My reviewers seem to be pretty evenly split on whether this should be a complete modern AU or whether Link and Zelda should find the Triforce, and so am I. I really don't know which direction I want the story to go from here! I guess if there's not a clear majority I'll have to decide for myself. Ugh, decisions. On a similar note, I'm planning on novelizing a section of BOTW after I complete this story. More news on that later, because this story's not even halfway over!

To TAAAAAAAACOOOO: Finally, someone who agrees! I share your view exactly. Ganon is a very cunning individual in this story and his plan will come into place very soon. What that plan is depends on whether Link and Zelda are actually the hero and princess or not.

To Aubreylovesthegames, Matt Cyr, Batch03, and AnriMia24: As you can see, everyone has quite mixed views about the story! If you could give some reasoning behind why or why not I should include the Triforce it could help me decide :I

To kuiziki girl: Heh, your review made me laugh! Like I said to TACO above, Ganon is a cunning little devil. Is he your least favorite character in the games as well or just in my story? :)

Saturday – Link's POV – Ordon Avenue

I yawned and sat up in my bed, surrounded by the memorabilia hanging on my walls. A Master Sword replica and matching Hylian Shield, a poster of the Hero of Time… the fact that people sometimes compared me to him was flattering.

Sun was streaming through the window as I sleepily put on some clothes and trudged down the stairs to find Aryll humming and bustling around the kitchen, as usual. She smiled up at me as I came down. "A little sleepy, are we, Link?"

I mumbled something incoherent and sat down at the countertop. My sister tended to something on the stove. "You stay up so late on the weekends. It's like you're already in college."

I craned my neck to see what she was making. "That's a lot of pancakes, sis, who're you planning to feed with those? Darunia?"

She laughed. "Yes, actually. Remember, you and your friends were all going to Lake Hylia today, right?"

The fog of sleep slowly drifted out of my mind. I recalled the encounter at the Hot Spring, then sulking at Ruto's house, our pledge to work against Ganon, planning a day at the lake with everyone, and finally driving Zelda home and crashing into bed.

"Oh, yeah. Forgot about that for a minute."

"Well, you'd better hurry and get what you need. It's nearly eleven."

I stopped rubbing my eyelids and shot her a glare. "You could've told me they were coming over soon before I wasted a few minutes sitting here!"

She just gave me one of those grins only siblings could share. "Better hurry."

I scrambled back up the stairs, grogginess all but forgotten. A day at the lake! With Zelda! I don't know why I added that last part. I could just have likely thought "with Ruto" or "with Sheik" but I pictured her for some reason? Yet again, I dismissed the thought as pure chance and focused on packing for the day. Swim trunks, spyglass, deck of cards, check.

As I finished putting on slightly nicer khakis, the doorbell rang. "I'll get it!" I flew down the stairs and landed in front of the door, opening it with a mock bow. "Welcome to our humble abode."

I heard a giggle from above my lowered head. Of course Zelda would get here first, she lived next door. "Come on in," I said, straightening.

She walked inside, looking around once again. "It's so strange that all the houses on this block are identical. I feel like I just walked back inside ours."

"Yeah," I agreed, pulling more chairs up to the bar. "Pancakes?"

"Oh, yes, please," she said, sitting. "Aryll, did you make these?"

"Who'd ya think," she said dryly, jerking a thumb in my direction. "It's not like clumsy old Link here could handle a stove."

"Hey!" I could feel my ears turning red at the tips as Zelda laughed again. "I can cook some killer campfire food."

"Yes, in the most uncivilized cooking environment possible, you can scrounge something together. Just leave meals to the women, alright?" I thought that was a little self-demeaning on her part, but whatever.

The doorbell rang again and I answered it again, but less gallantly this time. "Hey, Link," Malon said. "Ready for a day at the lake?"

"Am I ever."

Her face brightened a bit. "Oh, Zelda's here already! Good."

"What?" Zelda swiveled around in the chair to face us. "Didn't want to be left alone with 'little old Link?'"

All the other inhabitants in the room giggled girlishly. "What is this, taunt Link day?" I suddenly wished for some male company. Apparently the goddesses heard my cries, because the doorbell rang again, and this time it was Sheik.

"Greetings," he said in that strange manner of his. "May I come inside?"

"Sure." I stopped him for a second. "Where's your car?"

"I didn't take a car."

"Then how…?" I looked at Sheik quizzically then just shrugged and stepped aside. Before I even closed the door, Ruto, Darunia, and Nabooru all rolled into our driveway in a flashy red convertible.

My mouth hung open a little and I called out to them. "Where'd you get the sweet ride?"

"It's my dad's," Ruto explained from the passenger seat. "He trusts Darunia."

The trusted driver swung out of the driver's side and let Nabooru out of the back, who drawled, "which is a huge mistake. His turns are wider than the whole intersection."

The three remaining guests walked inside and I closed the door behind them. "Woah," Darunia exclaimed, "are those pancakes?! And it looks like there's even enough for all of us!"

Malon mocked surprise. "Really? Because last time we had pancakes I recall you consumed all but three."

Everyone laughed. I cleared my throat, and all their attention turned to me. "So, since she made breakfast for all of us, is it okay if Aryll gets to come with us?"

"Sure!" Ruto cried, and everyone shot Aryll a smile in the kitchen.

My sister gave me a look of gratitude. "If it's too much trouble, I can hang out here…"

"No, no," Malon insisted. "We'd like to get to know you better anyways."

"As I recall, there is a saying to accompany this occasion," Sheik pondered, his red eyes searching the ceiling for an answer.

"The more the merrier?" Darunia prompted.

"No," Sheik insisted, "It was a parable involving a shepherd and some doves. But I suppose that applies too." We all just shrugged. Sheik says those things sometimes.

After quickly devouring a hearty breakfast, we all separated into the two vehicles. For the half hour drive to Lake Hylia, Darunia, Ruto, and Nabooru took the convertible again. Sheik also went with them, reasoning that the ride was part of the experience and his mystic method of travel wouldn't suffice. In my rust-bucket truck, I drove, with Zelda riding shotgun and Malon and Aryll together in the back.

Our posse set off from Ordon Avenue and toward the dirt country roads that marked the peaceful forest around Lake Hylia. Once on the highway, I turned the radio to a banjo-plucking country song, recalling that Zelda had enjoyed it from our ride downtown Monday night. Malon and Aryll were leaning together, having a hushed conversation in the backseat. I was glad my sister was feeling included.

"So," I glanced at Zelda, who was leaning against the window. "What've you got planned for today?"

She looked away from the greenery speeding by and into my face, her eyes sparkling with excitement. "I've never been to a lake before."

I gave her a shocked expression. "Well," she elaborated further, "I've seen one, but never swam in it or sat by the banks or anything you read about in books. Our lake in Castle Town was too polluted and muddy to really do anything in."

My face broke out into a grin, recalling the last trip I'd taken out here. "You'll love Lake Hylia, it's the opposite. Sparkling clear water, green grass, yellow flowers, and pine trees and hills far as you can see."

"It sounds perfect," she breathed, still gazing at my face. I returned her look, but she didn't turn away.

"It is. The only blighter is this big cannon run by a guy named Fyer. He's pretty nice, but a stinge for money. I've never had the courage to ride it before."

She gave me a surprised expression. "You can ride it? Like, be shot out of the cannon?"

"Yeah, it's pretty cool."

"Isn't there some law against that? I don't know, 'cause for serious injury and probably death?'" The last part she said with dripping sarcasm.

"It's not as bad as it sounds," I reassured, "nobody's ever been hurt on Fyer's watch."

"Hmm. Well, I think you're wise not to try something like that." She turned and continued looking wistfully at the countryside again.

I sighed and returned my eyes to the road, the soft country song still playing in the background.

Saturday – Zelda's POV – Lake Hylia

Link pulled his truck alongside Ruto's red convertible in a big dirt lot that was empty except for us. Tall, dark pines surrounded us on all sides, and a lone footpath led into the trees. It felt so isolated out here, you could be a whole world away from the urban hustle and bustle instead of a few miles.

Aryll, Malon, our driver, and I climbed out of the truck to find the others unpacking some duffel bags and a cooler from the car's trunk. I grabbed my own bag out of the truck bed, which contained my own two-piece, some bug spray, and a bag of marshmellows I had stolen from the pantry. When we were in the house, I had told Link about my secret plan to make s'mores once we got a fire going in the afternoon. He had agreed and stuffed some crackers and chocolate into his own duffel before we left. Weren't the others going to be pleasantly surprised?

After closing the car trunks and trudging down the path for about five minutes, the tree branches overhead opened up and we saw a beautiful scene. It was just as Link described it. Crystal clear water, green grass swaying in the wind, dotted with golden flowers, and the elegant pines all around. I saw the ugly platform with the cannon in the middle too, and the Eldin Bridge freeway we had taken to get over here far above.

"Wow," I breathed, and the other friends imitated me. Well, all except Sheik. He always looked unimpressed.

"Welcome," proclaimed Link, throwing his arms to the sky and facing our group like a tour guide, "to beeeeeaaauuuuutiful Lake Hylia."

We all clapped politely before starting down to a large hill in between the bank and treeline. We all plopped our duffel bags down and decided what to do.

"So," Darunia asked, "Firewood or swimming first?"

"Swimming," Malon decided. "Let's fight off the noonday heat."

Everyone nodded their agreement. Each person wandered off into the forest in different directions, seeking privacy to change into their swimming clothes. I was, again, the last one to finish and wandered out to see everybody splashing around in the lake and laughing like maniacs.

Link clambered onto the bank, dripping wet, grinning as usual. I mentally noted that this was the third time in a week I'd caught myself looking at him shirtless coming out of the water. His arms…! They just… flex so… naturally! I shook such rebellious thoughts out of my head and ran toward them, the soft autumn grass caressing my feet.

"Zelda!" he called. "The water is perfect!"

"No it isn't, you twerp," complained Aryll. "It's freezing cold! You said so yourself!"

He whirled around and made a "Ssh!" gesture to Aryll. I stopped my joyful running and halted in front of him. "Are you tricking me?"

"No," he said suspiciously, his grin widening. "I'm serious, it's great."

"Let me check." I gave him a sidelong glance, trying not to let my teasing smile show through. I bent over and dipped a hand in the water, immediately withdrawing it. "Brr! That's fr- "

But before I could finish, I cut myself off with a shriek as Link pulled me in. The second time in a week. I'm pretty sure my life is repeating the same scenes in different settings by now.

I resurfaced in the chilly lakewater, shaking my hair out and spraying water all over Link, who pushed away with an "Ack!"

"That's what you get, you scheming brat." My smile contrasted my harsh tone.

"Aw, come on, Zelda!" He insisted. "It's your fault for falling for the same trick twice in less than twenty-four hours!"

Nabooru chuckled from across the water. "He's right, you're quite gullible, Zelda."

"Don't worry," Malon reassured, "you get used to it after a while." She was right, the water already was seemingly warming up.

"Maybe you're right," I said, my small smile growing mischievously. "But that won't stop me from starting a… splash fight!"

I hurled the spray of water I had been collecting in my hands directly at Link, who spluttered again. "Hey! No fair!" When I threw another volley his way, a massive obstacle absorbed it instead.

Darunia looked amused. "Hey, Link needs a teammate to balance it out."

"A little spontaneous, are we, Zelda girl?" Ruto grinned slyly. She offered me the same wink she had given me at the Hot Spring… Oh, she thinks I'm doing this to hit on Link!

I turned back to him to try and clarify somehow, but when Darunia stepped aside, I saw Ruto's expression mirrored on his own. "So," he flaunted, "you want to play that way?"

I paled slightly. "Eep!" Link had wrapped an arm around my shoulders and plunged me underwater again. "Link!" I tried my best to sound annoyed, but for some infuriating reason a pleased smile kept coming out instead.

He seemed to be having the same problem, at least. He kept trying not to look at me, but every time his eyes darted around, as if to focus on something else, his shining cobalt gaze met mine again. If I would have had control of my own mind at this moment, I would have seen the other lake inhabitants watching with amused faces. Goddesses, what am I going to do?

A little more romance in this chapter, eh? I promise that once the weekend is over, there will be some more action and stuff, but I like writing the "romance cookies" for those who enjoy it. Anyway, remember to review to help me decide whether to include the Triforce magic or not, or just review anyway. Actually, do review anyway. Please. (#shamelessbegging) See you tomorrow!