Work Text:
The Chain has never been to a Hyrule like this before.
Most of their Hyrules are full of civilizations; small towns and hamlets mixed with villages and cities. This Hyrule, however, is devoid of civilized life, but where it lacks in civilization it makes up for in the life from nature.
All their Hyrules have nature of course, but it’s just that. Just nature. Leaves, trees, flowers, grass, the end. Nothing special about it.
This Hyrule, however…
Something stirs under every rock, every tree. There is a sort of life that oozes into the Chain’s veins like sunlight on skin. As said sun sets, it paints the sky vibrant pinks and oranges that the Chain can only dream of finding in their own worlds. The sunset paints even the world pink, turning green leaves and brown wood rose tinted.
The forest exerts some odd sort of energy, a weird hum throughout the land. None of them can place why the world feels like it does, until Legend whispers, “Magic.”
The others turn to look at him, and Roolie nods. “Magic.”
“Magic where?” Warriors asks.
“Everywhere, I think.” Legend says. “It feels like the whole world has magic. It’s weird.”
“That’s not how that works.” Wars replies.
“You don’t know that.” Wind argues.
Legend starts to reply to Wars, but pauses, then turns, staring at something. “There.” He says, pointing.
“There?” Time echoes, his voice a question.
“There’s something there.” Legend repeats. “It’s stronger in that direction.”
“Let’s go then!” Wind shouts, running in the direction Legend had been pointing.
The Traveler runs after him, followed by the Vet.
Time rolls his eyes. “Don’t go too fast!” He shouts, cupping his hands around his mouth to project his voice better. “You don’t know if they’re dangerous!”
Twilight sighs. “Whole bunch of ‘em are ‘ooligans.”
“It gets worse when they’re tired, to be fair.” Wars mutters.
“Which feels like an oxymoron.” Four adds.
“Let’s catch up to them before they get themselves into a fight.” Time says, following the trio in front of them.
The forest is darker in this part, now bathed in hues of blue and teal rather than the pink that surrounds the rest of the woods. The glow is still there, though, and arguably more than in the other part of the woods. The Chain is back together now, as the trio had paused to stare at their surroundings.
Twilight’s ear twitches and he frowns, brows furrowing. The others pause, straining to hear what Twilight is hearing.
Just footsteps.
The footsteps pause, then quicken in pace, but suddenly stop again. Twilight exchanges a glance with Warriors.
Check it out? Twilight asks with a quirk of the head.
Check it out. Wars repeats with a nod. He draws his sword and Twilight does the same.
They motion for the others to stay, then slowly stalk through the forest until they come across a… Hylian? A spirit?
It’s male, at least it looks male. If he’s Hylian, he’s the oddest Hylian Twilight or Wars have ever seen.
He is cloaked in a dark blue hood full of designs similar to the rings of a tree or the wood from said tree, but there are other images on the hood. Twilight spots a flower and something that may be the triforce of courage. A blue tunic with leathers pokes from underneath the dark blue fabric. The boy pulls the hood down, and Twilight sees antlers- no, antennae- poking from the top of his head. The antennae are nested in long teal white hair, though it’s hard to tell the original underneath the teal glow, so far all the Rancher knew the hair could be bright red (that seemed unlikely, though). The antennae are also glowing. As the boy sits and pulls a sword from its sheath and begins to clean it, they can notice his arms don’t match. One is kind of normal, the only thing odd is the blue glow that it emits. The other hand, though, is black and covered in odd geometric shapes, and the nails are more claw than nails.
His ear, which they now notice is blue and furry and also glowing, twitches, and he looks up, blue and black eyes making contact with Warriors and Twilight’s. The side of his face is covered in scarring; glowing, indented lines crisscross and snake down his neck. The boy- spirit- something stands, guiding his sword into a fighting position. As he stands they notice a fluffy blue tail swish behind him and puffing up as it does.
The glow that surrounds the boy spirit grows more intense, and he growls as he watches the pair. The Captain raises his sword.
The boy spirit growls, baring fangs as the canopy of leaves seems to grow, darkening the area.
Twilight squints, staring at the boy spirit. He seems familiar to the Rancher, though he doesn’t know why.
“Drop the sword and there won’t be a fight.” Warriors tries.
The boy spirit scowls, looking Wars up and down. He does it again. Then a third time. The boy spirit then tilts his head, confusion on his face.
“I’m not lying.” Wars promises.
The boy spirit’s scowl lessens into a frown, and he points at the two of them. His expression is still wary but isn’t as aggressive. He points to them again, then mimes talking with his hand.
“I’m Twilight, and this is Warriors.” Twi says, assuming that may be what the boy spirit is looking for. Normally, the other party makes a remark about the odd names, but the boy spirit just shrugs and continues staring.
“This is normally the part of the conversation where you say your name.” Warriors says.
The boy spirit’s ear twitches again, and he scratches at it with the clawed hand, his opposite leg kicking into the ground quickly as he scratches. He whines and keeps scratching it.
Warriors stares at the boy spirit before slowly turning to Twilight. Twilight looks at the Captain before looking back at the boy spirit. “Can you talk?” The Rancher asks. The boy spirit makes a ‘so-so’ motion with his hand, which is still holding the sword, and he’s still scratching at his ear with the other hand.
“What does that mean? You can’t kind of talk!” Warriors says. The boy spirit flinches at the Captain’s words.
“Can speak. Sometimes. Hard. Don’t like.” The boy spirit says softly. Then he pauses, thinking. “Don’t like all times. Like sometimes.”
“Can you tell us your name?” Twilight asks gently.
“The Wild.” The boy spirit whispers.
Warriors’ brows shoot up. “The Wild?” The boy spirit nods. “Do you want to elaborate on that?” The boy spirit shakes his head. “I'm just gonna call you Wild.” Wars says.
The boy spirit- Wild- shrugs, still scratching at his ear. “Do ya need help?” Twilight asks.
The boy spirit huffs and shakes his head firmly, turning away. He kneels, and Twilight realizes he has a pack. He pulls a pot out as well as some meat and spices. “Any chance you could spare some for us?” Warriors asks. Wild shrugs, starting a fire and tossing the meat in. “Is that a yes or a no?” The Captain frowns.
Wild shrugs again, but adds more meat to the pot. “You wanna go get the others?” The Captain asks Twilight.
“I don’ wanna scare ‘im.” Twilight replies.
“Know others there.” Wild says, not looking up from his pot. “Hungry?” He tilts his head, though still doesn’t look up.
“Yes.” Twilight says.
“Get.” Wild responds, pulling more meat and spices out and adding it to the pot. “Don’t attack. Will beat.”
Twilight doubts that, but he goes through the underbrush until he finds the rest of the Chain anyway. “I found someone that may actually know how to cook.”
“Fuck yeah, actual food!!” Wind shouts, pumping both fists in the air.
“Language!” Time says. Wind rolls his eyes and starts rushing towards the clearing.
The rest of the Chain follows. “Oh thank the goddesses.” Sky whispers, and he and Twilight follow the Chain back to the clearing.
—
Hylians are odd.
Yes, the Wild used to be a Hylian, used to be Link, and he supposed he still was in formal settings. In nature and with the Spirit of the Sword, he is the Wild, as that is what the Sword Spirit calls him. He never understood the customs he participated in, and he understands them even less since being granted a third chance at life by the Lord of the Mountain. He just wanted to set up camp for the night, but had heard talking. He decided to ignore it in favor of cleaning Fi. He had to get back to the castle at some point, Zelda is there, but she knows he liked to be near his namesake much more than being cooped up, and she probably wouldn't mind him staying out here. She always understands him, and likes him despite his oddities, which persist even when he tries to mask it with both his behavior and magic.
Then two Hylians come into the clearing with their swords raised. They introduce themselves as Twilight and Warriors. He supposes the names make sense. Twilight feels like stars in the sky and wolves in the night, while Warriors feels like command and war but also an odd softness that the Wild does not associate with war or warriors.
Twilight goes to retrieve the rest of his group after Wild gives the okay. Normally, the Wild avoided talking, since it meant he couldn't mask his ‘oddities’ as well. But these two required communication. Unfortunately.
So the Wild communicated as best he could.
And as punishment he ends up surrounded by more Hylians. Oh well. They sprawl out on the grass. Some of the Hylians are speaking, it sounds like arguing.
The child approaches the fire. He feels of salt and breeze and sea and family, and the last feeling is one he only feels with Zelda and sometimes the Sages, never anyone else. It’s a feeling foreign enough that the Wild flinches. The child scowls. “Rude.” He says, turning and walking away.
The Wild does not know what he did that was rude. He only reacted accordingly to the child. Wind. The sword spirit whispers. The name of the child, perhaps.
Someone else comes close, he feels of music and masks, and that feeling gives Wild a kinship he doesn’t understand. Time, Fi informs him.
“What are you making?” Time asks.
The Wild doesn’t reply, focusing on his cooking. The man of masks will know what the Wild has made when the food is ready.
Then, he remembers Zelda’s words. “It’s polite to respond when someone asks you a question. Even if you think the question is silly.”
“Meat. And spices. Vegetables. Maybe.” Wild says.
“Maybe?” Time asks.
“Depends on hunger.” Wild replies.
“Oh. Alright. Well, either way is fine with us.” Time says.
Wild doesn't respond. One of the songs he feels from Time grows louder, and Wild finds himself humming it as he cooks.
He hears whispering from some of the Hylians but blocks it out in favor of focusing on cooking. His tail swishes a bit as he finishes and divides the food up. He stands, handing a portion to four of the eight Hylians. “What's with the flowers?” The smallest Hylian asks and gestures, he- they?- feel of swirling colors, red and blue and green and violet, the colors momentarily clouding Wild’s own vision.
Wild tilts his head, then looks down. Flowers had been blooming wherever Wild walked. It's a result of his magic, he knows. Normally he keeps the magic contained, especially when around others, but he'd forgotten to reel it in this time. He doesn't answer the question, instead his ear flicks and he goes back to the fire. Then he remembers Zelda's words, again, and decides to actually respond. Before he can though, someone else does. “You're the magic.” The voice feels the most similar to how the Wild feels, the voice feels of open fields and desolate land and exploration and freedom.
Hyrule, the sword whispers. Up until this point, Wild has just been rolling with the names. But the name of the land itself?
The Wild frowns, his ear and tail both flicking. “Why are you named after the land?” He asks the voice, though he is still making portions for the other Hylians as he speaks.
“What?” Hyrule asks.
“Why are you named after the land?” Wild repeats, tilting his head to the side as he looks at Hyrule.
“No I heard you, I'm just confused.”
Oh.
“Your name.” The Wild clarifies. “Hyrule. But the nation is Hyrule. The word is the same. Why?”
“Do you know all our names?” Wind asks.
“Time. Wind. Twilight. Warriors. Hyrule. Why is Hyrule named that? Is he named after the land? Who names their kid after the land? I understand Hylians have strange customs-”
“Do you know the others?” Time asks, interrupting Wild.
Wild starts to pass out the plates to the other Hylians.
“You should speak when spoken to.” Warriors says in a voice with a slightly raised volume and clipping the ends of his words. Wi-Link pauses, recalling the captain of his guard telling him that as a child, before he learned how to rid himself of his habits. He remembers having to repeat the same thing to his own men, both before the Calamity and even after being resurrected twice. Link says those things though, not Wild.
“Apologies.” Link says softly. “I don’t know the others.”
“How do you know the names that you do?” Time asks in a gentle voice.
Wild passes out the rest of the plates. When he finishes, he looks at Time. “The Sword tells me.”
Time blinks. “A sword.”
“A sword?” Another Hylian asks at the same time, he feels of clouds and sky islands and wings. The sword spirit sings at the Hylian’s words, and immediately says Sky to Wild.
“Yes, sir.” Link replies to Time.
“How-” Time pauses, thinking. “well.” He turns to Sky. “Do you think…?”
“It’s possible.” Sky replies. The sword hums louder at the man’s words.
I don’t think he can hear you, the Wild whispers to Fi in the form of a hum.
“Could you pull that sword out?” Time asks, turning back to Link.
Link nods, beginning to pull out the Sword, but he pauses as he hears a noise that sounds like a growl. He looks around, eyes scanning. Monsters know not to come into this part of the forest, this is where he comes when he needs a breather, and he always cloaks the area with enough magic monsters don’t dare approach. So why is one nearby?
He hears another growl, and begins to follow it through the woods, ignoring how the Hylians shout. He finds a lynel. He knows there’s a lynel that makes its home in a nearby field, but that is all the way over Satori’s mountain, too far away for it to wander this way by accident.
The lynel seems to be running towards something.
The Hylians?
Wild supposes he could let the Hylians die, but that would not be very good or nice, and Fi would probably be upset and quit talking to him. He still didn’t know why Hyrule was called that, or why Time felt of song instead of clocks. He pulled a bow and arrow out, knocking two arrows. He aimed one at the lynel’s hide and the other at its face, and loosed both arrows. They hit their marks, and Wild ran forward, using the arrow in the hide to catapult himself. While in the air, time slows around him. He shoots six arrows into the lynel’s face, and draws the Sword properly just as time returns to her natural flow.
The Wild digs the Sword into the lynel’s neck, channeling the energy he has into the strike. The triangle on his hand glows in tandem with the triangle on his cloak.
The monster explodes in a mist of black and magenta, just like all the monsters in his world. A silent princess blooms where the monster once was, though it is in a sea of the materials and weapons the lynel left behind.
The Wild kneels to put the materials into his slate, along with the weapons. He then puts a hand to the silent princess and wills more to bloom. They do so rather quickly, and the Wild grins, giggling a little as his magic works. Zelda will be happy.
Satisfied, he stands and turns-
To see eight Hylians staring at him. “What the fuck!” Wind shouts.
“Language.” Time says.
“Is the language not Common?” Wild asks.
Wind giggles and the other Hylians chuckle. Wild doesn't know what's funny.
“That was insane!” The one of bright colors shouts excitedly, he feels mostly of red as he speaks.
“Yeah! You were all like fwoo fwoo fwoo-” Wind was, miming Wild's arrows, he thinks, “and then you were moving super fast and that lynel couldn't even think, and then you went hyah!-” Wind pulled out his own sword when making the noise, “and weeoo-” He put his hand out like he was trying to use magic, “and boom! Dead!!”
Wild watches Wind, then once the child is finished Wild turns and begins to walk back to the clearing.
“So, is that him orrr-?” Wild hears Hyrule ask.
“No yeah that's definitely him.” Another Hylian says, feeling of magic and travel and experience.
“Who's him?” Wild asks, tilting his head.
“You.” The unknown Hylian says.
“I would hope I'm the same person I was back at the clearing. It would be a bit odd if I weren't.” Wild says, ignoring the fact that his persona in formal settings is so far removed from his current self they can't really be the same person. That's not the point at the moment.
“Right, yes, same person. But we meant something else.” Hyrule says.
“Your name is the same as the land.” Wild says softly, wondering if maybe he'll get an answer as to why.
“That it is.” Hyrule says.
Wild nods to himself. They get back to the clearing, and Wild picks up his own plate, finally eating. Not his best work, but not half bad either.
It's good enough he eats the whole thing.
“So,” Time starts, “can we talk?”
Wild nods and points at Hyrule. “Same name as land.” He says. That’s talking, right?
“He's got a great memory, this one.” Hyrule remarks, glancing at the Hylian who feels of magic and travel.
Wild giggles. “Good. It used to be very bad. Still can't remember much.” He says with a grin.
Twilight pauses. “Wait… you wouldn't have happened to wake up in a shrine, would you?”
“I have happened.” Wild pauses then too. Proper grammar. “That did happen. To me.”
“Hm.” Twilight's brows furrow and he looks down with his eyes rather than full face.
Wild looks back at Hyrule. “Same name.”
Hyrule angles his head behind him to look at the Hylian feeling of travel. “Maybe he's asking why the names are the same? Like earlier.” The Hylian says. Finally, someone gets it.
“Ohhhhh! Oh! That makes sense.” Hyrule nods then looks at Wild. “The names are the same because Hyrule is a nickname.”
“Nickname?”
“Yes. All our names that you know are nicknames, or titles may be a better word.”
“Title? Of a book?” Wild recalls the books in the library. The royal cookbook was always his favorite, but Zelda likes all the books.
“No, of-” Hyrule starts.
“Of which hero we are.” Time says. “We're all heroes, you see. And we all have the same ‘original’ name. Link.”
“Not Link.” Wild says.
“What do you mean?” Twilight asks.
Wild's ear itches and he starts to scratch at it, getting distracted. “Let me try something.” Twilight whispers before approaching Wild and starting to scratch at the ear. Wild whines happily, his leg kicking rapidly as he pushes his entire body weight against Twilight. He feels the man’s body jolt but the hand is still on the furry ear and scratching there so Wild is happy. His tail wags and he clutches onto Twilight's shirt with both hands, fidgeting with it. “Can you tell us what you mean by ‘not Link'?”
“Uhhh… Don't feel like ‘Link’ much.”
“Why?” Wild sees something on Twilight's shirt and picks at it. “Is it because you don't look Hylian anymore?”
“Yes.” Wild replies. “Don’t feel Hylian. Can be ‘Link’ sometimes, but feels weird. Like a mask.”
“I know a thing or two about that.” Time mutters.
“About masks?” Wild asks, still concentrating on Twilight.
“Yeah.” Time says. “It feels like, you can try to make it you, but you know it’s not.”
“Yes.” Wild says. “Used to be me. Can be like me sometimes. But… it feels weird, wrong. I don’t like it.”
“What did you mean when you said you don’t feel Hylian?” Twilight asks.
“I’m not Hylian.” Wild says. “Not anymore.”
“Can I ask what you are then?” Twilight asks.
“Spirit.” Wild says.
“Spirits phase through things.” Wind points out.
“Special spirit. Worked it out with Satori and Hylia.”
“Right, of course.” The seasoned Hylian says. Legend, the sword whispers to him. Finally.
“So, you’re a spirit. Does that mean you don’t feel the same way you did as a Hylian?” Time asks. Wild doesn’t respond, shutting his eyes and feeling the hand in his ear.
The hand stops and Wild opens his eyes. “Answer Time’s question, Cub.” Twilight says softly.
Cub.
Wild likes that nickname.
“I never really felt things like other Hylians. I don’t think I did, anyway. Got yelled at a lot as a kid.” Wild says. “Always felt… like I was wrong. Being a spirit just makes it…” He shrugs. “Harder? To try to fit in.”
“I experienced something similar when I was younger.” Time says. “I kind of get what you’re going through, but I won’t say I know for sure.”
Wild nods. His glow is the only source of light now, as the sun has fully set.
“Him being a spirit also explains why he can hear the Sword.” Hyrule says.
“Why?” Sky asks.
“Well, Fi is a spirit. Wild is a spirit. Makes sense they hear each other better.” Hyrule says with a shrug.
“I don’t understand the nickname.” Wild mumbles.
“Right! That was the original thing I wanted to talk to you about.” Time said, suddenly reminded. Wild looks up at Time, tilting his head. “We’re all Link. Because, well, we’re all Heroes.” Time smiles a bit. “And you are too.”
Wild shakes his head rapidly.
Heroes? Wild isn’t a hero. Only Link is. Weird spirit things aren’t heroes. That doesn’t even make sense.
“Wild, I just watched you take down that monster like it was fun.” It was fun. “Monsters like that normally take all of us to knock out, and someone always ends up injured-”
“Not always-” The Hylian feeling of colors says, but he feels more of metal and fire now rather than swirling colors.
“Almost always.” Time corrects. “Point is, Wild, you took it down like nothing. And you used the Master Sword, and the triforce of courage to do it. That about meets the criteria.”
Wild looks down at his feet. Then he begins loading up his pack, grabbing the plates from everybody and putting them in the pack. Then he turns and walks away. “Why are you leaving?” The child Hylian asks, catching up to Wild and walking alongside him.
“Not right.” Wild replies.
“What do you mean?”
“Not. Not a hero. You are wrong.”
“I am right.” Wild responds simply. “I am scary. I am weird. I know this.”
“Scary? No you’re not! You’re powerful, sure, but we could use someone like that on the team! Check Wars’ ego, y’know?” Wind says, and though Wild doesn’t look down he can tell the child is smiling.
Wild shrugs. “Still weird.”
Wind pauses, and Wild finds himself pausing with the child. “Dude.” Wind starts. “I had a lion boat and grew up on an island because the world flooded. Sky is dating a literal goddess. Twilight has– I don’t really know but there’s something, he disappears randomly– Four’s personality does 180s and 90s and 60s sometimes and we still don’t know why, Time has those markings on his face, Hyrule is part fae– we’re all weird, Wild! I don’t care if you’re ‘weird’ or ‘scary’, and if the others do,” Wind shrugs, “we’ll just kick their asses!” Wild frowns. “I can’t make you come back, I know you aren’t gonna listen to me, but I’m just saying, you seem really cool and it’d be cool to have you.” Wild bites his lip. He scratches at his ear, then touches his antennae self consciously. “Having a spirit brother is also really cool. Speaking of, your hair looks so fluffy!! Can I touch it?” Wild raises an eyebrow. “Was that bad? I can take it back. I’ll take it back. I’m sorry-”
Wild turns and sits, making sure his hair is in front of Wind.
“Oh, I kinda meant when we got back to camp, the others are gonna sleep in that clearing since it feels safe-” Wild smiled and his tail wagged at the news his magic still worked in that area, the lynel had been a fluke- “but this works too!”