Author's Disclaimer: I do not own the Legend of Zelda, nor can I take credit for Linked Universe. Zelda belongs to Nintendo and LU was created by the amazing jojo56830 on Tumblr. I am earning no profit from this story other than the enjoyment of writing it and sharing it with others. I hope you all enjoy reading it! Feel free to let me know what you think by giving this chapter a review.
Everyone else was already in the dining hall by the time Wild arrived, all of them talking amongst themselves as they awaited Wild's breakfast.
"There he is!" Daruk said excitedly. "There's our little cook!"
"Where's the food at?" Kogha demanded. "A man's gotta eat, you know!"
"I've got it here," Wild promised, tapping the Sheikah Slate on his hip.
"You have a Slate too?" Purah questioned. "And you can store food in it?"
"How?" Zelda questioned. "We only learned how to use the runes!"
"Oh," Wild said, surprised that they didn't know how but also mildly pleased to know that he could do something they couldn't. "It isn't hard. Here, I'll show you."
"Let me get our Slate!" Purah cried, getting up from the table and running upstairs. "Teach me how!"
"Don't wait for her," Impa said to Wild. "She can be served last now."
Wild chuckled. "Alright. Here, I'll get started." He opened his inventory screen and began pulling dishes from the Slate. Zelda watched in fascination as the food was created from thin air by thin strands of cerulean light. Terrako whistled under her feet, sounding somewhat crossed, as though it couldn't believe that Zelda found Wild's Slate to be more interesting than it at that moment. Purah returned with her Slate just as Wild finished serving everyone else.
"Show me!" she demanded, shoving her Slate into his hands.
"O-okay," Wild agreed, returning his Slate to his belt. He powered on the Slate just the same as he always did, the familiar machine greeting him with a satisfying click and then opening onto the map of Hyrule. This map was completed, but Wild noticed that it was different from the one he was used to. Shrine icons weren't dotted all over the place and it seemed the pin and sticker functions were missing. What was new were red dots that were labeled as 'high Malice concentrations.' Wild only spotted a few of those. One of which was in Typhlo ruins. "Hey, what's that mean?" he asked, pointing at the red dots.
"Oh, that?" Purah asked, surprised that Wild didn't recognize it. "We have the Sheikah towers up and running, and they're designed to sense their respective regions for Calamity Ganon, and by extension, Malice. Those dots are the readings the towers are picking up."
"Hmm," Wild said. "My towers don't do that. They just give me the map."
"Perhaps 100 years of nonuse corroded that function," Warriors suggested.
"No, that can't be right," Calamity objected. "These things were built 10,000 years ago, and trust me they were built to last. Perhaps your Sheikah towers were activated differently than ours? The Sheikah Slate drew them from the ground when Impa and I first met Terrako. And then Purah figured out how to activate Central Tower."
"...My towers were underground until after the Great Calamity," Wild replied. "I pulled them from the ground by activating the Great Plateau Tower."
Purah shrugged. "Yet another mystery for us to solve. But back to summoning things from the Slate."
"Right," Wild agreed, tapping past the map screen. He showed Purah how to do it and let her happily practice on her own food while he sat down next to Daruk to eat.
"I don't know about all this time travel stuff," Daruk admitted. "But boy, Wild! This is some of the best food I've ever had!"
"I'll second that opinion!" Calamity added from across the table. "This is truly an amazing recipe!"
"Not to mention you made all of us something different," Urbosa said.
"This is certainly a meal to be remembered," Mipha agreed. "Thank you very much, Wild."
"I'm certainly happy I get to have cake for breakfast," Zelda laughed. "And my favorite cake as well!"
The others all added their own praises, promising Wild that it was indeed a truly wonderful breakfast.
Wild grinned, pleased that he had made everyone so happy.
The rest of the meal was joined with petty small talk. Purah messed with her own Slate for longer than she ate, and Impa scolded her for starving herself. Revali bothered Time about his eye some more, to which the hero flatly ignored, choosing to speak over the Rito to anyone else who would play along, much to Revali's chagrin and Legend's endless amusement.
Zelda excused herself after she was finished with a few slices of her fruitcake, saying that she had some other duties to attend to. Terrako whistled to everyone as it followed after its princess. Revali was quick to take that as an opportunity to leave, and soon enough most of the others had gotten up from the table. Eventually, only the four who were to go on the mission to Typhlo were left, though none of them were eating.
"Shall we be on our way?" Urbosa asked. "I already spoke with Purah. She'll use the Slate to fast travel us to Woodland Tower whenever we're ready."
"Can your Slate do that, Wild?" Calamity asked. "Teleport people?"
Wild nodded. "Yeah, but not in your world." He showed off the map screen on his Slate. It was blank, save for a message saying, 'Sheikah Tower detected. Calibrate Sheikah Slate to this new Tower to access teleport pads.' "I don't know how to do that. But it isn't a big deal."
"Let's find Purah then," Twilight said.
"Who knows where she's gotten off to," Calamity sighed.
"Twilight, didn't you say you're good at finding lost things?" Urbosa questioned.
Twilight grinned smugly. "I am."
"Well, help us out then!" Calamity said eagerly.
Twilight nodded. "I watched her head out this door," he said leading them through one of the dining hall's multiple exits. He walked up a flight of stairs, making sure to stay in front of the group. Wild saw his nose quiver several times. He's tracking her, Wild realized. Even in human form, it seemed that Twi still had some canine abilities. Twilight tried not to pause for too long, obviously trying to make it seem like he knew exactly where he was going and was not tracking Purah like a dog would track prey. Calamity was oblivious, of that Wild was sure. The General talked to anyone who would listen the entire time they walked. But Urbosa...Wild didn't know about her. She kept a close eye on Twilight the entire time he led them. She was observant. Not that Calamity wasn't, but even now she was still trying to figure out her new allies.
Regardless, they found Purah with Impa near the guest bedrooms only a few minutes after Twilight began leading.
"We're ready to go," Urbosa informed her. "Take us to Woodland Tower."
"Oh, with pleasure!" Purah agreed. "Have you two ever teleported before?"
"I have," Wild confirmed.
"I have too," Twilight answered. "Not with Sheikah tech, but I have."
"With what then?" Calamity asked.
"...A friend of mine was good at magic," Twilight said after a moment of hesitation.
"Well, get ready, then!" Purah said excitedly, tapping at the screen of her Sheikah Slate. "…Are you ready?"
Everyone nodded.
"Click, snap!" She pressed a final button, and then Wild felt his body being disassembled. He lost all sense save for the vague idea that something was off. He couldn't see, couldn't hear, couldn't really think straight. And then as soon as it started, it was over. He felt his feet touch down on solid ground again, watched cerulean light weave his chest back together, and heard the sound of his allies sorting themselves out beside him. Calamity and Urbosa recovered quickly, the latter leaning over the edge of the high tower and staring out towards Typhlo ruins. Twilight took a second longer. He reformed, his gaze on the ground and his face pale.
"You alright?" Calamity asked him.
Twilight shook himself off, color returning to his cheeks almost instantly. "Y-yes. Sorry, it's just been a long time since I've teleported like that."
"It's a strange feeling," Urbosa agreed.
"Let's get moving," Twilight said. "I'm alright now."
"Good. We've got a long walk ahead of us," Calamity said. He pointed to the distant outline of the shadowy ruins, tucked almost behind the misty Korok Forest. "That's where we're headed. I suppose we could stop by the Military Training Camp and ask them if they've got any horses. Er, I trust you can all ride horses?"
Wild nodded.
Twilight gave him a flat look. "I'm a ranch hand, Calamity. I'm pretty sure I can ride a horse."
"A ranch hand?" Urbosa repeated, sounding intrigued, moving to climb down the tower. "A fine hero like yourself?"
Twilight laughed now, following her. "I've never liked being famous the way our Captain does. I grew up in the village I live in now; the smallest village in the entirety of Hyrule, the kind of place where everybody knows everybody and there's no such thing as personal space. That's my kind of place to live. So much quieter than Castle Town. Much less demanding."
"I think I get what you mean," Calamity shrugged. "Of course, I don't totally agree. I did agree to become General, meaning I of course live in the castle. But there is certainly something nice about living in a small village. Wild and I, we grew up in Hateno Village, you know. Small place, not too many residents." Calamity glanced at Wild. "How did our hometown fare after the Great Calamity, Wild? Is it...ruined?"
Wild shook his head. "It was one of the very few villages that survived."
Calamity nodded, satisfied. They'd now made it to the bottom of the tower. Only a few hundred feet away was the Military Training Camp. The guard up in the watchtower noticed Urbosa and the familiar blue of both Wild and Calamity's tunics, so he climbed down to greet the newcomers. He paused when he got close enough to see the similarities and differences between Wild and Calamity, obviously unsure who to address as General.
Calamity stepped forward. "We need four horses for a trip to Typhlo ruins, good sir. Do be prompt about it."
"Of course, General," the man agreed, saluting his superior and hurrying into the camp. Through the gates, Wild watched young boys going through drills that seemed distantly familiar.
"It'll take him a minute to get a hold of four free horses," Calamity said. "And I'm due for an inspection of this place anyway. Want to come with me?"
Urbosa nodded. Twilight shrugged. And Wild was left without a choice as Calamity walked through the gate into the small settlement. Tall buildings of wood occupied either side of a short street leading into a large training area. Dummies were set up at even intervals for individual trainees to repeatedly perform the same technique on. In the very center was a dueling ring. Warriors was going to be jealous he missed this, Wild thought. And honestly, Wild wished that Warriors was here instead of him. He felt almost claustrophobic as Calamity announced his presence with a cheery laugh. The gaze of every supervising officer and trainee landed on their General and his strange company. Every eye narrowed as they took in Wild and his plethora of scars. Twilight discreetly wrapped his arm around Wild's shoulders, leaning against the shorter hero casually, as though daring anyone here to belittle him.
"Carry on, gentlemen," Calamity shrugged. "My company and I only wished to oversee a little of your training."
"Who's that with you, General?" a boy in the back demanded. "Your evil clone or something?" The other recruits around him snickered.
Twilight's grip tightened, and he stared at Calamity, obviously expecting something to be done. Calamity happily obliged, his jaw tightening and his posture straightening.
"If you must know exactly who you are in the presence of, I'll tell you. I should hope you recognize the Gerudo Champion, Urbosa. The tall man in green is the Hero of Twilight. And the other Hylian in blue is the Hero of the Wild. I suggest you treat them with as much respect as you treat me with, perhaps even more."
Many of them men glanced at Twilight questioningly, as though they couldn't believe he truly was the hero from the era of Twilight. In that moment, Twi used his intimidating resume as a tool, almost casually bearing his somewhat unnaturally sharp teeth and running his tongue over them. The soldiers all averted their gazes, refocusing on the tasks they'd been given.
"I've never heard of a Hero of the Wild," the same boy persisted, laughing as Wild curled his shoulders inwards.
Calamity shook his head slowly. Then his gaze noticeably hardened and he marched over to the insistent bully, grabbing him by his thin tunic and dragging him down to Calamity's eye-level. "You listen to me, boy. When I tell you to respect someone, you respect them, no matter who they are. And Wild over there has accomplished more than you ever will in your pitiful life. Keep up this attitude and I will personally dismiss you from my army. You should've kept your mouth shut from the start. The mere fact that the Hero of the Wild was in not only my company but also Urbosa's ought to be enough to clue you in to the fact that he's important. So I suggest you screw your head on straight, and then walk your sorry hide over to him and apologize. After that, I expect ten laps around this training area under my supervision. And do be quick about it. We've got more important things to worry about than a miscreant like you." Calamity released the teen then, and Wild noted that if it weren't for Calamity's status as not only General but also the Hero of the Great Calamity, the two would've likely held similar positions of importance. They were about the same age. Destiny was a curious thing.
But Wild's musings were shaken aside when the teen approached him with his head hung and obvious disdain on his face. With Calamity right behind him, he didn't dare vocalize his displeasure, but Wild could see that he was indeed angry. Now that he'd gotten in trouble, this boy was the focus of the rest of the recruits' amusement. Several of them sneered as he was marched by his General towards the Hero of the Wild. Calamity met anyone who laughed with a searing glare, and soon silence occupied the area. Urbosa stood with her hands on her hips, her expression cool but disappointment evident in her gaze. Twilight met the boy with open hostility, his eyes narrowed and his shoulders raised as though he wished to reach for his trusty blade. Wild took a deep breath and met the eyes of the offender with what he hoped was a neutral expression. He crossed his arms over his chest and absentmindedly shook his head so that his bangs hung over his scars.
The boy reached them then, and Wild observed him silently, pursing his lips. The boy was infuriatingly tall, standing taller than even Twilight. Thankfully, Urbosa would never be challenged in height by a Hylian, so Wild's party still had the subtle advantage of height. Even so, Wild felt small as the bully stood over him, his expression still vehemently displeased. Calamity came to stand beside Wild, and the boy quickly cleared his face of its malcontent.
"Apologize. Now," Calamity ordered. "Then get to running."
The boy's gaze flicked between his General, Wild, and Twilight. It was clear that he was intimidated by both Calamity and Twilight. So he sighed heavily, and began to speak. "I'm sorry for being so rude, Hero of the Wild."
He waited for Wild to say something, but the scarred hero kept his mouth shut. He didn't feel like forgiving this teenager for his unnecessary harshness, so he didn't. Calamity clearly didn't expect him to, and he gestured for the teen to get running. As the offender took off sprinting away from them, cursing under his breath, the guard they'd originally spoken to returned with four horses behind him.
"Here you are, sir," the guard said, ignoring the running trainee. "Four horses. And a large one for you, Champion Urbosa."
Urbosa smiled. "Thank you for the consideration."
"Shall we get going?" Twilight questioned, taking the reins from the guard's outstretched hand.
Calamity nodded. "We should. We've spent enough time here." He turned to the nearest supervising officer. "Make sure this boy finishes his running."
"Yes, sir!" the officer agreed.
Calamity nodded, waiting for the boy to pass them by one last time. "The Heroes of both Time and Warriors will be hearing about this, young man! I hope you're happy with yourself!"
As he ran past them, Wild noted that the boy's face seemed drained of all its color. Twilight chuckled to himself, amused that even the mention of Time could make someone want to behave.
"Now then," Calamity said, taking the reins of one of the horses. "Let's be off." He mounted his chosen steed, a strong brown one that nickered happily as Calamity mounted it. Twilight handed the reins of a huge black and orange horse off to Urbosa, who mounted it without issue. The enormous mount seemed very calm, and didn't really seem to care that it now had a rider. Wild chose a thin white horse that seemed to also be well-trained. It eagerly allowed him to climb on, and then stamped its hooves impatiently as Wild waited for Twilight to mount his own steed.
"That one there is trouble," the guard said to Twilight. His horse was a speckled brown and white one that shook itself irritably as Twilight climbed on. "We don't let trainees use him."
"I'm sure I can manage him," Twilight assured him. "I know how to deal with horses."
The guard nodded, moving aside and letting them pass. Calamity led them out, and within minutes the wooden structures of the training camp were behind them.
"I'm terribly sorry about that, Wild," Calamity sighed heavily. "I don't know what that boy was thinking."
"He likely just didn't want to admit he was wrong in the first place," Urbosa suggested. "Hotheaded boys with a dream of making it big in the army can be stubborn like that."
"I suppose," Calamity shrugged. "Regardless, it should've never happened, much less to a fine fellow like you, Wild."
"It's really alright," Wild said, shrugging it aside.
"You handled that well, Calamity," Twilight said. "You're clearly a respected General for more reasons than just your status as hero."
Calamity shrugged. "It wasn't that hard. That guy said something unkind, and something needed to be done about it."
"Warriors will be impressed," Wild said lightly.
"So will Time," Twilight laughed. "I didn't think anyone could match that man's level of intimidation, but it seems like we've got a challenger."
"Please, you sell yourself short," Urbosa said, also laughing. "You were pretty intimidating yourself."
"I guess," Twilight shrugged.
They drifted back into companionable silence, Wild contemplating the events of the camp. Calamity had stuck up for him. Pretty aggressively too. Wild supposed he could be grateful for Calamity's friendship in that regard. He truly was a kind person. Wild just needed to accept that, and for once, he felt like he was starting to.
Author's Note: A bit of a long one today, folks. Typhlo Ruins is next chapter, I promise! Thanks for reading!