Author's Note: This chapter was originally going to be a very different scenario—very traumatic, involving Dark Link and possibly torture. But almost as soon as I started actually writing this chapter, I realized that was not what needed to happen. I may do something with the ideas I originally had at some point, but for now I just needed to deal with this issue of conflict between Link and Navi. You can take this as my nod to those who did find Navi annoying, I guess. I can certainly see them both getting on each other's nerves when they're stressed and fighting for their lives in the middle of a long, grueling temple. In my original plan, this was going to be in Ganon's Tower (hence why Dark Link was showing up again), but I decided the worry over Zelda would be too much of a distraction from this more minor worry. I chose the Shadow Temple because it was the first temple that had Stalfos where it would be believable that they're old hat for Adult Link. (Yes, I overthink everything in this fic too much.)

Timeline: Adult; Shadow Temple

Theme 6: Break Away

Link was tired, sweaty, and stressed. He'd been running around this infernal temple for hours now, dodging thick Skulltula webs, jumping over bottomless pits, and nearly getting decapitated by falling blades. He was just about done with this whole stupid temple with its creepy shadows and doors pretending to be walls and the need to practically plaster the Lens of Truth to his face at all times.

So the last thing he needed right now was another distraction vying for his attention.

"Watch out!" Navi's shrill voice cried as he barely managed to catch a Stalfos' blade on his shield. "Lure it close to you and watch its movement carefully! Attack it when it drops its guard!"

"I know how to fight Stalfos, Navi!" Link snarled, smashing his shield into the Stalfos circling around behind him and knocking it off the small platform into the endless abyss below.

"There's no need to get huffy," Navi snapped. "I'm only trying to help, you know."

The one remaining Stalfos swung at him with its jagged blade, then jumped backwards before Link could parry. "Well, maybe I don't need your help!" Link hastily wiped his sweaty forehead on his sleeve and attacked the Stalfos again before it could take advantage of his momentary distraction. "I'm doing fine on my own, just like I always do!"

"Fine then!" Navi screeched. "Go stick your big fat head in a hole and die for all I care!" And she flew away as fast as her wings could carry her.

Link knocked the Stalfos to the ground with a whirl of his sword, then crushed its skull under his heel and kicked the whole thing over the edge for good measure. Sheathing his sword and slinging his shield back over his shoulder, Link took a moment to catch his breath and look around. With Navi gone, the shadows of this dismal temple seemed to press even closer around him, and he could hear the distant shunk-shunk-shunk of the falling blades he'd dodged to get here.

As he drained the last of the milk he'd brought with him, a small twinge of guilt broke through the anger that still simmered in his heart. He shouldn't have gotten so angry at Navi—she was only trying to help him, as usual. But didn't she know he could take care of himself? Hadn't she watched him fight countless hordes of monsters ordinary people wouldn't even encounter in their worst nightmares? Stalfos were a rupee a dozen these days, especially in the gloomy depths of the Shadow Temple, of all places. He didn't need her nagging him every minute of the day.

After a quick glance through the Lens of Truth, Link spotted an invisible stone bridge spanning the abyss and started across it carefully. Normally, Navi would hover in front of him, suspending the Lens of Truth in front of her so she could guide his steps while he kept an eye out for monsters trying to knock him down into the darkness (they'd had one too many close calls in this place already). Without her, Link had to focus the Lens at his feet to make sure he didn't step off the narrow strip of stone.

See? a voice nagged at the back of his mind. You aren't giving her enough credit.

"She'll be back," he muttered to himself. "She just has way too short of a temper. It'll start bugging her that I'm making my way through the temple just fine without her, so she'll come crying back to me. I guess I can accept her apology—it's not like I'm a jerk."

He was so busy watching his feet that he didn't notice the huge Skulltula web hanging over the bridge until he walked right into it. Spluttering as his face brushed against the thick, sticky strands, he tried to break through the web without falling off the narrow bridge. But it seemed that the more he struggled, the tighter the web closed around him, until soon he could barely move. His right hand still clutched the Lens of Truth, through which he could see the invisible bridge, but he couldn't move his left hand to reach his sword or even the jewel hanging from his neck that could set off Din's Fire.

"This is your doing, isn't it, Nayru?" he muttered. "This happened because I was unfair to Navi."

Then he felt a shudder of movement in the strands tying him in place. He froze, feeling the web vibrate more and more as something moved closer. Craning his head around as far as the web would allow, he watched an enormous Skulltula creeping towards its trapped prey. The skull-shaped exoskeleton on the huge spider's back leered at him, seeming to grin at his panicked expression.

Though he knew it was useless, Link tried to break away again. Normally, Skulltulas were little more than a nuisance, easily destroyed with a single swipe of his sword. But then, he'd never been caught so tightly in the web of what looked like the biggest and ugliest Skulltula in all of Hyrule.

When the Skulltula reached him, it brushed its long, hairy legs against Link's arm, tasting his skin through a rip in his sleeve. With a shudder, Link tried to jerk away, but could do little more than clench his hand into a fist. The Skulltula seemed to like what it found, because it crawled a little further until it found his neck. Its pincers clicked in anticipation, then it reared back to stab his soft flesh.

"Oh, no you don't!"

Before Link realized what was happening, Navi ducked under his tunic and grabbed the chain around his neck. He felt her tiny fingers turn the red gem, and a blast of fire exploded from him in all directions. The flames instantly turned the Skulltula to ash, and burned away every last strand of the web. Link dropped onto the bridge and nearly fell off, but he quickly crawled to the end of the bridge and collapsed onto his back as soon as he glanced around to make sure there were no more enemies nearby.

Navi hovered in front of his face, her glow shining even through his closed eyelids. He peeked out at her, grimacing when he saw that her hands were on her hips. "I...I'm sorry, Navi. I was...being really stupid."

"Hmph!" Navi turned away in a huff. "Next time, just remember: The almighty Hero of Time needed my help to kill a single Skulltula!"

Heat rose into his cheeks. "Am I at least forgiven?"

She tinkled cheekily at him as she pulled the Lens of Truth from his grip. "Forgiven—but never forgotten."