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Part 1 of Patterns
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Best Stories, Mine favoritter., My Absolute Favorite Fics Forever, My Absolute Favorite Wild Fics, Daddy Link
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2020-05-01
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2020-12-19
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Unraveled

Chapter 7: Goal

Notes:

Thank you so much for your patience, everyone! Please enjoy this longer than usual chapter!

I couldn't figure out where a good place to stop was, so... yeah. These chapters are just getting longer and longer, even with my word count goal.

(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)

Chapter Text

Wild felt settled. His shoulders felt light, his chest felt proud, and his smile was ever-present. His hylian armor was cleaned of the grass stains and monster blood, though his right side sported a colorful array of bruises underneath his layers. His best friend sulked good-naturedly next to him as they approached Rito Village from the shrine nestled in it.

 

“Your hair is beyond help now. It’s time for a cut.” Wolfie nudged him, teasingly breathing close to Wild’s neck.

 

“You’re just grumpy I made that shot. It’s fine.” Wild hummed as he dragged his fingers through Wolfie’s ruff while he had the chance.

 

“I will do it for you.”

 

“You don’t have thumbs.”

 

“I’ll gnaw it off. Just wait until tonight.”

 

“I’ll take you to the stables to get your fur cut and colored. You know I will.” Wild shot back, amused and happy he can actually have a conversation with Wolfie.

 

“Link?” A young voice cuts in. Wild and Wolfie turn to see Tulin and Molli in the pathway. The little fledglings puffed up in happiness, scrambling to meet with them. “You’re back!” Wild met them, mildly wincing at the aches in his muscles that prevented him from giving them the hugs they were flapping their wings for.

 

“Welcome back, Link!” Molli whistles excitedly.

 

“Welcome back, Wolfie!” Tulin repeats.

 

Wild was glad they settled for fluttering around him and Wolfie, landing on their shoulders for the barest of moments before pushing back into the air. They were perceptive enough to notice his pained movements. Either that or playful enough to want to tease him with their twittering.

 

It was probably the second one, honestly.

 

“Pops will be so happy to see you!”

 

“Are you here to see him?”

 

“Or are you here for the Elder?”

 

Wild laughed, doing his best to wave the fledglings back to the ground so they don’t accidentally push too hard off of him. They cheeped as they let him catch them and gently shift them to the walkway, their tiny feet catching his clothes the way only young claws could.

 

“I was actually looking for Teba. I saw him at the Castle Town Project earlier and he said he was coming home tonight, so...” The fledglings looked at Wild and then each other before bursting into a series of twittering giggles. “What?”

 

“Link, my dad doesn’t fly as fast as you can travel Hyrule.” Tulin reminded Wild with a high chirp.

 

“It takes us a few days to fly between here and the Castle.” Molli continued to tweet next to him, thoroughly amused.

 

“Oh.” Wild blinked. “Right.” He sighed, rubbing his hair sheepishly. He glanced down at Wolfie, who also looked a little embarrassed. Revali was a fast flier compared to other rito. Teba was getting to also pick up speed, but it still took him two or so days to make the journey to the castle. Wild had forgotten. Again. “Well, maybe your mom can help me?” He mused as they walked on.

 

“Auntie Saki?”

 

“Mom doesn’t fight though.” Tulin cheeped curiously, hopping around Wild and Wolfie in his amusement.

 

“Nah, I’m not looking for help in a fight. I got that covered.” Wild said, carefully walking far enough from the edges so the little rito wouldn’t risk falling off the pathway.

 

“You are pretty banged up.” They nodded seriously. So they did notice. Perceptive fledglings. 

 

“Did you get eaten again?” Wild sighed as the young rito peered more intently at the scrapes and bruises that peaked through Wild’s clothes. As well as, of course, his drastically uneven hair.

 

“Do you need mom to help patch you up?” Wolfie huffed righteously at their protectiveness.

 

“Oh! I can help too!” Molli said eagerly. Both of the little rito carefully took a few fingers each and tugged Wild further along the village towards the nests. They were warm under Wild’s hands. “Auntie Saki showed me how she patched up my pops when he got hurt. I paid really good attention, I promise.”

 

“Thanks you two, but I’m not too injured.” Wild smiled fondly as the little feathered hands in his held on as tightly as he did. “I was hoping for a little advice.”

 

“Advice?”

 

“Are you sure you don’t need to see Elder Kaneli?”

 

“No, Saki will be just fine.” Wild insisted, patiently waiting for the opportunity to explain himself. The little fledglings loved to talk now that they were comfortable with him, so conversations always took a long time. He could only direct the conversation as fast as the opportunities he could find.

 

“Why? Is this warrior advice?”

 

“Uncle Harth can give you warrior advice.”

 

“I’m looking more for friend advice.” Wild admitted freely. Tulin and Molli stopped tugging at him and looked up at him.

 

“Friend advice?”

 

“Like, flying together?” Molli's voice pitched higher.

 

“Or sharing food?” Tulin asked quickly with excitement.

 

“Or making gifts?” Molli squeaked as she hung off Wild’s hand.

 

“Well, yeah.” Wild blinked. That was a pretty good way of explaining it. He had been trying to figure out how to travel, cook, and help make things easier for the others. Things to help him see what he had been doing wrong. He ignored Wolfie’s low chuffing.

 

The fledglings looked at Wild with wide eyes and then screeched loud enough to fluff their own feathers. They ignored Wild’s startled jump and fluttered ahead as quickly as they could. A trail of downy feathers rained after them.

 

“Mom! Mom!”

 

“Auntie Saki!”

 

The two dashed away, their voices echoing in the late afternoon and causing many older rito to poke out of their nests and look around. Wild waved at them as he passed, jogging lightly after the fledglings. Wolfie chuckled freely, loping ahead with obvious amusement as his tail wags freely.

 

“What was that about?” Wild huffs to himself, catching up to them at Teba’s house where the little rito were tweeting at Saki and Harth. They saw him approaching and then burst into more whistles and chirps as they giggled.

 

“Hello, little blue jay.” Harth greets, relaxed on his seat across from Saki, who had her lap filled with happy children.

 

“What has gotten into you two?” She wonders, doing her best to cover the two with her wings to calm them down.

 

“Link wants to make a friend!” Molli twitters, slipping out from under Saki’s grasp to continue fluttering around.

 

“Oh?” Harth asked, looking at Wild with a more surprised expression.

 

“He was looking for Dad to ask him about it!” Tulin cried out excitedly, matching Molli’s height as he jumped around too.

 

“Oh.” Saki shared a look with Harth, looking more surprised. “I’m so sorry, Link. Teba isn’t quite back yet.”

 

“That’s alright. These two said as much.” Wild shrugged, leaning inside and smiling his greeting with an echoed sign.

 

“Mom! Mom, he wants to ask you!” Saki’s feathers shifted up as she sat higher.

 

“Oh! Oh, Link, I would be honored.” The pink rito cooed with delight.

 

Wolfie’s low laughter broke out as he pushed past Wild to come inside himself. His tail wagged harder. Wild lowered himself to a space in the little sitting area, feeling a little exasperated by everyone’s reactions.

 

“I’m getting the feeling this is a Hylian-Rito difference thing.” He said after he and the other rito shuffled for space. Wolfie pressed along Wild’s side where he settled himself, his smile wide and tongue lolled out. Harth considered him and the other rito before his own feathers smoothed out.

 

“You know, I’m thinking that too.”

 

“No no! Link said he wanted to go flying!”

 

“He said! He said he wants to make a gift!”

 

“He said he wanted to share food!” The children argue insistently. Wild smiled in agreement at the looks from their parents, taking his chance to explain himself with their attention.

 

“Well, yes. I’m been traveling with some others for a while and I kind of just wanted to know how to, to make them like me more.” Tulin and Molli gasped happily before Saki finally curled her arms around them to hold them still.

 

“Children, honestly. Link is trying to ask for help.”

 

“For courtship!” The kids argued. Wild jerked back in surprise.

 

What?” Wild yelped just as Harth and Wolfie both burst out laughing. “That’s not-!” He laughed out loud in amusement.  “No, no! This isn’t about that!” He denied insistently, waving his hands in front of himself. No wonder the kids were so worked up.

 

“You’d have eight to court.” Wolfie said into his paws.

 

“I’m not trying to court the eight of them!” Wild laughed at the ridiculous notion, utterly entertained by the thought.

 

“Eight!” The kids repeated in amazement just before Saki took her chance. She folded the fledglings into her flight feathers, silencing them in the way only rito mothers could. She clicked her beak at their testing chirps, shaking her head and letting out a low caw of warning.

 

"If only that would work on you." Wolfie thumped his tail against the floor, and Wild could only snicker with him. Harth tilted his beak to the side to look over the wolf against Wild’s back, but decided to carry on.

 

“Let’s start over. You were looking for Teba, Link?” He asked as Saki looked in exasperation at the fledglings in her arms.

 

“Yeah, I was, uh, hoping.” Wild took a breath, knocking his knuckle on Wolfie’s head to silence his infectiously raspy giggles. “I wanted to ask for advice, about making friends with someone when we haven’t gotten off on the best start.” He managed, settling down now that the fledglings were quiet too.

 

“How so, if I can ask?” Saki wondered. Wild glanced at the children currently making small inquisitive cheeps from inside her wings.

 

“I’m a little afraid of them.” He confessed. The children were just as quiet as the adults at the admission. The fledglings shuffled, wanting to ask questions, but Saki remained firm in keeping them in place.

 

“Can you explain how? You’re the greatest hylian warrior we know. What would make you afraid and still want to befriend them?” Harth asked. Wild rubbed at his arm, wanting to explain but not really sure how.

 

“It’s all just my dumb worries. They’re all really good heroes. I just can’t- I always- I make a lot of mistakes and they’re always getting angry or frustrated with me. I never do anything right, and I’m just not able to keep up with them.” Wild said, a flush of shame rising into his face at the admission. Wolfie pressed harder against him.

 

“That can’t be true, Link.” Saki breathed. Molli and Tulin pushed their beaks out from her arms and quietly watched him.

 

“Well, it is. I’m nothing like them.” Wild tried not to mumble. He cleared his throat, reminding himself that he trusted Harth and Saki the same way he trusted Teba.

 

“That’s a good thing.” Harth said flippantly His feathers shuffle as he considered his words and then he tilted his face to better look at Wild as he spoke. “We don’t want you to change, Link. Champion or friend, you have always been exactly who we need.”

 

“You forget I’ve failed Hyrule when they needed me once.” Wild scoff bitterly. “It’s my fault everything was destroyed 100 years ago.”

 

“If you had succeeded 100 years ago, we never would have met you.” Saki says gently. “Teba and Harth may not have been in any danger from Vah Medoh, or they would have, we can’t know that. As it is, we have been able to meet you and befriend you, Link. We care about that more. I’m sure you were loved 100 years ago, but I can also guarantee that everyone in Hyrule is so very glad to be able to have you with us today as well.”

 

“Don’t forget that, little blue jay. You’re Hyrule’s Champion, and we’re proud of that. You are also our friend, and we all love you for it.” Harth repeated.

 

“Love, huh?” Saki echoed with a grin, a hint of a previous conversation being brought up.

 

“’Course. You’re a part of our flock, Link.” Harth said easily. Saki smiled warmly, not arguing. The fledglings in her arms looked less worried as they listen in.

 

“Thanks, Harth. And Saki.” Wild said quietly, letting himself feel happy at the admission. There was a reason he wanted to see Teba about his concerns with the others. The rito wasn’t really a father figure, but it was close. Like a trusted uncle, if Wild could say that. Family. This was Teba’s family, so they were Wild’s too, in a way.

 

He wondered if the other Heroes could ever be like that to him too. He wasn’t sure if they wanted to be. They didn’t even like him, did they?

 

“These companions of yours,” Saki started gently. “The other heroes; You really worry about what they think, don’t you?” Wild nodded. He doesn’t like disappointing others. The idea of disappointing the other heroes was horrible. “Shall I give you my advice?” Wild nodded eagerly, sitting up in attention.

 

“Please.” He pleaded.

 

“Perhaps you can try to learn about your companions in a way that doesn’t highlight the parts of them that worry you. Give them an opportunity to see a part of you that makes you happy. Spend time with them all, one on one if you can. Like giving them a second chance for a first meeting.” Wild twitched his ears, considering.

 

“I, could do that.” Wolfie let out an encouraging grumble, licking Wild’s hand when he reached out to rub his soft fuzzy jaw.

 

“I’m glad. You’re such a nice boy, Link. I’m sure the others will see that soon. Do something fun with them, either something they or you like. Maybe you can show them something about Hyrule they’ve never heard of before. You know Hyrule the best out of anyone. I’m sure you can think of something they’d like to see or do.” Wild sat up straight.

 

“A second first meeting... Yeah, I can do that.” He smiles at the rito. “Thanks, Saki.” Saki fluffs her feathers as she smiles back, content.

 

“Anytime, my little blue jay.” She croons before the kids squirmed free and cuddled into Wild’s lap. Wild flinched back, cautious of his own bruises and fully aware that his clothes were full of buckles and other accessories that were easily able to ruffle fledgling feathers.

 

“Don’t worry! You’re the coolest hylian ever!”

 

“You’re the bravest warrior too, next to Dad and Uncle Harth. You can be friends with anyone!”

 

“Tulin! We just preened you!” “Molli, watch Link’s injuries!” Saki cut in, standing up quickly as Harth also shot to his feet and let out a startled caw. Wild only had time to blink at them before his body reacted to the small bodies clinging to him.

 

“Run away!” Tulin shrieked.

 

“Run away!” Molli commanded.

 

Wild sped out of the door, fledglings trilling loudly in excitement from his arms. Wolfie barked in delight, running alongside Wild as they escaped the adults’ belayed attempt to grab at them all.

 

“Vah! Blue jay, no!”

 

“How dare-! Link, get back here!”

 

“Hurry!” Wolfie howled in encouragement, darting down the steps and ignoring the few rito who squawked in alarm at their rushed passing.

 

“Here, take one.” Wild said before jumping down the stairs five at a time. He plopped a screaming and delighted Molli onto Wolfie’s back as they brace their landing at the bottom. The wolf yipped his agreement before pushing off the steps and running smoothly into the downward slope. Wild tucked a breathlessly giggling Tulin under one arm and followed closely behind, pushing off the curved turns with his free arm.

 

He had a moment’s wish that Rito village was more of a mountain than a hoodoo spire so he could try shield surfing away. Still, he could tell by the frantic fluttering of Saki and Harth that it was still trouble keeping up with them. The twisting of the village’s descending pathways and the need to stay further away due to the houses built around everyone’s nests was the challenge that slowed them down.

 

“Faster! Faster!”

 

“Fly! Fly! Fly!”

 

Wild and Wolfie laughed at the encouragement that utterly destroyed the peaceful serenity of Rito Village.

 

“Do NOT Fly!” Both Harth and Saki screeched out.

 

Wild probably could have used his paraglider to fly with Tulin on his back, but they wouldn’t be fast enough to avoid the more maneuverable parents. Flying wouldn't be a good idea.

 

“Go go go!” Wild chanted to Wolfie as they dashed all the way to the bottom of the village. They ducked past a startled Mazli at the welcoming archway and rushed through the bridge.

 

“Link!” “Blue jay!” The parents called out, barely audible over their giggling children.

 

“Bird bath time!” Wild called back, plopping Tulin into the pond in the first spire oasis beyond the village. Wolfie shook Molli off much the same way and then yelped when Wild grabbed him in both hands and bodily threw the both of them in next.

 

“Honestly, Link, what are we going to do with you?” Harth panted as he landed shortly after.

 

The fledglings giggled and splashed at him while Wolfie did his best to push Wild under the water. Wild laughed breathlessly at each failed attempt until the wolf began to resort to climbing on him and shaking himself to unbalance him.

 

That may have backfired when Wild figured out how to fall with Wolfie hitting the water first. The fledglings were ecstatic to play so freely.

 

Saki landed after, out of breath, and completely ruffled. “Vah.” She swore quietly. Tulin and Molli twittered some more before their parents gave in and helped them out of their clothes to spread their feathers for a proper bath. They also helped Wolfie in keeping Wild in the water to preen his messy hair.

 

It didn’t work, being that wet hair was nothing like feathers when using one’s beak. It didn’t work with Teba and Tulin, and now Saki, Harth, and Molli had to admit defeat. Wild didn’t mind the tugging as much as he loved the attempt. It wasn’t like the accidental clipping from their beaks would make too much of a difference in his uneven layers. Rito beaks were nothing like Loftwing beaks, after all.

 

It was a good excuse to get Zelda to return the favor for when he cut her own hair.

 


 

Wild headed to Death Mountain to better dry off, completely comfortable using a Fireproof Elixir to avoid sweating in the heat. He would have liked to start the ‘second first meeting’ with the others, but he had no ideas yet of where to go or what to do with them. So, he avoided his quarters at the castle and instead planned to walk around Goron City. Wolfie huffed at him, a silent judgment of his obvious procrastination, and Wild couldn’t really argue.

 

He wished he could skip the second first meeting and get to the part where he already has his second chance.

 

The evening in the city was as hot as ever. With the elixir thrumming through his body, Wild felt comfortably warm. Like this, he could even say he felt cozy. It’s been a long time since he’d visited the gorons.

 

“If it ain’t our little pebble or my eye is getting rusty on me!” Bludo called out as they entered the city. Wild perked up and walked up to the old goron Boss. Wolfie flattening his ears with less enthusiasm as he followed. The Boss liked trying to pet him as much as Yunobo did, but the old goron didn’t have as gentle of hands as his protégé. “Glad to see you’re still around to ache the feet of all the monsters in Hyrule. Hahaha!”

 

“Hello, Boss Bludo. It’s good to see you’re still rolling around too, goro.” Wild laughed along with his Big Brother.

 

“O’course! I may be old, but I still eat my rocks! Speaking of, you’re looking a little soft.” Bludo leaned forward in consideration. “You need a good rock roast, ya hear me! Join us for dinner! Yunobo will be coming back from Vah Rudania later this evening. You’re still such a tiny pebble, you need a good feast to fill you out.” Bludo shook his head as if in despair. Wild grinned, thoroughly amused.

 

“One day, I’m sure my teeth will be strong enough to try rock roast, goro.” He said, letting Bludo steer him bodily.

 

“Well, let's get you some lava juice or something. I swear you’ll never lose your strength if ya got good rocks in you, and lava is as fresh as it comes! Listen to Boss Bludo! I’ll never push you wrong.” The path Bludo was taking was as familiar as ever, coming down from above the city. Everything looked to be closing up for the night; not that Goron City was ever really busy with day to day traffic.

 

“I’m pretty sure I’m not able to drink lava. Hylians drink milk instead, goro.” Wild replied while Wolfie slinked alongside them, just far enough to avoid tempting Bludo to pet him.

 

“Milk!?” Bludo repeated, looking thoroughly disgusted.

 

“Un. It helps us Hylians grow strong bones, goro.” Wild flexed his arms to prove it. Wolfie laughed at him, as usual, considering he would always look tiny compared to a goron. Milk was good for your bones and your teeth, and that was something Wild didn’t even know how he knew. For some reason, the gerudo didn’t think it was true though.

 

“Link, little pebble, no. No way. Milk can’t possibly be good for you.” Bludo denied, shaking his head as he leaned Wild closer. “I hear it comes from,” He stopped for a moment, checking around them before he whispered, “cows.”

 

“Or goats, goro.” Wild whispered back.

 

“Noo!!” Bludo reared back in disgust. Wild burst out in laughter that the Boss didn’t bother to notice in his own revulsion. “No no no! Next, you’ll be telling me you hylians really do eat vegetables and grass and stuff too! Say it isn’t true!” Wild brought a hand to his chin in exaggerated thought but stumbled at the urgent lead. He loved having these conversations with gorons. Yunobo hadn’t been nearly this fun in his own discovery.

 

“Grass? Well, I guess herbs, or wheat or rice is a grass? ...Yes. Yes, we do. Fruit is good too. Goro.” Wild added. Daruk used to look so confused to see the Champions eating non-rock foods. The squishier, the more adamantly he looked away. Bludo’s expression was much the same; utterly appalled. Wild grinned widely as he let the older goron pull him along to his metal hut while gesturing violently.

 

“Too soft! Too soft from the ground to build your strength! Not even a proper foundation! You need marble chips! Pea gravel! Sand, if you really can’t start any smaller than that! No wonder you’re so tiny! It’s a miracle you survived all of your challenges! Arrgh!” Wild cringed as Bludo’s back audibly locked up. Wolfie let out an uncomfortable whine from his six feet away. “Arg... Ugh. Little pebble, if you could just, here.” Bludo gestured vaguely to his left shoulder.

 

“Sure thing, Boss.” Wild grimaced, regretting getting the older goron so worked up. Yunobo was normally the one to work out the literal stones in Bludo’s back. The Goron New Champion had learned a little from the gerudo about something they called pressure points. Wild only had a vague idea about what they meant from what Yunobo had mentioned. He took out a sledgehammer, considered the age of the goron in front of him, and switched that out for a cobble crusher. He carefully aimed right under the goron’s left shoulder blade, and swung a hard as he dared.

 

There was a loud crunching sound, and then Bludo continued without another pause. “You’re gonna eat your rocks, brother! Boss will see to it that you never eat a soft soil food again! We’ll do a party! A real Goron Celebration to your renewed strength! And for our small sister Queen Zelda! She stayed strong all this time despite her soft diet! She’ll need rocks too!”

 

“Thanks, Boss Buldo. We’d love to have a feast, goro.” Wild said without promise. He eyed the Boss warily before gladly putting away his weapon. At the very least, he could talk to Zelda about this party the Boss wanted to throw them. She was better at scheduling these types of events.

 

“Come to think of it, no one saw you at the anniversary parade. Or the different Champion Remembrance feasts since. What happened? You never turn down opportunities to feed others. You doing alright?” The Boss asked, serious as they settled into the hut. Wolfie stayed at the door, snorting at the stuffy heat inside.

 

“Oh, er, yeah. I’ve just been, busy, goro.” Wild shrugged as he took a seat in his corner, freed as it was from coals or other sharp rocks and metal chips.

 

“Busy not eating through the mountain you should be going through! What on earth could you possibly have been up to?” Bludo demanded as he rolled his shoulder to ease the area from its latest locking up. “What is keeping you too busy to mingle at the feasts you love to attend?”

 

“I’m on another quest. The Queen wanted me to look into the black blooded monsters, goro.” Wild explained with a sigh as he pulled a small panel lined with sapphires from the wall and took out a stone basin of water. It was something created after Wild foolishly decided to test his endurance in Yunobo’s presence. Wolfie huffed at him but didn’t move, his own decorated chain giving off a slight glow as they worked their own magic.

 

“The black what? Oh, right. The hidden golds and silvers. What are you doing going around hunting those things? They get’n bolder?” Bludo wondered as he eyed Wild’s mug of water with satisfaction. Wild’s fireproof elixir may still be able to protect him for at least twenty more minutes, but Yunobo’s rules were to be respected.

 

“I’m not sure. I’ve been traveling with other heroes, so I haven’t been around for about a month or two. All I found out was, actually, exactly what you said. They’re like golds and silvers being hidden in different colors. The others think someone is sending them after us, and that Hylia Herself is responsible for bringing us together despite the differences of our timelines, goro.” Wild said as simply as he could before sipping his water mulishly.

 

“Eh? Timeline?” Bludo made a face as the conversation confused him. Wild didn’t blame him.

 

“Yes. Apparently, my travel companions are the Heroes of the Forgotten Past, goro.” He griped. “I didn’t even know about some of them. Well, I still don’t really know about them. They all met each other before I came along and they’ve never bothered to say anything else about themselves to me, goro.” Wild huffed.

 

“The Heroes, eh? Well, sounds to me like your new Brothers are still learning to be Brothers.” Bludo hummed in assurance.

 

“We’re not brothers. They don’t like me.” Wild denied. The Goron Boss turned to Wild fast enough to crack his neck. Wild flinched back at the sudden sound and the intense stare, his water splashing over him.

 

“You mean to say you’ve been with them long enough to see a Blood Moon and you don’t see them as brothers?! Little pebble! All of you Heroes of Hyrule, and all of you blessed through the ages of history! They are more your brothers than we goron could ever hope to be! How could you all not be brothers? What challenges have dared drive you apart?” Bludo demanded, looking on the verge of locking his back again despite sitting up straighter than Wild has ever seen.

 

“It’s me! It’s my own fault!” Wild yelled out, both flustered and agitated by Bludo’s focused attention. “Please, relax! I’m not- I’m just- I- I’m too different. That- That’s it! Please sit back down!” Wild leaned away as Bludo approached him. “I’m just being sensitive! You’re right! I’m too soft! It’s only my feelings and that- They’re not doing anything wrong, goro! Consider your back, Boss!

 

“Aha! We’ve dug to the base of the problem!” Bludo cried out. Wild blinked widely up at him, the water on his clothes beginning to steam off of him.

 

“Goro?” He rasped out, trying to recall everything he just blurted out. Wolfie let out an obnoxiously loud yawn that Wild couldn’t even glare at while his heart tried it’s best to slow down.

 

“You said something about feelings, Link.” Wild blinked, taking in how calm and smug Bludo was. He began to quietly curse the old goron. This must have been another of his mind games.

 

“It’s nothing, goro.” He denied.

 

“No no, it’s obviously something. Talk, little pebble! What’s going on with your new brothers that mean your feelings are involved with you not being proper brothers?” Bludo demanded like the nosey old rock he was. “Are you getting scared, or breaking anything?” He asked as he kneeled close to Wild.

 

“No. Yes.” Wild curled his hand into a fist as he breathed out. “I’m being dumb. They’re just... They’re just hurting my feelings, goro.” He scoffed cynically.

 

“That’s not dumb, Link.” Bludo argued gently. “You said the exact thing to Yunobo about his self-doubt. I bet this is the same thing too. Maybe you’re not letting the words just be the words they were meant as.”

 

“Bludo, Boss, they’ve been friends for a long time before I ever became part of the group. They’re always telling me they don’t trust me. I can’t go away or they get angry at me; I can’t be near them, or they ignore me; I can’t do anything right, but they don’t care to tell me what I did wrong, and they never look at me or listen-!” Wild pressed his hands to his face, taking in a shuddery breath as he forced himself to stop thinking about it. Bludo let out a low dry hum.

 

“Try again, little pebble. Is that what they said? Or is that what you heard?” He asked as softly as a goron like him could ask, which was honestly similar to the way sand could fall in a delicate line. 

 

Let the words be just the words they were meant as, Bludo told him.

 

Well, okay, he can try that. They never explicitly said they don’t trust him, or that he was a bother. But then, why would they try to be so concerned with some of his behavior and not other things he does? Why treat him with increasing distance? Was it caution? About him?

 

For him?

 

Wild stayed quiet for a few long moments, thinking back on the events that stood out to him on his journey with the others.

 

It was easy to recall the parts that hurt him. How the group’s secret meetings made him want to ignore them the most. How the Champions would quietly confirm that yes, they were discussing him, but to try to give them the benefit of the doubt. The way the group would rotate almost every night so that one of them could take him into the night away from camp.

 

How they all had some great skill or trick that he really was interested in and wished he could talk about, but the mere idea of opening up when they had these secret discussions made wanting to open up even more terrifying, but...

 

When he was being led away, the hero with him didn’t let the silence settle. They spoke. It wasn’t about anything terribly interesting or useful, but they babbled and tried to let him have a turn. Yes or no questions were easier to answer, which was unfortunate because they rarely asked those of him, but...

 

These one on one talks – like the other’s own attempts of a second first impression; Wild could feel his heart in his throat – more often than not was a peek into the other’s thoughts that Wild had foolishly blocked out. They had asked him, in their own ways, to be comfortable with them. It had sounded like demands, like restrictions, or like complaints about his habits. But…

 

Wild had assumed a lot of things too, hadn’t he? His summarized thoughts of the others were just those, summaries of what the others were doing. But what if he was mistaken about why they were doing what they were doing?

 

“Maybe, both?” Wild asked, thinking back to the words he always heard. Don’t stray too far. Keep in sight. Don’t change your position so suddenly. Show us when your weapon is broken. Be more careful. Stop ignoring us…

 

He always heard them as a complaint against his abilities, but…

 

Maybe that wasn’t what they actually meant?

 

“Bah! Whether it is or isn’t, there is still only one path for you!” Bludo waved him off, climbing to his feet and leaning over him. He set his large hands onto Wild’s shoulders heavily. “Link. Brotherhood is a leveler. An equalizer. We goron had made the Hero of Time our first Hylian Brother. You, our Champion Brother, are our only other, but we Goron will always consider Hyrule’s Heroes as our little brothers. You are all Heroes, and you are all the same in your lives regardless of age. You must decide what type of brother you will be, and then become that brother!”

 

“I’m the only one of us who has died. I’m not their equal, goro.” Wild reminded him guiltily.

 

“You still won. It took you a little longer, but you still won.” Bludo said firmly with a small shake on Wild’s shoulders. Wild took a centering breath.

 

“Saki said that too, goro.” He admitted.

 

“Ah, yes! Listen to your Auntie Saki! She has the clearest sight above any mountain.” The old Boss said cheerfully. “What else did she say?”

 

“She said to try to make a, another first meeting. Like a second chance, goro”

 

“As well you should! Link. I say this with the seriousness of a goron’s bond, you must repair your relationship with your brothers.” Bludo insisted. “You feel separated from them? Build a bridge! You feel lower than them? Climb higher! If you feel hurt, forgive them and show them what it is really like to care! This doesn’t mean change them, but show them what sort of change you need.”

 

Wild stared up at Bludo. Rough, demanding, pushy old goron Bludo.

 

This was Yunobo’s mentor. This was the Boss who cared for all the Gorons of Hyrule and had done so for longer than any other Goron leader before him. Yunobo had been insecure, and Bludo was unrelenting in staying by the younger goron’s side to always be available to mentor and guide him, despite the talk of the city. Wild could see now how Yunobo had felt like the Boss didn’t understand when he was focusing all that insistence onto him.

 

He could also see what Boss Bludo was trying to get him to do. Wild wanted this second meeting to go well. It was only realistic to assume it would require patience and trial and error for him to figure out what the others wanted from him. It made sense that he needed to have more stubborn will than uncertainty. It would take effort and the communication that Bludo saw Brotherhood to be about.

 

It was his decision, after all, and not theirs. He wanted this second first meeting. He wanted to make something better with the others. They probably weren’t even thinking about making amends further than their apologies.

 

He would have to change his perception so that he could try to see where the others were coming from and adjust his approach to them accordingly. Yunobo had learned the same lesson almost a year ago, in changing his perspective about his belief regarding the way Goron City saw him in relation to Daruk. Some words were simply understood differently than their intention. It was Wild’s own responsibility to control how he decided to see and understand those intentions.

 

‘If no one does it right, it’s better to take charge and do it yourself.’ Zelda often said to herself after she tried making gentle suggestions on how to reconnect the Kingdom. Gentle hadn’t seen results. She soon had to demand her changes with a deadline, and she stepped up to help create them when they weren’t being made fast enough.

 

Wild would have to do that too. He would need to be frank and unrelenting in his efforts.

 

He supposes he’ll have to do what he advised Yunobo to do; ask what’s on his mind and be blunt about it. That was all he could do to make sure there were no misunderstandings.

 

He couldn’t do so if he never returned to the others.

 

“Thanks, Boss.” Wild said with renewed confidence.

 

Wolfie perked up, tail beginning to wag excitedly.

 

“You got yourself ready to polish your heart?”

 

“I do, goro.”

 

“Great! You can do anything you wish to accomplish, little pebble! Just stay more stubborn than your obstacles!” Bludo grinned widely at him, smacking him heartily with his support.

 

He was less enthused to hear Wild wanted to set out immediately, but still offered another time to come have dinner with him and Yunobo. Wild let Wolfie rub his head happily against his hip as he set his Slate to find his travel medallion at the Castle.

 

His back throbbed as if Bludo’s reassurance was heavy and insistent in following him.

 


 

Wild arrived in a darkened bedroom and a startled group of Champions.

 

Link!’ Mipha greeted joyfully, leaping up to meet him. Wild smiled brightly, moving his arm to hers in a faux elbow bump.

 

You couldn’t have stayed away until tomorrow? Really?’ Revali scoffed before Urbosa shoved him closer.

 

“What is that supposed to mean?” Wild pouted.

 

Exactly what it sounds like.’ Urbosa smiled.

 

What made you come back so soon, anyway?’ Daruk wondered.

 

“Boss and Saki had some words, so, here I am.”

 

Oh! You spoke with Auntie Saki!’ Mipha cheered.

 

And Big Brother Bludo!’ Daruk added.

 

“You don’t have to look so relieved.” Wild crossed his arms. “I was going to come back.”

 

“You would have traversed the entirety of Hyrule before coming back on your own, and you know it, lynel cub.” Wolfie woofed from the side of the group, idly nosing at the cushions and blankets piled messily onto Wild’s bed. It was nothing like his home in Hateno, and Wild supposed the wolf wouldn’t have seen it before.

 

Wolfie! You’re back to physical form again!” Mipha exclaimed, rushing over to hug the beast hero. It was with belated surprise that everyone realized that she could.

 

Oh, how surprising.’ Urbosa remarked as she approached and also ran her ghostly fingers through Wolfie’s non-ghostly fur. Wolfie let her, his tail wagging lazily. He knew there would be no stopping Urbosa even if he wanted to, which he didn’t.

 

We’re glad you’re back.’ Revali said quietly next to Wild while the female Champions approached Wolfie to marvel at the strange sensation of forgotten touch. Daruk watched from afar, interested but absolutely refusing to approach any closer. ‘The Queen wanted to give you as much space as you needed. We were reluctant to obey, but she is our goddess blessed ruler.

 

“I appreciate your loyalty to us both.” Wild smirked at what the rito was trying to say between his words. Revali scoffed his denial, but he didn’t move away.

 

Are you ready to face your newest fears?’ He wondered.

 

“Well, I have a plan.” Wild tried to say. “Or at least an idea of one.”

 

Oh?’ Revali looked at him, feathers fluffing subtly in interest. ‘Are you finally going to flare your crest?

 

“I’m not courting them.”

 

...I didn’t say you were?’ Revali carefully agreed. He side-eyed Wild while the hylian did his best to fight off the embarrassed flush rising on his face.

 

Wild cleared his throat and quickly began to explain his idea.

 


 

Zelda took the group along the castle tour with leisure.

 

Their many conversations with her could be suddenly short or surprisingly intense. Some were careful in their replies to her, others trying to match her language or treating her as if she were far higher in station than they.

 

Which, wasn’t untrue, but certainly unnecessary given who they were.

 

Their various approaches regarding her gave a better understanding of how her Knight felt so confused and frustrated with them. He liked consistency, because he certainly was not and neither were his past incarnations.

 

She didn’t mind. It gave her different openings to slip in comments of her own that maybe they would remember when they finally did see her best friend again. Hopefully, they would keep her observations in mind, about how they were coming across or what she was trying to mean. If this was to be their practice in recognizing a greater awareness for others’ idiosyncrasies, then she will absolutely provide them their chances before Link returned to them.

 

She kept her amusement to herself about how obvious each misunderstanding compounded with her friend and themselves. Zelda would guess it had something to do with the large gap in time between them all and her own era.

 

A difference in culture, likely. It was something painfully easy to do, and in fact, was still done often between the races of Hyrule. It was easy enough to recognize, because of how common it was. Too bad it was harder to notice when it was hylian to hylian.

 

AMUSEMENT! DELIGHT! ANTICIPATION!’ Revali’s feelings flooded towards her, filling her heart like a fluttering cyclone of joy and uncharacteristic laughter. Zelda paused mid-step, taken aback by the unfamiliar intensity, and needing to reach out for the nearest support.

 

“Queen Zelda!?”

 

“Your Majesty!”

 

“Are you alright?!”

 

Zelda nodded mindlessly as she leaned to the wall and then slowly lowered herself to a slight crouch in case she did lose her balance. She felt her own amusement growing with the Rito Champion and could see vague impressions of merriment. She was smiling even as she raised a shaky hand to her temple.

 

indignant. agreement. refusal. support.’ Mipha’s own feelings ebbed and rushed between wanting to follow in the entertainment of Revali’s choosing and wanting to protect the target of that entertainment.

 

Courage!’ Urbosa announced between the spirits. ‘Joy! Peace! Equality!’ Bursts of insistent encouragement from the Gerudo Chief gave Zelda the distinct impression that they were laughing at Link, but she couldn’t fathom why.

 

wonder... pride... faith...’ Daruk’s calm emotions smothered everyone else’s, heavy as they were. It allowed Zelda to give the spirits a careful poke to remind them that they were still technically in her soul at the moment, absent as they were to haunt wherever they pleased. They couldn’t talk as easily to her as they could Link, but they were certainly more in tune with her emotions and thus she to theirs.

 

They all sent her apologies, little flares of sheepishness that were quickly pulled away to better prevent their emotions from flooding through her.

 

It let Zelda open her eyes to find eight various shades of blue looking at her in alarm and concern.

 

“Oh.” She breathed out with a smile leftover from Revali’s amusement. “Yes, yes, I’m quite alright. My pardons if I worried you.” She coughed lightly, embarrassed.

 

“What happened?” The leader, the Hero of Time, asked in concern. The Hero of Hyrule was kneeling next to her, hand hovering as if he wished to help steady her but uncertain if he was allowed to.

 

“Well, Champion Revali decided something was literally the most amusing thing in all of Hyrule.” She smiled at the others with a small shrug. “He normally has such a tight control on his feeling and emotions, to feel otherwise was rather unbalancing.”

 

“Revali?” The Hero of Winds asked, looking at her with as much skepticism as she would expect from her own Link.

 

“Yes.” She did not elaborate, though she did allow the Hero of Warriors to assist her to her feet. She took a moment to confirm her balance was sound, and then carefully began to carry on down the hall. “Shall we continue?”

 

“If you’re certain you’re alright?” The Hero of Legend said rather diplomatically. She smiled brightly when he offered a polite arm, wordlessly offering support without vocalizing his doubt of her health. It was remarkably similar to how her Knight liked to be when they played their roles for the Kingdom. Zelda liked him. She wondered why he was always given such various looks whenever he spoke up.

 

She was leading them to the dining hall so that they could relax while waiting for the evening meal. They had wanted to wait for her Knight before eating, but Link was being especially tardy. She had a guess shared only with the Champions that he would take until tomorrow to return.

 

Still, she was getting a little hungry from such a busy and exciting day. They all could use a good dinner. She smiled at the boys around her and nodded to the Hero beside her.

 

“I am.” She reassured them as she let the Hero of Legend guide her on his right arm. It felt strange to her, used to walking on the left of her Knight, but she supposes not all Heroes would be right-handed. “Please, Hero of Four Swords, what was your question?”

 

She was doing her very best to stay ‘in the moment’ of her conversations. She let the others guide her, answering questions about herself and her Hyrule. She was trying so hard to not ask every single question about the heroes and their journeys. She wanted them to be comfortable, and that meant not overwhelming them with her desire to know what could not otherwise be discovered about them. It wasn’t terribly difficult, but she was very aware of how easy it would be to lose herself

 

“I was wondering if you had heard of the Picori?”

 

“Picori?” Zelda repeated, humming. “Is, that anything like the Kokiri?”

 

“Kokiri?” The Hero of Time sounded surprised at the name. Which, to be fair, was something she discovered in a journal mentioning his era.

 

“No no,” The Hero of Four Swords corrected. “They were a small race that came into being at the same time of Hylians. They had sworn to keep in good relations with the royal family ever since the Hero of Men.”

 

“Hero of Men?” Zelda repeated, turning abruptly to the smallest hero. “So he does exist! I’ve been unable to see any other reference of him in any of the books or journals I’ve reviewed outside of the vague comparisons of how your own adventure began! I even have an expedition on their way to the Forgotten Temple where-“ Zelda cut herself off abruptly, taking in the wide multicolored eyes of the Hero of Four Swords staring at her with alarm.

 

“What?”

 

“I’ve never heard of the Hero of Men.”

 

“I think I’ve heard them mentioned before. He’s from the time when the Triforce had yet to be fully understood as something mortals could actually wield.”

 

Zelda was about to ask what this mysterious triforce, unable to really contain her curiosity in lieu of the others’ bursts of questions, when she got a good look at the Hero who would have the answer.

 

The Hero of Four Swords looked around himself with growing discomfort, eyes flashing as he looked over the others. He looked calculating, and fully prepared to step back and away from the conversation.

 

A mistake, then, to bring attention to the part of his words he hadn’t wanted to elaborate on.

 

Before Zelda could apologize for another unintentional reveal of a part of the Heroes they hadn’t been ready to share, an enthusiastic howl cut sharply through the hall.

 

Everyone froze.

 

Shouts were approaching, the sounds of heavy feet rushing through the castle and different commands and orders being called out. ‘Get it!’ Could be heard. As well as various commands of ‘Stop!’ and ‘Halt!’ and strangely, ‘Heel!’

 

Zelda could feel a cool flicker, tentatively looking for her, like a sliver of a shadow or beam of breezy moonlight.

 

She turned to look at where the feeling was coming from, all previous thoughts banished from her mind. She knew this feeling. She hadn’t ever felt it before, but she knew this feeling.

 

Around her, the Heroes of the Forgotten Past drew their blades.

 

“A Wolfos?”

 

“What is that?”

 

“It’s obvious, isn’t it?”

 

“Is it like a Wosu?”

 

“How would one get in a castle?” The Hero of Legend held her by the hand, protective.

 

Smoke basked in starlight wrapped around her delicately, joyful and full of tidings. Zelda could almost feel fur. She could almost see the edge of teeth, the glint of gemstones, and the dull reflection of metal.

 

“No...” She breathed. She could hear the clamoring of a crowd of armored soldiers approaching from the other side of the hall. She could hear barking, playfully threatening and mockingly impish.

 

It was impossible! She and Link hadn’t seen or heard of any sign of him since before their final fight!

 

“Protect the Queen!”

 

“I’m telling you, he’s not a monster!”

 

“Out of the way!”

 

“Leave him alone!”

 

“You’re making a mistake!”

 

“Corner it!”

 

Zelda pushed out of the circle of blades protecting her, hiked her dress up so it wouldn’t get caught in the pants she wore underneath, and ran. She let out a shrill whistle that bounced through the stone of the castle walls and cut through the cacophony easily. In the barest of lulls from her call, she yelled out from deep in her chest, “Here! I’m here!”

 

An acknowledging howl echoed again, and then she saw him.

 

Large dark-furred beast that he was, he ran like a predator which glinted as steel would. Unfortunately for his reputation, Zelda had seen him slip into snow and splash messily in mud, so she didn’t focus on that. All she noticed was the wide grin with the happy pink tongue as he panted.

 

That feeling of unseen claws pawing for her became insistent. It weighed down on her as if trying to hug her, and so Zelda let herself fall to her knees and laughed as the wolf followed through in his spirit calling and leaped up to tackle her all his weight. Zelda shrieked in joy, incredibly relieved and happy as Wolfie proceeded to rub his cold wet nose all over her face and neck. She didn’t even mind them getting tangled in her dress as they proceeded to wrestle for who would dominate their greetings.

 

“Wolfie! Wolfie you absolute talus shard! Where have you been all this time!? Have you any idea how worried we were!?” Zelda was pinned and laughed helplessly as Wolfie ignored her questions in favor of snuffling her with his tickling whiskers.

 

He was warm, with fur both coarser and finer than what she was expecting. His weight was real, and his breathing was deep and loud and soothing. Zelda wrapped her arms around his neck tightly, burying her face into his ruff and breathing in his scent.

 

He was real. He was here. He was perfectly safe and healthy. They had never met before, but she knew of him and he had to have heard her voice provide caution to him and Link during the Blood Moons they’ve lived through. She had never felt him in her soul the way she could strangely feel him now, but she knew him because it could be no one else. He had never seen her before, but obviously he too knew her and cared just as much as she did.

 

“Wolfie...” Zelda whispered. “I’m so glad you’re home.”

 

“I’m glad to be back too, Wild Queen.” Wolfie keened back with a voice that sounded like an older Hero of Twilight. His words were spoken quietly, muffled almost, like from under a thick blanket, and Zelda held on for a few moments more, basking in the ability to do so while she can, before leaning back and taking in those intelligent blue eyes.

 

“You blessed and divine beast.” She smiled before rubbing the corners of his eyes fondly. His dark blue eyes blinked slowly at her, happy. She stood up and smoothed down her dress before addressing the crowd around her. “Thank you for your diligence in protecting me as well as those who could recognize Wolfie as the vital and beloved friend that he is. Please, be at ease and return to your posts. Wolfie is merely returning home.”

 

“With news!” Wolfie wuffed, stepping closer to her to push his head under her arm.

 

“Of course.” She acknowledged after she looked down to pet him again.

 

“As you command, my Queen.” One of the officers saluted, the rest of the soldiers taking their cue to do so as well with the barest of a rippling effect. Zelda waited until her guards were gone to turn to the quietly waiting Heroes.

 

They were staring at Wolfie, who was staring right back.

 

“Wolfie, these are the Heroes of the Forgotten Past.” Zelda introduced, refusing to look too knowingly at the Heroes. After all, there had to be a reason Wolfie sounded like the Hero of Twilight, and she was fully aware of the fact that this hero had been cursed, which was something that often led to animal transformations. She couldn’t begin to guess why they were both present, but she supposed it was the same reason the Heroes were all together in one Era.

 

“Hello.” Wolfie murred quietly, almost too quiet for her to hear. His tail gave a slow wag before he looked up at her. “My Cub wishes to talk to you, Wild Queen. He’s planning to harass the chefs, so you’ll find him in the kitchens.” He hummed, playfully knowing about the likelihood of her Knight getting into trouble without supervision.

 

“Oh. Well, I suppose I should stop him. Honestly, it’s like he doesn’t even know the challenge he presents them just by sharing the stoves.” Zelda sighed before looking back at the group. “My apologies once more, I’m being such a terrible host. I’m afraid I’m needed in the kitchens, but please let me lead you to the dining room so that we can settle there until dinner.”

 

“Uh, sure?” The Hero of Skyloft answered while everyone else continued to stare between her, Wolfie, and the Hero of Twilight. She led them through, glad to have Wolfie under her hand.

 


 

They had all seen a lot of things in their adventures. Some of them had time traveled, and others had gained different forms. A few had wielded the powers of gods, and others have faced the shadows in their hearts given physical form.

 

Time was certain that meeting their own spiritual selves from different eras in time would have been the strangest part of any of their adventures.

 

This, seeing his Pup walking in front of him on four legs while also walking beside him on two was something he didn’t think would ever happen.

 

In hindsight, he should have expected it when Twilight was unable to transform in this Hyrule.

 

“Please, feel at ease here. I’ll return as soon as I am able. Let’s go, Wolfie.” Queen Zelda of Wild’s Hyrule said with an apologetic smile before she swiftly walked away.

 

“Woof.” Wolfie, because it was still him regardless of how intimidatingly huge he was, gently huffed his reply as the Queen left. However, he stayed where he was, looking over all of the other Heroes of Courage as they all stared back. Time couldn’t blame them. It was strange, and a little too discomfiting.

 

This Wolfie, Wild’s Wolfie?, stood nearly to Time’s chest whereas his Pup was just under his waist. It didn’t sound like that big of a difference, but when considering the obvious signs of age and strength, it was intimidating enough.

 

Twilight had a softer look, with a full ruff and an almost puppyish face. He looked faithful and lacked any truly wild look at him.

 

This Wolfie, larger as he was, also looked leaner. Less baby fat and more raw strength. His fur was less fluffy, thinner, and his claws were readily visible because of that. They looked longer than expected, but that only added to the feral look about him.

 

Twilight may not like the comparison of being a dog rather than a wolf, but in this instance… He may as well be a dog, compared to the obvious wolf of this Wolfie.

 

It was this reason, that he and everyone else took a cautious step back when Wolfie approached them. Time watched carefully for any sign of aggression, despite himself, as this large Wolfie focused on him and walked slowly closer.

 

“Pup?” He whispered, wary and unable to help it. Wolfie let out a soft sound, a sad one maybe, as he stepped forward. His ears were perked up, forward and attentive, but his tail was not moving even if it looked relaxed.

 

He could hear Twilight take in a shaky breath, but no one dared move or make a sound.

 

When Wolfie was close enough that Time could touch him easily, he stopped and looked over him. Blue eyes, darkened to nearly grey, carefully studied him and the others behind him. Time could see that there were scars from past battles on him that his Pup didn’t have. He could also see the colors of different gems decorating his ears and shackle. It spoke of experiences that Twilight hadn’t yet had. It spoke of time that hadn’t yet been lived.

 

This was an older Wolfie. This was an older Twilight. One who had lived alongside of Wild and his Zelda in this dangerous and painfully resurrected Hyrule.

 

Wolfie let out another sound, something like a muted sigh, like a sardonic laugh, or even just a satirical observation. But he stared at him, eyes unwilling to look away. Time felt heartache being under that look. He rose a hand up, a careful offer despite Twilight’s insistence that he didn’t like to be pet.

 

Wolfie pushed his nose firmly under his palm and closed his eyes.

 

He was warm, Time thought to himself, far warmer than he expected. His ears relaxed a little, falling back to show pleasure, and his tail wagged just barely. Time rubbed his nose fondly, feeling the age underneath his fingers, and felt a surge of emotion rise up from his throat.

 

In the quiet of the room, everyone could hear very clearly the quiet whine, as if Wolfie was saying something to them. It sounded like an apology. It sounded like a confession. Time felt tears gather in his eyes when he realized too slow that it was like a broken Song of Healing.

 

Wolfie stepped back, eyes shining wetly, and he rose his tail to wag it with more pride.

 

“Woof.” He said firmly to Time, repeating his wuff to the others. Then he turned around and trotted after the Queen. His nails clicked sharply over the polished floors, and then he was gone.

 


 

Wild was focused as he managed three stoves at once. His ingredients were prepared, and he had another bowl in his arms that he mixed for dessert. Around him, the chefs worked busily as they prepared a large amount of food for the castle staff. It looked a little fancier than they normally did. Wild wondered where they were getting their ingredients, but kept his concentration on his own task.

 

“My Knight!” Zelda called before entering.

 

“Thank the Goddess!” One of the chefs praised. It was a strange habit they did whenever Zelda entered the kitchens.

 

“Over here!” Wild replied unnecessarily. Zelda marched up and hugged him tightly. Wild had to raise up the bowl he was mixing so she wouldn’t hit it, but his whisk ended up trailing a ribbon of cake batter over them both as he failed to let go.

 

“I’ll go get a rag.” A dishwasher sighed.

 

“Hello.” Wild greeted belatedly, his hold on his bowl wavering as he tried to figure out how to put it down before he noticed that he needed to flip one gourmet steak and mix one soup pot while another pot was about to boil over. He couldn’t do any of those tasks without further dirtying the Queen holding him.

 

“I’ll take that.” Another chef said as they swooped in to take the bowl and whisk from him.

 

“Thank you.” Wild said gratefully before pouting as they took over his dishes. They always did that too. Why couldn’t they just share the kitchen?

 

“I’m so relieved you’re here! Guess who just arrived? Wolfie! I was quite surprised he returned but then I suppose I shouldn’t have been. He caused a great ruckus throughout the castle looking for me, but perhaps you already knew that. Link, did you-“ Zelda stopped, letting Wild press the dishcloth against her face to clean her up.

 

“Wolfie came back with me. He found me shortly after I left.” He reported as his Queen back away and turned to let him clean her hair.

 

“I see. Well then, I’m even more glad that you were able to take the time you needed. You are feeling better, yes?”

 

“Yes.” Wild said truthfully.

 

“We had a small road trip to get ourselves back to normal.” Wolfie added as he approached, nosing Zelda’s hand before pushing his head under Wild’s palm. His voice sounded rougher than usual, and Wild rubbed him gently on the ears. The wolf let him before pressing more firmly against him, shoulder to his chest and heavy as he leaned on him.

 

“Oh did you?” Zelda asked, looking over the two. Wild offered a smile as she narrowed her eyes onto his hair. “What did you do?”

 

“We just went shield surfing.”

 

“Into a camp.”

 

“They weren’t too dangerous.”

 

“It was a moblin camp.”

 

“Wolfie.”

 

“And there were bomb barrels nearby.”

 

“It’s not like they exploded near me. I shot them as we passed them.”

 

“But it did catch the monster’s weapons on fire. Hence,”

 

“Ack!” Wild fell forward as Wolfie pawed his head, claws catching his hair and pushing it over his shoulders. Zelda snorted while she took in the uneven lengths. She reached forward to tug at a lock.

 

“Oh no,” She chuckled. “You’ll need more than just a trim.”

 

“Cut it all off.” Wolfie suggested. “It’s too uneven.”

 

“You’re just upset you got a bath.”

 

Zelda smiled at them, and Wild could feel her worries about him fading. The connection of the Champions that resided in their souls had also forged a connection between them that was strongest when they were next to each other.

 

He really missed her.

 

“Link, let’s let the chefs work. Wolfie said you had something you wanted to speak to me about.” Wild frowned at the dinner he had been working on. It was supposed to be an apology to everyone from him. “It’s alright. They’re not even upset.”

 

“Are you sure? They sounded pretty upset.” Wild argued even as he let his Queen and Wolf push him out of the kitchens.

 

“They were probably just surprised. Wouldn’t you be?” Zelda wondered.

 

Let the words be the words they were meant as, Wild reminded himself. He can work on a second first meeting now that he’s back. He wanted another chance, he reminded himself.

 

“I guess.” He agreed. The hallway was quiet as they walked, and Wild let Zelda lead him to the bedrooms. He tugged her to his room when she made to turn down her own hall, and she allowed it with an easy shift of their hands.

 

The Champions were waiting patiently, turning to them as they entered with easy expressions.

 

Welcome back, little bird.’ Urbosa greeted Zelda fondly. Zelda looked in her direction, eyes unable to focus on her but undoubtedly still able to feel her.

 

“Hello Urbosa, everyone.”

 

‘Did you tell her yet?’ Revali grinned, his beak clipping eagerly the way he’d never done before. Daruk grinned widely next to him, while Mipha stood apart, scowling lightly even as she blushed. Urbosa approached them with a wide grin, spiritual lightning ready to dance at her fingertips with how excited she was with her approval.

 

“Not yet.” Wolfie answered, slipping into the room and settling heavily onto the pile of blankets on Wild’s bed. Wild rolled his eyes at everyone even as he and Zelda followed.

 

“Not yet.” He agreed. “But, now that we’re all here, now I can.”

 

“What’s going on?” Zelda wondered, settling onto Wild’s bed easily, despite Wolfie trying to push her off with his back feet. “You nearly made me faint earlier, you know. What are you planning, Link?”

 

“Nothing bad. Saki gave me this idea.”

 

“Auntie Saki? Oh, I’m so glad you got to speak with her.” Zelda sighed, a hand pressed to her throat in relief.

 

“Yeah yeah. Anyway, she mentioned that since I’ve been having trouble getting along with the others,” Zelda hummed in agreement, encouraging him to continue. “She said, maybe I could try, well, giving them a second chance.” Zelda blinked, waiting. “Like, a second chance for a first meeting.”

 

“Okay.” Zelda encouraged, obviously trying to understand where Wild was coming from.

 

“After Saki, we went to Boss Bludo.” Zelda’s eyes widened, and Wild could feel her wondering what he could have done at Goron City to have to see the Boss. “I’m fine.” He reassured. “But, Boss Bludo gave me advice on how to take in what they do and say. I don’t... I don’t want to keep messing up.” He said plainly. “So, I want to try again. I do.” He repeated, determined.

 

“I’m glad to hear that.” Zelda said gently. “I take it you have some sort of plan, and you need my help with it?”

 

“Yes. Would you help me?”

 

Queen Zelda looked at her Knight, and Wild could feel the Champion’s amusement and anticipation growing within her. She couldn’t make sense of why, so her own feelings of confusion and curiosity were her only response.

 

“What are you thinking of doing?” She wondered with slight suspicion.

 

“First, I want to make an apology, to clear the slate so to speak. Then, well...” Wild smiled a small hopeful smile that reflected only a little of the mischief in his idea. Zelda was smiling before he had even finished, no doubt willing to agree just because he was looking forward to trying.

 


 

The conversation about who had the heaviest weapon faltered into silence as Wild and Zelda entered the dining room.

 

“Thank you for your gracious patience.” Zelda said as she headed to her seat at the head of the table. Wild pulled the chair out for her, expression blank but body otherwise calm as he nodded to her absent thanks and stood behind her. “Link, no. Sit down with your friends.” Zelda chided him.

 

Wild let a small grimace show before he looked over the group.

 

Friends, Zelda had called them. She made the definition sound so simple. Wild wished it could be.

 

He wished it would be easy to follow the pull of his gut that wanted to trust them. He wished it would be easy to ignore the hurt and fear in his heart that he was beginning to see was overexaggerated for mistaken reasons.

 

Still, he had a plan, and he was going to go through with it. Zelda had his back, and the Champions had faith in him.

 

First thing’s first; he needed to apologize. The sooner the better. 

 

Wild caught Time’s attention and took a breath. He walked forward, intent and formally poised. He stopped in front of the leader of them all, eyes locked into the shade of blue so very close to his own. He stood at attention, and took a moment before quietly saying, “I wish to speak with you in private.”

 

Zelda was already attempting to pull Hyrule and Sky into a conversation, bringing up their previous discussion of weapons as a verbal curtain for him. Four sat quietly, watching them, but obviously keeping an eye on Time and his response. Wild could feel the attention of the others on him, even if they weren’t really looking at them.

 

He forced himself to stay still.

 

“This is as private as we can get, Wild.” Time responded, looking over Wild’s stiff posture. He didn’t seem to notice the others’ curiosity. Wild’s mouth twitched, the barest of frowns as he looked over to the room. He looked at Zelda, trusting in her calm. He waited for a moment, and then faced Time and repeated himself.

 

“I wish to speak with you in private, sir.” His voice was steady and even, though his hands were beginning to feel especially tight. He took another breath, holding on to the ease that allowed him to speak directly to the leader of the Heroes of the Forgotten Past.  

 

“Wild, it’s okay. You can trust all of us.” Time said gently. Wild’s eyes narrowed, disbelieving, and then Time began to look worried about what Wild had to say. Wild ignored ignored ignored, and then bowed at the waist and focused instead on his own shoes.

 

“I wish to offer my formal apologies.” Wild began. The others completely gave up their weak attempts of ignoring him and falling silent instead. Ignore ignore ignore. “I have been unable to meet your standards, and have failed you multiple times in the course of our journey together. I have been unable to cooperate properly with your battles, and have failed to understand the expectations you’ve laid out for me.”

 

“Wild-“ Time tried to interrupt, his voice loud and pitched. Wild didn’t look up from his bow, shaking his head shortly before continuing above Time’s attempt to speak up.

 

“I give you my apologies for my disobedience and for the continuous strain I’m created within the dynamic of your group. I give you my regrets about the difficulties and stress I’ve caused you. I give you my sincere wish that I had done better for you, and can only offer my genuine remorse that I was unable to realize and comprehend my place.” Wild pushed out.

 

“Wild, stop-“ Wild ignored ignored ignored, and closed his eyes as he spoke even louder, hoping that Time will see his sincerity and believe him. That everyone would believe him.

 

“I’m sorry! I’m really truly ashamed and-!”

 

Wild gasped as Time forced him to stand up, the hands on his shoulders too tight to be anything but angry. He trembled, refusing to move away and unwilling to look at the others or at Time. He opened his mouth to continue, but Time shook him once to interrupt him.

 

Angry. But...?

 

“I’m sorr-" He tried again, not wanting Time to be angry at him.

 

“No! Stop.” The man demanded, sounding... Not angry? Alarmed? Wild shook his head. He had to make sure he knew. He had to make sure that Time understood where he was coming from. He could feel his hands shake, the weight on his shoulders warranting a response to fight even though he knew he shouldn’t. He didn’t want to fight! He was certain Time didn’t either.

 

He needed to tell Time and everyone that he never meant to be dishonest. He never meant to be difficult.

 

“Link.” Zelda’s voice cut in quietly. Time let go, and Wild stared at him for a moment before looking over to Zelda. She looked at him with sad eyes, and he could feel tears of shame gathering in his own. “Come here, please.” Wild hesitated, glancing at Time who was staring at him with worry. “Please. Let me help you.”

 

“I...” He could apologize on his own. He didn’t need help to do that.

 

Zelda, with the help of the Champions, impressed images of what she meant. Her feelings of support, not lack of faith. Images of her enlightening the group in the library over tea. The want to make it easier for him not because he was incapable, but because he was making it unnecessarily more difficult.

 

Which he could admit was true, though he wasn’t as certain that was his own fault. He had asked Time to speak to him privately. Twice.

 

Zelda nodded once, agreeing. Wild felt himself relax at the easy acknowledgment. She knew him well, and he trusted her. She offered a smile at him, so he reluctantly turned away from Time and approached her instead.

 

“No no.” She tutted as he stopped a step away and prepared to kneel by her chair. She was not his queen at the moment, the Champions pulsed at him. He carefully stood up and noticed that Zelda was breathing carefully and with measured breaths. She twitched an ear at him, patiently waiting, and took a deeper one before he relaxed even more and closed his eyes. He focused on listening, and then followed her.

 

Zelda leaned back in her seat, and Wild let himself lean against her chair. He let her support him.

 

“It is my understanding that you, Hero of Time, are considered the leader of everyone?” Zelda began after a moment more of gentle patience. Wild let his weight fall against the arm of her chair, the ornate curves and cushions comfortable enough. His fingers caught the sleeve of her shoulder, and he focused on the delicate embroidery that couldn’t be noticed from too far.

 

“That’s correct, though it’s only a formality.” Time answered carefully, still sounding worried. Wild didn’t look up, able to feel the heavy weight of everyone’s gaze on him.

 

“Modesty isn’t necessary here, Hero of Time. The others’ expressions tell me you’ve earned more respect than that.” There was a pause as Time probably looked around himself.

 

“I guess I’m the leader then.” He acknowledged wryly.

 

“My Knight has said that you’ve all given your apologies to him for past grievances. Is that correct?” Zelda asked. Wild did his best not to fidget, slowly holding himself less relaxed. This was yet another time where others had to talk about him as if he weren’t present, but this time he couldn’t distance himself or distract himself with anything. He gently let go of Zelda’s sleeve. He would probably start picking at it if he didn’t.

 

“Yes. We’ve come to the realization that we have done wrong by Wild, that is, your Link. We all have tried to give our apologies.” Time said. It was unspoken that no one was certain if Wild had accepted them. Zelda gave a soft huff of amusement, for what Wild couldn’t guess.

 

“My Knight is offering you his own apologies. As the leader, those would have to be addressed to you, even as they are meant for everyone.” She elaborated as if the others didn’t know.

 

“Wild, no. We’re the ones who messed up. You don’t need to be sorry.”

 

“Yes, I do.” Wild said simply.

 

“No, you-“

 

“You’re not listening to me.” Wild cut in. The silence sat heavily between everyone for a few seconds too long. “I am apologizing because this is all of our faults. You didn’t know...” Wild cleared his throat, looking at the wall when he couldn’t keep eye contact with anyone. “You didn’t know what I was doing when I tried to, to, be, friendly. And then I didn’t recognize when you were trying to figure it out. You got frustrated with me. And then I got angry at you.” Wild looked at the curve of Zelda’s chair, glancing up once to Time before lowering his eyes. “I’m sorry.”

 

He tried to be plain. To make sure there would be no mistake about what he meant.

 

“We’re sorry too.” Time said quietly, earnest in a way Wild hadn’t heard from him before. “I’m sorry I got you hurt.” He added, softer, but no less sincere.

 

“I’m sorry I didn’t say anything about the Champions sooner. I wanted to help, but, I didn’t know how to bring it up.” Wind leaned over the table to better look at him, insistent and honest.

 

“I’m sorry I stopped trying to talk to you.” Hyrule’s voice cut into the pause. “I did notice that you could have used some company, but I often, well. I always failed to act on it.” He looked uncomfortable at the admission, focusing on the empty plate before him rather than on anyone around him.

 

“I’m sorry I dismissed you so quickly.” Legend crossed his arms, uneasy but not looking away. “I have no excuse for assuming who you were at face value and not realizing there would be more to you just because I couldn’t see it at first.”

 

“I should have had more faith in your abilities.” Four said next. “I’m sorry I didn’t. I’m sorry I couldn’t understand what you had shown us. I’m sorry my lack of faith in you lost your own faith in us. And I’m so sorry I never did anything to fix it after I did notice.”

 

“I shouldn’t have backed away when you got uncomfortable. I should have stayed consistent and reliable for you.” Sky sat up, speaking softly and looking at Wild with earnest eyes. “I’ll do better. I promise.”

 

“I’m sorry I failed to understand you. By the time I really started to try, you had already lost your faith in us.” Warriors said next. He offered a helpless smile at Wild’s attention. A ‘what can you do’ sort of look. “I’ll keep trying.” He promised as well.

 

Twilight looked at Wild, eyes focused unerringly into his own. The man’s eyes were not as dark as Wolfies, and the sigil on his face not quite as imposing, but such a serious look was intimidating. Wild felt like a target. He tensed, expecting Twilight to give him a list of reasons why he was justified for shunning him. For hurting him.

 

The doors to the dining room opened with an announcement of “Dinner is ready to be served!” The head chef declared with aplomb as he and the serving crew entered with covered dishes for everyone.

 

Wild watched as Twilight startled out of his serious mood, and the others taken by surprise at the interruption. He leveled a look at Zelda, unamused by the timing.

 

“What?” She whispered to him. “I have nothing to do with coincidences.” She pouted at him.

 

“You say that, but I can think of five instances on the top of my head where this has happened with you around.” Wild sniffed.

 

“Oh yeah?” The Queen challenged.

 

“Yeah. In fact, I bet one had even occurred when you were doing your tea party with them.” Wild added, leaning down to better show Zelda his narrow-eyed expression. He made a humming sound when she avoided his gaze to look around innocently.

 

“Well, I-. I don’t deny that, I did, ask for some... tea.” She offered sheepishly, playing with her fingers as if she were innocent.

 

“And you told the chefs to serve us dinner rather than use the buffet table, didn’t you?” Wild checked.

 

“I just thought it would be nice for you and the others to have a pleasant dinner.” Zelda insisted.

 

“Really?”

 

From within her, the Champions began to give off feelings of amusement and tried to push to him impressions of what she had done.

 

“No no! That isn’t necessary!” Zelda called out, pushing Wild off her chair as she tried to get his face away from hers.

 

“Too late!” Wild nearly chirped, hopping around an unbothered waiter as a plate was set in front of the Queen. “I see books, and a table, and, um, is that Missus Lelia?”

 

“Oh, stop it! That conversation was private!”

 

“Wait, can you actually see what Zelda had seen in the past?” Hyrule tried to ask, alarmed by the sight of the Zelda in this world climbing onto the arm of her chair to jump towards a skipping Wild.

 

“It isn’t!” Wild insisted, not bothering to answer Hyrule. “You have the whole debate team there!” He spun around Zelda’s reach, casually taking her hand in his and turning her back to her chair. She stumbled into the back of it.

 

“Link you absolute- arg! Betrayed by my own Champions!” Zelda bemoaned, the passing waiter only offering a heartfelt bow as they passed her to carry away the lids lifted from the dishes on the table.

 

“The agony.” Four intoned, leaning his cheek into his hand as he rested an elbow onto the table.

 

(In contrast to his level voice, his attention was transfixed. Everyone was riveted to the sight of an animated Wild. One who was grinning openly, and even playful. Wild was laughing.)

 

“By the way!” Zelda suddenly changed tones, cheerfully eager to turn away from Wild to address the other heroes. Her smirk was playfully treacherous. He had a bad feeling. “My Knight had an idea to share with you all!”

 

“No!” Wild yelped, darting toward Zelda and finding himself catching the backs of everyone else’s chairs as Zelda circled him from the other side of the table. “Not here!” He stressed, hands pushing himself off the chairs around him and contemplating throwing goblets across the table.

 

“I must say I think it’s a wonderful plan!” The Queen continued, grinning brightly as she mirrored Wild’s steps to stay away from him.

 

“Stop! Don’t listen to her! She’s a horrible friend! Don’t trust anything she says!”

 

“Don’t say that, my dear Link. They already think the worst of me.” Zelda laughed, resting her hands onto Time and Sky’s shoulders as she faced down Wild’s focused determination. He paused as he took in her words, throwing insulted looks to the heroes he was standing between.

 

“What? How dare you! Zelda is the absolute best in all of Hyrule and you-“

 

“Pretty words mean nothing if you don’t mean them.” Zelda cut in cheerfully.

 

“Who says I don’t mean them? They’re a liar!”

 

“A lying liar who lies.”

 

“Correct.” Wild narrowed his eyes. “...You’re trying to distract me.”

 

“Also correct.”

 

The two stared down each other, before Wild carefully lifted a knee to begin climbing on the table.

 

“Children, are we or are we not going to dig into the food your royal chefs had no doubt put so much effort into?” Time sighed.

 

“Yes, my Knight, listen to the Honorable Hero of Time! Take a seat, so that we may begin our evening meal.” Zelda commanded with a flourish of her palm. Wild huffed, walking purposefully to Zelda’s chair and pulling it out.

 

“After you, My Queen.” He gestured politely, hand in the air for her consideration even as his eyes dared her to dismiss him.

 

She huffed back, smile still on her lips as her feelings and emotions of joyful success thrummed between them.

 

“My thanks, Sir Link.” She said haughtily, flicking her hair with attitude as she sat gracefully.

 

“Can we have a food fight?” Wind wondered quietly to Warriors next to him.

 

“Absolutely not.” Four hissed from his other side.

 

Wild settled himself in a vacant chair next to Legend, and gave his thanks to Zelda as she picked up her fork to begin dinner.

 

Now that he has given his apologies and everyone has seen a little of the real him, the him that he could be when comfortable, he didn’t feel as tense. It was a relief, to have this first step out of the way. He wanted to hold onto this feeling. He wanted the others to continue to be as amiable to discovering him like this.

 

He didn’t look at Twilight, just in case.

 


 

Dinner passed by with gradually louder conversations. When most everyone was slowing down, after second or third helpings, Zelda had moved them to another part of the dining room she called the sweets corner. It was really just a place with lots of cushions to relax on with low tables to nibble on desserts from.

 

Wild called it a napping corner. For good reason.

 

As everyone found pillows and cushions to their liking, Wolfie trotted eagerly into the room. The wolf had refused to attend the dinner, but promised that he would come afterward. As Wild was fluffing his preferred cylindrical pillow, Time, Four, and Wind all exclaimed greetings to Wolfie. Zelda had Twilight and Sky beside her, intent to ask about something or another now that she could sit and be Zelda rather than Queen. Legend, Hyrule, and Warriors all crowded around one of the small tables with a Fruit Cake on it.

 

Wild sat back, hugging his pillow comfortably against him, and watched.

 

You know, little guy, this would be a good opportunity for you to do what your Boss had suggested.’ Daruk settled near him, carefully fitting himself on three pillows as if they could take his living weight.

 

‘It’s fine.’ Wild yawned, comfortable. ‘Everyone is getting along and enjoying each other’s company.’

 

Are you not lonely? Mipha wondered, concerned.

 

‘I’m not.’ He thought truthfully. ‘I’m home now, and no one is angry. I was able to say my apologies, and everyone is... fine.’

 

You are still thinking of your “second first impressions”, so that does suggest otherwise, Hero of the Wild.’ Revali reminded him. ‘Could it be that you’ve been procrastinating on deciding what exactly you wanted to do?’ Revali wondered, needling in his own curiosity for answers.

 

Pipe down. The Boy of the Wind could hear us, if you recall.’ Urbosa cut in, draping herself onto the pillows behind Wild.

 

‘He’s not wrong though.’ Wild thought lightly. ‘I haven’t thought of what to do with everyone quite yet.’

 

Did you not give us your ideas earlier when discussing your plan with the Queen?’ Mipha asked.

 

Wild took a glance at Twilight, who was looking almost overwhelmed by Zelda’s attention. Behind him, Wolfie was lounging on his back, tail wagging happily under the combined affection of Time and Wind.

 

“Not for everyone.” He repeated in a whisper.

 

He wanted to make sure no one had any doubt about his abilities, his integrity, or his trustworthiness. He wanted to bond properly. He wanted to trust them the way he wanted them to trust him.

 

But, Twilight still looked at him like he had more to say. More to say that seemed to be heavy, too.

 

Do you worry about it?’ Revali wondered.

 

‘A little.’ Wild admitted. It made him uncertain of his welcome when not everyone shows the same level of enthusiasm to have him on their team. It made him want to stay home even more. It made him not want to entertain the thought of traveling with them, even if they all say he didn’t have a choice.

 

Where exactly does he fit? How does he let himself accept anything less than the perfection he always strived for? How does he accept the fact that one of the group still doesn’t seem to like him as much as the others?

 

Wild took a breath in, looking at everyone relaxing together and letting their calm dispositions ease him. Warriors stood up when he caught his eye, and the Champions let themselves fade back into his or Zelda’s souls as he approached.

 

“Hey there, stranger. You don’t have to keep yourself in the corner, you know?” The man said, slowly sitting on the cushion next to Wild. Wild didn’t move, comfortable as he was hugging his pillow to his chest and resting his chin on the edge.

 

“I’m alright.” He tried to reassure him. “I was just talking to the Champions.” Warriors tensed up, looking around himself.

 

“Er, I’m not sitting on anyone, am I?”

 

“No.” Wild smiled. “You’re fine. They faded back when you started coming over.” Warriors looked at him, and Wild let his smile relax as he looked down.

 

“I’m glad you had them. You, uh, you look better when you’re happy.” Wild snorted, fully aware that Warriors had no idea how to treat him now that he knew he could actually talk. It felt mean, but he was looking forward to the idea he had to spend time one on one. “Hey now, I’m serious! You look for too resigned to being away from everyone.”

 

“Not resigned.” Wild corrected. “Comfortable. It's familiar to me the way a lot of things just aren't. You also work very closely with your Zelda, right? Surely you know what it’s like to be the background character for royal outings?”

 

“Tch. Royal events and gatherings. Ugh. Those are stories that could fill a night.” Warriors shoved Wild’s shoulder with his own and pulled his cape up and over his head. “Give me a moment to think, will ya?”

 

Wild tensed, eyes blinking hard in the sudden darkness before he closed them tightly and focused.

 

He waited, ears straining to take stock of the others around him and the sounds of the evening routine of the castle. He could hear the wind cutting against the windows and faint sounds of different rooms still being worked on; rock being ground, metal being clashed or banged, words being ordered out in loud bellows.

 

His hands tensed under himself, catching the bumps and ridges of the courser fabrics, the twisted tassels, the smooth and velvety fabrics.

 

He could smell the leftover scents of dinner. The meaty cucco legs and breasts, prime steaks, and rich gravies. The fresh crisp cold greens, and the warm savory cooked vegetables. The homey fresh smells of bread rolls and buttered breadsticks. The barest scents of the people he had spent so much time around; the slight perfume of Zelda’s clothes, the metallic armors of some heroes, and the oil rubbed smell of other weapons.

 

He recalled with urgency the memory of where everyone was sitting. Of the colors of their clothes, the position of their sprawled relaxation, and the furniture all around them. Where the nearest glass was, either window or dish. How he would have to navigate quickly to avoid bumping anyone if he needed to prove it.

 

He swallowed, thinking hard about the foods that were sitting around them. Of the possible tastes he may be able to name if he were to count tasting the air. Sweet, salty, soft, or liquid.

 

He waited. Holding himself still with enough force to begin shaking. His heart beat faster in anticipation, and with each breath he began to double guess himself about what he was smelling, what he was hearing, what he thought regarding where everything was the last he saw it. He tried to wait patiently, Sidon loved thinking of challenges, but the wait was the hardest part. Waiting calmly, for Warriors, to play with one of the heroes, it was harder than he expected.

 

He let out a growl, the barest of sounds, and shifted his shoulders back to dip his head down. He wasn’t going to cheat. He wasn’t!

 

“Eheheheh... heh...” Warriors laughed uneasily as he carefully pulled Wild’s cape back. Wild blinked at the unexpected brightness and looked around to see everyone looking at him with wary and expectant looks. He dropped his shoulders with a sigh of disappointment.

 

Those weren’t looks that the game normally evoked. Was, was he strange to be so focused? Should he have been more casual when playing with them? Warriors probably didn’t expect Wild to take it so seriously...

 

“Oh! What a marvelous idea!” Zelda lit up as she approached him, shoving his hood back over his head. Wild squawked in surprise as he fell face first into the pillows. She doesn’t let go, despite him trying to push his hood back up. “Go on, Hero of Warriors! Sight is the hardest for him.”

 

“Is not!” Wild protested. He could feel the heavy stares of everyone else watching him. Wolfie yawns lazily, uninterested.

 

“Go ahead?” Warriors asked, sounding uncertain. Wild let out a louder growl as he used two hands to try to pry Zelda off his hood. She saton his shoulder, using both of her hands in retaliation.

 

“You don’t have to if you don’t want to!” He called out, voice muffled by the pillows his head was buried in.

 

“Um, okay?” He heard Warriors say.

 

“See? He doesn’t want to!” He told Zelda, bringing his feet up to try to push her hands off.

 

“He never said that!” She used her own feet to block him, resulting in more of her weight resting on him.

 

“Sure he did!” Wild argued, trying to twist away.

 

“You didn’t even give him time to start!” Unfortunately, Zelda was learning how to avoid that trick. All he managed to do was pull his cloak higher against his throat.

 

“I did! I actually waited very very patiently!” He denied as he wiggled in place.

 

“Well, yes, I suppose you did. Oh, you’re just grumpy because you didn’t get to play.” Zelda teased him, her smile audible even as she ruthlessly refused to let go. Wild grumbled, stuck because, well, she wasn’t wrong. He did want to play, and technically, she could still let him.

 

“Question!” Time interrupted, interested. “Play what, exactly? A game?”

 

“Yes!” Zelda chirped brightly.

 

“No!” Wild denied, flushing at the realization that, no Warriors was not, in fact, trying to bond with a friendly game. He was just being friendly in the physically rough manner that he used. Wild was wrong, and he had assumed incorrectly and had made a fool of himself and darn it, now maybe he was going to need a third first impression!

 

“Well, which is it?” Sky wondered.

 

“It’s...” Wild gave a halfhearted tug from under Zelda’s hands, and sighed when she refused to let his hood budge. “It’s a game.” He said reluctantly. “I’m sorry, Warriors. I shouldn’t have expected you to know about it.” He added quietly, cautiously lowering his feet now that Zelda was also relaxing her weight off of him.

 

“We play it quite often, especially when the New Champions are all gathered together. Prince Sidon was actually the one who sort of started it, but oh it’s Link’s very favorite!” Wild could feel his ears blushing, and he was momentarily glad to have his head covered the way it was.

“How do you play?” Wind wondered.

 

“First, you must take away a sense. Link gets so worked up about his sight.”

 

“I do not.” Wild grumbled, but not too loudly. He still shifted his feet, ready to stand up quickly.

 

“The rules are simple. You must go through the rest of your senses and identify decreasing amounts of items with each sense. For instance, if one takes away hearing, then you must find four things with sight, three from your sense of touch, two more with say your sense of taste, and then one thing from your sense of smell. All the while not using the sense you took away to navigate. You can be lenient, as there are senses that go together, but sight is the hardest yet. Hence,” Zelda let go of one hand, no doubt to gesture to Wild.

 

“Um...”

 

“Watch. Link, my dear, I’m going to count down five seconds for each sense, and then you’re going to name your sight without using your sight.” Wild took a deep breath, letting it out roughly as he prepared himself.

 

“What?”

 

“How does that work?”

 

Zelda let go of him, and Wild scrambled to his feet.

 

“Five!”

 

Wild dragged his hands along the pillows, thinking of the materials they were made of while listening to everyone shifting where they were.

 

“Silk!” He snagged a bigger pillow, looking for the one he knew was different.

 

“Four!”

 

“Canvas!” He barked out, tossing the rough pillow away to reach out to Wolfie.

 

“Three!”

 

“Fur!” He said as quickly as he touched warm fur, dragging his hand to Wolfie’s head to pet him and finding the beast’s mouth unexpectedly as Wolfie moved to look at him. “Ugh! Saliva.” He grimaced before wiping his hand on Wolfie's head.

 

“Four senses of touch, restarting countdown. Five!” Wild reached for the table further ahead of him, tripping on someone’s leg when they didn’t move fast enough. He found a plate by accident, slapping his hand in the middle, and licked it anyway. “Four!”

 

“Frosting!” He called, cautiously trying to find the cake. But, nothing was on the table, so he fumbled to a different one.

 

“Three!”

 

“Arg!” Wild snarled, tripping on a pillow before finding the corner of another table. It had a bowl on it, and inside was something hard. He shoved it in his mouth, and it was fruity.

 

“Two!”

 

“Candied wild berries!” He called out as he stood up, growling in agitation as his mind blanked. He chewed the candy agitatedly. His ears heard a sound from next to him, and his feelings told him there was someone watching him, so he reached for them.

 

“One!”

 

“Stop moving!” He growled as he missed them. In his hand was a sleeve, and with his other hand, he pulled them closer by the shoulder. He pushed his face into the other’s neck, nosing skin and hair and then licking. “Legend’s sweat!”

 

“You licked me!”

 

“Ahahah!!”

 

“Three- hahaha! Three senses of taste!” Zelda giggled loudly. “Re-restating countdown!” She tried to say calmly and mostly succeeding. “Five!”

 

Wild let out a keen in the back of his throat as he mentally listed the senses in his mind. Sight would be last, and he did Taste and Touch. He needed Scent and Hearing now. Tilting his head, he tried to take in the smells of the room but was mostly overwhelmed by his lack of memory from the notes he made earlier in wake of his frantic actions.

 

“Four!” Wild groaned, trying to smell the air, but mostly just repeatedly finding things he had already named. Cake, Wolfie, the smell of sweat from the men around him.

 

“Three!” Wild trembled, stuck and unable to figure out what to do. Zelda was laughing still, so he bounded towards her. “Ahh!” With a shriek of surprise, she fell back as Wild ran into her. She squealed as he snuffled her hair.

 

“Perfume a la Silent Princess!” He crowed before darting to the dinner table, stumbling over another table on the way. His knees were going to be bruised, and stained from desserts, but he ignored that for now as he rushed forward to the long dining table in the middle of the room

 

“Two!” Zelda counted as he made it. Wild sniffed the air above the table, confident the waiters had left some serving plates still.

 

“Gravy!”

 

“Two senses of scent! Restarting countdown! Five!”

 

Wild cautiously returned to the group, depending on Zelda’s voice to orient himself. The others were quiet, no doubt staring at him while he played.

 

“Four!” His heart was racing, and all he could hear was his own breathing.

 

“Three!” Before, he could hear the castle. He could hear things outside. He could hear the voices of everyone in the room.

 

“Two!” Now it was only Zelda, and by the very nature of counting down he wasn’t allowed to name her.

 

Wild let out a snarl of frustration, before giving in to his urges and taking the pillow at his feet to swing around him.

 

“Whoa!”

 

“Hey!”

 

“Watch it!”

 

“The Hero of Time!” Wild declared, reaching out to snag the man as proof of his decision.

 

He could hear everyone laughing now, and Zelda was breathless in amusement.

 

“One sense of hearing. Restarting countdown for the sense of sight without your sight. Five!”

 

“Light brown door!” Wild gestured to the double door that the waiters had used. “White and blue window!” He pointed to the window opposite of the room.

 

“Four!” Wild panted, trying to think.

 

“Uh. Uh...Wooden table!” He said, doing his best to point to one of the tables he had tripped over.

 

“Three!” Wild snarled, blanking and certain that everyone had moved around.

 

“Metal sconce!” He yelled, gesturing to the light he was certain was hanging on the wall above Zelda’s right.

 

“Two!”

 

“Aarrgh!” Wild shrieked, unable to recall anything else. Zelda was also screaming, too amused to do anything but echo Wild’s heightened emotions.

 

“One!” Wild turned to the closest body to his and hoped that it was Warriors.

 

“Blue scarf!”

 

“Five senses of sight! Congratulations!” Zelda applauded cheerfully. Wild carefully opened his eyes, blinking to the bright colors of the room. He panted, feeling satisfied with his victory and relieved to see the others also looking cheerful.

 

“Anyone else wanna try?” He asked.

 

Everyone answered all at once, and Wild wondered if this was his second chance.

 

He still had his plan to go through, but this? This was still good. It felt, just, good.

Notes:

The Rito are a close-knit community because they are a flock. (Also, Molli looks very similar to Saki. Hmmm…) I'm just kidding. There's a reason I say Molli calls Saki Auntie. I'm pretty sure her sister used to be in the picture, but now she's not. I like to think Molli's mother was also a warrior, but had fallen to Vah Medoh. Is this why Saki is a little bitter about fighting? Maybe.

Goron’s like to say goro, ya know? Wild’s an honorary brother, and so he honors their traditions. The goron love him all the more for it. He's a goron in a hylian body!

Wild’s apology had been written up at least two chapters ago, but it was a struggle to get to that point, as well as end it. But then I realized, you know what? I’ve given Zelda the gift of inconvenience! The tea party interruption had been something I made unintentional. But if it happened in the game, then that’s a real thing! You guys wanna know the biggest inconvenient interruption in BotW? Calamity Ganon. Specifically, when Mipha was trying to say something serious when out of nowhere- boom! Ganon arrives to interrupt. Good job, Zelda. We’re gonna lay that on you.

The Senses Game: Wild Edition was brought to you by Prince Sidon. He had meant to help our Wild child out of a random panic attack, but the boy loved the idea so much it became a game instead. Now it’s a bonding ritual between all the New Champions. Does this actually exist as a game? I have no idea. Is such a thing actually used for panic attacks? Yes, actually, it is. Just, without the countdown. It’s supposed to be a grounding thing. I can’t really tell you how effective it is though, as I don’t really use it myself. My personal grounding mechanism used to be breathing to the second hand of my watch.

I was given a recommended video to watch a while ago, and it brought me back into the wonderful world of gaming music videos. So, here’s a beautiful little song that I think is horribly perfect for the pain that Zelda suffers under her Princesshood that fortunately she no longer struggles with as a Queen. Ever heard of The Cost of the Crown? I recommend this YouTube video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v2knNXsHhRc