A/N: Well this is exciting! This is my first AU! Okay, so here's the world: the story is set in a world where all the games' worlds are one. So Hyrule, Termina, Labrynna, Holodrum, etc, are all in the same world, just different kingdoms basically. Could I have said "world" more times just now? In this first chapter, we start in the neighboring realms of Termina and Hyrule, so everywhere co-exists on the same map. Despite being in these worlds, the Link and Zelda aren't from any of the games. I think that's all you need to really know going in.
I'm working on three writing projects right now, two of them being fanfics, so updates will probably be every other week while I work on other things. But hey, if you get bored waiting and need something else, you can check out my other Zelda stories (that wasn't subtle self-advertising AT ALL).
T for violence and there's usually something dark about what I write but I haven't gotten there yet, so "darkishness" probably will also be why it's T. Reviews are highly appreciated, especially if you've done AU's before or read them, because this is outside my comfort zone. But it's still fun! So here you go! I'll stop talking/typing!
Chapter 1
Zelda sat on the barstool for about one second, desperate to rest her aching feet. She'd been on them all day, first at the Stock Pot Inn, and then now at the Milk Bar Latte.
Behind her, there was a loud banging of a broom against the bar. She turned wearily to Mr. Barten, unmoved by his attempts to rouse her. "What in tarnation are ya' doin' sittin' like that?"
Zelda sighed, moving the one strand that had fallen from her carefully braided back blonde hair. "No one is here yet, Mr. Barten. I just am tired recently."
"It ain't the anniversary, right?"
Zelda knew what he meant immediately and shook her head. "Not yet. It's coming up though. She'd have been twenty-five this year. It's so hard to picture her any older than I am now. Five years is a long time."
Mr. Barten sighed, concerned until the door to the bar swung open and daily regular, Gorman, moped inside, taking his usual place at the end of the bar.
Zelda sprung to her feet and bent sympathetically down to the man's level. "You want your usual?"
He didn't respond intelligibly, but he managed a nod and a grunt. She took the broom from Mr. Barten, who'd already begun pouring.
The Milk Bar Latte would have gotten more customers a day if it wasn't so… special looking. Bright, neon coloring and stained glass it by candles shined blinding colors across the room, making it almost a pink or purple color. The bar was long, and there was a stage, but the only oyher place to sit was at the farr end of the bar, a small table covered in cow print, barely close enough to see the stage or hear the conversations from across the room. Zelda guessed that Barten had purposely created a bar-centric atmosphere to urge his patrons to drink, but it rarely worked. People wanted to talk, to hear, and to not be stared down and eaves-dropped on by the nosey Barten. On an average day, people were willing to make the short trip from Clock Town to Castle Town just to go to Thelma's Bar, with its rustic and practical wooden floors and cheery, friendly vibe given off by the several walls decorated with patron trophies and maps.
Zelda had to admit though, when there was a band, the Milk Bar would be packed, but on a slow night like today, it was clear that Thelma's was where everyone else would be. It was the hottest bar in Castle Town, in any town, really, and worth the trip.
As she continued to sweep the already immaculate floor, she wondered where she'd sleep tonight. The inn was full, and it was the only inn she could afford. She knew because she'd worked in several, though the Stock Pot offered her the best hours to have a second job. She still didn't have enough rupees to maintain a small home or shared home in town, so she had to make due. She'd sleep in the inn's spare rooms when there were some, exchanging extra hours for the use of a bed. When she couldn't do that, and couldn't afford another, she'd ask around for a friend to help her out for the night. Her last resort was usually sneaking into the inn, sleeping in the kitchen by the fire, and then leaving before Anju found her there.
The door opened again, and Zelda threw the broom behind the counter, rushing to a cabinet to pretend to look busy. She glanced at the customer with a routinely plastered on smile, forgetting about her sleeping arrangements for the time being.
The newcomer was handsome, though the way the purple lighting hit him made it appear so his skin was almost a grey color. He wore a long hat that pooled down his back and into a point, a long cloak over him. When he turned to her, she forced herself not to gasp. His eyes were a stunning red color, especially as the light from the bar bounced off.
"I'll be right with you," she said, recovering and putting a random cup from her hand down on the cabinet before rushing behind the bar. "What can I get for you."
When the man spoke, his voice was melodic, higher than she'd pictured, but it seemed to suit him well. "I have no preference, ma'am. Whatever you think is good suits me fine."
Zelda's smile tightened. "'Ma'am?' Have I gotten that old already?" Pulling a bottle off the shelf, she poured. It was a drink with a fruity taste, and one of her least favorites in the bar, though it was something Lulu seemed to love.
The man laughed and held his hand up apologetically. "Forgive me, miss, I was only trying to be polite, not offend you."
Gorman raised his head and then slammed it back down into his arms as Mr. Barten refilled his cup. "They hide the pretty ones away in this place," he muttered without any indication of desire.
Zelda reached over and patted Gorman. "Don't worry, I love you most days, Gorman."
He grunted, and she laughed before sliding the drink over to the stranger. "Just Zelda is fine," she said, gesturing to the tag on her shirt.
"Vaati," he said, extending a hand towards her.
She took it. "Pleasure to have you here, Vaati."
Mr. Barten, for all he preached, was more direct and less censored when it came to customers, preferring to have a good time and make a new friend, it sometimes seemed, than trying to maintain professional relationships with returning customers.
"Vaati? Where are you from? That's an interesting name. And… well… I'm not sure if it's just like this where you come from, but you have a unique sense of style, too."
Zelda almost subconsciously adjusted the black overalls she wore over a white shirt, the bar uniform. No one noticed her though.
"It's quite common style of dress there, actually," he admitted before shaking his head. "Minish Village, that is. My home. It's a small village far outside of Castle Town. I'm here on business first, and then a sort of… spiritual retreat, you might say."
"Do you travel often?" Zelda asked, already beginning to daydream of all the places he might go.
"I recently started travelling, yes. It's quite fulfilling."
Her smile turned wistful and she pictured the peak of Death Mountain, the long bridge over Lake Hylia, and the infinitely white Snowpeak mountains. "You're very fortunate."
Vaati, with his strange red eyes, looked even more unearthly with the glow of the lights. "I did not come upon my fortune lightly. I did have to work for it. You see… when I want something… I make it happen."
Link looked around the farm land one more time, double-checking that all the Cuccos had gone inside the barn, along with the cows and the horses. As night fell, he felt all the more tired, longing to go back home and go to sleep. Malon, the ranch owner's red-headed daughter, ran outside and pulled her coat on over her blouse, hiking her skirt up so it didn't catch in the mud.
"Are you ready to go?" she asked eagerly. She looked around the ranch, nodding in approval at the lack of animals.
Link nodded, though his eyes felt as though they were ready to close. Offering Malon a hand, he pulled her up behind him. Malon would be staying with a friend in town for the night, so she didn't want to bring her own horse.
"You've been doing a great job around here," she complimented him as they rode out into the great expanse of Hyrule Field toward Castle Town.
He mumbled a thank you. It wasn't the job he had always dreamed of. That one had been ripped away from him, forever out of his reach now. Riding toward Castle Town, the sword on his belt kept banging against his leg, reminding him of his failure.
Riding over the long drawbridge, he slowed his horse, Epona, to a crawl, careful to avoid a staggering man as he attempted to cross the narrow path. Link veered around him, hearing Malon chuckle in his ear, and headed into the crowded market area. Even this late, a few stalls remained open, a long line never failing to block his way. Once he'd maneuvered through the crowd, he guided Epona down some steps to the almost hidden entrance to the bar.
Hopping down, he tied Epona next to several other horses and helped Malon down. She all but ran into the bar, and he followed slowly behind her.
When he pushed the doors open, the rustic, homey atmosphere almost immediately put him at ease, as did the face behind the counter. But before he could talk to her, he heard Malon squeal in joy.
He turned toward her and saw Cremia beside her. The two looked so similar yet had no relation between them. Both ran ranches, though Cremia's ranch was in the north, in Termina, just outside of Hyrule. From what Malon had told him, she'd recently inherited Romani's Ranch all on her own, while Malon still worked under her father, Talon. The two girls sat down in the crowded room, Link forgotten about, and he almost turned immediately for home, but a voice caught his ear.
"Honey, where do you think you're going?"
Link smiled and walked up to the bar wearily, immediately reaching to pet the long white cat that was lying on the bar as he looked at the woman behind it.
She was older, nearing forty, but he never failed to find something in the bar owner that endeared her to him, and the other way around.
"Telma," he said, a faux sultry voice that made her chuckle. "I would never leave without saying hello to you."
She reached under her bar and began pouring. "You almost did! I've never been so insulted by you. What did I do to deserve this?" Winking at him, she slid the glass over to the edge, eyed by the other patrons for his special treatment. For that reason, he downed the drink as fast as he could and slid Telma a rupee.
"I'd love to stay longer, Telma. I have to get back home."
She pocketed the rupee with an annoyed look. No matter how often she told him the drink was on the house, he'd always paid, and she stopped the futile offer after a while. "You come back soon then, Hon. I miss our dates."
He laughed and turned for the door. "Me too."
Three knights, still in armor, moved to block his way out. One of them took an aggressive step toward him. "They still let you in Castle Town, or are you breaking more laws?"
"Move, Cawlin," Link said, not meeting the other man's eyes. He was the same age, they all were, and he knew every one of them by name. Cawlin was shorter than he was, but he was wide with muscle, easily intimidating if it weren't for his laughable hair. On that front, he followed Groose, another knight, one who wasn't present. When the tall redhead wasn't around, Cawlin often took leadership over the group of knights.
Stirch, a tall, quiet knight with an equally appalling haircut and demeanor blocked the doorway. Cawlin stepped even closer to Link, though never touching. "Go ahead and try. I'll have you arrested for assaulting a knight. Maybe if you had become one, you'd be able to actually do something about it."
"Get out of my bar," Telma said, leaning over the counter. She hated most of the knights and soldiers in Castle Town, though she had her own reasons. "I'm the property owner, and not even you or your fancy title can change the law for your own sake. Now, leave."
The group obliged, though Cawlin stayed behind for another moment. "You need the old barmaid to fight your battles too?"
Link swung his fist at Cawlin's face, landing with a loud crack. Link turned and slammed one hand down on the counter as he shook out his fist. Cawlin had blood coming from his nose and narrowed his eyes at Link before leaving. It wasn't the first punch they'd thrown at each other, and it wouldn't be the last, but Cawlin knew who's side Telma was on, and it was clear that the patrons would also support her.
"Next time," she said loudly, ensuring that the entire bar could hear her, "Don't grab someone first. That's just begging to be punched in the face. Now you can leave." If anyone was asked, Cawlin had started the fight, grabbing Link first.
As Cawlin limped out the door, Link turned back toward the bar. Telma had a mischievous smile. "Nice punch, Hon, but don't defend me again. I can take care of myself, and I'm not worth you getting in any more trouble with the knights."
Link shook his head. "You are, Telma. You're one of the few people here who's worth a damn."
"You'll find a few more if you stop frequenting places those morons go to. I'm not telling you to stop coming to my bar, of course, but you go from home, to work, to here, to home. Branch out."
Link's smile tightened. He knew she was right, but hearing it didn't make him feel any better. "Speaking of that schedule, I have to get home. I'll see you next time, Telma."
She pursed her lips and flipped her red braids over her shoulder before tying them up. "Tell that uncle of yours that I said hello."
"Oh," Link said, stifling a laugh, "I absolutely will."
Zelda closed the bar down just after 2am, looking around longingly. If Barten didn't come in so early, she'd stay in the back room or his office for the night. Though she normally would have just gone to the inn, she noticed Vaati pull out a key of his own and enter. It left her feeling embarrassed, though he wouldn't see her. Well, he would during her shift tomorrow, but sneaking in right after him, she felt something wrong about it. She couldn't bring herself to use her key, to risk him going to get something to eat in the kitchen, or lingering in the lobby.
Turning on her heels, the night was beautiful, the perfect temperature. She was thankful as she hurried up the steps and glanced over to her old hideout. The Bombers had a secret hideout, though they'd recently gotten a lock to cover the entry when no one was there. She'd been a Bomber when she was younger and knew the passcode if anyone asked, but to break into the locked area felt beyond desperate.
If it hadn't been so late, she'd have walked to Romani Ranch which her friend and part-time bartender, Grog, worked at. But Zelda knew that tonight was just her own problem, a lack of forethought. She headed to the playground in North Clock Town, an area that wouldn't be populated by anyone until after her shift began in the morning at the inn.
Settling down behind the slide, Zelda grabbed her bag, taking out one of the small round tablets that she'd taken every night for years, the expensive medication that she found she could no longer go without. Though it was hers, given to her by the doctor in Kakariko Village, she felt the things should be illegal just for their intense potency. She put the remainder of the tablets away and put the bag under her head, using it as a pillow. She was grateful that Anju let her keep her bag of clothes in the employee closet of the inn, so she was left with very few things in her actual bag. After staring at the stars for a short time, her heavy eyes drifted shut and into a dreamless sleep.
It was a long ride back to Ordon, where Link lived with his uncle and sister. He'd be careful leaving the bar not to run into Cawlin or the others who might still be outside, but he had found the saddle straps on Epona were cut. Telma let him keep the broken one in her storage room for a while so he could get home, and he continued on bareback.
It barely affected him. He'd been riding horses for so long that if they'd told him to ride upside-down, he was confident that he'd find a way to. The ride was long though, and the night brought dangers with it. He kept one hand firmly on his sword while the other held Epona by the mane.
When he finally entered the village, he could see a short blonde girl resting her head against a bannister. He smiled softly and dismounted Epona, hoping she wouldn't wander too far in the night. She knew the area and he wasn't worried, but the young girl, he was concerned for.
Kneeling in front of her, he could see her eyes were closed under the cover of her bangs. Though she was twelve, Link scooped her into his arms and opened the door, careful to avoid whacking her against any of the furniture.
"You're late," she muttered sleepily against his shirt.
He continued toward her room and pushed the door open, laying her on the bed before answering.
"You shouldn't wait up for me, Aryll. Sometimes, I come home later. You know that."
Aryll looked too tired to argue and pulled up a blanket. "Then come home sooner."
Link didn't answer her; it was clear that she had already fallen back to sleep. He stepped out and closed the door a bit before gasping at the figure in front of him.
"Uncle," he breathed. "Why are you up, too?"
"Same reason your sister was," he said, also tired. "You have a good time at Telma's?"
Link rolled his eyes and put his sword down by the door. "I only had one drink, Uncle."
"Your father was killed by a drunk, and he'd had too much that night to defend himself. You know how much that stuff disgusts me."
"I know," Link said patiently as he laid across the couch, kicking off his boots. He didn't have the energy to make it up to his actual bed.
Link's uncle sighed, giving up his fight for the night and retreating to his own room.
Link quickly began to dream, almost as soon as his eyes had closed.
Screaming. There was so much screaming. He couldn't make out any individual voices, and the room was filled with meandering shadows, each calling out in different voices, making different sounds.
He could feel himself breathing heavier and faster as he spun around. One voice was becoming clearer amidst the others: his sister. He pushed past the shadows, toward to her voice, but it never sounded any closer. He pushed more frantically until suddenly, it stopped. All of it. And he was left alone in a silent white expanse.
The next morning, Zelda went into the Stock Pot Inn early to wash up. She used the washroom and changed into her uniform: a simple skirt and blouse, like Anju wore. Only Anju's mother didn't follow the uniform, preferring to wear what she wanted. Perks of ownership, Zelda thought.
At 8am, Zelda unlocked the front door and sat behind the counter, planning the rest of her day. On her break, she could go to the Laundry Pool and clean her things off before work at the Milk Bar Latte later tonight. It would be a busy night; the band was playing and had fans had filled the inn. But they were only playing for one night before they headed out on a small tour. Indigo Go's were the most popular band in Hyrule, and Zelda felt lucky to call the lead singer her friend.
She was so lost in her thoughts that she almost didn't notice Anju standing in front of her.
With a smile reserved for customers, Zelda bowed. "Welcome to the Stock Pot Inn. Do you have a reservation?"
Anju snorted and reached across the counter, grabbing something before sliding it into her pocket. "No, but I do have a date."
"Oooo," Zelda cooed. "Where are you and Kafei going?"
Anju shrugged, an excited grin spreading along her face. "He's surprising me."
"Have fun then! Don't keep wasting time talking to me!" Zelda shooed her friend from the building and heard thudding footsteps come down the stairs. She turned and saw Vaati staring at her.
"I thought I heard a familiar voice," he mused.
She looked around her, guiltily. "Yeah. I work here, too."
He walked toward the desk, leaning on it casually. "If I go explore the town, will I see you working somewhere else as well?"
Zelda scoffed. "Well, you used to find me at the Daily Game, but I got fired so a certain someone could stand on a revolving platform and make out with his fiancée. They changed the name to the Honey and Darling Shop. If you don't look at them, it's actually a pretty great place to go. And I'll be in the bar tonight, as usual."
"Do you live here?" Vaati asked curiously.
Hesitating, Zelda cleared her throat, wondering what to say to that. "Um, yeah. I have one of the beds when the inn isn't full."
His red eyes didn't dull in the morning light. It hadn't been a trick of the bar's lighting. "And when the inn is full?"
She smiled nervously, but didn't have to answer, as the postman came through the door at that moment with a handful of mail. Vaati left her alone to go back up to his room, and she felt a wave of relief as he did.
She liked him. He was nice enough, and clearly in town for a little while. It seemed unlikely that she'd be rid of him quickly, so she was resolved to befriend him if he wanted, even despite a deep pit that had begun to form in her stomach as she thought of him more.
