Chapter 10: A Chimera's Healing!
"Ok, so Link's a certified Hylian. So now what?" Lina growled, impatience getting the best of her as she tapped her foot.
Phil crossed his arms in thought. "Now that we know for certain that Link is a Hylian, we can proceed to discuss what has been troubling our fair country."
"Great!" Lina sighed as she stretched.
"… But first we must wait until Inspector Wiser and other delegates from our allies arrive."
Lina fell face flat on the floor. "WHAT?!" she screamed, her stomach acid threatening to erupt from her stomach. "Why is HE coming?"
"Who?" Gourry asked innocently, concerned about Lina. Lina howled in frustration as she slugged and pinned Gourry on the floor.
"YOU JELLYFISH FOR BRAINS! WISER?! THE SAME GEEZER WHO TRIED TO ARREST ME FOR JUST BEING ME?!"
Link raised his eyebrow. She was arrested for just being herself? Well, the hero didn't find that too hard to believe…
The giant prince frowned at Lina's lament. "Please, Ms. Lina. I know you and Wiser don't see eye to eye, but I must ask you to please cooperate with him; this is a very serious matter."
The red haired groaned as she threw herself back, writhing on the floor in a fit that only a three year old child would throw.
"Ms. Lina! Please! This is no time to be fooling around!" Amelia pleaded as she tried to get her friend off the floor. The crimson girl resisted, making more of a fuss.
Link was relieved that the attention was focused on the whining Lina, however that relief was soon shattered as Claude begun to hover over Link again.
"Hmmm! Yes! Most extraordinary! According to folklore, Hylians are the oldest species of humanoid ever!" he gloated as he poked Link's bangs. "Please leave me alone…" he whined.
However, Link's lament fell on deaf ears. "Really? Wow." Gourry commented as he dusted himself off from Lina's attack.
"And according to legend…" Claude face darkened as he pulled out a hypodermic needle from his robes. "It is said that drinking the blood of a Hylian grants one eternal youth!" He waved the sinister needle in the air, pointed at a truly terrified green hero.
"GAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHH!" Link howled as he scuffled violently away. Claude chased him down pleadingly. "Oh, come now, Master Link! It'll only be a pinch on your arm!"
"GET AWAY FROM ME, YOU CRAZY GEEZER!" Link shrieked as he scaled the ceiling corner with unnatural strength. "Get away! Get away! GET AWAY!"
"It'll only be a drop! Come now, Master Link!" Claude chided as he reached out for the horrified elf.
Amelia and Phil pulled Claude back in a panic, hoping to save Link from the crazed old man.
Zelgadis growled as he held his head. "Enough of this foolishness!" he snarled. The chimera stood up and and marched towards the door. Despite their predicament, the group lifted their heads toward the grumpy sorcerer.
"Hey, where are you going, Zel?" Lina asked as she lifted herself form the floor. Zelgadis stopped right before he touched the door knob. "I didn't come to Seyruun to fool around; I came to find a lead for my cure."
Amelia released a now relaxed Claude as she ran up to Zelgadis. "But, Mr. Zelgadis, what about the…?"
The chimera sighed. "Don't worry, Amelia. I will help you and your father, but I need to find a new lead."
Amelia sighed sadly as she shook her head slightly. However she managed to give Zelgadis a small, innocent smile. "I understand, Mr. Zelgadis. You are free to search any of our magic tomes."
Zeldgadis blushed slightly. He smiled softly at the princess's kindness despite his harsh nature. That was Amelia… Even he had to admit, she would be always be his most trusted ally. His closest friend… his…
Canceling that strange train of thought, he patted her shoulder. "Thank you, Amelia." The chimera bid the Slayers goodbye, and departed for the palace's libraries.
Link cocked his head in curiosity at Zelgadis's angst departure. "He sure seems determined to read…"
The young princess sighed sadly. "Mr. Zelgadis has been looking for a cure for his curse forever…"
Link had stepped down from his perch and approach Amelia. "He's cursed?"
"No, REALLY?" Lina rolled her eyes rudely.
Ignoring the sorceress's sneering, Amelia continued, "His own grandfather, Mr. Rezo, transformed him into a chimera… He's been searching for a cure ever since."
Link frowned. "Wow. No wonder he's upset."
Amelia nodded. "Yes… It's terrible to see him hurting so much… To be honest, I just wish he could find peace… I just want him to be healed."
Link looked back at where Zelgadis left the room thoughtfully. "To be healed, huh?"
Lina folded her arms in thought. Hmmm... come to think of it, didn't Zelgadis say that he's over with his cure? Or was it Rezo... What's gotten into Zel?
As Zelgadis scoured the libraries the rest of the gang was left with the rest of the day unplanned while they waited Wiser's arrival. Naturally, Lina and Gourry's highlights of the day were their late lunch, five snacks, and a ginormous dinner to finish.
Amelia showed Link around the palace, eager to show the Hylian all she could about her culture. Of course, Link was eager to get away from Claude as long as he could. However, Phil advised the two to stay in on the palace grounds. This made Amelia's tour shorter than she had hoped.
Yet Link found another way to past the time. During the the tour, Amelia introduced him to the trainees for the royal guard and showed him the armory and training grounds. Link asked Amelia's permission to practice sword fighting with the troops. The princess thought it a grand idea that her troops could learn from such a skilled warrior such as Link.
Gourry, too, liked the idea. Both he and the Hylian sparred with not only the trainees, but with each other as well, to brush up their skills. The troops watched in awe as Link danced in combat, clearly surprised of the elf's superior experience in combat. Even Gourry was caught off guard by Link's skill, but Lina's guardian wasn't one to be intimidated by a challenging rival.
The two blondes fought each other far longer than when they challenged the trainees, the young Seyruunian troops watching flabbergasted.
"Heeeyahh!" Link swung his sword against Gourry's blade. Gourry countered the attack beautifully. "Whoa! You're not so bad, Link!"
Despite his struggle with Gourry, Link's lips tugged up in a friendly smile. "You're not bad yourself, Gourry!"
The two men continued their friendly match for a little while more, until a hour before sunset. In that hour, Link found enough energy to show the soldiers his tricks on horseback. The troops and their steeds followed Link and Epona's example, however clumsily.
Very soon the hour had passed, and the sun's light begun to transform into the brilliant orange of twilight. Supper would be served, and Gourry begged Link to return as to not allow Lina to hog all of the plates. The Hylian laughed as he shook his head.
"Alright, alright! Fine! I'm getting a little hungry anyway." Link sighed in mock defeat as he handed a stable boy Epona's reigns but not before patting his trusty mare goodbye.
"Awesome! I'm starving! All that sparring made me even hungrier than before!" Gourry grinned as he marched happily through the corridors. The taller man glanced down at the Hylian. "You a pretty great fighter; especially considering that you've traveled by yourself for a while!"
The green clad hero blushed. "Gee, thanks, Gourry! But you're pretty good too, y'know! I've never met a person who was a challenge such as you. Lina is pretty lucky to have you protecting her."
"Yeah; I've always got her back, through thick and thin! Although she can be mean and scary sometimes, she really has a sweet heart underneath!" The tall man mused as she stretched his toned arms above his head.
Link sighed. "It must be nice, traveling with friends… Granted my journeys have been exciting and death-defying, but no matter how many people I meet, I'm always separated from them." Link commented as he hung his head slightly.
Gourry felt bad for Link. The poor guy was practically alone for nine years! Even he didn't travel that long alone before he met Lina. The taller swordsman placed a reassuring hand on Link's shoulder.
"Hey. You've got us! And let me tell you: it's next to impossible to get rid of Lina once she's made a new friend! Heck, even our group separated a couple of times and it was Lina who got us back together with her crazy adventures! So you've got nothing to worry about!"
Link smiled widely at Gourry's friendly gesture. "Thanks, Gourry! Let's get something to eat!"
"Alright!"
The librarians had a heck of a job ahead of them: the books and tomes were stacked stories high in many towers. The mess was made by none other by Zelgadis, who had devoured each book in hopes of finding something that he had missed in the texts. Yet they yield nothing…
Surely he must have missed something. He must have!
Rumors have spread that an oracle lived alone on a lake isle. Zelgadis wasn't convinced at first, but the word of this being eventually made the chimera curious enough to investigate. After conducting much research, Zelgadis decided that it was worth investigating...
Zelgadis docked his sailboat carefully, making sure to not let the lake's mist blind him. After securing his boat Zelgadis sized up his destination.
The isle was small but seemed to have been inhabited ages ago: stone columns and runes suggested that this was once a small shrine. Nodding to himself Zelgadis made his way up the small hill.
Finally at the top, Zelgadis stepped into the small building that once served as the shrine. Now it was moss covered and crumbling due to the march of time. A reflecting pool sat in the middle with a patch of earth in the pool.
Growing upon this patch of earth was a tall flower, just about the height of Zelgadis's leg. It wasn't extravagant like tropic flowers, but it had very pansy-like white petals with light blue tips. Its vines warped around the stem beautifully.
The mist seemed to evade the shrine allowing the moonlight to spotlight the plant. Zelgadis huffed in disappointment. As beautiful as the scene was, beauty wasn't exactly what he was looking for. Sighing, he turned back.
"...You seem to be lost, my friend. Shall I point you in the right direction?" a male, soft voice echoed.
Zelgadis jumped at the sound. He spun to find the source. The chimera saw nothing. "Who... who spoke?" he demanded.
The flower swayed slightly in the wind. "It was me, young one."
Judging by the distance of the voice, Zelgadis found that the voice came from the flower, or at least where it grew. "Are you the Oracle? Where are you?"
The plant stood still. "My soul resides in this flower; I am the Oracle of which you seek. Once I was mortal, but I have passed on and decided to stay here so I can continue to guide people."
Zelgadis relaxed, sensing no danger. He made his way closer to the Oracle. "You wish me to divine your path?"
Becoming a little excited, Zelgadis said, "Of course! ...Please."
The plant shifted again in the wind. "Very well then. However as an Oracle I can only guide you to your destiny, but not completely reveal it to you. As my foresight was a gift from the gods they have commanded me not to abuse this power. Knowing this, do you still wish me to point you in the right path?"
The chimera nodded understandingly. The soul of the plant spoke again:
"Your destiny lies within a Kingdom of White. In this kingdom you shall rendezvous with old allies and discover new ones. If you wish to be healed from your sorrows, allow the melody of friendship enlighten you... "
Dejected, Zelgadis walked back to the guest suite, missing dinner completely. Not that he was hungry, with his chimeric body…
Sulking, he collapsed on the suite couch. Why did he even have the hope of a new lead in the first place? The oracle was cryptic, but Zelgadis assumed that having access to the Seyruun Royal Library would provide new information that he might have missed before
A part of Zelgadis's consciousness reminded him of Amelia and the others. He felt guilty for taking advantage of being a friend of Amelia's in order to get the the library. The self-loathing chimera hissed as he gritted his teeth. Perhaps his mind had become as monstrous as his body. If that flower was an oracle, it wasn't a very good one.
His dark, narrow thoughts were interrupted as Lina and the other busted into the room. "Man! That was sooooooooo good! Amelia, I'll never grow tired of eating palace food!" the gluttonous sorceress proclaimed as she rubbed her belly.
Amelia sighed, but decided not to argue with her friend because it is futile to try and tame Lina's stomach. However, Amelia brightened up when she saw a very familiar blue figure. "Oh, Mister Zelgadis!"
Amelia made her way to the chimera as everyone else, Link included, settled into the seats surrounding the low table, each groaning in satisfaction of dinner. Amelia's smiled soon dissolved as she saw how upset Zelgadis was. Of course if she were a stranger she'd just assume he was the quiet type, but Amelia knew Zelgadis far too long to let his pain slip past her eyes.
Amelia sat gingerly next to him. "Zelgadis?" she spoke softly, a rare moment where she did not call him 'Mister', a gesture only used in the utmost of serious issues. "Are you alright? Did you find anything?"
"Yeah, Zel? Surely you've found something, considering you've been cooped up in that library all day!" Lina remarked loudly in an insensitive manner.
Zelgadis glared at Lina's rude nature, but he showed no hostility towards Amelia. "No." he growled darkly. "I did not. There was nothing that suggested a lead."
Oblivious to his darkness, Lina shrugged. "Well, I suppose you just have to look somewhere else, huh?"
He snapped. "You 'suppose'? YOU 'SUPPOSE'?" he shouted as he lurched forward and slammed his fist on the table, cracking the wood mercilessly.
"Zelgadis!" Amelia pleaded as she touched his arm. He did not respond, but he didn't shove her off.
"You think this is something that I can shrug off and say 'better luck next time'? Do you?!" he shouted at the red head.
Lina lifted her arms in the air. "Geez, Zel! I'm sorry you didn't find anything, but don't get so riled up!"
The blue man shivered in rage. "Why shouldn't I get 'riled up'?! Damn it, Lina! I'm cursed! I'll NEVER change back! I'm STUCK in this hideous form! Does that mean anything to you?!"
"Oh, c'mon, Zel! I understand how difficult-"
"YOU understand? You? Do you have stone skin? Do you have wire hair? Are you treated like a monster no matter where you go?!"
Gourry frowned at Zelgadis, scooting a little closer to Lina. "C'mon, Zel! That's enough!"
"Please, Zelgadis!" Amelia cried, small tears gathering at the corner of her eyes. The chimera tempered his anger as he slumped back down into the couch. He eyes too became moist. Amelia scooted closer to him, hoping she could comfort him. But when his anger dissipated, sadness took it's place.
"…I… I just want to be free from this pain and suffering… I just want to be healed… but how could any of you understand what its like to become something other than human? To be trapped?…"
"I do." Link said.
The room became deathly silent. All eyes turned to Link, who gazed at Zelgadis with understanding eyes, however the chimera did not believe it.
"Oh, do you? Tch, don't patronize me. You have no idea what it's like…" he growled as he slumped back into the couch.
"Yes, I do, Zelgadis! I know exactly how you feel." Link retorted, straightening up in his seat.
Zelgadis snapped once again. "ENOUGH! How could you know? You're telling me that you've been trapped in a disgusting body, where people treat you less than a person?! Don't pity me to the point of lying, Link! I don't need your sympathy!"
This time it was Link's turn to down a serious expression. The Hylian shot up from his seat and stormed into the bedroom, where his gear was. Everyone thought he simply bailed, but Link crashed back into the room as quickly as he silently raged out. He marched towards Zelgadis until he stood in front of him. In the Hylian's hands was a strange wooden mask that held a woeful expression, its crimson eyes sagging in despair.
"Link?" Lina asked as she stood up to see what the elf was holding. "What's with the mask?"
Ignoring her, Link stared daggers into Zelgadis, who was becoming a little confused by Link's strange behavior. "What-"
"I KNOW what you're going through, Zelgadis." Link snapped harshly as he lifted the mask towards his face. "I'll show you."
The mask finally touched the Hylian's face. There was a pause, everyone standing around wondering what he was up to. But suddenly to everyone's horror the mask latched onto Link's flesh in a sickening, cracking sound.
He lurched forward, holding his stomach as the gang backed away in shock. Link gasped, grunted, and finally straightened his body in a howl of pain. A magic presence loomed around the mask, making the room darker in atmosphere. Link's voice was distorted as his body began to change shape.
"What the-?!" Lina cried, but couldn't finish as a bright light blinded her and the others. As quickly as it came, the light dissipated. Lina opened her eyes to see if Link was still there. But he was gone. Confounded, she swiveled her head around until she looked down.
"Eeeeee! M-Mister Link!" Amelia gasped as she jumped back. Everyone, including Zelgadis, were in awe of what they beheld.
A wooden creature stood where Link once was. It was a very short hominid thing. It dawned Link's hat, which was longer than it should be as the tip laid on the floor. The creature was shirtless, and only wore gloves, skirt, and boots that resembled Link's attire. The creature's hair was made out of golden green leaves, and it's skin was made out of rough, chestnut brown tree bark. The thing's would be sad eyes were narrowed in an angry crimson pointed at Zelgadis. It had no ears or mouth but a syphon-like hole as a substitute for a mouth. It made a loud squeaking noise.
Zelgadis didn't believe that he was seeing a creature glaring at him. "Link?" he gaped. The plant thing squeaked harshly as it's distorted voice ringed.
"Yes, I'm still Link. But technically I'm a Deku Scrub now. I transformed into a race of plant creatures native to Hyrule." Link snapped as he stepped towards Zelgadis, never taking his red gaze of the blue chimera.
"It was nine years ago when I began my journey. Epona and I were traveling the Lost Woods until we were ambushed by a Skull Kid, a forest nymph from my country. He wore an evil mask that radiated demonic powers. He stole both my ocarina and Epona. I chased the cur into a hole, where I fell to an otherworldly place. The Skull Kid set me up for a trap, and he led me to believe that he killed Epona!"
Link paused as he tightened his fists. Lina and the others listened intensely.
"But then he finished our encounter off with a curse: with that mask he transformed me into this. I was a kid, so my form was much shorter than what you see now. The transformation was painful. My skin became wood, my hair into leaves… and I was terrified. And after I was left in this pitiful form, he left me to rot. I was only an eleven year old child…"
Amelia gasped as she held her mouth, horrified by Link's terrifying experience.
"…Other than one of his own fairies to keep me company, I was alone. I was transported to a strange place, where people looked like the folks I know, but they were complete strangers. People didn't treat me the same. I was treated like an infant, an infant who couldn't take care of himself, nor was worth the time to listen to…"
Link paused as his expression saddened at the memories of his adventures in Termina, all the pain and suffering Majora had caused. But determined to get his point across, Link continued his lecture at a bewildered Zelgadis:
"This form wasn't even made from scratch: before the Skull Kid transformed me, he murdered and took the soul of an innocent Deku Scrub. This mask is the remains of the victim of Majora's Mask, a demonic entity I smote for its crimes against so many people whose lives it destroyed."
"Yes, Zelgadis! I know what its like to be trapped! I know what its like to be treated less than human. If you think stone skin is bad, try having highly flammable wooden skin!" Link growled as he glared at the chimera.
Zelgadis wasn't surprised often, but this was one of those rare instances that he was confounded. Link wasn't messing around when he said that he did know what he was going through. He had to admit that he felt guilty for snapping at the elf, but Zelgadis still managed to see that Link still had it better than him.
"At least you were able to transform back. How did you find a cure for your curse?"
All eyes focused on Link, whose expression softened. "I had help." he squeaked simply. Link grabbed the ridges around this jaw bone and pulled the mask off. This transformation wasn't painful at all, but the same light shone in the room. After the light show, a human Link stood once again, holding the Deku Scrub mask in one hand.
Link smiled softly. "A mask salesman confided to me that Majora's Mask was stolen from him by the Skull Kid, and he offered his help if I promised to return his mask. He taught me a song after I got my ocarina back." Zelgadis eyes suddenly grew wide. The oracle did mention a melody, didn't it?
The elf laid the mask on the table as he pulled out his ocarina. "He called it the Song of Healing. After I played it, all my doubts seemed to dissolve and before I knew it, I was my old self again."
Link sat on the table in front of Zelgadis. "I'm not sure what will happen, if your curse will respond, but it might give you some peace of mind…"
The Hylian kissed the whistle gently as he begun to play. The song was very simple, but gorgeous. The three notes played downwards in a soothing melody that was quite otherworldly.
Even Lina felt at ease at the song, like there was nothing nipping the anxiety away in her consciousness. But Zelgadis was affected much differently.
He felt nauseous as he stomach and muscles tensed. His vision became blurry, and before the Slayers could say anything the Chimera collapsed.
A dismal gray space surrounded Zelgadis as he floated in it, surrounded by the melody of the Song of Healing. He saw many dull visions play out, visions of his memories before and after his transformation, all happy. He even saw Rezo.
But it was the Red Priest himself who stayed with the chimera out of all the visions. In fact there Rezo was, standing before Zelgadis in the abyss with him as if he was alive again.
Zelgadis opened and closed his mouth, unable to speak to this apparition. Luckily for the bewildered grandson, the purple haired grandfather spoke for him:
"Be at ease, Zelgadis." Rezo had spoken in such a fatherly voice that it took Zelgadis by surprise. But the Red Priest wasn't finished:
"I am so sorry. I was under the influence of Shabranigdo, but that does not excuse the pain and suffering I inflicted upon you. I pray that you one day will forgive me… but for now, go on and live the life I did not have, Zelgadis."
The tall robed man stepped aside as he gestured his hand towards another blurred figure behind him. Zelgadis squinted to find that it was Amelia, who had her hand outstretched to him with the most soft expression he had ever seen.
He didn't know why, but Zelgadis obediently approached Amelia. But he was hesitant to take her hand. "Amelia?"
She only smiled brighter as she continued to offer her palm. Finally, Zelgadis held onto her hand, and an overwhelming sense of peace and tranquility flooded his being. Amelia led Zelgadis away from the gray nothingness, into a warm, welcoming light…
A blue, stone mask fell defeated on the floor beneath Zelgadis. Link opened his eyes and smiled warmly at the fact that the song had done its job.
"Whoa! No way!"
"M-Mister Zelgadis-!"
Finally awake from his dream, Zelgadis found the Slayers looking at him beyond shocked. He raised his eyebrow at him as he rubbed his eye with his soft palm.
Quickly, the chimera(?) investigated his gloved hand only to be astounded. Peaking from his finger-less gloves was peach, soft skin. He tore of the accessory as he beheld a normal, non-stoney hand. He then palpated his face and hair (which was still a beautiful lavender color), now much softer and more sensitive than before. His ears were no longer pointed but rounded like a regular, non-elfin human.
Human. Not part rock galom nor part Brau Demon. One hundred percent human.
Zelgadis struggled to gasp air as he stuttered, stunned beyond words.
"Awesome, Zel!" Lina cheered as she fist pumped the air.
"Mister Zelgadis!" Amelia sobbed happily as she hugged her ex-chimera.
Link grinned as he witness the miracle that the Song of Healing performed. This was what really made being a hero worthwhile: restoring happiness and hope to those who had lost it.
"I… I!-" Zelgadis blubbered as he looked up to Link. "Link, I! It's!" Link patted Zelgadis's shoulder reassuringly. "It's alright, Zel! You've been healed, body and soul. You have the mask salesman to thank for that!"
Zelgadis breathed heavily as he gazed at his hands again, unable to fully comprehend the situation. "Link… t-thank you…"
"Hey, guys! What's that?" Gourry asked as he grabbed the blue mask that fell from Zelgadis's face. The mask looked exactly like Zelgadis when he was a chimera: it was pebbled with dark blue stones and lavender wired hair framed the face. Lina was just as intrigued as her guardian as she stood on tip toes to observe this strange object. Even Zelgadis and Amelia became curious as they looked up to the object of interest.
Link smiled as he politely took the mask from Gourry. "The song takes any evil magic and seals it into a mask, just like my Deku Scrub mask."
Ameila wiped her teary eyes. "Could someone wear it?"
Link nodded. "Yup! I'll show you now!"
Zelgadis pleaded no, fearing the possibility that the mask wouldn't come off the hero but he was too late as Link transformed before them again.
"Wow! This is no different than being a Goron!" Link mused to himself as he brushed his golden wire hair against his blue, pebbled skin. Chuckling, Link grabbed his jaw bone and took the mask off to revert back to his human form. As simple as that.
"Incredible! You just take off Rezo's magic as if it were nothing!" Zelgadis gawked as Link approached him again. Link sat down on the table and offered the mask to Zelgadis. "With this, you can revert back and forth from Chimera to Human and so forth. Use it wisely!"
He was hesitant, but Zelgadis shakily took the mask in his hands. He rubbed his thumb on the cold surface. His curse was sealed in something so simple and trivial, but at the same time it made complete sense. Link had turned his curse into a tool which he could use as needed, but Zelgadis wasn't planning to put it on too soon.
Zelgadis smiled as he closed his eyes in gratitude. He felt like he really misjudged Link. "Thank you, Link. Thank you…"
"I WANT THAT OCARINA!" Lina screeched eagerly as she held her head. The wily sorceress pounced Link, clawing to obtain the sacred instrument.
"NO WAY! GET YOUR OWN SACRED INSTRUMENT!"
"OH C'MON, LINK! THINK OF ALL THE USEFUL THINGS I'LL DO WITH IT!"
"FORGET IT, SHORTY!"
"WHY YOU LONG EARED SON OF A-!"
Lina and Link brawled with each other, changing the mood completely. Amelia sighed. "Seems like Miss Lina always finds a way to ruin the moment…" Zelgadis only grinned softly. It didn't really matter, as long as he was human. Amelia beamed at Zelgadis as she hugged him again. "I'm so happy, Mister Zelgadis! You look so cool, just as always!" she added happily. Blushing, she hastily added, "O-Oh, but not that you were cool from the beginning!"
Zelgadis smiled soflty at Amelia's kindness, remembering vaguely of his vision. "Thank you, Amelia." he spoke softly. She heard his soft thanks, even over Lina and Link's squabbling.
Zelgadis couldn't stop staring at himself in the mirror. He must look like a vain individual, but he didn't care. He hadn't seen his true self for a couple of years. He striped to his basic tunic and pants in his guest room, his gear resting on the armchair.
A knock interrupted his thoughts. "Who is it?" the ex-chimera asked.
"It's Link! Wanna talk?" Zelgadis dusted off his shirt. "Come in."
Link entered Zel's room also dressed down to his simple hat and tunic. He walked up to Zelgadis. "How're you doing, Zel?"
The sorcerer placed his hands on his hips, looking once again in the mirror. "Well, much better than I have been for years." he confessed.
Link smiled at the young man. "I see you've become a little vain! Careful, there's am old folktale in Hyrule that if one looks in the mirror too long, a Wall Master will grab you and drag you into the Underworld!" The Hylian joked as he stepped toward to look at Zelgadis's reflection.
The lavendered haired man chuckled. "Well, the Underworld doesn't scare me. Besides, I'm making up for the years I've avoided mirrors."
"I think the Goddesses will permit that!" Link smiled as he pat Zel's shoulder. The two shared a silence as they looked at the mirror. Zelgadis bowed his head.
"I cannot even begin to repay you for what you have done, Link. You saved my life." Zelgadis spoke softly.
Link blushed. "Aw, I wouldn't say that, but I'm just glad to help!"
Zelgadis faced Link smiling his sincere trademark smile. "You really have done so much. I'm afraid that I have been hostile to you; please forgive me. You certainly a better man than I thought. I am in debt to you; if there is anything you need me to do, I'll be happy to offer my assistance."
Link smiled warmly. "Thank you. But if anything, perhaps you could join us for the upcoming journey? I'm very sure Amelia would want you to come, she talked about you non-stop!" Link added, wiggling his eyebrows mischievously.
Zelgadis smiled and nodded. It seems that Amelia still held him dear. "That sounds like her. And I do owe her much, she was the only one who really put my needs before her own. Besides, I am her Royal Guardian and I confess that I don't have a home to return to."
"Seyruun's your home, right?"
The ex-chimera smiled softly, a blush creeping on his nose. "Yes, I suppose it is…"
Turning, Zelgadis stretched out his hand. Link took it and shook his hand.
"Thank you, Link."
"You're welcome, Zelgadis."