I was on my back. The lower half of my body was lying in warm water. This was the first thing I realized, before I got a chance to open my eyes.

Above me were tree branches and tiny pieces of sky.

I sat up, getting my grips on things, feeling a little dazed. There were trees on all sides and a small spring in front of me. This was the warm water I was partially lying in, on top of stones and settled dirt. I stood, water dripping off my clothes. I was a little disorientated from too much sleep. And I felt... strange. Very awkward. Taller?

Things started to hit me fast. I'd woken up, partially submerged in a spring and I had no idea where I was. There shouldn't be any kind of wilderness like this anywhere near the city – I wasn't camping, had no memory of travel, was completely alone. I was wearing strange clothes, too. Sandals, baggy pants, a shirt with only one proper sleeve, very tunic-like and old-fashioned.

I realized something else, too.

This was not my body.

I immediately felt a little sick to my stomach. These weren't my hands – they weren't the right color or the right shape. The awkwardness I was feeling all over – my whole body had changed shape from what I knew. I ran a hand through my hair – it was short. My breasts were gone, my shape different and I could feel it too, not just see it, like some trippy virtual reality headset. I was different, and male, and I could feel every bit of it, but my body was still responding as if had always been this way.

I was frantic. There was something else, too, that I was missing here. Something I felt I really ought to be realizing, but I was too confused and flustered to reach the conclusion. I knelt down on my knees back into the water, waited a moment for the ripples to still so I could get a look at my face.

I was utterly shocked. I knew this face, these clothes, even this spring. Still, for a moment, I couldn't believe it. I touched my face, lightly, in wonder. Maybe this was a dream? I had never felt something so real.

I bit my tongue. I little easier than pinching my arm. It hurt. Did that mean anything, really? If this was, in fact, a dream, I scarcely imagined I'd be waking up anytime soon.

I was Link. The Twilight Princess version.

I had no idea why.

I heard a sound, the crunch of gravel and leaves underfoot. Someone was coming. I looked to my right, where the opening to the secluded spring was.

"Rusl." I said, when I saw him.

He too looked like his character model, like the artwork in guidebooks – yet so much more real. Pockmarks and wrinkles and dirt – individual hairs, his eyes, the way he moved, all so real. I'd never even imagined the characters in a realistic way.

He smiled at me when I said his name. I swallowed. What was I supposed to do here? To say? I still had no idea what was going on.

"I thought I'd find you here," He said to me, "Fall asleep again?"

I'd never heard his voice before. It was so strange. I nodded at him.

He walked over and sat next to me, making a little huff doing so. Suddenly I was examining every human thing about a person I'd never payed attention to before – the sounds he made, the way his body moved, every small imperfection, every meaningless detail. In doing so, I confirmed to myself – this man was human.

"Tell me," He said, "Do you ever feel a strange sadness as dusk falls?"

I knew this monologue. I heard it every time I started a new game. I was still in shock, still silent.

"They say it's the only time when our world intersects with theirs... the only time we can feel the lingering regrets of spirits who have left our world. That is why loneliness always pervades the hour of twilight..."

My throat felt dry.

Rusl continued, needing no words from me.

"But enough talk of sadness... I have a favor to ask of you, Link. I was supposed to deliver something to the royal family of Hyrule the day after tomorrow...Yes, it was a task set to me by the mayor, but...would you go in my stead? You have...never been to Hyrule, right?"

I opened my mouth, but couldn't really make a word, couldn't think.

"In the kingdom of Hyrule there is a great castle, and around it is Castle Town,

a community far bigger than our little village. And far bigger than Hyrule is the rest of the world the gods created."

He looked at me meaningfully. "You should look upon it all with your own eyes."

I looked down at my hands again as Rusl spoke on. Was this really happening?

"It is getting late..." Rusl said, "We should head back to the village. I will talk to the

mayor about this matter."

"Rusl," I said.

He stood and looked at me. It was awkward, so I stood as well.

I was thinking rapidly, yet not coming up with anything at all. What should I say to him.

I cleared my throat, "Erm, thank you." I said.

He nodded and me, smiled, and turned, walking away. I went along with it, following him.

My voice sounded so strange. It was foreign, not at all my own. Feeling it in my throat as I used it, that was freaky.

It was dusk and turning to night rapidly. Rusl left me for the main of the village, and I was on my own.

I turned the handle on the door to Link's home and stepped inside, still just going with the flow, and closed it behind me.

For a little while, I only stared at my hands. Clearly, this was a dream – science hadn't progressed this far, not yet.

How could I wake myself up? I took one of those strange new hands of mine and slapped it across my face. That really smarted.

There was a basin of water among the other clutter in the tree-like home. Cold, very cold, from sitting in the darkness. I splashed my face with it, a shocking sensation.

In movies, if you went to sleep, you'd wake in the real world. I should try that. I climbed the ladder, all the way to the loft with the beautiful view where Link's bed was. There, I curled up and lay down. It was soft, comfortable, and warm, and I was tired. Still, I found I couldn't fall asleep. I needed to relax. To think and calm my mind.

Did I really want to wake up at all?

Hadn't I just been wishing, last thing I could remember, for a more exciting life. I'd fallen asleep playing Zelda, I could remember now. I had been terribly groggy from staying up too late. The sky temple, near the very start, had seemed like an oddly peaceful place, being so empty. So far away from other things.

Did I want to wake at all? Couldn't I just dream here until morning came anyway?

With this thought, I fell asleep there, in the unfamiliar bed, without even meaning to.

I woke with a start to someone shouting at me, calling me Link, and it took a moment all over again to realize what was going on. I was still here, having slept dreamlessly the whole night through, now feeling strangely rested. I felt in control of myself.

Fado was the one shouting at me.

Epona was gone, obviously. I remembered that. I hadn't seen it happen, like you did through the television screen. The only way I knew was through my memory.

As I made my way downstairs, I thought about my situation. Everything that had happened so far was just like it had been in the game. So the other things that happened surely would also happen here. Should I warn everyone? Try to make things happen in a different way? I wasn't sure yet. I had time. Maybe not much time, but I did have some.

Fado, the realistic man, greeted me at the door.

So now to find Epona and greet Ilia.

The walk from the house to the spring was longer, less even than in the game. Things weren't so close together, so perfectly laid out. I was in real woods here.

Traveling across an entire country on foot in a matter of minutes wasn't realistic, I supposed – easily understood in the game world. This would be what it represented.

Imagine all the people in castle town, or what it would be like to wield a real sword. How long could this dream last? Dream-time wasn't like real time, was it? So maybe I would meet everyone and do everything. And I had foreknowledge too – maybe I could do it even better. There was -

Ilia was beautiful. Seeing her face in the calm of the spring, smiling in the light glow of light from above the tree tops – it was so much more than I could ever have understood from pixels. The flow of her clothing, the movements of the water, the incredible detail that the world was.

Epona, too, amazed me. What a beautiful horse – so large, as well. Her muscles developed and strong.

I was staring at the both of them. No use waiting – I stepped inside.

Ilia turned to face me. There was affection in her smile, and I was suddenly embarrassed. I felt out of place, like I was intruding – I suppose I was. I wasn't Link. I was just a girl in his body. If Ilia knew, she'd hate me, I'm sure.

"Oh," She said, "Hi, Link. I washed Epona for you."

I smiled at her.

"Thank you," I said.

Ilia seemed to laugh without making a sound, "Epona is a girl too, so you have to treat her nice like one!"

I looked away, once again struck by that certain guilty feeling.

"Oh, but listen, Link..." Ilia said, "Could you do something for me? Can you use a piece of grass to play that song for me? You know, the one Epona likes? I tried to play it for Epona, but I just can't seem to play it the way you can, Link."

Oh. That was a problem. If Ilia couldn't do it, I highly doubted I could. And geez, just what exactly did it sound like anyway? I couldn't quite remember, suddenly. Was it... or maybe...

I was nervous and acted on instinct, plucking a piece of shapely grass from the ground and putting my lips over the spot I assumed was correct. I blew, first making a strange, incorrect, and high-pitched sound. But now I knew how to do it.

Rather effortlessly, I played the tune associated with Epona.

She didn't suddenly sprint to me, as game Epona would have done, but she did shake her head and turn me, looking pleased.

Did horses even like music anyway?

Maybe I could ask her someday.

"It's such a nice melody..." Ilia said, looking peaceful. "Epona looks happy. Well, she's all prettied up now, so I suppose you can ride her back. But don't you make her do too much, OK?"

"I know, I know," I said to her, nodding, "But Epona's a strong girl. I know she can do as much as I can." I brushed through the horse's mane with my fingers, something about it feeling incredibly natural, even though I'd never met a horse before in my life.

What would it be like to ride her? Would she even let me?

She was so large. It took stretching and muscle work to heave myself onto her back. I hoped Ilia wasn't looking at me strangely. To direct the horse... it was like this, right? I tugged, very, very gently, in the direction I wished to go. Thankfully, Epona was a masterfully trained horse, who obeyed me easily, even if I wasn't doing things quite right.

Ilia allowed the two of us to leave, then, and I made my way towards the village.

Seeming the place in 'real life' was pretty breath-taking. Everything so natural, so beautiful. There was more greenery here than I'd ever seen. The water flowing through the place gave it all such a tranquil feel. It was a secluded place, too, encased on nearly every side.

The villagers were dotted around the place, going about their daily lives. I felt like a bit of an interloper here, but only a little – something about the place made me feel like anyone could belong.

I walked Epona through the village slowly, inspecting everything as we went along.

Sera, the shop woman, greeted me as I went by.

'Young Link...', '...mischievous monkeys...'. I'd heard this conversation before too. I didn't say a word – Sera, Beth, Hanch, they all spoke and then let me go. I only nodded.

Would time actually, properly pass here? I could only assume it would. Still, I ought to have time to speak with the villagers.

Colin was making me a fishing rod. Uli had apparently not yet lost her cradle. Villagers going about their daily lives.

Would there possibly be rupees just laying around? Well, I certainly didn't see any.

I did make my way to Fado eventually.

I was a little nervous. I couldn't herd goats, I hardly even knew one end of a goat from the other. And the grazing area was larger than I knew it to be. But maybe, like with the grass, this would be instinctual.

Or, as it turned out to be, just not too hard.

These goats were the most predicable animals I'd ever met. They couldn't possibly act like this in real life. I assumed they were, like Epona, at least somewhat trained already, and knew what they were expected to do. Going near them was enough to direct them to the barn.

"Link, Epona," Fado said, "Much obliged to both of y'all!"

I tipped my head at him. More Epona, than me, I supposed.

"I can cover everyhin' tomorrow without havin' to trouble you, so just sit back an' relax, bud. Oh... but, uh, how 'bout today? Wanna practice with fences?"

Oh, right. Did I want to?

Was that a thing you normally did with horses like Epona? Ilia got angry with Link for his practice of jumping.

Before I could say anything, Fado had continued.

"Just wait a spell, bud. I'll get them fences set up."

He hurried off to do exactly that.

"Is that okay, Epona?" I asked her quietly, so no one would hear. I didn't expect her to talk back. Habit, I suppose – I talked to my cat, too. It felt like I had been here such a long time already... but if it were only a dream, I wouldn't have to worry for my pet. He'd only be missing me until I woke up.

I pranced Epona around while Fado set up fences, wondering for a moment if I should help him, but deciding against it.

My bottom was strangely a little sore. From riding the horse? We'd only been slowly walking. I couldn't imagine traversing all across Hyrule field at traveling speed.

Right. Jumping. Fado was set up now, and let me know. I patted Epona's side, reassuring myself much more than the animal.

I'd watched a documentary on this. Maybe I could rely on that mysterious 'instinct' as well.

Okay, here we go.

Hold the neck strap without dropping the reins. That thing people do, where you kind of stand, remember that. Regular trot. Be calm. Approach on a straight line. Okay, a little faster. Yes, this is something I can do. Eyes up, right, don't look down. What now? There's no 'a-button' here. Should I be doing this at all? I don't know what I'm doing! Too late now. Can't veer away, I'd hurt her.

Stride length is correct. Go, jump now - !

The jump was incredibly exhilarating – the momentum lifted me up and forward with Epona, and it was like flying. Up and over the fence – there wasn't time to catch my breath, we flew over the next one.

The timing was a little less perfect there, I felt. No idea how I felt that, but I did.

I needed to pay careful attention here, I felt. My body – I hadn't even realized it's natural movements. I may not know what I was doing, but thankfully, my body did.

We made it over each jump and out of the pen without any kind of issue.

I felt amazing and there was still a lot of time left in the day.

What should I do? The world was mine to explore. This place, all on its own, was something magical. A true retreat from hectic city life, not too mention the amazing paranormal experience.

I left Epona grazing and wandered the village aimlessly, just seeing things and talking to people. I climbed the thick vines on the stone protrusion from the ground and jumped from platform to platform. I played the hawk grass and allowed it to perch on my arm – how to direct it, I had no clue. I climbed trees. Drank from the fresh water stream. Returned to the spring to bath, spoke with everyone I saw, explored Link's home, played with the children, and spent time with Epona. I dug in the spots where I remembered rupees had been and to my great surprise, found tiny colored currency hidden or lost there.

I had to pee. Should of seen it coming, I guess. Dear god, that was an uncomfortable experience. You learn something new everyday, don't you?

Twilight eventually set it. The village calmed and the villagers turned in. I was again exhausted – I'd done so much today.

For a little while, I was afraid of what would happen later. Save that for when it came, I thought eventually, and was able to peacefully fall asleep.

I was woken that morning by Talo. After quickly washing my face, I made my way out.

The slingshot, naturally, was the talk of the day.

Exciting! Everything was pretty wonderful. As usual, people didn't seem to need much out of me, as far as words went. Maybe Link really did have a reputation for being quiet.

After greeting each of the children, and Colin, who told me about his mother holding the fishing rod, I went into town, leaving Epona to rest and grave near the house. Already, I was thinking of it as my house.

Was it?

I shook the thought from my head. Hanch told me about the bee hive and the missing cat. Sera, his wife, was distraught about it. I knew I could send the cat home if I got it a fish, I could get a fish with the fishing rod Uli was holding for me, which she'd give me after I found and returned the cradle that had floated away downstream. All this so I could purchase the slingshot, which would be available when Sera was again minding the store. Classic fetch quest stuff.

After climbing to the appropriate location and spotting the monkey holding the cradle in the distance, I called down the hawk using hawk grass and that specific tune.

How could I aim it? I didn't exactly have any cross-hairs on my screen or a button to send it off with. I locked eyes with the bird for a moment, then turned to the direction of the cradle, looking hard at it. Would this even work or was I being dumb? Just because it worked in the game didn't necessarily mean it would apply in real life.

Or dreams, whatever this was.

But there was no reason not to try. I nodded, my gaze piercing that cradle, and swooshed my arm upwards and slightly towards it. The hawk needed no further encouragement – it took off and effortlessly snatched the cradle from the monkey's hands, turning around immediately and carrying it back to me.

I was a little amazed when I thought about it. Epona and the goats, maybe, could be trained in a precise fashion, but this was a wild hawk, and not even the same one I'd summoned yesterday. Something magic was at work here or maybe the animals of Hyrule and Ordon were just different. After all, they could actually speak to each other, couldn't they, communicating in an animal language.

The cradle, surprisingly light, in my hands, I quickly made my way to Uli and took it back to her home with her. She was very pleased with and relieved to have the sentimental item back.

"My thanks to you, Link. I had nearly forgotten, I am supposed to give you this..."

Uli presented me the fishing rod, a useful item.

I thanked her and left.

The rod, as objects do, stayed in my hands. I hadn't expected anything else, but it suddenly got me thinking... how on earth was I supposed to hold the incredible amount of items and tools Link obtained on his journey? I didn't have some kind of magic pack to stuff everything into. The ball and chain, especially.

Was I really planning on doing this? Going on this great, dangerous adventure? I wasn't a hero, I was a city girl. How on earth could I ever fight things, kill things. Trudge up an entire snow-covered mountain, swim in claustrophobic tunnels, shoot myself out of a bloody canon? Face enemies several times my size? It hurt when I bit my tongue or slapped my face. What would it feel like to be stabbed with a sword or clawed by wild beasts?

Why did I feel, so much, like this was real anyway?

Wasn't it only a dream?

These people didn't exist. They were written specs of code, now re-imagined in my brain.

Would I risk any kind of suffering to save these?

Uli wanted her son to grow up to be like me... no, like Link. Like me? Did it really matter anyway?

All I've been wishing for is a new life. For adventure, interest. Freedom from the daily stresses and pains. Maybe I would fail and die painfully. But I think I might just prefer that.

Not Link, then. Me. I would be the hero of Hyrule.

It was a lot of thinking, there, only to sit non-climatically, and fish for a while.

Well, I wanted that slingshot, didn't I?

So I had to go through the motions.

Catching a fish wasn't too difficult. I pulled in a Greengill, only a few inches, and threw it to the cat before he could steal it from me.

Sera was rather cute, watching her cat with such a happy expression. I almost didn't want to interrupt her.

"Looks like he came back," I said to her from near the door.

"Yes!" She cried, "My little kitty cat is so amazing! He brought a fish back with him. He was worried about me being angry! Ohh, just look... isn't he so cute, the way he laps up that milk? Say, m'dear, why don't you have some, too! I'm in a good mood, so it's on the house today!"

Woot woot! First bottle! Though... I guess maybe bottles aren't such incredible commodities in this version of the world, maybe. Still, some tightly bottled fresh milk, very nice.

...Would it heal me?

Probably not.

I purchased the slingshot from Sera, who poked fun a little bit at me for buying toys, and returned home. My home, for now at least.

I didn't meet Rusl on the way. I suppose my 'timing' was off? In the game, time didn't pass normally, so events like that were impossible to miss. Here, though, that wasn't the case.

Talo, Malo, and Beth, however, were waiting for me outside the house. With my fishing rod slung over my shoulder and the slingshot sticking out of my belt, my new acquisions were clear. The trio insisted I show them, yet strangely felt no need to ask to use it themselves.

It was easy to use, like most slingshots were, and pretty powerful and accurate. I knew it was going to come in handy, too.

What about getting additional ammo, though? Seeds didn't pop out of near-instantly regrowing pumpkins. If I wanted that, I'd have to dissect and acquire it myself, and I hardly imagined the villagers would be too pleased with me disturbing their gardens for pumpkin seeds. Small pebbles, maybe? I'd keep an eye out and pick up any I saw as I went on my way.

They told me about how Colin's father, Rusl, had brought by an item. Malo commanded I find out what it was and tell them. The wooden sword, I knew, but I might as well fetch it first.

What I received on showing it to them wasn't exactly the sword tutorial. 'Moves' wouldn't be as simple as 'slice,' 'jump attack,' and 'spin'. They just wanted me to pound on the scarecrow a while. It wasn't exactly difficult, but I wondered how I would fair again an actual monster.

The thought of monsters brought me back into reality. Oh dear, I'd forgotten, I'd actually forgotten.

"Now, don't any of you go running off now, okay?" I said, "Just because -"

"WAH!" Talo shouted. Aw, crap. "C'MERE, YOU!"

All three rushed away into the woods.

How could I be so stupid?