There are lots of worlds. Millions of millions of millions. That's the Many-Worlds theory.

It's conceivable that in an infinite number of universes, there would be one exactly like every universe it's possible to dream of. Everything we create, by the law of infinites, must exist somewhere.

Yet I don't believe that's what's happened to get me here.

I believe I've finally gone mad.

Water, a metre in front of my feet, pulls calmly up over its shore and fades back down. I'm surrounded by trees, wall of rock and dirt. One gate, open, leads into this clearing. This is Ordon Spring.

I've played the game over and over again. A lot of the time, I don't finish a whole play-through. The start is the most familiar area. I know this like the back of my head.

I don't know it this way.

My mind is only half-comprehending the realism. The uneven texture of the ground, large rocks, dirt, pebbles, sand and gravel, different sizes, different colours, different shapes, no trace of a repeating pattern, no twice-used element. I can feel the breeze sweep through the trees and across my skin. The leaves move as they are expected to.

The water – neither of my games systems do I believe capable of rendering such realistic water textures. It moves like it's real, precisely because it is.

In my head anyway. Because like I said, I must be crazy.

"Tell me...Do you ever feel a strange sadness as dusk falls?"

I know this speech. I turn and look at him. Every inch, every hair on his head, real. I can see a soul through his eyes.

And I fee like he is something fatherly. Not from knowing – not from playing this game over and over again when I'm unhappy and bored, wanting to feel special, be that hero again. I can feel, truly feel, depth in his character. He's a person, Rusl.

"They say it's the only time when our world intersects with theirs..." He went on.

It's not as if I could think of anything to say. My tongue feels clipped, because I can't think straight right now.

"...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...

"But enough talk of sadness...I have a favour to ask of you, Link."

I know this favour. I know this whole speech. I know it all, but I'm not getting the sense of deja-vu I should be.

"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?

"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.

"You should look upon it all with your own eyes."

My eyes. God, I have not even seen myself, but I know these are not my eyes. Stop talking, Rusl, I know this. What's going on?

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

mayor about this matter."

Right. You do that.

I lift my hand. I can move, at least – I just hadn't been trying before. Too flabbergasted. I'm still flabbergasted. I wave at Rusl. What else am I supposed to do? I'm in shock.

He leaves and I stand up.

Simultaneously, it feels right, but makes me nauseous. That upward swoop is too severe. He's too tall – Link, that is, or me.

"Ah," I say, making the only sound I can think of to make.

Why am I here? Is this a dream? See, that's doubtful, because I don't know any dream to be this realistic. I pinch myself and register the pain.

Then I catch a glimpse of myself in the water.

I step forward, to get a better look. My feet splash in the water and I feel it.

Sharp eyes and sharp ears. This isn't my face. Honestly, it's even hard to connect it to Link's. I'm so used to seeing it as simplistic graphics. Drawings of the character are anime-esque.

This is human. I move my hand to touch my face, almost jumping when my reflection moves with me.

It's my face. Someone else's, but I feel it. I can feel my own touch, can feel my fingertips brushing over my cheeks. Handsome, aren't I? Or him...

A dream? Does that pinching thing everyone does in movies really work? Another world I've fallen into? Madness?

I haven't the slightest.

All I do know is that I'm cold.

My feet, in sandals, are wet and one arm and shoulder are exposed. It really is getting dark. That's what twilight means.

But where do I go? To Link's house? It's only logical, I guess. It hardly seems right, though. As if doing that would be intruding. It's not as if I hear his thoughts in my head. His voice, if Link really had one. There's not a soul here but myself.

I blush, thinking over this body, as I walk. There's certainly something there that wasn't there before.

I was female before and this is strange.

I remember the layout. Things are longer, however. It's a longer path back to Link's tree-house home. There's a path to follow, but there aren't exactly walls on either side of the road preventing me from running off. It's wide open. Uneven, sure, and not somewhere I'd like to walk wearing sandals, but open. It's a whole world, even large then the Hyrule and Ordon that I know.

Can I really say I know it? This, just viewing this, it's an entire world.

I reach the tree. Definitely a well-made home. Did Link make this himself? I don't know the exact history of the character in this particular game. I haven't a clue who he is beyond what the game told me. So who am I then, in here?

If I fall asleep, will I wake back in my home? Some movies do that...

Do I want to wake back there? For the first time, I'm thinking about the larger view of this situation. I'm... I'm in a Zelda game, aren't I? I am! It's, it's like a dream, isn't it? I'm Link. I'm the Hero of the Twilight! Or, I will be. Or he will be. Or something.

God, what am I even supposed to want?

Falling asleep in his bed, at the very top of the tree, is easier than it should be.

It's comfortable. It smells... the way it should smell. Like home, even as I consciously think this is not what my home smells like. Fatherly Rusl. Link's home feels like home. This is something deeper than body-switching.

But I can think about that in the morning.

I woke pretty early. Fado isn't the one who woke me...

Oh, dear god, it was my bladder.

What the hell? Ugh, I do not, absolutely do not, know how to work one of these! I scurried downstairs from the loft. There wasn't a bathroom in the game... there's not a bathroom in the real world, either. The house is, well, amazing to see. All these little details I looked over when viewing them through a TV screen. This is someone's life here, on these shelves.

No time for that.

Gotta pee. Oh, god, gotta pee.

This is so embarrassing! Does he really pee out in the woods? I suppose Ordon wouldn't exactly have running water. Is there an outhouse?

Down the ladder, making my way behind the tree, I spot one. It's a ways off from the home, which I suppose does make sense, as I imagine these things would smell pretty bad. It's a pit toilet, isn't it?

There's a... sort of... seat here. Eww. I've only seen these sorts of toilets in museums. Do you sit on it or just kinda hover over it? It's just a plank of wood with a big hole in it. That does not look comfortable.

Video-game Link never had to deal with toilet time. Ah, and what would happen when I got my period?

Oh, wait, no, that's dumb. With this... pipe system... I wouldn't be getting a period.

I sat down. Okay.

That thing was hanging between my legs. It was unnatural.

I knew that boys stood to pee, but I sure as hell wasn't doing that.

Well, it was good to know that the release mechanism seemed to operate the same way.

No toilet paper.

That was a whole new challenge.

Speak of culture shock...

Walking back to the house (not knowing what else to do) I contemplated. This body is utterly strange. I don't know how to live in it. Being this isn't exactly something you get advice on either is it? As if anyone would believe me. Yeah, don't mind me, just a girl from a completely different world, stuck in the body of Link, your home-boy.

Yep, that would be awful. I don't remember any asylums in Hyrule either.

"Ilia," I found myself saying aloud.

I spotted her taking Epona. Of course, that's how she was introduced. She bathed the horse in the spring. Pretty horse.

Pretty girl, too.

Her features were soft and round, but her body was shaped with strength from work. Her hair, short, lightly straying to the side. Sandy blond and beautiful. She was beautiful. She'd be a model in my world, I was sure.

I couldn't say whether the change had altered my sexuality. I'm bisexual, actually.

I'd certainly never felt this way about the video game character, though.

"Hi, Link," She called back to me, "Aw, I was going to surprise you and wash Epona for you. Well, if you're awake, why don't you come with me?"

"Um, s-sure." I said.

I could feel my new face flushing. Ilia didn't seem to notice, thankfully.

The situation was so awkward. They were childhood friends. To be me at all was deceiving her. She was acting the way she would act with Link, not a stranger.

What should I do about this? It would be the same with everyone Link knew, wouldn't it? Should I tell them? How, even? I could say I've lost my memory. That seems like a good enough shot. Oh, no, that wouldn't work, I couldn't hold that lie, I know it. I'd find things familiar. The people, the places.

My body was strong. Tensing my muscles, I could feel that. Link was lean, but a hard worker. He'd grown his muscles up like that.

It felt like stealing to have them to myself now, work free.

"Link?" Ilia asked.

I hadn't moved an inch. She must be wondering what I was doing.

She moved towards me, leading Epona along.

Fado arrived at that moment.

I was thankful to see the loud man.

He greeted us and asked for my assistance at the ranch, herding goats.

Oh, hell, I have no idea how to herd goats. I've never even ridden a horse.

"Um, sorry," I started to say.

Ilia must have thought it intended to her.

She laughed, then sighed.

"It's all right," She said, "I understand. You have a good day, then, and don't work Epona too hard, all right?"

I nodded. She disappeared off into the woods, horse free, and I took Epona's reins to lead her.

How was I going to do this?

"Fado," I said – ah, my voice sounds so strange!

"Go ahead," he said, "I'll meet you there."

Go... ahead?

Oh, hell no.

What was I supposed to do? I looked at Epona – and I felt instinct aid me. I knew how to climb up onto her. I knew how to grip the saddle, thrust myself up off the ground, pulling at the same time, leg flying where it belonged of its own accord.

Why were some things 'right' and other things were not? I could have used this instinct earlier this morning.

I directed her, again knowing what to do, to trot in towards town. Again, it was a greater distance. There certainly wasn't and load time anywhere either. No sudden disappearance from one place to appear in the other. I could see the village grow larger as I grew closer.

It was quite the place. Idyllic. A few villagers were milling about the place, attending to their own duties. I made my way through it all. No extra houses – there seemed to be the same number here as in the game. The same approximate places. It was familiar and comforting. I could imagine relaxing here by the stream or climbing up that tree, threading my hands into the strong vines for grip.

I found the ranch soon enough. It was on a hill, far side of the town, but again, no walls and a longer distance. I could feel the warm sun on my skin and the touch of the breeze.

I could smell the goat shit.

Everything about this place was real as real gets.

What... was I supposed to do here? Goats leant their heads down, grazing or taking in the fair weather.

"H-hey." I said, coming behind a group of them, sort of waving my hands.

Nothing. As expected. It was sort of annoying.

"Hey!" I shouted, clapping my hands above my head.

They understood what they were supposed to do, they just didn't want to do it. My shouting and loud noise drew them off, back towards the place they knew they were supposed to go.

Well, I could do this.

I led Epona around, clapping and shouting, feeling like an idiot, but also getting the job done. It would be good if I could finish before Fado came back and saw me. He might think I was strange.

I hurried and was able to get every goat inside the barn. I suppose he wanted them there to milk them? It was still awfully early in the day. I didn't imagine they were always turned inside this early. They wouldn't have time to graze if this were the case.

"Ah, fast job again, Link!" Fado called up to me as I walked the horse back into town.

"Why so early, again?" I asked him.

"Early?" He said, "It ain't early! Is it...? Na, Sera's closing her shop already."

"Right," I said, looking down.

Well, maybe I hadn't woken as early as I'd thought I had.

What now? There was still time until twilight. Talk to the villagers? That's what I'd do starting a new game. Even if I'd heard the lines a hundred times, to speak with them gave the world a sense of completeness. It helped get me into the world. I certainly didn't need any help with that now.

What, then? Search for rupies? It was somewhat doubtful that the grass would be a replenishing source of money or that I would be able to break large rocks apart just by throwing them.

I knew I'd have to save Uli's cradle tomorrow, so I could get the fishing rod, so I could catch a fish for Sera's cat, so Sera would open her store again, give me a bottle, and let me buy the slingshot.

You know, bottles probably weren't so incredibly valuable anymore. In fact, they were probably just bottles. Just a... piece of shaped glass.

Whatever.

For today... speak with Ilia?

What did she even do during the day?

I think, honestly, that I hunted. Helped out at the ranch when they needed me. That was why I had a horse and why I lived away from the village. Probably, anyway. I... sort of felt it. I would be a good hunter. Even though I've never hunted a thing in my life, except grasshoppers, maybe.

I was lingering outside the mayor's home. A voice called out to me.

"Are you going to stand there or come in, Link?"

"Ah, um." I stammered.

Ilia gracefully swept out of the house, closing the door behind her. She had this sort of effortless confidence to her. She knew exactly what she wanted. She was headstrong and self-assured. It made her all the more beautiful.

I blushed, again. She was a game character. That was so weird.

"Hmm, I've got you tongue-tied again, do I?" She asked. Her tone was sweet and low.

"Oh, I, well, I'm distracted." I said.

She made me feel so strange. Like... all warm and tight and happy. And guilty. And disgusted. And, damn, so very, very awkward.

"I wondered," I said at last, "If you might want to..."

"Wash Epona?" She finished.

"Um, sure." I said. I had no idea what I was going to ask anyone.

She giggled at me, girlish and proud, and took Epona's reigns from my hands.

"Epona is a girl too, so you have to treat her nice like one!" She said.

"Oh, yes, absolutely," I said back.

That set Ilia giggling again. It all felt awkward, sure, but strangely right at the same time. I've always thought that if Link wasn't taken away on his great heroic journey, he'd probably have married her. They'd have had two little village children, grown old, died.

I wouldn't want that life. Somehow, I didn't really feel that Link would either.

It's not as if I want the realm to be in trouble, suffering. I just... want adventure. I want to be special and unique. To be the chosen hero, isn't that something amazing? How could a village life compare to that?

So I didn't ship these characters. Link and Ilia. There would never be... enough life there. Enough specialness. Enough adventure.

Thinking about it, that way... it helped me manage these feelings for Ilia.

She was just a girl.

There were Queens and Princesses out there. I wasn't the kind of girl to settle for a quiet life.

None-the-less, Ilia could be a wonderful friend.

"Ilia," I said, a little more normal at last "I'd like to talk to you about something.

"Yes?" She said, preening Epona's mane as we walked towards Ordon Spring.

"Um, this is going to sound a little odd." I said, "I really -"

Come from another world, I was going to say. I'd almost spontaneously decided to say it. But the words didn't come out of my mouth. Other words flew into their place.

"- want to explore the world." I said.

I hadn't changed my mind halfway though the sentence. That wasn't what I meant to say!

"I see," She said, looking at me oddly.

"I mean -" I tried to say again, but was again forced into different words.

"Rusl helped me out by giving me a task." I said.

"Oh, he told my father about it, actually," Ilia said, "I wondered when you were going to tell me."

"Ah, sorry about that," I said.

She waved her hand – no worries.

"I..." I gave up. "I'm going to be away for a while. I'll come straight home after the task, but, well, I think I might go away again. Go... see things. Find myself, maybe?"

Ilia looked confused, "I understand."

Did she? Why did she look so confused?

"Will it be for a long time?" She asked.

"I don't know," I said. "Maybe. Maybe for a very long time."

She stared down at her toes, "I might not be here when you get back. You... know what I mean?"

I shouldn't know what she meant, but by that same instinct, I did. 'I might marry someone else.'

They'd never talked about getting married. I could just somehow know that. But it had been somewhat... of a given. That they had been so close, before... and close in age, too, of no other prospects in the village. Perfect match.

"You've... always been sort of distant, Link." Ilia said, "In some way, I almost admire you for that. It's like... you're so much more, you know? But..."

"I understand." I said.

Did I?

This was all so very, very strange.

"Good night, Link," Ilia said, turning away suddenly, dropping Epona's lead.

"Ilia?" I called.

She was already gone, yet somehow, I had seen a vestige of tears hovering in the air.

Well, sure fucked that up.

I'd basically rejected a girl, hadn't I? That's the first time I've ever rejected someone in my life. No, I hadn't, had I? God, I didn't know, who let down who there? Ilia was the one who was crying.

I must be heartless, because I hardly felt a thing at all.

I took Epona home and let her graze, calling an early night.