In a whirl of lengthy hair as dark as the night, a tall woman appeared. Her spectacles perched high upon her sharp, petite nose. Her eyes narrow and elegantly curved. Her long, slender legs extended down to ankle-breaking heels. The elegant curves of her body complimented by the skin-tight grasp of her latex and cloth ensemble. Her shimmering hair trussed up on the top her head by a red ribbon, the remainder billowing out behind her like a scarf. Her Umbra Watch pinned to her lapel. She surveyed her surroundings with amusement. This was not the monochromatic, saturated, depressing Vigrid. She stood atop the remains of a pumpkin- shattered underfoot like the heads of her enemies. Her presence was as imposing as it was amid battles with demonic and otherworldly entities.
Bayonetta had never seen any village so bright, colourful and cheerful like a child's painting. At least, not that she could recall from her fragmented memories. She had woken up in the bottom of a lake 500 years after the war between the Lumen Sages and the Umbra Witches- from what her research gathered. This was not the first time that circumstance led her astray across dimensions or through time rather than the few paces that she intended. The power of the Left Eye was arcane; even she, through her efforts to uncover her past and unite the Eyes of the World, paled in comparison.
The only signs of life, at least from the location of this unfortunate pumpkin patch, were two blonde children- a boy and girl- running with four stray cats. A calico, a grey, white and a black (the irony of the last one was not lost on Bayonetta). The children laughed as they crossed the large stone bridge. The eponymous figure departed the pumpkin patch with purpose.
As she approached the children, the boy stepped in front of his female companion. He brandished a stick like a sword. His body shielding the blonde girl from Bayonetta. The witch chuckled under her breath. Very few things could harm her. What chance would a peasant with a stick have against her?
She was also taken aback by the blonde girl's moxie to speak first. It reminded the witch of what little she remembered about herself. It was a shame that a certain Sage was doing everything in his power to prevent her from recovering her memories. She would have revelled in the chance to compare her past self to her current self – 20 years of progress after waking up in the lake. Twenty years of developing into the epitome of sex appeal and power, wielding firearms and magic, that she was now. Despite knowing she was not good with children; she dimmed her sensuality in front of the children. If this was her world, she would have mugged the boy after wooing him with her feminine charms.
"Which direction is Vigrid?"
"Is that on the Surface?"
"Where am I?"
"Skyloft."
"Well, well. It seems I have rendered you and your friend speechless. I make a habit of doing so."
Bayonetta covered her smirking lips with her hand.
"Link can't talk."
"It seems that your mother or father, even I cannot assume in this day and age, teach you not to speak with strangers? You're not orphans, are you?"
"No, I'm not."
"What about your friend? Link was it?"
Let me guess? If he's Link, you're named Chain. No, that would be rude. I don't need to give their parents a reason to hunt me with torches and pitchforks. Enough people already want me dead.
"I don't know."
"It's not like he could tell you. Even if he wanted to."
Link signed something with his hands.
"Link! That's rude." The blonde girl dressed mostly in pink exclaimed.
"You can understand his hands?"
"Sometimes."
Link continued a little bit faster in case the strange woman knew more than she let on.
"His voice, that's…got nothing to do with his parents? You're not related…in any way?"
The girl shrugged. "No. We've been friends as long as I can remember. I'm Zelda. What's your name?"
"Bayonetta."
"What are two little rapscallions like you two doing out here, unsupervised?"
"We were on our way home, but Link saw some cats. He really likes cats."
"No offense, but I don't think owning cats gives either of you a financial advantage."
These two children were smarter than they let on. The boy had a dark look, his eyes down cast. He had seen something that contrasted the innocent, whimsical environment.
When has anything ever been what it first appeared to be? Goodness, my own thoughts are cynical.
"They're not our cats."
"You stole them?"
"No. They're strays. We feed them and play with them."
The calico rubbed itself between Bayonetta's legs, mewling for attention. The witch obliged, stooping over to scratch his between the ears. Zelda extended a handkerchief to Bayonetta.
"You'll need this for your pretty shoes. Do you want to come with us?"
"Thank you." The witch took the handkerchief. It was rough to the touch. Homemade with love.
The more they walked, the more it seemed as if the residents of Skyloft were rebuilding after a calamity.
"Wat happened here?"
Zelda and Link look to each other.
"You can't tell me?" Bayonetta's brow creased.
"It was nothing." Zelda said, kicking Link for whatever he signed with his hands.
Bayonetta remined silent as they arrived to a diminutive but tidy hut where it appeared that Link lived alone. However, he was not prepared to leave Zelda alone with someone dressed in all black.
"I'll be fine Link. If anything happens, I have my harp. Don't forget you promised that you'd teach me how to fly a Loftwing tomorrow. No sleeping in, you hear?" Zelda mock scolded him. "I want to have my lesson before my father realises that I'm gone and comes looking for me. You know how he is."
They both laughed. Link hugged Zelda goodbye before she left. She lingered in the door, smiling to him. Link waved from the window.
"He's special to you?"
Zelda jumped at the sound of Bayonetta's voice.
"You could say that." Zelda's smile turned to a hollow sigh. "I just…I lost a friend recently and I don't want to lose him too."
Bayonetta could not relate. She never found anyone that she could care about like Zelda and Link cared for each other.
"Never mind. I'll show you around, Bayonetta. Everything's in the middle of changing as it is."
"Sometimes, change is a good thing."
"Yes, my friend said a similar thing. Let's enjoy the sun while we can. We might not be able to fly on the Loft Wings tomorrow. It feels like it's going to rain." Zelda said, looking directly at the goddess statue. There was not a cloud in the sky as Zelda introduced Bayonetta to the rest of Skyloft.