- — {☾}
“What did your moon used to look like?”
Tatl flitted apprehensively through the cold night air. Her gaze shifted upwards, just for a moment, before shooting a sour look at Link, who lay in the grass facing away from her.
“I-I don’t know,” she answered, impatience laced in her tone. “Just... just big and round and without a face, I guess?” It wasn’t something she really thought about, not with everything else going on lately, especially when the moon in question was a mere 31 hours away from crushing them all. Why would he ask such a stupid question?
Link huffed to himself, obviously displeased with her reply. She remained nervously flying around after a minute of silence had passed, and had just determined the area was indeed safe when her attention was drawn back to Link.
“Is it the same one as in Hyrule?” he asked, much quieter this time.
Tatl was about to snap something nasty back at him, but something made her pause, words stuck in her throat. His voice had seemed to waver uncharacteristically. Hesitantly, she moved closer to where Link lie, stomach clenching uncomfortably when she say the state he was in. His eyes were shut tightly, face screwed up into an expression that made it clear he was trying not to cry. Was he feeling okay? He never cried. That in itself wasn’t normal for a kid, but he also wasn’t an ordinary kid. In any case, this was troubling to say the least.
“Link...?” she said as she flew closer, wings drooping slightly in concern. No response. Torn with anxiety, she landed on his chest, feeling it shudder underneath as he struggled to maintain what little composure remained. “What’s the matter with you?”
“Nothin’,” he shot, turning over on his side, forcing her to quickly fly back into the air.
“What in the Goddess’ name is wrong?” Concern was now overridden with a flash of anger. She was worried and he was going to act like this to her? The nerve!
“I said nothing!” His words were spoken with venom, but faltered in the end, as finally sobs began to overwhelm his small frame. “I’m fine! I-I’m fine, just go away.”
Tatl could hardly understand what he was saying anymore, through his sobbing. As her anger ebbed away, she sighed in pity, drifting back over to lay in his hair, gripping it as his crying filled the air around them. She didn’t try to press him further; what good would it do if she wouldn’t be able to understand anyway? Much better to just let him cry it out. He’d talk when he was ready, which is exactly what he eventually did.
“I miss home.” His voice was horse, words feeling thick in his throat as he struggled to regain composure, stray sobs bubbling up to the surface every now and again.
That explains it, she thought to herself, sighing loudly.
“Did you know we’ve reset time forty-six times now?”
Tatl froze at that, grip tightening. It hadn’t occurred to her to keep track. Suddenly she was finally beginning to realize just how deeply he was hurting.
“Why would you keep count--”
“Forty-six times,” he interrupted, “everything we’ve done has been completely erased. Everyone we’d saved, everything we’ve done, gone! I’m done with it! I can’t watch everyone die. I hate that that,” he gestured up at the grimacing moon, “is constantly looking at me! I just want to go home! My life was bad there, but at least it was normal!”
“Link.” Tatl’s voice was gentle, but firm. “You and I both know very well that you can’t go home. Not yet. How would you live with yourself, knowing you abandoned everyone to die? And who’s to say Majora won’t come for your home next?”
Link was incredibly tense, and she realized she’d been raising her voice over the course of her lecture, and continued on, less accusingly, “We all need you. You’re the only one who can do this. You’ve come this far, and we’re so close to being able to go up there and kick Majora’s sorry butt.” She was startled back into the air when Link’s body suddenly jerked, but after a moment, she realized he was laughing. It wasn’t fully genuine, she could tell, but it was something at least.
“I think part of all this hurts just because it’s so similar to Hyrule,” he wiped roughly at his wet face, smearing his tears into oblivion. “You’d think it would make this easier, but it doesn’t. It just makes me wish I were back there even more. I feel like I’m watching everyone I know from then and now die. It’s like watching to worlds be destroyed instead of one.”
“But it won’t be that way forever, we can stop it.”
Neither of them said anything for a while. Their conversation still weighed heavy in the air, but seemed to grow easier as the sound of Link’s breathing quieted, and the chirping of insects was all that could be heard. Tatl shivered as the wind brushed it’s icy fingers over her, and she settled back into the boy’s hair. She was unsure of just how much time had passed when Link finally spoke again.
“I’m tired.” Of course.
“Then go to sleep.”
“...Don’t let me sleep too long.”
“It’s fine, Deku brains. I’ll wake you when it’s morning,” she said, some of her normal, spunky tone making its way back into her voice. Link nodded stiffly, curling into himself in a fetal position. Eventually, the fairy felt his form relax as he slowly drifted into sleep. She could finally let herself relax too, nestling up into his hair, feeling his warmth seep into her as she lay, watching for monsters, and waiting for morning to come.
Was it the same moon as Hyrule? she found herself wondering, drumming her fingers along her folded arms. Maybe one day, they would know.
When everything was over, and no one had to hurt anymore.