“Oh! Are you human?!” Ayame boast rather loudly when he see’s the child. His fluttering wings leave sparkles of dust in the air as he comes up beside them, eyes bright. “I thought I heard the flowers chattering a little more loudly today! They’re quite talkative you know! Or perhaps you don’t... I didn’t know it myself until I gained these lovely wings! I must say it’s a lot nicer than scales! Now what did you say you were doing here??”
With as many balloons as Rider had collected thus far, help wasn’t really needed. There was no doubt in her mind that she had more than enough to pass whatever test this was, short of anyone killing her. Really, this was the point where she was focusing on helping other people when at all possible.
Right now, though, she was in a mostly deserted area of Golden, easily slaughtering the many white balloons in the area. Nobody to give them to and all.
Thus, it was a surprise when someone shoved a balloon into the path of her staff, it popping before she even realized what had happened. What was more was that it was a black one...
But the culprit was a child, and her anger quickly melted to a soft smile.
“Oh no, honey. I appreciate the help, but we don’t want to be breaking the black balloons.”
This place was so puzzling. She had been peacefully living above after so many years imprisoned. She was beginning to believe that perhaps things were going to be peaceful for a time. Now, however, she found herself in some far-off place that she had no knowledge of. Still, she would do her best to survive here. At least things seemed rather peaceful.
Of course, when Toriel spotted a familiar visage, she halted her travel down the street. Her immediate task upon being brought here was to go to a library and get herself books. Now they laid on the pavement as sunset hues widen in shock. For the briefest moment, she thought it had been the most recent human child she had come across. Though, when her eyes truly saw who it was, the Ex-Queen could not believe it.
“My... child? Young Chara?”
It was said in such a hushed tone, the Boss Monster afraid that if she were to speak too loudly that perhaps she’d find herself awoken and the fallen child before her would be gone once more.
She has a soft spot for children. It comes with having and raising her own, the girls who to a degree, are a light in her own shadowy existence. So, she stops her idle warming up in an empty zone to watch as someone else moves through. It’s nobody she recognizes, but there’s a part of her that wants to call out, and so, she obeys her gut and tries not to think too hard about it.
“Hello?” Calling out, Requiem stops her playing, but keeps the viola beneath her chin. The counter on her wrist is hidden beneath a sleeve, there’s little chance of getting to it, though she can’t remember the value.
“Are you alone out here, dear? No fault to you, of course, should you be capable.”
Kokichi didn’t got to deal a lot with children, usually. And even though he doesn’t seem like the caring guy, he actually liked them. Maybe it was because he still sees himself as some kind of child, or maybe there were also his leading instincts that just made it easier for him to take charge of people most of the time. Also, children usually were careless and weren’t as boring and annoying as adults could be.
So when he stumbled for the first time in this city, against someone shorter and much younger than him, he couldn’t help but wonder what the deal with that kid was.
“Heeey, little kiddo! You lost?” For a child, they didn’t seem too expressive, so the prankster wanted to try to lighten the mood a little. “Ya bored? Wanna play some games?”
“Hey, kid! Yeah, I’m talkin’ to you Stripes!” Damn, was this place some sort of daycare? He could understand if the weirdos running this joint were interested in super strong people, but taking kids just seemed needlessly cruel. Naruto supposed there was always a chance this kid was more than they looked, but with just a wooden knife that didn’t seem to be the case.
He’s fed up with waiting for a response, and proceeds to scoop Chara up under his arm.
“H-Hey, don’t struggle kid! I know a spot that’s easy pickins so just chill out okay!?”
Malon whistled appreciation as Link slowed Epona to a stop,patting the horse’s mane. He hadn’t been paying much attention to time- he justfound that he enjoyed the feeling of racing, and Epona was more than capable ofrising to the challenge. She was a good horse.
“It’s funny, I never would’ve expected Epona to take such aliking to you. She’s normally quite picky about her riders, you know?”
He nodded- she’d told him that before, after all. But hedidn’t mind when Malon would repeat things. After all, just in general, Lon Lonranch was some place relaxing to him.After Ingo’d gone back to normal, the place seemed to be just like it’d beenseven years ago- in the strange reality that seemed to be his life now, it wassomething he could understand.
Kakariko was too busy for such a small village, the survivorsof the Castle Town attack always huddled close and looking over theirshoulders, just in case- just in case.Would Ganondorf’s minions find them again? Would monsters overrun the town?Even with the protection of the Sheikah, nothing was guaranteed in Ganondorf’s Hyrule.
Zora’s Domain had frozen, and the Gorons had only justreturned to their city, but the sound of empty stone halls and not but onegoron child still haunted the back of his mind. He hadn’t been able to tell thegoron Link about Darunia yet- he knew he had to, but he hadn’t been able tofind the words. After all, how could he explain that his father wouldn’t becoming back yet- and may not for a very, very long time?
Link didn’t know, and the pain still felt a little toopersonal, so he had yet to decide what to do.
As well, the Kokiri Forest… it felt wrong to be there as anadult. It was no place for adults, no place for hylians- by the goddesses, he wasn’t even a kokiri. The forest washis home, and he missed it more than he could put into words- but he didn’t trulybelong there. Perhaps he never had. Staying there didn’t bring him any sort ofpeace, and that alone hurt him more deeply than any wound he’d had to bare.
And so, Lon Lon Ranch was where he found himself goingwhenever he needed a few moments of peace- aside from growing older, nothinghad really changed. Everything had gone back to normal, and sometimes he neededthat normal to ground himself.
“Say, Fairy boy- I never did thank you for bringing myfather back, did I?”
Link tilted his head- he hadn’t really thought much aboutthat. Talon had just been sleeping in Kakariko, all he’d done was wake him up.
“And there’s been rumors too- people are sayin’ it’s thanksto you that Death Mountain cleared up. Is that true?”
Link scratched at the back of his head, nodding. It was mostcertainly true, and he had no reason to lie- but to be asked so plainly was alittle embarrassing.
“Why, it’s like you’re a genuine hero! Should I startcalling you hero boy instead?” Malon laughed, not expecting an answer. “Well, Iguess it doesn’t matter much. But either way, you’ve helped us out here a ton.We all owe ya one, fairy boy.”
Link smiled, attempting to brush it off- he’d admit, thegratitude was appreciated, but it wasn’t why he was doing any of it. He justneeded to fix things- it was his own fault for sleeping those seven years. He wantedto fix his own mistakes.
It was later that day when Link rode off on Epona, headedfor Lake Hylia. Navi liked to sit on his hair when he rode, sometimes needingto grab onto his bangs- she was quick, but Epona was quicker. He didn’t want toleave her behind, so hiding in his hat or resting on his clothes always seemedsafest. Not to mention the poes that liked to show themselves when he was onhorseback.. it was certainly safer for Navi to be with him.
“Well, Hero Boy?” Navi poked his cheek after he finally gotoff Epona, leaving her by the lakeside laboratory. The scientist there was agood man, if a little strange sometimes- he looked after her. “Are you headedto the water temple now?”
Link found himself laughing- the nickname had been oddenough from Malon, but from Navi it just sounded funny. He was a hero, sure, buthe didn’t really think the name fit him well. But then again, Malon just seemedto like giving him nicknames.
“Hey! Why are you laughing?”
Navi gave a huff, and he found himself laughing more. Hecouldn’t help it- her blue glow turned almost red when she was grumpy, and italways looked so silly. It wasn’t like he triedto make her mad, it just happened sometimes.
“Oh, you- you child!”
Link just stuck his tongue out- so what if he was? He’d beenten what felt like only moments ago, after all. And he certainly still didn’tfeel like an adult, even if he lookedthe part.
Taking a few moments to finally stop laughing, Link turnedand signed an apology to Navi. Even if she did look a little funny when she wasglowing all red, he didn’t want her to really be mad. She just sighed and nodded,flying closer to Link.
“It’s fine. Now, be sure to put that zora tunic back on- witha name like the water temple, it’s probably flooded.”
He nodded. While he considered himself decent at holding hisbreath, he was no zora- he wondered what it’d be like to swim like they did, sofree and fast. Perhaps he could ask Ruto once he found her.