All the tmnt 2012!turtles EXCEPT my transfem!leo are shrunk to tots! And now she’s stuck trying to figure this all out AND take care of 3 babies at the same time,,,
TAGS: #The Years Ahead AU, #TYA AU
doodles: one, two, three, four, five, six, seven,
concept: one (+lore)
FANWORKS: one,
THE LAB RATS AU (TMNT CROSSOVER)
Different versions of Mikey are captured and tested on in a lab… to do what?
TAGS: #tmnt lab rats AU
concept: one, two,
doodles: one,
ONE HUMAN BETWEEN US AU (SU X DP CROSSOVER)
Basically a crossover with Steven Universe and Danny Phantom. Steven gets to experience being an older, guiding figure (to his terror) to Danny, and Danny gets to enjoy having an older mentor/brother figure who is a good guy and has experience with this ‘hero’ stuff.
TAGS: #one human between us AU, #ohbu AU
doodles: one, two
I’ll be waiting for you (LU AU)
Binu would very much like to be back in his bed. Please. With a cherry on top.
Chapter 10: Sky Rides a Horse and Everybody’s Scared
Thanks to Time and Epona, Sky’s feeling much better. In fact, he might be a little TOO better, someone check on Twilight’s heart…
Author's Note: It's time to get things off the ground! ^u^ Sky's in for a wild ride =). Y'know, as I was writing I just used the LU excuse that Talon was out delivering and staying in Castle Town a few days, but if he came home while the Chain was still there, I think he and Sky would really get along (loves cuccos and naps and horses? Perfect bonding material!) [Linked Universe belongs to @jojo56830 / @linkeduniverse , and The Legend of Zelda belongs to Nintendo of course.] Happy Reading!
Masterlist | First | Chapter 9 | Chapter 11 (coming after a gap week!)
(💚Please comment and like directly from the og post in case Tumblr does weird things again! Tumblr reblogs are ok but Never repost, thanks! <3)
>>><<<
"Look out, Wind!"
"Gangway!"
Sky hopped out of Wind's path on one foot, his other foot stuck halfway in his boot. Wind ran past him through the dining room with his tunic over his head, arms flailing as he tried—and failed—to pull the clothing past his eyes.
Malon laughed and came to his rescue. Catching Wind's arms before they smacked her in the face, she found the tunic's hem, twisted it, and yanked. With a small "oof!" and a frizz of messy curls, Wind's head popped free of its prison.
The sailor grinned past the flush on his cheeks. "Thanks Miss Malon."
"You're welcome," she smiled back. "I know y'all are excited to see Sky ride today, but does that really warrant this much of a tizzy? Y'all've been buzzing like bees all morning."
"Ugh, we woke up so late, though," Sky grunted, shoving his boot on. He sent a silent thanks to Malon for catching his shoulder when he wobbled.
"Yeah, why'd they let us sleep in like that?" Wind groaned. He brushed some of his sandy hair to make it slightly more presentable. "I get Sky sleeping in, but they just left me up there!"
"Hey, I wanted to wake up, too, I'm not missing this!" Sky replied.
"You both needed the sleep, simple as that," said Malon. "The others noticed that, and did you a kindness. Appreciate that. You've got plenty of time."
Sky and Wind nodded, letting her words sink in and untangle the knots in their stomachs.
"Now, Sky hon, if you're riding for the first time, I'd leave that nice cape of yours indoors. You don't want to get yourself twisted in the saddle," said Malon. Then she added with a wink, "I'd also be a shame to stain that white fabric in the unlikely case you fall into manure."
Sky snorted and unclasped the sailcloth from his shoulders. "Wise words," he said. "Thank you. Oh, and..." he scratched his head. "Thanks. For that vegetable omelet this morning, and... for last night..."
Malon squeezed his arm. "Honey, you thanked me already by enjoying the food and getting a good night's rest. Now go on and get, you boys enjoy yourselves out there!"
Sky and Wind glanced at each other and grinned.
"Race you to Time!" shouted Wind, already speeding out the door.
"Hey, hold on!" Sky laughed. "Thanks Miss Malon—hey, aren't you coming out too?"
"Yep, just have a few small things to tidy then I'm there. Now go! Catch that boy and tell him not to run around the horses!"
"Yes ma'am!" Sky saluted, and dashed out to grab Wind.
Wind had stopped to wait for Sky and yelped when he saw the knight speeding towards him. The sailor tripped and started running again, but Sky had an ace up his sleeve.
Sky's stamina was poor, and everyone knew it.
But boy, could he sprint.
The gritty earth kicked up around him as Sky shot forwards in the morning light. The fresh taste of morning air fueled him, filling his lungs and sparking his excitement all over again.
Today he was going to fly.
He might have already been flying, with how his feet barely hit the ground. With Wind's golden hair shining like a beacon, Sky dashed for his target, shouted in delight, and tackled him to the ground.
Wind squealed as Sky rolled to shoulder the fall, locking Wind in his arms.
"Let—GO! What gives?" Wind grunted as he struggled. "You're supposed to be—hngh—slow! Grr!"
"Malon said no running around the horses!" wheezed Sky. "And no means—OW! Uncle, uncle!"
"That's what I thought!" said Wind, releasing Sky's arm from where he'd twisted it behind his back. He stood up in a rush and got exactly two steps before Sky grabbed his ankle.
Wind hit the dirt, and Sky grabbed on even tighter.
"Oh, c'mon! That's it!" With a mighty war cry, Wind unleashed his fury, scrambling madly for any way out of Sky's arms. Sky struggled to keep up with him, if only because he was laughing too hard to breathe. It soon turned into a contest of Sky's droopy dead weight against Wind's youthful ferocity. Neither side was winning.
"Having a good time, are we?"
Sky and Wind froze. Warriors was standing over them, hands on his hips and his eyes twinkling.
Sky gulped. "Uh..."
"FREEDOM!" Wind shot out from Sky's arms, taking full advantage of the distraction. He made a beeline for the riding field, but Warriors grabbed him by the collar before he could go anywhere.
"HEY!"
Sky shook with another bout of laughter.
"Didn't Malon tell you not to run around the horses?" asked Warriors. "They frighten easily."
Wind's face scrunched up. "Uuuuuuuugh."
"Well?"
"Yeah, yeah, I'll be careful and walk. Now will you let me go already? You're stretching my shirt!"
Warriors obliged.
"Bye!" said Wind, already three paces away. To his credit, he did walk—even if it was the fastest walk Sky had ever seen.
The captain reached a hand out and helped Sky to his feet. "Ready to ride, oh Knight of Skyloft?"
Sky dusted off his pants. "More than ready, Captain."
"Good man!" Warriors clapped him on the back. "Let's try and catch up to that sailor of ours."
"Not a very patient one, is he?" Sky smiled.
"No, but then again, he is a youth. And between you and I, I think we all deserve a bit of levity... don't you?"
Sky noticed Warriors's sharp eyes trailing over him, and caught his unspoken question.
"Yeah. It feels nice." The Skyloftian nudged him. I'm ok now, Warriors. Thank you.
The captain brightened, and before either of them knew it, they'd arrived at the center of Lon Lon field.
Two horses stood saddled and ready by their masters in the inner ring. Twilight’s Epona was busy using the rancher as a scratching post, but when Time's old mare caught sight of Sky, her ears flicked up in delight. Her whole body expanded as she drew in a mighty breath, stretched out her neck, and let out a long, loud whinny.
Wind jumped back and bumped into Sky. Sky patted his shoulder.
"Good morning!" Time called out to them both. "You two certainly look bright and alert."
Hyrule did a double take when he saw the dust coating Sky’s and Wind's hair. "What happened to you two?"
"Wind was running," Sky explained.
"I was gonna stop before I got here," huffed Wind.
"Sky," Twilight called as if nothing had happened, "you'll be riding the old man's Epona today. I'll be right beside you on mine. We're all saddled up, so head over here and we'll show you how to mount."
The captain placed a hand on Sky’s arm before he moved. “You’ll do well,” he said, smiling wistfully at the horses. “I can see how much they trust you. Have fun out there.”
“In other words, you’re missing your own horse and are looking forward to living vicariously through me?” Sky raised an eyebrow.
Warriors wilted dramatically. “Yes, goodness, I miss my horse,” he breathed out all at once. “But I am excited for you, truly. First time is always a joy to see. Good luck, Sky.”
The Skyloftian grinned as Warriors patted his back, and he skipped off towards the horses.
"Don't die out there," smirked Legend as Sky passed.
"Wouldn't dream of it," Sky winked. "I can't spend all those rupees you tossed me if I'm a ghost!"
Sky didn't need to see Legend's face to know he was rolling his eyes.
Approaching Epona like he'd been taught, Sky patted her left side and listened closely to Time and Twilight. The older knight showed him how to double-check the girth. The rancher demonstrated how to grip the reins, mane, and saddle, and how to spring up from the stirrup for a safe mount. Time helped Sky get his toe in the stirrup, and with one mighty heave, the Skyloftian knight swung himself onto a horse for the very first time.
As soon as Sky settled in the saddle, he forgot how to breathe.
The breeze blowing past his face was cool and familiar. Between his weight pressing him into the saddle and the large, gently breathing animal beneath him—an animal that was acutely aware of his presence just as he was aware of hers—it all felt like heavy déjà vu. Suddenly he was back in Skyloft, preparing for a standing Loftwing takeoff with the wind at his back. Sky couldn't wipe away his grin.
“...y? Featherbrain, you in there?”
At the sound of Legend’s voice, the Chosen Hero blinked himself back to the present. “Yeah." Still smiling, he let out a shaky laugh. “I… I’m home.”
The others looked a bit confused at that, but Time seemed to brighten. He stroked the nose of his beloved steed and fixed Sky's hold on the reins. “You ready to ‘take off’ then?”
Sky nodded enthusiastically. As he did, Time’s Epona swiveled an ear to listen to him, her muscles tensing and her feet shifting in the grass. Sky was amazed. She’s picking up on my emotions just like Loftwings do. Time was right!
“Ok…” Twilight began, studying Sky’s posture. “Sit up a little straighter, Sky—good. Now you’re gonna ask her for a walk. You can say it with words, but it’s best to urge her forwards by squeezing—
“—squeezing my legs and leaning forward slightly?” Sky cut in, heart racing. No way. No way, it’s EXACTLY like riding a Loftwing…
Twilight opened his mouth, but nothing came out. He looked at Time in utter surprise. “You’re sure he’s never done this before?”
Time’s eye sparkled. “Well, maybe not in the way we’re familiar with, but he does seem to know what he’s doing, doesn’t he?”
Sky matched his grin, practically shaking with excitement. Let’s go let’s go let’s go!
Twilight still didn’t look very confident. He gave Sky another once-over. “Well…”
C’mon c’mon c’mon!
“…your posture is pretty sturdy…”
I want to FLY, Twilight!
“…Fine. I’ll be right with you, though. Just start her going with a small—”
“HYAH!!!”
“SKY, NO!”
But it was too late. Before anyone could blink, Sky and Epona were hurtling into the outer field at full canter, not a care in the world as they flew by their onlookers. Epona’s hoof beats were much bumpier than Sky had expected, but after a few dizzying moments, he was able to safely match her gait with his hips. Instinctively, he shifted his weight to the balls of his feet as he leaned forward, gripping the reigns and Epona’s long, flaxen mane.
Memories of clouds and red feathers swirled through his senses, lighting Sky’s heart ablaze. In that moment, he was just Link again. And he couldn’t get rid of his smile.
>>><<<
“Sky, you idiot, come back!!!” shouted Twilight, galloping after him.
“Does he have a death wish?!?” Warriors yelled as the heroes watched the horses fly away together.
Wild began to run after them only to get caught by Time’s hand.
“Wh—Time?”
“Watch.”
Seven heads turned back to the field to see Sky hurtling towards the ranch’s outer fence.
“Oh, no no no!” cried Hyrule. “Horses can’t fly, Sky!”
“I can’t look!” shouted Wind, grasping onto Time’s shirt and burying his head into his back.
“You may want to reconsider,” said Time. “Watch his legs!”
Sure enough, Sky had shifted. One leg went slack against the saddle as his whole body leaned smoothly away from the fence. Epona—such a good, clever girl, Time thought—knew exactly what her rider was asking for, and leaned with him, never even touching the fence.
Twilight shouted something and pulled his horse to a stop in the middle of the grass, glancing back at the other heroes. Time watched him fling his arms up in disbelief, as if to say, What the heck am I supposed to do with him now, Old Man?
Time simply laughed.
"Hoo, boy! Look at those two go!"
Several heads turned to see Malon hurrying towards them, her eyes glued to the carefree new rider. "You're sure this is his first time?"
Warriors shrugged, "It's currently up for debate."
"I don't know if I should be more impressed or terrified," Four admitted.
“I’m starting to lean towards impressed,” Legend shook his head in disbelief.
Malon nudged Time as she came to a stop beside him. Quietly she murmured, "I don't think I've seen Epona that frisky in years, Link."
Time felt his heart swell. "Me neither, even when I've ridden her."
"Aww, you jealous?"
Time shook his head. "Not at all. Seeing them like this is rewarding enough."
As Epona kicked up her heels, Sky out-smiled the sun, and the other heroes cheered and bit their nails, Time simply stood still, soaking in the moment. Peacetime was a rare blessing best savored with friends, after all. And with his wife at his side, for now, he allowed himself the freedom to just be.
>>><<<
Sky, meanwhile, was having the time of his life.
He hollered in delight as the wind whipped past his face, filling up his lungs the way they were always meant to be filled: by breathing cool air at top speed.
He was so excited he felt like standing on the saddle, and would have, too, if Twilight hadn't stressed how important it was to use his legs to guide his horse. Party pooper. Well, never mind Twilight, here was another curve!
Sky leaned as far as he dared in the saddle, asking without words for Epona to make the turn. She felt his weight and acted upon it, smoothly gliding around the curve and down the next stretch of dirt. Sky shifted forwards. Epona understood his need for speed, and happily complied.
He enjoyed the sound of his friends' cheers when he whisked past them.
As Sky and Epona cantered through another tight turn, Sky's wild heart gave him a crazy idea. Time had once said something about Epona being a star fence-jumper in her prime. And jumping made you airborne, even if just for a second. So by that logic, he could make a horse fly...
Without another thought, Sky steered Epona towards the center fence.
As soon as she noticed where she was heading, Epona’s gate transformed. Her muscles tensed with excitement. Her gate stiffened and quickened until she was no longer in a canter but a gallop. Sky nearly fell with the change in gate, but he caught himself at the last second, leaving his fear behind in the outer field.
Let's go, Epona!
The other heroes shouted in alarm from inside the central ring. Their small forms shuffled about until they were forced to scramble out of the way of the oncoming horse and rider, waving their arms the entire time. Even the Old Man's expression had changed to worry, but by the time Sky could actually see his face it was too late to stop.
As if he would have stopped, anyway. Sky could feel the way Epona thrust her powerful hooves into the ground, determination seeping out of her from her ears to her tail. And if she believed she could still jump a fence, then Sky believed in her with his whole heart.
He didn't fight her. He let her fly. Free to do as she pleased, Epona bunched up her muscles, shifted her gait, tilted Sky and the entire world with him, and took off from the ground with one giant, magnificent LEAP!
For a moment Sky was sure she'd sprouted wings. For just that second, time slowed to a crawl, and between Epona’s tawny wings Sky was safe and weightless. He could see them soaring off into the clouds like he and Crimson would, touching the clear blue atmosphere and breathing in the chill of thinner air. Sky spread his arms. They were flying! They were free! They were...
...hurtling back towards the ground?
Uh oh—
Sky was not prepared for the sudden THUD of Epona’s hooves when she landed on the other side of the fence. With his hands thrown out, he had nothing to hold on to, and before he knew up from down he was bounced roughly out of the saddle and sent sprawling into a pile of scratchy hay.
The impact nearly took the wind out of him. Everything hurt. But a Skyloftian knew how to fall, and there was only one thing running through Sky's brain.
That was FUN.
A chorus of footsteps hurtled towards Sky. Legend was the first to reach him, falling to his knees and grabbing Sky's sore shoulders. "What the heck, Sky?!? I was only half-kidding, I said DON'T die, weren't you listening?"
Legend's eyes were wide with worry and exasperation over his fallen friend. The Skyloftian smiled and patted Legend’s hand. "Sorry I scared you."
"You didn't—! I mean! Well... just shut up and don't do that again!" Legend grumbled, seizing Sky's arm and helping him stand.
"Yes Sky, he's prone to heart attacks, remember?" Warriors called as he jogged over, not-so-subtly glancing Sky and Epona over for injuries. His smooth voice certainly did not match his frantic gaze.
"Not the time, Cap," Legend groaned.
Hyrule pushed past both of them. "Whoa Sky, you went flying, are you ok? That looked like a bad fall."
"I'm fine! I'm fine, really!" Sky held the traveler back with a laugh. "No broken bones or anything, trust me, I'd know."
Hyrule bit his lip. "...You're sure?" he glanced between Sky and at Legend.
"He's fine. But he's in a lot of trouble," grumbled the veteran.
Hyrule sighed deeply. "Phew. In that case..." his hazel eyes sparkled, "The captain's right, Sky. Don't do that to Legend, he's a veteran, fragile heart and all that. You could say he's the real old ma—AH!" Hyrule ducked when Legend went to grab him.
Sky didn't get much time to laugh at their bickering. As the rest of the heroes approached, Sky looked up, and his eyes immediately met Twilight’s. The rancher’s icy blue stare sent a chill down Sky's spine.
He could freeze over Eldin Volcano with one look, Sky gulped.
Twilight stomped up to him. "What were you thinking?!?"
"Bold of you to assume he was thinking," Four snorted.
Sky felt his cheeks burn when he couldn't dispute that. "I—I, uh..."
Twilight's arms flailed around Sky as if he wanted to shake him but was holding himself back. "Sky! You—arrrghhhhh!"
Sky laughed nervously. "Well... you know what they say. Practice makes perfect?"
Twilight was fuming. "Not. Jumping!" He dug his fingers through his hair. "We weren't doing jumping! Just normal riding, a-and you were pushing that, too!"
"At ease, rancher," came Time's deep, calm voice. "I think he's learned his lesson."
Sky couldn't tell what Time was actually thinking behind that imposing stare. He was stern, but maybe he was holding in a laugh? No, in this lighting he looked really mad... oh boy Sky could have really hurt his horse, couldn't he? But then there was Malon behind Time looking... impressed? Amused? So maybe things weren't so bad. Sky preferred the not-so-bad option.
"Learned his lesson?" Twilight repeated. "Has he?"
The rancher rounded on Sky and actually grabbed his arm this time. "Don't you do somethin' like that ever again, y'hear me? For your sake and Epona's."
Wild raised his hand from where he’d gone over to check Epona's legs. "Um. But what if he's on horseback being chased by monsters and has to jump over a log to get away?"
"Or somebody traps him and a horse in a really tall fence?" Four added, also raising his hand with a grin.
"I—stop encouraging this, you know what I mean!" Twilight turned back to Sky, suddenly pleading like a worried puppy, "...Right? Please?"
Sky noticed Legend hovering by with that same mother-Loftwing look. Touched by how much they cared, Sky put on his best "I'm ok!" smile and let it stretch wide and bright. The adrenaline still coursing through his body may have also contributed a bit.
He held up a hand. "I solemnly swear to never jump on horseback again, unless I'm being chased, trapped, or given explicit permission and/or training by Time and Twilight. Better?"
"Much," Twilight deflated.
"Y'know, foolhardy as that was," said Malon, "you kept up some pretty good control out there. Epona looks right as rain, too."
Wild gave a thumbs up and patted Epona’s side. She neighed happily, much to the relief of the Hylians.
"With a little more practice, I'd wager it won't be long until we've got ourselves another horse champion." Malon nudged Time in the side. "He might even beat your racing record, Fairy Boy."
"Not a chance," Time smiled. "Especially since he's going to be sitting out for a little bit."
Groans of protest filled the field.
Time held up a hand to quiet them. "Sky, after that stunt you pulled I want to give your body and your mind a rest, you understand?"
And give my bad behavior a time out, yeah, Sky realized. Still, Time had a point. His lungs were kind of killing him after all that excitement and the fall. He nodded reluctantly. "Fair is fair."
"Good. Now that we've come to an agreement," Time turned towards the sailor. "It's Wind's turn."
"WHAT?" Wind gasped as the others started another uproar. "Wait, no. Absolutely not, did you see the way Sky went over that fence???"
"What's the matter, Sailor? You could do it! Don't tell me you're scared," Warriors prodded.
"Am not!" Wind flung out his arms. "It's just that maybe I don't want to go flying through the air like Sky! Ever think of that?"
“Sky is the farthest from an example of a good student," Twilight drawled, glaring at their wayward horseman.
Sky tried to look innocent as he picked straw out of his hair. Epona helped him by eating it.
Twilight sighed. “If you take things slow and actually listen," he glared at Sky again, “then you’ll be fine, Sailor. We’ll take it easy.”
Time came up behind him. “My old horse is feisty, but she’s always been a good judge of character. She’ll recognize what speed will be best for you, Wind.”
Wind’s judgmental squint was enough to rival Legend’s. “Uh-huh. You sure? ‘Cause she just jumped a fence and Sky fell off.”
“Which she only did because Sky encouraged her. Does he look the least bit upset about it?”
Sky’s crazed smile was still plastered on his face. “I have no regrets.”
Twilight groaned.
Wind bit his lip, a smile twinkling in his eyes as he looked back at Time. “No, I guess you’re right.”
“Trust Epona,” Time grinned. “That’s one of my greatest philosophies.”
True to Time's word, Epona and Wind got along like a pair of old friends. Despite the sailor’s initial doubts about horses, Twilight's presence and Epona’s steady gate soon put the boy's fears at ease. Wind was a determined student, too, furrowing his brow as he listened closely to Twilight's instructions. And his focus paid off.
It wasn't long before Wind was trotting all by himself down the outer field, a wide, brilliant smile shining on his face.
Sky tried not to be a little jealous that Wind was the better student between them. That was ok. Sky had trained on his bird for far longer, and now it was the sailor’s turn to enjoy that first rush through the air. The Skyloftian smiled, remembering his own first flight. Wind would hold this day dear for the rest of his life.
And judging by the way Time and Malon were eyeing Hyrule, Wind wouldn't be their last student.
...Which probably meant Sky would have to wait even longer to get back in the saddle. Great. He itched at the thought of staying still, and yet...
"You've got to learn to slow down and smell the wildflowers! There's a time and place for urgency, buddy."
"None of us have a problem slowing down for someone in need."
"Let us look after you."
"Master Link," chimed a far-off memory, "the energy inside you is nearly depleted. I strongly advise you return to Skyloft and rest your mind and body. I will watch out for you there.”
“The world can wait a few hours, Sleepyhead."
Maybe staying still was exactly what he needed to do right now. And as Wind dismounted and Hyrule was called forward, Sky smiled at the traveler and pushed him towards Epona.
"Good luck out there," he said. "Oh and apparently fence-jumping is taboo, so don't do that."
Hyrule snorted. "Thanks, Sky."
Time informed Sky that his riding ban would be over after Hyrule's turn. And that was fine with him.
He was busy enjoying a moment of peace.
>>><<<
Masterlist | First | Chapter 9 | Chapter 11 (coming after a gap week!)
Author's Note: Growth for Sky! Don’t look now but I think he’s actually starting to understand how to slow down and enjoy things one step at a time >u< Although, please never jump a horse that isn't yours without permission, especially if she's on the older side 😅 All of the horse-owning Links made sure Sky understood that before the day was done >u< Sky got the memo and won't be trying any stunts on her again, though if anyone could convince Twilight to give him proper jumping lessons then it would be Sky, haha. Also if you noticed the movie reference in the illustration you get a cookie <3
Extra Note: I am a children’s book/family friendly author, so please keep all comments Safe For Work (no swearing please!) I want to do my best to make this a place for everyone. Cheers!
(💚Please comment and like directly from the og post in case Tumblr does weird things again! Tumblr reblogs are ok but Never repost, thanks! <3)
Sky, Four, Wars, Hyrule, and Legend work on projects together before the Chain is greeted by an unexpected guest.
Author's Note: Incoming fic headcanon: What if the Minish accent was Irish-like and due to jabber nuts Four and a few of his people picked up a hint of the accent? He does kind of have that Irish vibe... I've also been watching too many DeeBeeGeek playthroughs XD [Linked Universe belongs to @jojo56830 / @linkeduniverse , and The Legend of Zelda belongs to Nintendo of course.] Happy Reading!
Masterlist | First | Chapter 7 | Chapter 9 (coming next week!)
(💚Please comment and like directly from the og post in case Tumblr does weird things again! Tumblr reblogs are ok but Never repost, thanks! <3)
>>><<<
"All right, make sure to always cut away from yourself."
"He just said away, Traveler!"
"I am, Legend, I am! See? I—"
Sky quickly set down his apple and carving knife and grabbed Hyrule's wrist, narrowly preventing him from slicing off his pinky. "...And please watch out for your fingers," the Skyloftian added.
Hyrule blinked. "Oops."
Legend huffed from Hyrule's other side, watching over his successor's shoulder like a frazzled hawk. Sky simply smiled and returned to his own apple carving.
It had been many days since their unlikely group had come together, and already they had uncovered many mysteries. They'd heard tell of a Shadow, found and battled black-blooded beasts… and learned a rather surprising detail about Time’s marital status. Sky was over the moon for him, as were the rest of the Chain, but that hadn’t stopped Legend and Warriors from jumping into a bet that was getting more expensive by the day. If Time noticed this—what didn’t he notice?—he was very good at hiding it.
Said hero was currently being interrogated on the other side of their camp as to who his wife really was. Wind, Twilight, and Wild had teamed up in order to get to the bottom of Time's greatest mystery. With how legendary the older man was to them, though, Sky had no doubt that their pestering would quickly dissolve into other, wonder-struck conversations with their seasoned leader.
As much as Sky loved Wind's enthusiastic chatter, though, he was thankful for the stillness on his side of the fire pit. He had finally gotten around to carving some of the apples he'd collected, and much to his delight, Legend and Hyrule had quickly joined him. Legend, unsurprisingly, was a natural at the craft, but had since abandoned the rabbit face he'd been carving in favor of keeping Hyrule from killing himself.
A noble cause, Sky thought, smiling at his newfound brothers.
A strangled noise drew Sky's attention over his other shoulder, where Four and Warriors sat tending to the team's swords beside him. The smith looked absolutely insulted as he scrubbed at what Sky recognized as one of Wild's shoddy blades.
Warriors looked up to Four, amusement twinkling in his eyes. "What’s wrong with that one?"
"Days old black blood, is what's the matter, and it's stuck fast. Unless... it couldn't be..." Four peered closer, squinting at the stubborn material coating the sword. He yelled, voice tipping into the odd, Minish accent that thickened when he was angry, "RUST! Rust on a blade, so it is! How'd you like... Well this yoke is useless, now!" He tossed down the hopeless sword and picked up a slightly shorter one, also Wild's, and also in a very sorry state.
"Can you believe. An insult to smithing, is what it is," grumbled Four. "This one'll be just as bad, sure."
Sky and Warriors made eye contact over Four's head, sharing in each other's mirth. Their shortest member was usually so levelheaded, but as time went by, they'd begun to notice a fire hidden beneath his composure. Not that Sky minded much. It only meant Four was letting himself open up around the others, and that made Sky proud.
Besides, his angry gibberish was also very amusing.
Warriors reached over and patted Four's back. "If you're this affronted by Wild's unholy weapon care, my friend, why not let him clean the things himself?"
"Well, grand! That'd be fine... if he would clean them!"
"Oh, come on, Smithy. Teach a man to fish?"
Four sighed, the flicker of his tongue dying away. "...I know. You're right, you're right. Won't be easy, but I did say I would. And so I will, soon. In the meantime..." the smith actually flushed with embarrassment, "I... might have made a slight deal with him."
"Uh oh," Sky smiled.
Four jumped, not having realized Sky was listening to his rant. His hair swung over most his face as he purposefully hunched over the blade in his lap and started scrubbing.
"What did you do?" teased the captain.
Four coughed out a little laugh. "Well... when a cook as blessed as Wild comes around, begging you for a favor, and offering up your favorite lunch as a bribe..."
The other heroes "Ahhh"ed in complete understanding.
"Care to give us a hint as to what awaits us at meal time?" asked Warriors.
"You'll be finding no green peppers in it," Four said very seriously.
"No green...?" the captain blinked. "Smithy, what on earth do you have against—"
"WHOA HYRULE!"
Sky whipped around to see the traveler, wide-eyed and knife brandished, completely frozen in place. His apple was cut cleanly in half.
"…You're going to give me a heart attack," Legend whined, his face pale.
"And with all the adventures the old Vet’s been on, it might just kill him!" smirked Warriors. Legend threw an apple half at him.
"Sorry," said Hyrule, sheepishly. "Can I have another?"
"I have half a mind to say no," Legend groaned, and Sky laughed.
"Oh, c'mon, it was an accident!" said Hyrule. "I've handled a knife before. I own a sword."
"That's not reassuring!" Legend argued.
"Ugh. Sky? A little help here, please?" the traveler looked up, his big, hazel eyes tugging at Sky's heartstrings.
"Don't give it to him, Sky, don't let him get to you!" warned Legend.
Sky laughed again, already reaching for another apple. However, before Hyrule could take it, Sky held it just out of his grasp.
"Aw, not you too! Please?" Hyrule pleaded.
Sky smiled at him. While Hyrule was almost as danger-prone as Wild, he had a passionate heart, one that was eager to learn and grow. After only a moment more, Sky held the apple out to him.
"Carving isn't the same as cutting ropes or kindling, Hyrule. It takes patience, and a gentle hand. But if you take the time to practice, watch your fingers, and use that creative brain of yours, I'm sure you'll get it in no time!"
Hyrule blushed a bit at the praise, handling this new fruit with much more reverence. Beside him, Legend's shoulders relaxed, but the veteran's eyes remained sharp as tacks.
Sky heard movement behind his back. He turned, only to find that Four had subtlety inched closer, ears perked and attentive. Four's eye met Sky's, and the shorter hero quickly dipped his head. Warriors smirked amiably over his shoulder.
“Don’t look now, Sky, but you have a fan,” said the captain, nudging Four lightly.
"Ah. Don't mind me, just fascinated," the smithy said bashfully. "You sound pretty well-versed in your craft. Have you known it long?"
"Ever since childhood," Sky answered. "I like doing things that keep my hands busy. Especially if it lets me daydream a little at the same time."
"I hear that," Four smiled. He swiped his cloth gently over Wild's blade, gazing contentedly at his reflection. "It's a special feeling, creating something out of nothing. Nice to know a fellow creative heart."
"It really is," Sky nodded. "Although I don't claim to be nearly as skilled as you blacksmiths."
Four seemed to jump awake at that, and he sat straighter, pointing thoughtfully at Sky, "I've been meaning to ask you about that, actually. You claim you aren't a smith... yet the sword you forged sits right by your side. Don't be taking this the wrong way now, but...why downplay that?"
The Skyloftian simply shrugged. "Fi was forged in magic, not with normal fire and hammers. The truth is... I don't know the first thing about what you and your grandfather do. It's an amazing mystery to me, albeit a helpful one. I've always been curious about it."
Four blinked in surprise. "Well, now, I'm flattered. I'll tell you about smithing any time, sure. It's just..." Gently, he argued, "Your hero's journey was ten times more difficult than simply hammering out a sword, and yet, creating a magic blade with your own blood, sweat and tears—o-or so the stories say—that's always sounded like a smith’s work to me."
There was a childlike glimmer in Four's eye that Sky recognized, and his heart clenched. Stories and myths again...
Sky glanced at Legend, expecting a knowing frown, but to his surprise, the veteran was slowly nodding along with Four.
"He's got a point, Sky. There's more than one way to forge a sword, especially a magic one."
That threw Sky off. Feeling his resolve softening, he started nodding, too. "Ok. Ok, that's fair. But it still doesn't make what you smiths do any less interesting. You create beautiful blades out of nothing! It's fascinating. But in my case, Fi already existed long before me in her Goddess Sword form, so..."
Four's expression sharpened in the way of a remlit watching a dancing string. His eyes were bright and excited in that quiet way of his, and with a tilt of his head, he "pounced".
"All that may be true, Sky. But the materials we use for smithing—ore, fire, metals—have existed long before us, too, created by the goddesses at the beginning of it all, yes? Just like the sword and the sacred flames that shaped the Master Sword. So... if you think about it, maybe we're not really that different, after all."
Wow, thought Sky, taken aback. I knew he was smart, but... wow.
He really shouldn't have been surprised by that; Four was a deep thinker. However, the smith's attention to the tiniest detail never failed to amaze Sky. That must be what makes him so good at his craft. It's like he has four pairs of eyes!
Sky rubbed his head, knowing he'd decidedly lost this logic duel. "Well," he smiled at Four, "when you put it that way—"
A shrill, buzzy trumpet sound made everyone jump out of their boots.
Wind's raucous laughter spilled across the camp. It didn't take long to figure out where the strange sound had come from, as not a moment later, the boy held up a fat blade of grass and blew another round of squeaking raspberries into it. Time, Twilight, and Wild were laughing right behind him.
Meanwhile, the captain was clutching his chest. "Thank you, ever so much for that heart attack!" he gasped.
"Better watch out for those, Wars, I hear they can kill you," Legend smirked.
Warriors threw the apple half back at his head. Legend caught it mid-air and tossed it to Hyrule, who smoothly pocketed it. At this, Warriors threw his hands in the air and gave up.
Sky and Four chuckled. "Never a dull moment, eh?" said the smith.
"No, never," Sky agreed. "And I wouldn't have it any other way. Although that does make it hard to get naps in," he elbowed Four.
The smith laughed again. After a moment, he took up Wild's blade, turning it this way and that, letting the scratched up surface sparkle in the sunlight. He held it out to Sky. "What d'you think of that, fellow forger?"
"Poor Wild... I understand low-level shields breaking, but swords? What kind of strain is he putting on these things?
"I know!!!” Four exclaimed. “Thank you, blessed be the day! Someone here finally understands the blight that chokes me!"
Sky snorted. Four's accent was thickening again with his hysterics.
"Well, the champion's poor weapon-care aside," said Sky, "you really did a good job cleaning it up. From my limited experience, it looks close to brand new!"
Four's knee started to bounce, and that funny look Twilight got whenever Time praised him flickered over the smith's face. He twirled the sword, inspecting it all over again, and couldn't stop smiling. "Cool. Thanks."
Sky was just about to ask Four about the finer details of smithing when a light tune whistled through the air. It had a similar buzz to Wind's blade of grass but was nowhere near as obnoxious. Sky looked up.
Twilight had twisted some leaves together into a U shape, and through it, was expertly whistling a descending tune. Sky marveled at his ability to get such a clear, crisp melody out of grass.
Time was marveling, too... if "marveling" meant it looked like someone had just stolen his Loftwing. Time was staring at Twilight with such intense surprise that Sky wanted to go ask if he was ok. That is, until the forest erupted in sound.
Birds startled, crashing out of the bushes. Heavy beats shuddered against the ground, like approaching footfalls.
"What’s happening?!?" shouted Wind.
Hyrule dropped his tools. "Are the Skullkids back?"
"Not with a ruckus like that, they're not!" Four called.
Then, with a noise nine times as shrill as the song that had summoned it, a beast leaped through the brush.
It looked very much like a massive, antlerless deer. Its fur was long and whip-like along its head and tail, its ears pointed and poised. Each of its four feet ended in a giant, rock-hard nail, which dug into the earth as it hurtled itself toward the rancher.
Sky drew his blade. Instantly, a crackling spark came from the hit, and he nearly dropped the weapon in surprise. That was a warning shock, he knew, meaning Fi found no threat here. But Sky couldn't help side-eye the huge beast... and send Fi a doubtful glare.
"Whoa, whoa, steady on, soldier!" Warriors's firm hand met Sky's shoulder, grounding him. Sky was surprised to see the light that had entered the captain’s eyes, crinkling into smile lines along the corners of his face. Warriors regarded the new animal with deep favor.
"That’s a friendly beast,” he explained gently. “We call it a horse."
"And not just any horse," said Twilight. He was beaming, disbelief and happiness written all over his face as he stumbled towards the beast. He took its long, muscular face in his hands, laughed—nearly squealed—and buried his forehead against the creature's own. "She's my horse. My Epona."
Time made a very odd strangled noise. Warriors simply laughed.
"But... we're not even in Twilight’s era?" Wild stuttered. "How do you know she's yours?"
Twilight freed himself from the barrage of horsey nuzzles and turned the creature's head. "You ever seen a mark like this on another horse? 'Sides, that was Epona’s special whistle. Sounds like home, don't it, girl?"
The horse did indeed have a very odd, branching light patch down her face, almost like a star crossed with lightning. Sky marked that down as "abnormal for 'horses'" in his head and sheathed his sword.
Legend looked like a gaping fish. "UM. Did we forget about the portals?! That we all clearly walked through and that disappeared behind us?" He threw his arms out at the horse. "HOW?!?"
"Don't think too hard about it," Warriors shook his head. "I stopped trying to make sense of things popping out of portals a long time ago."
Wind stepped out from behind Time, cautiously shuffling towards the animal. "Does it bite?"
Twilight looked surprised as he turned around. "Not unless you feed her wrong and she takes your fingers for carrot sticks, no," he laughed.
"It's just," Wind glanced between Sky and the beast. "I've never actually seen a horse before."
That got more than a few heads turning.
"Really?" said Wild. "I mean, I understand if Sky doesn't know what they are, but... you don't either?"
"I know what a horse is, Wild!" Wind's face flushed as it pinched into a minor scowl. "I said I've never seen one. There's a difference!"
Wild held up his hands. "Ok! Ok, but then... I thought I showed you pictures of my horses already?"
Wind gave an absolutely enormous sigh, rolling his eyes like nobody in the entire world understood him. "Well yeah. But those are pictographs! And pictographs never..." Wind flinched as the horse snorted loudly. "...never do the real thing justice."
Sky shuffled closer to him, willing all of his sympathy into the little sailor. Sky at least had the benefit of knowing Loftwings, which—while an entirely different species—seemed to share the essence of "gentle, flighty giant" with this horse creature. The way Twilight loved on her and how Wars watched her fondly was also calming Sky down by the second. But as for Wind... he looked like he'd never seen an animal bigger than a pig that wasn't inherently a monster.
Thankfully, Hyrule came to the rescue. He tapped Wind on the back gently and said, "I haven't seen one up close in a really long time."
Wind turned to him. "Huh?"
"There's not many of them where I live, most people can't afford it. The castle has some that I've seen from a distance but..." Hyrule stared up at the massive animal, "I always forget just how big they are."
"Yeah," Sky seconded.
Legend looked up at Sky closely. He elbowed him. "You doing ok over here, Skyloftian?"
"Y-yes... yes. She seems friendly enough."
"You're doing better than I thought you might. She is one of the larger breeds," said Twilight.
Sky's ears perked. "There are more of them?"
"Sure!" Twilight beamed. "Saddlebred, Quarter Horse, racehorse, pony, heck, I once saw an old logbook of a breeder of miniature ponies. Lil' scamps came up to just about here," the rancher leveled his hand just below his hip.
Sky gasped, the sun suddenly becoming brighter all around him. "Tiny horses?" he breathed. "Tiny horses and tiny birds?!? I love this place!"
The group rumbled with laughter as Sky went up to the horse—no. Epona. She had a name just like Crimson, and eyes that sparkled with that very same, intelligent shine. If Sky had thought deer reminded him of his bird, they had nothing on this odd, beautiful beast.
Twilight showed him how to stroke her fur politely, and the Skyloftian couldn't stop grinning as he patted her neck. "Hello, sweet thing... what a loyal companion you are, yes..."
"Oh dear, what have you done, Twilight?" Warriors droned, running his own hand down Epona’s nose. "Now we have another horse fanatic to deal with!"
"He says, hypocritically," Time murmured, low and soft. He approached Epona with a fondness so strong it seemed to roll off him in waves, flowing through his fingers and down the neck and back of the chestnut horse. She nickered at all the attention. Twilight looked like he didn't dare breathe.
Four stepped closer, too, glancing Epona over from ear to hoof. After a moment, he asked, "What breed is she, then?"
Twilight started out of his spell. "Ordonian draft horse," he said, relaxing. "She's one of the big'uns!"
"Eh, she looks pretty average size, to me," said Wild.
The rancher leveled him with a withering glare, murmuring something about "pictographs" and "rampant draft horse populations," and Wild just laughed.
Meanwhile Wind, not to be deterred or called weak, bravely stepped up between Sky and Warriors with Hyrule trailing at his heels. The sailor flinched ever so slightly as Epona swung her massive nose into his face.
"U-uh," Wind stuttered.
"I think she's asking for pets," Sky smiled.
“Here Wind," Twilight said softly, stroking the middle of Epona’s face and then along her cheek. “Touch her there, not near her mouth, and she'll know you’re here to pet her and not give her treats.”
The rancher pulled softly on one of her big ears. "As if you didn't get enough already."
Epona huffed in denial.
"What, you disagree? You think between me an' Ilia and all the village kids back home you don't eat enough? Poor, poor baby girl, you're starving away!"
Epona nickered pitifully.
To Sky's delight, that got a smile out of Wind. The boy reached up and patted Epona’s cheek. His eyes went wide. "So soft..."
Hyrule stroked her neck. "And warm, too... oh!" To everyone's surprise, the traveler suddenly buried his face in her fur. "Sms fum om agig!"
Time reached over and pulled Hyrule back. "Care to repeat that?"
"She's full of magic! No wonder she found us, she's no ordinary horse!"
Several eyes flew to Epona. She nickered amiably.
"Well, I could have told you that," murmured Twilight.
Legend ignored him. "Hyrule's right, she practically exudes the stuff."
"I feel it too," agreed Four. "It was like all the darkness rolled away when she appeared."
Warriors raised his eyebrows and looked around at the younger heroes. "O-k. Remind me to put you three on lookout next time we're in a magic heavy area."
"Happily," sighed Hyrule, leaning against Epona’s soft fur.
Loud crunching filled their ears. Everyone turned just in time to see an entire apple disappear into Epona’s muzzle. Wild cooed at her triumphantly.
"Hey!" Wind gasped. "I think she just winked at me!"
"Not to be that guy, but it looked like a blink," said Legend.
"But she looked right at me when she did it!"
"Don't worry Wind," said Sky, patting his back. "I thought it was a wink."
"Don't enable him," smirked Legend.
Time leaned over Epona’s neck. "Looked like a wink to me."
Wind beamed.
Warriors saw Legend sputtering and jumped in, "Oh are we annoying the vet now? It was definitely a wink, then."
"You didn't even see it happen, City Boy!" said Legend, rounding on the captain. It wasn't long before they once again had descended into warm bickering. It reminded Sky of home.
Sky brushed some hair out of Epona’s eye, marveling at the light that seemed to shine within. The way she tracked him with ear and eye, the slightest twitches of muscle... there was no doubt how intelligent she was. The younger heroes were right. If Sky's Loftwing bond was anything to go by, then Epona was indeed filled with a special kind of magical spirit. It was a comfort unlike all else in this strange Surface world.
He wondered, briefly, if he would be the first of his people to discover horses. That certainly would be something.
"Horseshoes..."
Sky blinked. He looked down at Four.
The smith was picking his lip and staring at Epona’s enormous feet, his eyes calculating, and his mouth spewing murmurs and nonsense. Sky gawked for a few seconds before Four noticed.
"Eh... what’s the matter?" the smith asked.
"Uh... horse... shoes?” Weren't those iron feet shoes enough?
"...You're thinking of four leather boots tied on a horse, aren't you?" Time said gently.
Sky blushed as Hyrule and Wind snickered. "I wanna see that so bad now," Wind wheezed.
Wild heard this too, and actually seemed to consider it until Twilight cuffed him over the head.
It was the kindly captain that finally offered Sky an olive branch.
"See the metal on the bottom of her hooves?" Warriors pointed, taking Sky’s shoulder again. "That helps to keep the sensitive bits of her feet off the ground to prevent injury on rough terrain. We used them a lot to help our horses in the war."
"And it gives her better traction," Four explained. "I was just wondering about making her some new ones if we get to a forge. Hers look a bit worn down."
Twilight hissed, holding up one of her giant feet. "Yup. That'll need fixin'. Ugh, Ilia would kill me if she saw... Oh Epona, where did all that mud come from?"
Warriors came up behind him, patting the horse as he peered over the rancher. "Nothing a good grooming can't fix. Give me some brushes and a hoof pick and she'll be good as new."
Twilight looked up. "Aww, you don't need to do that..."
"It'd be an honor for this fine lass," Four smiled, and Warriors nodded.
Wild raised an eyebrow. “You know how to groom horses, Wars?"
The captain looked affronted. "Yes??? Why do you sound so surprised? I'm in the military."
"Yeah Wild, it makes perfect sense."
Everyone stared at Legend in shock.
The captain gaped. "I... well... thanks, Legend, that—"
"—If he can groom himself so daintily then of course he can groom a horse."
Warriors thrust his sword into Sky's arms. "Hold this."
Sky chuckled as the "dainty" soldier charged at Legend. Poor Warriors. He's such a good guy, but he'll never catch Legend alive.
Twilight rolled his eyes. Raising his voice over Wind's chants of "fight, fight, fight!", he asked, "I like Four's idea of finding a forge—You said you know these woods, Time, is there someplace nearby? I-If you feel fit to travel, of course."
"It takes much more than a black-blooded moblin to keep me down, Rancher. Especially in a wood of fairies. I'll live."
Twilight chewed his lip. "U-uh, yep. 'Course, you're right."
Epona, like Sky, must have sensed his anxiousness, and draped her heavy head over Twilight’s shoulder.
"Awww..." cooed Hyrule.
Twilight sighed. "Yep. This is my horse. The ham."
Time smiled. "In any case, if the rest of you are properly rested and cleaned up, yes, I know of a place we can go. It's not far from here either." He glanced over to where Legend had run smack into a tree with his Pegasus boots and was being helped up—amusedly—by Warriors. "If you boys are finished messing around?"
Legend shrugged of his pursuer. "Yeah, yeah. What are you, Captain, five?"
"You're the one who ran into a tree!"
Sky leaned over as the vet sulked past. "For the record, my rupees were on you."
Legend grinned.
"All right, boys," said Time, patting Epona, "and esteemed guest. Let's be on our way."
"Are we going to your castle?!?" Wind hopped in place.
"Mmm... we might yet be needed there. We will begin heading that direction, but we'll make a slight detour on the way."
"Great!" Wild threw an arm over Hyrule. "I love detours!"
Warriors cocked an eyebrow. "And this detour would be...?"
Time's eye sparkled with mischief, but he did not answer. He cast a strangely knowing look at Sky before shepherding the others after him.
"Well. That was quite cryptic," murmured Four.
Sky couldn't help the eagerness bubbling in his chest as he followed. "That makes it more exciting, don't you think?"
Four smiled. "Oh. Oh, Undoubtedly."
>>><<<
Masterlist | First | Chapter 7 | Chapter 9 (coming next week!)
Author's Note: Warriors the horse lover, anyone? ^u^ He just seems to have that vibe (along with the other Links, hehe). Epona's in good hands! This was also a fun experiment playing with the idea that Four might be Sky's successor like he is in the Zelda Timeline =) Of course, given that this Four is a combination of the Links from Minish and Four Swords, he could just as well be Twilight or Warriors's successor, but either way, I love Four being a subtle fan of Sky’s story. It's good dialog practice, and even if he's not Sky's direct successor, he can surely be a Master Sword Smith Super Fan, ha!
🎉NEXT CHAPTER IS THE REASON I WROTE THE STORY WOOO!!!
Extra Note: I am a children’s book/family friendly author, so please keep all comments Safe For Work (no swearing please!) I want to do my best to make this a place for everyone. Cheers!
(💚Please comment and like directly from the og post in case Tumblr does weird things again! Tumblr reblogs are ok but never repost, thanks! <3)
btw this election result has been 11 years in the making ever since labour together was founded. starmer and co gutted the labour party of any genuine struggle, and now reform is simply filling the vacuum they left behind
An update for users in Brazil and the United Kingdom
To continue our commitment to user safety and to comply with local laws, we will start using age groups to determine access to certain experiences.
People in Brazil or in the UK, who are 18 or older, will soon need to verify their age to change content label settings and view mature-labeled content. Until then, the settings will be locked to hide.
As a reminder, verification is handled by our age-assurance partner, k-ID. Tumblr won't have access to the information you submit, just the final age-verification result. Documents are deleted after confirmation, and facial scan data never leaves your device.
Questions? Contact Tumblr support or learn more about these changes here.
k-ID? you mean the company which has to date leaked 70000 PEOPLE'S IDS? that k-ID???
@staff can we sue you guys for damages if that happens to us too? genuine question. I know tumblr is losing a shitton of money but if this does go through, I'd be happy to help it lose even more!
Look guys, If i don't appear on this site again after a while, let it be known that its because of this.
I really like this site, but im not going to risk having my personal information stolen and used for god knows what. We all know this age verification "for safety reasons" is bullshit, and im not going to accept it.
Just in case i don't appear here again, (cause idk what could happen) i made a bluesky account you can follow, i didn't post anything yet there though, just look for angryvampire and a Sun Wukong profile picture, haha
just some messing around. i gave up on coloring it and giving it proper lineart and just started wrestling with editing apps instead. maybe one day when i am stronger. i really love wild’s hyrule though because it is just so beautiful
