure, they tend to hand around the Gerudo Desert more, but they also like being a pest in places with lots of rain since it works in their favor as the lightning attacks reach further with water,”
Sasuke hums, “Let me handle them. I’m immune to most Raiton and can redirect the attack safely,”
Sheik grunts, “Be careful, though. They are not normal electrical shocks. Magic plays a part too,”
When they reach the stable, Hinata is already writing down more notes about the situation around them. She looks up and says, “The mud coming from the sky is making the Zora sick. Even worse…there are rumors that Princess Zelda attacked the King of the Zora. Though I am sure it is either a misunderstanding or a play from our opponent. Link is worried though,”
Sheik frowns, “I know its not her. Princess Zelda is always championing the unity of all 5 races of Hyrule. In fact, she refuse to take the throne until Hyrule is properly ready for a united governance,”
Hinata hums, “How does this work, anyway? From my notes and from what Purah told me, all the other races have their own laws and leaders. Yet the Royal Family of Hyrule is the main ruler of the land?”
Sheik kneels down next to Link and help him with prepping up the ingredients, explaining as he goes, “Hyrule works in a constitutional monarchy. It is true that the Hylian Royal Family is the main ruler of Hyrule, but under the King or Queen are the Courts of Hyrule that represent each of the races of Hyrule. The Crown Prince or Princess of Hyrule are the leader of the Hylian Court, the Zora King or Queen are the leader of the Zoran Court, the Bosses of the Gorons are the leader of the Goron Court, the Elders of the Rito are the leader of the Rito Court, and the Chiefs of the Gerudo are the leader of the Gerudo Court. The King or Queen of Hyrule represent the High Court of Hyrule in which all decisions will be made through vote and as the final voice of what can and cannot be done. At the moment, we lack the High Court but the other courts are already on its way of being rebuilt,” He finishes, “In another word, they keep each other in check. Especially not to let the King or Queen of Hyrule to be too powerful and unchecked,”
Sasuke scrunches his nose, “That’s a lot more complicated that the Daimyo,”
Sheik shrugs, “Well, only if you see it without really understanding. The people of the races will bring matters of importance to their leader and their leader will take this matter to the High Court for it to be discussed. But most of the time, they do not need permission from the High Court to run their own government. Only when matters will effect the rest of Hyrule will they bring it up to the High Court for discussion,”
Link packs away the last of their meal and stands up. Sheik tugs at him to make him sit back down. Link scowls but Sheik glares at him, “Not this late. You’ll just run yourself to the ground like this,” Link raises his hand to sign but Sheik cuts him off, “We don’t know where those Gloom Hands are. I know you’d rather rough it out and camp somewhere closer to the domain but with those Gloom Hands being an ambush type harder to notice than the Lizalfos, it is better to play it safe,”
He doesn’t mention that Link it still too weak to be of any good. To be honest, Sheik would rather fatten him up and have him regain his strength first before tackling the problem in Zora’s Domain but he also know that Link is too stubborn to sit still. So the most he can do is pace the fool.
In the end, he succeeds at knocking Link out…again. With blue nightshade drug.
Hinata sighs as he closes the curtain around Link, “Will this be habit?”
Sheik sighs, running his fingers through his wild blond hair, his hair tie clenched by his teeth, “Its the only way to pace him. I will stop when he’s better and doesn’t need so much rest,” He sighs, tugging at his hair almost violently in frustration, “It’s like when we first met all over again,”
Hinata grabs his hands and pushes them aside to comb his hair. Under her, Sheik blushes bright red at the feeling of her fingers carding through his hair. She gently massages his scalp and he swears that she have magic fingers with how they melt away the tension in his shoulders. She moves to the back of his neck and Sheik sighs, “Hinata…you…”
Hinata bites her lip before saying, “You don’t mind…with me doing this…d-do you?”
The duality of her timid nature and her confidence are causing havoc in his head and in his heart. Sheik knows that she is seducing him. Slowly but surely. But he can’t find it in him to push her away and that baffles him. Ever since she appeared with Sasuke, joining him on his trip back to Hyrule, Sheik finds himself having a hard time pushing any thoughts of her away like he did back on the Hidden Continent.
He had stubbornly insisted that nothing can happen between him and her.
But now…
He opens his mouth, “Hinata-,”
“Guys,” Sasuke appears, unknowinglycutting him off, “There are these weird guys outside this cave and I don’t know what they are talking about. And when I say weird, I mean weird weird,”
Sheik’s brow twitches, “Sheerow, go!”
Sheerow dive bombs Sasuke, causing him to yelps, “What the-?! Hey! Stop that! Ow! Sheik, call your bird toy back! Ow! Stop that, damn it!”
Minato grumbles, “And it was getting good too!”
Hashirama adds, “Sheik actually decided to face his dilemma and you are just as bad as Madara with timing!”
Sheik grumbles, “What weird people?”
Sasuke swats at Sheerow, “I don’t know. They don’t look Hylian and they sure don’t look like those pictures of the other races. They have this weird balloon thing too and though they look similar, one is painted blue while the other is this weird grey color,”
Sheik blinks, “You saw Kilton?”
Sasuke shrugs, ducking his head from more painful dive bombs from Sheerow, “Don’t know who that is,”
Sheik stands up, finally noticing the braid that Hinata had woven his hair into and thanks her, “Can you keep an eye on Link?”
Hinata nods, “Okay…”
Sheik follows Sasuke out and sure enough, he recognize Kilton’s balloon. He finally understand Sasuke’s wariness since Kilton does look unnerving to those who doesn’t know him.
He quickly race to the balloon and overhears Kilton talking to his paler look alike,“…turn yourself into a legendary creature…a Satori no less! Absurd! You should be working on the monster collection with me instead of chasing a silly dream like-,”
His look alike screeches with a familiar screech, “Ngggyaaat! I will NEVER give up, Kilton! I've always wanted to be a Satori! I WILL be a Satori! I do NOT care what it takes! All I need to do is get my fingers on a Bubbul gem, then I'm sure to turn into a Satori! And the rumors are TRUE! There is a creature in the cave called a Bubbulfrog, and it glows just like a Satori. Gaaaw, but I didn't think it would be up so high on the wall or run about all nimbly-bimbly like that,"
Sheik blinks at the sight before looking at Sasuke, “They’re harmless…I hope,”
Sasuke looks at him, “So…leave them alone?”
Sheik is about to agree with the suggestion when Kilton shouts, “Traveler, wait! Are you a Sheikah? Then can I ask for a favor?”
Sheik grimaces and turns to Kilton, “Hi, Kilton. Didn’t see you there. How are you?”
Kilton ignores his obvious lie and says, “Can you help my brother Koltin? Should you come across a Bubbulfrog, you can trade the Bubbul gem that the Bubbulfrog leaves for treasures in my brother’s hoard! I assure you, they are worth the trade!”
Sheik wonders if Kilton recognize him but pushes that aside, “Bubbulfrog?”
Kilton points at the cave just beside them, “You will understand if you go in and see for yourself what it is,” He begs, “Please. For the sake of my beloved brother’s dream, please help us gather Bubbul gem!”
Sheik looks at the cave beside them before looking back at Kilton. The man’s harmless, though his belief that monsters can be befriended is a dangerous delusion. But maybe he can hire Kilton to help him with something, “Those treasures aside, we Sheikah prefers information trade. So, in exchange for getting this…Bubbul gem, can you tell me tales of dangerous monsters around Hyrule? The kind that recently appeared, I mean. Like…grasping hands from a puddle of Gloom?”
Kilton blinks, “Oh. I can do that! But the Bubbul gems are for my little brother so those treasures I mention will still be yours if you trade them for it. As for information about monsters? Why, they are my passion! I can gather all the information you could ever want! In exchange, bring me their trophies!”
Sheik nods, “Deal,”
Maybe Link can make use of the treasures?
As Sheik enters the cave, Sasuke asks, “Am I going to regret this?”
Sheik chuckles, “Regretting doing stuff for Kilton or Koltin? I’m already regretting the trouble ahead,”
They don’t even have to walk in too deep to notice the weird glowing frog hanging on the ceiling. It hops around, croaking and eyeing them with its…many eyes. Sasuke blinks rapidly, trying to make sense of what he is looking at. He then looks around, “So…where’s the gem?”
Sheik pulls out a kunai and shoots the frog between the eyes with a flick of his wrist. Immediately, it falls down and floats like a dead frog in a pond before disappearing into a glowing bunny that runs straight into a wall only to disappear. In its place is a glowing snowflake.
Sasuke stares as Sheik picks up the Bubble gem, “That’s it? Is it dead?”
Sheik shakes his head, “I don’t think so. It is a Satori after all. That bunny is called Blupee and shits out rupees when you shoot at it,”
They walk out and hands the gem to an ever grateful and tearful Koltin who immediately…swallows the gem. He despairs soon after, realizing that a single gem is not enough for his…cause. The duo watch as Koltin and Kilton disappears on their strange balloon, leaving them with the sense of the bizzare.
Sasuke deadpans, “Your kingdom is freaking weird,”