Chapter Text
Link liked to talk to people. Solve their problems. Go on little quests and adventures. What's the problem with that? I mean, the Yiga Clan is a bit of a concern, but they're pretty easy to spot and avoid. He would often go up to merchants and travelers, seeing what they have to sell. He always loved seeing what new and rare things they might have.
...Except you don't ever see a group of eight heavily armed men just... Walking around in the forest. They looked friendly enough. He could see them happily bantering and laughing together, so they weren't that alarming. It's just that it was such a big group.
I guess I can just go see what they're up to. If anything goes wrong, I can just use my Sheikah Slate to teleport away, right? That made sense. He was pretty reckless anyways.
He strode up to them as they started settling in a large clearing, confident to find out what was up with this gigantic group of theirs. A few of them looked up at him as he approached, and he realized that not all of them were adults. He saw a young teen boy, gleefully perched on an older's shoulders. ...And maybe some others. He wasn't sure. That one over there in the strange colorful tunic was awfully small.
But that wasn't what he was here for! He had to know why these people were here. "That's an awfully large group you got there." Link said to one of them. They seemed surprised that he came up and talked to them. Maybe they weren't expecting someone to be brave enough to talk to their big group. Some started muttering things to each other, like "Who is this?" "Can we trust him?" "Is it him?" Did they not know he could hear them or something? Maybe they were just frightened by his scars. They were pretty nasty! They're a good conversation starter, though.
Finally, one of them spoke. "Yeah, we get that a lot. We're traveling around Hyrule, just killing monsters and stuff." This man had light brown hair, strange black markings on his forehead, a kind of dark pelt over his shoulders, and a green tunic. Actually, quite a few of them were wearing green. Weird.
Link was surprised that people were actually trying to take care of the monsters, though. "I give you guys props for that! Not many are brave enough to deal with those guys." He praised.
"Thanks! We're REAL STRONG, man!" The young boy said. He was dressed in blue, a bit lighter than his Champion's Tunic. "With all eight of us, we can take out monsters super easy!" Link liked this kid. Lots of energy. He wondered how he would like shield surfing...?
"Have you guys eaten yet? I'm getting hungry. Maybe I could make you something!" Link asked. He thought that these guys would like his cooking. What should he make, though?
"Oh- no thanks! We're good." One of them said. Why would he say that? It's free food. "Don't need another round of Sky's cooking..." he mumbled. Oh. It seems they were afraid. Afraid it would turn out bad like Sky's. Whoever Sky was. He would show them! He would show them just how good his cooking is.
"Nah, I insist." Link savored the look of fear that flitted across his face. He snickered to himself as they helplessly tried to make excuses to get out of his cooking. "Oh- well... I'm not that hungry!" "You don't really have to!" "Save the effort. We're fine!" This would make his food all the better.
He had thought that the leader of the group- or whoever he was- (He looked cool! In a higher position! Golden armor! Stern!) would put a stop to this and make them let him make dinner for them all, but he just looked over them with a smirk. So it seems he was enjoying this as well. A man of culture!
"There's nothing you can do about it!" Link snickered, "You're all going to have to eat my delicious food!" There were many mixed reactions to this one.
The person who had objected the first time- one with a streak of pink hair- (such emo) had said, "I seriously doubt that." Which started a whole bunch of betting and arguing. It was hilarious. (Yup, he's definitely emo. Getting edgy teen vibes from that one, even if he's not a teen)
Link started thinking about what to make. Perhaps a soup? Fish? Bird? Fruit? Hmm... Eventually, he settled on a savory gourmet steak, one of his favorites. He was debating on making a glazed steak, but decided that they might not like honey on their steak. It was kind of controversial right now, and he didn't want any of them to not like it, so he just decided on a beautiful, delicious, gourmet steak.
He worked on preparing the steak and seasoning it, and then let it sit over the fire to simmer. While it was doing that, he decided to at least learn all of their names. "So... What're y'all's names?" He asked. It was getting confusing to not know.
Leader-Guy's name was actually Time. The one with the pelt on his shoulders was Twilight. Emo Boy is Legend. Colorful baby man is Four, who, is not a child, he checked. Actual child with the blue shirt is Wind. Warriors, who had had Wind on his shoulders when he arrived, was very refined and sleek. You could tell that he spent a lot of time on his looks. He has a long blue scarf. Hyrule hadn't said much to him yet. He carried a few potions and stuff with him. Sky, who apparently had horrible cooking skills, sat and spoke with a few of the others. They all had kind of odd names, but who was he to judge? People could just... Have weird names. No matter, he could ask about it later.
He had sat and talked with them a bit more until the steak was done. The delicious aroma was all throughout the camp now. Legend still wouldn't budge on his claim that it would be disgusting, though.
"C'mon, Leg!" Warriors said, "You can still change your mind! Can't you smell it? You don't really want to lose your rupees to this guy riiiiight?" He gestured towards Hyrule, and he and Legend both exclaimed "Hey!" at the same time. Legend wouldn't back down, though, even if it meant his money. This man and his pride, geez.
He passed out all the steaks to them, and then finally took one for himself. He gave them permission to eat it, and it was amazing. He thought Legend died. It seems Hyrule would be getting a few rupees richer today!
Wind had been the first to say something, though. "OH GOSH HE CAN COOK!" Wind cheered, practically inhaling his piece of steak that Link had cooked for everyone, and looked adorably offended when the cook declined his pleading for more.
"Wait... can none of you cook?" Link asked, looking a bit horrified at the thought.
"HEY, I can kind of cook..." Sky mumbled over his mouthful of meat.
"Oh yeah?" Legend snapped, "Can you show us anything other than 'roast it over the fire until it's not raw'? Your cooking is just plain meat! No seasoning at all!"
"Think you can do better...?" Warriors mumbled, and he was fortunate that Legend hadn't heard.
"HEY! I use seasonings sometimes!" Sky retorted.
"Yeah? And what's that? Mushroom spores?" Legend bit back.
"I just like how they taste! I don't make you eat your food with them!"
"WELL YOU EAT THEM SO THAT'S BASICALLY ME EATING THEM!"
Sky let out a frustrated yell, receiving a smug look from Legend. It seemed Time could tell that Link was getting a bit uncomfortable with all the yelling, so he interfered before it could get any worse. He silently thanked the older man. (Even though a small part of him was secretly enjoying it)
They all finished their food eventually, though trying to savor it. Apparently they hadn't had good food in weeks. He couldn't bear to live like that. Link was so glad he could cook.
"Hey, by the way..." Four started, "You never told us your name." Oh, right. He didn't often do that, since the whole YOU'RE-THE-FREAKING-HERO thing usually happens. He couldn't tell these guys, could he? Never! He doubted they would really react too much, but he wanted to toy with them a bit more. So, if a bit cheekily, he responded, "You don't get to know!" Even at the complaints of the others, he held his ground and didn't tell them his name. Eventually he bid them farewell, because that's probably the last they'll see of him, and smugly teleported away.
He relished the shocked and slightly panicked yells and stares of the others as he practically evaporated in front of their eyes.
Link liked these people, however strange they may be. He sure hoped this wouldn't be the last time he saw them.