#Step on me Puppet Zelda

[sheikfangirl]

"This is more me. Don't you think, Hero?" 🔥

Shout-out to my ZHS buddy @chihuahuana!! She suggested Puppet Zelda in a Gloom Dess, inspired by THIS 👇 ...i had absolutely no other choice but to draw it 🤣🤷‍♀️

She my Lady and Master. I love her okay! T_T

✋Glory to Puppet Zelda !

[amariaarts]

been thinking a lot lately about puppet zelda 😍

[jxsterr]

i just might not be in the right circles but i don’t think we realise just how fucked up puppet zelda was for link to have to encounter. like the one thing that stuck out to me SPECIFICALLY was the crisis at hyrule castle questline that has link hopelessly run around after something that looks like zelda and sounds enough like her but you know there’s something deeply wrong. it was enough to disturb me when i played through it, just how close her voice was to being correct but being too solemn, being just a little too wispy, too repetitive. there’s so many things about the way she speaks that’s only a little bit off, something that a man like link, blinded and delusional by grief, would miss. he’d know deep down in his gut something is wrong, it sounds so much like her but nothing like her at the same time. every time she beckons for him his chest tightens and he feels sick and he doesn’t know why, but he does deep down. he knows this isn’t her, can’t be her, or that if it is something is deeply wrong and both outcomes are less than desirable. it’s so fucked up because realistically he isn’t going to know if he’s ever going to see her again. for all he knows she could remain wandering the putrid soils of the depths for the rest of time, but here her corpse is, being paraded around as if she truly was zelda when she’s nothing but an imposter in the skin of his lover.

so he runs and runs and fights tooth and nail for her and continuously gets close enough to just about touch her but then she disappears and almost taunts him, tells him she’s waiting and he’s growing frustrated because goddess why won’t you just stay put and let me come to you?? i’m coming, i’m trying but you keep running from me. please stop running from me. his mind is begging, pleading for her, screaming i need you i need you like a lost child because he is without her. he’s lost and a shell of the man he used to be, she is his other half and without her he’s downright nonfunctional. and despite the heartbreak of her constantly disappearing he still keeps trying, keeps following her and grows more and more desperate because he’s so close and now they’re in the sanctum and she’s stopped and maybe this is his chance so he takes a step forward and she’s doing it again. she’s taunting him, dancing around him while all he can do is turn around aimlessly in an attempt to follow her. but even then he doesn’t stop for a moment to think if this is zelda, what she’s doing is cruel because he’s far too hung up on the possibility of her being with him again he doesn’t even stop to get upset at her, doesn’t question why she’s torturing him and keeps his focus on getting to her. it’s things like this that show you why zelda has so much trust that he will be able to defeat ganondorf because he’s never stopped chasing after her and saving the world for her and he never will. she could fall and he would catch her, she could die and he would save her, she could be a husk of who she once was and he would still love her. it’s undying loyalty, unwavering love and determination to make sure she’s okay because to him, zelda is everything.

but then she stops and gets so close he could walk over there and hold her again but it’s a lie. it all was. it’s nothing short of desvastating because even though he knew something was awry it still hurts to be proven right. to have scars so painfully ripped open again knowing that he’s back to square one. the emotional turmoil that that must have put him through had to have been insane, if not soul crushing. he’d be inconsolable, sobbing and cursing the very ground ganondorf stood upon to the point where the sages would have to escort him out of the sanctum only for him to fight them because they’re the only people he can take anything out on right now. but it’s not fair because it’s not their fault, and the way that riju hushes him and does her best to speak soothingly while sidon rubs his back makes him feel all the more guilty. so they all stay there, tulin and yunobo on high alert while link is sat on the ground, knees to his chest and weeping because he was so close. he cries and cries until his throat gives out and he’s dehydrated, until sidon has to scoop him up and take him back to lookout landing and he can’t even bear to tell purah what happened but she already knows. nothing breaks through that tough exterior but the dangled hope of zelda’s return being ripped from him. none of the sages want to leave him in this state, so they camp out in lookout landing. tulin does his best to chatter on about all the cool things he’s been doing to stop link from falling completely numb and shutting everything off and it does kind of work, link cracks the slightest of smiles when tulin tells him how he took out an entire monster hideout by himself. he’s lost his world but maybe he can figure out how to keep fighting for her with friends by his side. he’ll just have to see.

[wayfayrr]

Love like you ✧*.⚝⋆

Here's the 400 follower raffle grand prize for @wailing-whaler!! Got Sky and reader collecting rocks <3 This went a little off of the initial base, but they do definitely collect rocks together (what a geologist not going utterly obsessed with rocks? it's a miracle) But this was very fun to write!! just soft soft fluff with the soft sleepy boy himself.

[masterlist]

“I’m still sorry for dragging you into this by the way.”

“You aren’t, and you don’t need to keep apologising for something you would happily do again in a heartbeat.”

“I am - I really am, I didn’t mean to drag you here.”

“You are an awful liar.”

He drooped like a puppet cut from its strings at that, offended I bet for calling him out. Despite it being the truth, he knows as well as I do that he was bouncing from the walls when I was brought into the game, happier than I’ve ever seen anyone before in my life. And emotions are new for him, kinda. 

“No- I’m not.”

“Yes, you are.”

“Hmph.” 

“Come on, I’ve already said that I really don’t mind it, why are you still so pouty?”

“Cause I wanted to get out rather than trapping you here with me.”

Oh, that admission is new. He’s dodged the reason why he brought me here since it happened, so that makes sense more than anything… The way that he’s leaning on me is also new though, and nice despite his grumbles, which come to a halt as he snakes his arms around me and buries his head into my neck from behind with a soft sigh. 

“Look it doesn’t really matter right now, you’ve got to save zelda right? So we should really get going, gaepora asked me to help you and I really don’t want to make a bad impression.”

That got me a squeeze and a little whine, does - does he not want to save her?

“But no matter how fast I am impa is going to tell me I’m late anyway, so why does it matter… I just wanna spend time with you.”

…

How does he know that..?How does he know what will happen??? He - this is his first time going through this journey… right? But it isn’t is it, even though he’s been trying to act like it is it’s not. I’ve played through this game once already, and he can remember that. The acceptance of it is like a cold chill down my spine, Link already knows me and has been pretending that he doesn’t, half-heartedly but still pretending. Or has he? Just because he hasn’t said it outright doesn’t mean that he’s trying to hide it, maybe he just assumed I knew already. Either way, would I be bothered by him hiding it? It’s not insidious or anything, he’s just like a lovesick puppy. 

“...Love? You - are you alright? I didn’t say something wrong did I?”  

“I was just thinking… link did you know about before?”

“Before? You mean your other playthrough right?”

Well that settles that, he wasn’t trying to hide it. It was just never mentioned, no reason for it to be honest. No one on skyloft needs to know their entire life is a game which could be very easily overheard on the tiny island and sky thought that I knew he knew so why reiterate the obvious already. 

“Sure I didn’t remember completely right away but going through Faron with you here- here brought everything crashing back so quickly.”

His grip on my waist tightened for a split second before loosening, like he’s not sure if I’ll want to be held close now that he’s sharing this. It’s only made clearer by the sigh he lets out as he takes a step away from me.

“I mean I remember remembering you when I tried to get out now, it was like… like when you fell here, on skyloft that is, everything got locked away but since we met the elder kikwi, everything has come back including how felt about it all and how I fell in l-!”

“How you ‘fell in l-’, why’d you cut yourself off there link, I’d love to know what you were going to say.” 

Almost by instinct, my head turns to follow him as he’s fumbling about in his own flustered embarrassment, having said just a tiny bit more than he’d probably meant. Stopping himself mid-word so sharply you’d think he’d bit his tongue to force himself to stop, but not soon enough that I didn’t know what he meant anyway.  

I won’t lie to myself. It’s something strange to know, and honestly all of this is making way more questions than it answers. Questions that it will be pretty hard to get answers too really, for one he and I both know this is a game and yet I’m here - he’s practically a person and… and he’s said it himself. He fell in love with me. But, I don’t dislike that. I really don’t dislike that. 

“I - I fell in love with you, and how you act and all the little things you do and how you make even the smallest things seem exciting, and it’s why I wanted out so badly so that I could hold you close and tell you how much I love every part of you, from the way your hair falls, to the way you smile, how you collect things that others wouldn’t see worth in but you give them so much worth. I can’t even tell you just how much I’ve wanted to get out even if just for a second to hand you a crystal or even a cute pebble I think would bring a smile to your face - even if it meant I’d go back to being trapped in this hell afterwards.”

My face feels like it’s about to set alight, and not from being on an active volcano. He’s still rambling about what made him fall for me, and it’s only getting more and more natural, he’s getting more and more human over time. More real. As with all good things though, it has to come to an end with him looking up only to realise that he’s been going on for a good few minutes now. Ceasing up like a deer in headlights as he struggles to move his mouth again, almost reflexively licking his lips before glancing down confusedly. Better to break through the awkwardness now so that it won’t get any worse. 

“You know, I wouldn’t be against having a relationship with you…”

“- You wouldn’t - I thought that you… you’d… you’d-”

“But.”

“...b-but?”

“I think I’d like to get to know you first link.”

“Wh - What..?”

“Well, right now I haven’t spent much time with ‘you’ you, and I don’t think it’s fair for you if I’m dating you expecting to you to be exactly like the character the game had you as.”

It’s easy to tell he’s thinking about it, with the hurt but pensive look on his face from being denied something he so clearly wanted a yes to. 

“But, I think I’ve been starting to fall for you too, for who you are link. I’d like to spend some more time with you before we have anything romantic.”

He perked up at that, a lot. Which I don’t blame him for. 

“There’s plenty of time for that then, we aren’t in any rush are we?”

“But zelda-?”

“Even if we were to teleport to the end of the dungeon we’d still be too late. Why not take it slow?”

Despite his leather gauntlets his hands are still nice to hold with how he’s intertwined ours, sneaking his fingers so that they snake between mine. Pulling my hand up to rest up on his cheek, leaning into it with a gentle sigh. 

“You’ve talked about wanting rocks from Eldin to study before, how it looked like a different volcano to anything you’ve ever seen. What if we just I don't know, went off and got you as many as you could ever want of them?”

His eyes look almost pleading, begging for me just to say yes, to give him this precious time so that he can win me over to being with him romantically. And really, how could I dream of saying no? Since ending up in skyloft those few weeks ago he’s been nothing but kind, patient and caring towards me and plus even though I said I wouldn’t compare him to the character he’s come to life around, he’s still link. Still the kind-hearted hero that I fell in love with when playing the game for the very first time, who i grew to wish was real when reading comics about his journey, why shouldn’t I be a little selfish when he cares for me as much as I do for him?

“I-”

Biting down hard on his lip now, the pleading look in his eyes switching to something more akin to outright begging. Just for me to say yes. As if there were any other options available to me. 

“I think I’d love to do that with you sky, as long as you’re certain we have the time.”

No words needed to be said after that, his face lighting up like the sky at a new years celebration. I swear if you looked closely you’d be able to see the very fireworks he was initiating in his own eyes. All the while his face was graced with the softest grin I could have hoped to see. It was definitely the right thing to say. 

“So, do you have anywhere that you think would be good places to collect some?”

“You really think after all this I wouldn’t have somewhere nearby in mind?”

“It doesn’t hurt to ask though, does it?”

“Well my pride might have gotten a little bruised, but that’ll heal in time.”

“...Do you reckon a kiss could help speed up that healing?”

“...”

“Link? Are you alright?”

“Are- would you do that for me?”

“If it’ll help fix your pride then, of course… wouldn’t want an injured hero would we?”

That shut him up well and truly, not even his usual confused soft stutters could be hurt as it seemed his code bluescreened at that idea. A full reboot happening in the time it took his face to go through a multitude of different emotions, settling on a gentle, yet mildly confused, look of contentment. Kinda spelling out his answer for me, but still, I’ll wait for clear consent before doing anything more forward than a suggestion. 

“...”

“Take your time, there’s no rush on an answer.”

A nod. Clearly he doesn’t feel comfortable speaking right now, but that's more than fine. It’s not exactly like I’m not used to him being mute again, if anything it’s not an awkward silence as he leads me over to the spot he was thinking of. A small patch to the south of Eldin, littered with just so many different stones. A dream spot for any collector, so close to an active volcano to get fresh samples well as fresh as you can get without quenching the lava. 

Will they even be able to come back out with me? Link seems to think he would have been able to come out of the game, but that only dragged me in here instead. Can I even get - don't ruin this moment with that line of thinking. We can figure that out later. 

“Hey [name], mind coming over here for a moment?” 

“Hmm? Sure, it isn't an issue.”

Speaking again now is a good sign, clearly his brain - does he have one? - has finished dealing with the bombshell I dropped on it earlier. Moving over to him isn’t a bad thing to do though, with whatever he’s holding seemingly a pleasant surprise. As soon as I’m back in front of him, he takes my chin in his hand delicately tilting it upright as he stares into my eyes. Biting down on his lips as he thinks of what to say, lifting up his other hand to my eye level, like he’s comparing whatever he’s holding to them. 

“...It really is the same colour.”

“Oh, why didn’t you tell me we were doing that, I would have been looking as well.”

“No, no collect whatever you’d like for your own collection, I just… wanted to do something where I could still just um… admire your beauty really. If you don’t want this one then, I- I can just keep it instead.”

“I’ll keep it. Thank you link, but really now we've got to get you one too.”

[skyloftian-nutcase]

The idea of your Shadow Link needing hugs consumed my brain. So... here.

There was someone clinging to Naydra as she emerged from the Snowfield Chasm. Link didn't think many others could see the dragons, much less have the nerve to ride them. And Naydra's aura of frost never made that easy. And the frost-bitten-whoever-they-were was slipping. Link angled himself towards the falling form, calling first in a sharp whistle to try to get the tumbling form to steady themselves, then calling out to Tulin's Sage ability to push him into the other person.

“Hold on to me!” He called.They tried, but with the frozen air still whipping around them, the second Link deployed his paraglider, they slipped, and began falling once more. No no no no no he chanted, throwing himself into a dive once more. They weren't that far off the ground. He had a fairy, it wasn't the worst fall he'd had even in the last week, so he put himself between this dragon-rider and the ground and braced himself for impact.

It hurt, but no fairy fluttered out of his pouch so after giving himself and the other person a second to breathe, he started to move towards sitting up. The person in his arms was shivering violently, Link could feel them wincing in a way that said the cold was killing them like taking a plunge into the icy waters still would for him.

“I've never seen anyone else ride a dragon. Who--?”

They were dressed in some robe-thing that looked like a piece from the gloom set the bargainer statues gave. Gray-tinted skin, white hair... and red eyes pried open to look at him. It was that shade of a hero that the Demon King summoned. It reminded him uncomfortably of the Puppet the Yiga had been using to imitate Zelda. Link gasped despite himself.

“You're Raru's knight...” The Shade Hero murmured, trying to move away from Link and only falling to his knees instead.

“Zelda’s knight first.” He corrected. The Shade was thin, too thin, like a step away from being corpse-thin like the redeads. His forehead was bleeding sluggishly. The cold would kill him if whatever had been done to him didn't. He didn't have spare cold gear but he did still have a couple items from his trip up to the Stormwind Ark. “Here.” He pulled the simple mushroom, meat, and peppers skewer from his supplies. “Can you eat this? It'll stave off the cold for a few minutes. Long enough to get to a cave anyway...” The Shade looked at him skeptically but took the skewer and tentatively took a bite, then hurriedly scarfed the whole thing. He had even more questions now, concerning ones to think about. When was the last time the Shade ate? Did he need to? Something in the Shade's posture had his knight’s oath to protect screaming at him to act. He looked so...beaten down.

“Come on.” He gestured towards the exit from the snowfield. “There's a cave at the end of the promenade. You won't freeze there and I can start a fire and...” and maybe cook something else because you're clearly hurt and/or starving.

And so Link led the Demon King's Shade of the Hero down to the cave at the end of the Lanayru promenade. Once outside the wind and safe within the regulated temperature of the cave, he started a fire, then parked the Shade in front of it before setting up a portable cook pot and pulling every blanket and spare warm item he could find in his pouch to wrap his companion in. Hot chocolate. This kid (he looked very young huddled there by the fire) needed hot chocolate.

“So, am I going to get stabbed the second I turn around?” He asked, trying to sound casual. Yiga played sympathetic on occasion for as long as several minutes, and the shock and cold still seemed to have kept Shade stunned.

“N-no. I'm not... I don't want to fight you. Please. I don't want Him to bring me back again. Don't kill me.” That was a whole lot to unpack, but it didn't take a ton of wisdom to see Shade meant it. He was terrified.

“Whoa, easy, Buddy.” Link tried to soothe, finishing with the pot and dumping two bottles of milk and a whole bunch of chocolate into the bowl. “I'm not going to do anything...” He rambled while the hot chocolate warmed, rambled about Cotla’s grotto below Kakariko, about shield surfing down the mountain chasing a beam of light, about the Stable Trotters and the Dondons down in Faron, about the thousand random tasks he'd found time to do while gathering his courage to plunge into the Depths again. Eventually, it seemed to soothe Shade. He put a mug of the warm milky-chocolate in the boy's hands and sat beside him. Shade curled into his side so much like Zelda had right after defeating the Calamity, desperate for Hylian contact. He didn't like what he could conjecture about Shade's story, and the evidence in the thin form in his arms wasn't any more comforting. He began dreaming up more ways to murder that Demon King. Pushing him off the top of the Stormwind Ark and letting him splat into the tundra was no longer enough. He needed something more painful...

JFIEOWAJFOKSAJFIEOW WAAAAAAAH AJ

I want you to know that when I first saw this I was in bed trying to convince myself to get up and this was such a comfort and amazing thing to find and read. And tonight at work I found it again and got all excited and happy and it helped me settle a bit, tonight’s been an interesting ride lol

POOR LITTLE SHADOW he was so scared when Wild asked about if he was gonna attack T-T AAHHHHH I LOVE THIS AJ

Have I mentioned that I adore this BECAUSE I ADORE THIS <3 <3 <3 <3

AH I’m going to read and reread this <3 Thank you so much for sharing <3 <3 <3 <3

[diamondwerewolf]

TOTK Spoilers: Before the Phantom Fight

Obvious totk spoilers here, but the cutscene that plays before you're made to fight Ganondorf's phantom at the Hyrule castle's inner sanctum is interesting.

In that it implies that Ganondorf knows what Hyrule, or the castle itself, is supposed to look like before it was ruined by calamity. I can only assume, that despite being trapped, he knows, because he has some means of reconnaissance. [And being a powerful wizard, but you know...]

He shows You/Link, with a Faux Princess Zelda, the sanctum as it was a hundred or so years ago. If I'm remembering the timeline correctly.

How would he know if he's trapped so deep below ground? The castle was made much, much later after the imprisoning war as a means to 'weight down his cage'. Surely, he's never stepped foot in here. The way he gives Link the run around before the final phantom battle sort of implies that he knows the layout well enough. It makes me wonder if he was much more conscious for all these years, and was doing more active than passive puppeteering of his blight creations.

What I'm mainly getting at, are these things: The gloom spawn, and malice. They must be the big man's trail cameras.

Can Ganondorf see and collect information through these eyes? Are gloom spawn the stronger, animated cousin to the malice clumps? They're no longer stationary. No need to spit out bones at you. Ganondorf's power is unleashed, meaning they can now attack you autonomously.

Was he able to see through his blights as well? Does his personal wifi hotspot rival Rauru's?

[jawbone-xylophone]

Soooo this fandom has consumed me. Take this. It’s not a good intro, but the Link from one of the AUs in my folder demanded to meet Fierce Dad. So. Context: Linked Universe shenanigans, Fierce Deity was necessary, and in the aftermath it gets a look at my blindfolded Wild.

Game start.

-🧿⚔️🧿⚔️🧿-

“Oh…”

Whatever the Chain had been expecting, it wasn’t the way the Fierce Deity’s sword dropped an inch. Still expressionless, but in that moment entirely unguarded in a way the warrior god had never been, white eyes fixed on the blindfolded hero.

Wild’s head tilted minutely, a puppet’s approximation of a question. He did his best to emote when he could, but it always… fit wrong, like the taut creak of a too-tight tunic. “Yes?”

Warriors was hissing warnings from the sidelines that went completely unheeded, as the unchained god took a step forward, then another, well inside zweihander range, well inside arm’s range-

A gauntleted hand cupped Wild’s chin with a gentleness he’d only seen from the Princess, tilting him slightly like fragile pearl in the testing hand of the jeweler. This close, the deity’s face looked quite literally carved, the thin trail of wood grain crawling up lips and nose like ancient scars. When it spoke, its teeth flashed like white steel peeking from the scabbard. “You’re close. Not close enough, but… perhaps closer than you should be.” Glowing eyes narrowed slightly, woodgrain fingertips ghosting over the curve of a cheekbone, beneath the soft breath under his nose, as if blind.

“….I’m the Hero of the Wild,” he offered. “I died once. Is that what you mean?”

“You did what,” shrilled a voice that might have been Hyrule, but it was hard to focus past the intense attention of the blank-eyed god whose fingers were hesitating at the edge of his blindfold. Wild blinked (and blinked and blinked and blinked, data processing, data comparison) and let it linger, curious.

Stillness, for a long moment. Without looking away, the Fierce Deity’s helix blade twisted and thrust down firmly into the earth, quivering upright with a metallic hum as it freed its other hand to track the dip of his temple, his ear, wooden brow furrowing in a strangely organic way. “No,” it answered with more thought than breath. “You’re not a mask.”

Oh, he thought he understood now. Wild smiled, boyish and disarming and exactly what his Zelda wished he would do. “I’m not. I’m a weapon.”

(Distantly, in the background, he processed and stored for later the confusion of the Chain, worried voices, irritation overlying fear. There wasn’t anything to worry about.)

The deity’s hands went puppet-still for a moment. “Ah. That’s it, then.” A pass of attention down him, the feel of a gaze on his hip. “Not that?”

By this point the fingers on his face were just superfluous. Wild gave a very human sigh, nudged his head into the Fierce Deity’s bloodless hands. “Pull it up. Just…” An uncharacteristic pause, too many nanoseconds over the acceptable limit. “Don’t let them see.”

They were both weapons of the goddess. The Fierce Deity didn’t bother with reassurances, stepping slightly to the side to presumably angle him away before plucking the knot in his blindfold like the wing from a butterfly.

Wild blinked, lashes free for the first time in weeks, some part of him actually startled by the feel of sunlight on the bridge of his nose, skin hungry for it like new leaves in spring. He blinked, blinked again, the soft hum of some mechanism humming through his temple. It was… different, looking at someone like this.

The Fierce Deity’s eyes didn’t change, but he could see the blue glow of his own reflecting from its wooden cheekbone.

He was privately glad for the proximity, to be honest. It was less overwhelming to have such little information, eyes and hair and nose blocking out the view of the forest and its 187.5 species of tree, 100 species of bird, and 37.5 species of butterfly per square mile. He had no frame of reference for analyzing a thoroughly sealed god- and it was sealed, despite the way Legend was muttering darkly somewhere about charging in to rescue him and asking questions later.

It hummed, a strangely bright sound like a whetstone across good steel, before pressing his blindfold into his hands. “They will see regardless.”

“Not today.” He beamed- smiled, smiled, not beamed- in the easy, practiced way of Sheikah actors, something tried on until it warmed up to the shape of him like new leather boots. “We have monsters to kill and traveling to do, that’ll happen when it happens. I think the group is going to do something stupid if you don’t back up and possibly give Time back, though.”

It laughed, once, low and strangely warm like the sound of a woodwind, stepping back with a brusque gesture that had the helix blade ripping from the ground to meet his palm with a resonant hum. “A little fear is good for the heart.”

Smile curling into something more amused, Wild looked the chained god over head to toe with one last curious pass, and it slipped out before he could help himself: “Seal you later, Fierce Deity.”

Carved brows actually ticked up a fraction, the hand rising to its chin covering a steel-bright smile. “Watch yourself, bright eyes.” The fingers fit around the edge of its jaw, double-toned baritone trailing off into a hoarse gasp, and in the brief instant before Time doubled over Wild slammed his eyes shut like prison gates.

The bustle of the Chain closing in on them both was punctuated by the new knot in his blindfold, cloth and metal settling firmly over the bridge of his nose. Better this way, less information to filter as voices swirled around him.

(He blinked, and blinked, and blinked, and Saw the wireframe warp and weft of them anyway.)

[loudrantsensue]

WARNING, long post ahead:

In my own personal opinion, Sonia’s death in Tears of the Kingdom was poorly handled, to not say dumb.

I dunno if it’s because I’m getting old or that I grew up in fucking LATAM of all places, but I don’t buy the way Ganondorf tricked Sonia in TotK.

Let me explain...

In the short scene we see a fake Zelda trying to assasinate queen Sonia, such attempt is stopped by the real Zelda who was in hiding, and the way Sonia reacts makes it clear that she was also aware that the other Zelda was a fake. Then Zelda uses her powers to return the dagger to the puppet and throwing it at her feet. Then the fake Zelda lets out an evil laugh and vanishes. Then Sonia and Zelda just stare at the place where the pupped vanished.

THAT last part is what bugs me.

I can see why the scene works, but very slightly. They were alert and looking straight at the place where the threat disappeared, and the scene passed fast enough for Ganondorf to strike, so it was a decoy.

HOWEVER, what bugs me is Sonia’s reaction after the puppet disappears. (or lack of any action at all, she doesn’t do jack shit)

Sonia was shown previously to be quite perceptive and wise. Then we add to that that she and Rauru were the first king and queen of Hyrule, so at least they could have already passed / be going through complicated times. I can’t think of any independent city or village willing to be annexed to a kingdom at the get go, such example are the Gerudo.

Based on this it is not difficult to image that Sonia would be a wise and experienced leader, and it would be expected from a queen.

So, after the decoy was revealed, it would have been more in character for her to be immediately on guard right after the puppet vanished, taking a look at the surroundings. Turning around to have a good look for any lingering danger should've been her immediate reaction, and is not like she was entirely alone for this to fail. Zelda was there and they could have been back to back, close enough to protect each other in case some shit like, I don’t know, Ganondorf coming out of nowhere and striking happened (herd animals, animals, do this in the wild!)

Someone gave me the excuse that “they thought the danger was over”. You want THAT to work better? Have the puppet pretend being defeated, screaming in frustration instead of letting out an evil laugh that just makes it painfully obvious that danger may still be lurking!

I would have believed the decoy fooling a younger, more naive character, but not Sonia, because as a diplomat and sage she should have known better to not just stand there like a fool after an assasination attempt.

Heck, ranting about it made me though of a better alternative, at least works for me:

Have everything stay the same, but this time after the puppet vanishes Sonia and Zelda BOTH stay on guard, scanning the area. Then Zelda steps away from Sonia (either to search better, say they can leave cuz it appears safe, I dunno, but she steps away). HERE is where you have Ganondorf coming out of the shadows and target Zelda instead (is not far-fetched as Zelda also had a secret stone which was the thing Ganondorf was after), but Sonia acts fast enough and in an attempt to protect Zelda, takes the hit instead. Then she dies, Zelda grieves and the rest stays the same.

Also, don't say it couldn't have happened because Zelda would have "messed with the past," because in canon events she was pretty proactive in that whole ordeal. (Ok, he didn't "mess" with the past exactly but you get the point.)

I really liked this alt scene because it sorta improves the three involved characters (IMO!!!):

Sonia dies doing something noble and not like and idiot fooled by Ganondorf.

Ganondorf appears more cunning, malicious and despicable (he’s already evil just because so why not?).

Zelda is impacted by the event and has a stronger reason why later in the story she’s so proactive in stopping the Demon King in the future. (I mean, her story is quite good already but adding a little more angst doesn’t hurt, right? at least to spice a bit more the story.)

Still, I mean sure sure, the actual canon events sorta work at the end, sure. Hyrule could have been more peaceful than our real world so Sonia didn’t need to be on her toes, or maybe she was just not informed enough about how shitty politics can be. I read somewhere that apparently she was a priestess before marrying Rauru, so sure, perhaps she was still naive and Rauru was the one actually managing most if not all of Hyrule’s external relationships and stuff. Heck, now I’m thinking that perhaps I thought too high of this hoe and the only character with the pants and relevance in the backstory was Rauru, and Sonia was just there to be a plot device, what a shame.

Anyway, I myself would feel disappointed if the previous reasons were true, because I did like this character and it did pissed me off the way her death was handled. Then I was even more pissed off when I came up with my optional turn of events, which to be honest I’ll make my own headcanon cuz screw it, Sonia deserved better.

In conclusion I repeat that this is just my own opinion and take on a game that to be fair I really enjoy, and what it may lack in story it makes up in a really fun gameplay experience. I repeat, I LOVE the game and think is good, even if (imo imo imo) it sacrifices a couple bits in its story department to work as well as it does in general.

[sokkas-first-fangirl]

Have a "Urbosa, The Gerudo Chief" snippet from my Zelink role-swap 'verse (Age of Calamity edition)

Given that Queen Lianna had sent Link to recruit Chief Urbosa, they couldn't go into Gerudo Town itself. Lady Impa could have entered the town and passed along the queen's request, but Urbosa had written directly to Link, to tell him she'd meet him at Kara Kara Bazaar.

Zelda heard the rumours, of course. People said Chief Urbosa hated Queen Lianna. The rumours said Chief Urbosa lost her temper at the mere mention of Queen Lianna's name.

Zelda had not been at court long, but even she heard how few people believed Urbosa would take the role of pilot. None of the servants believed she would willingly work with the queen. The nobility thought otherwise; they insisted Urbosa would "see reason" and accept the title.

Zelda just hoped Urbosa wouldn't aim that infamous temper at them.

Prince Link, usually so silent and solemn, picked up the pace when he spotted Urbosa and her quartet of guards. His eyes totally lit up and, although he didn't smile, even that small change totally transformed his face.

Impa said Lady Urbosa was a kind, albeit no-nonsense woman. Impa said the Gerudo Chief highly favoured Link; that she loved the prince as her own.

Chief Urbosa, to Zelda's bewilderment, did not appear happy to see him.

"So, the queen isn't here?" she asked, sneering. "Nor is the princess?"

Link faltered. He shook his head. No, he signed. You knew they wouldn't be here.

Urbosa sighed. "...Fine," she snapped, rolling her eyes. "I suppose you'll do. I can still send a message."

With that, the Gerudo Chief unsheathed her scimitar and rushed at Link with a battle cry. Urbosa's guards gave startled screams.

"My lady, stop!"

"Lady Urbosa, have you gone mad!?"

"What are you doing!?"

"No!"

Impa and Zelda jumped in front of Link, blades raised. Link unsheathed his sword, but he looked as horrified as Urbosa's guards. The guards ran forward, trying to intercept Urbosa and her apparent fit of madness.

Just as Urbosa's Scimitar of The Seven was about to clash with Impa and Zelda's swords, there was a sudden BOOM! Lightning crashed down from the clear sky, hitting Urbosa dead-on. The chief screamed and jerked about like a puppet. Her sword and shield dropped to the ground.

Just like that, in five seconds flat, the chaos stopped. Everyone froze, staring as Urbosa crumpled to the ground with a pained gasp.

"Really?" a woman drawled. "I leave for a few hours and this is what I return to?"

"Lady Urbosa!?" Impa gasped.

Marching across the bazaar, heedless of the gawping crowd of merchants, guards and travellers, was...Lady Urbosa? She was followed by a woman who closely resembled her. Each of them looked furious.

Urbosa (was it really her?) spotted Link and ran over, her face suddenly alight with panic.

"Little dragon, are you hurt?" she demanded.

Prince Link stared at her. Slowly, he shook his head. He smiled; a small, confused smile, but there all the same.

"Wait, but- but if you're Chief Urbosa then...?" Zelda trailed off uncertainly. Heaped on the ground, the other Urbosa stopped twitching and began to grumble.

"You morons have some nerve," the other Urbosa said in a man's voice. "Thinking you can go toe-to-toe with me..."

He leapt to his feet and, in a puff of smoke and red paper tags, he transformed from Urbosa's double into...Someone else. A tall, rotund man in a skin-tight red suit. He wore a white mask, painted with an eye; the Sheikah symbol upside down.

A Yiga.

Urbosa pushed Link behind her, her weapon aimed at the Yiga. The woman with her snarled and pointed her spear at the Yiga. Impa gave a horrified gasp and pulled out a second sword, aiming both weapons for the man's neck. Zelda stepped forward, wary gaze on the Yiga, firmly keeping Prince Link behind her.

"I'd have preferred gutting the queen or her little heir," the Yiga snarled. "And letting them bleed out on the sand. It would have been perfect for Lord Ganon, but instead she sent you."

One by one, more Yiga began to appear across the bazaar. Yiga on the inn's roof, surrounding the stalls; Yiga in the trees and all across the dunes.

"You'll do, Princey," the Yiga sneered. "We can still show your precious mommy what Master Kohga and the Yiga Clan are capable of!"

[echoing--stars]

TRICK OR TREAT :D

TREAT!

Time smiled when he heard a knock on the door. It was too early for trick or treaters, and too early for most of the guests to be arriving. But he was expecting this guest, the first of many tonight. He opened the door, smiling as the costumed figure squawked at him in imitation of the bird he was dressed as. Sky was wearing a costume modeled after the legendary Loftwing birds. He wore a red hoodie with a white front and fabric hanging off his arms to make up the wings. The headpiece was almost like that of a puppet, but Sky had it pushed up so he was looking through the open bill. “Hi! Zelda dropped me off early. We made pumpkin cookies!” Time took the container Sky passed him and stepped aside, closing the door behind Sky. He was careful to avoid the tail trailing behind Sky as he followed him into the kitchen. “Hi Malon!” Malon looked up from where she was stirring a pot of spaghetti sauce on the stove. She smiled and set the spoon aside before moving to wrap Sky in a hug. “Your costume looks amazing!” She stepped back and laughed as Sky moved his arms up and down and hopped slightly. “Thank you! Zelda is going back home to hand out candy, but she’ll stop by after.”

Of course Sky would dress up like a loftwing!

[vernal-witch]

Have you ever read the fancomic "tale of two rulers"? If you have, what do you think of their version of Vaati?

Oh. Oh, I am very sorry for how long this message is about to be, but I've been waiting for an excuse to talk about this. To be completely honest, I'm sick of fanworks that focus only on Vaati's characterization in two small scenes from Four Swords/Four Swords Adventures when Minish Cap is RIGHT THERE and has infinitely more potential for compelling character work. He actually HAS a character in Minish Cap, whereas Four Swords is a glorified tech demo where the Only story is one scene where he kidnaps Zelda to be his bride. And Four Swords Adventures has a story about him kidnapping maidens to sleep with in its intro cutscene-- but it never comes up again after that-- and is heavily implied to be a legend that is not accurate to what was really happening, because you see for yourself that he's Really kidnapping the maidens because they're sages who give Link the power to defeat him. He doesn't even have any dialogue in that game; he's used no differently than any other boss monster. Aside from using his human design from Minish Cap, a lot of these fanworks choose to completely ignore his characterization from that game/manga, even though they have HOURS of content that is SO much more interesting than "evil wizard wants to fuck Zelda". He's clearly an emotional abuse victim at the hands of Ezlo, and has been so ever since he was the same age as Link. He's out on his own for the first time in a world that's literally stepped on him his whole life-- as a late teenager at the absolute oldest-- with godlike power in his hands after a life of being completely powerless. That's why he's so obsessed with the idea of perfecting himself; Ezlo drilled it into him that he had to become a perfect sorcerer, so that's what he's going to do. But he's a KID; he's angry, he's impulsive, he lashes out when someone crosses him even if it wasn't really their fault, and he has breakdowns when things don't go his way. When his first plan to get the Light Force doesn't work, he straight up does not know what to do, and spends the whole game trying to course-correct his mistake and making it SEEM like he knows what he's doing to keep himself from giving up. He clings so desperately to his goal and to his powers because he doesn't want to be controlled by anyone like Ezlo ever again. He'd rather be a monster than a rat in a cage. Tale of Two Rulers-- and other fanworks like it-- could do SO MUCH with that in conjunction with Vaati having been used as a puppet by Ganondorf in Four Swords Adventures! How violated and furious he would feel that, after he finally broke free of his imprisonment after centuries-- probably still a late teenager since he was frozen in time that whole time-- he's right back where he started with being taken advantage of by an older more powerful wizard! What would drive him to willingly work with someone who did that to him? But no, instead we get "he's horny and tries to sleep with every woman he meets". There's nothing WRONG with writing him like that-- people can do whatever they want so long as it's not hurting anyone-- but it's just ALL I SEE from most Vaati fans, and has been ever since the old days on 2012 deviantart. I wish I had the energy and time to do a fanwork myself, because I want so badly for there to be one that does Vaati justice re: his portrayal in Minish Cap. But I just don't have it in me to commit to a project like that when I've got my own videogame to worry about.

[sheikfangirl]

Totk Angst - "I told you I didn't like this outfit."

Random Toxic Puppet Zelink I drew because I just missed my lady and Master Puppet Zelda so much❤️

And...I'm gonna tell ya a secret: I am a bad person who enjoys drawing Link fu***d up and suffering way too much😩 Also, if you are wondering, Link is wearing the Depth outfit. The front piece was removed and placed on his leg... I needed the outfit "sexified" 🤣🤷‍♀️

I'd draw this outfit way more often if the hood didn't hide Link's facial expressions so much. It's really REALLY is my favorite TotK Armor Set! So...GOTH!! Glory to Puppet Zelda!

[ganonfan1995]

okay, I made changes to that rough drabble I wrote for the AU and I think it sounds better??

The night was calm and quiet, with no moon to help illuminate the star studded sky. Sonia, the first queen of Hyrule, walked peacefully along the garden path leading to the courtyard, accompanied by young Zelda - the mysterious girl who had recently arrived at her court and followed closely behind.

"Alright, Zelda, we are alone as you requested. What is it that you wanted to discuss with me in private?" Sonia spoke with gentleness and curiosity and kept her back confidently turned to Zelda, feigning comfort and familiarity with the girl who crept silently into her shadow.

"You are far too trusting," Zelda's words echoed with an unsettling twist, as if an invisible presence whispered through her. With a treacherous glint in her eyes, she took a step forward and revealed a dagger she kept hidden behind her back. With swift movement, she flung the blade towards the unsuspecting queen. However, to Zelda’s surprise, the dagger abruptly stopped before it could reach its intended target, suspended in a moment of frozen time.

Sonia, her composure unbroken, shifted her focus to the youth, who braced herself for the storm of the queen's ire; though Sonia gave no indication of hostility. 

"Oh my, I am surprised to hear you say such a thing. That is quite out of character for the Zelda I know..." Sonia remarked as the youth relaxed and her composure straightened.

"But then you…” The queen said, “You are a puppet of Ganondorf."

The puppet remained silent, even as the true Zelda emerged confidently from behind the pillars that lined the path, revealing herself with an outstretched arm. Verdant eyes greeted the puppets' own, and reflected a cold determination that had been otherwise unseen in the young woman since her arrival in the ancient Hyrule.

"Did you really believe we were that oblivious to your deceit?" Zelda commanded as she took her place next to the queen. 

The pantomime princess did not emote, but stood silently still as Zelda held the blade in suspense. Then, with a flick of her hand, the dagger, which had lingered ominously in midair, now trembled with newfound purpose. It retraced the path it had once taken, and followed its arc with uncanny precision. The hilt of the blade came to a sudden stop mere inches from the puppet's vacant expression. There it lingered for only a moment, then, with a resounding clatter, it fell heavily to the ground at the impersonator-Zelda's feet. For a brief second, Zelda could swear she saw the look of boredom mark the puppets face, but with the passing of an instant, it quickly contorted into a twisted smile; accompanied by an unsettling chuckle. Slowly, the puppet began to dissolve into a murky silhouette then vanished, leaving an eerie void behind.

Sonia and Zelda remained alone in the quiet still of the courtyard path, their presence hauntingly juxtaposing the emptiness that surrounded them. Zelda's eyes darted across her surroundings, scanning every corner, searching for any concealed danger, any deceptive ploy, any lurking snare that meant them harm. Yet, despite her vigilance, she had not detected the presence of the Gerudo King, who watched on silently, concealed by his own magic. 

Devoid of a weapon, and without spilling a single drop of blood, he stood there, his figure sinister, twisted, and consumed by an insatiable greed. Wordlessly, Sonia had collapsed to the ground, with the thud of her body being the only sound to alert Zelda. The Gerudo King had ensnared them both in his cunning trap, and now loomed menacingly over Sonia's lifeless form. His grip clenched tightly around her secret stone, and a monstrous smile ripped grievously across his face.

Zelda rushed to Sonia’s aid, heeding no regard to the words of Ganondorf. "Sonia! No! This is all wrong. It shouldn't have happened. I don't understand... I-I was watching for him," her voice broke and trembled in fear. Her hands were unsteady as she desperately reached out to cling to the motionless body of the queen, as though she were her own mother.

"So, this is the source of your treacherous powers—the secret stone of the Zonai. What a mischievous thing to leave lying around…" Ganondorf mused, examining the small stone held between his fingers.

He took several steps away from the stunned youth and the lifeless figure of her matriarch, and clutched the stone tightly in his fist. He could feel the stone pulse as it began to reshape itself before his very eyes. First, growing twofold, then threefold, and with every beat of its inanimate heart, the once golden hue shifted and began to reflect a deep and dark resentment that lay dormant within himself. Ganondorf felt his own magic – of which he was already a master – warp and grow, and a foreign wickedness emanated from within him. Scarlet ribbons of greed and hatred flowed through his veins, and the moon - now suddenly visible and changed - ascended high above his newly demonic form. An unnerving and bloody light poured down upon the queen and her ward, and the world, once quiet and still, lamented in fear and anguish.

Zelda's eyes widened with realization, and a wave of recognition flooded her subconscious as she finally understood who the entity standing before her truly was. This, she thought, was Ganon. The demon king, the embodiment of calamity and the relentless evil that plagued Hyrule. He who now towered over her with undeniable presence, and he who she had held captive for 100 years.

But, he was different now. Before she considered him no more than a mere animal, a creature driven by instinct and unrest, it was unruly but sympathetic and only reacting by its own true nature. But now, he stood before her as a man. His appearance retained his humanity, as did his ambition and the beating heart in his chest. This realization twisted her own heart with spite, anger and unresolved grief she thought long buried. Zelda clutched Sonia's hand, her eyes locked onto the manifestation of their entwined destinies. She hated him, she hated every fiber of him…Yet, something began to pull at the depths of her heart, it was something that she could not define.

"Sonia!" Rauru's voice came rushing in, and in an instant, he was by Zelda's side, cradling his wife in his arms. She fell limp in his embrace, and the Zonai King of Hyrule, a man rarely showing such empathy, now looked like a lost child to Zelda. How could he have not anticipated this betrayal, she wondered, how could he have not listened to her like Sonia had? Done anything to stop this, to counteract this tragedy. He was king after all, he could have prevented this, all of this! 

"You are too late, Rauru.” The Demon King that took the on form of Ganondorf spoke, breaking the spiral of Zelda’s thoughts. “You took for granted and abused the godlike power that once rested in your hands. Now, do you see the true horror that your actions have unleashed upon this land?" The Demon King's voice echoed, sounding like a choir of a million distorted and unrecognizable voices all at once. "And as for her…” He gestured to Sonia, “she is but the first victim of your arrogance. You and your kind sought to control us, but you shall die here, knowing your true failure."

Rauru snarled and leapt forward, abandoning his place beside Sonia who now rested in Zelda’s lap. His long ears flattened against his head, and his seldom-open third eye fixated on the demonic man who shared his name with the once human king who had knelt before him. 

“Ganondorf!”

Fuelled by her new found frustration, Zelda reprimanded the Zonai King, who had thoughtlessly stood up to contest Ganondorf. “Rauru.” She was stern, “Sonia needs you!”

Rauru snapped back to the present, realizing Zelda was correct: the queen lay motionless, but her death had not yet arrived. Bracing himself, his fingers formed a triangle above his third eye, and Rauru projected a shield of light to protect both his ward and his wife.

Overwhelmed with an incredible power, Ganondorf tested his strength and will against the Zonai King's shield, sending a formidable current of darkness hurdling toward the trio. The blast struck with great force, but the shield stood strong. However, Rauru, despite his own magical prowess, felt his feet beginning to slip on the smooth stone, unable to match the physical strength of Ganondorf.

In a fleeting moment of clarity, Zelda remembered a conversation she had shared with Sonia. The queen's words echoed in her mind, and a realization came flooding in. Zelda gazed down at the once animated and kind face of the now-still queen. She no longer resembled the Sonia she had grown to know and love, but Zelda knew every expression, every kind look, every soft smile, and could hear her words as if she still spoke. "Something only I can do..." she murmured, finally understanding the hidden meaning behind Sonia’s words. "Sonia... I will set things right," she declared between the two of them and placed a tender kiss on the queen's forehead. "I promise, I won’t let any of this happen."

Zelda, fuelled by a sudden surge of courage, stepped out from her place behind Rauru's shield and charged head first towards the Demon King, catching him completely off guard. Her arms felt weak as they wrapped around his waist, but she held her ground, determined to maintain her grip. And in a flash, they vanished from Rauru's sight, leaving behind trails of shimmering dust in their wake.

While she disappeared from Rauru's moment in time, Zelda's own experience remained unchanged. The Demon King struggled and fought against her grasp, but his efforts were meaningless as time began to hold him still. The stone embedded on his forehead dislodged itself, retracing its path to a memory now lost in time. As the king's form shifted from demon to man, Zelda tightened her grip, feeling her own strength grow. "The secret is..." she whispered, her voice now gentle yet tinged with an intimate sadness, "to treat it as if you're drawing out the object's memory..."

Ganondorf continued to change, at first it was subtle, but then he grew shorter, and his face appeared younger. Despite the growing feeling of anger and grief, a sense of tranquility settled over him, as his greed and ambition dissipated with each passing moment. Time unwound between them, enveloping them in a cascade of brilliant light. Zelda, determined and true to her heart, clung dearly to the man she had only come to know through hatred and destiny.

"Then..." her voice quivered with tears, a blend of empathy and loneliness stained every word, as she began to cry. "You ask the object where it has been and how it arrived at its current state." In that moment, she thought she felt him crying too, but his expression remained unchanged in its stoic stasis. Holding on tighter, she pressed her face against his chest, their heights now nearly aligned.

"Finally," she managed to utter, her voice cracked with sobs, "you guide it back to that specific moment in time."

With one last tight embrace, Ganondorf dissolved in her arms, and she watched as his once-twisted form was replaced by the visage of a sorrowful youth, much like her own. They were unrecognizable to one another, no longer foes, but intertwined souls lost in the chaos of destiny and bound by eternity. In the ethereal light of space and time, Zelda lingered, her consciousness fading. She closed her eyes for the last time, blinking away the few remaining tears that stained her face. And with that, a profound emptiness engulfed her, transporting her to another place in time entirely.

Then…She woke up.

[ihaveatheoryonthat]

A small handful of songs I associate with A Glint, a Spark. (Spoilers for both that fic and Memory, Heavy in My Heart.)

Arms Outstretched - Griffin McElroy

As I alluded to in the MHIMH playlist, Arms Outstretched was the song I had all but set AGAS to, for the animatic in my head. The progression of it from being kind of downtrodden, to this moment of hope, and then a happy epilogue was pretty perfect, both for the idea I actually went with, and the one I may still write.

Chapters 1 & 2

Place to Start - Mike Shinoda

Do I even have a decision? Feeling like I'm living in a story already written. Am I part of a vision made by somebody else? / Am I out of conviction with no wind in the sail, too focused on the end and simply ready to fail?

Cause I'm tired of feeling like I can't control this; tired of feeling like every next step's hopeless. Tired of feeling like what I build might break apart, I don't want to know the end, all I want is a place to start.

I don't have a ton to elaborate on with the lyrics. The first part just meshes really nicely with the theme of being unable to influence events that have already happened, and having to take them as they come. The second part resonates particularly well with the first chapter, in my opinion. I also like having a song from the same artist in both halves of the main story, and the contrasting tones.

Chapters 3-9:

The Heart of a Graveyard - Demon Hunter

Tell me that your final home is not a shot in the dark; tell me that your hopes and dreams don't end in the heart of a graveyard.

Tonally, it doesn't fit perfectly with the rest of this list, but the subject matter is pretty on the mark. There's a sense of preparing for the worst while still hoping for the best that I like, particularly in this context.

Chapter 10:

Final Battle: Malladus (From "The Legend of Zelda: Spirit Tracks") - The Noble Demon

(The portion up to 0:46 is an intro, and not the most relevant to this list; the actual battle theme starts warming up after that.) A friend unintentionally reminded me that I love this track, and since that conversation happened smack at the climax of MHIMH, I naturally connected the dots. This would correspond to the recorded battle with Arceus, because the track for it in canon PLA just does not fit this version. I chose this remix in particular because it really emphasized the woodwind notes in parts-- which made sense re: the Azure Flute-- and because it has that underlying, train-chugging percussion. It's always struck me as a very triumphant battle theme, which fit beautifully.

Chapter 11:

Welcome to the World of Pokemon - Super Pokemon Mystery Dungeon

It's wondrous and mysterious, but gentle and a bit low-key at the same time, which I think makes it work very well for the build up this chapter, and most of the time spent in the Hall of Origin.

Mysterious Rainbow Girl - Wandersong

The same goes for this track; I was pretty torn as to which one I liked better, so I ended up keeping both for a little bit of variation.

Chapter 12:

On the Beach at Dusk - Pokemon Mystery Dungeon: Explorers of Time, Darkness & Sky

I had this one set aside specifically for the scene at the top of Dragonspiral Tower, where the reality of the situation is beginning to sink in. If you're familiar with Explorers, there... might be something of a parallel to be read into the situations they 'play' over.

Misc:

The yet untitled song from The Dreadful Demise of the Dinosaurs - Puppet History

A lonely life among the stars, my destination veiled and far away, but I knew one day we'd find each other. Then in the dark, a glint, a spark, the greens and blues, be still my heart-- and once I hit, that's it, I'm here forever.

While I'm here, I should probably include the fic's namesake. It's really only the one verse (~0:25-0:47), because this song has a very specific subject matter and thesis, but that one passage really stuck with me in this context. The first half definitely resonates most strongly with chapter 11, but I was also aiming to match the second to 12-- specifically "the greens and blues, be still my heart" to the scene on Dragonspiral, and to end with the promise of "I'm here forever"

[thegayfangrrl]

Killers I'd Like to Step On Me for Valentines Day

KILSOM Valentines (Round One)

Witches bracket:

the Grand High Witch (The Witches) vs. Zelda Spellman (The Chilling Adventures of Sabrina) Winifred Sanderson (Hocus Pocus) vs. Witch (Into the Woods) the Witch (The Witch) vs. Fiona Goode (American Horror Story Coven) Jadis (The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe) vs. Melisandre (Game of Thrones)

Vampires bracket:

Carmilla von Karnstein (Carmilla) vs. Father Paul (Midnight Mass) Count Dracula (Dracula) vs. Armand (Interview with the Vampire) Eve (Only Lovers Left Alive) vs. Miriam Blaylock (The Hunger) Spike (Buffy the Vampire Slayer) vs. Lady Alcina Dimitrescu (Resident Evil)

Brains bracket:

Villanelle (Killing Eve) vs. Hannibal Lecter (Hannibal) Lucille Sharpe (Crimson Peak) vs. Dexter Morgan (Dexter) Annie Wilkes (Misery) vs. John Kramer (Saw) Khan Noonien Singh (Star Trek) vs. Harley Quinn (DC Comics)

Slashers bracket:

Norman Bates (Psycho) vs. Michael Myers (Halloween) Jason Voorhees (Friday the 13th) vs. Freddy Krueger (A Nightmare on Elm Street) Angela Baker (Sleepaway Camp) vs. Leatherface (The Texas Chainsaw Massacre) Ghostface (Scream) vs. Pearl (Pearl)

Machines bracket:

HAL 9000 (2001: A Space Odyssey) vs. WOPR (WarGames) GLaDOS (Portal) vs. Hexadecimal (ReBoot) Number Six (Battlestar Galactica) vs. Skynet (The Terminator) the Puppeteer (Ghost in the Shell) vs. the Red Queen (Resident Evil)

Fairytales bracket:

Maleficent (Sleeping Beauty) vs. Cruella de Vil (101 Dalmatians) Yzma (The Emperor's New Groove) vs. Scar (The Lion King) Jafar (Aladdin) vs. Chernobog (Fantasia) Ursula (The Little Mermaid) vs. Shan Yu (Mulan)

Kaiju braket:

Mothra (Mothra) vs. Kong (King Kong) Godzilla (Godzilla) vs. Clover (Cloverfield) the Shark (Jaws) vs. Stay Puft Marshmallow Man (Ghostbusters) Crocodile (Crocodile) vs. Sandworm (Dune)

Aliens bracket:

Venom (Marvel Comics) vs. Predator (Predator) Ra (Stargate) vs. Xenomorph Queen (Alien) Jean Jacket (Nope) vs. Rose Quartz (Steven Universe) Pennywise (It) vs. The Master (Doctor Who)

[ladybellissima]

an interesting mission

Link x Reader

A heavy sigh escaped his lips, while he let himself fall into the soft gras. Relieved that he was able to find a quiet place, peaceful and beautiful close to the castle of hyrule. How long till they would get him for another task? Lately it was getting out of hand. Or better more ridicolous.

Deep in thought about his life, the hero clothed in green watched out for his loyal horse epona. Resting beside him he felt at ease himself about her calm aura.

Was it right to become the Hero of Time? To follow the order of the great deku tree, leaving his ordinary life and fight for Hyrule.

"Sure… Somebody had to stop Ganondorf. It was my fate..but now? After all these years…", Link whispered unsure of his thoughts and about his latest tasks. Situations where he had to sort out quarrels of villagers. Unnecessary fights and exhausting conversations. He just wanted to rest…

"Link! There you are!", a sudden voice interrupted his thoughts and made him shot up from his laying position. Looking out he was met with a stressed looking Impa, quickly rushing to his side.

"Beautiful day isn't it?", Link spoke with a hint of sarcasm, knowing quite well something was off. The loyal guard of princess Zelda was quite overworked as well.

"Link, why are you here? Are you out of your mind! Zelda wants to see you, so get up and hurry.", she spoke with a sigh, giving him a serious look.

"Hello too Link. Yeah it is really nice. How is it going?.", he joked, while slowly getting up, meeting her grumbling gaze with amusement.

"Don't! You know exactly how it's going lately!", she grumbled annoyed, frustrated of the endless orders of the king of hyrule. "Beside my tasks, i had to look out for you! Like i have time for that! Unbelievable!", she spoke angered, while leaving the chuckling hero behind.

"And watch your attitude Link! Keep your composure in front of guests. You have a title! By the goddesses he will be the death of me..", she called out from the distance, this time making Link grumbling in annoyance. He was aware of his status. His title given by the king and princess. His reputation he had to prove everyday.

Which also means attending balls, escorting Zelda to meetings, attending ceremonies with important people, never being able to keep their names. He had to watch out his behavior, his speaking, act noble. Not really sure what Zelda expect exactly. Was it that bad to be just Link?

"She was mad just because i gave a hand shake and made a joke instead of a silent royal bow…ridicolous..", Link grumbled and headed to castle town. Still being aware that he had to change.

Silent and his look focused onto the ground to avoid any unnecessary meetings with royals, he reached the throne hall.

"Took you long enough, Hero of time.", a confident voice reached his ears and made him slightly stop in his tracks. Feeling moving automatically like a robot, Link started to step confidently along the red carpet of the hall. Head high, brave and kind of arrogant like he was told to. Like everyone wanted to see and cheer him on. Like a puppet, but the next moment his composure struggled after his eyes landed on a young shy looking girl next to princess Zelda and her father the king.

For a moment his breath stopped and he remained silent. Slowy Link reached the princess and the mysterious girl, who struggled with her nervoussness. Shaken she made a short bow and waited for the princess to speak.

Stunned about the fact that Link, this time, behaved well with a short bow, Zelda gave him a relieved smile. Even if it was more a short nod, but still he kept quiet in front of her father, who was always first to speak his thoughts.

"Link. This is (Y/N). She…"

"I am sorry that you have to wait.", he interrupted the king and stepped closer to the young girl missing Zelda's shocked gaze completely. Too focused onto the soft expression and beautiful bright eyes of the young girl. It kind of felt like Link's heart was about to explode. Nervously he took his hat off and smiled kindly at her shy gaze. She had something he couldn't really put into words.

Zelda furrowed her brows in frustration, but the next moment felt relieved of her father's short laugh. Beside keeping the land of hyrule safe, the king luckily  always felt entertained by the young man's carefree attitude.

The young girl on the other hand was quite surprised that he spoke so freely in front of his highness and impressed of his openness.

"What do you think (Y/N). He is the hero…", she thought stressed, while balling her fists to keep them from shaking.

She was so nervous, after she got the order to collect important herbs for the medical sector. It was her first high class mission. Something (Y/N) already felt overwhelmed. But the next moment she was escorted by Lady Impa inside the castle. Never would she have thought to enter this luxurious place. Her heart was about to jump out of her ribcage, after she had to step before the king and his breathtaking kind daughter.

"What if i fail? By the goddesses…this is too much and now the hero too!", (Y/N)'s mind was racing after the princess explained her order and the side note that the hero clothed in green would help her travel. The man who saved the world, who was cheered on by every girl and now her personal guard for her safety.

"Alone standing next to him is mind blowing. How i am able to handle that?!!", her mind was screaming of the moment.

She often saw him at the distance, riding his beautiful horse, helping townspeople, watching his nervous laugh and embarrassed state, after he had to handle his fangirls. Never being unpolite, always patient and understanding.

For her he was flawless. And at the same time someone unreachable. Just listening to villagers about his gossip, his stories. A mysterious person. Unrealistic to meet him in real. Like a myth.

And now? She was standing in front of him. Traveling with him and definately speaking with him.

"I…i don't..no problem! I didn't have to wait..", (Y/N) blurted out and avoid eye contact.

"How cute…", Link thought and smiled brightly at her slightly struggle.

"So Link if it's okay, i would explain everything to you.", Zelda spoke calmly, but gave the knight dressed in green a short strong glance to send her secret message. Link stopped and waited for her to go on, taking a glimpse once in a while of (Y/N) who was just so adorable with her red cheeks and shy behaviour.

"So (Y/N) has to collect important herbs at the Lost Woods. I want you to have a look on her for her savety. It will take one day perhaps, Link..(Y/N).. I count on you.", she ordered and gave (Y/N) a short nod to go on.

"We will be on our way.", Link spoke motivated and started to head back to the exit, followed by the young nervous girl.

Silence took place and (Y/N) was thinking of how to start a conversation. She had read about such things in books, but in reality those moments were much more complicated. For Link it wasn't easy either. Most of his journey he was on his own, but still he enjoyed having her company. It was the first time to be with someone for a longer time. On top someone who took his interest in an instant. His body was overflowing with energy and happiness, plus the sweet feeling of nervoussness. "A whole day to get to know her! She seems so calm and nice…", his inner self was jumping like a maniac.

"So… (Y/N). Are you motivated to get this quest done?", he said and held his hand out for her to take. (Y/N) watched his hand and took a deep breath.

''I got an important mission…and a day with…the hero of time. I have to be more confident'', she thought and grabbed his hand in a soft manner. He was fighting beasts and monsters, but his hands were gentle and felt warm. In an instant she relaxed and gave him a relieved smile of being able to get over her shyness.  This time Link was the stuttering boy, while guiding her red as a tomato.

xxx

"I am sorry Link that you have to go with me on such a beautiful day..", (Y/N) started nervously, after reaching the Lost Woods. She couldn't look into his beautiful blue eyes. "How could someone be so perfect?! Strong and brave!", she thought stressed. Quickly looking forward to find the right herbs on her way, she tried to avoid his gaze. On the other hand, for Link it was the perfect chance to watch her silently and enjoyed her beautiful being in the sunlight, heart racing of her excited smile, after finding something. He never felt such a wave of longing for someone. He even was able to get to know her better on the way and by the goddesses he felt even more head over heels for her. She was hard working. Helping others. Honest and kind. Speaking with her was so easy. Carefree he talked about his interests, working hard to control his heartbeat of her beauty.

"Link? Are you okay?", (Y/N) asked worried after she got no answer. Link just watched her dreamingly. After some time he realized his situation and blushed deeply. Quckly he hid his face with one hand and turned around to avoid her worried gaze. "Everythings alright. I was just..thinking of what we could eat later.", he struggled for words. "Good job Link, i am acting like an idiot.", he thought stressed.

(Y/N) laughed sweetly. "That was my question. Don't worry i made us some snacks. I wanted to thank you for your help so here.", she said excited and handed him her backbag. Link took a look and his face light up immediately, acting like a child. If it's about food, he couldn't behave properly. (Y/N) laughed and was happy to see his reaction.

"You are too good to be true! (Y/N) this looks amazing! Thank you!", he said full of joy and took a bite from one of the sandwiches. Suddenly he froze in the spot. "Link? Something wrong? Oh god, they don't taste good. I…i shouldn't have tried the new recipe..i wanted to make you something special as a thank you.i am such a fool..", she stuttered shocked and embarrassed, but was quickly stopped by two gentle hands, which grabbed her waist and pulled her closer to a heartwarming embrace.

"Link..what?..", she couldn't believe that he was hugging her, but slowly gave in. Hiding her face into his chest, she took a breath of his tunic. He smelt so good.. it felt so right, so calming and sweet to be in his arms.

"(Y/N)..don't worry… they are delicious! Where have you been this whole time?", he whispered with a soft smile. Shocked of his words, her gaze wandered up to his blushing face. He couldn't but gave her a soft kiss onto her cheek. His mind was screaming about what he just had done. But her soft smile showed him that it was alright. They were completely fine.

"I was always there…", she whispered back and tried to avoid his gaze. Link took her face in his hands, his deep blue eyes captured hers once more. For a moment nobody said anything. It was so calming and relaxing. Just they two, deep in the woods.

"I was looking for you…"

"For me?", she asked innocent. Knowing what this was about, but longing to hear more. Already trapped by his charme.

"Yeah the girl i fall in love…and make my life exciting again…",he said in a husky tone and captured her lips in a passionate kiss.

Who would have thought that his work could also get interesting.