Hello! Once again, it's nice to see you on tumblr once more. I actually have a request: Could you write a story about reader accidentally calling Talon "Mario" while they and the chain are in Lon Lon Ranch ? I'm Just imagining the confused stares everybody give poor embarassed reader, and then the surprise once reader tells the chain (and maybe Malon if she's there) that Talon is based on the most popular character of Nintendo.
LU Isekai! Reader - You Call Talon "Mario"
Thanks! I'm glad to be back!
Fun Fact! Once I worked two full-time jobs at the same time (over the summer I first started writing, actually. I think in 2024) and only got 4 hours of sleep max. I got so tired I lost the ability to feel my own body. During this time I accidentally called a male supervisor "mom," but he was also so tired neither of us noticed until a few hours later!
Word Count: 1435
Time and Malon’s house was really cozy. You didn’t expect it to be so nice, what with everything in Hyrule being vaguely-Medieval, but it was warm, clean, and smelled like an open field. Unfortunately, it also had a LOT of work to do around it.
Most of the others took to farm life like fish to water. It made sense, you think. Twilight had grown up on a farm. Four and Legend had been blacksmithing apprentices long enough they knew a bit of what to do. Wild seemed to have some kind of farming experience, although where he got it from was a mystery to both of you. And Sky… Sky had found some way to communicate telepathically with the Cuccoos, you swear.
Unfortunately, you were not so lucky. This type of farm work was miles away from anything you had done before. Your muscles still weren’t used to a life of traveling and fighting, much less hauling feed across an entire barn. You also weren’t used to getting up before the sun.
All that to say, you were tired.
You had been at the farm for days. Every morning you would get shaken awake by one of the boys and drag your feet to the Cuccoo coup with your eyes still half-closed. Then it was off to the barn to start feeding and milking and raking. By the time you got back to the house to start laundry, your arms were aching, and you were cursing under your breath that washing machines hadn’t been invented yet.
You helped Malon make lunch. With so many guests, it was an entire production. Wild helped too, of course, but none of the others were trusted near the kitchen. You liked listening to her stories as she recounted all the different hijinxs Time had gotten up to as a kid. You liked hearing about his childhood like it was a real thing that had happened, instead of just a game. Wild still occasionally tried to ask Malon how old Time was, but her lips were sealed.
“What about you?” Wild asks, snapping you out of… well, not your thoughts. You had been holding a knife in your hand, staring at the tomato on the cutting board with a far-away look in your eyes. You had been doing that a lot. You think it was the lack of sleep.
“Huh?” you slowly turn your head. It felt like you were trying to move through molasses, but that was probably just your thoughts lagging behind your body.
“C’mon, sleepyhead! What’s your best guess about how old he is?” Legend grins, leaning over the counter. He never helped cook, but sometimes he came to chat. Probably just to avoid some of his chores. “We’ve still got money on this. Even if some people,” he glares accusingly at Malon, who just laughs, “refuse to tell us.”
Normally, you wouldn’t use your knowledge of the timelines to say things about the others they didn’t want shared themselves. You had kept Twilight’s secret about being a wolf and Legend’s about his adventure in Koholint. Unfortunately, you were too exhausted to register that there were some things you shouldn’t say.
“Uhhh, I don’ know? He was probably seventeen?” You try to count out on your fingers, but the numbers swim around in your head, and you can’t hold onto them. “So when he was ten, he wasn’t. And then the time loop couldn’t be more than, like, a year?”
“Wow, you are tired,” Wild laughs, taking the knife out of your hand before you could accidentally cut off your fingers. You blink, one eye at a time, before it registers that he did that.
“Nonono, let them continue,” Legend waves Wild away with one hand, leaning even farther over the counter towards you. “How old?”
“Uhh, ten plus eight…plus ten? Plus… eight?” You squeeze your eyes closed, trying to remember how addition worked. Carry the two? No, you round if there’s a five, right? And then if you used slope-intercept form…
“Okay,” Malon laughs, grabbing you by the shoulders and steering you into the living room. “I think you might need a rest, city-slicker.”
“Wha…? No, I can hel–” You face-plant onto the couch as soon as she lets go of you, face pressed into the center cusion and legs hanging over the arm.
“Wow. You were not made for farm work,” you can hear the smirk in Time’s voice as he says it. You turn your head, hair flopping into your face as you look at him, and muster a half-scowl.
“I think my arms’ll fall off,” you complain. “And you’re all insane for wakin’ up so early.”
“Yeah, it’s a bit rough,” Sky yawns, collapsing on the couch next to you. He smells like Cuccoos. You flop over onto your back, using your legs to pull yourself against the armrest and give him a few more inches of room.
“I miss only doing stuff by pressing buttons,” you pout, staring at the ceiling. “It’s so much easier to milk things by pressing B.”
“You just need some more time away from your fancy ‘modern’ life,” Twilight enters the living room from the front door, holding something in his arms you don’t quite care enough about to look at. He’s lost most of his usual layers. Hard to do farm work wearing a pelt, you suppose.
“What’re you doing in so soon? Lunch won’t be ready for a while.” Malon pokes her head out of the kitchen.
“Oh! That would be my bad,” an unfamiliar voice says from behind Twilight. “I asked him to help with some of the things I got from town. Didn’t realize we had expanded the operationi to need so many new faces!”
Twilight steps forward, and you see him. A short little man with a red shirt, blue overalls, and a massive mustache.
“...Mario?” You raise your head off the couch, trying to process. Wait. No, wrong game. Mario shouldn’t be here. Who looked like Mario? Was there a character in the Legend of Zelda that looked like Mario? You should know this!
Time looks at you, one eyebrow raised.
“Ah! I’ll get you introduced,” Malon beams, wiping her hands off on her apron as she takes the things from Twilight’s arms and places them on the table. “Daddy, these are the other heroes Link was writing to us about. Everyone, this is my father, Talon.”
Those present introduce themselvs with some variation of “good to meet you sir.” Sky get’s up to shake his hand, leaving the couch your domain. You flop your head back onto the cushions. You’re too tired for good first impressions.
“‘Mario’?” Time quotes you.
“He’s based on Mario,” you shrug, your face heating up ever so slightly. “Give me a break, man. I’m tired.”
“Who’s Mario?” Talon asks. Malon and the Links present also regard you with confusion.
“They’re from a world where all of us are just stories,” Wild pipes up helpfully from the kitchen.
“Thanks, Wild,” you say sarcastically. He gives you a thumbs up before returning his attention to stirring a bowl of something.
“Shouldn’t you know who Talon is, then?” Legend smirks. He liked having these “gotcha” moments.
“I dooo,” you whine, covering your face with your hands.“Mario’s just, like, more famous. He’s the mascot of the company that made most of your games. Talon was designed to look like him.”
“Well, this Mario must be quite the handsome fellow, then,” Talon laughs and heads into the kitchen. Malon follows, chatting about some farm stuff that goes direcly over your head. At least he didn’t seem to care. Then again, he didn’t seem to care about much of anything, from what you can remember. Then again again, you’re memory wasn’t exaclty the best at the moment. Maybe with a full nights’ rest, you would be better equipped for this.
Time turns towards you again, smirking.
“Not. One. Word,” you grit your teeth.
“Mario,” he grins.
“Stooop,” you roll over on the couch, hiding your now bright red face from him. A few of the others snicker.
“Please tell me there’s more people like that you’ll get mixed up about,” Legend laughs.
“Uhh, there’s Ingo, I guess,” you say.
“Oh, and who is he designed after?” Sky sounds genuine, but his smile says otherwise. He also thinks this is hilarious. You mutter under your breath, asking Hylia why she decided this guy was the one she was going to fall in love with, before you answer.
“...Luigi.”
The room breaks out in laughter. You sink further into the couch.
*screeches up to your inbox* Wait, wait, wait, you’re doing a fluffy Lon Lon fic with a side of whump?!?! That. Sounds. Awesome.
Consider this a humble ask for you to gush about anything for this fic!
Well.... you asked for it!
The fics whole premise is roughly "the chain get trapped in Time's world after LU and have to adapt to being normal people without adventures and saying the world"
and because I am a one trick pony at heart, yes, it's gonna be heavily Legend centric for at least part of it!
The thing I'm most excited about is the dynamic between Legend and Talon, because no one can tell me that that mustachioed farmer with a gentle nature wouldn't remind Legend of his Uncle and Tarin both, and I honestly just get the sense that Talon would very much like to connect with Time and Malon's boys, but he's not young and spritely and most certainly doesn't have the energy to try sumo or go racing with them. He's also not as loud or vibrant by nature as a lot of the male figures in most of the Links' lives, so they aren't super drawn to him, but Ledge? Like it or not, he's reminded of home, and I AM making that a problem for both of them
Now, of course, we'll get some fun Time and Twilight of course, and I like the Wild and Malon dynamic from the Ranch arc originally,, and of course Warriors and Four are going to have to explore this era's castle town (with no titles, no uniforms, no one who knows them or wants things from them or expects things), and Twilight and Sky will get some time together to, and of course all the horse lovers gotta go riding!
But yeah, slowly, slowly, they're going to have to adjust; all of the are going to have to unlearn things and learn new things.
Some highlights in my brain at present being:
Legend is so used to dungeon crawling that he genuinely starts feeling lost when he's been on the surface too long and so Malon and Time keep finding him trying to collect himself in the weirdest places (the old dried up well on the edge of the property, the cellar, and various stalls in the barn, just to name a few)
Warriors is still running drills and writing training reports for MONTHS because he can't drop it just because his commanders aren't around to make him do it
Sky is a fussy mess about the surface village and is desperately in need of projects to keep busy with because he feels guilty leaving his people to do it all alone
Wind is homesick for his family, badly. Because they have no assurance that they'll EVER go home now, and Grandma is frail and Aryll's not even a teenager yet! Who's going to look after them? He can't just up and leave them high and dry!
Hyrule has never had such frequent, consistent, unquestioning access to food in his life, but he's also never stayed in one place this long in....a really long time, so he's very restless and might have made a few stashes for his food (he's not the only one either, he, legend and Wild all have this habit and it does result in actual physical fights when they disturb each others' stashes on accident)
Wild is also having issues with the staying in one place thing, but less so than Hyrule. As long as no one stops him from wandering off, then he will always come back by sundown.
Twilight and Four might be adjusting the best because they're used to "normal" life more than the rest. still, they're both homesick for their respective families, even if, unlike Wind, there's no one reliant on them for their survival.
Just, there's a lot of me digging in and forcing the domestication of these eight boys (less so Time because that ship sailed, but we might get some flashbacks/memories of when he was in the same boat) via the characters in Time's world (yes, that means Lullaby and Impa!)
If you guys have a specific trauma/trigger/issue you think might be relevant for the boys to have to adjust around, hit me up! Even a one trick pony can try to add a least a little extra flourish!
OOTY/n: “Oh I don’t know what to get Talon for Father’s Day!”
You stress around the house trying to think of something.
Malon: “He’s been wanting grandkids ever since we were teens because he missed having little ones running around.” She informs Link who stares blankly.
Link: “Grandkids? Like as in—“
Malon: “Yes.”
Link pauses and takes a deep breath.
Link: “I’m ready for that step!”
Time skip. (Weeks)
OOTY/n who shakily holds up a positive pregnancy test.
Talon: “Boy I told you to wear protection!”
Link: “B-but I was helping OOtY/n to pick out a gift for you!”
OOTY/n: “Wait that’s the main reason you got me pregnant?”
Link: “…I was ready for a family too…” Link glanced away awkwardly.
I'm trying to find a fic I read a while ago... Do you recognize this plot?
Basically the Chain have made a habit of playing The Floor Is Lava, and the Shadow/possibly Dark Link (idr which the author chose to use) takes this into his advantage by turning the ground into actual lava the next time someone shouted it.
Legend had gotten into the habit of pretending to fall into the "lava" instead of climbing to safety, and burns. But he doesn't die. I think it was one of those "Legends never die" fics where Legend meets Lady Death and she says something along the lines of "it isn't your time yet"
And then the rest of the Links are more attentive to Legend's depression afterwards.
The Floor is Lava! by @bokettochild
Summary:
It started with a game. Wild decided to teach the other young heroes how to play The Floor is Lava.
Everyone laughs when Legend just lies on the ground.
It's not funny anymore when Dark Link decides to make games reality.
who exactly is the first link Time brings back to the ranch?
How did everyone react (Malon Talon etc)
The first Link that Time accidentally rescues/adopts is Four! … And also Shadow, because no way is he letting his ridiculous, terrible-decision-making brother go through some strange portal to live with an even stranger guy without him. For his part, Time went to Four’s era as a test run of the time travel spell—close-ish to his own time, but in the past where things aren’t as predictable. Unbeknownst to Time, the spell has an interesting side effect of honing in on nearby Hero’s Spirits.
Time’s mission was to prove he could bring back something alive through the spell safely. Malon had jokingly told him to bring her back a horse. She did not expect him to bring back their first two children.🤣 But she learned to roll with whatever comes with having the Hero as her husband long ago, and she can tell Four and Shadow need love and care. She and Time talk over the decision to adopt them together, but it’s a quick decision for both of them. She gets used to having two kids around and being a family faster than anyone else.
Talon about passes out when he suddenly becomes the grandpa of twins—quintuplets? How are there so many of them and why does only one have dark hair? Wait, they’re back to two, how is this happening …
But Talon remembers what it was like to take in a grieving, jaded teenager. He’s done it before with Time. They aren’t so different, not really. Unfortunately, Talon knows that means it’s a long road ahead for all of them. But he also knows it will be worth it.
Time is doing his best to keep himself calm and—and fatherly? Do Four and Shadow even want or need that? Time was literally raised by a bunch of immortal children, a handful of fairies, a tree who is now dead, and a war captain who wasn’t even a legal adult by Hylian standards. He does not think he knows “how to dad”, but he DOES know how to Hero. Every ugly, terrifying part the stories leave out, he’s been there. He’s lived it. He’s been uprooted and forced out of places he can never return to countless times in his life, especially at Four and Shadow’s age. Maybe, just maybe Time can do this. And maybe he can give the kids the home he so desperately needed at their age.
Epona loves Four and Shadow. They’re not so sure about her yet.
As for Four and Shadow themselves … they might have the hardest time out of all the Heroes adjusting, especially Four. He wasn’t conscious when Time rescued him, he didn’t choose this or even get to say goodbye to Grandpa and Dot. And suddenly, he’s in a new world with no one he knows except Shadow, who he’s still low-key mad at for sacrificing himself? And since no one knows him here and he’s underage, his only options are an orphanage or staying with this weirdo who says he’s a Hero from the future? Four is NOT happy, he’s struggling hard.
Shadow’s struggling, too, but he’s glad he’s got Four and is in a Hyrule where no one knows him or who he used to be. No Vaati or Ganon makes it even better. Plus free food and a roof over their heads? Not a bad deal at all. But he doesn’t trust these new people, why would anyone want to take care of him? He knows they want something from him and/or Four, he just has to be prepared to run or fight at any moment if they want something he won’t/can’t give.
Wind sat outside the farmhouse listening to the night sounds found only in this time and place. The light tingling of fairy voices accompanied by low moos and chittering clucks with the occasional horsey huffs. If Wind could capture this peace in a bottle and carry it around with him, he wondered if it would heal him even more fully than Granny’s soup. He pulled up his knees under his chin and let his heart sink to his shoes like it did every time he remembered she was gone.
“Enjoying the night air?” asked a sweet voice. Wind looked up into the smiling face of Malon. He cocked his head in obvious question. Because why was she out here instead of inside? Did she really trust his eight brothers alone with her tiny baby? Twilight could only keep the chaos in check for so long before someone did something stupid, and the presence of a delicate infant would be forgotten in the midst of a sudden burst of inspiration. Wind would bet rupees on the instigator being Wild. Malon giggled and brought Wind back to the solid present. “You all look so similar sometimes. Cocking your head instead of just asking why I came looking for you. But I have to say, I came with questions of my own. Mainly you seem like something’s bothering you. I expected you to be hovering over little Link and making sure nothing happened to him. Time tells me stories about how strong your big brother instincts can be.”
“Guess they’ve gotten rusty,” Wind whispered. “Aryll doesn’t like me ‘smothering’ her anymore. And I haven’t gotten to see her in months. Mrs. Rose has been letting her live with her family since—since Granny died. Tetra wanted to have her move to the new Hyrule, but Aryll wants to stay where Granny was. Keep watch of the island for her.”
“Is that what’s bothering you? The fact your sister refuses to move to your new kingdom?”
“I remember when she was baby like Little Link,” Wind answered, knowing he was avoiding telling the whole truth. “I had to help take care of her since Granny was old even back then, and losing her daughter so suddenly was making her seem even more old. But it was fun. I got to see her smile, hear her first giggle, and when she learned to walk, she wobbled to me first. I wouldn’t have traded that moment for the whole world.”
“You sound like an amazing big brother,” Malon said, sitting beside him. She bumped his shoulder with her arm, a bitter reminder that he still hadn’t had his promised growth spurt. “And I’m sure you’ll make an awesome uncle too. Bet you’ll be the favorite.”
“Not like there’s competition,” Wind playfully sniffed. “I’m likely the only one who knows how to change his diapers.”
“Now I’m sure your brilliant brothers could figure out how to change a diaper. Eventually.”
“Yep. And after he pees on them, they’ll conveniently forget.”
“I think my Link has already forgotten,” Malon grinned widely. She blinked, and her expression shifted into a sudden thoughtful one. “I guess he’s my Large Link now, since I have a Little Link. Maybe I’ll start calling him Time like you do. He does love that name more than his own.”
“Then why’d he give his name to his son?”
“I insisted. I wanted his name to live on. Wanted my son to be connected to all of you by name should we ever lose contact. This quest of yours has gone on for so long, but I doubt it will go on forever.”
“Do you think—“ Wind started. He swallowed and tried again. “Are you sure you want to name him that?”
“Yes. I am. It’s a good name that happens to go with my favorite people. Do you have a problem with me naming him that?”
“It’s my name too. Why would I have a problem with it?” But Wind did have a problem with it. People with that name—He loved his brothers. He loved his life, bumps and problems aside. But he didn’t want a life like his or his brothers’ for Malon and Time’s kid. That kid should get to be happy and loved and never have to risk his life to save a kingdom ever. “Are you sure you don’t want to call him Tarin or Lalon or something else?”
“He’s had his name for two months. We’re not changing it now,” Malon chuckled. “Should have said something earlier.”
“Legend already said naming him that was a bad idea. If you weren’t going to listen to him, you weren’t going to listen to me.”
“I’ll listen to you if your reasons make sense. Legend’s didn’t. Link is not a cursed name. And everyone named that is not doomed to be Hylia’s plaything.” Malon rolled her eyes as she repeated Legend’s warnings word for word. “There are plenty of people named Link who live ordinary lives. And the fact that nine of Hylia’s heroes share the name should be considered a good omen. Besides we know no hero exist in this timeline until Twilight comes around. My Little Link is therefore doomed to a life of living on this ranch and someday taking over it to pass it further down the line. A life where his most exciting activities will be taming the wild horses and being swarmed by fairies.”
“There are many boys named Link on the Great Sea. Each one was named with the hope that he would grow to be the Hero of Time reborn and finally undo the curse of the endless sea. Parents back home want their sons to be heroes.”
“Is that why your parents named you Link?”
Wind couldn’t help his gaze floating back into the dark night and away from Malon’s bright face. “I don’t know.”
The sounds, a symphony of calm peace and safety, tingled and mooed and huffed around them. A strong arm stretched across Wind’s shoulders and drew him into a warm side.
“If I were them, I would have named you Link because you are a visible tie of what links me and my husband together,” Malon whispered into the still night air. “A reminder that it’s our love that made you, and it’s a link between us that cannot be undone.”
“…is that the real reason you named your kid Link?”
“If you can keeps a secret, yes. But with the added benefit of it also connecting my baby to all of you,” Malon softly smiled down at Wind, and the air around them felt warmer. “But if you can’t keep a secret, I named him after his father to annoy my husband.”
“I can keep a secret,” Wind reassured. He had a few of his own. One then threatened to spill out of his throat in the face of Malon’s sweet kindness. “But can I tell Time that you told me the second one?”
“Oh, absolutely. Though in exchange, when the other boys ‘forget’ how to change a diaper, you’ll help me change it.”
“What if I suddenly forget too?” The question earned Wind a shove that nearly knocked him over but carefully did not.
“You’d better not. I’m telling the boys to take his stinky little self over to you every time if you forget even once, and if you come to me ‘to remind you how to do it’ you’re going to find my teaching methods are even more strenuous than my husband’s.”
“Wouldn’t want to learn from you then,” Wind whispered into the winter wind. Malon chuckled. “I won’t forget. You can count on my help with keeping Little Link’s bottom dry and less smelly.”
“That’s reassuring to hear. Why don’t we go in before I walk in to find my baby hanging from the stair’s railing and have to murder a few of your brothers?”
“I guess they are more use to us alive than dead,” Wind huffed and stood. Together he and Malon walked in to see Little Link high up in the air with nothing between him and the ground. Wild leapt and snatched him from midair but not before Malon’s face achieved a bright crimson shade. Wind decided to hurry up the stairs and into the boys’ shared bedroom before the shouting started. He barely made it and wondered which of his brothers would be dead come morning.
As he crawled into his bedroll, Wind considered the real reason he found he couldn’t be in the baby’s presence long. The baby creeped him out. Something about being in the same room as the little guy felt wrong. As if the baby took up too much presence and was pushing Wind out. Like the air became harder to breath when Wind stood near him. Wind felt off-center and terror-mixed disgust on seeing the baby’s light blue eyes and cherubic cheeks. None of the others seemed to have the same reaction, and Wind didn’t want to ruin the joy the rest seemed to be enjoying. He would deal with his odd reaction on his own.
------------------------------------------------
As weeks went by, Wind continued to avoid Little Link. Avoiding the baby wasn’t that hard. All his brothers flocked to the baby any time they stopped by the ranch, which somehow was happening more and more. As if Hylia herself wanted Time to keep an eye on his family and knew he had only one. Wind tried to be happy about the more frequent visits to the ranch, and he was. Except for the baby.
He kept his promise to Malon and helped with changing diapers multiple times a day. Whenever one of the others noticed the diaper needed changing, they ran to find Wind. Wind would change the diaper and hand Little Link back to whoever had been playing with the baby. Every single one would give him a strange look. They probably expected him to want a turn fussing over or playing with the cute little one.
If it wasn’t for the weird feeling, Wind would fight to be the favorite uncle. To hold and play with the baby. He loves little kids. But he could barely stand being in the same room as the little guy. He wished his feelings were simple like when Aryll was born. He had been jealous of the attention she got early on. Before Aryll’s mother died and Granny struggled to get out of bed leaving Aryll crying with only him listening. He had learned then that babies needed a lot of attention and love, and so he had learned to give that needed attention and love instead of be jealous of it.
He was glad Time and Malon’s baby got so much attention and love. But every time Wind tried to give the little guy some of his own, his whole body and soul recoiled. He was pretty sure the baby was having a similar reaction given the little guy’s whimpers and low whines when Wind changed him. But they both put up with those moments so Little Link could have clean diaper. Wind was surprised the little guy didn’t howl his head off when he saw him.
The last time Wind saw the baby, Time had been rocking him in the chair Sky had helped carve. He had seen Wind trying to sneak by and put up a hand to motion him closer. Wind had done so and decided to practice his stealth soon if he was so out of practice Time could see him. Hero of Time and scary as he was, the guy only had one eye. Wind should be able to sneak past a guy with one eye.
“He finally fell asleep,” Time informed in a quiet, calm voice.
“He doesn’t cry much for a baby,” Wind said since he had nothing better to say.
“He does. But he doesn’t cry around you.”
“He doesn’t?”
“No,” Time answered. He shifted and lifted the baby. Wind realized he was going to hand Wind the little one, and he took a step back. That one eye pinned him in place. “So Malon was right. You are avoiding him.”
“I’m not avoiding him,” Wind flustered. “I’m not good with babies.”
The one-eyed stare continued. Wind’s cheeks burned at the flimsy lie. Time had seem him easily cradle and fuss over the few babies they had come across during their adventure.
“I’m not good with this baby.”
“We’ve noticed. Would you be able to tell me why?”
Wind’s face twisted as his heart squeezed. He didn’t know what to say. How to explain that even now his lungs burned and his body craved to run out of the room. That he felt wrong standing here. As if the world was too large and too small and sideways all at once.
“No,” Wind finally shook his head.
“Is it because he’s my and Malon’s son?” Time prodded, and Wind quickly shook his head. But the older Link continued, “You boys mean so much to me and Malon. This little one won’t change that.”
“I know.” His annoyance filled the snippy reply. “I know that. Love doesn’t get subtracted. It gets multiplied with every new addition. Granny taught me that. Aryll taught me that. I just—I can’t explain it. I want to love him. He makes you and Malon and all of my brothers happy. It’s—It’s something else.”
“And that something else is?”
“I dunno,” Wind pouted. He inched out of the tilting room. “Something about the baby and me don’t mix. I’ll help with diaper duty and everything, promise. But I—I have to go.”
He turned and ran from the room. He knew how Time would take that action, but he didn’t want to be in that room any longer. It was wrong. For him and the baby. He didn’t know why, but it was. The way his skin pinched and his lungs ached and his head swirled…being in the same room as Malon and Time’s son felt worse than how Four described going through a portal. Wind couldn’t stand it. He wished he could. He wanted to cuddle and coddle Malon and Time’s Little Link. But he couldn’t. He couldn’t.
-break-
After a difficult battle, a portal opened. Legend grumbled about getting a break and cursed Hylia’s name. Too weary to argue with him, Sky hit the back of Legend’s head and walked through the portal. The rest equally as exhausted trudged through the swirling void.
Initially the familiar’s night calmness eased Wind’s battered soul. Then a noise broke through the stillness that shattered it. Time, despite his earlier exhaustion, broke into a run towards the house. The rest of them trotted quickly after him.
The broken-hearted sobs got louder the closer they got to the ranch house. There was a hole in the front where the door should be. Time burst through gawping hole and instantly they heard cry into the night, “He’s gone! The baby’s gone! They’re both—”
As the words cut off due to Time no doubt gathering his wife in his arms and the sobbing continued, the rest of them elbowed and shoved their way through what used to be the front door. Wind bumped into Twilight’s back and came to an abrupt halt, so he wiggled his way around the broad-shouldered ranch hand and Sky who had frozen next to Twilight. Time has a sobbing Malon in his arms and was scanning the entire area with his sole eye. Talon lay on the floor next to them surrounded by wooden and metal debris. Hyrule had hurried to bend over and examine the fallen man. A transparent Talon floated over them.
The older man had barely interacted with any of them. When he did, he was always pleasant and kind though obviously skeptical of their supposed backgrounds as heroes across time. Lately the man had come taken to talking them more often and crowing about how adorable and smart his grandson was—
“Where’s Little Link?” Wind asked. His brothers all stiffened at the question. Malon’s sobs stopped, and she leaned out of Time’s hold.
“He’s gone. She took him!”
“Who took him? Where did she take him?” Warriors asked, brusque and in total captain mode. Malon answered, but the transparent figure over Talon’s body took all of Wind’s attention.
“The blue haired woman. She said something about fixing the timeline or—or keeping it from getting lost? I’m not sure. Malon wasn’t close enough to hear her, but I was. I tried to get Little Link away from her, but she flicked her hand and I was knocked through the wood and flat on my back in here.”
“Did you see which way she went?” Wind asked Talon’s ghost. He ignored how everyone stopped talking to listen to him.
“Strangely I did. Not sure how I was able to get out and see her, but she headed towards the Zora’s Domain. She entered their waters, pulled out a harp, and vanished. I found myself worrying about Malon and came back to watch over her.”
“Could you lead us to the exact spot?” Wind pleaded. Talon’s ghost nodded his head. He then grabbed his nearest brother’s hand (turned out Twilight was still standing near him) and pulled him out into the night air.
“His ghost?” Twilight asked. Wind nodded. The vet hurried to match their steps.
“So he’s dead?”
Wind nodded again and tried not to think about how when they returned Wind would have to help him move on. Maybe Twilight could take over the task for him this time? He-He didn’t want to watch the man who Malon loved fade.
“Where are we headed, sailor?” Warriors asked having caught up to their growing group.
“Zora’s Domain,” Wind said. “Talon said a blue-haired woman took him there and vanished. She used a harp to do it.”
“A harp?” the vet asked in a sharp note. Wind turned to look at him even as they continued to walk forward. Legend looked like he wanted to hit someone. He reached into his bag and took out a beautifully crafted harp. “Ask him if it looks like this one.”
“That’s the harp!” Talon’s ghost stopped floating and pointed at the instrument. “How do you have that?”
“That’s it,” Wind confirmed. “He’s wondering why you have that.”
“It’s from one of my adventures. It’s the Harp of Ages. I received it from the mortal form of Naryu.”
“Doesn’t Naryu have blue hair?” asked Four from where he was trotting behind Legend. Wind didn’t need to look at Legend to know he nodded. Wind’s stomach sank. One of the Golden Three.
“Why would Naryu kidnap Malon and Time’s kid?” Twilight’s question hung in the air before Wind could claw past the terror to answer.
“She said she needed him to fix the timeline.” Wind increased his speed.
“What timeline? This one? Another one? And why does fixing a timeline have to do with Malon and Time’s kid?” Legend quick-fired question after question.
“She seemed to be talking to herself,” Talon answered as he also quickened his floating footsteps. “Or to the baby. She didn’t stop to explain herself.”
“He doesn’t know,” Wind translated. “What does the harp do?”
“It sends whoever played through time,” Legend expounded. “When I used it, it sent me back and forth 400 years in time. Naryu can likely pinpoint her time travel more specifically.”
“And how are we going to be able to follow her?” Warriors pointed out.
“If I use the harp, it should follow Naryu’s path naturally. Though there’s nothing wrong in this timeline between Four and Time, and there shouldn’t be anything between Time and Twilight either.”
“So you think she is trying to jump timelines?”
“Makes the most sense. Though which timeline is the question. My timeline has issues, but none can be solved by having a baby shoved into them.”
“Have we ever figured out where exactly in the timelines Wild is?”
“No. But his timeline doesn’t need a baby either,” Four jumped into Warriors and Legend’s discussion. “Wind?”
“I don’t know about after me, but my timeline’s been fine since Tetra and me sealed Ganondorf. But maybe after me?”
“You have a point,” Warriors added. “We haven’t considered the timelines after our lives. Hyrule, Twilight, Wild, and Wind are the ones we have no clear knowledge of what happened after their lives ended.”
“That’s every timeline including this one,” Legend groused. “Nice job narrowing down our options.”
“Hey. At least we know when she wouldn’t have gone. We can rule out the timelines before and after you, Time, Four, and Sky.”
“What about your timeline, Warriors?” Four probed.
“Mine’s a mess, but I don’t think she would fix anything in mine with the delicate, multi-timeline crossing there. A baby in my timeline would fix nothing.”
“There isn’t a timeline where shoving a baby in would fix anything,” Legend growled. “He should have been left alone.”
“Maybe she had a good reason,” Hyrule entered the conversation as he ran between Legend and Four. Their joint speed walking did not slow down.
“She should have asked,” Twilight growled. “Malon and Time would have heard her out. You can’t take a couple’s child like that.”
“She can,” Wind corrected. “She shouldn’t. But she can. The Golden Three can be ruthless in their protection of Hyrule.”
No one said anything after Wind’s statement. He was sure they were remembering what he had told them of the Great Flood. Of how his world had become an unnatural ocean. He hated reminding them. But right now, thinking of Naryu as anything like gracious, wise deity that the other timelines believed her to be could lead to them missing something. To fail in finding Malon and Time’s baby.
Talon stopped, hovering over a specific spot on the river that went into the Zora’s domain in Time’s era. Wind stood next to the floating specter and looked straight at Legend. Legend stepped into the river and immediately began playing the beautiful harp. Wind grabbed Legend’s sleeve and watched as Twilight did the same. The others looked on but didn’t move fast enough as time warped around the three.
They soon stood in the same river, or rather they treaded water as the river’s flow pushed them towards the waterfall. Twilight grabbed both Legend and Wind and swam them quickly to the shore of the river. Wind would have protested, insisted he could swim to shore himself, but now was not the time to argue about petty things.
“When are we?” Wind asked once they were safely out of the river.
“I don’t know. But if I had to guess by the size of the river and changed landscape, it is sometime far in the future or past.”
“Past,” Twilight insisted. “I know what the Zora’s domain looks like in Time’s future. It doesn’t look like this.”
“Right. So where did Naryu go?” Wind looked around for any clue as to when the Golden Deity took Malon and Time’s kid.
“People are popping in and out of my river today. How annoying.”
Wind looked towards the voice and saw a girl scowling at them from halfway out of the river. The current was not pushing her, and her skin had a sickly blue tint. He hurried over to her.
“Hello. Did you see where the blue haired woman before us went?” Wind asked quickly. The girl’s scowl fell into an open mouthed expression.
“You can see me?”
“Yes. Please. It’s important. The baby she was carrying is my brother’s kid. We need to find him.”
“He didn’t seem to like her. He was screaming his head off,” the ghostly girl hummed to herself. She lifted herself out of the river and dripped an intangible water trail up a small hill and stopped at the top. Wind and his brothers hurried after her. “She stood here and disappeared, taking the crying baby with her. Good luck finding him. And stay out of my river. I don’t want anyone else drowning in there and taking up room.”
“We won’t bother you again,” Wind promised. He hoped he was telling the truth. That the Shadow’s forces would leave this girl and her haunted river alone. He stood on the spot she had showed them and turned to Legend. “She was here. She must have played the harp again because the ghost said she disappeared.”
“Why come here to disappear again?” Twilight asked as Legend set himself in the spot Wind had pointed out.
“We’re far in Time’s past, before the timeline split. Must have been easier to jump timelines here instead of in Time’s era. We’re going to end up in either my timeline or Wind’s. Grab on or I’m going to leave you here.”
Wind and Twilight grabbed on and Legend plucked and strummed the harp’s strings. Time warped, and they stood outside the Rito post office.
“And who are you?!” a somewhat familiar young rito exclaimed from the other side of the counter, the feathers of his wings ruffling. “This is the second time today someone pops in from nowhere.”
“Where did the blue haired woman who came her before us go?” Legend insisted. The rito looked unimpressed as his feathers smoothed back into their normal positions.
“I see you are as rude as she was. Demanded directions to Outset Island and then walked out. According to our Chieftain’s son, she proceeded to wade out in the water before sinking into it. She likely drowned.”
“And the baby with her?” Twilight demanded.
“Poor child must have drowned with her.”
“And you didn’t stop her?!”
“I didn’t think she would walk into the sea!” the rito defended. “And Komo was too far to see she had a child with her.”
“Komo?” Wind asked.
“Our Cheiftain’s son. Though he might have also been distracted because he had gone outside to watch Alia’s daily flight. Was the child one of yours?”
“Our brother’s. And neither of them are dead. Naryu wouldn’t bring the baby here to drown him. Twilight, could you follow her trail?”
“Over water? No. But couldn’t we head straight towards Outset Island?”
“As if that’s an easy trip without wings,” the rito scoffed. “There is a boat here you can catch a ride on, but it isn’t leaving anywhere today. Not in the doldrums.”
“I can fix that,” Wind declared. “Where’s the boat?”
“At the lower dock. Good luck sailing with no true wind.”
“We’ll be fine. The wind follows where I go,” Wind briefly boasted. He was in his element. He knew how to get to Outset in half a day. Maybe after rescuing Malon and Time’s baby, he could stop by and check in on Aryll. See if she had any issues being around the baby. They hurried to the lower docks to find a small ship. An old man with white hair and beard sat near it while a boy played with a rare horn beetle nearby. “Excuse me, can we use your boat to travel to Outset?”
“You can try all you like,” the old man chuckled. “I was headed that way myself. But the wind’s cooperating with no one today.”
“It’ll cooperate with me,” Wind said as he climbed the boat. Its shape reminded Wind of Beedle’s, but instead of the barrel engines, it had a large sail in the middle of the deck. He unfurled the sails with practiced ease and pulled out his Wind Waker. “Get on.”
“Are you serious?” the old mad squawked.
“Yes. Get on, or I’ll borrow your ship and bring it back later.”
The old man chuffed but got on the boat with the wide eyed boy clambering into the boat after him. Twilight and Legend already sat inside the boat’s in-built shop. Twilight looked green and Legend pale, but the determined looks on their faces overtook the discomfort on both. Arching his trusty baton, Wind summoned his name’s sake. It blew across the boat, into the sail, and then swirled around them. He had no time sail across the full Great Sea to reach Outset. So the Ballad of Gales it was.
Screaming filled his ears, but he ignored the people sheltering in the shop behind him and concentrated on keeping the cyclone under control. The boat landed roughly at the edge of Outset Island waters. Wind dropped his arm in relief and turned to check on the passengers behind him. Twilight flew out of the shop and bent over the side. Oops. Legend exited next with unfocused eyes and skin that rivaled the white of pure paper. The kid ran out and hugged Wind around the waist.
“Can we do that again? Please, please, please!” the kid instantly begged, his embrace tightening with every word.
“Beedle, let the young man go,” the old man scolded. Legend and Twilight remained distracted so only Wind reacted to the name. The boy’s frown wrinkled up his large freckles and crinkled his long straight nose, but he did as the old man asked.
“But Grandpa, that was the coolest thing ever! And look! Outset Island!”
“Outset Island indeed,” the old man creaked. His old watery eyes gave Wind a speculating glance. “What a remarkable ability you have there, young man. The wind has grown quieter and quieter throughout my life. To hear it roar like that at the call of a young’un like you—it makes me hope that one day it will fill this sea with its blessing once again.”
“It will,” Wind said, straightening. “I’ll make sure of it.”
“Please do, young Wind Waker,” the old man—Beedle’s grandpa said. Wind then used the little wind in the area to direct the sail and finish bringing the ship to shore. Several villagers lined up to greet the boat, and Wind grew uneasy at how strange the faces were. He could recognize a few, but all much younger than he ever remembered. And many that should be in the crowd weren’t. Including Aryll.
“There she is!” Legend shouted. He leapt off the boat and ran up the dock, off it, across the beach, and onto the bridge between the two islands. Twilight wobbled, took a deep breath as his feet hit solid land, and then sprinted after Legend.
Wind stared up at the rickety bridge spanning the top of the two island’s cliffs where a blue haired woman stood and stared at him. He turned and walked through the crowd of people asking every question to Beedle and his grandfather and made his way opposite his brothers’. He walked up a long plank and towards a door marked with Outset Island’s emblem. The symbol indicated that the house was that of the island’s elder and pseudo-chief. He stood before the familiar door, one he had thoughtlessly burst through hundreds of times, and knocked.
“Coming,” a voice called. A voice Link had not heard in months. One he had never expected to hear again in life since his last visit to Outset Island. The door opened, and his grandma stood smiling on the other side. She had less wrinkles than he’d ever remembered seeing and moved with a grace that the years eventually crippled. “How may I help you?”
“Has a—Do you—,” Link struggled with his words. Tears prickled his eyes as the older woman stared up at him without the slightest recognition. A small sad cry came from inside the house.
“Oh dear. Give me a moment, and I’ll hear you out, young man. I had an unexpected visitor today, and he still isn’t settling in,” Link’s grandma excused as she glid back into the house. She returned cradling a blond baby and humming a well-loved tune. “Our island has been having an exciting day today. So many visitors.”
“That baby,” Link started. He swallowed, every word and thought criss crossing in his head. He closed his eyes and stammered, “I-is his name Link?”
