Maeva, a young woman taken in by Zelda, values the princess more than anyone else. When sent to follow Link in hopes of a better future for all those who have fallen into the twilight, she decides SHE will save the princess and Hyrule. It becomes a race against time and a race against Link, but as time passes, will she learn to accept him? Rather, will he learn to accept what she is? Follows LoZ:TP.

AnimeFreak2306: Yay, my first Twilight Child friend. Anyhoozle, I'm very happy you like it. I didn't think people would like the present tense thing, but you just made my day when I read your review. What do you mean a twilight one like this? And nope, you're not stupid and you didn't miss it. I just didn't know where to put it yet. Well, I'm going to stop babbling now and let you read the update. Here you go:D

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This is why I dislike humans. They judge based on appearances, and... I suppose I have no right to be angered. I sometimes think like that as well. "Maeva! We'll meet you at the springs!" I hear Midna call out to me in our language. I raise my hand without turning around to signal my understanding. The three men continue to walk forward. "Again, you misunderstand. I am trying to help."

"How? By taking our things??" The man on the ledge earlier yells, his wrinkles growing more obvious as he gets angrier.

"No," I wield my Leviathan. "By keeping you all out of this. Trust me, it is not a problem you will want to handle. And with the state you're in now, I don't think it's a problem you can handle." I speak mostly about the man on the ledge.

"Keeping us out of what?" The largest man holds the other two back and looks at me sternly. "The problem," I answer. "I promise you, if you let me go, I will make sure that the humans that were taken from this town are safe."

"How do we know you're not lying? And what do you mean by human?" Rusl continues to glare at me. "I don't care anymore! Give me back my daughter! Hyaahhh!" The man who used to stand on the ledge rushes at me with a stick he picked up from the ground. It is rather gnarled, and in my opinion, quite useless. "Hanch!" The largest man gasps.

I deflect his stick with the Leviathan, and this 'Hanch' falls to the ground. I swear I did nothing. The force of his attack and the strength of the Leviathan simply blew him away. "Hanch!" Rusl gasps, and turns to the largest man. "Bo.."

'Bo', the largest man, sighs and nods. "How dare you harm Hanch! Evil beast in the form of a girl!" Rusl says angrily, and runs towards me as well. His only weapon is a broken arm and a free right hand. "I did not harm your friend. He was trying to harm me and I merely protected myself."

"She has a point," Bo agrees as I move out of the way of Rusl's attack. Finally, someone who understands. "But really, how do we know you didn't take the children?"

I try not to show that I am hesitating, but I fail. I slowly remove the bracelet the princess bestowed upon me and hold it up in the air. "This is very important to me," I nearly choke at the thought of the bracelet, with its beautiful emerald green beads strung to a lime green string falling gracefully against my fingers, being given away to someone other than I. "I will come back for it when your children are safe. Catch!" I throw the bracelet, and Bo turns around to catch it. Rusl and Hanch on the ground, Bo running off.. Now is my chance.

Hmph, my bracelet for my escape. I believe it wasn't a fair trade, but I had no other choice. I rub my arm in annoyance. Foolish, distrustful humans! What a waste of a perfectly good bracelet. It was my.. lucky charm, of sorts. I arrive at the spring in time to see the wolf defeating and destroying a shadow beast. A creature floats by the falls, emanating a light so bright that I have to cover my eyes. "O brave youth.." Its voice almost glows. "I am one of four light spirits that protect Hyrule at the behest of the gods. I am Ordona. The black beast you slayed was a shadow being. It had come to seize the power of light I wield."

The princess never spoke of any spirits that protected Hyrule. Either way, these light spirits are doing a terrible job. "My brethren in Hyrule have already had their light stolen by these fell beasts.. The entire kingdom has been reduced to a netherworld ruled by the cursed powers of darkness. The blight will not stop with Hyrule," It adds. This is true. "Before long, the entire world of light will fall into the hands of the king who rules the twilight." This spirit, Ordona, as it calls itself.. It says that those transformed by the twilight cannot return to their true forms, but if the wolf returns to Faron Woods, the place where he was first transformed into what he is now, he might be able to. That is, if the wolf revives the light spirit.

Is this the hope the princess speaks of? If I follow the wolf and perhaps try to aid it... Will it save the princess? Why didn't the princess just send me? Is it because of what I am? Does she not believe that I can fulfill the task she seems to have entrusted to this wolf?

Ordona disappears and the wolf turns to me. Rather, to the direction of Faron Woods. "Oh, you're back. How was it?" Midna asks, realizing that I am here as she and the wolf pass by me. I raise my left hand, and Midna bursts into laughter. "You gave the bracelet up? You really hate that princess, don't you?" I give Midna a spiteful look. "I had no choice."

I follow Midna and the wolf onto the bridge, and Midna returns the look. "Why give that up when you can throw the Leviathan away? Don't tell me it's too precious to give away..." "It is not," I nearly spit. The anger in Midna's visible eye blazes within me in a moment. "It's just that this is my only weapon. I am clueless when it comes to any other weapon."

"Tch," Midna rolls her eye and turns back to the path ahead. "Only barbarians use spears with tear shaped crystals resting on top."

"It isn't just a spear with that design," I retort. "This crystal has magic which can be very use-"

"For what?" Midna interrupts, turning her head to face me furiously. "Here I am thinking that you're with me, and there you are praising his magic! Have you forgotten, Maeva? That isn't our magic!"

"Yes, but.."

"Listen to me, Maeva. This-" Midna stops as something brushes against my leg. I look down and see the wolf trying to catch my attention with its tail. I raise an eyebrow at Midna, who shrugs, and kneel beside of the wolf. "What is it, wolf?"

The wolf looks at me with its intimidating eyes, and points towards Faron Woods. The twilight has completely surrounded it. "Is this it?" I ask Midna, who seems to have calmed down. She nods, and pats the wolf on the head. "The Faron Woods that you know so well... They're now covered in twilight. You might not be able to come back here, but... Do you still want to go?" She asks him. Almost humanely, a sigh escapes the wolf's lips. Do wolves have lips? I know not, but I am especially clueless to its term in this world's language. Anyway, the wolf nods. Truly, it is a brave soul. But will it really be the one to save the princess? I cannot help but feel... envious.

"Here we go," Midna pats the wolf again, hops off of it, and enters the twilight. A few seconds later, a hand comes out of the gate and grabs the wolf, dragging it into the twilight. I take a deep breath and enter as well.

"Hmm!" I see Midna hold a shield with her left hand and a sword with her right. These are the items they stole? "Look, Maeva! They use these weapons in this world. Crude, aren't they? Just like your Leviathan..." I snort, deciding to ignore any comments Midna might have reserved for the Leviathan. "Then again," she chuckles. "You only wanted to fit in, so he gave you that thing... But do you think these weapons can really slay the creatures of the twilight?" The two of us look to the wolf, who says nothing. His eyes reflect doubt and weariness. I cannot blame him... Midna is quite heavy.

"Oh well, who cares.." Midna shrugs. "I'll hang on to them for little wolfy here. Okay, I trust you enough to help. A promise is a promise, I guess. In exchange for our help, though, you'll have to gather a few things for us.. Look, I can't tell you all the details now, but it'll be easy, trust me."

"As easy as finding a way to distract the shadows and escape from him?" I smirk, allowing amusement to make its way to my expression. "Funny," Midna covers her eyes, but in a moment, her eyes widen. "Can you hear that noise?"

I perk my ears up and true enough, a sad melody fills the damp air. But it is not noise. "What is it?" I ask. I've never heard such a sorrowful song. Not even from the bards in the towns that we... That he and his minions pillaged and conquered. "It's the lamentation of the spirit that had its light stolen," Midna explains, and one of her mischievous smiles creeps up to her face. "Where in the world could it be? Eee hee!" She pats the wolf and looks at me. "Better get going, don't you think? Just in case the wolf tries to blame us for his world's fate if we don't hurry up and find that light!" She pats the wolf harder this time and shouts, "Come on! Snap to it!" The wolf glares at her from the corner of his eye, and reluctantly follows her orders.

Just as we are about to move along, jagged rocks fall all around us, creating a familiar barrier around me, the wolf, and Midna. I look up, and shadow beasts fall from a twilight portal. "Aww, we're penned in again!" Midna complains. "Who do they think they're dealing with? Anyway, no need to deal with these pests on one at a time! That princess seems to want me to help you, so I guess I can do her a favor." Midna looks at me. "You stay out of this."

"But it will be easier if I just-"

"Hey, her orders," She then turns to the wolf. "Just signal to me when to do so, and I can expand an energy field. All you have to do is make sure the enemies are within it, so you can trap them and defeat them! Easy, right?" The wolf nods, digs his claws into the ground, and Midna nods. "All right!" She creates the energy field and the wolf defeats the beasts in a single round. "I told you he could do it," Midna grins at me. "Hmph," I snort again as the barrier disappears. "Nothing I cannot do. Let's move on. Quickly, we are wasting time."

"Yes, we must," Midna mocks me, but I ignore her. I am above that. "Arrogance aside, where's the light spirit, Maeva?" I listen for the melody once more, and point towards the north. "That way."

"Let's go then," Midna pats the wolf, who starts leaping towards the north. I start running as well, and Midna giggles. "I thought you said quickly? Hurry, hurry!" A few distances later, we find another spring, and the wolf stops there (Midna's orders, of course). My heart beats to the melody of the light spirit. The close proximity causes this. A light spirit appears before us, and it looks weary. Its light is bright, but for some reason it feels almost dead. Dull, maybe? Muted? I don't know.

"Please be careful... These woods.. Have changed... The dark clouds of dusk cover this land... This drape of shadows is called.. twilight. It is a place... where the dark ones and evil creatures dwell ...I am a spirit of light ...Blue-eyed beast. Look for my light... Retrieve the light stolen by the dark beasts, and.." The light spirit seems to have a hard time breathing. For some reason, I also feel the need to state the obvious. "Keep it in this vessel." A small object that looks somewhat like a plant appears in the air. Its stems, if I may call them that, has small, empty bulbs connected to them. I take it and the spirit doesn't seem to notice. If it does, it does not seem to mind. It tells the wolf that the evil that took this spirit's light had spread around and taken the form of insects. Apparently, when you destroy these insects, you can gather the tears inside the Vessel.

We leave the spirit, and once again, I follow the wolf. This really is his home. Sad how he must see it in such a state. Still, the princess keeps her composure better. "Insects!" Midna exclaims, and I instantly look to my left. I take the Leviathan and throw it at the insect. I watch it slowly die, and a small croak comes out before it disappears into the air. A Tear brings itself to the Vessel, which I had temporarily turned into a bracelet for easy-holding. "I defeated.." I stop as another Tear enters the Vessel. The wolf had gotten one, too. "Hee hee, disappointed?" Midna asks. "For what reason?" I reply, looking away. Midna says nothing, and I follow the wolf around the woods.

After walking north for a while, the wolf turns left and I find a small clearing. A small hut is to the left. There is a cauldron in the middle on top of a clump of sticks, and to the right there is an already-opened treasure chest. Who could have lived here? "Look..." I hear Midna whisper to the wolf, and it suddenly runs into the wall of the house. "Are you mad?" I raise an eyebrow at Midna, who returns the look again. "No, are you?" She grins as another Tear returns to me. I must not get aggravated by a wolf. Midna is merely using him to tease me.

I try to open the door to the house, but it is locked. Bolted from the inside, I mean. I walk around to the side and see a hole into the house. Perfect. I walk to the ledge of the rock on the side of the house and jump into it, barely grabbing onto the window. I throw myself inside, and after rubbing my hands together (I am not used to doing things like that), I jump to the ground level of the house. A small man with a rather puffed hairdo is cowering in a corner. "Wh-What's with these bugs?" He gasps. "Those things aren't normal! They're so big.. So weird.. So creepy.. C'mon, get away, bugs... Shoo... Get out of here..." He whimpers. This man is a human turned into a spirit. Quite a cowardly one, but if one were to look at it subjectively, I believe I as a human would be scared as well.

"Use your senses to see the spirits, remember?" Midna's giggles catch my attention, and suddenly she and the wolf are right beside me. I look to the wolf, whose eyebrows crease once he sees the man. His nose twitches, and he looks from left to right. Does he know this man? It doesn't matter. "Step aside, Midna."

Before Midna can speak, I throw the Leviathan at the insect by the wall and step on another crawling by. I pull my leg back as the electric currents coming from the insect shocks me, but I have hold of its Tear, and that's what matters. "That was quick!" Midna smiles, and she forces the wolf out of the house. The human cowers a bit more, and I leave as well. To tell you the truth, nothing that interesting happened while we searched for the rest of the insects, except for the fact that the location where we found the other insects had a terrible fog which hurt the wolf. We have about fourteen now, and there are only two empty bulbs. "Two more to go!" Midna cheers, and pats the wolf. He starts to run until pillars fall around him, and the twilight barrier comes up. "We can handle this," Midna giggles, seeing my widened eyes.

"Hmph," I snort again and look away. "Then do it hurriedly, I cannot wait to rid this place of the twilight." "Hee hee hee!" Midna laughs to the point of holding her stomach. "Talk about xenocentricity!" The wolf defeats all the shadow beasts, and the barrier disappears. "I know you dislike the twilight, but don't you think you're going to overboard?" "...Perhaps, I apologize," I turn to the rocky path ahead of us. "Two more. Come, wolf." He silently follows me past a bird's shop (its name is Trill, apparently, and it's giving me quite the headache) and towards a narrow path, almost as if he were thinking. "Hey, hey," Midna calls. "Don't treat him like he's your servant. If you've forgotten, I found him so I get to command him."

"So territorial," I sigh and act as if the wolf being her servant is much of a loss. "It is not my fault that it's your hobby to pick things up out of nowhere. It truly shows your maturity, Midna."

"Just because I'm old doesn't mean I can't have fun! And that's no way to treat your. Well.. You know. Plus you're lucky I'm letting you talk to me like that!"

"True. Just obviate from flaunting your so-called maturity and I will continue to respect you."

Midna and the wolf stare at me, and Midna turns her head. "Look, insects!" How true to her personality that action is.. To run when she can no longer take it. I look ahead anyway, and two insects circling a log where a spirit cowers. It is a female monkey. I believe it actually has more composure than that human from earlier. "Pitiful," I comment, though she cannot hear me, and I destroy one of the insects crawling around the log. "This one's ours," Midna pats the wolf, and he crushes the insect with his sharp claws. I hear the last moans of the dark insect before it releases the last Tear.

"The Vessel," I whisper breathlessly. It unlatches itself from me and floats in the air, its light touching everything as far as the eye could see. I don't think I've ever seen something so beautiful.. With the exception of Princess Zelda, of course. She is the kindest, most loving human I have ever met. In a split second, Midna, the wolf and I are back at the second spring. The twilight no longer haunts this place. The light spirit, now singing a pleasantly calm melody, glows beautifully; the waters that surround it make it an even more entrancing sight.

It turned its head towards us. "My name is Faron," it speaks. "I am one of the spirits of light who dwell in Hyrule. I use the life force of the gods to protect this forest. O brave youth.." Light surrounds the wolf. "In the land covered in twilight, where people roam as spirits, you were transformed into a blue-eyed beast.." The light fades, and a human now stands before me. His back is turned on me, so the first characteristic I notice is his golden hair.

I notice that they fall gracefully down behind his ear as he turns side to side, looking around. He wears earrings on his pointed ears which embellish his cerulean eyes. His soft lips part in amazement as he stares at his hands. I suppose it would be surprising and relieving to find that you are in your true form again. His hands. They are rough, which proves that he does quite a lot of hard work.. I stand corrected when I thought that there was nothing more beautiful than the light.

I believe he has the endurance of a warrior with his build and his tan; also.. His cheeks are red as the rose Midna once tried to eat when she first arrived here. It is when Midna giggles uncontrollably that I comprehend why his cheeks are that shade. He is unclad, and very embarrassed about it. Now that I know of it, I am as well. He opens his mouth to speak, but I look away as the light spirit, Faron, speaks once more.

I find myself staring into the water.. At my reflection. Unruly ebony hair falls around my shoulders. My hazel eyes reflect nothing but the pain and suffering I have caused the beings of this world, although my long eyelashes try to hide them. My lips, red as they may be, are the representation of all the blood I have spilled. My lightly tanned skin is vandalized by the markings of the twilight. Not that I rebuke the one who gave me such markings.. I am thankful for this form. But these markings show the world what I truly am, what I was, and what I might become.

Faron starts to talk about a green tunic, and I look back to the wolf. The human, rather. He is now clad in this green tunic, along with a.. hat.. Which only forces me to appreciate human beauty more. "His power is yours," Faron says. "His is the true power that slept within you. Your name is Link, and you are the hero chosen by the gods." Link.. The ranch hand? Rancher, rather? So I was right. Hero chosen by the gods...

"Brave Link," Faron calls. "A dark power rests in the temple deep within these woods. It is a forbidden power. Long, long ago, I and the other spirits of light locked it away. Because of its nature, it is a power that should never be touched by any who dwell in the light. But this world weeps beneath a mantle of shadows, and so there is no choice... You must match the power of the king of shadows. If you would seek this forbidden power, then proceed to the temple in the forest depths." With this, Faron disappears.

Link turns to look at me and gives me a small smile. He starts to walk towards me. I turn to the water again. I, the hideously marked murderer. He, the beautiful hero chosen by the gods...

I will not let him best me.

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I hope you enjoyed that one! Maeva bashes herself too much, don't you think? As opposed to our Kumei who's practically in love with herself.. Heh, I'll get the next update as soon as I can (sneak onto the computer)!